People are sailing and synthesize the devil fruit of phantom beast sp

The Warring States was in an exceptionally good mood.

The global conscription initiative had effectively compensated for the damage caused by Kairos Flint to the Navy, and the new combat power they'd recruited was significantly stronger than before.

This time, the World Government had granted them an enormous budget—amounting to hundreds of billions of Beli. With such backing, the Navy could afford any expense without hesitation.

That's why they were so confident now.

"It looks like the world's about to be thrown into chaos again. I never imagined I'd be facing such a crisis right after taking office," said Green Bull, his voice relaxed but carrying weight.

Fujitora remained seated in silence, but deep down, he let out a heavy sigh.

To go up against the strongest man in the world…

No—things had changed. The title of strongest had now shifted to Kairos Flint.

Still, Whitebeard's presence remained unshakable. As one of the most legendary Yonko, his status sat firmly atop the pirate world. Engaging him would be a declaration of all-out war.

And it would likely unleash a terrible bloodbath across the seas.

The entire world might tremble.

Fate was about to turn again, and the global balance would shift once more.

"Don't worry, Taotu. I'll stay by your side and protect you," said Tea Dolphin with a lustful grin, casting longing glances at the beautiful and refined Taotu standing beside him, clearly thrilled by his own intentions.

Taotu, however, remained indifferent.

"If you've got energy to spare on me, maybe you should focus on how to handle Whitebeard and his crew. He's got more than a few capable monsters under him."

Despite being a full admiral and a master swordswoman—one trained personally by Garp—Taotu still felt uneasy. She had fought in countless battles, but this would be her first time facing a Yonko-level threat. And it showed.

On the other side of the room, Warring States, seeing that all preparations were in place, reached for his Den Den Mushi and called Morgans, president of the World News Agency.

They were preparing for the long game—to bait Whitebeard into their trap, following the strategy laid out by the World Government.

And then, using the special means they'd prepared, eliminate him for good.

———

World News Agency, Inside the Office.

Morgans was riding high on a wave of profits.

Using the leaked news about Kaido, he had earned over 100 million Beli in a single day. Needless to say, he was ecstatic.

But that was just the beginning.

His real profits came from pirates and intelligence buyers willing to pay enormous amounts for accurate and exclusive details about Kaido's situation.

The New World was a land of endless opportunity.

Countless pirates pushed their way into these seas—seeking legendary treasures, yes, but also to make a name for themselves.

And the best way to get famous? Take down one of the strongest figures in the world.

Defeat a Warlord, or even a Yonko, and your name would shoot to the top of every wanted list. Your bounty would skyrocket. You'd be a superstar in the pirate world.

And if you managed to kill a Yonko?

You wouldn't just rise—you'd replace them.

In the New World, even the Navy and World Government would have to treat you as royalty. You'd become a Pirate Emperor in your own right.

Of course, toppling one of the Four Emperors was no simple task.

First, you needed overwhelming strength.

Second, you needed a rare opportunity.

Kaido had just suffered a major injury, and with his territory in Wano left relatively unguarded—save for his top three commanders known as the "Calamities"—pirates with dreams of conquest saw their chance.

Defeat one of Kaido's billion-Beli men, occupy Wano, and boom—you'd be hailed as the next Poseidon King.

It might be an opportunistic rise, but the World Government would still recognize it—and legitimize your new status.

Because of that, Morgans was now swarmed with pirates eager to buy real-time intelligence and photos of Kaido.

This underground trade was more profitable than the newspaper business itself.

In just a few hours, he had sold millions worth of information. And the demand kept growing.

Most of what he sold were pictures—Kaido lying helplessly on a hospital bed. As for how Kaido ended up in such a state?

Morgans had no clue.

Rumors hinted at a fallout with Charlotte Linlin, but the exact details were murky.

Still, the only thing that mattered was that the intel was mostly accurate: Kaido, the Beast, was confined within Big Mom's territory.

That was enough.

Now, hordes of ambitious pirates were gearing up to invade Wano Country. Their numbers were vast—and growing by the day.

But just as Morgans was counting his profits, a special Den Den Mushi—one he hadn't used in over a decade—began to ring.

His expression changed instantly.

The Navy never contacted him directly. The fact that they were doing so now could only mean one thing: something massive had happened.

He picked up immediately. "Hello, Morgans speaking."

"This is Sengoku. I need you to spread this message to the entire world immediately: Because we were unable to capture the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Fire Fist Ace will be publicly executed at Marineford in one month."

Sengoku paused—then delivered the bombshell.

"By the way, Ace's full identity is Portgas D. Ace… the son of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King."

And with that, the call ended—no time for questions, no chance for conversation.

Morgans froze.

Sengoku's words echoed in his mind like a drumbeat. He could hardly believe what he'd just heard.

Fire Fist Ace… is the Pirate King's son?

And he's already been captured… sentenced to death?

His heart pounded like a war drum. This wasn't just news—it was the scoop of the century.

"Oh my God…"

He stood up so fast his chair toppled over. He was trembling with excitement.

Without wasting another second, he called in every department head in the building.

When he broke the news to them, their reactions were explosive.

"Things are getting serious now," said a fat, red-faced editor, wiping sweat from his brow. "Whitebeard won't let this slide. Not a chance."

"The world is about to change again. Another great war is coming—mark my words."