A Mysterious Shift in the New World
On an unknown island in the New World, the atmosphere was tense.
"Ah! Why?! What the hell is going on here?!"
"This isn't normal! There's definitely something off about that young man!"
"Impossible! How the hell did he do it?!"
Benn Beckman and the rest of the crew stared at their captain in disbelief.
Ever since reading the newspaper, Shanks had been muttering non-stop, full of disbelief and frustration.
In short—he couldn't accept that Rayleigh had joined Bai Yu's fleet.
Of course, the Roger Pirates had disbanded long ago, and whatever Rayleigh chose to do was his own business—even if he wanted to join a new crew.
After all, Shanks himself was a prime example of that.
But still…
Rayleigh was in his seventies!
Even if he still had the spirit of a warrior, he was an old man!
How could he, at his age, join the crew of a rookie pirate?!
Shanks couldn't understand it.
If Rayleigh wanted to join a crew, shouldn't it have been his instead?!
Frustrated, Shanks gritted his teeth.
"Uncle Rayleigh, you're over seventy! What's left to fight for?!"
Determined to get answers, Shanks used Hawkeye Mihawk as a middleman to contact Rayleigh, who was drinking and bragging about his past adventures.
When Rayleigh heard Shanks' question, his mood soured instantly.
"What the hell do you mean, brat?! Just because I'm old doesn't mean I can't have passion!"
"Ever heard of an old man's fighting spirit?! Why don't you come and test it out?!"
"Oh, and when you get old and can't even walk without injections and IV drips, I'll make sure Uta pulls out all your needles—just wait!"
"Now quit bothering me—I'm drinking!"
Shanks was left speechless.
"When I'm old, you'll probably already be dead, Rayleigh… How can you even order my daughter to mess with me?"
"Tch… Uta is so cute—she'd never bully her poor father!"
Beckman exhaled a ring of smoke.
"Don't overthink it, Captain. Just accept that Rayleigh wasn't forced into anything—he simply still has a warrior's heart."
Even Beckman, known for his intelligence, found it hard to understand how Bai Yu had reignited Rayleigh's fighting spirit.
Shanks sighed heavily, looking utterly dejected.
"Why do they all join Bai Yu's crew? Is my ship really that bad?"
Beckman gave him a deadpan look.
"How much money do you have in your pockets? You can't even afford Rayleigh's booze."
"And Bai Yu? He has Shandora—the City of Gold."
Shanks nearly burst into tears.
The poorest pirate in the world.
That title definitely belonged to him.
Marine Headquarters – Panic at the Top
Boom!
The desk in the Fleet Admiral's office shattered under the force of Sengoku's fist, his expression filled with rage.
"LOOK AT THIS!"
"HE DISAPPEARED FOR JUST ONE MONTH AND ALREADY GATHERED A FORCE THIS STRONG?! HE'S BEEN PROMOTED TO A YONKO!"
"THIS is what happens when we ignore promising rookies!"
The Marine Admirals exchanged awkward glances.
Had they really not paid enough attention to Bai Yu?
Last time, they sent Kizaru + Aokiji.
Before that, it was Kizaru + Garp + Tsuru.
Hell, even when Bai Yu attacked Marineford and Mariejois, he escaped unscathed despite their efforts.
Kizaru, for once, wasn't joking. His expression was serious.
"The Demon King… is truly terrifying."
Aokiji sighed, rubbing his temple.
"Ala… He's now the captain of the strongest pirate crew. We really can't do anything about him."
"Hmph. And why didn't we capture Bai Yu when we had the chance?"
Everyone turned as Akainu entered the office, fresh from his campaign in the New World, his eyes narrowing at Kizaru and Aokiji.
"Are you two even TRYING?!"
Akainu didn't buy the idea that Bai Yu had somehow escaped a double-Admiral attack.
He was convinced they had let him go.
Aokiji frowned. "The report explains everything. Why would I let him escape?"
Akainu scoffed. "Oh? So you're telling me a 'rookie' pirate single-handedly fought off two Admirals and got away? Are you saying he's INVINCIBLE?"
Aokiji's annoyance was growing. "If you doubt me, go after him yourself."
The tension in the room rose instantly.
Sengoku, sighing deeply, slammed his hands on the table.
"Enough!"
"The problem now is assessing the strength of the NEW YONKO Bai Yu…"
He turned to the pile of newspapers on his desk.
"…And determining the new bounties for his crew."
Everyone's gaze fell on the front page, and they winced.
Even Akainu, as hard-headed as he was, felt a chill run down his spine.
The Newspaper Headlines
[THE WORLD'S STRONGEST PIRATE CREW: THE BIRTH OF BAI YU'S FLEET]
[THE DEMON KING, BAI YU—A YONKO WHO KILLED AN EMPEROR IN SECONDS]
[THE NEXT GENERATION'S PIRATE KING: BAI YU?!]
Morgan had filled the papers with praise, glorifying Bai Yu's feats.
But what truly terrified the Marines wasn't the headlines.
It was the photo.
In it, Bai Yu stood surrounded by black and red lightning, his sword slicing through Big Mom's eyes, while she knelt on the ground, blood pouring down her face.
She looked like a defeated dog.
A Yonko.
Kneeling.
The room fell silent.
Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke thoughtfully.
"It's possible to make someone fall to their knees with sheer power, but… for Big Mom to take that hit without resisting?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"This suggests Bai Yu has some kind of ability that can completely suppress even an Emperor-class opponent."
A shiver ran through the room.
Even Kizaru, who usually stayed calm, immediately blacklisted Bai Yu from all future assignments.
"I'll have my men investigate further," Sengoku muttered, rubbing his temples.
The more he looked at the newspaper, the more his head ached.
Then, his gaze darkened.
He picked up a classified document and handed it to Garp.
"Garp. Read this. It's an official order… He must die."
CRACK.
The cup in Garp's hand shattered as he read the document, his eyes filled with a rare sadness.
"I tried to talk sense into him before…"
His voice was bitter.
"Sengoku… Can I see him? One last time?"
Sengoku exhaled heavily.
"Go. Just don't cause trouble."
Garp closed his eyes.
His grandson had finally run out of time.
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