If Ash's earlier words had only caused those paying close attention to him and his forces to tremble, then this declaration, proclaiming the end of the Great Pirate Era, sent monstrous waves crashing across the entire world.
At that moment, nearly every individual and organization shared the same thought.
How could Ash dare to say something like this?
Did he not realize that these words amounted to openly challenging the combined might of all four Yonko?
Even with the addition of White Lion Sali and Thunder Demon Weber to the Dawn Hunter Pirates, did he truly believe he could stand against every Yonko crew at once?
Then another thought suddenly surfaced.
Wasn't the Dawn Hunter fleet currently locked in battle with Yonko Charlotte Linlin's forces at Beehive Island?
How could Ash possibly have the time to hold a worldwide press conference?
Ash did not keep the world waiting for long. After a brief pause, he continued.
"I once promised to give a gift to the elder who convinced me to temporarily join the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Unfortunately, certain circumstances have made it impossible to wait any longer. So today, through this live broadcast, I will present that gift for the entire world to witness."
The moment those words fell, Vice Admiral Tsuru and the others, stationed in the New World, fixed their eyes firmly on the screen.
"Before the Great Pirate Era, Gol D. Roger, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, and Golden Lion Shiki were known as the Three Great Legends. Their age was called the Era of Legends."
"After Roger's execution, only two of those legends remained."
Just as he had done several days earlier when showing Dragon and the others in the Kamabakka Kingdom, Ash calmly took out two severed heads and placed them before the camera.
They belonged to Whitebeard and Golden Lion.
Resting his hands on them, Ash looked directly into the Video Den Den Mushi.
"Today, the Era of Legends ends at my hands."
"This is the first gift I offer to that respected elder, and to the world itself."
The instant the two heads appeared, the entire world fell into stunned silence.
Golden Lion had disappeared from public sight long ago, so his death alone was shocking enough.
But Whitebeard Edward Newgate was the World's Strongest Man.
A legendary pirate and one of the Yonko had been killed, and the world had not even realized it.
Before anyone could fully process the revelation, Ash continued.
"After the Era of Legends came the age ruled by pirate overlords. Eventually, the world acknowledged the so called Yonko."
"They were the remnants of the Rocks Pirates, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaido, along with the surviving remnant of the Roger Pirates, Red Haired Shanks."
As he spoke each name, Ash produced another severed head and lined them up before the camera.
His tone remained composed, almost indifferent, but the impact of the scene shook the entire world to its core.
"Today, the Era of the Yonko also comes to an end."
"This is the second gift I offer to you, and to the world."
In the New World, Garp and Zephyr unconsciously clenched their fists.
Vice Admiral Tsuru felt her eyes sting.
The young man they had worried about, protected, and secretly supported had already grown into someone capable of silently wiping out the Yonko.
Yet a question immediately surfaced.
If the heads of the Yonko were here...
Then who exactly was confronting the three Marine Admirals near Beehive Island?
This question spread across the entire world.
Fortunately, Ash had no intention of leaving everyone guessing.
Right in front of the Video Den Den Mushi, he contacted Morgans.
At that moment, Morgans was completely dumbfounded.
He knew someone like Ash would never lie. If he said he had a major story, then it would certainly shake the world.
But he had never imagined the truth would be this unbelievable.
The Yonko...
Gone.
The thought that he would never again receive an invitation to one of Big Mom's Tea Parties almost made him laugh.
Still, business was business.
Following the arrangement he had made with Ash, Morgans quickly switched the live broadcast to another feed.
The perspective shifted to a high altitude view.
Three enormous Yonko fleets had completely surrounded an equally massive Marine armada.
Everyone watching realized the answer was about to be revealed.
Sure enough, the camera zoomed in.
One after another, the three Yonko fleets lowered and burned their pirate flags.
Moments later, every ship raised the banner of the Dawn Hunter Pirates.
The gigantic dragon soaring through the sky also descended and transformed.
It was not Kaido at all.
Instead, it was simply a powerfully built man with a broad grin.
Looking directly into the camera, he laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! We were just waiting for the Captain to finish dealing with Yonko Charlotte Linlin. What are you all still waiting for? Retreat! We aren't standing guard against the Marines anymore. Go clean up the remaining pirate crews across the New World!"
...
Aboard the completely ignored Marine warships below, silence filled the air.
No one spoke.
Sakazuki clenched his fists so tightly that magma and steam rose from his body.
The Marines had spent days preparing for a decisive battle, only to discover they had been shadowboxing all along.
Damn Heavenly Emperor Ash.
Damn the Dawn Hunter Pirates.
You bastards...
You really pulled it off.
Yet, in the middle of his anger, Sakazuki suddenly threw back his head and burst into laughter.
The Yonko pirate crews were gone.
Good riddance.
Nearby, Kuzan silently watched the screen as it switched back to Ash, his gaze lingering on Sali, who occupied only a small corner of the image.
No one knew what he was thinking.
Kizaru, however, leisurely sipped his red tea and casually remarked,
"My, my... young people these days are truly terrifying. This old man is fortunate that he managed to walk away from those monsters alive."
When Sakazuki and the others heard Ash mention the elder who had persuaded him to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea, they immediately understood that he was talking about Vice Admiral Tsuru.
At the same time, they finally understood why the fake Yonko fleets had intercepted the Marines.
Ash had deliberately shown goodwill toward them.
If that was the case, why would he ever harm Kizaru?
Looking at the precious red tea Kizaru refused to share with anyone, it was obvious that he had gained quite a few benefits during his trip to Beehive Island.
...
Ten thousand meters above the Sabaody Archipelago, the broadcast returned to Ash once more.
With a wave of his hand, four more severed heads appeared.
They belonged to Silvers Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, Wang Zhi, and Longbread.
Ash looked at the camera and spoke.
"These are the remnants of the Roger Pirates, the so called right and left hands of the Pirate King, Dark King Rayleigh and Scopper Gaban."
"And these are the remnants of the Rocks Pirates, the Great Pirate Wang Zhi and Longbread, the chef who once served both the Rocks Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates."
After introducing the four old pirates, Ash stepped closer to the Video Den Den Mushi.
"As for the remnants of the old era that I have not yet found, or those who have hidden themselves away..."
"You had better pray that I never discover your whereabouts."
Finally, Ash looked directly into the camera.
"I have one message for those who have already set sail, and for those dreaming of becoming pirates."
"From this day onward, you have only two choices."
"Either my Dawn Hunter Pirates find you, and you die at sea without even leaving behind a corpse..."
"Or you return home and live an honest life."
"This world has no need for pirates."
"And there is no longer any place left for them to hide."
"I am Ash, Captain of the Dawn Hunter Pirates."
"And these are my words."