At dawn, tens of thousands of News Coos carrying heavy satchels took flight like a sea of white clouds from the Marineford News Agency. They flapped their wings toward every corner of the blue planet, carrying a storm printed on paper.
On this seemingly peaceful morning, the eye-catching red numbers on the front-page headlines swept through the Four Seas and the Grand Line like a category-twelve hurricane.
BANG!
The wooden door of Makino's Tavern was slammed open by the Village Chief. Clutching a wanted poster, his beard trembled with a mix of terror and disbelief.
"What a disaster! A total catastrophe! How does our peaceful village keep producing these world-class criminals?!"
Makino stopped wiping a glass and leaned in, her curiosity piqued. When she saw the wild, unrestrained face on the paper and the astronomical figure of 770,000,000 Berries below it, she didn't flinch. Instead, she covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"It seems Ace and Sabo are having quite an amazing adventure out there."
Meanwhile, in the Mt. Colbo hinterlands:
"770 million... 530 million..."
The mountain bandit Curly Dadan stared at the newspaper, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. If the previous 50 million bounty had scared her, this figure left her numb. She didn't even have the strength to scream.
BOOM!
The roof of Dadan's hut was suddenly smashed open from the inside.
Fourteen-year-old Luffy scurried up to the highest branches like a monkey, clutching a set of posters. His dark eyes shone with an intense, competitive fire.
"SO COOL! They robbed the Celestial Dragons and beat a Marine Admiral!"
Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat and shouted toward the horizon with everything he had: "ACE! SABO! JUST YOU WAIT! I'm coming out there soon! And I'm gonna get a bounty even higher than yours!"
In the tribal village, the natives and the massive Ancient Kong gathered around posters falling from the sky.
"It's Lady Leona! Lady Leona has a price on her head!" A native pointed at the red-haired chef, whose eyes on the poster were filled with a primal hunger for battle. "89 million Berries! That's higher than the Baron who used to hunt us!"
The Ancient Kong let out a low, soft whimper, its massive finger gently tapping Leona's photo with a sense of pride. The Great Elder stroked his beard, his aged face full of relief. "It seems that man, Ace, kept his promise. By his side, Leona will see sights this sea has never shown a mortal."
Deep within Scrapyard Street, a group of dirty mechanical apprentices and orphans were passing around the latest flyers.
"Big Brother Jeno is in the news! 76 million! He's a super pirate now!"
"I knew it! The armor Jeno-aniki built is the strongest weapon on the ocean!"
Amidst the children's cheers, the once-arrogant remnants of the Iron Dukes shivered in the shadows. The "trash-picker" they had once mocked was now a monster they weren't even worthy of looking at.
On a small boat with a tattered sail, Cabaji and Mohji stared blankly at the paper. At their feet lay the treasure chest Buggy had left for them.
"Two... 200 million Berries..."
Mohji held the poster of "Buggy the Clown," his hands shaking. "And look at the description below, Cabaji!"
Mohji's face was a mess of tears and snot as he pointed to the revelation of Buggy's past. "Captain Buggy was an apprentice on Roger's ship! He's a legend from the same era as the Emperor, 'Red-Haired' Shanks!"
The two looked at each other and burst into loud wailing, hugging one another.
"So that's it! No wonder Captain Buggy kept such a low profile in the East Blue—he was hiding his true power!" Mohji cried. "He intentionally 'lost' to Ace and humbled himself to be a steward. He must be planning a world-shattering coup from the inside!"
"Captain Buggy is a saint! He has a terrifying background, yet he still left us all this treasure to make sure we were okay." Mohji clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fanaticism. "We can't let him down! We have to train until we can reach the New World and serve him again!"
Ding-ling.
Rayleigh, with his silver hair and round glasses, pushed open the door and sat at the bar.
"Rare to see you here instead of the gambling halls. Did the birds bring something interesting?" Shakky asked, sliding a newspaper and a fresh stack of posters toward him.
Rayleigh picked them up. His gaze lingered on the arrogant, black-haired youth on the front page. Seeing "770 million," "Defeated Zephyr," and "Ransacked Heavenly Gold," a deep light flashed in the eyes of the former Dark King.
"Old Crocus was right," Rayleigh said, finishing his drink in one gulp. "This kid's ambition and strength... they're the real deal."
"But this is the real surprise," Shakky added, pointing at the 200 million bounty for Buggy. "That brat actually went to be his steward? Is this some strange fate between the generations?"
Rayleigh looked at the Red Nose on the poster and laughed, his eyes nostalgic. "It seems this sea, which has been silent for twenty years, is finally waking up to a gale."
The World's Greatest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, sat under dim candlelight. He glanced at the paper, his hawk-like golden eyes devoid of emotion.
"Mythical Zoan and high-level Haki... hmph. A troublemaker with potential, but as long as he isn't a pure swordsman, there's no need to unsheathe my blade." He closed his eyes and returned to his meditation.
Sir Crocodile crushed the wanted poster in his hook, smoke from his cigar curling around his sinister face.
"770 million? Just a brat who relied on a fruit to ambush a dying veteran. The Grand Line isn't a backwater like the East Blue. Shining too bright, too early, only leads to a faster death."
"Fufufufufu!"
Donquixote Doflamingo, draped in his pink feather coat, let out a manic laugh. "Robbing the Heavenly Tribute? Fantastic! A masterpiece of a crime!"
A dangerous red light flashed behind his shades. "Trampling the Celestial Dragons' pride into the dirt... the Five Elders must be fuming. Fufu! The waves of the new era are getting turbulent. I can't wait to see the look on these brats' faces when an Admiral finally hunts them down!"
In the swirling sands of the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, Monkey D. Dragon stood quietly in the wind. In his hand was the full roster of the Eclipse Pirates.
"Leader, this crew is volatile," reported Koala, her expression grave. "Ransacking the tribute is a direct declaration of war. Even more concerning—their First Mate, Sabo, uses a 'Dragon Claw' style remarkably similar to yours. Should we investigate?"
Dragon didn't answer immediately. His gaze stayed on the photos of Ace and Sabo.
As Luffy's father, he knew who these boys were. He had seen them growing up in the filth of the Gray Terminal. He just hadn't expected the blonde boy, who once hated the nobility so much he fled to sea, to join Roger's son and launch such a violent assault on the world's rules.
"No investigation is necessary," Dragon said, tucking the paper away. His voice was heavy and profound.
"They are walking a path different from ours, yet equally subversive. Since they chose to impact the order of the sea with such violence, let us see... just how much this storm can shake the foundations of the World Government."
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