Chapter 336

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

The seven points listed above form the core of the statement. Compared to these foundational principles, the other details might seem less explosive. But the real story, the reason I've attributed this entire movement to the influence of the Straw Hat Pirates, lies in what follows.

If this new entity were built only on those seven points, it would be nothing more than a new World Government rising to challenge the old. But the following details present an entirely different possibility to the world.

First, unlike the World Government, which is immutably controlled by the Celestial Dragons—the so-called descendants of the Creators—this new organization, which calls itself Spark Alliance, will be governed by a committee. This committee will consist of a chairman, a vice-chairman, and one representative elected from each member island. All matters within Spark Alliance will be decided by a majority vote of this committee.

Second, Spark Alliance will establish a unified legal code, applied equally to all member nations. Under this code, no one is above the law—not even a king. And the very first article of this new code? The permanent and total abolition of slavery.

Furthermore, the chairman and vice-chairman are subject to term limits: a single term is eight years, and no individual may serve more than two consecutive terms. After the inaugural leadership, all future chairmen and vice-chairmen will be newly elected by the committee at the end of each term. The same rules of election and term limits apply to the council members from each island.

Finally, alongside its first batch of pirate bounties, Spark Alliance announced the establishment of an Adventurers' Association. Anyone, upon approval from the association, can register with Spark Alliance and form an adventure group. These groups will be protected by Spark Alliance law and will no longer be branded as pirates simply for choosing a life at sea. They can undertake missions from the association—such as subjugating actual pirates or exploring uncharted waters—and receive rewards for their success.

And which group was announced as the first and foremost among these new adventurers? The Straw Hat Pirates.

I have no wish to offend the World Government, but it is impossible to deny that the systems proposed by Spark Alliance are, in many ways, superior.

By now, you must all understand why I say this declaration is intrinsically linked to the Straw Hats. This committee, this elected leadership, these unbelievable term limits—are they not the perfect extension of the philosophy that Bai Ye, the Priest, threw in the face of the World Government's bloodline theory? This is merit, not birthright, given form. This is a system where power is earned, not inherited.

And that's to say nothing of the abolition of slavery, a direct strike at the heart of the Celestial Dragons' depravity.

The establishment of the Adventurers' Association breathes new life into the very concept of freedom on the seas. Those who were once forced into piracy simply because they could not afford the Heavenly Tribute now have another path. Those who dream of treasure and discovery can now hoist their flags openly, as registered adventurers, not as criminals.

This is what the sea was meant to be, is it not? At least within the domain of Spark Alliance, we will no longer see absurdities like an "Excellent" Pirate Crew—a name that feels so wrong, yet makes so much sense in a broken system.

Having said all this, I should now turn to the absolute protagonists of this earth-shaking event: the Straw Hat Pirates. Even the stunning revelation that Blackbeard has become an unprecedented dual-Devil-Fruit user cannot shake their position at the center of this storm.

But as I prepared to write, I found myself at a loss. I discovered that what this pirate crew has accomplished since setting sail cannot be adequately described or interpreted in just a few sentences.

Therefore, the World Economic Journal will be publishing a special serialized column dedicated entirely to the Straw Hat Pirates, released over the next fifteen days. This series will contain a detailed review of every major event in their journey, from their formation to the present day. It will include the most comprehensive information ever compiled on each crew member. I will also provide my own exclusive, in-depth analysis, so that everyone can fully understand the monumental impact this crew has had on our world. The series will be accompanied by personal photos of all members and high-definition images from their greatest moments.

This serialized column will be sold as a complete bundle. You need only pay once to unlock all content. At the same time, this will be a limited-quantity release. To that end, the World Economic Journal will be holding a pre-sale event.

Within the next three days, pay half the column's price to any News Coo to reserve your copy. You will only need to pay the remaining balance once the series begins. For our most eager readers, if you pay an additional one-fifth of the total price, you can unlock the entire series in advance.

And that concludes this special issue, "The Story Behind the Summit War."

Here is a summary of other major developments:

The two abducted Celestial Dragons have been located on the Sabaody Archipelago. Unreliable sources claim they have been reduced to a vegetative state. There is currently no evidence linking this to the Straw Hat Pirates.

The 2,000 slaves freed from Mary Geoise are being arranged to return to their homelands. According to unconfirmed reports, on the same day these slaves were freed, prominent individuals in various parts of the world disappeared simultaneously. There is currently no evidence linking these disappearances to the Celestial Dragons.

The Whitebeard Pirates have returned to the New World and have officially issued a kill-on-sight order for Blackbeard. Unreliable sources suggest Blackbeard has already entered the New World and may have formed an alliance with another of the Four Emperors.

During the Summit War, "Red-Haired" Shanks engaged in a fierce battle with Kaido and Big Mom. All three Emperors were reportedly injured, though the conflict did not escalate further.

Unreliable sources indicate a serious schism has formed within the Navy, triggered by the indiscriminate bombardment of islands by warships in the final moments of the war. This dissent has not only affected the top brass but has allegedly caused some mid-level officers to resign. According to even more unreliable sources, these former Marines may have been in contact with Spark Alliance.

Navy...

(...)

Chief Editor: Morgans, President of the World Economic Journal.

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Deep within Mary Geoise, in the Chamber of Authority.

"This time," the blond-haired Gorosei said, setting the newspaper down with a grimace, "we have been forced completely onto the defensive."

"No wonder Morgans has been so arrogant lately," the bearded Gorosei added, his voice cold as ice. "It seems he has been in league with the Revolutionary Army all along."

"Dragon and this 'Priest' must have planned this for a long time," the portly Gorosei growled, his eyes burning with fury as he stared at the Spark Alliance declaration. "To strike now, when the Navy is at its weakest... We have been thoroughly and completely outplayed."