The war's aftershocks were spreading across the world.
East Blue, Orange Town.
Dressed in clown attire with a white skull painted on his forehead and a big red nose, Buggy the Clown looked at the spirited Shanks in the newspaper. His expression was indescribable.
"Shanks, you bastard idiot... you actually climbed to such heights?"
Grand Line, Florian Triangle.
In the dark castle, Gecko Moria was so angry he nearly ground his teeth to powder. His massive hands crumpled the newspaper into a ball.
"Damn Kaido, has your power grown stronger again? Just wait—just wait! Once I find sufficiently powerful shadows and resurrect the legendary demon Oars—"
His gaze greedily swept over the mountain-sized terrifying corpse outside in the thick fog, eyes flickering with flames of madness and ambition.
Kuraigana Island.
Mihawk sat elegantly on a luxurious sofa, holding a glass of red wine and gently swirling it. On the coffee table lay that fresh newspaper.
His sharp, hawk-like gaze scanned reports about Shanks and Kai, murmuring with excitement. "Shanks, Kai... you've both grown stronger."
Sabaody Archipelago, Rip-off Bar.
"The Four Emperors era? That boy Shanks really did it."
Dark King Rayleigh looked at the newspaper, releasing a sound between sentiment and sighing. "With the new era's arrival, where should we remnants of the old era go?"
Thinking this, Rayleigh suddenly raised his hand. "Shakky, give me a shot of the strongest Flame Whiskey! Today I want to properly celebrate that boy Shanks becoming an Emperor of the Sea!"
Smack!
The former world's most beautiful woman, now bar proprietress Shakky, unceremoniously slapped down Rayleigh's raised arm. She squinted with a "kind" smile. "Don't even think about using this as an excuse to mooch drinks. When do you plan to settle your previous tab? Hm?"
"Ahaha... well, don't be so calculating, Shakky."
His ulterior motive exposed, Rayleigh laughed awkwardly. "Once I sell myself to a human auction house someday, I'll have money to pay!"
Baltigo, Revolutionary Army Headquarters.
Inside this secret base the World Government desperately searched for but could never locate, Sabo, wearing a top hat with short blonde hair and extensive burn scars on his face, tightly gripping a new wanted poster.
Looking at the orange cowboy hat-wearing, brilliantly smiling boy in the photo, tears silently streamed down his cheeks onto the poster.
"Ace... you really went to sea and became a pirate..."
Calm Belt, Amazon Lily.
In the luxurious Empress's bedroom, the world's most beautiful woman, Boa Hancock, embraced a soft velvet blanket in an extremely undignified posture. Her gorgeous face flushed unnaturally.
Her slender, breathtaking white legs coiled around the blanket like pythons, gazing dreamily at Kai's slightly blurred but undeniably imposing silhouette in the newspaper. She released dream-like moans.
"Kai-sama... so handsome! I... I can barely breathe..."
Marineford, New Recruit Training Camp.
Marine-dressed Luffy enviously stared at Ace's arrogant smile on the wanted poster, muttering quietly. "Ahh, I want to go to sea and become a pirate too—"
Thunk!
A pale but powerful fist mercilessly struck his head.
"Ow!"
Luffy immediately crouched, holding his head as a fresh red bump visibly swelled.
Ain crossed her arms, eyebrows raised furiously. "You're a Marine now! You should have an irreconcilable relationship with pirates! Throw away such dangerous thoughts!"
"I won't!" Luffy covered his head, still defiantly arguing despite the pain. "I want to be a pirate!"
"Since you want to be a pirate so badly, come with me. Let's see what real pirates are like!"
Then a deep, authoritative voice interrupted. Both turned to see a burly man with purple hedgehog-styled hair approaching. His right sleeve revealed a gleaming mechanical arm!
"Zephyr-sensei, you're going to sea?"
Ain immediately stood at attention, but her gaze worriedly focused on that mechanical arm.
"Don't worry, Ain."
Zephyr raised his mechanical arm, flexibly moving the metal fingers. "This sea voyage's perfect for testing the power of this new mechanical arm the scientists installed."
"Wow! So cool!"
Luffy's attention was instantly completely drawn to that powerful mechanical arm, eyes shining as he circled around, curiously touching everywhere.
"Luffy! Don't be rude!"
Ain helplessly facepalmed. Wasn't this rubbing salt in Zephyr-sensei's wounds?
But Zephyr didn't mind. His eyes—weathered by countless storms—seriously studied Luffy. "Weren't you constantly saying you wanted to be a pirate? Then I'll personally take you to sea and let you witness firsthand what the real ocean and genuine pirates are truly like!"
These days of interaction let Zephyr see through this "crooked sapling" Garp brought. Luffy's nature was kind, and he pursued ultimate freedom. Rather than yearning to become a pirate, he yearned for the unrestricted freedom pirates represented.
He decided to take Luffy to see and experience firsthand. To make him understand that true freedom absolutely wasn't recklessly doing whatever one pleased, like those murdering, pillaging pirates!
Somewhere in the sky.
On a floating island, the man with floor-length, lion-mane-like golden hair, Golden Lion Shiki, greedily stared at the latest World Economic Journal. His face was full of hunger.
The ship's wheel embedded in his skull made him look like a bizarre, angry rooster.
"Such powerful beasts!"
According to newspaper reports, Kaido's beast army was even more ferocious than his IQ-enhanced beasts!
"If I fed IQ to those beasts... forget the small East Blue; even the entire Grand Line could be turned upside down!"
Imagining that destructive scene, Shiki was so excited he could barely contain himself, as if already seeing the chaotic storm he'd personally create.
Red Line, Mary Geoise, Room of Authority.
The Five Elders gathered, the atmosphere heavy as iron.
"Didn't Vegapunk confidently claim that artificial Devil Fruit was a failure?"
The Five Elders gathered, atmosphere heavy as iron.
"Didn't Vegapunk confidently claim that artificial Devil Fruit was a failure?"
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro looked at intelligence in his hands, brow furrowed. The intelligence showed a pink dragon-human engaged in fierce battle.
Saint Marcus Mars snorted. "Perhaps that world's greatest scientist has started having his own schemes too."
Saint Topman Warcury shifted his gaze aside. "Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, among us you understand science and technology best. You personally visit Punk Hazard and 'remind' Vegapunk to remember his position and duties."
He paused, adding: "Also, restart artificial Devil Fruit research. Facts prove it's not a doomed failure project."
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn slowly nodded, accepting this task.
He surveyed the other four, voice low as he added: "There's another matter—after this battle, Beast Pirates' overall displayed strength seems somewhat beyond expectations."
The other Four Elders' faces simultaneously darkened.
They'd always monitored Red Hair Shanks' movements, naturally having clear knowledge of Red Hair Shanks and his crew's strength. That was absolutely Emperor-level power.
Precisely because of this, they were most shocked by news that Beast Pirates nearly completely annihilated Red Hair Pirates. Moreover, Beast Pirates didn't even use full force this time—at least one-third of elite forces remained guarding Wano homeland.
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro polished his sword. "Will they become the next Rocks?"
Saint Topman Warcury said coldly. "Compared to Rocks, it might be premature. But we absolutely can't sit idle while Kaido's power expands so much!"
Rocks Pirates' lesson was too painful—regardless of probability, World Government would never allow a second such monster crew to appear.
"If so, then begin restricting Beast Pirates. And the breakthrough point—"
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter's voice delivered the final verdict: "Let's start with that Natural Disaster Kai."
Wano Country, Flower Capital.
"That's the situation." A sweet, alluring voice came through the Den Den Mushi. "The Five Elders decided to have me somehow drive a wedge between you and Kaido. The price they offered is quite substantial."
"Oh?"
Kai lazily propped his feet on the office desk, sinking deep into his wide chair with an amused smile. "What kind of price? Tell me—let me see what the World Government thinks I'm worth."
"A legitimate Warlord seat, plus legal identity and ruling rights as a World Government member nation's king. How about that?"
Stussy said enviously. "This is my first time seeing the Five Elders offer such high prices to recruit a pirate."
"Tch, isn't that just another Doflamingo?"
Kai laughed. "I never thought my value in their eyes only equaled a fallen Celestial Dragon expelled from Mary Geoise. That's way too cheap."
His united front value still wasn't enough. Like future Loki, the Five Elders offered to become a Celestial Dragon.
However, despite saying this, Kai had to consider swallowing this sugar-coated bullet.
As long as the Beast Pirates maintained their massive structure, they'd remain the most conspicuous target in the World Government and Marine eyes, potentially facing joint encirclement anytime. Even other Emperors might not pass up this perfect opportunity to jointly weaken or even divide the Beast Pirates.
Damn, still too weak.
Strong unwillingness surged in Kai's heart. He unconsciously clenched his fist—he had a premonition that he was just short of touching awakening's threshold.
Unfortunately, Whitebeard and others arrived too quickly, interrupting that battle that might've helped him break through.
Hanging up, Kai frowned slightly, casually pulling quiet Robin—who was organizing materials—into his arms.
"This is sexual harassment, Kai-sama."
Robin's pretty face reddened. Feeling the hardness below, she uncomfortably shifted slightly.
Kai buried his face in Robin's chest, deeply inhaling her floral body fragrance. "This is your duty as secretary."
"I don't know what kind of secretary has such duties."
Robin huffed coquettishly, then worried. "Kai-sama, should we split from the Beast Pirates?"
"What d'you think?" Kai threw the question back, chin gently resting on her head.
Robin forced herself to think calmly, despite that troublesome hand disrupting her breathing. "Both... both have advantages and disadvantages. Separating gives us officially recognized legal status, at least buying peaceful development time, but we'd lose the Beast Pirates' massive resources and networks—income would drop sharply.
Not separating, we remain one of the sea's strongest pirate forces. Marines and the World Government would be cautious, unlikely to act rashly short-term, but we'd always remain in the storm's center, becoming everyone's target."
"Ultimately, it's still insufficient strength."
Kai sighed, releasing Robin and standing up, heading toward Onigashima.
He'd decided to stay with the Beast Pirates. Back when the Rocks Pirates were so powerful, before God Valley, the Marines didn't make serious efforts to eliminate them.
This showed that as long as they didn't touch Celestial Dragons and world truths, the World Government's patience was considerable.
Wano Country, Onigashima.
Looking at Kaido-sensei drinking alone in frustration after Whitebeard's forceful intervention prevented his satisfying battle, Kai, this good student, had a great idea.
"Should we make some moves on Fish-Man Island?"
"Fish-Man Island?"
Kaido's drinking motion paused.
"Exactly!"
Kai nodded affirmatively, beginning to elaborate on his thinking. "Don't we Beast Pirates currently lack powerful underwater forces? A fishman unit exclusively ours."
Forget the Red Hair Pirates' fishman unit's troubles—in this world where the ocean occupied ninety percent, fishmen possessed natural advantages no other race could match. If not for human powerhouses being too overpowered, fishmen might rule the world.
"Besides combat, we could employ them for deep-sea mining. The ocean depths contain countless rare minerals ordinary humans can't access."
Kai counted on his fingers, listing fishman unit benefits. "Moreover, beneath our feet's inland sea lies a complete nation."
Before Wano implemented the isolation policy, residents lived on normal-height land like elsewhere. Only after building tall walls did people gradually relocate to elevated places like Flower Capital.
Therefore, recruited fishman units wouldn't need much effort building new homes—ready-made towns lay underfoot.
"You forgot the most important issue."
King calmly spoke. "Fish-Man Island's Whitebeard's territory. The moment we swallow Fish-Man Island means starting war with the Whitebeard Pirates."
"Short-term, we can't bear full-scale war pressure with another Emperor."
"Absolutely right."
Kai nodded, then changed tack. "But what if we don't want territory?"
He analyzed: "We only want people. If fishmen voluntarily join the Beast Pirates, even Whitebeard lacks justification for war, right?"
Honestly, Fish-Man Island's location was indeed superior—directly beneath the Red Line, next to Sabaody Archipelago. But for the Beast Pirates currently needing rest and internal consolidation, it wasn't that important yet.
"If that's the case, I have no objections." King pondered briefly before nodding.
A systematic fishman unit's benefits were obvious. This risk was worth taking.
"Wororororo, then do it! Perfect opportunity to cause Whitebeard trouble!"
Since King and Kai agreed, Kaido naturally agreed boldly. Even if the Whitebeard Pirates chose war, that suited him perfectly.
He was worried about lacking opportunities for satisfying battles.