With the newspaper in hand, the latest bounty notice spread rapidly across the seas, instantly grabbing the attention of countless people.
The most striking line read: "Golden Lion of the Flying Pirates was killed by The Rebel Thunder!"
Younger pirates might not fully grasp the significance of the Golden Lion, as he had remained silent for over twenty years. However, the older generation knew well the terror and might he wielded.
Now, the Golden Lion was dead, slain by Kaelen. The news sent shockwaves throughout the seas.
---
New World, the home of the Red-Haired Pirates.
Ben Beckman held the newspaper in one hand and a cigarette in the other. His brows furrowed as a sharp gleam of insight lit his eyes.
"I never thought the Golden Lion would be hiding in the East Blue. No wonder the Navy never found him. And in the end, he fell to that man," he said quietly.
The red-haired captain beside him took a casual sip of wine. "There's nothing strange about that. That man carries Whitebeard's legacy. Killing the Golden Lion is well within his abilities."
Beckman chuckled softly. "You really haven't changed at all."
The red-haired pirate smiled. "Come on, let's drink. No use worrying, he's not our enemy after all."
---
Somewhere in the New World seas, Blackbeard laughed as he read the news.
"The old era is dying off. Roger is gone, Whitebeard is dead, and now the Golden Lion is no more. The path is clear for me."
He raised a fist, grinning. "Prepare yourselves, everyone. Soon, we'll claim Whitebeard's territory. I, Blackbeard, will rise as the new Emperor of the Seas."
---
In the New World's Sea of Nations, Charlotte Linlin's residence.
"Mother, the rebel Thunder killed the Golden Lion. We can't underestimate him. We need to keep an eye on him," Katakuri said firmly.
Linlin's eyes sparkled with interest. "I hear Thunder, like Blackbeard, inherited Whitebeard's power. Perhaps he would like to become my son-in-law ."
She smiled thoughtfully, imagining which of her daughters might be a suitable match for him.
---
Elsewhere, several of Kaelen Tsukishiro's acquaintances closely followed the news.
---
Grand Line, Rusukaina Island.
"Luffy, get serious. If you don't finish the mission, no dinner for you," Rayleigh teased.
"Huh? Don't worry, I'll complete it soon," Luffy replied confidently.
Rayleigh looked at the sky, holding a newspaper that showed Kaelen Tsukishiro's face.
"Shiki is gone. Fewer and fewer familiar faces remain in this world."
He whispered to himself, a touch of sadness in his voice, "Where did this monster come from?"
---
Onboard the Heart Pirates' ship.
"That guy is everywhere," Law muttered, looking at Kaelen's photo in the newspaper and rubbing the back of his head.
He felt a dull ache there—maybe from the last spar.
Lately, Law found himself spacing out more often, his memory not as sharp as before.
"To have killed Golden Lion, then Doflamingo shouldn't be impossible for him."
He gripped his sword tightly and pondered, "But even if he can take down Doflamingo, can he handle the wrath of the Celestial Dragons and Kaido?"
His thoughts trailed off, his mind blank, and he started daydreaming.
Nearby, his crewmates and a large white bear exchanged worried glances.
"Bebo, what's wrong with the captain? He's been acting strange lately."
"I noticed too. He's been zoning out. Maybe after meeting the Empress, he's been distracted?"
"Yeah, I've been dreaming about her a lot myself."
Their chatter annoyed Law enough to reveal a dark line across his forehead. So many fools, and all with such big brains.
His revenge wasn't over yet, how could he be thinking about women?
"Kaelen is trouble..."
---
Kaelen looked over the bounty notice with a frown. "The World Government is petty."
He didn't know that he was already marked by the Four Emperors, or that Law was itching to settle scores.
Beside him, Robin lounged lazily on a beach chair, a book in hand, enjoying a rare moment of rest.
Recently, the intense training with Kaelen had left her exhausted, pushing her toward a more relaxed, almost idle state.
"Only a bounty of 1.2 billion Berries? That's an insult. Not 10 billion, but at least 5 billion," Kaelen grumbled, tossing the paper aside and sipping his juice.
Robin glanced over at him seriously. "Your skin is thicker than ten billion Berries."
Kaelen looked at her with mock shock. "Robin, you've changed."
He sighed sadly, "You used to be kind, virtuous, and the most beautiful goddess in my eyes, but now..."
Robin simply sneered, silent.
Kaelen was left speechless. Robin's humor had clearly rubbed off on him.
---
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