"It's true... We killed Shiki..."
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's office.
Sengoku and the other Marine generals stared at the frozen image in shock, their hearts in turmoil.
The conference room fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
One second, two seconds, three seconds—
"Yes!"
"Great!"
"We won!"
"From the Battle of Edd War to now... our Marines have finally killed that bastard Shiki the Golden Lion!"
"Vice Admiral Daren is really amazing!"
"..."
The Marine generals were so excited their faces turned red, and some even couldn't help but cheer.
At the same time, the huge weight that had been hanging over their hearts was finally lifted.
It was the fear brought by the Flying Pirate, Shiki.
Everyone knew that if the Marines couldn't take care of Shiki this time, they would likely be facing his insane revenge.
With Shiki's vindictive nature, he would never let the Marines off easy.
He didn't even need a fleet of flying pirate ships.
Just by floating a small island and dropping it on major Marine bases—or sending an occasional "gift" to Marineford—he could plunge the Marines into chaos.
But now, Shiki had finally been taken down by Vice Admiral Daren.
The terrifying shadow that had loomed over their heads vanished without a trace.
Everyone instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. Then came the champagne and celebration.
In the light-hearted and festive atmosphere, Sengoku slumped into his seat as if all the strength had drained from his body, still reeling from it all.
He exchanged glances with Kong, and both men shared a deeply emotional smile.
"We won..."
...
Thus, the epic Battle of Edd War came to an end with the fall of the legendary Great Pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion, in the North Blue.
In less than a day, with the backing of Marine Headquarters and various underground powers, news of the battle spread to every corner of the world.
The largest war since the Battle of God Valley!
Participants: Roger Pirates, Flying Pirates, Marine Headquarters.
Two legendary pirate crews and the world's largest military force—their every move already enough to stir hearts across the seas.
Let alone a cataclysmic clash in the New World's Edd War seas!
Shiki's ambition to wipe out the Roger Pirates…
Clues pointing to an ancient weapon said to have the power to destroy the world…
Roger Pirates pushed to the brink…
A sudden, massive sea storm…
Roger Pirates turning the tide…
Flying Pirates wiped out completely…
The overwhelming combat power of the Marines…
And finally, the legendary Great Pirate and pirate lord Shiki falling in the North Blue...
Every fragment and whisper of this reached the seas like a chain of explosive bombs, flipping the world upside down and leaving countless leaders stunned beyond words.
What followed next—
The eyes of the entire world turned to that young Marine.
Rogers Daren.
The Marine who rose like the sun, stacking up glorious victories time after time. He instantly became the idol of countless Marines—and the nightmare of countless pirates.
From that day on, the once chaotic North Blue became a "forbidden zone" for pirates.
And the Vice Admiral who had masterminded the Battle of Edd War—with the title of "Uncrowned King of the North Blue"...
Rogers Daren officially stepped into the realm of legends.
…
The New World.
A remote sea area. A desolate island.
The battered Oro Jackson drifted near the coastline, looking utterly forlorn.
The members of the Roger Pirates sat slumped on the shore, a bonfire flickering before them as they listlessly gnawed at grilled meat.
"Damn Garp... That bastard chased me for three days and three nights!!"
Roger tore off a chunk of meat with his teeth, stuffing it into the gap between his teeth as he grumbled,
"Do I owe him something!?"
Rayleigh leaned against a rock, looking just as worn-out, his face smeared with dust.
He took a swig from a flask, voice hoarse as he said,
"Cut the crap, Roger. Eat up and recover your strength. We've got less than an hour to rest—any longer and Garp will catch up again."
"I got it, stop nagging me already, Rayleigh!"
Roger snapped, stuffing another large bite of meat into his mouth.
Right then—
"Captain Roger!!!"
A panicked voice rang out from afar.
Everyone turned to look. Buggy was sprinting toward them, his legs spinning like wheels.
He looked like he'd seen a ghost—tears and snot streaming down his face.
His hands, detached from his body, floated in midair, tightly gripping a newspaper.
"Something big just happened…"
Buggy rushed up, gasping for breath, eyes bloodshot and his entire body shaking. His voice trembled,
"Shiki... Shiki's dead!!"
"He was killed by that Marine—the one who pulled down your pants!!"
At that, the crew's expressions changed dramatically.
"No way!"
"That's impossible!!"
"Shiki's dead!?"
They all rushed to snatch the freshly printed newspaper from Buggy's floating hands.
Even Roger forgot about his meat, not even bothering to argue about the "pants" comment.
All eyes turned to the paper. As they scanned it, their expressions froze, pupils narrowing into pinpricks.
The front page screamed a bold, eye-grabbing headline—
"Battle of Edd War! An Unprecedented Tempest!—The Legendary Pirate Shiki the Golden Lion Falls in the North Blue!!"
Below the headline was a detailed report analyzing the events of the Battle of Edd War, along with various accounts and commentary.
At the end of the article, a photo accompanied the report.
It showed a devastated landscape—mountains and forests flattened as if crushed by an overwhelming force, scorched earth and flames stretching far and wide.
Under the dying light of dusk, a towering, blood-soaked figure stood in the heart of the ruin.
Two long swords had pierced clean through his abdomen, the blades jutting out from his back.
Yet he still stood tall.
The world around him mourned in silence.
At his feet lay Shiki, collapsed with a defiant smile still lingering on his lips.
"This was a clash of trapped beasts. No one knows exactly what happened, but one thing is certain...
After a battle that shook the heavens and the seas, the legendary pirate, the 'Flying Pirate' Shiki the Golden Lion—pirate overlord with a bounty of 4.45 billion Belly—fell at the hands of Marine Vice Admiral Rogers Daren, with a wild grin on his face as he died."
"A new era is dawning. With Rogers Daren at the helm, the Marine 'Golden Generation' rises like a constellation of monsters.
This may well be the age of the Marines."
"The Marines, embodying 'justice,' are about to enter their golden age—
But what future lies ahead for the pirates, the embodiment of 'evil'?"
"But I don't care about that. I only care about one thing…"
"Was the lion's final roar worthy of his legend?"
"Sadly, only that Marine knows the answer."
—World Economic News Agency, President Morgans
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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