The morning sunlight shone on the headquarters of the World Economic News Agency.
"Faster, faster!"
Morgans flapped his wings, personally overseeing the workers on the front line of the printing factory:
"You lot, stop dawdling! There's just a hundred thousand newspapers left, hurry up, they must all be sent out by noon!"
The workers, sweating profusely, were busying themselves, the printing machines roared, as stacks of newspapers, still fragrant with fresh ink, were swiftly packaged.
"Chief, are you sure this is okay?"
The deputy couldn't take it any longer, sweating profusely, he leaned in and whispered.
"What are you afraid of?"
Morgans glared at him and snorted:
"You fool, haven't you adapted yet? Do you still think it's like before? The bounty on those people... hmph, this kind of thing is indeed unprecedented, quite thrilling! But this is the Endgame's territory, would the CP personnel dare to make trouble here! We no longer have to flee like before, fool!"
"I'm not worried about that, Chief!"
The deputy's forehead had lines forming, clearly, you are the one not adapting to the new environment!
"It's you who made the workers come two hours early to work overtime, and you've been yelling at them here, swearing a lot. You've violated two rules at once, if the labor department hears about it..."
Oh!
Morgans was suddenly shocked, realizing it, he slapped his forehead, "Almost forgot about that! Why didn't you remind me earlier!"
With the protection of the Endgame.
His two professions, journalist, was more enjoyable and free, explosive news spreading like it was free, one after another.
But the identity of the boss was suddenly restricted a lot.
There are rules against randomly abusing or insulting workers, you must pay for overtime, and now there's talk about organizing unions for different industries...
All these rules and regulations are really annoying!
"I just got here..."
The deputy chuckled bitterly and leaned in to whisper, "But if you compensate now, it might still be okay, as long as you do this and that..."
"Everyone, listen up!"
Morgans immediately put on a friendly smile and called out to the workers:
"I got too excited earlier, and rushed you too much, thank you for your hard work! Keep it up, once these papers are sent out, everyone will have a three-day paid leave in rotation! Also, this month's bonus will be tripled!"
The workers, hearing this, immediately cheered, the stifling dissatisfaction from before almost disappeared completely.
"Brilliant, Chief!"
The deputy, seeing this reaction, gave a thumbs up and sighed in relief.
Morgans too wiped the sweat off his forehead, relieved.
These pesky regulations, even he had a hard time adapting to them.
He heard that in some Endgame allied nations, there's even ongoing attempts to introduce legislation to limit the privileges of nobles.
He wonders how those nobles can stand it...
Hmm?
Suddenly, Morgans noticed the newspaper printing speed seemed to increase drastically.
Strange, really strange.
Clearly, he hadn't said anything, yet the workers' efficiency was now higher than when he was constantly urging them?
"Chief!"
Another subordinate hurried over, "The branches in the Four Seas have sent word that they are ready, and the first batch of newspapers will be distributed in ten minutes!"
"Is that so? Very good!"
Morgans' attention shifted immediately, excitedly flapping his wings, he laughed triumphantly:
"This is another masterpiece of mine destined to go down in history, let this world shake once more!"
The sunlight poured outside the window.
In the square, flocks of News Birds arranged their mailbags, took flight, covering half the sky like a white wave.
In the dawn, they flew far away, spreading this batch of newspapers, filled with a multitude of warrants, to every corner of the sea like snowflakes—
...
Navy Headquarters, Marinfanto.
"Kuzan suspected to appear in Endgame's territory? That kid, could he be thinking of joining, really likes to surprise people, doesn't he."
The Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies, and Navy Headquarters Marshal Kong, put down the just delivered intelligence, coldly snorting.
"It's still undetermined, Marshal."
On the sofa in front, Akainu bit his cigar, crossing his legs, his brow furrowed:
"The New World is no longer the New World it once was, most of it has fallen to the Endgame, even CP-0 has a hard time deeply infiltrating it, Kuzan was only spotted appearing near the Galaxy Sea Region, the subsequent events, hard to say."
Kong squinted his eyes, pondering deeply.
Even though he was nearing a century old, because of "that reason," he remained vigorous, even more so than in his youth.
Since taking on the role to put out fires, he practically spent over ten hours a day at work.
With the prestige he accumulated among the older generation of the Navy and his skilled, balanced tactics, he succeeded in stabilizing the situation.
Though the cost to the Navy Headquarters was severe, from the lower levels to the middle and upper levels, a large number of Navy personnel chose to leave, the overall strength greatly diminished.
Yet, to stabilize the situation in half a month.
He felt no guilt, after all, he had fulfilled the mandate of the Five Elders.
But now.
If even Kuzan, the former Grand Admiral, truly joined the Endgame...
Then undoubtedly, it would inflict a new wave of blows to the prestige and morale of the Navy Headquarters!
Another mess to clean up?
Kong irritably lit a cigar, smoke swirling before his eyes, his gaze growing increasingly intense.
"Hey, Sakazuki, you're Kuzan's senior and have fought alongside him for many years. You're much more familiar with him than I am. Do you think he'd make such a choice?"
"..."
After a moment of silence, Akainu spoke: "That guy has always been lazy and indecisive, but since he's already left the Navy, I wouldn't be surprised by any choice he'd make. After all, people always change, don't they?"
When he said the last sentence, he paused and deliberately looked up at Kong standing before him.
It was Kong, but it seemed like he was no longer the "Steel Bone" Kong of the past.
Though he still sat in the Marshal's position like decades ago, still wore the Navy Headquarters Marshal's uniform, cloaked in the white Cloak of Justice, exuding a commanding aura without anger...
But Akainu always felt.
The Kong who had stayed long in the Holy Land had changed greatly from the one he remembered from his youth.
The faint musty aura emanating from him was more akin to those old fellows enmeshed in power.
Was it true?
Or was it merely an illusion borne of dissatisfaction that he had parachuted in and forcibly seized the Marshal's position?
Akainu withdrew his gaze and extinguished the cigar.
"When Kuzan left the headquarters, I warned him."
He continued expressionlessly, "If he dared to join Shano, it would mean he was against the entire Navy, and I would personally clean house. Marshal, if the information is confirmed, would you give me that chance?"
"If the information is confirmed, then the top-level combat power of the Endgame will be even more terrifying, Sakazuki!"
Kong furrowed his brows and said discontentedly, "In that case, it requires even more cautious consideration. It's impossible to proceed as you previously suggested, to launch a war against the New World at all costs. If the war fails, the cost is something no one can bear!"
He considered himself to be one of the radicals in the Navy, but this Sakazuki in front of him, how could he be even more radical than himself!
"But..."
Just as Akainu was about to say something.
At this moment, the office door was suddenly knocked urgently.
"Enter," Kong said coldly.
"Marshal! Urgent news!"
A civilian colonel burst in, panic-stricken, clutching a freshly delivered newspaper: "The World Economic News Agency... they, they..."
"Get to the point!" Akainu roared.
"Yes, yes..."
The civilian colonel trembled as he unfolded the newspaper, "Marshal, they've cooperated with the Endgame to publish this to the world..."
Revealed on the front page was a black and bold headline—
[For the First Time in History! True Warrant for Evildoers from the World Government and Navy Headquarters Exposed!]
Bang!
With the sound of a chair being abruptly overturned, Kong stood up, unable to maintain composure, striding over to snatch the newspaper and begin reading.
Whoosh~
A large stack of warrants tumbled out of the newspaper.
The colonel frantically picked them up, wanting to organize them, but was intercepted by Akainu's large hand.
Akainu's face turned grim as he flipped through the warrants, his expression growing darker with each page.
Unlike those issued by Navy Headquarters.
These warrants not only had photos and bounties but also several labeled lines below, detailing their so-called crimes!
For instance, these—
[Navy Headquarters Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies "Steel Bone" Kong!]
[Loyal dog of the World Government, loyal servant of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon, condoning the Navy's involvement in genocide, participating in numerous national extermination events!]
[With blood debts heavy and sins mounting like mountains!]
[Bounty, 5.5 billion Belly! Dead or alive!]
——
[Navy Headquarters Grand Admiral, "Akainu" Sakazuki!]
[Loyal dog of the World Government, loyal servant of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon, participated in numerous national extermination events, destroyed O'Hara, bombarded civilian refugee ships]
[With blood debts heavy and sins mounting like mountains!]
[Bounty, 3.5 billion Belly! Dead or alive!]
——
[Navy Headquarters Grand Admiral, "Kizaru" Borsalino!]
[A dog and servant committing numerous evil deeds in struggle and pain, participated in numerous national extermination events]
[Though not the main culprit, his sins are inescapable!]
[Bounty, 3 billion Belly! Dead or alive!]
——
[Navy Headquarters Grand Admiral, "Ryokugyu" Aramaki!]
[The most loyal dog of the World Government, the most loyal servant of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon, reveres the heavenly dragons as true gods, discounts the lives of non-member state civilians]
[Bounty, 2.5 billion Belly! Dead or alive!]