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*****
Goa Kingdom, East Blue
The early morning light filtered through the curtains of a small, worn-down house on a quiet island in the East Blue. Inside, a young boy named Kai stirred from his sleep. He was just twelve, but his mother often said he had the spirit of someone much older.
It was a spirit born out of necessity—his father had been lost at sea years ago, and his mother struggled to make ends meet. Kai did what he could to help, running errands, fishing, and sometimes doing odd jobs for the neighbors.
Today, however, he was hoping for something easier. Something that would let him keep the thousand-berry bill he had found the day before.
Yesterday, late in the night, Kai woke up to find a strange package outside their door. A thick stack of newspapers, more than he had ever seen in one place, sat neatly tied with twine. On top of the stack was a single thousand-berry bill and a handwritten note. The letter was simple, but it left an impact that Kai couldn't shake.
---
To the Finder,
These newspapers must be distributed to every home on the island. Inside, you will find the truth that the World Government does not want you to see. The berry bill is yours for the effort, but know this: failure to spread this truth will bring consequences not just for you, but for everyone who deserves to know what is really happening in this world. Do your part.
—A Friend of Justice
---
Kai had stood there for a long moment, staring at the note and the money. The urge to take the thousand berries and leave the newspapers untouched was strong. It would be enough to buy food for at least a few days. But something about the note made him uneasy. The words "failure to spread this truth will bring consequences" played over and over in his head. Who was this "friend of justice," and what truth were they talking about?
In the end, the decision was made for him. If the newspapers held something important—something the World Government didn't want people to know—then maybe it was worth doing. Plus, how hard could it be to hand out a few newspapers?
Kai spent the night tossing and turning, wondering if he had made the right decision. By morning, he had resolved to see it through.
---
As the sun rose, Kai set out with the stack of newspapers tucked under his arm, his small frame hunched over from the weight. He didn't want to wake his mother—she would probably tell him not to get involved—but he left the thousand berries on the kitchen table. They needed the money, and it wasn't really his anyway.
The island was beginning to stir with the early morning hustle. Fishermen were heading out to sea, merchants were opening their shops, and the few farmers on the island were already at work.
It was a peaceful place, far removed from the chaos of the Grand Line or the politics of the World Government. Most of the islanders had lived here all their lives, content to be left alone by the world. But today, something different was in the air.
Kai approached the first house, an old, creaky building that belonged to Mrs. Kumi. She was a kind woman, always giving him a sweet when he helped her with groceries. As he knocked on the door, he felt a pang of nervousness. What would she say? Would she even care about the newspaper?
The door opened slowly, and Mrs. Kumi's wrinkled face appeared. "Oh, Kai, what brings you here so early, dear?"
"Good morning, Mrs. Kumi!" Kai greeted her with a bright smile, though his nerves made his voice tremble slightly. "I've got a newspaper for you. It's a special edition of the World Times. It's free!"
Mrs. Kumi's eyes widened in surprise. "Free, you say? What's so special about it?"
Kai hesitated, remembering the warning in the letter. "I'm… not sure, exactly. But the note said it's important. Something the World Government doesn't want us to know."
She frowned, her expression shifting from surprise to curiosity. "The World Government, huh? Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a look." She reached out and took the paper, giving Kai a gentle pat on the head. "Thank you, Kai. I'll give it a read later."
Relieved, Kai nodded and moved on to the next house. As he walked through the narrow streets of the island, he noticed other kids doing the same thing. Each had a stack of newspapers and the same determined look on their faces. They, too, had found bundles outside their homes, each with a thousand-berry bill on top and a note with the same mysterious message.
Kai handed out the newspapers to anyone who would take one. Some people waved him off, uninterested in anything that wasn't directly related to their daily lives. But most were curious, their interest piqued by the mention of the World Government.
For many of them, the World Government was a distant entity, something they only heard about in passing. But if there was something hidden from them, something they weren't supposed to know, that was enough to make them stop and listen.
As he moved through the town, Kai noticed the growing buzz among the islanders.
Conversations that usually centered around the weather or the catch of the day now turned to the mysterious newspapers. What could be so important that someone would pay to have it spread for free? And why was the World Government trying to keep it a secret?
Kai reached the town square, where a small crowd had gathered. Some of the island's elders were already leafing through the paper, their faces growing more serious with each passing minute. Others stood by, waiting to hear what they had to say. Kai handed out the last of his newspapers and joined the crowd, curious to see what all the fuss was about.
One of the elders, a grizzled fisherman named Henry, cleared his throat. "Listen up, everyone," he called out, his voice rough but commanding. "This here paper's talking about something big. Says the World Government used some kind of weapon—an ancient weapon—to destroy an entire kingdom. The Sorbet Kingdom."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The Sorbet Kingdom was a place they'd all heard of, though few had ever been there. It was supposed to be a peaceful place, one of the last untouched by the chaos of the world.
"They're saying it's been erased from the map," Henry continued, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Wiped out, just like that. And the World Government's trying to keep it quiet."
A murmur of disbelief spread through the onlookers. Some shook their heads, unwilling to believe that such a thing was possible. But others… others began to wonder.
"What could make them do something like that?" someone asked. "Why would they destroy an entire kingdom?"
"I don't know," Henry replied, "but if it's true… if it's true, then we need to be careful. The World Government might not care about a little island like ours, but if they're willing to use something that powerful…"
His words trailed off, but the implication was clear. If the World Government could destroy a kingdom, they could destroy anyone. The thought left a cold, heavy feeling in the pit of Kai's stomach.
As the crowd began to disperse, some people clutching their newspapers tightly, Kai couldn't help but feel a strange mix of emotions. He had done what the note asked—he had spread the news, planted the seed of doubt.
But now that he understood the gravity of what was in those papers, he wasn't sure how to feel. Fear, anger, and a sense of foreboding swirled within him.
For the first time, Kai realized that the world outside his small island wasn't as far away as it seemed. The Sorbet Kingdom might have been distant, but its destruction could have ripples that reached even here.
And as much as he wanted to believe that his island was safe, that it was too small and insignificant to be noticed by the powers that be, a part of him couldn't shake the fear that they were all just as vulnerable as the Sorbet Kingdom had been.
The truth was out now, or at least a version of it. And whatever happened next, Kai knew one thing for sure: the world would never be the same again.
********
The morning sun had fully risen over the island in the Grand Line, casting warm light on the small coastal town. Normally, the island was a peaceful place, where the most exciting news was the arrival of a particularly large fish or a new shipment of goods from a nearby port.
Today, however, the air was thick with tension as groups of islanders gathered in the town square, clutching the special edition of the World Times.
Among them was old man Gary, the retired marine who had been the first to speak out when the papers were distributed. His weathered hands gripped the newspaper tightly as he read through the shocking details once more, his face a mask of disbelief and anger.
Beside him stood Maya, the baker's wife, her eyes wide with horror. "I can't believe it, Gary," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Ten million souls… they were hunted like animals."
Gary shook his head slowly, his voice rough with emotion. "It's more than that, Maya. They weren't just hunted. They were declared terrorists, their lives snuffed out like they didn't even matter. And the Marines—our supposed protectors—stood by and let it happen."
A younger man, Leo, who worked as a blacksmith's apprentice, joined the conversation, his face pale. "I always thought the Marines were the good guys, you know? They're supposed to protect us from pirates and criminals. But this… this is something else."
Maya nodded, her hands shaking as she held the paper. "It's not just that they didn't protect those people, Leo. They helped with the slaughter. They blockaded the kingdom so those poor souls had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. They facilitated the massacre."
Gary spat on the ground, his disgust palpable. "And what about this 'Native Hunting Competition'? They've been doing this for decades, maybe longer. Treating entire kingdoms like some kind of sport, hunting them down like rabbits. And to think, the government covered it all up, even going back to that mess at God Valley."
"God Valley…" Leo repeated, the name heavy with dark history. "That's where Rocks D. Xebec and his crew were wiped out, right? I've heard stories from my old man, but they always made it seem like it was just pirates fighting each other, nothing more."
Maya leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. "But the paper says otherwise. It mentions that the World Government has been burying the truth for years. The Marines didn't just fight pirates at God Valley—they exterminated them. And now, it's happening again. Sorbet Kingdom… it's like history repeating itself."
The small group fell silent for a moment, the weight of the information settling over them like a dark cloud. Finally, Gary broke the silence, his voice low and filled with grim resolve.
"This isn't just about what happened to those people in Sorbet Kingdom. It's about what could happen to any of us. If they can do that to a kingdom with ten million souls, what's to stop them from doing it to our island? What's to stop them from doing it to anyone?"
Maya shuddered at the thought. "We've always lived in peace here, Gary. But now… now I'm not so sure. If the Marines and the World Government can do something like this, who's to say we're safe?"
Leo nodded, his young face hardening with a newfound resolve as his gaze turned towards the direction of the nearby Marine base. "We have to be careful. We can't trust them anymore. But what can we do? We're just ordinary people."
Gary sighed, the years of experience weighing heavily on his shoulders. "We might be ordinary, Leo, but we're not powerless. This paper—it's a start. It's a way to get the truth out there, to let people know what's really going on. Maybe if enough of us stand up, we can make a difference. But we have to be smart about it. The World Government isn't going to take this lying down."
********
The special edition of the World Times spread across the seas like wildfire, carried by the winds of curiosity, outrage, and fear.
On islands and in cities scattered across the vast oceans—from the tranquil East Blue to the tumultuous waters of the New World—the reaction was immediate, visceral, and varied.
The revelations contained within the pages of the newspaper were unlike anything the world had seen before, peeling back the layers of secrecy and deceit that had long shrouded the actions of the World Government and the Marines. As the truth came to light, the world's inhabitants found themselves grappling with a new, unsettling reality.
In the bustling streets of Loguetown, a town often regarded as the gateway to the Grand Line, the atmosphere was electric with tension. The townspeople, who usually went about their business with a sense of routine comfort, now huddled in tight groups, their faces etched with shock and anger.
A shopkeeper, a stout man known for his genial demeanor, stood in front of his store, waving the newspaper in the air as he shouted to anyone who would listen.
"Did you read this? The Marines—our Marines—helped with the slaughter in Sorbet Kingdom!" His voice was thick with disbelief, his cheeks flushed with a combination of fury and betrayal. "They're supposed to protect us, not murder innocent people!"
A crowd began to form around him, drawn by the fervor in his voice. Among them were sailors, men who had spent their lives at sea and had always considered the Marines as their protectors against the dangers of the ocean. But now, as they listened to the shopkeeper's impassioned words, they felt the ground shift beneath their feet.
"Aye," muttered one of the sailors, his voice heavy with resignation, "but what are we supposed to do about it? We're just small fry. The World Government doesn't care about us."
Another sailor, younger and less jaded, clenched his fists, his eyes burning with a newfound resolve. "Maybe it's time we stopped caring about them," he said darkly. His words hung in the air, a seed of rebellion taking root in the minds of those who heard him.
The shockwaves of the newspaper's revelations weren't confined to the East Blue. In the cold, industrial cities of the North Blue, where the influence of the World Government was declining due to the presence of the Donquixote family, the reaction was more complex, tinged with a mixture of skepticism and concern.
In a smoky tavern, where the walls were lined with portraits of past and present government officials, a group of businessmen and local leaders gathered around a table, the newspaper spread out before them.
"This is all propaganda," scoffed one man, his voice dripping with disdain as he tossed the paper aside. "The World Government wouldn't do something like this without good reason. Those people in Sorbet Kingdom were probably all terrorists. We're better off without them."
His words were met with nods of agreement from some of the others, but not everyone was so quick to dismiss the newspaper's claims. A younger man, dressed in the crisp uniform of a junior government official, stared at the paper with a troubled expression.
"But what about the part where they used an ancient weapon? Why was the government hiding something like this from the masses?" he asked, his voice quieter, more tentative. "That's not something you use lightly, from how the newspaper puts it. And if they can justify it there, what's to stop them from using it elsewhere?"
The older man waved him off, his confidence unwavering. "You're too naive," he said dismissively. "The World Government knows what it's doing. They wouldn't jeopardize the safety of the world over a few lives."
"But at what cost?" The younger man murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. The question lingered in the air, unanswered, as the men around the table continued to debate the implications of the newspaper's revelations.
Meanwhile, in a small, close-knit village in the South Blue, the reaction was one of pure, unfiltered outrage. The village elder, a woman known for her fiery spirit and unyielding sense of justice, slammed the newspaper down on a table with such force that the wood creaked in protest.
"This is monstrous!" she cried, her voice ringing out across the room, drawing the attention of everyone present. "The World Government has gone too far this time. We need to do something!"
The villagers, who had always looked up to the elder for guidance, exchanged uneasy glances. "But what can we do, Elder?" one of them asked, his voice tinged with fear. "If they've got weapons like that… we're just ants to them."
The elder's eyes burned with defiance, her posture rigid with determination. "Ants can still bite," she declared. "We may not be able to fight them head-on, but we can spread the word. Let everyone know what they've done. If enough of us rise up, they won't be able to silence us all."
Her words ignited a spark in the hearts of the villagers, a flicker of hope amidst the growing darkness. They knew the path ahead would be dangerous, that they were risking everything by defying the World Government, but they also knew that they could not stand by and do nothing.
In the lawless, pirate-infested waters of the West Blue, the news was met with a different kind of reaction. On a notorious pirate ship, the captain leaned back in his chair, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he read the newspaper.
"So, the World Government's showing its true colors, huh?" He chuckled, tossing the paper to his first mate. "This is good for us. If the people start to turn against the Marines, it'll be easier for us to move around without getting caught."
The first mate, a seasoned pirate with a scarred face and wary eyes, frowned as he skimmed the article. "Maybe, Captain. But what if they start using those ancient weapons more often? We could be next."
The captain's grin faltered slightly, but he quickly shook off the doubt. "Do you think they would even bother with using such a weapon of mass destruction on us? Even if they did, We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he said dismissively.
"For now, we focus on taking advantage of the chaos. Keep your ears to the ground—I want to know how people are reacting to this. There's bound to be some opportunities for us."
Not everyone reacted with defiance or anger. In some places, fear took hold, leading to desperate actions. In a small village in the West Blue, far removed from the centers of power, the reaction was one of panic.
"They're going to come for us next!" cried a villager as he ran through the streets, waving the newspaper wildly. "If they did it to Sorbet Kingdom, they'll do it to us! We have to destroy these papers before they find out we've read them!"
The fear was contagious. Soon, other villagers began to follow his lead, gathering the newspapers and setting them on fire in the village square. The flames roared as the papers turned to ash, the fear in the villagers' eyes growing with each passing moment.
"What if they find out we had these?" a woman whispered, her voice trembling. "What if they come for us?"
Another man shook his head, his face pale. "We have to hope they don't. But if they do… we're finished."
As the last of the newspapers burned, the villagers watched in silence, their fear turning to dread. The World Government's power had always been a distant, almost abstract concept. But now, it felt all too real. And in that moment, they realized just how small and vulnerable they truly were.
Across the seas, in the farthest reaches of the Grand Line and the treacherous waters of the New World, the reactions were as varied as the people who inhabited those dangerous territories. In some places, the news sparked outrage and defiance, with people vowing to fight back against the World Government's tyranny.
In others, it fueled fear and paranoia, as people scrambled to protect themselves from the potential repercussions of possessing such dangerous knowledge.
In one remote village, far from the reach of any government or military force, a man sat alone in his small home, the newspaper spread out before him. His hands trembled as he read the headlines, his heart pounding in his chest. The implications of what he was reading were almost too much to bear.
"So finally the winds have started to shift." he whispered to himself, his voice shaking as his conqueror's haki burst through, shaking the very island to its core.