Not just Miyuki Shirogane. Futaro Uesugi, hobbling on a broken leg, felt exactly the same.
Their eyes met, sparks practically flying between them.
Both were dead set on fighting for the new title of "Number One Lapdog."
But before either could make a move...
"You."
Yu Ishigami pointed at Miyuki Shirogane and Futaro.
"Come with me."
Hell no. Was he going to let these clowns pull something while he wasn't looking?
Sneak into the home base while the master's away? Not on his watch.
And it wasn't just Miyuki Shirogane and Futaro. Yu Ishigami demanded Hachiman Hikigaya and Saika Totsuka come along too.
Everyone knew about those two's relationship, but Yu Ishigami believed in better safe than sorry.
Since following Makoto, Yu Ishigami had learned one universal truth: never leave potential rivals unattended near the home base.
He felt it necessary to take precautions. Lest Hachiman pull something while his back was turned.
Miyuki Shirogane: "..."
Futaro: "..."
Hachiman Hikigaya: "...Fine."
Saika Totsuka: "Huh? W-why?"
Their expressions varied, but none looked happy. Miyuki Shirogane especially. One moment he'd been scheming how to become the new Number One Lapdog, the next he was being dragged off as conscript labor.
If Makoto knew what was running through Yu Ishigami's head, he'd be utterly speechless.
I have exactly zero interest in that kind of thing.
Morgans, under Makoto's orders, boarded the Oro Jackson alongside Yu Ishigami's group. According to plan, over the coming weeks, whenever Yu Ishigami's crew arrived at a member nation for the "touring humiliation show," Morgans would be there to photograph and report on the whole thing.
The news hawk stood at the ship's rail and bowed deeply toward Makoto.
"Sir! Little Mo is off!"
"Mm."
The Oro Jackson's sails rose. Sea wind caught the flags, and the hull slid away from port.
Yu Ishigami stood at the bow, lit a cigarette, and silently swore he wouldn't come back until he'd made something of himself.
Behind him: Miyuki Shirogane and Futaro with bitter faces, Hachiman looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, and Saika waving goodbye with a gentle smile.
And the Fab Four, grinning ear to ear, Imu leashed at the end of a dog chain.
Makoto's group stood on the pier, watching the ship shrink into the distance.
Once the Oro Jackson vanished completely, Beam scratched his head.
"Lord Chainsaw, what about me?"
In Makoto's crew now, aside from Makoto himself, Beam was the only guy left. Felt a little strange. And he didn't want to fall too far behind Yu Ishigami.
"Once Tom finishes building my ship, I'll send you to Fish-Man Island," Makoto said. "Spend some time training there."
That's right. Makoto's plan to make Beam stronger: Fish-Man Karate.
After all, the Shark Fiend was basically a fish-man. A Supreme Plus enhanced version.
"Fish-Man Karate?"
Beam blinked.
"Correct." Makoto nodded. "That place sits at the junction between the first and second halves of the Grand Line. Plenty of pirates will pass through. Killing them will help grow humanity's fear in this world too."
Beam's spine straightened.
"Sir!"
The next day.
The World Economic Journal, delivered via News Coo, blanketed the entire globe.
From East Blue to West Blue, from South Blue to North Blue, from the beginning of the Grand Line to its end. Countless News Coo took flight at the same moment, carrying that thick newspaper to every inhabited island.
Everyone who received it stared.
Nobody had ever seen a newspaper this thick. The World Economic Journal was usually a few thin pages. Flip through twice and you were done. Today's edition was heavy in the hand, more like a small booklet.
Some curious souls opened it.
Then everyone lost their minds.
The headline blazed across the front page:
The True King of the World Is Born!
The first page featured a photograph. In it, beside the Water 7 coastline, Makoto sat cross-legged in a chair. The so-called ruler of the world for eight hundred years, Imu, knelt before him, head bowed, tongue extended, licking the surface of his shoe.
Beside Makoto stood Yu Ishigami, Beam, and the Fab Four, lined up like jailers attending a dark god. Their expressions radiated worship for Makoto and pure mockery for Imu.
Everyone who saw the photo froze.
People rubbed their eyes repeatedly, wondering if they were hallucinating. They had no idea who Imu was, but the caption spelled it out. Supreme ruler of the World Government. Direct superior to the Five Elders. One of the original Twenty.
Readers worldwide couldn't help but wonder whether the titles attributed to Imu were even real.
If they were, how could someone like that be licking shoes like a dog?
Many young women, on the other hand, looked at Makoto in the photo and...
"He's so handsome!"
Male readers scoffed, thinking: Just a pretty boy. What's the big deal?
But as they read on, everyone forgot about Makoto's looks.
They were too busy being terrified out of their minds by what he had accomplished in a single day.
"Current sole Marine Admiral Kong, confirmed dead. Killer: Makoto Nishikado."
"King of the world's strongest nation, Harald of Elbaph, confirmed dead. Killer: Makoto Nishikado."
"One of the Five Elders, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, confirmed dead. Killer: Makoto Nishikado."
"Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights of God, Saint Garling, and key operative Saint Sommers, severely wounded."
"Former King of the World, Imu, confirmed captured."
"All members of the Roger Pirates, confirmed captured. Except for Dark King Rayleigh, every member has been thrown into Impel Down."
"Holy Land Mary Geoise devastated. Pangaea Castle collapsed. Celestial Dragons suffered heavy casualties."
One entry after another, like a waiter reciting the menu.
Killed a Marine Admiral. Killed the king of the giants. Killed a Five Elder. Crippled the Holy Knights' commander. Captured the King of the World. Threw the Roger Pirates into the undersea prison. Invaded the Holy Land. Burned Mary Geoise.
Readers stared at the litany of achievements and finally understood why the newspaper was so thick.
Because if it wasn't, there simply wasn't enough room to fit everything Makoto had done.
And the most terrifying part?
Every single event listed above had occurred within one day.
One day.
From the Sabaody Archipelago to Mary Geoise.
From killing Kong to capturing Imu.
From leveling Pangaea Castle to walking away without a scratch.
One day.
Readers across the globe were shell-shocked.
But if the reports were true, then Makoto Nishikado absolutely deserved the title "New King of the World."
On the very last page of the newspaper, a single line of small print.
No choice. Everything else had taken up all the room.
It read:
"Next issue preview: King of the World Imu's Touring Humiliation Show is about to begin. Stay tuned."
Nobody knew what "Touring Humiliation Show" meant.
But everyone had a gut feeling.
The next issue would be even more explosive.