Dressrosa Royal Palace
The afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the stained glass windows into the side hall of the Royal Palace. Rebecca held a delicate tea tray with both hands and walked softly to Ron's side.
The Dressrosa specialty herbal tea on the tray was steaming, and next to it were a few biscuits shaped like small swords – she had specially instructed the kitchen to imitate the "Northern Liang pastries" described in snowy swordplay.
"Mr. Ron, please have some tea." She curtsied slightly, her gilded dress armor making a faint sound.
Ever since learning from Hancock that the man leisurely drinking red tea in front of her was the one behind the scenes who stopped the Marineford War, and more importantly, the true controller of Shenyu Culture Media, Rebecca's attitude had become a little more cautious and respectful.
Ron looked up from the holographic screen and smiled somewhat helplessly: "Princess Rebecca, you really don't have to be like this."
He pointed to the chair beside him, "It's the company's job to help employees, and besides..." His gaze swept over the soldiers training outside the window, "Rebuilding the country requires you to be present even more."
Rebecca's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the tea tray.
Through the window, one could see the New Navy instructors guiding the Royal Guard in practicing a new battle formation, seemingly an improved version that incorporated the concept of the "Heaven Burning Array" from battle through the heavens.
Since Doflamingo escaped, this country had been reborn, and every gear was working hard to find its place.
"I understand." She finally bowed deeply, "Then I'll go check out the training ground. Toy Soldier said he's testing a new sword style today."
As she turned,
The fish-tail patterns on her gilded battle dress shimmered in the sunlight; they were the new royal crest added after the Riku family regained power.
After Rebecca left, Ron brought up the system backend.
The numbers flickering on the data panel were astonishing:
-Average daily reading time: 7 hours 11 minutes
-Peak game concurrent users: 5 hours 02 minutes
-Simultaneous short video upload volume increased by 400%
The comment section was even more lively:
"Our ship has been docked at Water 7 for three months! The Captain stays in the cabin all day reading 'Lord of the Mysteries', and mushrooms have grown on the deck!"
"Asking how to get the Captain to quit honor of kings? Waiting online, urgent! He doesn't even go to collect bounties anymore!"
"Our Captain live-streamed for the first time in his life, but he spent the whole time talking about his thoughts on 'snowy swordplay', and all the viewers ran away~"
"Sigh, my friend Koby is completely useless now. He's even given up his daily morning training; all he does is read novels!"
"Hmph! You two come to my office for a moment."
"???"
"...."
Ron thoughtfully took a sip of tea – it seemed orange blossom, a specialty of Dressrosa, had been added to the herbal tea, giving it a refreshing sweet and sour taste.
"As expected, no one can resist games + novels..." He muttered to himself, lightly tapping the air. When he saw the nearly vertical upward curve of the "User Stickiness Index", he was very satisfied.
Outside the window, the setting sun painted the entire city orange-red. Pedestrians holding phones, engrossed in novels or games, were everywhere on the streets, and even patrolling soldiers would occasionally steal a glance at their screens.
"It's time..." He murmured softly, "Even Kaido is live-streaming reading 'battle through the heavens', Red Hair is holding a 'snowy swordplay' reading club..."
Ron chuckled, "A world like this should be able to bear a little 'truth'."
He clicked on the long-dormant file in his draft box.
"Pirate King" serialized version – this work chronicling the fate of everyone, from Roger's execution to Luffy's growth, from the past of the Four Emperors to the secrets of Marineford, and so on...
He then Interception half of it, only updating up to the end of the Marineford War.
Then he pressed the publish button.
"Immerse yourselves, indulge yourselves..." Ron raised his teacup, watching the data begin to transmit wildly. "When you discover that the 'Monkey D. Luffy' in the book is the same Straw Hat in reality... see how wonderful your expressions will be."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the office door.
Rebecca's voice came through: "Mr. Ron, the New Navy Headquarters called and said they want to discuss cooperation on 'Marine Justice Cultural Promotion'..."
"Old man Zephyr? Okay, I have time now." Ron replied without turning his head, his gaze still fixed on the monitoring screen.
Who would be the first to open the novel? He thought with interest.
Ron's smile deepened.
He turned and walked to the wine cabinet, taking out a bottle of cherished champagne.
"The tide of the new era begins tonight."
The champagne cork popped, and the bubbles were like the thoughts surging within him at this moment.
Outside the window, in the night sky over Dressrosa, the first star had just lit up, and countless phone screens, on this very night, were also lighting up with the reading interface of "Pirate King"...
...
Onigashima,
The night sky was filled with lightning and thunder, but tonight it was not due to Kaido's rage.
The "Strongest Creature" who once dominated the New World was now slumped on his throne, his phone screen still displaying the last chapter of swallowed star.
His eyes trembled slightly, and the dragon horns on his forehead seemed to have dimmed a little.
"So..." Kaido's voice was hoarse, carrying an unprecedented sense of confusion, "We don't even count as a speck of cosmic dust..."
The vast universe described in the book kept echoing in his mind – Luo Feng's body eventually grew large enough to span galaxies, and a single thought could crush stars.
And these so-called "Four Emperors", fighting desperately for hegemony over a mere stretch of sea, not even a complete landmass, let alone conquering this planet.
"Pirate King?" Kaido suddenly sneered, crushing the sake flask in his hand, "Even if I rule this world... what then?"
Outside the window, the sky over Onigashima remained gloomy, but an unprecedented storm was brewing within Kaido's heart.
He recalled his decades of conquest, from an apprentice on Rocks' ship to the Four Emperor now entrenched in Wano Country.
He once thought reaching the top of the world was the ultimate goal, but now...
"Above Pirate King, there's King of the World, above King of the World, there's Lord of the Planet, and above Lord of the Planet, there are Galactic Overlords..." Kaido murmured, his expression desolate and dazed, "Endless..."
Suddenly, he felt a fatigue he had never experienced before.
Not physical exhaustion, but a loosening of a certain obsession deep within his soul.
The ambitions that once kept him awake at night, the desire for conquest that drove him to destroy everything, seemed so... insignificant at this moment.
"Heh..." Kaido suddenly threw his head back and laughed, his laughter shaking the Rocks of Onigashima, "What the hell have I been fixated on all these years?!"
....
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