The presses of the World Economic Journal thundered like cannons. Paper flew in stacks, ink bled fresh,headlines screamed in bold black across the pages.
Big News Morgans cackled as he fluttered across the newsroom, wings flapping, hat tilted at a jaunty angle. His cigar glowed bright as his eyes danced with manic glee.
"HOO HOO! This is it, boys! This is the storm of the century! Forget Kaido, forget Whitebeard, forget that brat Luffy! The seas have a new name to fear!"
He slapped the headline down on the desk.
"THE BUTCHER OF IMPEL DOWN – MAGNUS DELMAR!"
Buster Call obliterated! Vice Admirals slain! Douglas Bullet unleashed! A new crew of monsters emerges!
Beneath the title were the portraits, grainy but unmistakable.
Magnus Delmar – "The White Fang " Silver hair, storm-forged eyes, Shusui gleaming in his grip.
Bounty: 2,000,000,000 Berries
Douglas Bullet – "The Demon Heir," freed from Level Six, his iron colossus looming in shadow.
Bounty reinstated: 1,785,000,000 Berries
Kael "The Spear of Destruction" – Former Marine hero turned traitor, a spear drenched in Marine blood.
Bounty: 612,000,000 Berries
Gryphon of the Ironhide Tribe – A forgotten giant of Elbaf, chained in darkness for decades, now unshackled.
Bounty: 829,000,000 Berries
Morgans spun arms wide, voice shrill with laughter.
"HOO HOO HOO! The seas will go mad with this! And when the people read these words, when they see these faces oh, how they'll scream!"
And so the The papers scattered on the wind, carried by gulls, carried by fate.
At Alabasta, Royal Palace
Cobra's hands trembled as he held the paper."A man who declares war on the Government so openly…"
Vivi pressed her lips tight, eyes shadowed with worry."Father… what if the people believe in him?"
In the New World...
On an island fortress, Donquixote Doflamingo's laugh rang high and sharp.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! What a madman! Declaring himself against the Government this early… Oh, the strings I could pull with him."
Elsewhere, Mihawk sipped his wine in silence eyes locked on the picture of Shusui.
His blade hummed faintly, as if stirred by the sight.
Revolutionary Army, Baltigo
Dragon stood with the paper in his hand, his cloak whipping in the wind as Sabo frowned over his shoulder.
"He's not a Revolutionary, not even close. But if he truly means to tear down the Government…"
Dragon's face remained unreadable, but his voice was a low murmur."Then whether he knows it or not, he is already moving in our shadow."
And across the seas, in every port, every tavern, every slum and palace alike, the same name rolled from tongue to tongue.
Magnus Delmar.
The man who burned Impel Down.
The man who broke the Buster Call.
The man who stood with monsters at his back.
And for the first time in centuries, the seas trembled not with fear of the Yonko...
But of a name new to the world.