Chapter 423: Undercurrents of the World (Part 1)
Rayleigh, bearing grievous wounds, forced himself into the Calm Belt.
"Sir, that's the Calm Belt ahead. Our ship can't enter it!"
An agent informed the red-haired man standing on deck.
"Hmph. Let him live—for now. Immediately begin searching for Gol D. Roger's whereabouts."
Sheathing his sword, the red-haired man turned back into the cabin.
"Yes, sir!"
The ship turned around, leaving Rayleigh behind as he drifted into the Calm Belt.
Badly injured, Rayleigh swam aimlessly through the tranquil sea.
He had no idea how long he swam.
His consciousness faded.
"Is this the end for me?"
He thought as the darkness crept in.
Suddenly—
A young voice echoed through the water.
"Huh? What's a human doing here?"
A juvenile octopus fishman swam over.
He scooped up the unconscious man and swam toward an island.
The news of the Roger Pirates' disbandment broke suddenly—
"Roger Pirates Disbanded! Pirate King Gol D. Roger Missing!"
The headlines shocked the world, especially those hoping to see how the other great pirates of the New World would react.
"What's going on with the Roger Pirates? Isn't Roger the Pirate King? Why disband now?!"
Countless pirates were left dumbfounded.
Yet strangely—
They felt relieved.
The Pirate King's emergence had felt like a mountain crushing down on all pirates.
After he appeared, the seas had fallen eerily quiet.
Now—
"Where is Roger?! I'll kill him and become the next Pirate King!"
A voice roared in a tavern.
Suddenly, every pirate felt a new purpose spark in their veins—
Pirate King.
"I'm setting sail! I'll become the Pirate King!"
The same thought ignited in the hearts of countless men.
North Blue
"Heh heh heh heh… Pirate King, huh? Sounds interesting."
Onboard a flamboyantly dressed ship styled like a flamingo, a boy in sunglasses smirked at the newspaper in his hand.
"Young Master, what are our next steps?"
A follower asked.
"Clean up the underground market here in the North Blue. Then we head to the Grand Line."
The boy—Donquixote Doflamingo—tossed the newspaper aside and gave his orders.
"What about the Germa Kingdom? That king's been fighting us for control of the weapons trade."
Asked a man with a cane.
"Heh heh heh… Don't worry. Someone else will take care of them."
Doflamingo gazed out at the sea meaningfully.
Elsewhere in the North Blue—
"Fire! Damn those Marines!"
After four years away from the Rockefeller Pirates, Vinsmoke Judge launched a full-scale war against the kingdoms of North Blue.
Armed with advanced technology, he conquered nearly all the kingdoms in just sixty-six days.
The World Government was enraged.
Admiral Kizaru (Borsalino) was deployed.
"Yo-ho-ho… Germa is scarier than I expected."
Watching the clone soldiers fearlessly charge forward, even Kizaru was slightly surprised.
If Charlotte saw this, he'd be livid.
Vinsmoke Judge had hidden this trump card all along—an army of cloned soldiers without emotion or fear, bred only for slaughter.
Using the resources gained during his time with the Rockefeller Pirates, Judge secretly perfected the technology.
He never told Charlotte.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Kizaru leapt into the air, launching a barrage of light bullets at the Germa soldiers.
Not one survived.
"Damn you!"
Judge roared with fury.
"Retreat!"
Reluctantly, Judge called for a retreat.
Thus ended the 66-day reign of the Germa 66 Kingdom.
Under Kizaru's assault, the Germa forces collapsed.
Looking at the devastation, Judge's hatred toward Kizaru festered.
"Devil Fruits… Devil Fruit soldiers… Lineage Factor…"
Judge recalled Vegapunk's ancient research.
Germa fell silent once more.
West Blue
"Fufufufu! Boys, the Thriller Pirates set sail! The Pirate King awaits!"
After five years of preparation, Gecko Moria stood at the helm, flanked by over a thousand pirates.
"Captain Moria forever! Long live Moria!"
They chanted his name.
Over the past five years, the Thriller Pirates had become the top pirate crew of the West Blue.
The man known as the Hero of the West—Gecko Moria—now began his march toward the Grand Line.
"Rockefeller Pirates… wait for me! Charlotte, I'll surpass you!"
Moria's eyes blazed with ambition.
East Blue
On a remote island…
The remnants of the Beasts Pirates, missing for seven years, were hiding in the East Blue.
After Charlotte killed Kaido, King and Queen fled Onigashima with Kaido's only heir—Yamato.
They eventually reached the East Blue.
"Uncle King! What's a Pirate King?"
A young girl skipped over with a newspaper in her hands.
King turned from the ocean and looked at Yamato tenderly.
"Yamato, do you want to become Pirate King?"
He patted her head.
"What is a Pirate King?" she asked curiously.
"The Pirate King… is the freest and strongest person on the seas."
King replied calmly.
"Then I'll be the Pirate King! I'll become strong and avenge my father!"
Yamato puffed up her cheeks with determination.
"Good. We're all waiting to see that day."
King smiled gently.
"Uncle King… who is my enemy?"
Yamato suddenly asked.
King fell silent.
"Yamato… when you're strong enough, I'll tell you. Right now, you're not ready to know."
King said firmly.
"I'll become strong!"
Yamato clenched her fists as icy mist curled around her.
"King! There you are!"
A loud voice rang out—Queen lumbered over.
"You need money again?"
King asked flatly.
"Well, hehe… research is expensive, you know. Can I get a little more?"
Queen scratched his head sheepishly.
"If you'd stay out of brothels, you'd have enough."
King clearly saw through his tricks.
"Ahaha! Missy, you're here too!"
Queen laughed, changing the subject.
"Uncle Queen!"
Yamato greeted him brightly.
The world, momentarily quiet after Roger's rise, was beginning to stir again.
Undercurrents were forming.
And soon, they would erupt into a storm.
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