Just three hours after Morgans released his explosive news report,
a new bounty poster—stamped with the official seal of the World Government—appeared across the seas.
As the report had predicted,
Sugisawa Yuuto's bounty had soared to a staggering 1.5 billion Berries.
Among all the powerhouses still active across the Grand Line,
only the Four Emperors now surpassed him.
The moment the new bounty was issued, all doubts vanished—every skeptic silenced.
This enormous sum served as an unspoken admission:
Morgans' earlier report had been right all along.
Sugisawa Yuuto—the Fifth Emperor—had truly earned his title.
Yet the announcement only raised new questions.
Why would the World Government expose its own failure so publicly?
Wasn't this, in effect, fanning the flames of another's fame?
Such behavior was completely out of character for them.
Across the world, countless people frowned in confusion. Something didn't add up.
World Economic News – Headquarters (Airborne Hot-Air Balloon)
The "News King" Morgans himself was deep in thought.
After so many years of dealings with the World Government,
he knew better than anyone—they never did anything that hurt their own image.
"Could it be that I really guessed right this time… and they're letting me off as a reward?"
Morgans muttered to himself, half-skeptical.
"No, no, that's impossible. The World Government sparing me is already mercy enough. There's no way they'd give me face… unless…"
His avian eyes widened as a chilling possibility struck him.
Spa Island – Vacation Cruise
The women of Fairy Tail, enjoying their hard-earned vacation,
had also seen Morgans' latest article and the updated bounty poster.
"Fif— fifteen hundred million?!"
Vivi's eyes went wide, her voice jumping an octave.
"The president's bounty jumped straight to 1.5 billion!"
Juvia clutched the newspaper in awe.
"Incredible! The higher the bounty, the stronger the man, right? Our president must be unstoppable now!"
"Ugh, I knew that feathered liar couldn't be trusted!" Nami pouted in annoyance.
"What's wrong?" Erza asked, arching a brow.
"That bird-brain didn't interview us! He must've gone to the Marines and colluded with them to downplay our president—just to save the Navy's pride!"
Nami's tone was sharp with righteous fury.
"It's true! The president totally crushed that Admiral, yet the article says they were evenly matched!" Mirajane chimed in, clearly aggrieved.
"Seriously? Next time I see that bird, I'll give him a beating he won't forget!" Juvia growled, cracking her knuckles.
"Alright, alright," Mirajane laughed, waving her hands. "Don't let it ruin your day! Let's keep enjoying our game—and just so you know, the winner of each round gets to make a wish to the president~"
"Wait—since when?!" Yuuto turned to her, deadpan.
"What's the problem? You're everyone's president. Besides," Mirajane smiled slyly, "if you fulfill someone's wish, you can always come to me for a little… compensation. Sounds fair, doesn't it?"
Yuuto chuckled, raising a brow. "Deal."
Marineford – Naval Headquarters
"I knew it!"
"I told you so!"
"There's no way Admiral Kuzan really lost!"
"Admirals represent the Navy's absolute power!"
"Even if he fought an Emperor, it should've been a draw!"
The lower-ranking Marines—who hadn't been part of the Buster Call—cheered in relief.
But those who had witnessed the battle at Enies Lobby exchanged silent, uneasy glances.
For them, the truth was a sealed secret. The moment anyone spoke of it,
military law would handle the rest.
Marine Headquarters – General Hospital
"Colonel Smoker, no smoking in the ward!"
A young nurse rushed to stop him.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry." Smoker stubbed out his cigar and walked in.
He tossed a newspaper onto the patient's bed. "Here."
On the bed lay Admiral Aokiji, half-paralyzed and wrapped in bandages.
Fresh flowers sat quietly in the vase beside him.
"Ah-la-la… 'evenly matched,' huh?" Aokiji gave a bitter smile.
"Does this look like a draw to you?"
Smoker's expression hardened. "Is he… really an Emperor?"
Aokiji exhaled slowly, eyes dim with fatigue. "Yeah… and honestly, a bounty of four billion wouldn't even be an exaggeration."
Holy Land – Mariejois
In the grand chamber of Pangaea Castle, the Five Elders convened.
The order to issue Sugisawa Yuuto's 1.5 billion bounty had come directly from them.
"Let him be a 'Fifth Emperor' then," sighed Jay Gorusia Saturn. "1.5 billion is enough. This ends here."
It was a reluctant compromise.
Ideally, they would've buried the Enies Lobby incident completely—
but with Morgans' speculative report circulating,
too many eyes were already turning their way.
Even if they silenced witnesses,
there had been nearly 20,000 people present at the operation.
Killing them all would create a far bigger scandal.
So, the Government had chosen the lesser evil:
they validated the story indirectly with the bounty notice.
A painful but necessary deception.
"This is a blessing in disguise," said the blond, bearded Elder.
"Luckily, that damned bird didn't learn the whole truth. His report is full of imagination."
"Then we'll release a statement," added the bald Elder with a scar.
"We'll tweak the wording—make it sound like the Admiral's reputation is intact. Most people still want to believe in the Marines."
"Hmph," sneered the swordsman Elder, his blade gleaming at his side.
"1.5 billion puts him in limbo. Too high for a rookie, too low for a real Emperor. Most will see him as a false Emperor—and plenty of fools will try to earn fame by challenging him."
If the truth ever leaked—that Yuuto had defeated an Admiral and a Buster Call fleet—
his status would soar beyond 4 billion, equal to the Four Emperors themselves.
And that was something the Government couldn't allow.
Water Seven – Carrera Company Headquarters
"President Iceburg, thank you for everything these past four years."
Kalifa, the blonde secretary in a fitted black suit, handed him a letter.
"This is my resignation."
"Resignation? So sudden? Did something happen?" Iceburg blinked in surprise.
"No, nothing serious. Something's come up back home, so I have to return."
"In that case, take a long vacation instead," he offered kindly.
Kalifa shook her head, blushing faintly. "Thank you, sir, but… my parents have arranged a marriage for me. I need to go back."
Iceburg chuckled. "Ah, so that's it! Then I won't stop you. Just remember to invite all of us to the wedding—we'll bring big red envelopes!"
"Thank you, President," she said softly.
With the final stamp of approval, Kalifa's four-year undercover life in Water Seven officially ended.
That night, inside the shuttered Blueno's Bar, the remaining CP9 agents gathered.
"Be careful," warned Kaku, his long nose shadowed by the dim light.
"Jabra and our Chief both died by that man's hand. If your identity's exposed, you won't make it out alive."
"I know," Kalifa replied firmly. "I won't slip up."
Blueno frowned. "Want me to shadow you through a Door Door portal? I can pull you out if it goes bad."
"Don't!" came a sudden cry.
The pigeon perched on Rob Lucci's shoulder flapped its wings as Lucci himself spoke in a low, steady tone.
"You can't track a man of that level. You'll only make her easier to spot."
Kaku nodded grimly. "He's right. Kalifa, you're on your own."
"I'll be fine," she said, pushing the door open into the night.
A Week Later
Fairy Tail's vacation had come to an end.
Refreshed and spirited, the girls lined up neatly as they boarded their guild's ship, the Fairy Tail.
With the cheers of the spa staff behind them, the ship slowly set sail.
Just ten minutes later—
"President Yuuto! Fairy Tail members!"
Morgans descended from the sky, wings beating furiously, his beak spread in a nervous smile.
But before he could land—
Wham!
A wooden bench came flying straight at him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Morgans tumbled across the deck, feathers flying everywhere.
"W-What did I do this time?!" he cried, face swollen.
"You still dare to ask?!" Nami snapped.
"Unbelievable!"
"You really don't know?" Vivi added, arms crossed.
"I— I don't!" Morgans stammered, utterly lost.
"You went crawling to the Marines! You let them twist the story, saying the President only tied with an Admiral!" Nami shouted, pointing an accusatory finger.
"Do you think you don't deserve a beating for that?!"
"That's right!" Marianne chimed in, indignant.
"Our president crushed that Admiral—and you made it sound like a draw!"
"!!!" Morgans froze.
So that's why the World Government had let him live—
because his own imagination had been too small.
He'd actually underestimated Yuuto.
He thought the man had fought evenly with an Admiral and the Buster Call fleet—
but the truth was that Sugisawa Yuuto had single-handedly destroyed them both.
Before Morgans could process the revelation, a gentle breeze rose—
and in the next instant, Wendy's magic summoned a small tornado that swept him clean off the deck.
"Nice one, Wendy!" Nami laughed.
"Hehe~" Wendy grinned shyly, cheeks pink.
The girls turned their expectant gazes toward Yuuto.
"Well done," he said with an approving nod.
Yuuto didn't mind Morgans' report at all.
But since the girls had stood up for him, he wasn't about to spoil their enthusiasm.
"President, where are we heading next?" Erza asked.
"The Devil's Triangle," Yuuto replied calmly.
"That sea… could it be that mission?" Mirajane recalled.
It was the same region where Yuuto had once suffered defeat—
until her intervention had brought him back from the brink.
"Yes," he said firmly. "This time, we will find them."
The Devil's Triangle
A day later, the Fairy Tail arrived.
Unlike before, this time Yuuto had brought his entire crew.
Even if his own luck failed him, surely his companions' would hold.
But after an hour of sailing—
"This magnetic field and current are insane," Nami muttered, frustration on her face. "Completely unpredictable!"
Robin adjusted her glasses. "We don't necessarily have to find them. Maybe we can let them find us. What if we ring the golden bell? Anyone drifting in this sea would hear it."
"If the Rumba Pirates have really been trapped here for fifty years, they must know these waters better than anyone," Vivi reasoned.
"Good idea!" Everyone's eyes lit up.
Without hesitation, Nami and Vivi climbed to the upper deck, preparing to ring the bell.
But then—
a sudden chill swept the fog.
Out of nowhere, a ghost ship emerged silently beside them, gliding past like a phantom.
At the railing stood a skeleton in a tuxedo, afro shining under the misty light, sipping coffee like a gentleman.
"G-Ghost!!!" Vivi screamed and toppled backward.
In a blur of lightning, Yuuto caught her mid-fall.
"Whoa!" Nami immediately flung herself after them—
only to crash straight into Yuuto's chest.
"Y-You okay?" Erza asked, trying not to smile.
"I-I'm fine!" Nami said quickly, face red.
"Ghost? Where?! I'm terrified of ghosts!"
The skeleton himself shrieked in panic, clutching his head.
"...Aren't you the ghost?" the girls yelled in unison.
Weapons raised, they prepared to drive him off—
until Yuuto suddenly grinned, eyes bright with recognition.
"Finally found you," he said.
The girls blinked in confusion.
"Rumba Pirates."
"Wait… what?!" they gasped in unison.
Skeletons… The Rumba Pirates they'd been searching for all along—were already dead!