Somewhere high above the Grand Line, at an altitude of ten thousand meters,
At the center of the island, upon the giant tree, blue life essence was continuously scattered downward.
Beneath the tree, outside a lush, green greenhouse,
"Thank you, Mr. Issho, for stopping those warships on my behalf."
Hitsuji sat on the vibrant grass and casually handed a blade of grass to a little grass fairy beside him.
Having received a gift from the 'Island Spirit', the tiny fairy became extremely excited and hopped away joyfully.
Seeing this, Issho could not help but grin.
"There's no need to thank me." He waved his hand casually. "I merely repaid a small portion of the gratitude owed to the survivors of Plague Island."
As he spoke, he raised his head and looked towards the giant tree overhead.
"That tree... is that Lord Aramaki?"
With his sharp perception, he could naturally sense the aura emanating from within the tree.
"It seems he's... somewhat dead?"
"He's not exactly dead, but not exactly alive either." Hitsuji smiled and nodded lightly.
"From now on, it will be called the 'Tree of Dreams'." He looked towards the blue life essence falling continuously from the tree and continued to speak. "The creatures on this island will rely on him for sustenance from now on."
"I see."
Having heard that, Issho did not think it was cruel at all.
He was not that kind of rigidly self-righteous person.
Even from that brief encounter and a few exchanged words earlier, Issho had already formed a rough understanding of Aramaki's personality and character.
He was a man who viewed beautiful women as inhuman resources.
He believed that the entire world existed solely to support the Celestial Dragons and the World Government's affiliated nations and that all ordinary people from non-member countries deserved to be trampled and crushed beneath their feet.
And now, such a man had become a "resource" for Dreamland Island itself,
Nourishing all the "weak creatures" he once despised.
"That does sound like a fitting ending for him." Issho said softly.
"Indeed." Hitsuji nodded, then looked toward Issho.
"What about you, Mr. Issho? What are your plans from here onward?"
"Ah, about that..." Issho grinned awkwardly. "I originally returned this time only to ensure that Lord Hitsuji was unharmed. Now that I've confirmed your safety, I should naturally first..."
His expression suddenly turned serious as he rubbed his hands together.
"Find a place to gamble!"
Hitsuji: "..."
'Right.'
'Almost forgot, everything about this man was good except for his gambling addiction.'
"Speaking of which, over these years, nearly all the money I earned serving in the Adi Kingdom was spent buying supplies for the people of Plague Island. Funds are rather tight at the moment, so I was wondering whether Lord Hitsuji might…"
"No."
"Ah? Please, at least hear me ou…"
"No means no. Mr. Issho, you should also stay away from those places." Hitsuji waved his hand impatiently.
After all, everyone knew that the Twelve Zodiac and gambling or vice simply could not coexist.
After a long silence, the dejected Issho slowly stood up. But clearly, he also understood the true meaning behind Hitsuji's earlier question.
So at this moment, he spoke in a deep voice: "As for where I'll go in the future... even I am not certain."
At this point, he truly seemed somewhat lost. Ever since joining the Adi Kingdom years ago out of gratitude and obligation, he had never found the thing he truly wished to do.
But there was one thing he was certain of.
"I want to travel across this sea." As he spoke, he planted the cane-sword in his hand into the ground. "I know the cruelty and darkness of this sea. But what it truly looks like... I must see it myself with these eyes that have regained their sight. And I must personally measure it with this walking staff."
'How many people upon this sea were still starving and suffering?'
'How many lived under oppression?'
'How many islands existed just like Plague Island?'
Those were things he could neither ignore nor pretend not to think about.
"And after you've seen it all?" Hitsuji continued softly after hearing his words.
"In the past, I did consider joining the Marines if I ever had the opportunity." Issho did not hide it.
He naturally understood the true source of the world's current state.
Just like the line he once spoke in the original story,
"You think something like the World Government is truly a god?"
The World Government was naturally not a god. If anything, it was the rotten root system of the entire world. But even Issho had to admit the World Government's overwhelming power.
It was the "world" itself, a system no single individual could oppose or challenge alone.
If he wished to help others, then the only path was to stand beneath this rotten tree and do whatever he could within it.
"I do not believe in the kind of 'Justice' promoted by the Marines and the World Government. But at the very least, within the Marines, it would be much easier for me to help those who suffer."
"Besides, in the past I met many Marines who upheld their own sense of justice and refused to be driven by darkness."
That had once been the best choice he could imagine.
But now, his thoughts had changed.
After personally witnessing the survivors of Plague Island regain their health and rejoice in happiness and after seeing Hitsuji mercilessly order Yazi to tear apart the Adi Kingdom's warships upon the sea…
After watching every victim return to their homeland in tears,
"I could once endure the darkness."
If he had never seen the light.
"I could once have played along within the Marines."
If he had never witnessed the flames of resistance.
And so...
"Lord Hitsuji, I will no longer trouble you regarding gambling funds. I shall solve that issue myself. But there is something else that I sincerely hope to obtain."
Issho slightly bent forward and gave a solemn bow.
"Does this old man possess the qualifications to wear the mask above your head?"
The meaning behind his words was already crystal clear. Even now, Issho still knew absolutely nothing about what kind of organization the Twelve Zodiac truly was or rather, nobody in the entire sea knew who they were or how they had appeared.
But that was not important.
What mattered was that Issho could tell from Hitsuji's actions,
The Twelve Zodiac was different.
Different from the Yonko.
Different from the Marines.
Even different from the Revolutionary Army.
They did not fear the might of the World Government. They did not retreat because of the darkness of this sea.
Nor would they compromise for the sake of some temporary so-called "greater good."
On the contrary, they acted completely without restraint and walked only their own path.
That was precisely the "chivalry" Issho pursued and upon hearing Issho's request, Hitsuji was momentarily stunned.
Then…
"If that is Lord Issho's wish..."
Naturally, he did not mind at all.
After all, the Twelve Zodiac was fundamentally just an empty shell of an organization to begin with. He would actually welcome Issho, since it would make the organization seem far more "real."
And so, he decisively nodded.
But afterward, he still added:
"However, the appointment of a highest-ranking Officer can only be personally decided by the Leader. I…"
With Issho's strength, earning the title of highest-ranking officer in any organization would naturally not be a problem. But before Hitsuji could finish speaking, Issho interrupted him:
"This old man would not dare covet the seat of a highest-ranking Officer. Besides, my personality is not suited for hiding secrets."
At this point, a smile curved upon Issho's lips.
"However, I heard that high-ranking Officers such as Lord Hitsuji each command some subordinates... I believe that position would suit this old man quite well."
And at once, Hitsuji understood.
Issho clearly did not intend for the organization to do anything for him, nor did he care about power. He merely wanted an "identity" and a "code name" that would allow him to act without restraint.
In that case, the position of highest-ranking Officer truly would not suit him.
Therefore,
"Very well. If it is merely the rank of 'Constellation,' then I do have the authority to appoint it directly."
Hitsuji nodded, then casually tossed a Sea Beast mask into Issho's hands.
Lowering his head, Issho saw a tiny tiger head and burning flames depicted upon the mask.
"Mr. Issho, from now on, you are one of the Constellations under the Hitsuji Division of the Twelve Zodiac, 'Fire Tiger.'"
And it was precisely as the strength of the Hitsuji Division of the Twelve Zodiac greatly increased,
That, upon the seas of the world,
A massive storm had already begun to stir.
…
The source of the storm was an unprecedented "extra-long special edition" of the World Economy News Paper. As well as the three pieces of news that appeared almost simultaneously upon its pages.
[Dreamland Island Soars into the Sky? King of Longevity Becomes a Phantom Dream?]
[Newest Bounties of the "Twelve Zodiac" Released, The Most Evil Criminal Organization in History?]
[End of a Legend? "Golden Lion" Shiki Slain by "Black Qilin" Roy]
This time, the World Economy News Paper did not bother with lengthy embellishments.
Instead, it presented the three reports with titles and content so concise they were nearly blunt.
Which was hardly surprising.
After all, when news was explosive enough, no extra wording was needed for it to become true "Big News."
And without question, these three stories were explosive to an unprecedented degree.
First was Dreamland Island.
This island, which had suddenly appeared upon the seas not long ago and rapidly created enormous influence throughout the Grand Line, had transformed into a legendary giant beast before the combined fleet alliance of numerous kingdoms and departed into the sky.
The impact of this event naturally needed no explanation.
It was said that the old king of the Tayami Kingdom collapsed on the spot after hearing the outcome, and preparations for the coronation of the next king had already begun within the kingdom.
As for the other kingdoms, although their situations varied, all of them were in turmoil.
Especially because among all the circulating reports, there were even claims that the gigantic beast that had transformed from "Dreamland Island" appeared to be wearing an enormous Sea Beast mask upon its head.
This directly linked the news about Dreamland Island with the second headline.
Yes…
The bounties for the Twelve Zodiac, personally approved by the World Government, had officially been released.
A mere five individuals, yet carrying combined bounties approaching an outrageous 20 Billion Beli.
And naturally, the information regarding that mysterious "Star Lord" spread across the seas like wildfire.
Just as the Marine officers had worried beforehand,
The terrifyingly high bounties of the Twelve Zodiac, especially Star Lord's unprecedented reward, nearly double that of the Pirate King himself, caused instinctive panic among both the rulers and citizens of countless nations.
Soon afterward, reports that the World Government would be dispatching "special envoys" to conduct inspections and investigations throughout World Government-affiliated nations further intensified the already unstable public atmosphere across the world.
Naturally, the overwhelming majority of people had no idea what this truly represented.
But everyone could instinctively sense one thing… A change in the era was taking place, and it would not be altered by anyone's will.
And under such circumstances, the appearance of the third piece of news became rather subtle.
Truthfully speaking,
Although Golden Lion Shiki had once been a legendary pirate who contended with Roger and Whitebeard for supremacy over the seas… Although he had indeed once stood among the world's strongest, stormed Marine Headquarters alone, and even achieved the impossible feat of escaping Impel Down...
He had nevertheless disappeared for nearly twenty years.
Among Marines and pirates alike, his reputation was naturally still resounding.
But among the ordinary citizens and kingdoms scattered across the seas, very few people still truly remembered him.
Under normal circumstances, Roy defeating Shiki would at most have earned him temporary fame.
But now, the situation had become rather delicate.
Dreamland Island had vanished, causing upheaval within numerous kingdoms.
The Twelve Zodiac's bounties had been announced, and the title of "the most evil criminal organization in history" had thrown the entire world into panic.
At such a moment, the news of Roy defeating Golden Lion became the "anchor" that stabilized the hearts of the people aboard the ship called the world.
"That's right, whether pirates or criminal organizations, there have always been countless monsters throughout history. In the end, weren't they all defeated by the Heroes of the Marines?"
"Even Pirate King Roger was eventually executed in Loguetown, wasn't he?"
"Those terrifying Twelve Zodiac will definitely meet the same fate!"
"I heard 'Black Qilin' Roy is also an incredibly young powerhouse. He's a legendary figure among the new generation of Marines... perhaps he was born into this world specifically to capture the Twelve Zodiac!"
Even without deliberate propaganda,
For the vast majority of ordinary people who had received little education, such thoughts arose naturally.
When people felt uneasy inside, they would subconsciously search for an "idol."
And at this moment, Roy happened to fill that role perfectly.
As a result, Roy's fame began swelling rapidly, much like the increasingly unstable situation across the seas themselves.
This directly led to…
…...
Half a month later.
"...What the hell? What do you mean 'a gift from my fans'?"
Roy, who had just returned to Headquarters, settled the wounded personnel, and was preparing to enjoy his precious "cola time," when he suddenly heard such news.
"Vice Admiral Roy, your fans, of course! Gifts sent collectively by fan support groups from forty-one kingdoms! It's said that after hearing about the traditions within the Marines, they voluntarily prepared these gifts for you and even hired master craftsmen from the Four Seas to personally carve them!"
While speaking excitedly, Motara, the liaison officer from the Marine Detention Unit who had remained behind at Headquarters while Roy was away, pulled something out from a huge crate behind him.
"Forty-one kingdoms? F-fan support groups?"
Roy looked completely bewildered.
His real body had mostly been on the ship lately, and even his clone rarely acted outside.
'When exactly had he debuted as an idol? Why didn't he know about it himself?'
But immediately afterward, he saw the object Motara pulled out.
It was a massive plaque.
The entire plaque was gilded, radiating both youthful vigor and noble grandeur.
And just as mentioned earlier,
A certain line of thought now existed across the seas.
People believed that every era would produce terrifying pirates, and every era would also produce Marine heroes to oppose them.
Just like the "Pirate King" Roger and the "Marine Hero" Garp.
And in the eyes of Roy's supporters, the mysterious organization known as the Twelve Zodiac, which had recently appeared upon the seas, and the equally fast-rising "Black Qilin" Roy shared a similar destined relationship.
And so, engraved prominently upon the plaque were the words,
[Justice Above the Stars]
(End of Chapter)
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