After leaving the forest, Bartolomeo quickly reunited with his underlings who had been chasing after him.
He formally announced to them that he was preparing to set sail, to enter the Grand Line, and to become a great pirate who would shake the seas.
With that, he could proudly join the infamous Dragon Pirates and become a renowned member of Souta Kiryuu's fearsome crew.
Meanwhile, in Loguetown, Souta Kiryuu's shocking declaration spread like wildfire—spreading at a viral pace until the entire world trembled at the news.
Once again, Souta Kiryuu had torn open the heavens, and peace was no longer possible in this world.
Some of the long-established powers could scoff at Gol D. Roger's so-called "One Piece," but immortality—that was the desire of almost everyone. No one could ignore such a burning temptation.
The message swept through the underworld like a storm, shaking even "Big News" Morgans to his core.
He had once believed that the Five Elders were the pinnacle of authority in this world. But now, he discovered that atop the Holy Land of Mariejois, there existed yet another ruler—a King of the World who had lived for more than eight hundred years.
This figure, known as Inaro Imu, one of the original Twenty Kings, was truly still alive?
Had he secretly ruled the World Government and the Celestial Dragons for centuries?
Morgans didn't care whether Souta's words were true or not. His job was simple: to publish what Souta Kiryuu had said. That alone would make his newspapers sell out across the globe.
After more than a month of silence, the Dragon Pirates had reappeared—this time joining forces with the Revolutionary Army. Together, they toppled two mighty pirate nations of the West Blue, the Flower Kingdom and the Sang Kingdom—both World Government affiliates.
It was a resounding slap in the face to the World Government, a thunderous announcement to all: the God-Slayer, Souta Kiryuu, had returned!
And it didn't stop there. Souta had moved swiftly from the West Blue to the East Blue. On the very execution platform where Gol D. Roger once stood, he revealed an earth-shattering secret to the world.
"Gahahaha!! A Great Era of Strife for eternal life and supreme power? That's far more tempting than Roger's treasure!!"
In the New World, at the headquarters of the Economic News Agency, Morgans—transformed into his albatross hybrid form—burst into manic laughter, his eyes blazing with excitement.
This Souta Kiryuu kept delivering surprise after surprise. Nearly every major headline of the past year could be traced back to him. Souta was practically a golden goose—a living money tree.
Even without hush money from the World Government, Morgans could fill his coffers and keep his news empire thriving, making his newspapers the most influential across the world.
"Print it! Get it out there! Spread every word—this is about the legendary Immortal!" Morgans roared.
His editors scrambled to typeset the headlines, rush the presses, and distribute the explosive story across every sea.
The underworld, the fastest network of whispers, was already ablaze with the news.
Navy intelligence officers and CP agents of the World Government, horrified, relayed the information back to Marine Headquarters at Marineford and the Holy Land of Mariejois.
Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru—two of the Navy's highest authorities—had never known there was a King above the Five Elders.
They couldn't be certain whether the news was true, but deep down, they began to believe in the terrifying revelations Souta Kiryuu had unleashed.
Even the three Marine Admirals rarely set foot in Mariejois to meet the Five Elders, let alone glimpse a hidden figure like Imu, the so-called King of the World.
Outside of the Five Elders and the God Knights, not even most Celestial Dragons knew of Imu's existence.
New World, Dressrosa – King's Plateau
"Fufufufufu!! To think that the National Treasure was enough to terrify the world, and yet there's still one of the Twenty Kings alive?!"
Doflamingo laughed maniacally. He had always believed the 5-billion-Berry bounty on the Ope Ope no Mi was no lie. Imu, the so-called World King, had to be the beneficiary of the fruit's ultimate ability—the Immortality Surgery.
The mere thought of it filled Doflamingo with greed toward Trafalgar Law of the Dragon Pirates.
"Damn it!!" Doflamingo cursed under his breath.
If it hadn't been for his foolish younger brother Rosinante, the Ope Ope no Mi would have been his long ago. Law would be his subordinate, and he himself could have undergone the Immortality Surgery—becoming the next eternal being.
"Souta Kiryuu!! Trafalgar Law!!"
Behind his pink shades, Doflamingo's eyes darkened. His obsession with the Ope Ope no Mi was far from over.
If an opportunity ever came to strike while the Dragon Pirates were vulnerable, he wouldn't hesitate to seize Law back, even if it meant stabbing Souta Kiryuu in the back.
But for now, he had to bide his time. Souta's crew was terrifyingly strong, and the wiser move was to maintain a façade of cooperation.
In truth, Doflamingo was convinced the Dragon Pirates could never withstand the eight-hundred-year-old foundation of the World Government.
For now, let Souta Kiryuu rise. Let him bask in his fleeting glory. In the end, Doflamingo would watch him fall—ground to dust beneath the weight of the World Government.
The next day, Morgans' newspapers had spread the bombshell across every corner of the world.
The revelation was explosive—Souta had not only dared to speak it, but had openly declared war with the World Government.
He had pointed the spear of immortality directly at Imu, the hidden World King in Mariejois.
This revelation stirred the greed of countless powers, putting tremendous pressure on the Holy Land's security.
It wasn't just ambitious rulers of affiliate kingdoms who coveted eternal life—even among the bloated Celestial Dragons, whispers spread. Many clamored to confirm the truth, desperate to drag Imu into the open.
For who among the Celestial Dragons did not also yearn to live forever?
This tidal wave of news forced the God Knights—who had been hunting the Dragon Pirates abroad—to abandon their mission and rush back to Mariejois to keep the vultures at bay.
Even the arrogant Celestial Dragons were cowed into silence beneath the God Knights' threat, no longer daring to question the existence of Imu.
But once such desires take root, they cannot be erased. Like a stone tumbling down a mountain, the greed for immortality would only gather speed and force.
Sooner or later, the Celestial Dragons would demand the truth of Imu's immortality.
And among them, some clan leaders still remembered the ancient pact of the original Twenty Kings:
That no one should ever sit upon the Empty Throne.
They were all meant to be equals, standing together at the world's pinnacle.
So why should Inaro Imu, their ancestor, become King above Kings?
As the news spread, the Five Elders and the God Knights seethed with rage. They loathed Souta Kiryuu for revealing the secret—but they loathed Morgans even more for broadcasting it.
After repeated failed attempts to silence him, the World Government officially issued a bounty.
Big News Morgans, President of the World Economic News Agency. Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit, Albatross Model. Bounty: 1 billion Berries.
To have his first bounty set at such a staggering level—comparable to a Calamity of the Beasts Pirates—was proof of the danger he posed.
This fat bird had seized control of global opinion, shaping the voice of the world itself.
The World Government decided he had to be eliminated. They needed a more obedient mouthpiece to control the world's press.
And so, Stussy—the spy among spies—was given a new mission: assassinate Morgans.