The front-page headline of the World Economy News Paper exploded like a thunderclap into the seemingly calm ocean, instantly whipping up colossal waves across the entire world.
The headline, printed in massive lead type, struck every reader's vision with an undeniable sense of oppression:
"CALAMITY RETURNS!"
Below this shocking main title was a sub-heading that sent a chill down every spine:
"Roa, the Most Evil Man in History, is Back!"
Countless people who got their hands on the newspaper were instantly stunned by the colossal news, and discussion erupted in every street and alley.
They were all equally bewildered by one thing:
Roa—
Who in the hell is that?
Fortunately, the World Economy News Paper demonstrated its usual "consideration" by dedicating two full pages to a detailed recount of Roa's "glorious and brilliant" legendary life.
Even more striking than the text were the two images accompanying the article.
The first was a photo of Roa surrounded by a swarm of pirates, looking back with a slight smile. According to unofficial statistics, this photo would later become widely popular across the sea, treasured by countless young girls.
The second image was even more impactful.
It was a copy of a wanted poster, its edges yellowed with age—the very bounty issued by Marine Headquarters for Roa twenty-five years ago.
The design of the poster itself was unremarkable, save for the exceptionally handsome boy pictured on it.
What truly made the entire world gasp in unison upon seeing it was the impossibly long, suffocating string of numbers at the bottom of the poster, which looked as though it had been misprinted.
"Ehh—Six Billion Berries?!"
The gasp echoed across every corner of the world simultaneously.
In Water Seven, late at night.
A pub by the sea was still lit, the noise almost threatening to blow off the roof.
The latest edition of the newspaper was being passed around among a group of drunk young dockworkers and sailors.
"Pfft—Six Billion Berries?!"
A young worker with a scar on his face spat out his ale, pointing at the number on the paper and laughing uncontrollably. "Hahaha! Did Morgans drink too much last night?! Six Billion? Does he even know how much money six billion is?!"
"Roa? Never heard of this guy!"
Another companion snatched the paper and read aloud, "Commander of the Calamity Corporation, the Most Evil Man in History, remnant of the Rocks Pirates, successor to Rocks... Who is Rocks? Some kind of scrub pirate crew from the back alleys? Never heard of them!"
The pub was filled with cheerful air as the young people roared with laughter.
Hardly anyone took the six-billion-Berry bounty seriously.
For them, names like the Calamity Corporation and the Rocks Pirates were too foreign to understand their true significance.
Just as the noise reached its peak, a massive BANG silenced all the laughter.
The owner, who had been silently wiping glasses, had lost his grip, shattering a precious crystal glass.
He paid it no mind. His face, pale as paper in the dim light, was fixed on another copy of the newspaper, which his withered hand clutched and trembled violently.
"S-shut up!! You brats who know nothing!!!"
The voice of the septuagenarian owner was hoarse, filled with unprecedented fear and rage, instantly sobering everyone.
The young men had never seen their kind boss look so terrified. The pub fell into a deathly silence.
The old owner looked at the picture of Roa in the newspaper, his eyes holding an indelible horror. "Roa is not a story! He is a real monster! The nightmare of the entire world! A walking Calamity!!"
"In that era, over twenty years ago, they turned the whole world upside down!"
"Roa gathered a group of monsters, and do you know what they did? The current Marine Headquarters was not the headquarters back then! The original Marine Headquarters was attacked by them! They broadcast the destruction of the old Headquarters live and publicly executed the former Fleet Admiral in front of the whole world!"
"After that, they seized the New World! They carved up everything in that sea! There were no Pirate Emperors then. The seven monsters who divided the New World—Roa, Shiki the Golden Lion, Kaido, Wang Zhi, Charlotte Linlin, Silver Axe, and Captain John—they were called the Seven Sovereigns of the New World!"
The pub was silent as the grave.
The owner's story continued.
"You young people always complain about why Water Seven is so poor and run-down? In truth, until twenty years ago, Water Seven was the most famous shipbuilding city on the sea, with the world's most excellent shipwrights!"
"Until Roa came here with the Calamity Corporation. That day, that day—"
The owner's shoulders were shaking. "I remember it clearly. The Calamity Corporation's fleet surrounded the entire island, and everyone was taken hostage!"
"Roa said, Roa said, he said if we didn't hand over all the shipwrights, they would destroy all of Water Seven! Then, all the shipwrights were taken away, and this city was utterly finished!"
"How could you brats understand what the name Roa meant to this world over twenty years ago? He was the most insane, most cruel, most powerful, and most arrogant monster in the world!"
The owner cradled his head, his breathing ragged, fear even causing him to weep. "That monster was supposed to have vanished twenty-five years ago! Why has he come back!"
"Why did he have to come back! Is he still unwilling to let go of this world!"
The laughter of the young shipworkers, who had been mocking the news moments ago, was frozen on their faces, replaced by a chilling dread. The newspaper in their hands suddenly felt heavier than lead, and the number "six billion" was no longer funny—it reeked of suffocating blood.
They finally understood that what they had been laughing at was a deliberately forgotten, bloody history of terror, and a living legend capable of making the entire world tremble again.
And now, the monster of legend was back!
The whole world was indeed in an uproar.
For those who did not know Roa:
"Six Billion Berries! Is this really not a joke? The Pirate King only had 5.5 billion! Shiki and Whitebeard are only a little over 5 billion! Did such a terrifying monster really exist twenty years ago?"
"Defeating a former Marine Admiral, destroying the original Marine Headquarters, killing the former Fleet Admiral, carving up the New World—is it possible to be this powerful? The newspaper even says that Loki, Teach, and even the Warlord Moria were once his subordinates!"
"Selling weapons to the entire world, destroying several countries just because they wouldn't buy his weapons, taking pleasure in inciting war, feeding on human suffering—the Most Evil Man in History!!"
"Is such a monster still alive? And why does he still look so young!"
"Silver Axe and Wang Zhi were both killed by him! That must be true, right?"
"What about the Rocks Pirates? The newspaper only briefly mentioned them as the strongest pirate crew to dominate the New World before Roa's rise!"
For those unfamiliar with Roa, this newspaper only brought shock.
But for those who did know Roa—
"He's back! That monster has returned!"
"He just got back and immediately killed Silver Axe and Wang Zhi! Sure enough, that vengeful monster is about to start moving again!"
"He already turned the world upside down back then. This time, will the whole world be destroyed!"
Panic, unease, and fear—all sorts of emotions were spreading.
Of course, the most panicked, uneasy, and fearful were those in the sea once known as the freest in the world twenty-five years ago.
"Waaaahhh! He's not dead! Why isn't that lunatic dead!!"
"It's over, everything is over! Roa is back! He won't let go of this sea!"
"Hahaha! Everyone is doomed! That vindictive bastard will destroy everything! He won't spare anyone!"
Only those who had personally experienced Roa's reign knew what kind of lunatic he truly was.
This sea was finished. War would arrive soon.
On the now-ruined Hachinosu Island.
The Cream Doughnut ship was docked quietly by the shore, and a feast was underway on its deck.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad."
Roa looked at the newspaper in his hand and nodded in satisfaction. "Morgans, the article is well written. I'm very pleased."
He gave a detailed account of my life with exaggerated and sensationalist strokes.
Everyone must be quite entertained, right?
The proof was that the dark aura between heaven and earth had thickened considerably.
"Heh-heh-heh, Boss, you're too kind!"
Morgans, who was feasting, quickly swallowed his food and chuckled. "It was your command! And besides, it's what I've always dreamed of doing!"
Undoubtedly, this was a blockbuster scoop!
"Next," Katakuri said, looking slightly expectant. "The monsters will be coming, right?"
And then the real fun begins!
"Of course," Roa closed the newspaper. "Are the ingredients ready? If nothing goes wrong, we'll have a big feast soon!"
"Are Mama and the others coming?" Bonney's eyes lit up. "Yamato will come too, right?"
"So Roa," Katakuri said with a strange smile. "Teach, Loki, Moria, and even the hidden Bullet must have received the news that you're here."
"Tell me, will they come?"
"I'd personally look forward to them coming," Roa said casually. "But it doesn't matter if they don't."
After all, I'm so damn strong now that it probably doesn't matter if all my subordinates are wiped out.
So, everyone, what will you choose?
At the same moment, as the entire world began to boil, the major powers also stirred.
The Five Elders were furious.
"What the hell is that Morgans doing? How dare he reveal everything about Roa!"
"That bastard always lives for chaos. This is probably his greatest wish!"
"Damn it! The whole world is in an uproar! Two Warlords have been killed, and the entire world is waiting for the government's response!"
"Given Roa's nature, the revenge on Wang Zhi is definitely not the end! Have the Navy gather its strength! The Holy Knights are to be on standby at all times! And the Warlords, their power is also essential!"
"With Roa's return, Shiki and the others are bound to start moving! And the most frightening thing is whether the Calamity Corporation will be revived!"
"Although Teach, Loki, and Moria left the Calamity Corporation, Bullet and the others are still out there! Don't forget that Bullet and King were Roa's strongest executives back then!"
"Yes, they're still alive! Moria was forced to become a Warlord because they were hunting him down!"
"Damn it! After all these years, the Calamity Corporation is probably just as difficult to deal with as ever!"
"But our strength has also grown! Let them come!"
At the gate of the imposing building of Marine Headquarters, the silhouette of a one-armed man walked quickly.
Former Marine Admiral, now the Head Instructor of Marine Headquarters, Black Arm Zephyr, strode forward with a grim face.
A black-haired boy in a Marine uniform followed him, his face full of curiosity. "Heh-heh-heh, Roa the Calamity, sounds like a super-powerful guy!"
"Shut up, brat!"
Zephyr suddenly turned and glared fiercely at the boy.
"I'm sorry!"
Cold sweat instantly beaded on the black-haired boy's forehead as he instinctively bowed ninety degrees.
"Listen to me," Zephyr said solemnly to the boy. "That guy is the most insane pirate in history. Even Roger couldn't compare to him in terms of sheer danger!"
"His existence itself is a destruction of justice! Now that he's returned, the pirates in the New World will certainly start acting! The entire world will undoubtedly fall into violent upheaval because of him!"
"This time, no matter what, we must stop him!"
"Oh, oh!!" The boy nodded vigorously, though he was still slightly confused.
"Let's go, Luffy! Sakazuki and Kuzan are waiting for us. The Navy's highest council is about to convene. You brat, you listen carefully!"
"Is Grandpa going to be there??"
"What are you afraid of! With me here, do you think he'd dare hit you?"
"Uncle Zephyr! You're the best!"
"Call me, Instructor Zephyr!"
On a certain island in the North Blue.
"Dragon! That Roa guy is back! That monster isn't dead! Is the Calamity Corporation going to be revived!!"
"Calm down, Iva! Things are different now than they were twenty years ago!"
Dragon, wearing a dark green cloak, stood by the shore. Though his expression was solemn, he tried to keep his tone steady.
"The Calamity Corporation has been dismantled. Whether they can revive or not, Roa's primary targets will only be the New World pirates and the World Government! This might not be a bad thing for us."
"Uh—" Emporio Ivankov was stunned.
Dragon's expression was so familiar. He looked the same when he went to rescue Kuma twenty years ago.
But indeed, no matter how you look at it, Roa wouldn't come looking for trouble with us, right?
However.
Roa—
Dragon suddenly clenched his fist.
He hasn't forgotten the grudge from all those years ago for a single moment!
Sphinx.
"Pops..." Marco stared blankly at the newspaper, then looked up at his elderly father.
Whitebeard sat in a wide armchair, also holding a newspaper.
He lowered his brows. "That brat... he was never going to be defeated so easily."
"What should we do now, Pops!" Marco said, sounding anxious. "That bastard got back and immediately took out Silver Axe and Wang Zhi. With his pettiness, he'll definitely not give up on reclaiming this sea!"
"More importantly," Flower Sword Vista added, his voice also grim. "Shiki and the others have probably been waiting for Roa to return! That pirate alliance from back then is going to reform!"
"..." Whitebeard remained silent.
Then.
He took a deep breath. "Go find the Straw Hat brat."
Marco's eyes instantly brightened. That's right, the Straw Hat Pirates are probably facing the same problems as us.
And what choice will Teach and Loki, who betrayed the Calamity Corporation, make?
On a desolate island in the same sea, where heavy snow was falling.
"Shanks!! This is bad! That Roa guy is back!!"
The man with blue hair and a large red nose was so terrified that his body was scattered in pieces flying through the air, only his two feet still running on the ground.
"Don't worry, Buggy."
Inside a cave on the island, the red-haired man was warming himself by a fire. He smiled and put the straw hat next to him back on his head.
"Hey! You bastard! How can I not worry!" the Straw Hat Pirates' mascot roared. "That petty bastard Roa would never forgive us for stealing his territory!"
"Because," the red-haired man curved his lips. "Worrying won't help!"
"Hey!!" Buggy's red nose instantly turned into a shark's face.
"However, Shanks," Benn Beckman, the First Mate, who was smoking a cigarette, slowly spoke. "Is that guy really that terrifying?"
Shanks thought for a moment, then said, "Mr. Rayleigh told me that Captain Roger fought Roa before he turned himself in."
"He thought Roa was too dangerous, so he wanted to kill him in his final moments."
"But unfortunately, he failed."
"Eh!!" The crew members warming themselves in the cave instantly gasped. "Not even the Pirate King could beat him!"
"That was twenty-five years ago," Shanks added.
"Ehh! Then we're going to be targeted by a super-dangerous person!"
On Amazon Lily.
"Roa—that brat is really alive."
The short old woman sat in a corner flipping through the newspaper. "But why does he still look like a boy after all these years?"
"So, Grandma Nyon," two stunningly beautiful women sat across from the old woman.
One of them, the more beautiful and arrogant one, asked impatiently, "What kind of person is that guy Roa? Weren't you once comrades?"
"The child was only a few years old when we were comrades."
The old woman, Gloriosa (former captain of the Kuja Pirates and executive of the Rocks Pirates), showed a look of recollection. "He really was a very cute child."
She paused. "If you only looked at his face."
"Ha?" Hancock scoffed.
Grandma Nyon's face became serious. "Robin, Hancock, both of you are extraordinarily strong, but you absolutely must not provoke him!"
"Robin, your mother must have told you how powerful and malicious Roa was!"
Grandma Nyon's expression became strange when she mentioned Robin's mother.
"Yes." The woman with slightly sculpted features, the current Empress of Amazon Lily and Captain of the Kuja Pirates, Nico Robin, nodded gently. "Mama said that even my father was no match for Roa, and that he was a very insane and reckless man."
"However," Hancock picked up the newspaper. "He is quite handsome."
In Dressrosa.
"Roa is back! Why did that guy have to return!"
"Wang Zhi and the others were killed. I'm next! He will definitely not let me go! What should I do! What should I do now!"
In Fish-Man Island.
"Big Brother Tai! Roa is back! What should we do! Should we consult with Mr. Yamashita?"
"We all know that guy's personality. We can't wait! Jinbe, you're not mobile, I'll go to the New World myself!"
Alabasta.
"Is that guy actually alive? Guahahaha! The New World is about to get lively!"
On a certain solitary island.
The man with eyes as sharp as a hawk's closed his newspaper. "A man with a six-billion-Berry bounty, is it? I'm eager to witness his prowess."
A white-haired old man sat by the shore, drinking sake, muttering to himself, "So, he finally came back? Shanks, Buggy, Robin, Hancock, the real opponent has returned. Are you ready?"
An island suddenly ascended high into the sky.
"Jie hahahaha! I knew it! I knew it! How could that brat die just like that! He's finally back!! You kept me waiting! Let's go, Lao G! Let's go see the brat! He's waiting for us!"
"From the newspaper, he looks exactly the same as twenty-five years ago. So Roa really crossed twenty-five years in one go. That's such a waste for him."
"Who cares! He's already killed Silver Axe and Wang Zhi! That means he has the ability to break through immortality! That's all that matters!"
"Uororororo!"
The colossal Azure Dragon soared into the sky, gripping flaming clouds as it rapidly ascended.
"He's finally back! You brat! It's time to show you the power I've accumulated over these twenty-five years!"
A slender figure stood on his head. "Is that really Brother Roa? I can barely remember what he looks like!"
"Mama, Mama! Little Yamato, it's more appropriate for you to call him Little Brother Roa now!"
"Oh! That's not bad either!"
"Linlin, how can you still laugh? Katakuri and the others are working with Roa, aren't they? Aren't you afraid of being captured directly when you go there?"
"So, Kaido, help me teach those unfilial sons and daughters a lesson! Don't forget you owe me a favor!"
"How many favors have I already paid you back for? Is your favor a usurious loan! And now Roa is back, I don't have the time to deal with your family drama!"
A fleet of massive battleships sailed across the sea.
These were the warships of the Giant race.
On the bow of the leading ship, a colossal, mountain-like, slightly disheveled monster with two horns on his head carried a war hammer and swore under his breath.
"Damn it! I failed again! That bastard father, why can't he just die already!"
Behind him, the legendary heroes of Elbaf, the former captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, Dorry and Brogy, shook their heads helplessly. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Loki. Harald was terrifyingly strong to begin with, not to mention he was enhanced and now has immortality."
"Who's being hard on themselves!" Loki snapped back. "You useless pieces of trash should be! You're all completely unhelpful! It's all on me!"
"Don't say that!" Dorry chuckled. "We're strongly supporting you to become the King of Elbaf!"
"What good is your support? Can it get rid of that bastard father!"
Loki cursed, then added, "Do I really have to ask Bullet and the others for help? Damn it, I swore I could handle it myself!"
And can Bullet and the others even handle it?
At best, they can only suppress the immortality to a certain extent, just like me.
If Roa returns—
"Captain Loki!! Roa! Roa is back!"
A Giant hurriedly ran from the stern, carefully holding a newspaper that was far too small for him.
"What did you say!!" Loki suddenly turned around.
By the shore of another island, a group of people sat in a circle, a newspaper lying in their midst.
"Zehahahaha! So this day has finally come!"
The fat, dark man grinned, revealing a gap-toothed smile. "What a sudden surprise! That idiot Wang Zhi must have died horribly!"
"Surprise, my foot!"
The short, pale, stout man was drenched in cold sweat. "Knowing that we left the Calamity Corporation, will the Boss just burn us all to ashes!"
"No, no, right?" The blond man in the pink feather coat and toad glasses stuttered slightly. "We came to the sea with a plan—"
"A plan, you say!" Bege (the short, stout man) snapped. "How many times have you contacted Bullet and the others since we've been on the sea!"
Doflamingo's face suddenly paled slightly.
"Zehahaha! What are you scared of!" The dark, fat man, Teach, roared with laughter. "Let's go! Let's go find the Boss!"
"If we choose to wait and see, that's truly a dead end! The Boss is waiting for us!"
In the West Blue.
A huge ship, as large as an island, cut through the waves.
"Lord Moria?"
The round-eyed, pink-haired girl in pigtails spoke carefully to her stunned captain.
"..." Moria gripped the newspaper tightly, his expression suddenly becoming complicated.
Roa! That wretched Roa! Why did you have to come back?
But.
He suddenly gritted his teeth. "Perona! Pass the order! Change course! To the New World!"
"Ah? Oh!" The pink-haired girl rushed to deliver the captain's order.
A hint of panic was in her heart too.
Is Lord Moria going to see Roa? His former leader?
But if so, will the World Government allow it?
In the first half of the Grand Line, in Paradise.
This was the White-White Sea, ten thousand meters above sea level.
Angel Island.
Enel was gnawing on an apple in boredom when a tall, muscular figure rushed toward him.
"Lord Enel! He's back!!"
The man named Urouge had an excited look on his face. "Jaya Island just called! Lord Roa is back! He appeared on Hachinosu Island!!"
"What!!"
The apple in Enel's hand instantly charred. He appeared directly in front of Urouge, gripping the shoulders of the much taller man.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course!" Urouge nodded heavily. "The news must have spread across the Blue Sea by now. Lord Roa has returned, and he killed that man named Wang Zhi!"
"Finally!!"
Enel's face was slightly contorted with excitement. He fumbled to pull out a specialized communicator and initiated a call.
The call was answered quickly.
"What is it, Enel? What's happened on the sea now?" A calm voice came through.
"King! The Boss is back!"
The other end of the communicator fell silent instantly.
Then.
The calm voice returned. "Good. Go and meet up with the Boss now. Tell him what has happened over the years. We will follow soon."
"Understood!"
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