In this world, there are few individuals who can instill fear in others with just their names.
The current Pirate King Gol D. Roger, Edward Newgate, Albert Nicholas, Bartholomew Kuma, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, they are among them.
For ordinary people, even mentioning these names requires a certain level of courage.
Such is the effect of a notorious reputation.
Now, with the level of fame that Nicholas currently possesses, although it may not be at the level of Kaido or Charlotte Linlin where people tremble at the mere mention of their names, it is still enough to deter some individuals from acting recklessly.
But for Nicholas, this is far from sufficient.
Or rather, what significance is there in only inspiring fear in a group of harmless individuals?
What Nicholas aims to achieve is to instill fear not just in the minds of ordinary people but also in the World Government, the Marines, and countless pirates in the New World—making them hesitate to even entertain thoughts of resistance upon hearing his name.
"Captain, when are we returning to Jaya?"
Katie asked as she sparred with Nicholas.
"No rush. We'll return to Jaya once the construction here is complete, and when some of the Shandia warriors have learned Haki," Nicholas replied while parrying Katie's agile strikes. Since he intended to develop Skypiea into another base, it naturally required some investment of effort.
Meanwhile, beneath Skypiea, the news from Jaya had caused quite a stir. Even the carrier birds from the World News Economic Society, under the command of Morgans, were unable to keep up, with major news breaking every day, making Morgans feel like every day was a celebration.
...
"According to our intelligence, after destroying Rhinoceros Island, Bullet proceeded to destroy the G6 Branch and is currently missing!"
"Additionally, reports show that Redfield's trace has been detected in the British Isles. He openly left after slaughtering the British royal family, and anyone who attempted to hinder him was killed without exception."
"The captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' First Division, Marco, engaged in a three-day-long fierce battle with Katakuri, and later clashed with the Inferno, a member of the Beasts Pirates. Due to the mobility issues of both parties, we cannot accurately determine their whereabouts."
"The Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates have officially announced their alliance, with over twenty pirate crews heading towards Wanokuni!"
"The Revolutionary Army has shown signs of activity in the West Blue, but their target is still uncertain."
"Additionally, the intelligence departments of the New World and the Four Blues have reported no sightings of members of the Roger Pirates or Roger himself. Similarly, there is no news from Nicholas's pirate crew."
In the same meeting room as before, the atmosphere was tense. These pieces of news were headache-inducing, and in this situation, both Nicholas and Roger seemed surprisingly well-behaved, considering one was the Pirate King and the other dared to attack Mary Geoise.
"Now, what should we do?"
Looking around at the silent gathering of high-ranking Marines in the meeting room, Nicholas found himself particularly troubled.
"Sakazuki, don't be naive. We were lucky to have defeated the Golden Lion, and if we were to engage all those guys in full-scale war, the price we'd pay is something we can't afford," said Sengoku, looking at Sakazuki. Though he disliked Sakazuki's character, he couldn't deny the loyalty and obedience of this subordinate who faithfully carried out orders.
"The powerful figures on the seas are constantly warring for fame and power. Why not give them what they want by using their fame against them? Let them fight each other," proposed Kuzan. His words seemed to resonate with the others in the room.
"Using their fame to instigate infighting... That's a good idea," Sengoku remarked after a moment of contemplation. He realized that on the seas, these powerful individuals couldn't escape the allure of fame and reputation. Just like when Roger became Pirate King, countless pirates sought him out to make a name for themselves.
"In addition to using their fame to incite infighting, we can also use incentives to sway certain powerful individuals who have concerns. Many of these individuals have nations or other influential figures backing them. We can recruit them to form a new force to counterbalance those in the New World," suggested Kuzan.
Two days later.
In the New World waters, aboard the Moby Dick, a celebration was held for Marco's return. As Marco had been engaging in various battles and sparring with formidable opponents like Katakuri and Kaido, Whitebeard felt increasingly proud.
Just then, a carrier bird flew overhead, dropping several newspapers.
The headline on the front page read—"The Five Emperors of the Sea!"
Inside the newspaper were also several updated bounty posters.
One was Roger's, and the other five belonged to Edward Newgate, Nicholas, and others.
Edward's bounty caught Marco's attention. He couldn't believe his eyes. Despite Edward's recent exploits, his bounty hadn't changed much.
"Did Roger's bounty change?" he wondered aloud.
"Not sure, but I'm curious," another crew member chimed in.
However, what surprised them the most was Nicholas's bounty skyrocketing to 5 billion berry.
"Isn't that a bit too much?" they murmured in disbelief.
As they discussed Nicholas's latest bounty, the crew of the Whitebeard Pirates couldn't help but feel bewildered.
And with the carrier bird's efforts, the title of the Five Emperors of the Sea resounded throughout the world.