Time flies, and soon, it is the year 1516 in the Sea Circle Calendar.
Looking back at the events of 1515, a few significant yet largely unnoticed occurrences took place around the world.
First, the bounty for the Dark-Dark Fruit was successfully claimed in the underworld. The lucky individual who managed to get their hands on the Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit became the envy of countless criminals and bounty hunters. With a reward of ten billion berries, one can only wonder how long it would take to spend that much.
The second major event involved the Whitebeard Pirates, the crew of the world's strongest pirate, Whitebeard himself. Only a few months after the Dark-Dark Fruit's bounty was claimed, something shifted within the crew.
Teach, who had been hiding his true ambitions for years, finally stopped laying low. For him, sneaking into Mariejois or Wano Country to steal the Dark-Dark Fruit was no longer an option.
Though Teach still didn't have a bounty on his head, he could have left Whitebeard's crew and joined the World Government as one of their many lackeys. But he knew that outsiders like him wouldn't receive the same trust or attention from the World Government, especially since the most loyal servants had been brainwashed and trained since childhood. There was no way they would hand over the Dark-Dark Fruit to him.
As for trying to infiltrate Wano Country? Teach knew from reading the *Devil Fruit Encyclopedia* just how terrifying the powers of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit were in terms of perception. And besides, everyone knew that the so-called "Cross Family" was essentially just Cross Kahn and his maids, with no men in their ranks. Sneaking into Wano would be even more difficult than infiltrating Mariejois.
Whether the Dark-Dark Fruit was in the hands of the World Government or the Cross Family, Teach's chances of getting it were slim to none.
His dream of obtaining the Dark-Dark Fruit had come to an end.
Facing the reality that he would likely never possess the Dark-Dark Fruit, Teach shifted his focus and set his sights on Whitebeard instead. But he wasn't looking to assassinate him—no, his plan was far more patient and cunning.
Teach decided to stay by Whitebeard's side, biding his time until the old pirate king passed away from natural causes. Once Whitebeard was gone, Teach would leave his fate up to chance. If the Paramecia-type Tremor-Tremor Fruit, which Whitebeard possessed, were to respawn on a nearby fruit, Teach would seize the opportunity to claim it for himself and rekindle his ambitions.
If luck wasn't on his side, and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit didn't come within his reach, Teach would leave the Whitebeard Pirates and begin wandering the seas, searching for either the Tremor-Tremor Fruit or another powerful Devil Fruit.
With his new plan in mind, Teach decided it was time to stop hiding his true power. He began competing for the position of the second division commander, a role that was intended for Ace.
When Teach revealed his strength, the crew—especially Marco—was shocked. They suddenly re-evaluated the man who had quietly sailed with them through the most challenging times, all the way to the top of the world, never once revealing his true potential.
Teach was no longer just a background figure. He had become a contender, someone with the power and ambition to shape the future.
As for Whitebeard, he also recalled the kid who once clung to him, smiling kindly.
Then, without hesitation, Teach was promoted to the position of second division commander.
In the original story, Teach was the most powerful contender for the role of second division commander.
If it weren't for his modesty, Ace wouldn't have been able to claim the position. Even at that time, Teach was extremely low-key and lacked the attention of a bounty.
Now, with Teach becoming the second division commander, his name quickly spread across the world.
The entire world began to pay attention to this once-unknown veteran member.
Some organizations with exceptional intelligence, after a thorough investigation, uncovered another piece of shocking news:
During the past few years of Cross Kahn's low profile, the "Red-Haired" Shanks, who had swiftly risen as a superstar in the New World, received three scars on his face from none other than the new second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
In an instant, this news, reported by Morgans, spread worldwide.
Teach's status skyrocketed.
The Marine issued a bounty for him that day, with the reward soaring from zero to one billion berries.
A record of giving Shanks three scars was enough to cement Teach's position as the undisputed third strongest in the Whitebeard Pirates.
With Teach now a top officer and having a bounty of over one billion, the Whitebeard Pirates, already the strongest crew in the world, had an even more solid foundation and stable standing.
In the current New World, pirate power had reached its peak.
The northern sea, closest to the end, was the territory of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The Totto Land Sea to the south belonged to the BIG-MOM Pirates.
The Wanokuni Sea in the centre was under the control of the Cross Family.
The western sea, where Hachinosu (Hive Island) is located, was ruled by the new Beasts Pirates.
The islands marked by the flags of the Red Hair Pirates were mostly in the eastern sea of the New World.
Now, five rulers occupied the north, south, east, west, and central seas.
Islands around these territories were either too poor in resources, uninhabited, or controlled by the World Government.
Other pirate groups could only stay far from these territories, settling in remote places, forming small kingdoms, or aligning themselves with bigger crews for protection.
By the year 1516 of the Sea Circle Calendar, a headline that stirred up immense attention solidified the status of these five rulers.
This title, which drew major attention, read — "The Five Emperors of the New World!"
As the cover story, there were five bounty posters.
The names on these bounty posters were:
"Whitebeard" Edward Newgate, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, the uncrowned king of the Great Pirate Era, and the undisputed NO.1 in the pirate world, with a bounty of 5,046,000,000 berries.
"The Strongest Creature in the World" Cross Kahn, leader of the Cross Family, the strongest ruler in the dark world, the wealthiest man, a representative of the new generation of pirates, and the recognized NO.2 in the pirate world, with a bounty of 4,555,000,000 berries.
"BIG-MOM" Charlotte Linlin, head of the Charlotte Family and captain of the BIG-MOM Pirates, rules over thirty-five islands and is acknowledged as the Queen of Pirates, with a bounty of 4,388,000,000 berries.
"Beasts" Kaido, captain of the Beasts Pirates and ruler of Pirate Paradise, recognized as the second strongest creature in the world, the former new overlord, and now the second new overlord, with a bounty of 4,211,000,000 berries.
"Red-Haired" Shanks, captain of the Red Hair Pirates, the former apprentice of the Roger Pirates, the rising star of the new generation of pirates, second only to the "Strongest Duo," with a bounty of 4,048,900 berries.
These were the bounties for the Five Emperors.
The bounties for Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, and Shanks remained the same as the original.
But Kaido, as the only one who had lost to another overlord, saw his bounty reduced by 400 million compared to the original.
This was the butterfly effect caused by Kahn.
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