The Marines moved fast. In just three days, the bounties for the Sky Pirates had spread across the world.
Before that, their name had only circulated around Loguetown. But after the bounties were issued, the Sky Pirates became known worldwide.
...
East Blue, aboard a small boat heading toward Loguetown...
"Buggy... come take a look!"
Shanks suddenly burst in, shouting. Startled, Buggy almost spilled ink all over the treasure map he was excitedly studying.
"Shanks, you bastard! What the hell are you yelling for?!"
"Cut the crap... look at this."
Shanks pulled out a freshly obtained wanted poster.
Buggy took it and glanced over.
"Hmm... looks kinda familiar... five... five hundred million Berries?!"
"Idiot! That's not the point! Don't you remember? Skypiea! We met those two guys there with the captain!"
"Eh?!?!"
Buggy's eyes widened as everything came rushing back.
...
In a tavern in Loguetown...
Doflamingo stared at the wanted poster in his hand, his fingers clenched tightly, veins bulging on his forehead.
Nearby, his subordinates—Pica, Trebol, and Diamante—watched their king nervously. Ever since the wanted posters showed up today, something had been off about him.
"You okay... Doffy?" Trebol asked with a trembling voice.
"I'm fine... I'm just thrilled... Fufufufu... 'The most evil ones,' huh? Mera Mera no Mi... Goro Goro no Mi... Conqueror's Haki... Fufufufu, they really are monsters. No wonder they had the guts to kill that idiot Saint Mjosgard... Fufufufu... Are the Celestial Dragons finally falling off their pedestal?"
With that, Doflamingo activated his ability and shredded the wanted poster, then turned to Trebol.
"Send word to Vergo. I want detailed intel on those two."
"I... I got it..."
...
Sabaody Archipelago, Area 13
Half a year ago, a bar named Shakky's Rip-off Bar appeared here.
Along with it came a stunning woman—and a handsome blond man.
That blond man was none other than the Dark King, Rayleigh.
After the Roger Pirates disbanded and returned from the New World, Rayleigh disembarked at the Sabaody Archipelago and settled down under the name "Old Ray," working as a coating technician.
His days were spent coating ships, drinking, and gambling.
He was one of the first to know about Roger's plan to turn himself in. Though saddened, he respected Roger's decision.
Still, as the day of the public execution approached, Rayleigh couldn't help feeling more and more uneasy—and drank more because of it.
That day, after finishing his coating work, he returned home.
"Business doesn't look too great these days..."
Seeing the empty tavern, Rayleigh sighed. Whether that sigh was for the tavern or for Roger, even he wasn't sure.
Shakky stood behind the bar, seemingly unfazed. Instead of pouring Rayleigh a drink, she laid three wanted posters on the counter.
"Just got these in today. Take a look—you might be interested."
Rayleigh glanced at them. When he saw the faces on the posters, his expression changed to one of surprise, then shifted into nostalgia. He picked them up with a smile.
"It's been five years... I can't believe Yemu and Enel have set out to sea. But... these bounty amounts... aren't they a bit much? If I remember right, this is the highest rookie bounty in the first half of the Grand Line in the last decade."
Shakky raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised.
"You actually know those two?"
"Yeah," Rayleigh nodded. "Met them in Skypiea five years ago."
"I see..."
Shakky didn't press further and said directly, "Those two are bold beyond belief. Do you know why their first bounties made history, and why the Marines dubbed them 'The Most Evil Ones'?"
Rayleigh shook his head.
"Because they killed a Celestial Dragon..."
"...."
…
Ten thousand meters beneath the sea, under Mary Geoise, lies Fish-Man Island—known as the "Undersea Paradise."
Though it's called Fish-Man Island, two distinct races inhabit it: the Fish-Men and the Merfolk. Unlike the Merfolk, who seek peaceful coexistence with humans, most Fish-Men harbor deep hatred toward them and reside in the Fish-Man District.
Ten years ago, this district was synonymous with chaos and darkness—even the Merfolk from the island avoided it. That changed twelve years ago when a Fish-Man named Fisher Tiger appeared. With overwhelming strength, he united the warring factions of the Fish-Man District, becoming its undisputed leader. Under his rule, order was restored, and the district gradually began accepting Merfolk and even humans.
But a year ago, the situation began to unravel again.
The reason was simple: their leader, Fisher Tiger, had vanished without a trace.
Six years earlier, Tiger had left the Fish-Man District to pursue his dream of traveling and exploring the world. Even then, he regularly checked in with his friends back home through Den Den Mushi. But a year ago, all contact suddenly ceased. No one could reach him, no matter what they tried, and the district quickly descended into chaos.
Fish-Men with lingering hatred toward humans began acting out, spreading rumors that Tiger had been captured by humans.
After Tiger left, the one who took over his role and upheld his will was Jinbe, the whale shark Fish-Man. While Jinbe possessed the strength for the job, he didn't carry the same weight in reputation. As long as Tiger was around, Jinbe could maintain order by invoking his name—but now...
Still, Jinbe was determined not to let his older brother's efforts go to waste. Every day, he patrolled the district with a group of Fish-Men, warning those with bad intentions to behave.
Then, one day, during a routine patrol, a loud shout rang out.
"Brother Jinbe! There's news about Tiger—about Big Brother Tiger...!"
"!!!"
The cry didn't just startle Jinbe—it sent ripples through the entire Fish-Man District.
Fisher Tiger—he wasn't just a local figure. He was a legend across the Fish-Man District, even the whole of Fish-Man Island.
Everyone turned to look and saw a Merfolk swimming toward them at full speed, tail slicing through the water.
Jinbe's eyes lit up the moment he recognized the figure.
"Aladdin... there's news about Big Brother Tiger...??"
"Yeah."
Without hesitation, Aladdin pulled out a wanted poster and handed it to Jinbe, his voice filled with excitement.
"Big Brother Tiger has become a pirate—and his first bounty is 380 million Berries...!"
In an instant, shock spread across the entire Fish-Man District—from Jinbe to the Fish-Men, Merfolk, and even the humans living there.
Though many Fish-Men resented the human world, everyone here understood what that kind of bounty meant—this was one of the only two routes connecting the Grand Line and the New World, after all.
And just like that, the entire district erupted into commotion...