The aftershocks of the emperor-level clash in the seas around Wano had yet to fully settle—but the world did not fall into silence because of it.
On the contrary, an even more violent undercurrent was surging through the New World, spreading across the entire Grand Line like a rising tide.
The World Economy News Paper—an organization whose shadowy background ran unfathomably deep and whose influence over global opinion was second to none—would naturally never miss such perfect material.
They skillfully seized upon and exaggerated the earth-shattering duel between "Whitebeard" and "Kaido of the Beasts,"
using sensational headlines and incendiary reporting to paint the chaos of the New World and the terrifying power of top-tier pirates in the most vivid terms possible.
"Rage of the Emperors! Whitebeard VS the Beasts—The Sky of the New World Torn Asunder!"
"A Clash of Sea Sovereigns! Who Will Rule the Next Era?!"
A barrage of such reports brutally stimulated the public's nerves, while also forcing countless ambitious figures to confront—clearly and unmistakably—just how horrifying the pinnacle of power in the New World truly was.
For a time, the New World's seas were filled with panic and tension. Pirate crews large and small either chose to swear fealty to greater powers or struggled desperately to survive in the cracks between giants. Conflicts, annexations, and bloodshed became commonplace.
The so-called "Emperor" powers—those who would one day reign over the seas—were beginning to take shape!!!
At the same time, Marine Headquarters—Marineford.
Seated behind his desk in the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku could clearly feel the restless, violent pulse emanating from the New World.
Though years of effort had finally allowed him to firmly secure the position of Fleet Admiral and become a true wielder of authority,
he had also come to a deeper, sharper realization of the near-independent strength possessed by Gern and the "Natural Disaster" faction under his command.
That strength was a bulwark—but it was also a variable.
And so, operating within the logic of political balance and mutual restraint, Sengoku began to adopt more concrete measures.
Citing the explosion of the Pirate Era, the need to rebuild Marine bases across the Grand Line and the Four Seas, the requirement for centralized planning, and limited resources,
he began restricting and delaying the approval of military funding and material supplies for Gern's G-10 branch in the New World.
It was an attempt to rein in Gern's overly rapid expansion from the logistical rear—and to remind him of Headquarters' authority.
However, Gern's response was far more direct than Sengoku had anticipated…
…and far more domineering.
You want to limit my funds and my actions?
Then I'll open my own sources of income.
Gern directly dispatched the two sharpest spears under his command—the strongest among the strong: Douglas Bullet and Enel!
Like ferocious tigers released from their cages, the two centered their operations around G-10 and began conducting high-intensity, indiscriminate "purges" across the surrounding seas.
Any vessel flying a pirate flag—no matter its size or background—once encountered by them, met the same fate in an instant: ship destroyed, crew annihilated!
Bullet reveled in the pure destruction and battle he loved most, leaving ruin and wreckage everywhere he passed.
As for Enel, there was no need to say more—he was completely intoxicated by the crushing pleasure of "divine judgment."
This bloody "purge," nominally carried out in the name of justice and anti-piracy operations,
was in reality the most savage and most efficient method imaginable for expanding Gern's actual territorial control and influence!
It was akin to pirates planting their flags—declaring that these seas now lay under the protection of "Heaven-Shaking" Gern!
The effects were immediate.
On one hand, by seizing pirate treasure and supplies, G-10 instantly alleviated the funding restrictions imposed by Headquarters—and even grew wealthier than before.
On the other, this extreme, iron-fisted deterrence caused the scope of Gern's "protection" to expand at a breathtaking pace.
So much so that even several Marine bases in the New World—smaller outposts such as G-66, G-12, G-54, and others—were effectively absorbed into Gern's sphere of influence…
But more importantly, in this era of great piracy, within the seas of the New World,
for islands and nations not affiliated with the World Government—those without powerful military protection—life was nothing short of hell.
When they appealed to Marine Headquarters for aid, their pleas often vanished without a trace, because the Marines' primary duty was to protect member nations.
And so, Gern's actions through G-10 became the only lifeline these desperate lands could see.
Thus, a striking phenomenon emerged: many non-member states, autonomous islands, and even small kingdoms proactively dispatched envoys,
bearing generous "sponsorship fees" and supplies, to G-10—seeking the "protection" of Admiral Gern, hoping his sphere of influence would extend to cover their territory.
Gern accepted them almost without exception.
Before long, G-10's actual control and influence ballooned at an astonishing speed.
Its reach even surpassed the combined influence of several other major Marine bases in the New World!
And it was precisely at this critical moment—when the winds raged and the global balance was being reshaped—that the World Economy News Paper dropped yet another bombshell.
In a special issue dedicated to analyzing the New World's situation, they officially employed—for the first time—the heavy, symbol-laden term:
"Emperors."
It was used to define the three great pirates who sat atop the New World, wielded power capable of destroying the world itself, and commanded massive forces:
[Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates: "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate!]
[Governor-General of the Beasts Pirates: "Kaido of the Beasts"!]
[Queen of the Big Mom Pirates: "BIG MOM" Charlotte Linlin!]
The paper collectively referred to them as the rulers of vast stretches of the New World—
The Emperors of the Sea!
Once introduced, the concept instantly ignited global debate, gained widespread acceptance, and rapidly solidified into established truth.
And at the very end of the article, the pen abruptly shifted direction—
to mention the Marines' sole foothold in the New World:
G-10 Base, and its commander—the Marine Headquarters Admiral known as "White Qilin," "Heaven-Shaking" Gern Reginald Sigmar.
The paper described Gern and his formidable "Natural Disaster" faction—Lipo, Bullet, Enel, the Snake Empress, Tesoro, and others—as standing shoulder to shoulder with the three Emperors of the New World.
They dubbed him—
"The Fifth Pole."
Or, more bluntly—
"The Spear of the Marines."
The report claimed that through overwhelming personal strength and iron-blooded methods, Gern had forcibly driven the most solid nail imaginable into the New World on behalf of the Marines.
His actual control and deterrent range were no weaker than that of any Sea Emperor, making him a unique, irreplaceable "Fifth Pole" shaping the New World's balance of power!
The moment this narrative emerged, the entire world was thrown into uproar!
Within the Marines, discussions raged endlessly. The World Government, meanwhile, felt an unprecedented sense of unease and vigilance.
A Marine Admiral—granted a title and status in public opinion equal to that of the Sea Emperors…
Was this the glory of the Marines?
Or was it a signal of something far more dangerous—something slipping out of control?
Yet one fact could not be denied.
During the years Sengoku struggled to secure his footing at Headquarters,
Gern's Natural Disaster faction had already grown into something too massive to restrain—a force with a momentum that could no longer be stopped!!!