New World, Onigashima—Beasts Pirates Headquarters.
Overcast skies, thunder rumbling.
Above Onigashima, inside the magnificent Skull Rock Palace, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt as if it would solidify.
On the main seat, Kaido of the Beasts, Governor of the Beasts Pirates and one of the Four Emperors, sat on a colossal stone throne.
He was chugging from a large sake bottle with one hand, while the other gripped a newspaper, his eyes dark.
On the front page of the newspaper, Straw Hat Luffy was depicted as a giant.
He held the going merry aloft, surrounded by red lightning, his Haki astonishing!
Another photo showed the entire Straw Hat Pirates crew reaching an agreement with Iceburg, with mountains of dazzling gold!
Kaido stared at the gold, a grim smile appearing on his face, then he violently crushed the newspaper into smithereens!
"Ga ha ha ha ha ha—!!"
His wild laughter boomed like thunder, making the entire Onigashima tremble!
"straw hat brat… you actually want to build the World's Strongest Pirate Ship?"
He narrowed his eyes, a cold smile on his face, his tone filled with undisguised killing intent:
"I'm interested in this 'Strongest Pirate Ship' too!!"
"And…" Kaido's gaze was like a torch, fixed on the mountain of gold in the newspaper, a wild grin on his face:
"Gold? So much gold, actually falling into the hands of these brats? Ga ha ha ha… what a joke!!"
"I am the overlord of the seas; all the treasures of the Grand Line should belong to me!"
He grabbed the sake bottle and took a huge gulp.
Then he slammed it to the ground with a rumble, instantly cracking the hard stone floor!
Kaido stood up, his gaze sweeping coldly over the several All-Stars present.
It finally landed on the burly man adorned with ivory decorations—Jack the Drought!
"Jack!!"
Kaido roared, his voice like thunder, echoing throughout the entire hall!
Jack stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Brother Kaido!"
Kaido grinned, his eyes full of ferocious killing intent:
"Take your fleet to Water Seven—and bring that gold back to me!"
A fierce glint flashed in Jack's eyes as he asked in a low voice, "Can I kill as I please…?"
Kaido laughed wildly: "Ga ha ha ha!! Do whatever you want! But…"
He narrowed his eyes, a highly aggressive cold smile playing on his lips:
"That so-called 'World's Strongest Pirate Ship', if it's really that strong, then seize it while you're at it!"
"I want to see what that straw hat brat can build!"
Jack nodded gravely: "Understood."
"I will return with the gold… and the Strongest Pirate Ship!!"
Queen the Plague muttered from the side:
"Isn't the gold for shipbuilding? What does bringing the gold back have to do with the Strongest Pirate Ship…"
…Revolutionary Army Headquarters.
Monkey D. Dragon stood by the window, arms crossed, looking at the storm clouds in the distance.
"Luffy…"
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a hint of an inexplicable smile.
"You've grown up, haven't you…"
New World, a certain isolated island.
Under the clear blue sky, waves gently lapped against the golden sand.
This was the temporary base of the Red Hair Pirates, where a group of bold pirates had gathered.
They were enjoying a rare moment of leisure—bonfires burned.
The aroma of roasted meat filled the air, sake barrels were piled high, and the pirates drank heartily, full of high spirits!
Just then, a subordinate rushed over.
He held the latest World Economy Report in his hand, panting as he ran towards the man sitting in the center.
"Boss! The latest big news!!"
Red-Haired Shanks sat by the bonfire, a sake bottle in one hand.
In the other, he held a large roasted chicken leg, eating leisurely.
The carefree smile still graced his face.
"Oh?" Shanks looked up, reaching out for the newspaper.
When his gaze fell on the front-page headline, his pupils contracted slightly.
Then a surprised yet gratified smile appeared on his lips.
"Hahaha… Luffy…"
"This guy… has he grown to this extent?!"
Benn Beckman, the first mate, puffed on his cigar, snatched the newspaper, and read it carefully.
A thoughtful look flashed in his eyes: "It seems that little fellow from back then has become a powerhouse on these seas."
Yasopp leaned over and said, "Hahahaha! Such a grand spectacle.
They're even building the World's Strongest Pirate Ship?! That's just like Luffy!!"
Yasopp looked at Usopp's figure in the second picture of the newspaper and sighed:
"Usopp has grown so big too."
…Grand Line, Kuraigana Island.
The sea wind howled, whipping up endless waves that crashed against the reefs.
Black bats flew in swarms across the sky, landing on a majestic and mysterious ancient castle.
This was the residence of Hawkeye Mihawk, the World's Strongest Swordsman.
On the high tower of the ancient castle, Mihawk held the latest World Economy Report.
His golden hawk eyes quietly scanned the front-page headline.
"Straw Hat Pirates to build the World's Strongest Pirate Ship?"
Mihawk frowned slightly, then his gaze slowly fell on the second photo—
In that photo, members of the Straw Hat Pirates stood beside a mountain of gold.
And one figure among them made Mihawk's eyes narrow slightly.
Roronoa Zoro.
The familiar green-haired swordsman, arms crossed, three swords hanging silently at his waist.
He stood beside the gold, his Aura as steady as a mountain, his gaze firm and sharp.
Mihawk slowly lowered the newspaper, a faint smile on his lips.
"In such a short time…"
"Are you already going to make a name for yourself across the seas, Roronoa Zoro?"
He recalled the fierce yet lopsided battle a few months ago.
Zoro knelt before him, leaving an indelible scar on his front.
At that time, he was just starting out.
"However…"
Mihawk's gaze was as deep as the sea, as if he was looking through the newspaper to the wider ocean beyond.
"If you truly grow to a point where you can stand at the Peak of the seas…"
"Then come."
He slowly rose, walked to the edge of the high tower, his black cape flapping in the wind behind him.
In the distance, sea and sky met, vast and boundless.
A sharp glint flashed in Mihawk's golden hawk eyes, as if he had already foreseen a Peak duel in the future.
"I'm waiting for you, Roronoa Zoro."
"Bring your three swords—and challenge me."
The Grand Line, completely abuzz!
The Shichibukai, the Four Emperors, the Marine, the Revolutionary Army—all forces were shaken by this news!
—The Straw Hat Pirates are investing massive amounts of gold to build the World's Strongest Pirate Ship!
This was no longer just simple pirate activity, but a storm that could shake the world order!
As this news spread, shipwrights, bounty hunters, intelligence merchants, pirate crews from all over the world.
Even World Government spies, flocked to Water Seven!