The New World, an uninhabited island.
Deep within the dense jungle, hidden away, was a hot air balloon ship—the headquarters of the World Economic Journal.
Inside the ship, the president's office.
"Two of the Four Emperors' crews have crossed paths!"
Morgans held a mysterious photo that had just fallen into his hands, his eyes brimming with excitement and cunning. As the president of the world's largest newspaper, his instincts were razor-sharp.
Big news!
This was the scent of a major scoop!
He had been keeping an eye on the situation at Hachinosu Island, but unlike the Marines, he couldn't maintain round-the-clock surveillance and was always a step behind.
But it didn't matter—he had his own special sources of information. In the underworld, everyone knew that intelligence could fetch a high price with him!
Just like now, where a concerned citizen had delivered firsthand news to him!
"First, Fire Fist joins Whitebeard and becomes the Second Division Commander, and now Whitebeard is getting involved with the Beasts!"
"Gahahahaha! The Marines must be panicking right about now!"
"Quick, investigate the Marines' movements!"
In such a dire situation, the Marines wouldn't just sit back and do nothing. They would definitely try to stop Whitebeard and the Beasts.
And they would surely dispatch an Admiral!
But that wasn't what Morgans wanted to see.
Justice triumphing over evil again?
How could such a cliché script capture the public's attention?
Fanning the flames was his specialty!
"Gahahahaha—!"
Hachinosu Island, newspapers flying everywhere.
"Extra! Big news!"
In just a single day, the latest issue of the newspaper was released ahead of schedule, spreading explosive headlines across the world at lightning speed!
[Fire Fist Ace Appointed as Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!]
[The Four Emperors Join Forces to Seize the World?!]
[What Lies Behind the Weapons Trade?!]
[Marines in Panic—Admiral Kizaru Deployed!]
Fire Fist. The Four Emperors. An Admiral.
The events at Hachinosu Island dominated the entire front page. Any one of these headlines was enough to shake the world, and the details were twisted beyond recognition, making it seem as though the Four Emperors were about to wage war against the Marines.
The entire world was in an uproar!
The harbor, the Moby Dick.
"Oyaji!"
The division commanders gathered around Whitebeard, their expressions grim.
"We never formed an alliance with the Beasts!"
"What weapons trade? It was just some liquor and gifts!"
"That bastard Morgans!"
"Oyaji, we've located Kizaru's battleship!"
"The whole world is watching us now!"
"Oyaji, what do we do?"
What do we do?
Whitebeard held the newspaper, silent.
A trivial matter had been blown so out of proportion that it seemed like he was about to destroy the world. He had deliberately stayed on the ship to avoid making an appearance.
He could already imagine that if he set foot on the island now, those excited pirates would clamor to follow him into battle.
"Pururu pururu—"
Multiple Den Den Mushi rang—calls from his allied captains.
"Click!"
"Oyaji, are we going to war?"
"Hahahaha! My blade is thirsty for blood!"
"Don't forget about us!"
"Let's take out that meddlesome Admiral Kizaru first!"
The Den Den Mushi chattered noisily, each one more excited than the last.
"All of you, stay put!"
Whitebeard cut off the calls with a dark expression.
"Tch!"
Life wasn't easy, and the old man sighed.
He, Edward Newgate, had fought all his life and was left with countless injuries. Now, all he wanted was to live a peaceful and stable life with his sons.
The best course of action now was to drive the Beasts Pirates out of Hachinosu Island and wait for this storm to gradually subside.
Without any spectacle to watch, the crowd would eventually disperse.
But he was Whitebeard!
Even in the filthy world of pirates, one had to uphold honor and righteousness. His sons had eaten and taken freely—how could he, as their father, not show gratitude? How could he have the face to drive their guests away?
Moreover, they had come all this way out of concern for his son Ace's safety. There was nothing wrong with that.
Even if that brat Gurd truly harbored ill intentions, Whitebeard would have to wait until the other party revealed themselves before taking action.
Whitebeard frowned in thought.
Driving Gurd away was definitely not an option.
Wait a minute!
Then should he leave?
Whitebeard scanned the surroundings.
"Where's Marco?"
"Marco is currently showing the Gurd brothers around the island."
Last night, Marco had been so excited he barely slept. Early in the morning, he sought out Gurd and volunteered as their tour guide.
Entertaining fans was a duty he couldn't refuse!
"Call him back—never mind."
Whitebeard sighed.
If his son wanted to have fun, let him have fun.
Someone had to stay behind to oversee things.
He would leave for a few days of peace and return once the situation settled!
"Boys, prepare to set sail!"
"Huh???"
Soon, the Moby Dick departed from the harbor.
Meanwhile, in the southwestern waters of Hachinosu Island.
Several naval warships gathered together.
In the strategy room, Kizaru lounged in a chair, leisurely trimming his nails, completely ignoring the commotion around him.
Bam!
Vice Admiral Momonga slammed a newspaper onto the table in anger. "Damn Morgans! How the hell did this information leak?!"
"..."
The officers remained silent.
Originally, this had been a covert operation. But now, the newspapers had exposed their movements, putting them in extreme danger.
The Beasts Pirates and Whitebeard Pirates!
If these two Four Emperors' crews joined forces and launched a surprise attack, even with an admiral present, they wouldn't escape unscathed!
But they also had to thank Morgans.
The newspaper had published extensive intelligence, including photos of the Whitebeard Pirates loading crates marked with the Beasts' emblem onto their ship.
"Without a doubt, Whitebeard has purchased a large quantity of weapons from the Beasts Pirates!"
Everyone knew the Beasts Pirates were the largest arms dealers in the underworld. Therefore, it was certain the crates contained weapons.
And the only reason to buy weapons was for war!
"And this man!"
Gurd's photo was pinned to the tactical board.
The officers studied Gurd, their brows furrowed. Before setting out, they had speculated about who the Beasts Pirates might send as their representative.
The mysterious and powerful "King the Conflagration"!
The evil scientist "Queen the Plague"!
And the vanguard commander "Jack the Drought"!
Any of the three top executives of the Beasts Pirates could have been dispatched.
But who the hell was Gurd?
They had never heard of him—there wasn't a single piece of intel about Gurd.
The unknown was always the most troublesome.
Finally, the slacking admiral spoke up.
"Everyone, calm down. At this point, complaining is useless. What we need to do now is wait and observe. Whatever Whitebeard and the Beasts are planning, they'll make a move eventually."
Kizaru understood perfectly—when things were unclear, patience was key. Haste made waste.
They would just have to counter as the situation unfolded.
As an ordinary office worker, why act so proactive? Fleet Admiral Sengoku had sent him here precisely because he was worried Sakazuki and Kuzan might act impulsively.
"By the way, has Rear Admiral Drake sent any updates?"
"Not yet."
Drake had infiltrated Hachinosu Island, but it hadn't been long.
"Ah, these youngsters these days..."
Kizaru shook his head helplessly.
He didn't want Sword to take unnecessary risks.
He had known Drake for a long time. Drake was stationed at the Egghead Research Facility, and Kizaru often visited there, so they had a decent relationship.
He didn't expect much from Sword—just that they wouldn't cause trouble for him. But given the current situation, problems seemed inevitable.
Hachinosu Island wasn't a place for a bunch of greenhorns to barge into recklessly.
"Report!"
Just then, a messenger arrived.
"The Whitebeard Pirates have made their move!"
"What?!"
The officers were shocked.
Damn it—they're coming for us!
(End of Chapter)