The atmosphere at the scene was extremely delicate. Even Queen the Plague, one of the Three Calamities, who usually loved messing around and dancing with his crewmates, rarely said much.
He hid alone in a corner, silently eating the oshiruko he regarded as being just as important as oxygen.
It was only the year 1505. The Beasts Pirates had not yet grown into the massive force they would become in later years.
Even now, some people had not followed Kaido for very long, and they had not developed much attachment to him yet.
They had joined the Beasts Pirates in the first place because they admired Kaido's strength and reputation as "the strongest creature on land, at sea, and in the air."
But now, someone stronger than him had appeared.
So strong that he had killed him in a single move.
How could that not stir waves in their hearts?
King swept his blank gaze around the room. Just then, someone rushed in from outside in a panic.
"Report! King-sama, our territory is under attack!"
The newcomer spoke in a flustered voice. At the same time, King also regained his calm.
He stood up and asked that person in a calm voice, his eyes bloodshot.
"Have you found out who it is? Big Mom? Or the Thunder God Pirates?"
"Neither! It's a force called the Gecko Pirates! Their leader is an especially famous Supernova from the first half of the Grand Line. He only entered the New World recently. Their captain is Gecko Moria!"
"Moria?"
King muttered the name once, then his expression immediately darkened. He sneered and said,
"The old bull has only just died, and these brats from Paradise already can't wait to make their move? Fine. According to the wager, no matter what, we have to go meet the Thunder God Pirates.
"But before that, we need to properly show our strength. We'll use this rookie who doesn't know the height of the sky or the depth of the sea as our target."
"Yes! King-aniki!"
No one objected to King's words. Some people even seemed rather happy.
They were going to meet Thunder God Roy.
A man even stronger than Boss Kaido.
Some people's eyes were even flashing with excitement.
This was the pirate world. Incomparably real. A world that believed in the logic of bigger fists, where the strong ruled supreme!
…
At the Big Mom Pirates' base, Charlotte Linlin looked at the newspaper and intelligence reports in front of her without saying a word.
As someone who had once been a fellow member of the Rocks Pirates, Big Mom knew Kaido's strength all too well.
If neither side used Devil Fruit abilities and fought purely with their bodies, she was even slightly weaker than Kaido.
But even so, that bastard Kaido had actually been killed!
And in one move!
Bastard, you still owed me a favor, and you actually died just like that?!
Charlotte Linlin's heart was far from calm. She raised her head and looked intently at the son she was most satisfied with, then spoke.
"Temporarily pull our forces back. Thunder God defeated Whitebeard and killed Kaido. Carrying such fame and momentum, he will definitely raise a huge wave in the New World. We'll step back for now. Once this wave gradually settles down, we'll move out again and take over Kaido's territory and inheritance."
"Yes, Mama."
Katakuri accepted the order. He still had to go appease some of the members in Totto Land.
After all, Thunder God's achievements were too dazzling.
Right now, his momentum in the world was unmatched.
Moreover, the Thunder God Pirates had officially entered the New World. Within Totto Land, it was inevitable that people's hearts would begin to waver, so he had to go calm them down properly.
On the Sabaody Archipelago, aboard a worn-out pirate ship.
Someone raised his hand and weakly said,
"Everyone, set sail!"
"Oh!"
The reply was completely listless.
…
After Roy successfully killed Kaido, his group officially began advancing into the New World.
After the battle against the Whitebeard Pirates, everyone had realized their own shortcomings and began training themselves like mad.
The seas of the New World were completely different from the first half of the Grand Line. They were filled with difficulties and danger everywhere, but they also had their own special traits.
Starting from Fish-Man Island, the Log Pose record for every island only needed half a day to fill up.
After Roy's group left Punk Hazard, they found three strange islands and landed on one of them.
Above this island, there were pitch-black clouds in the sky. At every moment, purple-blue lightning struck down from within them.
When Roy tried to use the Goro Goro no Mi to stop all the lightning on the island, a strange old woman appeared and asked them whether they needed umbrellas.
This made Roy remember that, in the original story, the Mad Monk Urouge had landed on this island.
Raijin Island.
It just so happened to match the name of their Thunder God Pirates. After thinking about it, Roy decided to use this island as their main base.
That strange old woman was naturally one of the island's residents, living there through special methods.
However, after encountering the Thunder God Pirates, this island very quickly declared new ownership.
The Thunder God Pirates had officially gained a foothold in the New World.
Next, Roy had Tiger bring Kasta and Chalcis back to Fish-Man Island and officially replace the flag there with the Thunder God Pirates' Jolly Roger.
At the same time, the three of them would hold Fish-Man Island. Any other pirates who dared to cause trouble there would all be dealt with on the spot.
Furthermore, any pirate crew that wanted to pass through Fish-Man Island had to hand over one Devil Fruit!
That was Roy's requirement.
Hand over a Devil Fruit, and you could pass.
Refuse to hand one over, and you could go back where you came from.
If they truly could not find a Devil Fruit, then they had to pay one hundred million Belly.
Paying a Devil Fruit granted permanent passage rights through Fish-Man Island. But if they paid Belly instead, then if they came to Fish-Man Island three times, they had to pay three times.
And this worked in both directions. Whether traveling from the first half of the Grand Line to the New World, or from the New World back to the first half, they had to pay the toll!
In other words, even if you were Whitebeard or Charlotte Linlin, if you wanted to pass through Fish-Man Island, you still had to pay!
Moreover, if they had both a Devil Fruit and Belly, they had to hand over the Devil Fruit.
If anyone was discovered hiding one, then no matter what background they had, all their assets would be seized on the spot, and they would be driven back.
After Roy established this rule, many crews suffered terribly.
(End of Chapter)
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