44-When Kings Awaken
New World, Whitebeard Pirates' Territory.
Upon the deck of the mighty Moby Dick, the flagship of the man known as the "Strongest in the World", a towering giant over six meters tall sat silently at the bow. His body was lined with infusion tubes, yet he held a freshly delivered newspaper with unwavering focus, his eyes locked onto the pages with serious attention.
He didn't move at all. He merely sat there, but his very presence radiated the aura of a king who looked down upon the world. The oppressive pressure he exuded was so great that no one dared meet his gaze directly.
Edward Newgate.
Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The wielder of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The man known as the strongest in the world.
To his crew, he was simply "Pops."
On the deck, the captains and elite warriors of the Whitebeard Pirates stood silently, not daring to make a sound, as if afraid of disturbing their "Pops." Even their footsteps were light and careful, as quiet as the breeze over the sea.
The one closest to Edward Newgate was Marco, captain of the first division, known by the title "Phoenix" for his flaming golden mohawk and regenerative powers. He was among the few standing silently with eyes fixed on their captain.
But even he remained quiet, waiting in stillness.
After all, before their Pops had even glanced at the paper, they had already read its contents. They knew, overnight, the entire world had been shaken by a storm. The World Government and the Marines beneath it were suddenly at each other's throats.
Even though they were pirates, captains under the banner of the strongest man alive and not easily shaken by unexpected events, none of them dared take lightly the news that had just arrived.
The reason was simple, when the World Government and its mighty war machine, the Marines, drew blades at one another, the shockwaves would be felt across the globe. The fragile balance of the New World, which had only recently stabilized, would undoubtedly be shattered.
"Gurararara~"
Edward Newgate suddenly let out a booming laugh after reading the contents of the paper. His deep voice carried across the ship.
"Looks like Sengoku and Garp really are getting old," he said with a grin. "To think they let a brat sneak into their house and flip the whole damn place over."
"But the ones with real headaches now aren't Sengoku or Garp," he added, his voice turning serious. "It's those five geezers up in the Room of Authority at the Holy Land, the Five Elders."
He paused for a moment. His expression shifted. He lifted the paper again, eyes narrowing with solemn weight.
"This brat named Elio, what is it that he really wants? Did he just start a mutiny to become the new Fleet Admiral, continuing to serve the World Government?" he asked slowly, "Or… does he intend to lead the entire Marine war machine away from the Government and become a king in his own right?"
"If it's the former, it won't shake the world too much. But if it's the latter…"
His voice deepened.
"Then the Grand Line, already filled with tempests, is about to be hit by a storm the likes of which we've never seen."
Hearing this, Marco stepped forward.
"Pops, I've already stationed our people near the Sabaody Archipelago. No matter what happens next, we'll be among the first to know."
Then he suddenly shifted the subject.
"Also, Kaido went up to Sky Island again yesterday, trying to kill himself. Same old thing, except this time, he didn't come back to Wano. Instead, the Three Calamities of the Beasts Pirates all left Wano as well. I suspect they caught wind of the news and are trying to take advantage of the chaos to start a new war."
"No need to bother with them."
Whitebeard waved his hand dismissively, his gaze still fixed on the front-page photo of the paper.
"Elio, huh? Now that's one interesting young man."
Somewhere on the Grand Line…
A small coffin-shaped boat sailed steadily over the waves, slicing through the sea like a dagger. A man with sharp, hawk-like eyes sat cross-legged on the tiny deck, barely big enough for one. Strapped to his back was a massive sword with a cruciform hilt, its size as menacing as its master.
Though sea spray splashed high as the boat surged forward, not a drop landed on him. The moment the water reached his figure, an invisible force diverted it, leaving him untouched.
Dracule Mihawk.
Nickname: Hawk Eyes.
The world's greatest swordsman.
Once a Marine hunter, now one of the Seven Warlords under the World Government.
Suddenly, a bird's cry echoed from above.
Mihawk looked up. A newsbird was circling overhead, descending with practiced precision until it hovered right above his head.
Without hesitation, he always did enjoy reading the news, he tossed a Berry to the bird and reached out to grab a copy of the paper.
"Hm?"
The moment his eyes landed on the headline, the calm and leisurely Mihawk shot to his feet. His eagle-like gaze flashed with shock.
A mutiny in Marine Headquarters?
Elio seizes full control of the Marines and turns against the World Government?!
He quickly read the rest of the article, absorbing every word, before slowly calming himself. Then, his eyes turned toward the horizon.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the name Elio.
Once, in response to a summons from the Marines, Mihawk had visited Marine Headquarters as part of a Warlord meeting. Though he hadn't seen Elio in person, he had heard of the young man from numerous Marine officers.
He remembered it clearly.
A young Marine who had mastered all six Marine combat styles in just six years. A genius in swordsmanship whose talent outclassed even the seasoned swordmasters of Marineford.
"Elio…"
Mihawk's voice was low, thoughtful.
"To take over all of Marine Headquarters in such a short time, you've grown far more powerful than I imagined."
"In that case… it's about time we met face to face."
Even before he finished speaking, an aura unique to the world's strongest swordsman burst forth from his body.
In the next instant, his coffin-boat surged forward at breakneck speed, slicing through the sea in the direction of Marine Headquarters.
Ten seconds later, the tiny boat hit a rogue wave, shuddered violently… and broke down.
"???"
Mihawk blinked, staring blankly at the drifting boat that had just come to a halt.
"…Tch."
With a sigh, he looked around. Seeing no ships nearby, he unsheathed his massive blade and casually began using it as a paddle, rowing forward with practiced strokes.
First Half of the Grand Line.
In the Kingdom of Alabasta, within the largest casino in Rainbase, Rain Dinners, a dimly lit room echoed with a deep, chilling laugh.
"Hehahaha…"
"To think the entire Marine Headquarters was seized by a single Admiral candidate… what a twist of fate."
As he spoke, the man turned toward the only shaft of light in the room, revealing a scarred face and a slicked-back hairstyle. A wild ambition practically radiated from his presence.
Sir Crocodile.
One of the Seven Warlords.
At the time, also the secret founder of the Baroque Works organization, codename: Mr. 0.
Of course, no one in Alabasta yet knew his true identity. He had been crafting a heroic public image, posing as a righteous protector of the kingdom, all the while preparing to execute a plan that had been brewing for years.
"Miss All Sunday."
Crocodile's voice was calm, cigar clenched between his teeth. He looked toward the shadows.
"It's time to move up the timeline."
As his words fell, a tall woman wearing a white cowboy hat stepped out of the darkness.
Nico Robin.
Vice President of Baroque Works, codename: Miss All Sunday.
Wielder of the Flower-Flower Fruit, and the sole survivor of the Ohara Incident.
Branded a demon by the World Government and wanted for seventy-nine million Berries.
Crocodile locked eyes with her, his expression grave.
"If the World Government or Marine Headquarters sends a call to the Warlords, and the Marines truly break ties with the Government… we, caught in the middle, will be dragged into this mess."
"To ensure our plan remains undisturbed, we must temporarily leave Alabasta. I'm leaving Baroque Works to you."
He smirked slightly, eyes narrowing.
"Don't disappoint me, Nico Robin."