After the secretive meeting at Marine Headquarters concluded, somewhere far above the Grand Line, Rahu received a letter delivered by a snow-white albatross gliding gracefully through the skies.
In this era, the infamous news tycoon Morgans had yet to be born, and there were no "news birds" to circulate information. All major news and public bulletins were still under the tight control of the World Government.
And as always, any news coming from them was worth questioning. Truth was often the first casualty in their pursuit of power.
"Gahahahaha! Ten thousand… a hundred thousand… a million… ten million one hundred million! I, Kaido, am finally a man worth one hundred million berries!"
Standing atop the stolen treasury ship that once transported Heavenly Tribute, Kaido roared with laughter, waving his newly printed wanted poster in the air.
"Turns out that if you want to make a name for yourself fast, the best way is to piss off the Celestial Dragons! What a rush!"
Once a decorated war hero, Kaido had long since abandoned his faith in governments and kings. Betrayed by his homeland and sold to the World Government for experiments, he had spent years building his strength, biding his time, and waiting for the moment to unleash chaos upon the world.
Now, every bounty increase felt like a badge of vengeance. His laughter echoed across the sea, wild and untamed, while Rahu simply sat on the deck nearby, silently scanning his own wanted poster.
Compared to Kaido's boastful energy, Rahu's reaction was calm almost detached. But even he couldn't ignore the sight of his bounty: 118 million berries.
Across the seas, in taverns and coves scattered across the Grand Line, pirates froze mid-drink as their eyes locked onto that number.
"Holy hell, a rookie with a first bounty over a hundred million? That's insane!"
"No kidding! Who is this guy anyway? Never heard of him until today!"
"He's the one who stole Heavenly Tribute from the World Government. That alone's enough to make the Five Elders foam at the mouth. Guess he's tired of living, huh?"
"Don't be stupid. You think just anyone can rob the Celestial Dragons and live to tell about it? This guy's a monster, same as that horned beast beside him Kaido of the Oni tribe!"
Rumors spread like wildfire.
Some laughed. Others watched with quiet unease.
For those who ruled the seas the Rocks Pirates this development was more than gossip. It was a potential threat... or an opportunity.
On Hachinosu Island, deep within the Grand Line, several veteran pirates sat gathered in the luxurious lounge of the Rocks Pirates' fortress. The place smelled of rum, salt, and danger.
One pirate with a scar across his jaw spat his drink in disbelief. "You see this? Two new faces making headlines like they own the sea. And they robbed the Heavenly Tribute! Who the hell do they think they are?"
"Doesn't matter who they are," another sneered. "A rookie with over a hundred million on his head? If he's not careful, Rocks himself might come to recruit him."
That name Rocks sent a shiver through even hardened criminals. He was a man whose ambition could swallow the world whole.
Further inside the fortress, laughter boomed like thunder.
"Gurararara! Harder! If you want a tip, put your back into it! I'm not as stingy as John!"
Lying back on an oversized chair was a mountain of a man tall, broad, his golden hair spilling down his shoulders like a lion's mane. His crescent-shaped mustache curved upward as he enjoyed a vigorous massage from a woman in leopard-print shorts.
Edward Newgate Whitebeard, one of the mightiest men on the seas, was in his prime, and his laughter shook the room.
Not far away, Miss Bakkin, known among the Rocks Pirates as one of their few female officers, stood fuming. Her carefully powdered face twisted in jealousy.
"So that's what you like, huh? Leopard-print skirts and wild types? I've been wasting my time dressing like a noblewoman!" she muttered through clenched teeth.
Newgate's booming laugh continued, unaware or perhaps uncaring of her frustration. But the peace of the lounge didn't last long.
Outside, a growing commotion echoed through the courtyard. Pirates shouted and argued, their excitement rising to a fever pitch.
Whitebeard's smile faded. "What's that noise? Don't tell me the Marines had the guts to come here."
He started to rise from his chair when a shadow flickered across the skylight. A tall figure descended through the air, blond hair whipping in the wind, his cloak fluttering dramatically.
"Jiehahahahaha! Newgate! Guess what I just found!"
The grin on his face was unmistakable Shiki the Golden Lion.
He landed beside Whitebeard, brandishing two sheets of parchment. "Fresh off the press! Two rookies just shook the world!"
He tossed the wanted posters onto the table. Rahu's fierce gaze stared back at them from the inked page, while beside him, Kaido's wild grin burned like fire.
Whitebeard's brows furrowed as he leaned closer. "Rahu… and Kaido… one hundred million and one hundred eighteen million berries. Not bad for upstarts."
Shiki smirked. "Not bad? They robbed a government convoy and lived. The Five Elders are furious. Word is, the Marines are already mobilizing."
Whitebeard chuckled, deep and rumbling. "Then Rocks will definitely make a move. He's always had an eye for monsters."
Shiki nodded. "Exactly. Two new demons, both wielding all three forms of Haki. Rocks won't miss a chance like this."
The air between them grew tense not out of fear, but anticipation.
Across the seas, storm clouds gathered.
The World Government had declared war on two men whose names the world had only just learned, but would soon never forget.
And in the depths of the Grand Line, legends like Whitebeard and Shiki could already sense it something was stirring.
The tides of history were shifting once again.
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