It was a certain day eight hundred years ago.
That battle lasted for ten days and ten nights...
It was a "war," not a mere "fight."
It was a conflict that took place between several countries. The nations had long harbored resentment, and they finally chose a forest as the site for their decisive battle.
Countless people participated in this decisive battle that concerned the fate of several nations.
For two humans, fighting at full strength for ten days and ten nights would already be considered superhuman.
But if we extend the "two people" involved in the fight to "two thousand people," "twenty thousand people," or "two million people"...
The situation would be entirely different.
Life, that miraculous thing, always manages to achieve many astounding feats through its incredible numbers.
Many, many ordinary people were drawn into this war.
When one person fell, another would take their place, endlessly.
Ultimately, this created a terrifying war that turned the entire forest into a living hell.
It was a truly frightening event.
...
The earth trembled, the wind howled, and the war drums boomed!
After an unknown amount of time.
This war finally reached its end.
Flesh and blood mixed with the calm; it was impossible to tell who had won or lost.
All that remained were the shattered remnants of life.
...
*Sigh...*
The wind blew gently.
A few tiny black dots traced across the sky without a trace.
Those were grains of sand.
Suddenly—
*Swish!*
A blood-stained hand emerged from the ruins.
Countless grains of sand began to gather, eventually forming a sandstorm that whipped up the surrounding debris.
The sandstorm didn't merely blow away the debris; it crushed it into dust, turning it into sand that merged with the storm, causing the sandstorm to grow larger and larger.
That sandstorm transformed the surrounding ruins and fallen lives into a desert.
A figure slowly rose from the desert.
He was Ryan Rowan.
Almost no one among the countless participants knew when he had appeared on the battlefield.
But that didn't matter.
In this era, many people and factions get caught up in wars—whether they want to or not.
Everyone's goal is astonishingly similar:
To survive, to stand unyielding forever, and then to reach higher places.
...
Therefore, regardless of the initial reason, the final outcome is always the same—
Ryan Rowan fought to this point, standing unbowed!
Did he win the so-called "decisive battle"?
No.
He merely won "today"—perhaps "this hour," or "this minute," that's all.
This was nothing more than an ordinary, small event that happened on a certain day.
...
"Ah..."
Rowan opened his mouth, exhaling a puff of hot air.
He walked slowly amidst the gravel and the remains of lives.
Breath escaped from Rowan's mouth and nose, swirling around his body.
It was a scene difficult to describe. If one had to put it into words, it could only be said that Ryan Rowan was "taking a stroll."
Yet, this so-called "stroll" gave others an unstoppable feeling.
No one could stop Ryan Rowan from moving forward.
He parted his cracked lips, his voice hoarse, his throat dry and rasping.
But he said:
"I'm feeling great today."
"Mmm..."
"So, today, no one on this sea can stop me."
Rowan seemed to be thinking of something happy.
"I should go back and discuss it with everyone, find a way for us all to get together."
He spoke to himself like this as he walked.
Conqueror's Haki involuntarily spread out, as if announcing to the "world" and "history" that on the land called Alabasta, a new empire was slowly taking shape.
...
The Conqueror's Haki from that moment gave rise to the current "Emissary."
That emissary stood before Jack the Drought, of the Beasts Pirates, his body exhibiting a slight, almost inhuman, violent tremor.
Clearly, the emissary was currently in an extremely excited and frenzied state.
"I'm feeling great today."
"Ah..."
"So today, on this sea, no one can defeat me!"
Such words... held no substantial threat, especially to pirates like those from the Beasts Pirates, who had seen true "grand spectacles."
What truly made their pupils contract was the "reality."
On a real level, wisps of smoke were still rising from the emissary's fist, and beside him, that pirate from the Beasts Pirates was now nothing more than a headless body!
The pirate's taunts seemed to still echo on the deck.
And his head had vanished without a trace!
*Swish!*
In an instant, everyone present couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines.
It wasn't because their comrade had died; that was a very common occurrence.
What truly made them—including Jack the Drought—feel a chill down their spines was that they couldn't even see the emissary's movements clearly!
Even with their Observation Haki activated beforehand, the emissary's movements were still just a blurry afterimage.
This was actually a terrifying thing.
If even Observation Haki couldn't keep up with that mysterious guy's speed, then the naked eye certainly couldn't!
Combined with the terrifying power capable of instantly blowing off a person's head...
In other words, of everyone present, only Jack the Drought, an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit user, could withstand that mysterious guy's terrifying fist!
After witnessing this scene, even the arrogant Jack couldn't help but frown.
He slowly stepped forward, the oppressive aura of an ancient mammoth radiating outwards, making it difficult for the surrounding pirates to breathe.
Jack slowly asked, "Who are you?"
"I am the Emissary, from the Four Seas Alliance."
The same standard answer as he gave in the North Blue.
However, the emissary's tone was clearly not as polite. Instead, it held an almost urgent passion and madness!
Four Seas Alliance!
These four words caused a stir among the pirates present.
Four corresponding characters popped into their minds—
Indeed!
Because their purpose this time was to transit through Fish-Man Island and head to the first half of the Grand Line to mete out "punishment" on the country called Alabasta!
And the power behind Alabasta was that force that had recently risen in the first half of the Grand Line, that is, the Four Seas Alliance.
The副官* officer couldn't help but ask in surprise, "How did you get the information?"
Logically speaking, the Four Seas Alliance shouldn't have been able to detect their movements, let alone travel such a long distance to intercept them at the edge of the Beasts Pirates.
How was this possible!
But this "emissary" seemed to have no intention of answering the question.
And Jack the Drought also didn't seem to be listening for his answer.
The two of them let out a low growl simultaneously, the meaning clear and simple—
The Four Seas Alliance and the Beasts Pirates had begun their battle!
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