"Don't worry. He's not dead."
Looking at the worried faces of Sengoku and the others, Luffy spoke up, easing their tension.
"I told you, I came here to stop the war."
"Though, coming from someone like me, it may sound ridiculous…"
"But the existence of the Marines still plays an important role."
"That's why I never lead my crew to recklessly storm Marine territory."
...
Luffy's nonchalant words fell slowly, yet to everyone present, they carried an odd, commanding weight.
It was as if…
He didn't even see the various powers around him as worth noticing.
And soon, his next move made every single person there believe—he truly possessed this kind of strength.
Before Sengoku could respond, Luffy preemptively made the decision for him, continuing:
"As for the second reason I came here…"
He turned his gaze to the high platform and began walking forward.
"It's to clarify something with you…"
"Please, in the future, tell that one who sits above all others…"
"Don't go too far. Eight hundred years is enough—time to restrain yourselves a little."
"Otherwise…"
Luffy stopped mid-sentence, his gaze fixed mysteriously on the World Government flag fluttering high above.
"Otherwise… the sky might just change color!"
He had intended to say: this had little to do with his own goal. But he refused to let meaningless history block his path.
Yet, the words took on a different flavor as they left his mouth.
Because he suddenly realized:
The stronger he became, the more influential his actions could be.
Though he had always aimed for the stars, guiding himself and his crew forward,
Back then, the goal had seemed distant, so words like these could be spoken easily.
But now…
With their current strength, escaping all influence seemed almost impossible.
At the very least,
If Sabo wanted to lead the Revolutionary Army to overthrow the World Government, Luffy could never stand aside.
Even though he had already ensured that Ivakov delivered the Flame-Flame Fruit to Sabo.
Even so…
Luffy didn't believe that Imu could be defeated so easily by an organization decades in the making.
And behind Imu… there was an even stronger force.
Power could also be a form of chains.
Which meant he needed even greater strength to break these chains.
Whoosh!
A massive blaze erupted around Luffy!
Solid and visible, yet neither warm nor felt by the body.
The dazzling flames instantly drew everyone's attention.
Leaping gracefully, Luffy landed on the high platform.
The subtle pressure he radiated brushed against the Den Den Mushi transmitting to the entire world.
In an instant, it was reactivated.
Luffy had…
Made his decision.
...
Zzzt…
Sabaody Archipelago.
A sharp electronic beep pierced the air.
The noisy crowd in the plaza fell completely silent.
Because on the pitch-black screen, a flash of white suddenly appeared.
Then the screen slowly "blinked open," like an eye just waking from sleep, until the entire display was revealed.
The previously blurred image sharpened, and the voice and figure on it reached the eyes and ears of everyone below.
"Who is that!?"
At the center of everyone's attention stood Luffy, fully visible.
"It's… it's…"
A reporter squinted at the screen, focusing on the figure.
"It's… the captain of the Starry Sky Pirates!!! Monkey D. Luffy!!!"
"What!? He's the captain of the boy who just defeated Whitebeard!!"
"Wait… look, he's about to say something!"
Snap!
Luffy cracked his fingers crisply on-screen.
In an instant, the entire world went silent.
Everything was still.
Luffy's presence pressed down through the Den Den Mushi, over the whole world.
Cold, proud eyes stared from the screen into the hearts of everyone watching.
A shiver ran through all who saw him; hairs stood on end.
With every word that left Luffy's mouth, his authority reached directly into their minds.
"The war… is over."
A simple sentence, yet it explained everything that had happened today.
"Honestly, I didn't come here to do anything specific."
Luffy looked down at the crowd and continued:
"The Starry Sky Pirates were founded to break the chains of this world and reach the vast, unending stars beyond it."
"What is he talking about!?"
"I don't know, but… I feel like something big is about to happen…"
The confused crowd stared at the cold, determined face on the screen, a strange excitement rising in their hearts.
From the platform, Luffy continued:
"Now, the Starry Sky Pirates have the strength to break the rules."
"But rules have always constrained us!"
"Chains have always held us back."
"So today, I've decided to make what I think is a ridiculous decision!"
He looked at the crowd, then suddenly raised his arm.
His fingers slowly clenched into a fist, pointing at the people below—and through them, at everyone in the world.
"What do you think lies at the end of this world!?"
"Raftel? The Pirate King?"
"The Fleet Admiral? Or the Celestial Dragons!?"
"Today, I will tell you!"
"None of it!!"
========
Mary Geoise.
In a vast hall, the Five Elders sat before a large screen, watching the live broadcast of the top-level battle.
"Damn it! He seems to know something!!?"
"Cut the Den Den Mushi feed! We cannot let more people learn the truth!!!"
"The blood of the Celestial Dragons must never rise again!!!"
"No! The Den Den Mushi is single-line! We can't control it!"
"Call all CP0 agents! Bring Daz Bonez!! Stop them immediately at Marineford!!!"
...
Across the world, Luffy's words stirred every ear.
The Celestial Dragons!?
A terrifying presence that even ordinary people dare not mention…
Yet today, someone dared speak publicly about them!
Even civilians pretending to ignore it couldn't stop their ears from straining to catch every word, every character, every punctuation mark from Luffy.
Donquixote Doflamingo wiped cold sweat from his brow.
Caught in the swirling currents of this era, he felt an unusual thrill, sensing his own presence.
Yet from the information he had protected for decades, the world seemed poised at an unprecedented turning point.
All he could do was mask his confusion with his usual laughter.
Luffy slowly raised his hand to the sky.
If he couldn't escape the tide of the era… he would guide it.
He vaguely remembered having told Robin this a few years ago.
Never thought he'd truly have a day to perform such a bold act.
Facing the blazing sun, Luffy slowly closed his eyes.
The intense sunlight, as if drawn to the item on his arm guard, concentrated all its rays upon him.
And Luffy's voice rang out again, carried by the omnipresent light, spreading to every corner of the world:
"Let me begin!!!"
"The era of the great universe!!!!"