Fleet Admiral Sengoku's massive warship cleaved through the rolling waves, its prow pointed toward the heart of justice at Marineford. At the same time, countless News Coos flapped their wings across the Grand Line, scattering the latest edition of the newspapers over every major sea route.
The moment the papers were unfolded, countless pairs of eyes widened in absolute shock. The front-page headline was written in a bold, crimson-red font that seemed ready to tear through the paper itself:
"BIG NEWS! The Battle of Edd War Concludes! The Flying Admiral Severely Wounded and Captured!!"
"A Marine Supernova Emerges! The Monster Who Controls Natural Disasters — 'Child of the Storm' Kane!"
Accompanying the sensationalist article was an intensely impactful photograph. Within a pitch-black, world-ending storm, a young man in a tattered Marine uniform floated in the air. One of his hands directed the swirling tempest, while the other commanded colossal waves that dwarfed the horizon. Beneath his feet lay the shattered wreckage of countless warships and a burning ocean.
In the bottom right corner, a close-up was thoughtfully included for the readers: Golden Lion Shiki, with a massive ship's rudder embedded directly into the center of his skull, his face a mask of blood and agonizing despair.
"Big News" Morgans had personally taken up the pen for this story. He had crafted Kane into the perfect hero: a man of far-sighted vision, exceptional courage, and a soul willing to risk everything to uphold the tenets of justice. According to the report, he had single-handedly charged into the fray, toying with the legendary pirate Shiki as he pleased.
Even Roger's narrow escape was attributed to the immense pressure brought by the "Child of the Storm."
The New World, a certain stretch of sea.
On the giant whale-shaped ship, the Moby Dick, the atmosphere was as boisterous and lively as ever.
"Pops! Look at today's news!"
A young blonde boy with a pineapple-shaped hairstyle ran hurriedly across the deck, waving the morning paper in his hand.
"Gurararara... Is there any news more interesting than my booze, Marco?"
From the massive main seat, Edward Newgate's voice rumbled like distant thunder, making the deck planks vibrate. He was currently at his peak, his physique mountain-like and imposing. He held a wine bowl the size of a bathtub, and his long, golden hair cascaded over his shoulders, vibrant and eye-catching.
"It's about the Golden Lion! He's been captured by the Marines!" Marco shouted as he handed over the paper.
"Oh?"
Whitebeard set down his wine bowl and took the thin sheet of paper. When his eyes landed on the photo of Shiki's wretched state, he paused for a moment before bursting into a fit of thunderous laughter.
"Gurarararara! That idiot Shiki! I told him long ago that you can't conquer this sea by relying on that scrap metal! To be reduced to such a state by a Marine brat... how utterly disgraceful!"
He laughed, but his gaze eventually fell on the close-up of the "Child of the Storm" beside the headline.
"Kane... is it?"
Whitebeard muttered the name quietly. His eyes lingered on the descriptions in the paper: "Awakened Haoshoku," "controls super storms," and other phrases of high praise. He threw back his head and took a large gulp of strong liquor, a bold, wild grin curling at the corner of his mouth.
"That Garp... he actually managed to hide such an impressive brat!"
"Gurararara, this era is getting more and more interesting!"
The New World, a certain island saturated with sickly-sweet aromas.
"Mamamamama! This is truly incredible news!"
Charlotte Linlin was not yet the monstrously obese figure she would become in two decades. Though her frame was still massive, she retained a wild, voluptuous silhouette. She sat on a throne piled high with biscuits and candies, pinching the newspaper between two fingers as if it were a delicate napkin.
Her eyes were glued to the photo of Kane. His handsome features were still discernible despite the blood and grime.
"That look in his eyes... this destructive power... and Haoshoku!"
Linlin stuck out her tongue, licking her lips which were painted with bright red lipstick.
"Mamamamama! Such excellent bloodline! If it could be combined with my family..."
She suddenly stood up with excitement, her massive body causing the entire palace to tremble on its foundations.
"Perospero! Go! Find out everything you can about this 'Child of the Storm'!"
"I want him! I want him to become my husband! To bear me the strongest offspring! Mamamamama!"
A certain unnamed desert island, where the Beasts Pirates were currently recuperating.
The Kaido of this era had not yet grown his iconic long beard; he looked much younger and far more ferocious than his later self. He sat alone, holding a gigantic gourd of liquor.
"Wahhhh... That idiot Shiki... he actually got himself locked up just like that..."
Kaido cried and drank simultaneously, tears and snot streaming down his face in a classic display of his drunken tantrum mode.
"Talking about ruling the world... and then gets taken down by a Marine brat... So shameful! Hic!"
He slammed the newspaper onto the ground. His spiked club, Hassaikai, crashed down with a boom, creating a deep crater in the island's soil.
"The Storm-Storm Fruit? Sounds pretty powerful..."
Kaido's crying abruptly stopped. With bleary, drunken eyes, he picked the paper back up and stared at Kane's photo. His gaze gradually shifted from sorrow to a kind of destructive, brutal desire.
"If he can beat Shiki... does that mean he can kill me too?"
"Uwohohohoho!"
Kaido suddenly threw his head back and roared to the sky, his drunkenness instantly transforming into pure battle lust.
"Good! Excellent! You Marine brat! Once I have firmly established myself in Wano Country, you are next! I will come find you for a proper fight!"
"I hope... you can kill me! Uwohohohoho!!!"
The whole world was shaking. Whether it was the branch bases across the four seas or the pirate crews in the New World, everyone now remembered the name "Kane." Overnight, he had risen from an unknown recruit to a Marine Supernova powerful enough to shake the very structure of the seas.
And Kane, the man at the center of this global storm, was currently lying in the special care ward of Sengoku's warship, enjoying the privileges befitting a "hero."
"Mr. Kane! Here is the iced orange juice you asked for. I added extra honey just for you!"
"Lord Kane! Could you please give me an autograph? Right here on my uniform! My little sister absolutely idolizes you!"
"Brother Kane! Does your wound still hurt? If you don't mind, I can stay on duty tonight. I am very good at massage..."
Looking at the group of starry-eyed young nurses and Marine soldiers before him, Kane wore his usual, signature "Gentle" smile. He was perfectly replicating the heroic image portrayed in the newspaper.
"You are all too kind. I just did what was necessary for justice."
"Of course an autograph is fine, as long as you don't mind my ugly handwriting."
"No need to trouble yourselves with staying on duty. Everyone must be tired from the battle; please go rest. I will be fine on my own."
He responded to each person with polite, modest words. His humble and considerate demeanor instantly moved his growing collection of fans to tears. Finally, the last young nurse, her face flushed with reluctance, closed the cabin door.
Click.
The lock engaged. The "holy light" of heroism instantly vanished from Kane's face. He casually picked up the newspaper, looked at the front-page photo that portrayed him as righteous and glorious, and curled his lip in disgust.
"Tsk, that damn bird Morgans. Couldn't he come up with a more cultured headline? 'Child of the Storm'? Sounds like someone selling fans on the street."
Though he complained, inwardly he was overjoyed. With this newspaper and his newfound fame, he would now be synonymous with the word "hero" within the Marines. This shift in status meant he could access the highest echelons, be assigned to the most lucrative departments, and even openly engage in a bit of corruption. After all, who would suspect an upright Marine hero of embezzling a few hundred million Berries? Everyone would just assume the superior officer had his own profound reasons.
However, empty fame was secondary. The smile on Kane's lips faded, and his eyes turned clear and sharp. He subconsciously touched his chest, which was still aching faintly from the battle. Although the outcome was his victory, he knew better than anyone that he had pushed himself to his absolute limit.
Especially the moment he tried to control the storm to clash head-on with that Divine Departure. His body had been instantly drained, every cell screaming in exhaustion. That feeling of powerlessness was worse than death. If his stamina had been just ten percent greater at that time, he wouldn't have passed out like a dead fish for two whole days.
"As expected, whether in my past life or this one, being a 'quick man' has no future."
Kane curled his lip, a flash of frustration for his own physical shortcomings appearing in his eyes. He looked at the monsters of this era. Kaido, Big Mom, and Garp—each of them had health bars as thick as city walls. They were capable of fighting for ten days and nights without breaking a sweat. Even Shiki, with a ship's rudder stuck in his head, could still cause trouble for another twenty years. That kind of vitality was simply unreasonable.
In contrast, he would be spent after one big move, needing to lie around like a corpse to recover. This was completely incompatible with his grand blueprint of manipulating the world from the shadows. Only by being tough enough and enduring enough—transforming into an unkillable, inexhaustible tank—could he calmly jump back and forth between justice and evil to harvest discipline points.
Kane's eyes became resolute. With a thought, he summoned the blue interface. A pale light screen spread open before his eyes, and his gaze locked onto the most fundamental, yet most crucial attribute.
"Basic Enhancement" — "Physique."
It was a comprehensive attribute encompassing vitality, recovery, stamina, damage resistance, and total Haki capacity.
"System," Kane roared inwardly with the extravagance of a man throwing money around. "Pump points for me!"
"Target: Physique! First, dump in... two hundred thousand!!"
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