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This crucial information was immediately sent back to Marine Headquarters and into Sengoku's hands.
Seeing Rowen in the photo holding up Big Mom's severed head, his white shirt stained with blood, the usually composed Sengoku couldn't contain his excitement and kept jumping in place.
"Good!"
"Very good!"
With Big Mom gone, there would be no room for a turnaround in the war.
This victory belonged to the Marines, the greatest since the age of pirates, no doubt!
"Truly amazing!"
Staff Officer Tsuru's expression remained stoic as she muttered to herself.
She knew that Rowen's strength after awakening was formidable, but to defeat Big Mom on the battlefield was still beyond her imagination.
A Yonko, a monster that even Admirals had trouble with in certain aspects!
And yet, Rowen managed to kill her?!
"Inform the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) immediately, notify the front lines!"
"With the biggest unstable factor eliminated, we will win this battle handsomely!"
"Yes!"
Inside the office, everyone stood and saluted.
Momousagi clenched her fists in frustration; such a world-shaking achievement solidified Rowen's position, leaving her no chance to compete with him.
In the New World, at the front line of the Marines.
Huuuauaaaaaa!!!
The news spread, and across the hundred kilometer front line, the Marine's cry of victory echoed far and wide. The monster Big Mom that had plagued the seas for decades had been slain, marking an unprecedented triumph!
"Kill them all!"
"The Fleet Admiral has ordered: surrender or die!"
After days of intense battle that had worn the soldiers down, the news revived the exhausted Marines with unimaginable enthusiasm and boosted their morale!
Faced with the Marines' frenzied assault, the pirate lines began to crumble one by one. Most of them had only joined under Big Mom's name as hunters, and now that Big Mom was dead, it was time for them to scatter.
"No! It can't be, it's a Marine conspiracy!"
"Everyone, listen up! Those who retreat will die! Men, what are you waiting for? Kill those who try to escape!"
Some took advantage of the chaos to flee, while others made a last stand.
But the tide had turned; these humans were no match.
Regardless, the morale of the Marines had soared, providing a stark contrast. Even if Big Mom hadn't died, the pirates, already at a disadvantage, had no hope against the Marine cavalry.
"Ahrara, so it is indeed."
Seeing how the soldiers swarmed forward like sharks smelling blood without any personal involvement, Aokiji simply retreated from the front to the rear.
"Rowen... no, the Soryu (Azure Dragon) has become so powerful."
Looking at the defeated soldiers in front of him, with over thirty thousand pirates being driven back by just over ten thousand marines, Aokiji shook his head silently.
"Well, I guess I'm getting old?"
The soldiers' fervor and courage had a simple reason - because their opponents were Yonko, the pirates of the era that the Marines had been ashamed to face for so long!
The New World was once a chaotic place. Before Roger and Rocks, no one dared to rule the New World.
And even for those who did, it was only temporary.
Because the Marines were stronger!
Garp defeated the Rock Pirates at their height and became a world-famous Marine Hero. Roger was publicly executed only a year after becoming Pirate King, and his legend faded.
How long have the Yonko been around?
Twenty years!
After Roger's death, there were no more "Kings" in the New World, only "Emperors"!
The title "Yonko" was coined at that time.
In the end, these four dominated the New World, forcing all naval forces to retreat to the G-1 and G-5 branches near the Red Line, where support was easily accessible.
This was tantamount to handing over half of the Grand Line's territory and allowing the Yonko to rule autonomously... Such a colossal disgrace was the reason why the Marines were fighting so fiercely at that moment.
Because they knew that the "Yonko," the colossal, terrifying figures that had been mythologized and demonized, would no longer live out their legend from this day forward.
Because they had a naval hero not inferior to Vice Admiral "Iron Fist" Garp of those days, the "Soryu (Azure Dragon)" Rowen!
This was something that even admirals like Aokiji hadn't managed to do... Even though they had tied up the enemy forces, even though the current Marine Foundation couldn't be compared to the past, even though there were many reasons.
But the undeniable fact was that they hadn't done it.
And Rowen did!
Unconsciously, the soldiers had already given Rowen the new title of "Hero", making him the true pillar of the Marines.
...
Rowen didn't know what was happening outside, nor would he care if he did.
At that moment, he had no time to rest. Although the war was in its final stages after Big Mom's fall, Totto Land, as its core, had the most stubborn resistance.
In the underground treasury of Cake Island's city fortress.
"That's enough, Streusen... Your time is over. Wouldn't it be better to surrender quietly?"
Zī Zī!
The sudden sound of electricity made the three people facing each other look up in surprise and stare at the blood-red figure that appeared in the room.
"Soryu (Azure Dragon)!"
Streusen looked terrified, his old and small frame gripping his double-bladed sword tightly against two gray stone blocks, his eyes filled with hatred.
It was this man who had killed Linlin and left him with nothing.
"Sorry, Sir, his ability is too strange. To avoid damaging the poneglyph, I..."
Panting slightly, Dante stepped forward and saluted when he saw Rowen.
This was the only mission Rowen had given him, but Streusen had stopped him, making Dante feel ashamed.
Even Katakuri hadn't expected that. Streusen seemed to have anticipated that someone would come to take the treasure, so he didn't stay outside the city fortress, but crouched in the hidden treasure room, lying in wait.
"Don't blame yourself, Dante. You were following my orders. Your failure is partly my fault."
Rowen waved to keep Dante from apologizing.
Streusen's Eat-Eat Fruit ability was one of the most bizarre among the Paramecia types. Trying to grab the Poneglyph without taking specific measures before he went all out was undoubtedly very difficult.
"The blood on him..."
Katakuri suddenly narrowed his eyes, looked at Rowen whose body was soaked in blood, and bowed his head in sorrow.
After all, he was bound by blood. When Rowen appeared, Katakuri had already sensed a familiar scent of blood from what others perceived as an ordinary bloody smell.
Big Mom's scent!
Rowen didn't care what he thought. The situation was settled, and even if he burned the bridge and killed all the children of the Charlotte family, no one would dare say anything.
Rowen raised an eyebrow at Streusen, who was wearing a blue work uniform and a white apron: "You were waiting for me, weren't you?"
Streusen's pupils contracted sharply at the words, but he finally relaxed in desperation and sat down against the poneglyph.
"So you found out, Soryu (Azure Dragon)."
"The Big Mom Pirates maintained their connections through fear and bonded by blood; this was your suggestion... For someone who could devise such a vicious strategy, you're definitely not a stubborn person who would rather die than submit."
Rowen spoke calmly, saying things that shocked Dante and Katakuri as he looked at the other man: "Now that I'm here, tell me what you want."
Streusen, whom Big Mom had met at the age of six, was behind everything, even if he did it himself. His way of doing things was closely related to Streusen's.
If someone was born and raised without guidance, what woman would think of using childbirth to build Totto Land?
Wouldn't that make her a breeding machine?
Only someone like Streusen, who met the young Big Mom, had the time and energy to influence her by word and deed, while hiding the truth about Carmel and the orphans, so that Big Mom wholeheartedly created the dream nation "Totto Land".
Big Mom provided the strongest military support for the creation of Totto Land, but her character development and actions came from Streusen alone.
This was easy to deduce.
"I want to live!"
With the revelation, Streusen's expression became calm: "Katakuri betrayed Linlin, so my existence would inevitably be exposed... Instead of hiding and fleeing in the future, it's better to exchange Linlin's possessions for a chance to wash away my sins."
Bang!
Katakuri clenched his fist and gnashed his teeth at Streusen, not caring that the scarf around his mouth had fallen off: "You asshole!"
(End of chapter)