"Look up! A meteor is falling from the sky!!"
"Heavens! The whole ocean is frozen solid—what the hell is going on?!"
Thunderous explosions and world-shaking impacts filled the air, shaking the hearts of all who heard them.
But that wasn't all—wave after wave of attacks followed. Seawater surged and burst into the sky, blasted again and again. The Seven Warlords of the Sea, Navy Admirals, Vice Admirals, Rear Admirals, and Commodores all joined the battle. One hundred thousand elite soldiers roared in unison, charging headlong into the sea.
The sheer scale of the scene, the deafening roar of battle cries—it was enough to make anyone tremble in fear just by listening, let alone witnessing it up close.
And like that, this "battle" raged on for an entire day and night.
News outlets across the world quickly picked up the story.
Finally, on the third day, the battle came to an end.
"After the combined efforts of the entire Navy, the vicious pirate Whiteflame was heavily wounded and forced to flee!"
"By the decree of the World Government, a global bounty has been issued!"
"Anyone who reports the whereabouts of Whiteflame will be rewarded with 100 million Berries!"
"Whoever brings back his head will be rewarded with 1.568 billion Berries!"
At this point, it finally dawned on the likes of Gecko Moria, Empress Boa Hancock, and others what Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha had really been planning!
Sengoku had cleverly taken advantage of Whiteflame's unwillingness to directly face the Navy—and orchestrated a completely fabricated war!
In the eyes of the world, the Navy's expeditionary forces had clashed with Whiteflame for a full day and night. In the end, Whiteflame had been defeated, gravely injured, and forced to escape. The Navy had won a glorious, decisive victory.
But in reality, there had never been a "war" to begin with—not even a glimpse of Whiteflame had been seen throughout the entire operation!
And yet, the absence of truth didn't stop the news from spreading.
The story swept across the globe, and people everywhere erupted in celebration.
Through this performance, the Navy had shown the world that no matter how powerful the enemy, they could not shake the Navy's dominance!
The expeditionary fleet returned in triumph, and Admiral Kizaru held a grand funeral, mourning a "fallen hero" before the eyes of the world.
In one move, the Navy salvaged both reputation and morale. The World Government, whose image had taken a hit, managed to save face.
Those who understood what had truly happened couldn't help but marvel at Sengoku's brilliance. As expected from the man dubbed the "Tactician General"—surely, only he could have devised such a scheme.
But truthfully, there were many holes in this plan.
After all, over 100,000 people had taken part in this fake war. That many people knowing the truth made leaks nearly inevitable.
Still, the World Government didn't care. Any truth can be buried—the voices of a few cannot shake the will of the many.
While the world cheered, a storm was brewing among the pirate community.
1.568 billion Berries—just what did that mean?
A man once completely unknown had suddenly made his debut with a bounty on par with the Four Emperors...
Was this a sign that the New World was about to welcome a new Emperor of the Seas?
Meanwhile, the man at the center of this global storm—Whiteflame—had quietly arrived at Water 7.
"Hey, Mister Benefactor, why does the newspaper say you fought the Navy?"
"When did that happen? I don't remember at all… Did it happen while I was asleep?"
Outside a small café in Water 7, Rebecca sipped her juice and looked at the paper, asking innocently.
"As expected of the Navy's tactician," sighed Monet, "They couldn't find Whiteflame, and they couldn't keep bleeding resources on this so-called expedition—so they staged a grand performance to save face."
"I actually kind of respect him for it."
"To think his first bounty would be a whopping 1.568 billion… That's my kind of man!" said Baby-5, eyes sparkling with infatuation.
"Hmph, just a cheap trick from Sengoku the Buddha," Whiteflame said flatly.
"He knows I'm not interested in a direct confrontation right now, so he resorted to this little ploy to patch up the Navy and the World Government's wounded pride."
"Well, if he wants to play games, let him. It won't be long before everything they tried to protect comes crashing down."
"Got everything we need?"
"Time to go."
Whiteflame stood up, his gaze sweeping across the café—until he frowned.
"Where's Nico Robin?"
"Robin was just with us while we were shopping," said Nami, confused. "But she said she saw something interesting and went off for a bit. Said she'd meet us here… but she's never this late."
"…I almost forgot," Whiteflame muttered. "This is Water 7."
A flicker of realization passed through his eyes as he sat back down. "We'll wait. With Nico Robin's intelligence, she should know that I'm her only choice."
The others exchanged glances, uncertain of his meaning.
But if it meant more time sipping cold drinks, none of them minded.
About half an hour later—
Just as Whiteflame had predicted, Nico Robin appeared.
She stood on the far side of the café by the canal, cloaked in white, her figure completely concealed. She lowered her hood and looked straight at Whiteflame and the others.
"Look! It's Sister Robin!"
"Robin! Over here!"
Rebecca was the first to spot her and eagerly waved.
But then she noticed something—Robin's expression was grim. And behind her stood a group of mysterious figures, all wearing different masks and cloaks.
"Robin! Hurry up and come here! I already ordered your favorite sandwich!" called out Nami.
"Something's not right," Monet said, her brow furrowing.
"Whiteflame!"
At that moment, Robin suddenly shouted—her voice hysterical, full of desperation.
Her cry rang out across the area, drawing everyone's attention.
"Whiteflame?!"
"No way… Did I hear that right? Someone just said Whiteflame?!"
"You've gotta be kidding. Isn't he the guy the Navy's expeditionary force almost killed? The one with the 1.568 billion bounty? He should be in the New World, right? There's no way he'd be here!"
Everyone who heard that name felt their hearts lurch.
After all, who in the world didn't know that name now?
A man who fought the Navy's elite for an entire day and night before fleeing, battered and bloodied. A pirate with a bounty rivaling the Emperors. A threat so dangerous the Navy was desperate to erase him.
And now, someone had shouted that name in the middle of Water 7…
Subconsciously, people began to panic.
That kind of monster couldn't be in a place like this… right?
But when they turned toward the source of the commotion, their eyes landed on the man at the café's entrance—slowly rising to his feet, eyes fixed on the figure across the canal.
For a moment, everyone froze.
Their pupils shrank.
Goosebumps shot up.
Their faces turned pale—like they'd just seen a ghost.
"It's him!! It's really Whiteflame!!!"
"Oh my god! The devil is right next to me! Run! He's going to destroy the city!!"
"A 1.5 billion bounty right here in Water 7—this can't be real… MOMMY, I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!"
At that moment, the bounty posters for Whiteflame had just been distributed in Water 7.
A bounty of 1.568 billion Berries—enough to stir intense curiosity and fear in the hearts of everyone.
And yet, no one realized that this monstrous figure, powerful beyond imagination… had been right next to them the entire time.
The waiter delivering Whiteflame's drink turned pale as a sheet. When he saw the face on the wanted poster and recognized the man sitting in front of him, he dropped his tray with a loud crash. His legs gave out, and he slumped behind the counter, unable to get back up.
"Whiteflame?!"
"Damn it, Nico Robin—he's the one you said you were meeting?!"
"That man's on the level of the Four Emperors! Don't take this lightly!"
The masked individuals behind Robin immediately tensed upon hearing Whiteflame's name. Each one shifted into a combat stance.
"You said it yourself," Robin cried, trembling, voice cracking with emotion.
"You promised—you said you'd protect me… that you'd help me fulfill my dream!"
"I… I want to live! I don't want to die here! Will you save me?!"
"Kill Nico Robin!" a cold voice barked from among the masked figures.
The speaker wore a bull mask, and a white dove perched on his shoulder. His voice was icy, merciless.
"Trial or no trial—it doesn't matter. That woman is a demon. She can't be allowed to live."
"Understood."
The figure in the bear mask vanished instantly from sight.
[Soru]
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