In the New World, at the base of the Whitebeard Pirates, Newgate was sitting in a pub, a newspaper in his hand, his expression shifting as he took in the latest news.
"Both the World Destroyer and that Bullet taken down by the Marines? Now that's quite the headline," Newgate muttered.
"First the Red Count, and now this? The Marines seem to be making moves again, and they're still cooperating with pirates?" Marco said, surprise lacing his voice.
"The last time could've been a one-off, but this time, there's more to it. Look at this here, what do you make of this 'Seven Warlords of the Sea' title?" Newgate pointed to the name Crocodile in the newspaper and asked.
"Father, isn't it obvious? That sand crocodile's just sold out to the government. The Seven Warlords of the Sea, huh? Recruiting pirates now… It looks like the World Government's running out of options," Marco said, a hint of disdain in his tone.
"Gurararara," Newgate's deep laughter filled the room before he spoke again. "It does seem desperate, but I can't shake the feeling that there's more going on beneath the surface."
"Definitely a ploy. See here? The Seven Warlords will answer the World Government's summons, working for them and hunting down other pirates. No matter how you look at it, it spells trouble," Marco nodded.
Meanwhile, on the Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh pushed open the door to Shakky's bar, a small box under his arm.
As he entered, he found Shakky mid-interrogation, holding a rough-looking thug by his collar, while several more battered bodies lay crumpled at her feet.
Catching sight of Rayleigh, Shakky let go of the thug, who slumped to the ground, unconscious. "Done with your work already?" she asked.
Rayleigh grinned. "Just some ship-coating. The job was quick."
"No complications?" Shakky smiled knowingly.
"Not a one," Rayleigh chuckled.
"Great. Now, would you mind tossing these troublemakers out for me? I'm just a frail woman, you know, no strength to spare," Shakky said, gesturing to the unconscious thugs.
Rayleigh didn't bat an eye at Shakky's claim of being a 'frail woman' and instead asked, "You got their money, right? Can't let them leave without paying up."
Shakky pointed to a pile of wallets sitting on the bar, undoubtedly collected from her recent 'customers.'
Satisfied, Rayleigh tossed the thugs out of the bar, then sat at the counter and took a sip from his hip flask, feeling at ease.
"Have you seen today's paper?" Shakky asked after a moment.
"No, I haven't had the time. Something big happen?" Rayleigh's curiosity was piqued.
"Pretty significant. The Marines took down both the World Destroyer and the Demon Heir," Shakky said.
Rayleigh's eyes widened in surprise. "Douglas Bullet?"
"Yeah, wasn't he one of your old crew? Quite the powerhouse, wasn't he?" Shakky asked, leaning forward.
"Indeed. The kid had an incredible talent for combat. Back in the day, I wouldn't have bet on winning against him. It's hard to believe he's been captured by the Marines," Rayleigh said, a touch of nostalgia in his voice.
"That's just the start. The real shocker comes after that. The World Government has rolled out a new initiative called the 'Seven Warlords of the Sea.' Here's the gist…" Shakky explained, laying out the details.
Rayleigh shook his head slowly as he absorbed the information. "The World Government's getting more daring. This strategy splits the pirate world in two, plain and simple."
"Exactly. Pirates who work for the government and pirates who oppose it. It's quite a scheme," Shakky nodded.
"And the first of these Warlords?" Rayleigh pressed.
"A guy called 'Sand Crocodile,' named Crocodile. According to the paper, he helped the Marines capture both World and Bullet and earned himself the title of Warlord for it," Shakky said.
"The first, huh? So they're not rolling out all Seven Warlords at once?" Rayleigh asked.
"No, it'll probably take some time. The government's openly inviting capable pirates to 'sign up' for this new position," Shakky said with a slight smirk.
"The times are changing. The world's becoming even more chaotic," Rayleigh said softly.
At the same time, within the Holy Land of Mariejois, Claudius was walking alongside the Nia heading toward the hall where slaves were bought and sold.
"Why the sudden interest in buying slaves?" Claudius asked, giving Nia a curious look.
Nia replied, "Your Highness, isn't it too lonely for young Master Ace to be in the palace by himself? I thought it'd be good to find him a couple of playmates. I heard there'll be some young slaves at the market today."
"Playmates?" Claudius repeated thoughtfully.
Over the past couple of years, Ace had indeed spent most of his time alone in the palace. Claudius rarely had time to entertain him, and while Nia tried, she couldn't always be around, and the age gap didn't help.
"You're quite considerate," Claudius said with a smile.
The slave market in Mariejois was unlike the auctions held elsewhere. Only the Celestial Dragons were permitted to purchase here, making it a more exclusive and tightly controlled environment.
Claudius hadn't often visited the place before, as he'd never found much interest in owning slaves.
As they walked in, they passed rows of iron cages containing various individuals, newly captured and only partially trained. Many still retained their will, their rebellious spirits not yet broken.
This, in itself, was a selling point, as some Celestial Dragons preferred slaves with some fight left in them, enjoying the 'challenge' of breaking them in themselves.
There were also Celestial Dragons looking to offload slaves they had grown bored of, not for profit but for the sheer entertainment of participating in commerce.
Claudius and Nia made their way through the hall, observing the scene. Claudius stopped suddenly in front of one particular cage and smirked as he looked inside.
"Fisher Tiger, huh? Interesting," Claudius muttered.
Indeed, the figure inside the cage was none other than Fisher Tiger, a powerful merman with striking red skin. He sat in the corner, his expression dark, eyes burning with defiance and seething hatred.
Claudius glanced at him briefly before turning away and moving on.
As they walked further, they heard the voice of a female Celestial Dragon nearby. She was holding three chains, each attached to a scrawny figure on the other end. Her voice rang out with irritation.
"Get rid of these three. They're no fun anymore. I even fed them Devil Fruits, and all it got me was two of them turning into snakes. Boring!"
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