World Economic News · Front Page Headline
"Heavenly Quake! Marine "Heaven Quake"!!!
"Heaven Quake" Gurn Heavily Wounds Flying Sky Pirates Captain, Pirate Fleet Admiral Golden Lion Shiki! The curtain of a new era rises!"
Subtitle: "The untouchable sky was shattered, and the Flying Sky Fleet Admiral's blood dyed the sky!"
News Photo: Gurn holding black blade eight desolations tearing the world apart, the sky shattered, purple-black lightning entwining the blade.
Golden Lion's eyes rolled back, blood gushing from his chest at that instant.
Caption below the photo: "This single strike will change the world!"
In the past, Gurn's reputation was always spread intentionally.
Those scattered reports were found in small tabloids across the Four Blues, which had not yet been monopolized by Morgans, like stones thrown into the sea, their ripples vanishing in an instant.
However, fate is always full of irony.
This time, a strike made without intention, caused the World Economic News's full propaganda machine to roar to life.
Front page headlines, special extra editions, sea bulletins... all channels were frantically spreading the same name.
Relying on the fame of almost killing the peak legendary pirate, Flying Sky Fleet Admiral Golden Lion, with a single strike!
Within just twenty-four hours, the name 'Heaven Quake' swept across the entire Grand Line like a tsunami.
From Marineford to the New World, from Mary Geoise to Fish-Man Island, every corner of the world was talking about this name that almost changed the world's pattern!
.......
New World, Whitebeard Pirates · Moby Dick
In four years, the Whitebeard Pirates had already taken shape.
The future cadres had already appeared on the ship, and Whitebeard greatly enjoyed the pleasure of taking on sons.
"Gurararara! Shiki, if he had been a little stronger, you would have truly died!"
On the Moby Dick's deck chair, Whitebeard, wearing a white Captain's hat and an open Captain's coat, revealing his muscular chest and scars, leaned back.
His hearty laughter made the deck tremble, as he held today's newspaper in one hand.
Marco, Jozu, Vista, and a group of other young people immediately gathered around.
"Pops, what's written in this newspaper... is it true?" Marco's eyes widened, his entire expression not looking good.
Whitebeard slammed the newspaper onto the table, and set his sake bowl down heavily: "That Navy brat who blocked my attack three years ago can now cut that Shiki into such a state!"
As he spoke, a hint of admiration flashed in Whitebeard's eyes, "Marco, I didn't lie to you, did I?
This guy said he would make his name resound throughout the sea! He really did it!
Gurararara! I really want to fight him again and try him out!"
Watching Pops and Marco's conversation, young Jozu rubbed his head, his face full of disbelief.
"Golden Lion is a legend on par with Roger and Pops! And he was just... by a Marine rookie..."
Vista also mused: "However, 'Heaven Quake'... this title."
"Hmph! Because this Marine's ability is almost exactly the same as Pops's!" Marco suddenly spoke.
At these words, everyone on the Moby Dick simultaneously exclaimed, "Oh!!!"
"Marco, is that true or false?"
"Is this Marine's ability exactly the same as Pops's?!"
"Pops is a man who can destroy the world!"
Looking at the ignorant crowd, Marco suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction.
It was the feeling of knowing something that others didn't.
So Marco's lips curved upwards, and he recounted everything that happened back in the West Blue.
For a moment, the Whitebeard Pirates were stunned, especially during the part where Gurn and Whitebeard clashed.
"Then did he also achieve this by relying on the same Devil Fruit ability as Pops this time?" Jozu pouted.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, Whitebeard tapped his head with the hilt of Murakumogiri.
"Heh, Gurn's Devil Fruit ability is much more terrifying than mine!
You'll know if you experience it yourselves sometime!" Whitebeard took a swig of sake, his eyes narrowing.
"And he didn't rely on a Devil Fruit this time!"
"Gurn..." Whitebeard's gaze deepened.
"This guy, I'm afraid he'll become our most troublesome enemy in the future!"
...
At the same time, in another sea area of the New World, Roger Pirates · Oro Jackson
"Captain!! Captain Roger! Something terrible has happened!!!" Little Buggy, who had just received the newspaper from a seagull, instantly shouted from the stern all the way to the bow upon seeing the headline photo.
"Golden Lion has been cut down by the Marine!!!"
"Hey hey hey! What are you talking about, Buggy." Five-year-old Shanks snatched the newspaper, his eyes almost popping out, "Golden Lion was cut down?!"
"Why would I lie to you, Shanks." Buggy clutched his shoulder, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"You're lying!" Shanks looked at the photo and the report, swallowing hard.
"That's Golden Lion! A guy even Captain Roger has to take seriously..."
"What, what..." Jabba, who was joining the fun and trying to get into the shot with the two apprentices, immediately froze when he glimpsed Golden Lion's expression in the photo. "How is this possible...?"
"It seems something incredible has happened!" Rayleigh pushed up his glasses and took the newspaper from Shanks's hand, carefully examining the purple-black blade light in the photo.
"This slash, Haoshoku...?"
At this moment, Roger, who was fishing, suddenly turned his head, a grin on his face.
"What's wrong, Rayleigh? I heard Buggy and Shanks shouting early in the morning."
"Roger, you'd better look at this." Rayleigh's face was slightly grim as he handed over the newspaper. "That Shiki... suffered a great loss."
Seeing Rayleigh's expression, Roger took the newspaper, scanned it, and after a long silence, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Shiki has his day too!"
"Captain!" Seeing Roger laughing, Jabba, wearing small round glasses, pursed his lips.
"This is no joke. If that strike had landed on me,
I wouldn't have been able to escape like Golden Lion! Now there's an incredible person in the Marine."
"I know, I know." Roger wiped away the tears from laughing.
"You know and you're still laughing!"
The deck gradually quieted down. As Jabba led Shanks and the others away, only the sound of waves lapping against the ship remained.
Roger sat casually on the railing, his gaze under his straw hat fixed on the distant horizon, while Rayleigh stood beside him.
"Roger." Rayleigh suddenly spoke, a sharp glint in his eyes behind his glasses. "Although the photo is blurry, you still recognized it, didn't you?"
The sea breeze suddenly picked up, and Roger's lips curved into a nostalgic arc: "Of course..." His fingers unconsciously traced the wood grain on the railing.
"That was Rocks's most prized creation."
Rayleigh noticed the complex look that flashed in Roger's eyes.
It was the look one only had when facing an old enemy, mixed with fighting spirit and nostalgia.
"I never thought..." Roger jumped off the railing, his red coat flapping in the wind.
"That blade would choose a Navy brat." He turned to Rayleigh, excitement flickering in his eyes, "Don't you think this is very interesting?"
Rayleigh gently pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the shimmering waves: "Isn't this what you always call 'fate'?"
"It seems the tide of the new era... is even fiercer than we expected."
Roger suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter startling the seagulls on the mast, then he spread his arms, as if to embrace the entire sea.
"This is too interesting! I really want to go fight that 'Heaven Quake' right now!"
"After all... Rocks's blade isn't something just anyone can wield."
Rayleigh looked at the surging waves in the distance, a playful smile appearing on his lips: "That arrogant Shiki, he's probably throwing a tantrum somewhere right now, isn't he?"
The two exchanged a smile, the salty sea breeze sweeping across the deck.
In this brief tranquility, they seemed to once again see the figure that once made the world tremble—the man who held the Black Blade and stood at the pinnacle of his era.
And now, that blade had chosen a new master.
.......
Flying Sky Pirates · Flying Lion
"Boom!!!" The entire palace trembled under the impact of Haoshoku, precious decorations shattering one after another.
"Gurn!!!" Golden Lion growled, blood continuously seeping from the bandages wrapped around his upper body.
That hideous sword wound, piercing from his shoulder to his abdomen, left him with a permanent mark of shame!
"Admiral, your injury..." Doctor Indigo spoke timidly.
"Shut up!" Golden Lion suddenly turned his head, Haoshoku erupting, causing all the surrounding pirates to fall to their knees.
He, meanwhile, stared intently at the photo in the newspaper, especially at his own ugly self.
"This brat... must die!"
"Send out the order!" Golden Lion's voice was like a demon crawling out of an abyss, "From today onwards, the Flying Sky Pirates...
Will fully hunt 'Heaven Quake' Gurn! As long as you can kill this guy, I'll give you anything you want!!
I want his blood... to dye the entire sea red!"
(Just like when Shiki escaped, blood continuously splattered from the sky into the sea.)
.......
Just as the eyes of the entire world were focused on the young man called "Heaven Quake," in the infirmary of the warship returning to Marineford,
Gurn sat quietly by the bed, staring out the window. The black blade eight desolations, unwrapped, stood by the bed, its blade reflecting a cold, sharp light.
Outside the door, Zephyr stood quietly, holding a tray of breakfast. "You're awake, Gurn."
Hearing Zephyr's voice, Gurn slightly turned his head, "Teacher Zephyr...."
"Heh, that strike of yours almost changed the world's pattern!
The one who shattered the sky!
Now, the name 'Heaven Quake' shakes the era!"