Below the viewing platform at Marineford, the reporters were so excited that their fingers trembled.
They could already imagine how much of a sensation this event would cause throughout the world.
There was no need to come up with any explosive headline.
Merely publishing Raleigh's original words would be enough to shake the world.
They swore that this would be the most important and sensational news of the year.
There would be no equal.
"Long live the Marines!"
"Long live!"
The Marine soldiers standing on Marineford's parade ground, along with Marine soldiers at branches across the world, all drew their sabers when they heard those words and shouted in Raleigh's direction.
Only after Raleigh had given the world time to digest the announcement did he speak again.
....
"This is a beautiful world, with its vast blue seas and all manner of magnificent scenery."
"It does not belong to any one person. It is a gift the world has given to everyone."
"To be able to live in such a world should have been a happy thing."
"But."
"At some unknown point, a certain kind of trash appeared in this world."
"They never support themselves. Instead, they obtain supplies through burning, killing, and plundering."
"They call robbery the freedom of pirates. They dress up the massacre of villages and towns as a man's romance. Beneath every beautiful word they use lies the blood of hundreds of thousands of civilians."
"I once participated in the pursuit of Gol D. Roger. I know very well the cruel side of that pirate known as the Pirate King."
"Back then, using the excuse of standing up for his companions, he slaughtered five thousand soldiers of a kingdom. Those soldiers were the pillars of their families. Because of one minor matter, that kingdom lost an entire generation of men."
"Wherever they go, they commit crimes. They never care about the local people. This is the so-called adventurous spirit they are so proud of."
"They lawlessly challenge the bottom line of the Marines and the laws of the World Government. Yet such reckless behavior is actually praised as freedom."
"That is the tumor of the world—pirates."
"And now, because of the words Roger spoke before his death, the so-called Great Pirate Era has begun. Countless people have rushed out to sea to become pirates, causing their numbers to rise without end."
"Therefore, the complete eradication of pirates cannot be delayed."
Raleigh glanced down at Momonga. Only after seeing Momonga nod did he continue.
"Over the years, the Marines have done many things. We have struck down many pirates, and in the future, we will strike down even more. Now, let everyone see our spoils of war."
Momonga then stood before an area covered by red cloth.
Once he saw that the Den Den Mushi cameras and the reporters had all gathered around, Momonga reached out and pulled the red cloth away.
It was a wall made from the same material as a Poneglyph.
At this moment, only a few spots on it were occupied. Large sections remained empty.
Momonga said proudly, "This is the head of Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, known as the strongest man in the world, along with his weapon—the Supreme Grade blade Murakumogiri."
Then he took two steps and continued.
"This is the head of Golden Lion Shiki, known as the Flying Pirate, along with his two famous swords, Oto and Kogarashi."
Finally, after skipping over a large empty space, Momonga pointed to the central position.
"And this is the corpse of Gol D. Roger, known as the Pirate King, along with his weapon—Ace."
When the reporters saw the bodies of these famous towering figures among pirates, the past deeds of those men could not help but surface in their minds.
Which of the people displayed on this wall had not once commanded wind and rain in the New World?
Each of them had possessed enough power to destroy a nation on their own.
Yet pirates with such terrifying strength had, in the face of the Marines, ended up as specimens.
For the first time, everyone felt the pressure of the Marines in a direct, visual way.
Raleigh coughed lightly from the platform, pulling everyone's attention back to him.
"This is only one part of it. Only those whose crimes are especially heavy and whose strength is particularly great will be displayed here."
"Moreover, there are some that have not yet been prepared. For example, Kaido, one of the Three Emperors of the Sea, will also be hung here after some time."
"I can state clearly here that the heads of the Three Emperors of the Sea and their weapons will eventually be displayed on this wall as well."
After a brief pause, he said solemnly, "From today onward, the Sabaody Archipelago will be officially placed under the control of Inspector General Sengoku. All coating workshops will be taken over by the Marines."
"Merchant ships, cruise ships, and any other vessels wishing to travel to the New World must obtain a passage permit signed by Inspector General Sengoku before they can be coated and granted permission to depart."
"Anyone who violates this regulation and privately coats a ship to go out to sea will be treated as a pirate and severely dealt with."
"After consultation with the World Government, starting tomorrow, the Marines will officially launch a worldwide military draft without regard to race. It will last for three years."
"The number of Admiral positions will be expanded to five. Anyone with sufficient strength may be promoted directly to Admiral!"
Either one of those two announcements would have been explosive enough on its own.
The underground forces and pirates who relied on travel to and from the New World for human trafficking gritted their teeth as they stared at Raleigh on the screen.
With this, all underground dealings would be forcibly halted.
Arms trafficking, human trafficking, drugs, and every other sort of business that could not see the light of day would be brought to an end.
At the same time, civilians around the world who had originally been interested in the Marines became even more excited.
Before this, Marine expansion had largely depended on circumstance.
Most Marine soldiers were either orphans or people raised within the Marines.
For ordinary people, joining the Marines was still very difficult.
Now, with a worldwide military draft, the difficulty would be much lower than before. Moreover, the addition of two Admiral positions made them even more excited.
They began dreaming that one day, they too might stand in the position of Admiral.
Some powerful individuals who had originally hidden themselves away were also moved by this news.
A Marine Admiral was one of the highest-ranking holders of real authority in one of the largest powers in the world.
Such an important position being placed before them was enough to draw their attention.
Looking at the excited Marine soldiers below, Raleigh took a deep breath and solemnly gave a standard Marine salute to the entire world.
"Long live the Marines! Justice will prevail!"
The neatly arranged Marine soldiers, faces flushed red, roared with every ounce of strength they had.
"Long live the Marines!"
"Justice will prevail!"
"Victory! Victory! Victory!"
At that moment, everyone across the world who watched this grand event felt a chill of fear.
Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, and even certain people within the World Government.
They saw the fanaticism in the eyes of the Marine soldiers, and they believed that Marines in such a state would charge fearlessly against anyone.
...
"It seems we underestimated him after all."
In the council chamber of the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, the image froze on that moment.
The bald member of the Five Elders narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "If this were not such a critical time, I might have ordered him killed immediately."
The fanaticism in the eyes of the Marine soldiers in the image, along with the worship shown toward Raleigh by Marine soldiers at branches around the world, made the Five Elders, who held authority over the world, feel uneasy.
The large-framed member of the Five Elders frowned.
"Indeed. Whether it was Kong, Sengoku, or the famous figures throughout Marine history, perhaps only the first Fleet Admiral ever possessed such prestige."
"We should indeed restrict him somewhat. Otherwise, with his strength, if he ever develops different intentions, only Lord Imu will be able to stop him."
The long-bearded member of the Five Elders said, "Let us observe for now. It is still too early to say anything."
"Once he makes his move against the Revolutionary Army, we will know whether the things we are worried about truly exist."
The reason the Five Elders had elevated Raleigh was because they valued his leadership ability and his ruthless decisiveness.
If he could not crush the Revolutionary Army like dry weeds, then Raleigh's fate would not be much better than Sengoku's.