One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

Bang!

"What insolence! Is there no law? No authority? How dare he establish a country without permission?!"

At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, Fleet Admiral Sengoku glared at the blackboard displaying the latest newspaper headline, his face dark with fury. His eyes seemed ready to ignite.

He had assumed that awarding a bounty to Natsu would keep him calm for a while. Instead, the audacious pirate had gone and founded a nation. It was preposterous! Did Natsu, as a Warlord of the Sea, truly think so little of the World Government and the Navy?

"Brr-brr-brr! Brr-brr-brr!"

The transponder snail rang loudly.

"Natsu, what the hell do you think you're doing?! What's this 'Smile Kingdom' nonsense?!"

The moment the call connected, Sengoku exploded with anger, not even giving Natsu a chance to speak.

"Oh? I didn't expect you'd hear the news so quickly, Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Hahaha, no need to be so formal; we're practically old friends now. You don't need to send me a gift! (•‾̑⌣‾̑•)✧˖," Natsu replied cheerfully, completely ignoring Sengoku's tone.

"Don't play dumb! You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Come on, Sengoku, no need to get worked up. Establishing a nation is hardly a big deal. I've got a massive territory now; creating a kingdom is perfectly reasonable, isn't it?"

"Building a kingdom isn't child's play, Natsu. Stop this madness while you still can," Sengoku said, his voice stern with warning.

"Oh, it's no game, Sengoku. I know exactly what I'm doing. The Smile Kingdom is already established—there's no going back now. And let's not forget, I'm not the only Warlord who's also a monarch. Boa Hancock rules Amazon Lily, and Doflamingo, the Heavenly Yaksha, runs his own kingdom too!" Natsu countered firmly.

"So why can't I? I'm confident that the Smile Kingdom will become a land of joy, equality, and freedom. Maybe the Navy should focus its efforts on protecting war-torn nations instead of meddling in my affairs. After all, a Navy that calls itself 'justice' ought to live up to the name, don't you think?"

Without waiting for a response, Natsu hung up, leaving Sengoku stunned and speechless in the conference room.

Having failed to dissuade Natsu, Sengoku saw no point in continuing the meeting. Seething, he stormed out, leaving the remaining issues to Rear Admiral Brannew.

Back in his office, the call he dreaded came through—the Five Elders.

The stern voices on the other end wasted no time reprimanding him.

"How could you allow a brat with the name 'D' to establish a kingdom in the New World so easily? What is the Navy even doing?!"

"This was an unforeseen move," Sengoku replied with a heavy sigh. "Pirate crews typically roam the seas—they rarely bother establishing nations."

"Keep a close watch on Monkey D. Natsu's next steps. If he becomes a threat, even if he's Garp's grandson, he must be eliminated!" The voice on the other end was cold and murderous.

"Could it be? Is the Clan of D. preparing to rise again?" one of the Five Elders murmured, a chilling glint in his eyes as he polished the blade of his sword.

"Who knows? Those who lurk in the shadows of history won't give up their ambitions so easily," another responded.

"We should seek an audience with Im-sama. Let the great one decide."

"Agreed," the others echoed.

The Sea of Turmoil: Smile Kingdom, Royal Capital on Smile Island

Hanging up on Sengoku, Natsu resumed presenting his plans, determined to transform the Smile Kingdom into a beacon of equality, freedom, and justice.

In the initial excitement of nation-building, the various pirate crews under Natsu's banner enthusiastically spread the kingdom's ideals, posting banners and slogans throughout the capital. Everything was progressing steadily according to Natsu's vision.

The reasons behind Natsu's audacious move went beyond mere vanity or curiosity about ruling. He envisioned the Smile Kingdom as a prototype for reforming war-torn nations under the Revolutionary Army's agenda and as a hidden stronghold for their operations.

Drawing on the best theories of peace and cooperation from his previous life, Natsu meticulously guided the Smile Kingdom's orderly development.

Three Months Later: Order vs. Chaos

Over the next three months, every island under the Smile Kingdom's rule experienced significant transformation. Civil slogans adorned the streets, and the populace began to acknowledge Natsu as their king.

To maintain order, each island was divided into "Peace Zones" and "Chaos Zones," starkly contrasting two different worlds.

Causing trouble in a Peace Zone? The island's surveillance systems and live broadcast transponder snails ensured that any disturbance was quickly reported. Violators faced relentless pursuit by the island's enforcers. Those too strong for the enforcers to handle were dealt with directly by the Smile Pirates' officers. Severe offenders were publicly executed to deter others.

Natsu's firm but fair governance earned him widespread support. Everywhere he went, crowds cheered his name, and he became a symbol of hope for many.

The New World: An Unknown Island

Meanwhile, Ace, having sailed for nearly a year, had already drawn the Navy's attention. Although they once invited him to join the Warlords of the Sea, he had outright refused.

Ace's singular goal remained unchanged: to defeat the strongest man in the world, surpass his late father Gol D. Roger, and become the Pirate King.

"Out of my way, blue fatso!"

"I won't step aside! If you want to meet Pops, you'll have to go through me first!"

On this island, Ace found himself face-to-face with Jinbe, the Warlord known as "Knight of the Sea."

"Be careful, Ace! That's no ordinary fish-man—it's Jinbe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!" Deuce, Ace's strategist, shouted in warning.

"Hmph, a Warlord, huh? Interesting. Let's see how strong you really are!" Ace sneered, his arms igniting in flames.

"Fire Fist!"

Unfazed, Jinbe readied his stance.

"Fish-Man Karate: Secret Technique—Burai Impact!"

As flames clashed with water, a violent burst of steam filled the battlefield, and the temperature surged.

Unwilling to relent, Ace closed the distance for a brutal hand-to-hand fight, eager to test the limits of his Haki against this formidable foe.

"Haah!"

Explosions and shockwaves erupted as their fierce duel unfolded, too fast for most of Ace's crew to follow. Only a few of the stronger members could catch glimpses of the fight.

To be continued...

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