"Extra! Extra! Breaking news!"
News Coos flapped their wings, scattering newspapers that would go down in history across every corner of the world like snowflakes.
The front page of the newspaper bore a striking headline.
"Pirate Gol D. Roger has successfully circumnavigated the globe and reached the legendary final island, Laugh Tale!"
"The World Government officially confirms that Roger has learned the truth of the 'Void Century'!"
"A new title for the era has been born—the Pirate King!"
In an instant, the entire world was in an uproar.
On the sea, countless pirates cheered fanatically. They raised their glasses high, their eyes shining with a longing for freedom. It was as if they themselves had become the Pirate King.
At the docks of small towns in the East Blue, young children pointed at Roger's portrait, shouting their dreams of going out to sea on an adventure.
Deep in the New World, the powerhouses who dominated their respective territories felt the pressure of a 'King' for the first time.
Some were indignant, while others were full of admiration.
The kings and nobles of the affiliated nations trembled with fear. They spent sleepless nights, knowing full well that the birth of a 'Pirate King' meant a violent upheaval of the world order. The power they held in their hands would face an unprecedented challenge.
...
Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the air seemed to have frozen.
Kong slammed his fist onto the desk, and the sturdy office desk instantly shattered into pieces.
"Damn it! He actually managed to do it!" Kong was fuming with rage. Veins popped on his forehead, showing the fury in his heart.
Beside him, Sengoku's face was grim, his brows furrowed. "The emergence of a Pirate King is a devastating blow to the World Government's prestige. Next, the sea will spiral out of control, triggering an unprecedented chaos."
"Roger must be arrested at all costs!" Kong's voice was like thunder.
He issued the highest command, "Mobilize all Admirals! Do not hesitate to launch a Buster Call! We must not let this era be shaken by a single pirate!"
The entire Marine Headquarters was instantly wound up like a tight spring. All Marines, regardless of rank, had their leaves canceled and entered the highest state of combat readiness.
The atmosphere on the sea suddenly grew tense.
However, amidst this suffocating atmosphere, one place seemed completely out of place.
Punk Hazard.
The open-air balcony of the Governor's Mansion.
Tatsuki was leisurely sipping black tea.
Warm sunshine, gentle sea breeze. It was so pleasant here that it didn't seem like the New World, but more like some vacation resort.
"Tatsuki, Headquarters has sent an emergency combat readiness notice!" Gion, dressed in her Marine uniform, hurried over. Her face was full of anxiety.
"Shouldn't we also take immediate action and head out to support them?" Gion looked at Tatsuki, her gaze carrying concern for her comrades' safety and a sense of duty as a Marine.
"Do what?" Tatsuki took a sip of tea without even raising his eyelids.
"When the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Our G-5's task is to guard the gates of the New World, not to wipe Headquarters' backside."
"But... that's the Pirate King!" Gion's tone was still filled with shock and hostility.
"Pirate King?" Tatsuki smiled.
It was a calm smile of someone who saw through everything.
He slowly stood up and walked to the edge of the balcony. His gaze was deep, looking down at the steel city below that was beginning to take shape.
Punk Hazard, this once uninhabited island, was now his independent kingdom. It stood at the entrance of the New World, exuding a cold aura of steel.
"Gion, you must remember." Tatsuki's voice was low and powerful. "What decides the outcome of a war is never a person's title, but the strength to truly control the situation."
"The current Roger is indeed very strong. He may have the title of 'Pirate King', but he is still just one person, one pirate crew."
He paused.
His tone carried an indescribable confidence. "And we, G-5, possess an unsinkable steel fortress."
"Three young men who are about to become the Marines' greatest military powers."
"A legendary powerhouse who has been subdued by me."
"And... wealth enough to buy several countries."
Tatsuki turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping over Gion. Her eyes still held a hint of confusion.
Not far away, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino were also waiting for orders. The three of them appeared calm on the surface, but deep in their eyes flickered indignation and a fighting spirit toward the Pirate King.
The corners of Tatsuki's lips curled into a playful arc. "Roger's era will soon pass and our era is just beginning."
Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino looked thoughtful.
Although they were unwilling and angry about the birth of the Pirate King, after two years of hellish training and Tatsuki's day-after-day 'earnest guidance', they were no longer impulsive hotheads.
They had learned to think. They had learned to trust Tatsuki's judgment and his extraordinary strategic vision.
"Then for now, we just wait like this?" Sakazuki asked with some reluctance.
"Of course not." A mysterious smile appeared on Tatsuki's lips.
"Tell Redfield to come back, the 'fundraising' activities are temporarily over."
"Have Stussy's intelligence network operate at full capacity. I want to know every move of the Roger Pirates, down to how many meals they eat a day."
"And as for the three of you..."
Tatsuki's gaze swept over the future Three Admirals. "Don't slack off. Your strength is still far from enough."
"Go now, the real storm is coming. Roger's curtain call is only the beginning."
"Before the storm truly arrives, what we need to do is brew a good pot of tea and prepare the best seats to enjoy this grand performance." Tatsuki's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
That voice was also full of anticipation for the chaos that was to come in the future.
Although Gion and the three future Admirals did not fully understand Tatsuki's deep meaning, they all chose to execute the orders.
They had grown accustomed to the fact that Tatsuki could always see a future they could not. Every one of his orders would ultimately bring unexpectedly rich rewards.
The entire world was going crazy over the birth of the Pirate King.
Only Tatsuki was waiting quietly.
Waiting for the perfect moment to harvest.
He knew that Roger wouldn't be the "Pirate King" for long.
A king suffering from an incurable disease—his curtain call was the real key to opening the Great Pirate Era.
And what he, Tatsuki, had to do was to reap the greatest benefits from this torrent of the era.
To become the true mastermind behind the scenes.