"There are only six Warlords of the Sea." This phrase seemed to have become a recurring theme over the past few years.
Starting with Crocodile, the downfall of the Warlords had been occurring at increasingly shorter intervals. The last to fall, "Blackbeard" Marshall D. Teach, had held the title for only a few months before his demise.
The Warlord system had gone from being a tool of the World Government to becoming one of the most perilous positions in the world.
After the Summit War, the Marine Headquarters adopted an overwhelmingly aggressive stance in suppressing the New World's rampant chaos. The newly appointed Fleet Admiral, "Orange Horse" Wright, was far more combative in his approach than his predecessor, "Buddha" Sengoku.
After all, Fleet Admiral Wright was a top-tier swordsman and still so young—if he were to adopt the same governing style as the nearly eighty-year-old Sengoku, now that would be strange indeed.
Sengoku, having recognized Wright's extraordinary qualities and potential early on, had seemingly spent years preparing the Marines for a new era—strengthening its foundations, bolstering its forces, and ensuring that when the time came, the tides of war would reshape the world.
Thus, after an era-defining war, the stage was set for a new generation to shine.
As a result, even months after Blackbeard's fall, neither the Grand Line's "Paradise" nor the New World had seen a pirate deemed suitable to fill the vacant Warlord position.
Most of the dangerous pirates had been slaughtered in Impel Down by Magellan and Wright. Of the few who escaped, one had foolishly tried to interfere in the Summit War, only to be eliminated by the three Admirals. He became nothing more than a footnote in history.
The other, an old fox, was far more cunning—vanishing without a trace, leaving no clue as to his whereabouts.
The so-called "Supernovas" of the previous year had already begun their journeys into the New World. While no reports of their destruction had surfaced yet, it was clear that their adventures had been anything but smooth sailing.
There was, however, one exception.
Hailing from the North Blue, the "Surgeon of Death," Trafalgar Law, had entered the Supernova rankings with a bounty of 200 million Berries. While he was outclassed by Eustass Kid (315 million), Monkey D. Luffy (300 million), and Basil Hawkins (249 million), there was one undeniable fact—
Hawkins, also from the North Blue, knew well that if Law wanted to take him down, he had little confidence in his ability to resist.
As for the second-ranked Supernova, Monkey D. Luffy, his "Straw Hat Pirates" had vanished entirely following the Sabaody Archipelago incident involving the Celestial Dragons. Their bounties remained active, but not a single member had been seen since.
Kid and Hawkins had made waves in the chaotic power struggles of the New World, clashing with the Marines, the Four Emperors, and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates led by Marco.
But unlike them, Law had not recklessly charged forward or merely evaded capture like a slippery eel.
Because the time to execute his plan had finally arrived.
Under Wright's guidance and Germa's training, Law had already mastered both Armament and Observation Haki. Combined with his unparalleled medical expertise enhancing the power of the Ope Ope no Mi, his strength far surpassed what it had been at this point in the original timeline.
And if things took a turn for the worse, the enhancement provided by the "Radiant Gold" combat suit ensured that Law faced little resistance in the early regions of the New World.
Posing as a pirate, Law had been secretly feeding intelligence to Rosinante, stationed at G-5. Though their deep bond prevented them from reuniting just yet, it was only a matter of time before that day would come.
As a mere pirate, Law's usefulness in gathering intel was reaching its limit—it was time for him to adopt an official role.
...
G-5 Branch, Base Commander's Office.
The Den Den Mushi rang.
"Brruup… Brruup… Kacha!"
Rosinante connected the call to Wright.
"Good news."
"Oh? There hasn't been much of that lately… Kaido is aggressively recruiting anyone he can, and that old hag Big Mom seems to have lost her mind—she's been capturing Fish-Men left and right in the New World."
Wright clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Any progress in figuring out what that old hag is up to?"
Fish-Man Island was now under Marine protection—Big Mom's actions were a direct slap in the face to both the Navy and Wright himself.
"Not yet…"
Rosinante sighed before continuing.
"It's about something else—Law. That kid is finally ready."
"…I see. This needs to be a grand spectacle. Ensure civilian safety, and let the younger generation handle it."
Rosinante pondered for a moment.
"For the younger generation… Koby's Observation Haki makes him ideal for search and rescue. If we send Ace with him, they should be able to handle it."
A chuckle escaped his lips.
"I'm sure Cavendish would love the chance to bask in the spotlight."
"…"
Wright's lips twitched. "Fine, let's go with them… Though Cavendish was just disciplined by Sakazuki, and he still hasn't changed his ways… I doubt there's any hope for him."
"If only we could balance out Cavendish's narcissism with Koby's lack of confidence."
"True enough. Ace, on the other hand, has matured. He handles these matters like a proper officer should."
...
Not long after, the world was abuzz with news of the "Rocky Port Incident."
A year prior, the "Supernova" Trafalgar Law had gathered over a hundred high-bounty pirates at Rocky Port under the guise of expanding his crew.
When the Marines received word, "Fire Fist" Ace, now a Commodore, led a fleet to suppress them. However, Law's next move stunned everyone.
"ROOM—Slaughterhouse!"
Standing at the bow of the Marine warship, Ace and Koby watched as Law, positioned among the pirates, extended his hand. A massive spherical space engulfed them all.
Law drew his sword and smirked coldly.
"Scalpel!"
With supernatural speed, his cursed blade "Kikoku" sliced through the pirates before they could react. In an instant, blood-curdling screams filled the air.
Dozens of cubes flew skyward—
Upon closer inspection, they weren't just chunks of flesh.
They were hearts. Still beating. Still alive.
The scene was horrifying.
Meanwhile, Law's crew, unfazed by the spectacle, busily gathered the hearts and packed them into bags.
"Koby, protect the civilians. These pirates are only temporarily incapacitated—once they regain strength, they'll be a massive headache. I'll handle this guy."
Ace grinned excitedly.
"I've heard plenty about Trafalgar Law's strength… Taking down this many pirates in one move, and some of them had pretty hefty bounties."
"It's clear—Law is on a whole different level!"
"Understood, Commodore Ace!"
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