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As Ace had predicted, the next day's newspapers were all about the battle at G-5.
[SHOCKING! THE KING OF PARADISE VS. WHITEBEARD! WHITEBEARD SPITS BLOOD!]
[ARE THE WARLORDS WEAKER THAN THE YONKO? IN A BATTLE TO PROVE THEIR WORTH, A WARLORD DRIVES WHITEBEARD FROM G-5!]
[THE REAL SUPERNOVA! NEW WARLORD KING JIN CLASHES WITH EMPEROR WHITEBEARD!]
Those were the more reasonable headlines.
The tabloids were less kind.
[EXCLUSIVE! THE KING OF PARADISE KNOCKS DOWN WHITEBEARD WITH A SINGLE PUNCH!]
[KING JIN SEIZES WHITEBEARD'S TERRITORY! DECLARES HIMSELF THE NEW KING OF THE NEW WORLD?]
[WHITEBEARD DEFEATED! SERIOUSLY INJURED, FORCED TO RETREAT! HIS FATE UNKNOWN!]
The world was captivated.
"What? Whitebeard was defeated? That man who's more of a monster than a man... did he really fall?"
"Jin... that king again? He's too strong!"
"First a Warlord, now a Yonko..."
The narrative, carefully crafted by the newspapers, portrayed the battle as Jin defending the G-5 base from an attacking Whitebeard Pirates, who were eventually forced to retreat.
The fact that Ace, Vista, and the others had been rescued was conveniently omitted.
Naturally, those who didn't know the full story would assume that Jin had defeated Whitebeard.
This, of course, was exactly what the World Government and the Marines wanted.
By propping up Jin, by glorifying his status as a Warlord, they could reinforce the Warlord system and maintain the balance of power. At the same time, it would boost the confidence of the member nations and the people of the world in the Marines and the World Government.
It was the same strategy they had used to create the "Hero," Garp. How many young people had been inspired to join the Marines by the name "Garp the Fist"?
But Garp was old now.
The World Government and the Marines needed a new symbol, a new flag to rally behind.
Jin wasn't their ideal candidate.
But he had no competition.
—————————
Windmill Village.
The tavern was buzzing with talk of the news.
"Even Whitebeard was defeated?"
"He's too strong!"
"Hey! Do you think he could beat Shanks?"
"No way!" Luffy shouted, jumping up from his seat. "Shanks is the freest, strongest pirate on the sea!"
"But you said you were going to be the King of the Pirates, Luffy. What are you going to do when you meet Shanks then?"
"That's easy! I'll give him back his hat... and then I'll beat him!"
Cocoyasi Village.
King's Paradise, the air force base and municipal hall of the Conomi Islands, was a playground for the local children during off-hours.
"Amazing!"
"He beat the World's Strongest Man?"
"The King is so cool!"
"Does that mean the King is the new World's Strongest Man?"
From her cartography room, Nami pushed open the window and looked out at the playing children, a small smile on her face.
The Baratie.
The restaurant wasn't open yet, but the chefs were already prepping for the day.
"Sanji! Your brother-in-law is in the news again," Patty said, walking in with a stack of newspapers.
"Hah?" Sanji, dressed in his chef's uniform, shot him a dark look. "Hey! I told you, he is NOT my brother-in-law!"
"You sure you don't want to see this?" Patty said. "It's big news. Your brother-in-law beat Whitebeard."
"I told you, he's not—"
"Eh? Really? But your sister is in the picture!"
"NANI?" Sanji was in front of Patty in a flash, snatching the newspaper from his hands.
Loguetown.
"Dammit... that guy really knows how to hog the spotlight," Smoker grumbled, a thick cloud of smoke curling from his cigar. He was cursing, but his eyes were filled with envy.
Whitebeard...
—————————
On Drum Island, Hannabal, and Asuka Island, under the flag of the Winter Blossom Kingdom, the people were ecstatic.
"Did you hear? The King defeated Whitebeard!"
"What? Really?"
"You don't know? It's all over the news this morning! I hear Whitebeard got his ass kicked..."
Citizens, merchants, farmers—everyone was talking about it.
Whitebeard... he had been a great pirate for so long, his name was a legend. He was a symbol of an era. Many people in their thirties and forties had grown up on stories of his exploits.
And now, he had been defeated.
A wave of national pride swept through the kingdom.
When they went out to do business, to boast...
"Yeah? Well my king is the man who beat Whitebeard. Who the hell is your king?!"
Now that was a power move.
(Hanafuda: Finally! I'm free! I'm no longer just the background character they drag out to get beaten up!)
The national pride and sense of belonging in the Winter Blossom Kingdom skyrocketed.
The young people idolized their king. The women... well, the king was now the standard by which all other men were judged.
The municipal halls and administrative offices on all the islands held celebrations. The atmosphere was frenetic.
Even the pirates were celebrating.
What? The king beat one of the Four Emperors? All the more reason to celebrate.
The king beat Whitebeard, which means we're the crew of the man who beat Whitebeard! We're awesome! We're out here killin' it with the king!
The sun of the Winter Blossom Kingdom was shining bright.
Amazon Lily.
Hancock held the newspaper, her heart filled with joy. She carefully cut out the articles and pictures and pasted them on the walls of her room.
Gloriosa found it strange. She was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. But she showed no signs of lovesickness.
She couldn't figure it out.
—————————
The New World.
With the deliberate propaganda from the Marines and the World Government, Whitebeard's territories were soon engulfed in flames.
Kaido, Big Mom, Doflamingo, and the other powers all began to make their moves, testing the waters, probing for weakness.
The division commanders and the captains of the allied fleets were constantly on the move, brutally crushing the upstart pirates who dared to challenge them.
Fish-Man Island was also under attack.
Fortunately, Jinbe was there to help, and they were able to repel many of the invaders.
But Whitebeard's condition was a cause for great concern for the people of Fish-Man Island.
King Neptune, who had been hesitant before, now summoned Jinbe, urging him to contact the Winter Blossom Kingdom as soon as possible.
He was ready to jump ship.
—————————
The news of what had happened at G-5 quickly spread throughout Totto Land.
The man who had repelled Whitebeard became, in a single day, the object of curiosity and admiration for every woman in the kingdom.
"Did he really beat Whitebeard?" Big Mom asked, lying on her massive bed, a piece of cake in one hand.
"We're not sure, Mama," Smoothie replied. "It seems more like a plot by the World Government."
"But," Snack added, "with the strength he showed when he beat Katakuri... it's possible."
"Hmph," Big Mom grumbled. "Whitebeard... would never lose to some young punk. Do you hear me?"
Snack jumped. Whitebeard's defeat should have been a good thing. Why was Mama so unhappy about it?
"It must be a plot!" he quickly corrected himself.
"Yes! A plot!" the Homies all chimed in. "A despicable plot by the Marines and the World Government!"
Big Mom stood up, satisfied.
The room suddenly grew bright, and a cheerful tune began to play.
"Hahaha! Mamamama!"
A sun, looking like a child's drawing of a smiley face, floated happily beside her. A white cloud spun to the music.
The flowers, the teacups, the furniture—they all came to life, swaying to the beat. They were all Homies, created by Big Mom herself.
"How many days until the Tea Party?" she sang.
"Two days, Mama!"
"Whoever receives an invitation must attend! A sweet moment... a living sacrifice for the devil!"
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