Then, somewhere in the New World, deep beneath the sea, a large fish that had been hesitating suddenly froze, then turned sharply and began heading straight toward Wano Country.
Dangling from its head was a massive lantern, radiating a brilliant yet gentle light that illuminated the surrounding deep sea.
As the giant Giant Footballfish approached Wano, people on the surface were also stunned by something else.
The first-time bounties: Ace and the others.
"Are you kidding me!? Their first bounty and they're already at this level! The minimum is three hundred million! What kind of monsters are these people!?"
"They're all still under twenty! And they're already this strong?"
"The new members of the Beasts Pirates—each one of them is a monster!!"
Few could help but feel astonished.
After all, these newly bountied individuals were so young and so powerful that it was hard not to think of Ian and Yamato.
At Marine Headquarters.
"Wahahahaha! Ace! Their first bounty and they're already this strong!?"
Garp laughed so hard that tears nearly came to his eyes, slapping the tea table in front of him repeatedly.
"Garp! You old fool! What's so funny about this!?"
Across from him, the Fleet Admiral Sengoku behind the desk was practically grinding his teeth. "Your grandson became a pirate—and a subordinate of that bastard Ian! How is that something to be proud of!?"
"Hahahahaha! Isn't there still Luffy!?"
Garp gave a thumbs-up. "That kid has been working hard to become an outstanding Marine!"
Bang!
The office door swung open, and an excited black-haired boy rushed in.
"Grandpa! It's Ace! He's become a wanted pirate!"
The boy's face shone with a brilliant smile. "Amazing! One day, I'll be just like him!"
"Garp!!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku gritted his teeth.
How the hell did this idiot raise his grandson!
"Wahahahaha!"
Somewhere in the West Blue.
"Oh! Ace, is it?"
The red-haired man looked at the bounty in his hands, a small smile spreading across his lips. "He's all grown up now."
"The first bounty already exceeds 500 million. Looks like Ian really taught him well."
Beside him, Vice-Captain Beckman said calmly.
"Indeed, those kids back then… now they've all become incredible pirates!"
The red-haired man laughed heartily. "Maybe Ian is really good at raising kids!"
"Maybe he should become a teacher!"
Sabaody Archipelago.
Shakky's bar.
The old man, already white-haired, had dozed off on the bar counter.
His hand rested on a bounty poster, but a satisfied smile lingered on his lips.
East Blue.
Shimotsuki Village.
Shimotsuki Koushirou cheerfully pinned two bounty posters on the wall of the dojo.
After finishing, he stepped back a few paces to check if they were straight and properly aligned.
Then, looking at the young boy and girl on the posters, his smile grew even gentler.
"Zoro, Kuina… looks like you're both on the right path."
He adjusted his glasses. "Then don't hesitate. Keep moving forward."
Somewhere in the West Blue.
"Ace! It's Ace!"
A boy with light golden hair and a top hat excitedly showed the bounty poster in his hand to everyone he met along the way.
"That's my brother! My brother's pirate!"
His voice brimmed with pride, as if this were some grand reason to celebrate.
North Blue, an island somewhere.
"..."
Whitebeard quietly studied the wanted poster in his hands, taking a couple of swigs of sake.
Huh.
They do look somewhat alike.
"Cough… cough…"
He suddenly coughed twice.
Immediately, a few slender nurses in leopard-patterned stockings rushed over, their faces filled with urgency. "Father! We've told you, you can't drink so often anymore!"
"Gurarararara!"
Whitebeard, whose golden hair had mostly fallen out and was now wrapped in a black cloth, laughed heartily. "A man of the sea who doesn't drink might as well be dead!"
"Honestly…"
Marco couldn't help but shake his head beside him.
He had aged, but his temper hadn't changed a bit.
Meanwhile, the Beast Pirates had grown even stronger, and no one knew where they had found a bunch of strange little monsters.
Hive Island.
"The same two kids from back then, huh."
On a lounge chair by the beach, a man with eyes sharp as an eagle's studied the two wanted posters in his hands.
A slight smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The two brats who had once dared to challenge him recklessly had now apparently become impressive swordsmen.
Time really flies.
He picked up his treasured sword lying nearby.
The wide blade had turned completely black.
But he didn't channel any Armament Haki into it just yet.
"Maybe this is about enough."
Mihawk murmured to himself. "I think I've almost reached my limit."
"It's time to experience firsthand the strength of the strongest! Let me see what true peak power looks like!"
Ace and the others had indeed caused a huge shock to this world.
After all, the Beast Pirates were already terrifying, and even the former Marine Admiral Aokiji was now a high-ranking officer under Ian.
And when these terrifying young people grew even stronger, how powerful would the Beast Pirates become? People at sea could hardly imagine.
But all people could do was feel fear.
Who else would dare challenge the Beasts Pirates?
Even the World Government had to grit their teeth and tolerate their existence.
A few days later, near the waters of Wano Country.
Splash!
The sea, already restless and churning, suddenly rose violently.
A colossal creature leaped from the water in the next moment.
Most of its massive body shot into the sky, but lacking enough power, it crashed back down.
When it hit the ocean, it sent an enormous wave surging outward.
As the sea gradually calmed, a new island appeared on the surface.
No, it wasn't an island at all—it was a fish.
A massive fish, large enough to be mistaken for an island.
A truly colossal creature, several kilometers in length.
But what drew the most attention was the golden lantern that extended from its head.
Its golden glow was intense—not blinding, but utterly captivating.
"Roar!!"
The gigantic lantern fish opened its mouth and bellowed, its deep, resonant roar sending waves rippling across the sea in all directions.
The arrival of this enormous monster naturally caught the attention of the Beasts Pirates.
Not long after.
"So big!!"
On the shore, Yamato stared at the Sea King in astonishment. "There's a Sea King this huge?"
And huge it was.
Inside its belly, a special spectacle was unfolding.
Ian's lips curled into a smile.
"So, Ian," Law, who had been specifically called over, asked curiously, "what's so special about this Sea King?"
"You'll see soon enough," Ian replied.
**********
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