Two monstrous rookie pirates hailing from East Blue converged in Loguetown, destroying the execution platform of the Pirate King that had stood for years.
This news swept across the world like a violent storm.
The fact that Fire Fist Ace, carrying a massive bounty of seventy million beli, had actually joined the crew of another monster named Lius was particularly shocking. Even though they were both mere rookies, this development easily captured the attention of countless people.
The various newspaper agencies across the seas naturally refused to let such explosive news slip by.
The World Economic Journal paid a hefty price to finally secure firsthand information from Loguetown in East Blue.
This was a blockbuster headline that President Morgans highly valued. He even personally handled the typesetting.
Dominating the front page was a slightly yellowed photograph.
The background sky appeared dim, interweaving shadows and light. The pre-dawn darkness and the impending morning radiance reflected off each other brilliantly. Right in the center of the image, two figures stood side by side atop the execution platform looming over the empty plaza.
They were none other than Lius and Ace!
Facing the camera, the duo gazed at the nascent morning glow at the edge of the horizon. It looked as if they were watching the light piercing through the absolute darkness.
Combined with the sheer audacity of destroying the execution platform, this photograph inevitably sparked endless imagination and shock among countless readers.
"Good grief, these two monsters are truly reckless!"
"Even though Roger is dead, his influence persists to this day. Countless pirates have set sail just to inherit his Pirate King title!"
"The sheer arrogance of these two brats will make them enemies of pirates all over the world!"
Countless people burst into heated discussions upon seeing the newspaper.
Meanwhile, in the New World.
A massive pirate ship featuring a white whale for a bow gently bobbed along the rippling waves of the sea.
Hovering in the air just a short distance away was another pirate ship with a lion's head motif.
Whitebeard, possessing a burly physique comparable to a giant, stared at Golden Lion Shiki as the man descended from the floating vessel. The massive captain threw his head back and burst into laughter.
"Gurararara! To think you would suddenly appear now after vanishing for nearly twenty years. Have you finally given up on your sweet dream of conquering the world?"
Marco and the other division commanders reacted as though they were facing a mortal enemy. They stared with wide, bulging eyes, looking as if they had just seen a ghost.
In stark contrast, the man known as the strongest in the world openly mocked his visitor. Whitebeard showed zero restraint, completely unfazed by the arrival of a fellow legend from the old era.
He wouldn't be Whitebeard if he harbored even a sliver of fear.
"Tch!"
Shiki lightly touched down from midair. He took a seat on the railing beside the captain's massive throne and casually crossed his legs, which were famously replaced by legendary swords. "Newgate, you are still just as much of a bastard as you were back on Rocks' ship," he noted with a faint smile.
There was no hostility or tension in the air. Instead, the atmosphere felt more like a reunion between old friends who had not seen each other in years.
Whitebeard cast a sidelong glance at Shiki's response. "When you broke out of Impel Down back then, you claimed you were going to lay low for a while. More than a decade has passed since then, and it seems you have lost your former edge."
"Indeed. That is because I met a boy who changed my mind. He possesses a caliber that surpasses even Roger, meaning he naturally has the potential to reshape this world!"
Shiki spoke with an unprecedented level of solemnity and seriousness.
Even someone as familiar with him as Whitebeard could not help but freeze in momentary surprise.
Marco and the other commanders widened their eyes even further in disbelief.
Hearing such words from the Golden Lion felt far more absurd than him declaring he was about to conquer the world.
"Surpass Roger? Are you still lost in your sweet dreams?"
Whitebeard picked up a massive jug of alcohol beside him that was easily the height of a regular person. "Having been rejected by Roger in the past, it seems you have put him on a pedestal to chase after," he mocked. He then hefted the jug. "This here is a fine vintage from my hometown!"
Shiki waved his hand dismissively with a look of utter disdain. "You call that booze?"
While speaking, he raised his hand. Utilizing the power of his Float-Float Fruit, he summoned down some hard liquor he had prepared on the deck of his hovering ship.
Two large wine gourds descended from above. One of them was roughly the size of a normal human, clearly prepared specifically for Whitebeard. It lightly floated down to land right in front of the giant man.
"If this isn't good enough to impress me, you had better prepare to be sunk to the bottom of the sea!"
Whitebeard's tone instantly turned cold and severe. People could insult him all they wanted, but insulting his treasured vintage was crossing the line. For a man who loved alcohol as much as life itself, bad-mouthing his booze was far more infuriating than attacking his character.
"Heh!"
Shiki chuckled faintly as he grabbed the smaller gourd for himself.
Truth be told, he had been absolutely blown away when Lius first procured this potent liquor from heaven knew where.
He had practically begged the kid for ages just to get his hands on a few barrels of this hidden stash.
"I don't know if you'll like it or not, but you'll never find another brew like this even if you scour the entire world!"
Hearing Shiki speak with such extreme confidence instantly piqued Whitebeard's curiosity.
"Oh?"
He picked up the enormous gourd and popped off its lid. A rich, heavy aroma instantly rushed out to hit his face, quickly permeating the entire deck of the Moby Dick.
"Whoa, what is that? It smells incredible!"
"Is that really alcohol?"
"This is way too ridiculous, isn't it?"
The surrounding division commanders stared with wide eyes. These men threw banquets on a regular basis and were intimately familiar with the scent of just about every fine liquor in the world. However, they had never encountered an aroma as fierce and rich as this.
Whitebeard's eyes lit up. He tilted his head back and fiercely chugged the liquor.
But a moment later...
"Pfft! Cough, cough, cough!"
He sprayed out the liquor that had just touched his throat. His entire face flushed beet red as he fell into a violent coughing fit.
"Pops!"
"Are you okay, Pops?"
"Damn it, it has to be Shiki..."
This sudden development completely terrified the devoted crewmembers. They turned to glare furiously at Shiki, looking as if they were ready to attack him right then and there.
However, Whitebeard raised a hand amidst his coughing fit to stop his overly anxious sons.
"Jihahaha!"
Shiki stood up with a booming laugh upon seeing Whitebeard's embarrassing state. "How is it, Newgate? Does this finally convince you?"
The only answer he received was Whitebeard catching his breath and tilting his head back to fiercely chug the liquor once more.
Glug! Glug! Glug!
He did not lower the gourd until it was half empty. Letting out a loud burp, a deeply satisfied and thoroughly relaxed expression spread across his flushed face.
"What is this stuff called?"
"Maotai. I bet you have never heard of it, have you? It is from that kid's personal stash!" Shiki explained with a wide grin.