With the war finally over, the World Government had suffered a crushing blow—one they hadn't anticipated. They had been outmaneuvered completely by the Araryuu Pirates.
No one had imagined that Souta Kiryuu could truly summon so many powerful figures at once. Both the Knights of God and the Navy had been dealt devastating losses.
Through Morgans' broadcast to the underworld, factions across the seas had watched the terrifying battle unfold in real time, leaving them all deeply shaken.
And now, with the blueprints of the ancient weapon Pluton revealed to the world, combined with the unstoppable rise of Souta Kiryuu, the tides of power had irreversibly shifted.
Had the Araryuu not been classified as something other than pirates, Souta's crew would already have been recognized as the "Fifth Emperor" of the seas.
Dressrosa – King's Plateau
"Fufufufu… Souta Kiryuu, that bastard! He's already able to fight on equal footing with Kaido of the Beasts! The growth of that experimental subject's strength is far too fast!"
Donquixote Doflamingo had watched the live broadcast of Souta slaying a Knight of God. Though thrilled by the spectacle, a creeping sense of dread weighed on him as well.
Still, his cooperation with Souta had been worthwhile. By using his underground network to spread word of the Sorbet Kingdom war, he had ensured countless allied nations and factions learned of the Tenryuubito's barbaric "cleansing games" against native populations.
Now, with this leverage, Doflamingo believed he could establish a cooperative relationship with Souta's crew. Better to become partners than live in fear of his vengeance.
If possible, he even hoped to ransom Monet back from them. As for Baby 5… there was no saving someone with flaws as dangerous as hers.
As for the undertaker Drago Pecclo and the smuggler Kiberson, they would have to find their own way to curry favor with Souta. If they became targets, the damage would be catastrophic.
After all, with Souta, Bartholomew Kuma, and Enel in the Araryuu Pirates, even a single underground emperor could be wiped from existence. Not to mention that blind swordsman rumored to be allied with them—he alone had managed to face off against two Knights of God.
That kind of strength was Admiral-class, at the very least.
If the swordsman truly was Souta's ally, then the Araryuu Pirates now possessed power equivalent to a Yonko crew.
"Fufufufu… it seems I'll have to yield far more profits if I want to keep the Araryuu Pirates appeased."
For Doflamingo, Souta's presence was now on the same level as Kaido himself.
The image of two dragons clashing in the skies still burned vividly in his memory.
And most importantly—the fact that Souta had crushed the leader of the Knights of God in single combat… that man had been a figure of absolute authority, one even Doflamingo had feared back when he was still a Celestial Dragon.
A judge and executioner among the gods themselves.
World Economic Journal – Morgans' Headquarters
The newsroom was in chaos, operating around the clock. Morgans was preparing three separate editions of the paper—morning, midday, and evening—to ensure the Sorbet Kingdom incident would be spread to every corner of the world.
The title "Godslayer Souta Kiryuu" would once again shake the globe. That very day, he had slain a Knight of God—an elite among the Tenryuubito.
This was an event far more shocking than the death of an ordinary Celestial Dragon.
And to cripple the commander of the Knights of God by shattering his arm was a feat that would live in legend.
Morgans didn't care if Souta had benefited from Kaido's interference. The fact was that it had been Souta who destroyed Garlin Saint's arm, and he would brand him the standard-bearer of a new age—an icon whose power would ignite the seas.
Marine Headquarters – Marineford
News of the battle's outcome plunged Fleet Admiral Sengoku into a brooding silence.
To him, the death of a Knight of God was as disastrous as losing an Admiral—perhaps even worse.
He could already picture the World Government and the Celestial Dragons clamoring to slash naval funding as punishment.
Garp, the old "Fist of Love," secretly relished the death of one of the Knights, but he knew better than to laugh aloud. Not here, not now. Sengoku and Tsuru were watching, and the atmosphere at Marineford was already unbearably heavy.
Kizaru had grown accustomed to Souta's insane antics by now. At least he hadn't been dispatched to intervene this time, or else he might have been saddled with another catastrophic failure.
"This time, not only did we fail to capture Souta and his men, but the entire world's allied nations have now learned of the disgraceful scandal," Sengoku said with exasperation. "Mobilize all intelligence units to suppress the spread of information as much as possible. Silence the underworld, no matter the cost."
Yet the most terrifying part was not the loss of a Knight itself, but the fact that the Sorbet Kingdom incident had spread across seas, shaking the stability of both allied nations and the World Government.
"Morgans has refused any communication," reported Criminal Affairs Bureau Director Tenmasei Kuroba, his face pale. "By tomorrow, the entire world will know. Even the commoners will hear of it."
A Vice Admiral furrowed his brow. "Our informants report that Warlord Donquixote Doflamingo and Gild Tesoro, king of Gran Tesoro, both actively fueled the spread of information. They pushed public opinion to its highest peak against the Celestial Dragons."
"Doflamingo thrives on chaos—no surprise there," Tsuru admitted. "But Tesoro? He's always worked well with the World Government. Why would he be so eager to assist?"
Whatever their motives, Sengoku's focus now turned toward another enigma—the blind swordsman.
"If that man isn't truly allied with Souta's crew, then we may still have a chance to win him over," Sengoku mused grimly. "A man who dares to charge into the Sorbet Kingdom alone to rescue others… someone like that could be a powerful ally."
But he also knew it was unlikely. After clashing so bitterly with the Knights of God, the blind swordsman was now a marked enemy in their eyes.
Sorbet Kingdom Seas – The Ark Maxim
"Kuma, did you leave a mark on Shiki's floating island ship?" Souta asked immediately after returning to the Ark Maxim, his body still drenched in blood, Smoother and Perospero by his side.
Before departing for the northern battlefield, Souta had instructed Kuma to mark the vessel. With Golden Lion Shiki occupied in combat and no powerful guards left aboard, Kuma could slip in unnoticed.
People underestimated the Paw-Paw Fruit. But even a constantly moving airborne island could be marked. Kuma's ability was absolute.
He had once marked the drifting Sky Island of Weatheria and even Moria's monstrous Thriller Bark. Floating or not, they could all be tracked.
"Marking and recording complete," Kuma replied, his expressionless face breaking into the faintest trace of a smile. His tone was calm, almost gentle.