After Mock's short lecture concluded, the pirate community of the East Blue erupted once more since Roger's execution. Following on the heels of the recent Pirate Feast, this was another event that shook the entire sea.
The first step to success, he had told them, was to go a little crazy. And when the Overlord's new bounty was revealed, they did. One hundred million Berries was enough to drive every pirate in the East Blue into a frenzy.
One hundred million.
In the East Blue, a bounty that high was unimaginable. It was proof that what their captain said was true: the glory days of the East Blue pirates were at hand.
And so, they set sail. In one hand, they held Mock's three maxims for success, in the other, a free copy of his handbook, 'How to be a Pirate from Scratch'. With dreams roaring in their hearts, they vowed never to betray the Overlord's expectations. After all, he had given up everything for them, his own dream of sailing the Grand Line and becoming Pirate King, all so the other three seas would never look down on the East Blue again.
For a time, every noble and royal family mentioned in the handbook became a target for these adrenaline-fueled pirates.
Unfortunately, not every pirate was an overlord like Mock. Of course, Mock himself would have been the first to admit he wouldn't dare be so bold.
Faced with these pirate incursions, some Member Nations, those with weaker military forces and less capable royal and noble guards, suffered heavy losses and immense hardship. However, not all Member Nations had such weak defenses. When these small-time pirates, charging forward purely on impulse, ran into a strong Member Nation, their fate was entirely predictable.
Yet, as some pirates saw their bounties genuinely increase, the successful ones began to scorn those who had failed.
Common consensus for those failures being, 'The Overlord himself taught us, and they still failed? They must have been good-for-nothings to begin with. Piracy isn't a game for children, getting caught just served them right.'
With the help of "How to be a Pirate from Scratch," personally penned by the East Blue Overlord, the bounties of the East Blue Pirates suddenly entered a period of unprecedented, rapid increase.
With the help of Mock's handbook, bounties across the East Blue began to surge at an unprecedented rate. Within a few days, several pirates with bounties in the tens of millions, had appeared, this was once a rarity in East Blue. A new pride swelled in their chests, and they all remembered the Overlord's words: 'The pirates of the East Blue are no weaker than any others. The resurgence of our glory rests with our generation.'
They considered it their right as the 'heroes' of the sea, just like the pirates from the other three seas. A fire burned in their hearts, fueled by the dream of restoring the East Blue's glory.
As the chaos spread, the World Government's forces began to mobilize. Marines, of course, but also something Mock had called their 'dogs', the Shichibukai.
Although most of the pirates didn't truly understand who the so-called 'Shichibukai', they had gained a basic grasp of who they were thanks to Mock's earlier introduction. In any case, they were powerhouses that only Overlord himself had the ability to contend with.
Suddenly, the pirates were filled with trepidation. The excitement from the skyrocketing bounties gradually subsided, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads as they wondered what to do next.
But then, before a day had passed, their leader made his move. The Overlord of the East Blue declared he would personally hold back the Shichibukai, leaving the path clear for his followers and guiding them toward their future.
The news sent a fresh wave of devotion through the pirate ranks. He wasn't just teaching them, he was shielding them from the greatest threats. They could almost see it: Mock, standing alone against the Shichibukai, a lone beacon scattering hope across the sea.
If their Overlord was holding back their most formidable enemies, what did they have to fear from a few nation guards and Marine branches? Their hope was rekindled, and their blood burned hot once more.
Time passed.
The pirates had set up a temporary base, a place to gather just as the Overlord had suggested: to share plunder, trade intelligence, and unite their strength to revive the glory of the East Blue. It had been a lively hub, but as weeks passed without a word from Mock, a quiet tension began to settle over the place.
At that moment, a man called out.
"Captain Sheldon, you're here too?"
"Hah, if it isn't Captain Buson! I heard your bounty jumped to sixteen million Berries in just a few days. You're almost catching up to what the last 'Overlord' was worth!"
"That's right! I can't believe Captain Buson is already a tens-of-millions pirate!" another chimed in.
"It's truly astonishing!"
"Just sixteen million," the burly man named Buson said, though he was grinning proudly at the praise. "I hear pirates in the other seas don't even bother talking unless their bounty's a hundred million. Still, it's all thanks to Captain Mock. What was the previous Overlord worth? Mock is the true Overlord of the East Blue."
"You're right about that," the older Captain Sheldon said, nodding. "If it weren't for him, we'd all still be scraping bottom of the barrel. The East Blue would have never seen a time like this."
"Never mind my sixteen million," Buson said, looking around. "What about the Bronze Pirates? I heard their captain was pushing thirty million Berries. Why aren't they here today?"
As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent.
Buson hesitated, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "Don't tell me the Bronze Pirates..."
"They were arrested by the Marines," Sheldon said quietly. "Just yesterday."
"...Arrested? I can't believe even someone as strong as Bronze Blade was caught." Buson sighed and shook his head. "What about the Black Iron Pirates? They're not here either?"
The silence from the crowd was answer enough.
Buson gave an awkward laugh. "Well, that must have been an accident! The Silver Pirates, they have to be here, right? Their captain is over thirty million!"
He looked around again, his voice growing more urgent.
"What about the Steel Blade Pirates?"
"And the Fading Shadow Pirates?"
Silence. As the reality sank in that several of the most well-known crews had vanished overnight, a cold sweat broke out on Buson's forehead.
Just then, the door to the base flew open.
A small, frantic pirate stumbled inside, his face pale with panic. "The Marines... the Marines have surrounded us! We're... we're done for!"
An instant wave of panic swept through the room. 'The Marines had surrounded them?' The faces of the previously silent pirates now contorted in fear. Even Buson was no different, cold sweat involuntarily breaking out on his forehead as he looked at the pirates who, moments ago, had been smugly content, but were now all terrified.
For some reason, a terrible dread began to form in his gut. A second ago, it felt like the glory of the East Blue was finally within reach. Now, it felt like they were all about to be wiped out.
"Quick!" Buson shouted, his voice trembling. "Where's Captain Mock? Someone find Captain Mock! Go ask him for reinforcements!"
"He's still holding off the Shichibukai for us!" someone yelled back.
"Tell him to stop and get over here quickly!"
'If he doesn't come soon,' Buson thought, 'forget revitalizing our glory. There won't be any East Blue pirates left at all.'
--**--**
Meanwhile, in Romance Dawn on the Conomi Archipelago.
*Achoo!*
Mock, the leader of the East Blue pirates, let out a sneeze. He casually rubbed his nose and sank deeper into the specially made sofa with a comfortable sigh. "Now this is living."
Lying beside him, Kuma gave a slightly embarrassed smile to the attendant massaging his feet, then turned to look at Mock. "What about your mission?" he asked, hesitant. "Don't you need to go oversee it?"
Mock lifted his head with a bewildered expression. "Mission?" he said, looking at Kuma. "What mission?"
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