Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku, the iconic seagull cap on his head, stared at the report in his hands with pure disbelief. "Crocodile... was actually killed by Leo?!"
The fact that Crocodile had dared to plot against Alabasta was shocking enough. To learn he'd been taken down by a rookie pirate was another thing entirely. Every year, a few promising rookies emerged from the various seas, but most were flashes in the pan. Few survived, let alone made a name for themselves on the grand stage. And this Leo had just entered the Grand Line and his first act was to take down a Warlord of the Sea?!
"Truly baffling," Vice Admiral Tsuru commented from the side, her tone equally surprised. This wasn't just rare; it was unprecedented.
"It seems we all underestimated Leo," Sengoku said, his gaze shifting to the bounty poster on his desk.
[Leo: Captain of the Leo Pirates. Suspected Cloud-Cloud Fruit User. Bounty: 30,000,000 Berries.]
Sengoku recalled the call from Garp in Loguetown days ago. Garp's voice had been uncharacteristically low. The sword style Leo uses... it bears the mark of the Golden Lion's legacy.
"Is he really Shiki's disciple?!" Sengoku muttered, the idea gaining traction the more he thought about it. Garp and Shiki were era-defining rivals who had clashed dozens of times; Garp couldn't possibly mistake the signature techniques. After Shiki's legendary escape from Impel Down, he had vanished from the world's stage, presumed dead by many. Now, it seemed the old lion had simply retreated into the shadows to cultivate a successor.
"What a headache," Sengoku grumbled, massaging his temples. Leo was one problem, but the Crocodile situation was a political nightmare. A government-sanctioned Warlord, caught trying to overthrow a World Government affiliate nation, only to be exposed and killed by a rookie who ended up saving Alabasta? If the public learned the truth, the Marines would be a laughingstock. The reputational damage would be immense.
In a way, Leo had done them a favor, but that was credit the Marines could never allow him to have. The moment the news broke, Sengoku had dispatched a team to Alabasta with two goals: first, to assess the situation, and second—more importantly—to manage the narrative and ensure the credit for saving the kingdom landed squarely on the Marines' shoulders. Embedded journalists would document the "heroic" efforts, crafting reports that painted the Marines in the best possible light.
As for the people of Alabasta who knew the truth? The kingdom was focused on rebuilding. They wouldn't have the time or platform to challenge the official story. And even if they tried, who would believe them? Across the four blues, the Grand Line, and the New World, the majority of civilians trusted Marine-reported news. Once the papers were printed, black would become white. The world would believe only one version: an unknown pirate had threatened Alabasta, a Marine officer had uncovered the plot and neutralized the threat, saving the day. A few photos would seal the deal, bolstering the Marines' perfect image and威信 (prestige) in the eyes of the people.
"Tsuru, has Hina arrived in Alabasta?" Sengoku asked.
Tsuru put down the bounty poster she was holding and gave a slight nod. "She's there."
They had already unified their story, pinning all the credit on Hina. She wasn't happy about it, but she would comply. She wasn't a loose cannon like Smoker.
"We'll have to raise Leo's bounty significantly this time," Tsuru said, frowning at the newspaper photo of Leo.
Sengoku nodded in agreement. Anyone who could take down Crocodile was worth at least a few hundred million.
"Tsuru, issue a new bounty for Leo. Set it at 500 million Berries."
"500 million? Isn't that..." Tsuru began to object, but then she thought of who had been killed and fell silent. Twenty years ago, Crocodile's bounty had been 81 million Berries. Now, disregarding his Warlord status, he'd be worth at least 300 million. Five hundred million for Leo seemed reasonable. As for the reason for the sudden spike, they had it ready: the connection to Shiki. It was a convenient excuse, whether it was entirely true or not.
"Sengoku, Leo deserves our focus, but don't forget these others. They're no less troublesome." Having dealt with Leo, Tsuru handed him another stack of files.
Sengoku felt a fresh wave of headache coming on as he looked at the photos. The files were filled with new pirate rookies emerging from the various seas.
"Trafalgar Law, the 'Surgeon of Death'.
"Basil Hawkins, the 'Magician'.
"Capone 'Gang' Bege.
"Eustass 'Captain' Kid.
"And 'Straw Hat' Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates."
"By convention, we usually only get one or two tough ones from the blues each year. What is going on this year?!" Sengoku complained, resting his forehead in his hand. "One troublesome kid after another. It's going to be a busy era." Was it easy being the Fleet Admiral?
His eyes landed on the last photo, a boy with a wide, grinning face, and his blood pressure spiked. He looked just like that old fool in his youth.
"And where is Garp? Wasn't he supposed to be teaching his grandson a lesson? That grandson of his is about to turn the East Blue upside down!" Sengoku fumed.
Tsuru just shrugged helplessly. "Who knows? That family is destined never to be peaceful." A grandfather who was the Marine Hero, a father who led the Revolutionary Army, and a son who was a pirate. Three generations, three different factions. Especially Dragon and Luffy, both standing directly opposed to the Marines and the World Government.
"Where is Garp right now?!" Sengoku demanded, getting angrier. If he didn't rein Garp in, who knew what trouble that grandson would cause next.
"I heard he brought two people back from the East Blue. He's in the training ground now," Tsuru replied truthfully.
Without another word, Sengoku stormed out of his office. His grandson was running wild, and he had the nerve to be training others? Tsuru sighed and hurried after him.
Thanks to the Marines' efficiency, Leo's new bounty poster soon winged its way to every corner of the world. They thought their plan was seamless, but they had forgotten one man: Morgans, the head of the World Economic Newspaper, whose network spanned every sea.
A reporter in Alabasta got the true, firsthand account and immediately drafted an article for Morgans. Overjoyed, Morgans put his entire newsroom on overtime, the printers running day and night. The next day, countless News Coops took flight, carrying the freshly printed newspapers across the world.
Across the six seas, all major powers gradually learned the truth. The name 'Leo' began to spread. The seas were stirred into a frenzy.
In the Grand Line, a small coffin-shaped boat cut through the waves, ghostly flames flickering at its bow.
"500 million Berries?" Hawk-Eyes Mihawk glanced at the bounty amount and shook his head with a dismissive snort. A man he couldn't even properly defeat was worth only this? He had just rowed from the East Blue into the Grand Line, and Leo had already dealt with Crocodile. The Marines' intelligence on Leo was severely lacking. Still, Leo's progress was remarkably fast.
"I wonder if you'll turn the world upside down once you've truly grown," he mused with a light chuckle. The coffin boat sailed on, Leo's bounty poster torn to shreds and scattered to the wind.
In the latter half of the New World, in the territory of the Yonko, Whitebeard.
On the main ship, the Moby Dick, a shout echoed. "Pops!!!" Several division commanders looked up to see a figure wreathed in blue flames descend from the sky onto the deck.
"Marco, what's wrong? Why the hurry?" the massive Diamond Jozu asked, his voice a low rumble.
Flower Sword Vista's eyes lit up. "Marco, has Ace caught that bastard Teach?"
Marco shook his head and walked over to Whitebeard, unfurling the bounty poster he carried. "Pops, Crocodile's been killed."
The air around them stilled.
Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, his grand mustache framing his face, frowned and looked at the paper. The other commanders were equally shocked and crowded around.
"Bwahahaha! How embarrassing! Tried to steal a country and got himself killed for it!"
"Pops, Crocodile hasn't improved a bit in twenty years."
"Talk about a failed gamble!"
"What a disgrace to pirates!"
The commanders roared with laughter, thoroughly enjoying Crocodile's downfall. Years ago, the arrogant Crocodile had challenged their Pops, only to have the fight knocked out of him with a single shockwave. He'd disappeared not long after. Hearing his name again now, only to learn he'd been killed? They had no sympathy.
"Where did this 'Leo' kid come from?"
"Didn't think rookies these days were this fierce, taking down Crocodile right after setting sail."
"Yeah, at his age, we weren't nearly this strong."
"Bwahahaha! Pops, want to recruit him as a son?"
After their mockery of Crocodile died down, their attention turned fully to Leo. They kept tabs on the seas, but new pirates popped up every day. News of village burnings in the East Blue or mafia takeovers in the West was constant. They might have seen Leo's poster in passing, but someone who could take down Crocodile warranted real attention.
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard's hearty laugh boomed across the deck. "That sand-playing brat probably never imagined he'd become a stepping stone for a newcomer." He grabbed a bottle of sake from the table and took a deep swig. This was what made the sea interesting. No matter how famous you were, you never knew what tomorrow would bring. Just look at Crocodile, ended by a rookie in the end.
The thought made Whitebeard lose his taste for drink. He set the newspaper aside. "Marco, any news on Ace?"
The name Ace killed the jovial mood instantly.
Marco's face darkened. "Not yet. But I've contacted all allied fleet captains. The moment they spot Ace, they'll notify us immediately."
"Don't worry, Pops," Jozu chimed in, his voice confident. "With Ace's strength, he'll be fine. A sneaky bastard like Teach would only run from him."
The other commanders nodded in firm agreement. Hearing this, the tightness in Whitebeard's brow eased slightly. He could only hope so.
Wano Country, Onigashima.
The stronghold of the Yonko, Kaido.
Inside the skull-shaped castle, Kaido stared at the newspaper with his large, round eyes. "Wororororo! Leo, not bad at all!" Seeing that Leo had killed Crocodile, Kaido happily downed a whole jug of rum. He held no particular grudge against Crocodile; he just enjoyed the chaos.
"Lord Kaido," a voice, obsequious, came from a brawny man with two tusks protruding from his mouth. "Since Leo could take down Crocodile, he must have some skill. Should I go and fetch him, make him join the Beast Pirates?" This was Jack the Drought, one of the All-Stars.
Each Yonko crew had its style. As the Governor of the Beast Pirates, Kaido had a soft spot for raw strength. If you were strong, you could rise high in his ranks, past transgressions often overlooked. Just look at Ashura Doji, once a retainer of their sworn enemy Kozuki Oden, yet tolerated by Kaido for his strength.
"Hmm?!" Kaido's eyes slid towards Jack. "Not a bad idea. But let's see if he can even make it to the New World alive first." He tossed the newspaper aside and picked up another jug of rum, drinking deeply.
Jack gave a hollow laugh and said no more.
Totto Land, Whole Cake Island.
"Mama! Big news! Big news!" The shrill voice of Perospero, the first son, echoed as he scurried through the halls of Whole Cake Chateau, searching for Big Mom.
"What's all the noise about?" Katakuri, one of the Sweet Commanders, approached, his brow furrowed in displeasure.
"One of the Seven Warlords, Crocodile, has been killed! I need to tell Mama immediately!" Perospero continued looking around frantically. Wasn't Mama supposed to be enjoying her afternoon tea around now? Where was she?
"Stop looking. Mama found herself a new man today. They're... busy," Katakuri said, his expression grim. He was embarrassed even to mention it.
Perospero froze for a second, then looked at the photo of Leo in the paper. An idea sparked in his eyes.
On a deserted island in the New World.
"Bwahahaha!" A hearty laugh came from within a shaded grove. "Crocodile is so useless! To think he fell to a rookie."
Lucky Roux, a large chunk of meat in hand, laughed between bites. It just went to show, aside from the steady, unshakable Emperors, most other pirates were all reputation and no substance. What did decades of sailing the seas matter for Crocodile? He still got taken out by a newcomer.
"Leo? Another kid appearing out of nowhere," Yasopp, the sniper, remarked, shaking his head with a smile. Thinking back to when he was Leo's age, he was still nobody.
"Killing Crocodile proves his strength, but it's not necessarily a good thing for him," Benn Beckman stated calmly, blowing a smoke ring.
The others nodded. It was true. Setting sail with a bounty of 500 million Berries would put a massive target on his back from all the major players. Just like it had for them.
"And this is... Luffy's bounty?!" Someone kept flipping through the stack and spotted a familiar face.
"It really is Luffy!"
"Bwahahaha! So that kid got a bounty too! Not bad at all!"
"Shanks, he's the one you bet an arm on, after all!"
The Red Hair Pirates officers whooped and cheered. The kid they'd watched grow up was finally making his mark.
Looking at the photo of Luffy with his idiotically cheerful grin, Shanks threw his head back and laughed. "Men!" he boomed, raising a tankard. "Start the feast! We're celebrating for Luffy!"
A resounding cheer answered him. "YEAH!"
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T/N :
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