The world was in chaos—shocked, rattled, and confused.
The cause? Rhett Vane and Kaido had invaded Mariejois.
Even though the World Government tried to cover up the event, too many things had already leaked out. Whispers turned to headlines. The truth couldn't be buried this time.
After the slaves escaped from Mariejois, many fish-men returned to Fish-Man Island. But they didn't stop there—they helped others escape too. For a while, a massive number of Sea Kings gathered near the Red Line, precisely where the New World met the top of the Grand Line. On one side sat Marine Headquarters; on the other, G-1 Base, the new military stronghold of the Marines.
Yet, with Sea Kings flooding the waters between them, not a single Marine dared to act.
Over the next few days, the Revolutionary Army took in many of the escaped Celestial Dragon slaves. For years, they had sought to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Celestial Dragons, and now, they were seizing the moment. Their agents—deeply embedded in Marine Headquarters and even within Mariejois itself—were finally sending back reports of undeniable truth.
"A terrifying day... though terrifying only to the Celestial Dragons and the remaining Elders."
"Unbelievable! Did Vane really ally with Kaido of the Beasts?"
"One of the Five Elders... dead?"
---
On the gloomy, snow-blanketed White Earth Island, beneath a starless sky, Monkey D. Dragon stood on a cliff overlooking the ocean.
"She's out," he murmured.
He meant Imu.
Terrifying didn't begin to describe her. Dragon had received the intel, and the truth about the woman who wielded the true scepter of the world chilled him to his core.
"She alone may be unbeatable," Dragon muttered. "Unless we have Rhett Vane's help."
According to history, she had existed since the Void Century. She had survived purges, erased entire eras, and obliterated those who stood against her. Previous revolutionary forces—ones lost to history—had tried to challenge her. All had failed. All had been erased.
Even Rocks D. Xebec, the fearsome man who once tried to seize the world, had fallen in God Valley. Though Rocks' ambition was twisted, he had still sought to crush her grip on the world.
"Dragon, how powerful is that woman?" a revolutionary commander asked.
"This world isn't what it seems," Dragon said grimly. "Stay sharp."
He turned to Sabo. "Have you helped the newly freed slaves settle?"
"No problem," Sabo answered with a confident snap of his fingers. "We're making sure they're treated as equals. Here, they're not slaves—they're people. People with dignity."
---
Elsewhere, on an Island, Dracule Mihawk set down a newspaper.
"That boy... or rather, that Pirate Emperor."
He narrowed his eyes at the picture of Vane. What kind of man had caused this level of upheaval?
Mihawk was curious—deeply so.
---
In the Calm Belt, on the island of Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock clutched the same newspaper, her eyes full of tears.
Rhett Vane had overturned Mariejois, liberated the slaves, and slain countless Celestial Dragons.
What kind of man could do such a thing and live?
"I... I must see him again!"
Her voice trembled. She was losing her mind. She had no idea where Vane was, but her heart ached to find him.
"This woman... she's hopeless," Elder Nyon sighed.
---
At Marineford, the mood was grim.
"It's over. We can't stop him anymore," someone said quietly. "That monster... he's the most terrifying pirate alive."
"He's joined forces with Kaido!" another shouted.
Sengoku punched his desk so hard it shattered.
"Everything's going to hell. In just a few months, this world has changed beyond recognition!"
He had teamed up with Kong to face one of Vane's summoned creatures—the Nine-Tailed Fox—but they had only managed to leave surface wounds.
And then there was that massive wooden golem... another of Vane's summoned terrors.
Not to mention his allies: Kaido, the Golden Lion, and even King and Queen.
How terrifying was the power Vane commanded?
Sengoku exhaled heavily. "This feels like the rise of a new Rocks."
Kizaru rubbed his temples. "That meteorite he summoned... that wasn't normal. I can't even wrap my head around how he did that. No ordinary person can grow that strong so quickly!"
Aokiji nodded. "I've always thought he might not be human. The powers he uses... they don't match any known Devil Fruits. It's like he's absorbed several."
Big Mom could control fire, lightning, even water. But that was due to the Soul-Soul Fruit.
But Vane? His abilities were untraceable.
---
Meanwhile, in the New World...
The balance of power had shifted. Pirate Emperors ruled their regions, but now, whispers of a new Emperor echoed across the seas.
In a dim cave, Red-Haired Shanks grilled meat while keeping a sharp eye on the young crewmate entering with a report.
"Boss, Vane's been spotted in Wano!"
"Wano?" Beckman raised a brow. "Isn't that Kaido's territory?"
Shanks sat up straight. "They've likely formed an alliance."
"Why, though?" Beckman mused. "Big Mom was defeated. Kaido's taken plenty of hits too. But if Kaido fell to Vane, then it wasn't an ordinary defeat."
"Maybe he was injured?" someone asked.
"Injured? Kaido?" Beckman scoffed. "The guy's practically made of steel."
Still... the world was becoming less and less predictable.
Shanks looked out of the cave toward the stars.
"This may be the age of fallen gods," he said. "Some things are inevitable. Maybe it's time I visited Mariejois."
Beckman narrowed his eyes. "Where do you stand in all this, Shanks?"
---
On Whole Cake Island, Big Mom sat blankly on the floor, drooling and lost in thought.
"Who is that... why does Linlin feel like she knows him?" she mumbled.
Smoothie, reading a paper beside her, glanced nervously at her mother. "Mom, do you remember this man?"
Big Mom blinked. "Are you really my children?"
"She's gone senile again," Smoothie muttered under her breath. "Dessert... Linlin wants sweets..."
Granny Nyon would've called this pathetic—if she were there to see it.
---
Aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard chuckled, shaking the entire ship with his laughter.
"Gurarara... didn't expect this much chaos to come out of Mariejois!"
His power, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, still reverberated even in casual moments.
Blackbeard, far away, could feel the tremors on the sea. His ambition surged again. The Tremor Fruit was still his ultimate prize.
"That kid... he's done what no one in history dared."
Whitebeard grinned. "What a terrifying brat. I'd love to meet him."
Marco nodded. "Yeah... he's something else."
Ace clenched his fist. "No way he's stronger than you, Pops! You're getting stronger again—I can feel it!"
Whitebeard smiled warmly. "I'm old, Ace. I don't need the title of 'strongest' anymore. I've got something better... a family."
And yet, the storm Vane had created continued to spread.
In every corner of the world, people knew.
A new Pirate Emperor had risen. The youngest in history.
They said he rode a massive blue dragon through the sky, his aura like that of a god descending.
He had liberated countless slaves. He had slaughtered many of the so-called "nobles" of the world. Celestial Dragons who'd oppressed the world for 800 years now lay dead because of him.
However, not all the details had reached the public. Few knew that one of the Five Elders had been killed. Fewer still knew that Imu—the shadow ruler of the world—had faced off with Vane.
Only the Revolutionary Army and a few insiders like Doflamingo were aware of those secrets.
---
In Dressrosa, the palace echoed with eerie laughter.
"Fufufufufu... divine retribution, was it? Even Kaido of the Beasts is caught in this storm now."
Doflamingo lounged in his throne, newspaper in hand.
"One day, Vane... you'll be pulled from your altar."
"Will the world scepter still be yours then?"
"Fufufu... we'll see."
---
On August 11th, Year 1519 of the Sea Circle Calendar, a new bounty shocked the world:
Rhett Vane
Bounty: 6,090,000,000 Berries
The highest bounty since Whitebeard.
The order came directly from Imu.
To the people, Vane became more than a pirate. He was the Emperor of Dawn—a title whispered from port to port, across every island.
He was a revolutionary. A liberator.
And possibly... the strongest man alive.
---