Brannew deliberately avoided further mention of Garp and continued smoothly.
"Although the threat of the Rocks Pirates was ended thirty-six years ago, the danger posed by this Three Emperors Alliance far exceeds what Rocks represented back then."
"First—the Phoenix Pirates."
"The Phoenix Pirates are the successors to the Whitebeard Pirates. After the Marineford War, the Whitebeard Pirates suffered devastating losses. We originally believed they would fade away with time… but we were wrong."
He looked around the room.
"The former First Division Commander, Marco, reversed that decline. After assuming the role of captain, he stabilized the remnants and revived the pirate crew."
"Immediately after Marineford, the Phoenix Pirates were arguably the weakest among the four emperors. However, their core members survived, and those who lived through the hell of Marineford have only grown stronger. Their current combat effectiveness likely surpasses what it was during the war."
The Marines' expressions grew increasingly grave.
"Not long ago," Brannew continued, "Jinbe the Knight of the Sea and the Fishmen Pirates formally joined the Phoenix Pirates. In addition, Marco absorbed more than three thousand pirates from the Wang Zhi Pirates and Beehive Island. Although they haven't fully returned to Whitebeard's peak, their strength has increased dramatically."
"The Phoenix Pirates' main crew now exceeds sixteen hundred members. With over forty subordinate pirate crews, their total force surpasses thirty thousand, and they currently control the largest territory in the New World, positioned deep in its latter half."
He paused briefly before moving on.
"Next—the Beasts Pirates."
"This pirate crew was founded over thirty years ago. Kaido later seized Wano Country as his stronghold. The Beasts Pirates' main force numbers around twenty thousand, supplemented by approximately ten thousand samurai and ninja from Wano."
"In addition, they command twenty-seven subordinate pirate crews totaling more than twenty thousand pirates. Altogether, the Beasts Pirates field over fifty thousand troops, primarily concentrated in Wano and dominating the central region of the New World."
Brannew's tone hardened as he reached the third name.
"Finally—the Big Mom Pirates."
"Among the three Emperors, they possess the greatest overall numbers. Charlotte Linlin went to sea earlier than most and built her empire over decades. Her core crew consists entirely of her children and relatives—blood-bound and fiercely loyal."
"The main Big Mom Pirates force exceeds twenty-two thousand, with thirty-four subordinate crews totaling roughly thirty thousand more."
"And that's not all."
"Within her territory exist more than fifty thousand Homies soldiers, created by the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit. Each Homie possesses independent consciousness and formidable combat ability. Factoring in all forces, Big Mom commands over one hundred thousand troops, making her the Emperor with the greatest manpower, ruling the first half of the New World."
A heavy silence filled the room as several Marines swallowed nervously.
Brannew then added, "For comparison, let's briefly discuss the Red Hair Pirates."
"Red-Haired Shanks is the youngest of the Four Emperors and controls the smallest territory. His numbers are also the lowest."
"However," Brannew emphasized, "every member of the Red Hair Pirates is an elite. Their main crew numbers just over twenty individuals, yet their bounties are evenly distributed—earning them the nickname 'Impregnable Pirates.'"
"They command slightly over a dozen subordinate pirate crews, totaling nearly ten thousand pirates. However, these subordinate forces are relatively weak, making them the least threatening among Emperor-level subordinates."
Having finished his overview, Brannew returned to the core issue.
"Now—back to the Three Emperors Alliance."
"Based on these figures, once the Beasts Pirates, Phoenix Pirates, and Big Mom Pirates unite, their combined usable forces will approach two hundred thousand."
At that number, the Marines visibly stiffened.
During the Marineford War, the Marines had deployed only one hundred thousand troops—and still paid a terrible price.
Now, the alliance alone fielded twice that number.
And worse still…
Those forces were led by three Yonko.
The Marines present had witnessed the power of an Emperor firsthand at Marineford. They knew the truth all too well—
Only an Admiral could stand against one.
And now there were three.
After listening to the analysis, Fujitora couldn't help but sigh.
"It seems the Three Emperors Alliance truly poses a grave threat to the world."
Ryokugyu's expression turned serious as well. "Fleet Admiral, what are your intentions?"
Sakazuki snorted coldly, irritation clear in his voice. "The Gorosei have already issued their orders. We're to deal with the Three Emperors Alliance as quickly as possible."
Kizaru raised an eyebrow. "No concrete plan?"
"The directive is simple," Sakazuki replied icily. "Concentrate our forces and eliminate one of the Emperors first. Break their alliance at its foundation."
The room fell into thoughtful silence.
Kizaru tapped his chin, a sly smile creeping onto his face. "So that means a direct clash with at least one Emperor, huh? That won't be easy. Since they've already allied, attacking one will almost certainly draw the other two. And if we take the initiative, we'd be fighting on their home turf—hardly an advantage."
In theory, the Marines could mobilize two hundred thousand—perhaps even three hundred thousand—troops from the Four Seas and the Grand Line. But in practice, such a deployment was unsustainable. They couldn't commit all their elite forces to the New World while leaving other Marine bases exposed.
The problem of troop deployment immediately became a deadlock.
If they did nothing, the Three Emperors Alliance would steadily swallow the New World.
If they acted rashly, they risked being crushed by three Emperors at once.
And even if they chose to strike—who should they strike first?
Judging purely by recent losses, the Phoenix Pirates seemed the weakest. They had just endured the Marineford War, and eliminating them would be the most achievable victory. Killing Ace in the process could also wash away the humiliation the Marines had suffered at Marineford.
But there was a problem.
The Phoenix Pirates were entrenched deep in the latter half of the New World—far from the New Marineford Headquarters.
By comparison, Totto Land was much closer. Big Mom herself was arguably the weakest of the three Emperors in terms of individual strength—but her forces were overwhelmingly numerous.
No matter how they looked at it, every choice carried its own risk.
The Marines were trapped in a dilemma.
—
New World—Red Hair Pirates
Red-Haired Shanks stared at the news with a faint look of helplessness. Beside him, Benn Beckman exhaled a stream of smoke and asked, "Shanks… what do we do now?"
Shanks gazed up at the clear blue sky, lost in thought. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Gather everyone. Prepare to leave the New World."
"Boss, we're really leaving?" Lucky Roux asked as he walked over. "What about our territories?"
Shanks flashed a carefree grin. "Abandon them. We never had much territory to begin with—and once everyone's gone, holding onto land is meaningless."
Yasopp hesitated, then asked, "And what if some of our people don't want to leave? A lot of the pirates under our banner have already stopped living like pirates."
Shanks let out a bitter chuckle.
Most of those flying his flag were old, injured, or worn down by the sea. Without the reputation of the Red Hair Pirates, many of them wouldn't survive in the New World at all.
But the New World was no longer a place even he could treat lightly.
The sheer pressure of the Three Emperors Alliance was enough to force even Red-Haired Shanks to step back—for now.
"Tell them the truth," Shanks said quietly. "We're pirates. If they don't want to leave, we won't force them. As for us… we'll roam the Four Seas for a while."
"…Alright."
The decision was made.
And the winds of the era shifted once more.
—
In the depths of the Grand Line's Calm Belt, on a remote island untouched by the world's chaos, Straw Hat Luffy was deep in Haki training under the watchful eye of Dark King Silvers Rayleigh.
After the Marineford War, Ace had secretly arranged for Luffy to be sent to the Sabaody Archipelago. Luffy had originally planned to reunite with his crew there, but after a long and serious talk with Rayleigh, he made a difficult choice. Instead of meeting his crew right away, he decided to stay behind and train under Rayleigh for two full years—preparing himself before setting sail once more.
Around this time, the Kuja Pirates also arrived on the island. Empress Boa Hancock hurried over the moment she sensed Luffy's presence, her cheeks burning red as she spoke shyly,
"L-Luffy… I have come to see you."
Luffy flashed his trademark grin, baring his teeth as he replied casually,
"Oh! Long time no see, Hancock!"
"Y-Yes…"
At his words, Hancock instantly cupped her face with both hands, her entire face turning crimson. She ducked behind her sister, her thoughts spiraling into overly romantic wedding fantasies.
Standing beside her, Elder Nyon shot Hancock a deadpan look.
"She's always talking about marriage, yet she still can't even look him in the eye," she muttered helplessly.
Shaking her head, Nyon turned toward Rayleigh.
"Rayleigh, something big has happened out there. Take a look at today's newspaper."
"Oh?" Rayleigh raised an eyebrow, mildly intrigued as he accepted the paper. The moment his eyes scanned the headline, his expression changed.
"A Three Emperors Alliance… I never thought I'd see something like this happen in the New World."
"A Three Emperors Alliance?" Luffy walked over immediately, curiosity written all over his face.
His eyes widened when he spotted the images.
"Hey! Isn't that Pineapple Head from Whitebeard's ship?"
Rayleigh sighed softly and explained,
"Yes. After Whitebeard's death, Marco took command of the Whitebeard Pirates. He even defeated Big Mom—one of the former Four Yonko—and solidified his position as a newly crowned Emperor himself."
Luffy stared in awe.
"That guy's incredible! I knew he was strong back when we saved Ace, but this is on a whole other level!"
Rayleigh, however, couldn't share Luffy's excitement. His gaze darkened with concern.
With a Three Emperors Alliance in place, the New World had effectively become a dead end for most pirates. Even if Luffy completed his training and sailed out with his crew in two years, facing such an overwhelming force would leave the Straw Hat Pirates with no chance at all.
"The Marines won't stay silent after something like this," Rayleigh said gravely.
"A move of this scale is bound to provoke a response."
Hancock snapped out of her daze and spoke with rare seriousness.
"Don't worry! If the Marines make any move at all, I will inform you immediately."
Luffy grinned again.
"Mm! Thanks, Hancock!"
—
Meanwhile—Wano Country, Onigashima
The following day, the captains and top executives of the three pirate crews gathered once more inside a grand conference hall. At the center stood a triangular table, and behind it hung three massive pirate flags, each representing one of the Emperors.
Kaido leaned back in his seat and laughed.
"Worororo! Marco, Linlin—did you enjoy yesterday's banquet?"
"Mama mama mama!" Big Mom chuckled, eyeing the triangular table.
"It wasn't bad at all! I didn't expect you to be this considerate, Kaido. I thought you'd just throw together any old table!"
Kaido roared with laughter.
"Worororo! Of course not! Our crews stand as equals—why would I do something so careless?"
Suddenly, Ace slammed his hands on the table and stood up, his voice echoing through the hall.
"Hey, Kaido—what did you do to Yamato?!"
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