...
In the light curtain screen, the Luffy trio charging onto Bubble Island were facing new challenges, while in a luxurious hidden room on the underground island, the real undercurrents were just beginning to surge.
The room was dimly lit, with only several massive screens emitting a ghostly blue glow, segmented to display real-time footage of various key areas on the island.
The chaotic battle at the port, the aerial skirmishes, and the fierce fighting at Bubble Island's entrance.
At the center of the screens, the main focus was on the figure of Monkey D. Luffy.
A short, stout man dressed in an exaggerated formal suit, sporting a neatly trimmed mustache, sat comfortably in a high-backed chair, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand.
This man was none other than the host of this "Pirate Fest," Buena Festa.
A shrewd merchant-like smile played on his face, but his eyes were sharp, fixed firmly on the screen where Luffy punched away an obstacle in his path.
"Whistle!"
World Economic Journal President Morgans let out a whistle, his tone full of admiration and calculation: "As expected of the one stirring up storms in the New World, the 'Fifth Emperor of the Sea.' No matter where he goes, he's always so... eye-catching! Hahaha!"
His laughter echoed through the room.
The room wasn't occupied by him alone; several indistinct figures sat in the shadows, each exuding an extraordinary sense of oppression.
"Guhahaha! The 'explosive news' I crafted myself! Straw Hat Luffy's failed assassination attempt on BIG MOM, causing havoc in Totto Land and escaping unscathed—the Fifth Emperor rises!
How's that? Isn't this headline explosive enough? Enough to make the whole world boil?!"
One of the six "Emperors" of the underworld, "Big News" Morgans!
He excitedly flapped his wings or arms, clearly smug about his "masterpiece."
Clearly, Luffy's title as the "Fifth Emperor" owed much to this "uncrowned king" who controlled public opinion through deliberate hype and exaggeration.
Even if Luffy's havoc in Totto Land was real, labels like "assassinating an Emperor" and "Fifth Emperor" were undoubtedly Morgans' embellishments—or even malicious fabrications—for sensationalism.
"That's exactly why I made a point of inviting him here." Buena Festa took a sip of red wine, his smile growing deeper.
"With a 'protagonist' like him present, the 'show' that follows... will be even more spectacular, more dramatic, don't you think? The chaos and attention he draws are the perfect catalyst for our plan."
Buena Festa nodded in satisfaction at Luffy's vibrant fighting posture on the screen.
Luffy's displayed strength, charisma, and natural knack for attracting "trouble" perfectly matched the image of the ideal "chess piece" to stir up storms in his mind.
God Valley, spectator seats.
The undercurrent-laden conversation in the light curtain sparked an even more intense reaction and discussion frenzy in God Valley than the previous "ONE PIECE clue"!
Aside from the Five Elders and God's Knights maintaining their grim silence, almost every other faction exploded!
"Fifth... Emperor of the Sea?!"
Golden Lion Shiki was the first to let out a strange cry, digging in his ears as if doubting his hearing: "Hey! Garp! Did you hear that?!
Your rubber grandson... in the future becomes the Fifth Emperor, on equal footing with... uh, the Four Emperors?! What kind of joke is this?!"
Shiki's face was full of disbelief.
What did the Four Emperors represent?
They were the rulers of the New World, with deeply entrenched forces, personal strength and subordinate crews reaching the pinnacle—true Emperors of the Sea!
Monstrous existences even the World Government and Marines feared!
Blackbeard Teach's rise came after countless schemes, betrayals, annexations, and battles before he barely secured his footing...
This Straw Hat Luffy, no matter how prodigiously talented or ridiculously lucky, how much time had even passed?
By any timeline, how could he possibly reach the level of the Emperors? A "Fifth Emperor"?
This completely overturned Shiki's understanding of the seas' power structure!
"Gulp gulp... This is pure nonsense!"
Captain John didn't believe it either, shouting as he downed another big gulp of booze: "It must be that bird-man reporter spouting rubbish! He'd make up anything to sell papers!"
Silver Axe and Wang Zhi were also puzzled by Luffy being called this "Fifth Emperor"—in their view, Luffy still wasn't qualified.
Yet Morgans' smug tone in the light curtain and Buena Festa's acknowledgment made this "nonsense" seem not entirely baseless.
At this moment, hearing that the Straw Hat kid had attempted to assassinate her in the future—and even escaped—her expression shifted unpredictably.
Her massive body leaned slightly forward, staring fixedly at Morgans' bird-like face on the light curtain.
"Mam-ma-ma-ma..."
Her laughter sounded somewhat strained, her eyes flashing with dangerous fury: "Assassinating me? Causing havoc in Totto Land? Escaping unscathed?"
Though that was her future self, Linlin's pride was etched into her very bones.
Her future self had actually been stormed by some brat, turned everything upside down, and let him slip away? Even turned into a stepping stone for his rise by the media?!
This was utter humiliation!
"Linlin, looks like you didn't do so great as an Emperor~"
A gloating, extremely rough voice rang out—it was Kaido.
He shouldered his kanabo "Hassaikai," his dragon face full of mockery. "You can tell from this that in the future, you're definitely no match for me! Look, why does this Straw Hat brat only dare wreak havoc at your place and not come mess with me?
If he dared come to my territory yelling about 'Pirate King,' I'd bash him with one swing and teach him to start over! Pirate King? Hmph, just hearing it pisses me off!"
Kaido first threw a heavy dose of sarcasm, then habitually started boasting about his own strength.
His words were like pouring oil on the fire, instantly sending Big Mom's rage skyrocketing!
"Kaido!!! You bastard!!"
Big Mom erupted in fury, the flames on her hair—Hormiz "Prometheus"—swelling a size larger: "Who knows what happens in the future! Maybe you get blasted away by this kid first?!
A terrifying burst of Conqueror's Haki rippled out with shockwaves. Though quickly restrained, that instant pressure still paled the faces of many nearby.
For Big Mom, strength could be debated, but an Emperor's dignity was absolutely not to be trampled—even as a future possibility!
If she attained that status later, she would surely identify with her future self.
"Roger..."
Holding little Shanks, Gloriosa furrowed her brows, looking up at the light curtain, then at Roger beside her, her voice laced with confusion.
"This timeline... seems increasingly off."
She recalled the earlier light curtain content: "At first, the Straw Hats were at Sabaody Archipelago, preparing to head to Fish-Man Island—that should have been shortly after entering the New World.
Then it suddenly jumped to the Zephyr incident. When Zephyr attacked them, they seemed to have been sailing the New World for some time, and the Fifth Emperor title clearly hadn't appeared yet.
But now this 'Pirate Fest'... Luffy's already been dubbed the Fifth Emperor by the media? How much got skipped in between? What happened?"
Gloriosa's confusion was shared by many keen observers.
The future shown in the light curtain wasn't a linearly continuous documentary but rather key "fragments" plucked from the river of time.
Huge time leaps and event gaps existed between these fragments.
From a rookie just entering the New World, to the "troublemaker" wreaking havoc in Totto Land, to being hyped as the "Fifth Emperor"...
The growth trajectory and events in between had been intentionally or unintentionally omitted by the light curtain.
"Though this guy is definitely exaggerating..."
At this point, Scopper Gaban stepped forward, stroking his chin and analyzing calmly. "But the fact that Charlotte Linlin's havoc in Totto Land happened is probably real.
Otherwise, it wouldn't explain why Buena Festa and Morgans value him so highly—to cause enough commotion in Big Mom's territory to be hyped as a 'major incident' and still leave alive...
That level of strength and audacity truly can't be underestimated.
The Fifth Emperor might be an inflated title, but as the leading figure of the 'Worst Generation,' he's probably solidly claimed that spot."
Roger also dropped his earlier teasing expression, gazing deeply at Luffy's fighting figure on the light curtain:
"No matter how the timeline jumps, this kid... is indeed growing at an astonishing speed, and every time he appears, he gets swept into an even bigger vortex.
'Fifth Emperor'... heh, that's quite a hot potato of a title. But..."
He glanced at Garp beside him, whose face remained sour, and grinned: "Garp, your grandson's got real promise!"
Garp's mood at this moment was extremely complicated.
On one hand, he felt an indescribable pride in his grandson's "achievement"—even if hyped up.
On the other, this "Fifth Emperor" title would undoubtedly thrust Luffy into the eye of the storm, making him a prime target for intensified "attention" from the World Government, Marines, and the other Emperors—drastically increasing the danger!
He clenched his fists, heart filled with both worry and frustration.
...