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Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1509.
Eleven years into the Great Pirate Era, the vast New World could no longer contain the swelling ranks of ambitious pirates. With Arthur's disappearance acting as the spark, the entire era finally reached its boiling point.
The "Four Emperors War"—a struggle for absolute hegemony that shook the very foundations of the sea—had officially begun.
Countless pirates, driven by a collective madness, launched suicidal assaults against the territories of the Thunder God Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and the Beast Pirates.
The Overlords of the New World were deeply entrenched, their terrifying power etched into the hearts of all. Without overwhelming strength, challenging them resulted in only one outcome: total annihilation.
Yet, amidst this war consuming the New World, a single crew rose like a comet—fast, bright, and utterly unstoppable.
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[HEADLINE: The Era of Four Emperors and the Lone Sovereign—The Return of the Thunder Emperor!!]
[HEADLINE: A New King Rises—The Red Hair Pirates!!]
[HEADLINE: End of an Era—A Legendary Pirate Falls as the World Turns!]
After Morgans traded his intel on the Op-Op Fruit to Arthur in exchange for his life, he wasted no time broadcasting this world-shaking news to every corner of the globe.
The world went silent.
Everyone was watching, waiting to see if this sudden upstart crew actually had what it took to hold their ground in the New World.
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Navy Headquarters, Marineford.
Ever since he received the report confirming the Thunder Emperor's return, Sengoku's face had been a mask of simmering fury.
SLAM!!
Finally, as he read the latest headlines, he could no longer suppress his rage. He slammed his fist onto his desk with a thunderous crack.
"Arthur isn't dead, and now another monster is rising in the New World? Will someone tell me where the hell these Red Hair Pirates came from??"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we've pulled the file on Red-Haired Shanks," a Commander from the Intel Division said, bracing himself before the assembled generals. "He was... an apprentice on Roger's ship back in the day."
"Hmph. I don't want to hear excuses from Intel regarding a failure of this magnitude!" Sengoku snapped. He stared at the silent officers for a long moment before speaking again. "What do you all think... about offering him the final vacancy in the Seven Warlords?"
"I object!!" Akainu cut in immediately, his voice low and dangerous. "Red Hair was one of Roger's men. People of that caliber are the definition of evil... they must be eradicated at all costs!"
"It's a bit late for that talk, isn't it?" Aokiji pulled his sleep mask down, speaking in his usual lazy drawl. "Donquixote Doflamingo just hijacked the Heavenly Gold transport ship in the North Blue. He's threatening to slaughter the crew and burn the cargo unless the Navy grants him a Warlord title."
"If those 'Noble' types don't get their tribute," Aokiji continued, "they're going to raise hell."
"The Donquixote Family? Isn't Doflamingo a former Celestial Dragon? How does he have the nerve?"
"It's lawless! Pure anarchy!"
"Enough!" Sengoku massaged his temples, exhausted by the bickering Vice Admirals. "My foster son, Corazon, sent word. After hijacking the gold, Doflamingo headed for Minion Island. That's where the deal for the Op-Op Fruit is supposed to go down."
"Notify Vice Admiral Garp and Vice Admiral Tsuru. If they can intercept the gold, fine. If not... that final seat in the Warlords belongs to Doflamingo."
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The Beast Pirates.
On an island of ancient, towering trees and prowling predators, the air was thick with the stench of iron and rot. Everywhere one looked, wild beasts were feasting on the severed limbs and corpses of fallen invaders.
The Beast Pirates had also been targeted in this war, but every intruder had been shredded by Kaido's savage legions.
"The Thunder Emperor really is back. I knew a man like that wouldn't be taken out by those pathetic Marines!!" Kaido grunted, tossing aside a blood-stained mace. He glanced at the newspaper, a look of disdain on his face.
One of his massive horns had been blasted off by Arthur's Positron Cannon during their previous clash, giving his silhouette a somewhat lopsided, comical look.
"Huh? What the hell is this? The 'Era of Four Emperors and one Sovereign'? Where did these Red Hair Pirates crawl out of? Being ranked alongside some nameless brat... does the world really think that little of me?? WAAAAHHHHH!!"
Kaido suddenly burst into loud, drunken sobs.
"Master Kaido, the Thunder Emperor, Whitebeard, and Big Mom are all ranked together too! The paper isn't insulting you!" a subordinate reminded him cautiously.
"Is that so? Damn that Redfield, losing to some new-era punk... Find this 'Red Hair' for me. I'm going to kill him!!"
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Totto Land.
"MAMA, MAMA!!" One of Big Mom's bizarrely dressed sons shouted as he sprinted toward Charlotte Linlin, who was busy devouring a mountain of sweets.
"Big news! The Red Hair Pirates defeated Redfield! They're the new Kings of the New World!"
"Even the Thunder Emperor, Arthur, acknowledged his strength...!"
The shouting echoed through Whole Cake Island.
"What? Arthur's back? Redfield lost? Red Hair Pirates?" The faces of the Sweet Commanders tightened.
In a New World ruled by the four original Overlords, someone had actually managed to carve out a throne for themselves in the middle of the crossfire?
"Brown sugar walnut biscuits?" Big Mom asked, completely lost in her sugar trance.
"It's Red Hair! The Red Hair Pirates!!"
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Whitebeard Territory, The Moby Dick.
"Four Emperors and a Sovereign? What a ridiculous title." Whitebeard scoffed at the newspaper.
To those who had lived through the previous era, the sea contained only two things: a bunch of losers and the Pirate King. In all of history, only Roger had truly conquered the sea. Every pirate since was just playing house.
"Gurarararara... Red Hair, has that brat really made it this far? Let me test your mettle on Roger's behalf!" He set down his jug of sake and looked toward the horizon, his sharp gaze cutting through the air. As his massive frame stood up, a terrifying, world-shaking aura began to radiate from him.
As men age, they tend to get nostalgic. He could still see it—back before Roger reached the top—two brats, arrogant and clueless, storming onto his ship and declaring they were going to kill him.
"You're finished now that you've met me!" Buggy the Clown had shouted. That was probably the proudest moment of the kid's life.
Buggy the Clown and Red-Haired Shanks, Whitebeard thought, the corner of his lip curling into a nostalgic smirk.
"Pops! Bad news! The Red Hair Pirates are at the door! Marco, Jozu—they can't hold Shanks back!!"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The moment the words left the man's mouth, he was struck by a sudden, invisible force and collapsed unconscious.
Wearing a black cloak and gripping his sword with a single hand, Shanks walked onto the deck, one steady step at a time.
"Gurarararara! Red Hair, you want to set foot in the New World...?" Whitebeard looked down at the aura-drenched Shanks. "Then take a punch from me!!"
"SEAQUAKE!!"
The world tilted as the ocean itself was turned upside down.
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The "Four Emperors War" was the most chaotic moment since the start of the Great Pirate Era, and the Red Hair Pirates were the only ones to emerge from the carnage as true victors.
The era had officially turned a new page.
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