Makoto and his group continued their journey towards the East Blue.
During this time, the news of Makoto's women competing in Dressrosa for the Dark-Dark Fruit unsurprisingly made the headlines of the World Economy News Paper.
Now the entire world knew… Makoto, the [King of the World] who hadn't appeared for twenty years, had returned.
For a time, countless infamous pirates trembled in fear.
In the New World, aboard the Moby Dick.
Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, leaned back in his enormous seat, a bowl of sake in his hand. He looked at the familiar face in the newspaper and was silent for a long time.
"Pops, you used to serve under him, right? Will we be okay?"
Marco stood beside him, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He had joined the Whitebeard Pirates several years after his father had left Makoto's command and didn't know Makoto well, but he had heard of the formidable reputation of the King of the World.
"Hmm."
Whitebeard's reaction was unexpectedly calm.
"You're not worried?"
Marco couldn't help but ask.
Whitebeard put down his sake bowl and glanced at Marco.
"Worried about what? Don't worry. That guy might have a nasty personality, but he's not someone who enjoys wanton slaughter."
Marco remained silent.
He recalled that Oden, their former Second Division's Commander, had vanished after returning to Wano Country… no, the New Amazon Lily without a trace.
Then, over a decade later, a beautiful woman claiming to be Makoto's daughter had made a name for herself on the seas as the third-in-command of the Kuja Pirates.
Seeing the face of Hiyori in the newspaper, which was identical to Oden's wife, Kozuki Toki's, everyone in the Whitebeard Pirates was shocked speechless.
They didn't dare imagine what had happened in the New Amazon Lily.
But they could all more or less guess that their former Second Division's Commander had most likely met a grim fate.
However, it was said that the relationship between their father and Makoto was actually fairly decent.
Compared to people like Shiki and Big Mom, Whitebeard was considered one of the few Makoto could stand to look at.
Probably... he wouldn't come after them, right?
…
Meanwhile, on Whole Cake Island.
Charlotte Linlin, Big Mom, saw the newspaper. The cake in her hand fell to the floor with a 'smack'.
"Ma... Mama?"
Katakuri frowned, watching his mother's face gradually turn dark.
"He's back... that man is back..."
Big Mom's voice trembled, whether from anger or fear.
"Mama, are you talking about..."
"Nishikawa Makoto!"
Big Mom suddenly stood up, her massive body casting a deep shadow across the room.
"He's back! He's back! Do you know what this means?!"
Katakuri fell silent.
Although he had never been on Makoto's ship, he had heard about how his mother and the others in the Rocks Pirates were treated under Makoto's command.
Ordered around, beaten and scolded at will, and even having one of Shiki's legs cut off for a single disagreement.
That old demon, Shiki, with his violent temper, hadn't even dared to squeak.
"Mama, I heard he promised you before that he wouldn't come after us, right?"
Perospero carefully reminded her.
"That bastard gave a 30-year time limit, and now it's up!"
Big Mom's voice carried a hint of hysteria.
"If he wants to cause trouble for us, he can do it anytime!"
The room fell into dead silence.
Finally, Katakuri spoke: "Then what should we do?"
Big Mom was silent for a long time, then slumped back into her chair powerlessly.
Big Mom bit her lip, at a loss for words for a moment.
Aboard the Flying Fleet of the Golden Lion Pirates, Shiki dropped his cigar directly onto the floor when he saw the newspaper.
"..."
He bent down to pick up the cigar, only to find his hand trembling.
His left leg had been severed over thirty years ago. Although, thanks to the Float-Float Fruit, losing a leg didn't particularly bother him, and he had gotten used to walking with one leg…
But whenever he looked at that severed leg, he was reminded of that man's face.
"Commander, he won't come looking for us, will he?"
A crew member asked cautiously.
Shiki, frustrated and furious, shot him directly.
The other crew members trembled in fear.
Although they knew their leader normally had a violent temper, they didn't expect him to be so terrified of Makoto.
Shiki stood up, walked out of the sky lounge, and looked out at the sea of clouds before him.
After a long time, he turned around and looked at his crew.
"Starting today, all of you be very careful!"
"Yes!"
The crew members responded in unison.
On Hachinosu.
John sat in his office, legs crossed, holding a glass of red wine.
He looked at the familiar face in the newspaper, the smile on his face gradually solidifying.
Yes, John was still alive. In the original work, he would have already been part of Moria's zombie army by this period.
Now, he had taken the place of Ochoku from the original work and become the current ruler of Hachinosu.
"Captain?"
His adjutant asked tentatively.
John was silent for a long time, then downed the glass of red wine in one gulp.
"Spread the word. From today, suspend all 'operations'."
"Sir..."
"I said suspend!"
John's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable authority.
"And send someone to prepare a substantial gift."
In the Holy Land Mary Geoise, Pangaea Castle.
The Five Elders sat in the dimly lit conference room, looking at the familiar face in the newspaper, silent for a long time.
"He's back."
Saturn's voice was very calm, so calm that it betrayed no emotion.
"Hmm."
Mars nodded.
"What do we do?"
Warcuri asked.
Another silence followed.
"Let CP9 investigate first."
Saturn finally spoke.
"Is that all?"
"We absolutely cannot act rashly for now."
Saturn put down the newspaper, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
"If he doesn't come to us, we'll pretend we don't know. If he does come to us..."
He didn't finish the sentence. Or rather, he didn't know what to say anymore.
They had been beaten into submission by Makoto, reduced to grandchildren. Imu had been humiliated as a plaything for over ten years. The World Government had become a laughingstock back then, and it had taken over twenty years for its prestige to somewhat recover.
Although they had now placed spies around him, facing that man, they still dared not act rashly.
They could only play dead.
At the Revolutionary Army base.
Yukino sat in her room, looking at the familiar face in the newspaper, silent for a long time.
She hadn't seen this man for twenty years.
Over those twenty years, she had fought her way up through the Revolutionary Army, becoming the Commander of the Western Army.
She had thought she was strong enough.
But the moment she saw that name, her heart still skipped a beat.
"Yukino."
Haruno pushed the door open and walked in, also holding a copy of the newspaper.
"You saw it too?"
"Hmm."
Yukino nodded, saying little.
Haruno sat down beside her. The two sisters sat in silence, facing each other.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Dragon walked in.
He looked at the two sisters and sat down across from them.
"Yukino, I have a question for you."
"Go ahead."
"You spent a considerable amount of time with Nishikawa Makoto, didn't you?"
Yukino's brow furrowed slightly.
"What do you want to ask?"
"I want to know..."
Dragon looked her straight in the eyes.
"What kind of person do you think he is?"
Yukino was silent for a long time.
She recalled various scenes of her time with Makoto.
Finally, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "As long as you don't provoke him, he probably won't target you."
"That's it?"
Dragon raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm."
Yukino's voice was very calm.
"Although he's not a good person, he doesn't attack civilians or kill indiscriminately. The people he has tormented so far are basically heinous villains, pirates, the World Government, the Celestial Dragons..."
Yukino paused briefly, then continued, "As for the Revolutionary Army, as long as we don't provoke him, he won't do anything to us."
Dragon was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand."
Dragon stood up and turned to leave.
At the doorway, he stopped, turned back, and glanced at Yukino.
"Yukino, do you still..."
"No."
Yukino cut him off, a hint of urgency in her voice that she hadn't even noticed herself.
Dragon said nothing more and left, closing the door behind him.
Only the two sisters remained in the room.
Haruno looked at her younger sister and asked softly, "Yukino, what should we do next..."
Yukino pressed her lips together. "We just do what we need to do, and that's enough."
The two sisters sat side by side, watching the setting sun outside the window, silent.