"Talk about luck. Didn't expect to run into you on the way back, little Kizaru! You dared lay your hands on my hometown—no way in hell I'm letting you walk away that easily!"
Nope.
So our Grand Admiral's been getting chased all the way here, huh!
The group of Navy Soldiers glanced at the battered Kizaru, then at the black-red light exploding across the sky, and felt like crying.
What else could they say? Fine, just stay the hell away from the Grand Admiral and keep running for your lives!
...
At the same time.
Navy G-5 Branch.
On the smoke-choked battlefield, Smoker bit down on his cigar, his Jitte resting casually on his shoulder, white smoke coiling around his body.
He looked at the two Navy Vice Admirals he had crushed underfoot.
Their bodies were drenched in blood, yet they still tried to drag in ragged breaths and struggle back to their feet.
"Give it up, you two."
Smoker shook his head.
"Your branch's fleet has already been completely wiped out by us, Endgame's flag is already planted at the highest point of your base, and as for you two— even together, you're no match for me. This war is already over!"
"Kuh… Smoker junior!"
On the left, the Navy Vice Admiral named Keisha spat out a mouthful of blood and grated out:
"You really are strong now… If you're willing to return to the Navy, the position of Admiral Candidate is definitely yours. You have a brilliant future waiting. Must you really walk into darkness with Endgame?"
"So hopelessly deluded? What idiocy. The ones walking into darkness are you lot, obviously!"
Smoker snorted in contempt. "And besides, even Teacher Zephyr has already left the Navy. You people who are still selling your lives to the World Government—stop calling me junior, got it!"
Thunk!
The Jitte slammed down, knocking the two struggling Vice Admirals completely unconscious.
"Tie them up!"
"Yes, Mr. Smoker!"
And just then, accompanied by the buruburu sound, the Radio Snail rang.
"It's me, Smoker."
Smoker picked up, listened for a while, and lifted a brow slightly. "Oh? The war on the main front is already over? A complete victory?"
"I just wrapped up here too—perfect timing to make my report and celebrate together."
Smoker blew out a smoke ring and bared his teeth in a grin.
"I, leading Combat Corps Squad 6 and Squad 7, have completely taken Navy G-5 Branch!"
...
The setting sun bled across the sky.
The grand fortress of G-1 Branch had already changed its flag.
"Yeah. The winner's been decided."
Rain of Shiryu wiped the last blood from his blade, sheathed it, then lit a cigar as well, reporting with a cold face:
"This is Combat Corps Squad 1, Squad 5, and Squad 9. Navy G-1 Branch has been defeated, the fortress has fallen, and the entire area is under our control!"
...
"This is Captain of Squad 2, Trafalgar Law. Please pass this up to the boss."
The man in the leopard-print hat really had no choice; a bit helplessly, he reached out and begrudgingly bumped fists with the rooster-headed youth who'd been giggling and waiting forever in front of him.
Then he continued, speaking gravely into the Radio Snail:
"Navy G-13 Branch has already been taken by our squad in conjunction with Squad 4."
...
"This is Combat Corps Squad 3 and Squad 10, led by Nojiko. Navy G-14 Branch has been completely routed and taken by us!"
...
"Hey hey hey, is anyone listening? This is Sanji—get lost! Green Algae Head, who cares if your stomach's rumbling, can you not see I'm making a report here… ahem, hey? Report! Navy G-9 Branch, we've successfully captured it!"
...
...
After the trumpet of the new era blared.
This surging tidal wave never seemed to show any sign of stopping.
And so.
In late August of Chronology of One Piece year 1517, one small event and one great event happened at the same time.
The so-called small event—
Was that an island named "Sphinx" completely sank into the ocean, vanishing from the seas and becoming a single grain of dust in the river of history.
Few paid it any heed.
The great event was different.
——In the war with Endgame and the Whitebeard Pirates, the World Government suffered an unprecedented catastrophic defeat!
Not only was the main front's elite force of over fifty thousand dealt disastrous casualties, fewer than half managed to escape and return.
Endgame's main force even launched a proactive offensive, comprehensively conquering all seven Navy branches in the New World!
What did that mean?
It meant the Navy had been completely expelled from the New World, and for the first time in eight hundred years, the World Government had lost control over an entire sea!
And Endgame…
Had become, in these eight hundred years, the first force to defeat the World Government head-on and now stand as an equal on the world stage!
With the World Economic News Agency in full swing, detailed information about this war landed on the newspaper headlines the very next day.
Countless News Birds spread their wings and swept across the skies, delivering them at terrifying speed to the Four Seas.
From the East Sea to the North Sea, then to the Grand Line…
The world shook to its core!
Of course.
After this war, the World Government also used its newly seized newspaper channels to publish their version of the results, heavily glossing over their defeat, and took the chance to raise Endgame's bounties.
The original five top cadres each had another 200 million Belly tacked on, not a huge change;
But Kuzan, the former Grand Admiral of Navy Headquarters who defected to join Endgame, was now wanted by the Navy for 4.35 billion Belly.
He instantly broke Angewomon's record, becoming the "pirate" with the highest initial bounty ever.
As for Shano himself—
The World Government upgraded him to "the world's most terrifying rebel leader," and his bounty skyrocketed another billion, reaching a monstrous 7.3 billion Belly!
Unfortunately.
After so many major incidents, no matter how the World Government tried to cover up and do damage control, its credibility had already hit rock bottom.
Even the citizens of the member nations mostly preferred to believe the information coming from Endgame's side.
No matter how high the bounty was set, no matter how dangerous and frightening the title sounded—so what?
After this great war.
Amid endless chatter, whether stunned, fearful, or exultant—
——That man's fame and prestige had already soared to an unprecedented pinnacle!
At the same time.
People began to feel—
That a simple little title like "World's No.1 Sword Master," or the label of a "Four Emperor," was no longer enough to showcase this man's strength.
And so.
Without anyone quite noticing…
Through the word of mouth of the masses, on the winds that blew across the sea, more and more people, in more and more places, began to use a title that better conveyed their awe.
They began to call the man named Shano—
"King of Four Seas"!
The instant this title appeared, it was embraced by countless people.
After all.
Looking through all of Chronology of One Piece, never had anyone like Shano existed—someone who dragged the Heavenly Celestial Dragons from their divine altar, smashed Navy Headquarters head-on, and shook the very foundations of the World Government!
Even the most arrogant, the most stubborn conservatives had no choice but to pinch their noses and admit—
The new era had fully arrived!
And the master of this era, the leader of this era…
Was Shano!
...
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Inside the Flowers Room.
A slender black silhouette stood silently before the Void Throne, spiral pupils reflecting the newspaper headline pasted on the wall.
Printed clearly upon it was Shano's Bounty Order, and beside it, specially highlighted, that dazzling new title: King of Four Seas.
"Heh…"
A laugh, rich with elusive meaning, echoed through the empty hall.
King of Four Seas, huh?
It did sound more imposing than that so-called "King of the World," the descendant of David from back then.
However…
"A mere mortal dares to style himself 'King'?"
The voice suddenly turned icy cold.
Before the words had even faded, the newspaper was already consumed by abruptly flaring black-violet flames, turning to ash.
"I'll let you bask in the spotlight for a while."
"'Mu's World' is about to be completed. Once it's done, I'll be able to leave this room. Then I'll see… just how long you can keep swaggering."