Klockdar's body collapsed to the sand with a dull thud.
The golden grains beneath him were slowly stained red, soaked by the spreading pool of blood. The thick stench of iron began to permeate the desert air once again.
Without hesitation, Rin walked forward and swung the Thunder Robbery Blade, its edge gleaming with Armament Haki cleanly severing Klockdar's head in a single stroke.
——
Next.
Rin departed Alabasta with several of his core members and Klar. On the way, he handed over Klockdar's decapitated head to the Alabasta Naval Branch and instructed them to deliver it to Marine Headquarters an unmistakable message.
With that, Rin's position among the Seven Warlords of the Sea Shichibukai was solidified.
Out at sea.
The Pandora Pirates' ship drifted leisurely with the waves.
Rin lay sprawled across the deck, gazing lazily at Klar, who was straddling him while pinching his nose with playful annoyance.
At the moment, Rin didn't feel like doing anything particularly productive. His next major concern was waiting for the official announcement of the Seven Warlords' formation to reach the world.
He knew that once that news spread, it would draw the attention of countless pirates and bounty hunters who would come looking for a fight especially those unwilling to accept a new Warlord whose reputation was, compared to others, relatively fresh.
After all, among the Warlords, Rin was the one with the least public infamy yet.
He didn't mind that at all.
On the deck, Artoria sat beside him, quietly smiling and watching the waves. Casa was immersed in a thick book, while Enel chewed into a fresh apple, crackling with static every few bites. The atmosphere aboard was unusually peaceful.
Rin, lying next to Artoria, could faintly catch the soft fragrance of her hair fluttering in the breeze pleasant and calming.
Before he knew it, two days had passed.
And then
On the third day, a Marine warship was spotted on the horizon, steadily approaching.
Once docked, a high-ranking officer boarded the Pandora Pirates' vessel. His epaulettes marked him as a Commodore of Marine Headquarters.
With thinly veiled disgust, he strode over to Rin and said coldly, "I am Commodore Kosla. By order of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I am to inform you that the formation of the Seven Warlords will be officially announced this afternoon. I suggest you pirate scum don't disgrace the Navy by dying like dogs right after being named Shichibukai. We can't afford to lose face because of you."
"Is that so?"
Rin chuckled lightly, glancing at Enel and giving him a subtle signal.
Then he replied slowly, "Message received. However, I have a reminder of my own I don't appreciate people talking to me in that tone, especially not people like you."
The moment the words left his mouth
Enel raised his hand and summoned a bolt of divine judgment.
A thick, radiant thunderbolt split the skies and came crashing down striking Kosla squarely and sending his body convulsing as he collapsed to the deck, scorched black and barely conscious.
The nearby Marines froze in terror, unsure whether to fight, flee, or beg.
Rin sneered and waved them off. "Take him and get lost."
Without a second of hesitation, the terrified sailors scooped up their smoldering superior and scrambled back to the warship, retreating in full panic.
With the departure of the warship
Time crept toward noon.
Then it came.
A worldwide information bulletin issued by Marine Headquarters flew via News Coos across the Grand Line and beyond.
[Marine Headquarters Official Statement The Formation of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!]
The news detonated across the world like an earthquake.
Civilians, pirates, underground brokers, bounty hunters even low-ranking Marine personnel were stunned by the sudden announcement.
The identities of the newly named Seven Warlords drew heavy attention:
Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress.
Dracule Mihawk, the World's Strongest Swordsman.
Bartholomew Kuma, the Tyrant.
Donquixote Doflamingo, the Heavenly Yaksha.
Gecko Moria, the Shadow Master.
Jinbei, the First Son of the Sea.
Rin, Captain of the Pandora Pirates.
Each name carried weight some more than others but it was Rin's inclusion that truly sparked discussion among pirates and nobles alike.
Meanwhile, deep within the New World, the Four Emperors the Yonko took notice as well.
On an unnamed island
A large banquet was underway. Pirates laughed, drank, and devoured roasted meats around a blazing fire.
At the center sat a man with scarlet hair and three scars over his left eye, holding a newspaper and grinning broadly.
Shanks, captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, a former apprentice of the Pirate King himself.
"Boss, what do you make of all this?" asked a crewmate, a pudgy man munching on a chicken leg.
"Pretty clear, isn't it?" Shanks took a swig from his sake bottle and replied, "The World Government's just trying to create a counterbalance for us. A buffer. Doesn't bother me."
He raised the bottle with a grin.
"Come on, boys! Let's toast to the birth of the Shichibukai! Hahahaha!"
…
Elsewhere
On the Moby Dick, Whitebeard, the Strongest Man in the World, remained unimpressed.
He didn't even raise an eyebrow. To him, no force in the world mattered more than family. Unless it threatened his sons, it wasn't worth his concern.
…
Meanwhile
Following their appointment, several of the Warlords immediately abused their legal privileges. Some began raiding islands under the guise of "maintaining balance."
Doflamingo returned to the underworld. Moria resumed his shadow collection. Even Rin used his new status to seize control of pirate settlements and hubs—though unlike others, he avoided harming civilians.
The only ones who didn't abuse their new positions were Hancock, Mihawk, Kuma, and Jinbei.
And so, another two days passed.
Aboard the Pandora Pirates' vessel
Rin stood at the helm and called out to Casa. "Set a course for Water 7. We're going to upgrade this ship. As for the New World we're not heading there just yet."
It was simply too dangerous now.
The Yonko might not show it, but they knew the Shichibukai were founded to check their influence. If Rin entered the New World now, it could be interpreted as a direct challenge a fatal mistake.
Better to wait until the political waters calmed.
Besides, the first half of the Grand Line still had plenty worth exploring and exploiting.
Casa nodded in understanding. "Got it."
At that moment, Artoria stepped out from below deck, stretching her arms and asking, "Rin, after Water 7, what's our next destination?"
"Nothing solid yet," Rin replied, tilting his head. "You got any ideas?"
"Let's take a short vacation some uninhabited island, a quiet place." Artoria smiled gently. "I'm getting a little tired of the sea every day."
Hearing that, Rin's eyes lit up with interest.
"That's a great idea. We've got time. A couple days of peace won't hurt."
"Mm-hmm," Artoria nodded, her smile as warm as the sun above them.
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