The i on North Blue's Minion Isnd was a signifit matter for the Wover. However, to the wider world, it was nothing but a minor blip, an insequential event. After all, what did the death of one small-time pirate mean on a global scale?

  The world's attention was fixated elsewhere. In New World, the downfall of Charlotte Linlin, once a figure on the verge of g the title of Pirate Emperor, had sent shockwaves across the seas. Marine, CP-X, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea had baogether to eliminate her, leaving the remnants of her Big Mom Pirates scattered.

  Kaido's Beasts Pirates capitalized on the opportunity, annexing a signifit portion of Big Mom's territory and resources. With this windfall, Kaido's influence surged. He now stood as a veritable Pirate Emperor, his strength and reach rivaling even that of the Whitebeard Pirates.

  ---

  On the Sabaody Archipego, Rayleigh sat on a sofa inside Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, holding a photograph in his hand. His brow furrowed as he exami closely.

  The photograph was of Cudius, the same one Mans had purchased for two billion berries and pstered across neers worldwide. It was a hot topi the intelligence world before its publication, and once released, Mans made a fortune from the attention it garnered.

  "It's strange," Rayleigh muttered, paring the Cudius he remembered with the man in the photo. "It doesn't look like him at all. Did that kid hire a body double?"

  The Cudius Rayleigh knew was insufferable yet carried himself with the refined grace of a noble. He was arrogant but posed, a model of Celestial Dragon superiority. The man in the photo, however, was a wild berserker, his muscles rippling with ferocity.

  "Even if it doesn't seem like him, you 't deny it's Cudius," Shakky said, holding up the neer with a knowing smile.

  Rayleigh sighed. "I hought he'd pull off something this big."

  "Charlotte Linlin owerful, wasn't she?" Shakky asked curiously.

  "Very," Rayleigh said with a nod. "Ba the day, we had to gh a lot of trouble just to steal a copy of the Road Poneglyph from her."

  At that time, Roger's health was failing, and the crew avoided direct flict to preserve his strength for their jouro Raftel. Instead of fronting Big Mom, they opted for stealth to secure the Poneglyph.

  Rayleigh's expression darkened slightly as he recalled his brief csh with Linlin in the Valley of the Gods. Even then, she was a formidable monster. After so many years, she must have growronger. A, Cudius had defeated her.

  "The neer cims Cudius nearly took down Charlotte Linlin single-handedly. The photograph seems to back that up. If he's truly as strong as an Admiral—or stronger—he's a monster in his ht," Shakky said thoughtfully.

  "And he's still young. He could grow even more powerful. Doesn't that just make you sick?" Rayleigh chuckled bitterly.

  "What's there to be upset about? He's not our enemy. If anything, he's on friendly terms with us, isn't he?" Shakky said, ughing.

  "Maybe, but something about him doesn't sit right with me," Rayleigh said.

  "You think he might bee one of the Five Elders someday?" Shakky teased.

  "Who's to say he won't?" Rayleigh replied with a hint of unease.

  ---

  Meanwhile, in New World, aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard frowned as he read the same neer. His massive frame leaned ba his chair, his brow furrowed as he digested the implications.

  For decades, Charlotte Linlin's raw physical power had been unmatched, save for his own. Even he had been slightly envious of her natural durability and monstrous strength.

  Now, she had been toppled by Cudius, a man shrouded in mystery. The photograph of him dominating Linlin in battle firmed his strength. Whitebeard reized Cudius as someone who could potentially stand as his equal.

  "Dad, Kaido's sent a messenger," Marco said, walking up to him.

  "What does that brat want?" Whitebeard asked without looking up from the paper.

  "Who knows? Maybe he's here to decre war on us," Marco joked lightly.

  Diamond chimed in, "Kaido may be reckless, but he's not stupid. He's still solidating Big Mom's territories. I bet he's here to propose an alliance."

  Whitebeard finally put down the neer, his eyes narrowing. "That sounds abht. He's probably worried the Wover will e after us ."

  "The fall of the Big Mom Pirates has shaken New World. If the Wover decides to strike while we're weakened, it could be trouble," said Saatchi, captain of the fourth division. "What should we do, Dad? Should we cooperate with Kaido?"

  "Cooperate? Hah!" Whitebeard ughed disdainfully. "Back when we were on Rocks' ship, I knew Kaido was no good. Have you ever seen pirates truly work together? Besides, I'm Whitebeard! If the Woverhinks they take me dowhem try. I'll show them the differeween me and that old hag, Charlotte Linlin!"

  "What about Kaido's envoy?" Marco asked.

  "Kuhahaha! Send them pag! Tell Kaido we're not ied and to stay out of my way," Whitebeard said, his ughter eg across the deck.

  Even with Linlin's downfall, Whitebeard's fidence remained unshaken. Unlike Kaido or Linlin, his pride was untouchable.

  ---

  I Blue, the Red-Haired Pirates had settled in Windmill Vilge of the Goa Kingdom.

  Ihe tavern, Shanks sat with a neer in hand, rubbing his thoughtfully. "So, CP-X is real, huh? This Cudius guy is something else," said Lucky Roo, biting into a massive chi leg.

  "Of course it's real," Shanks replied with a grin. "I've never met Cudius myself, but Captain Roger and Rayleigh have both mentioned him. A strange Celestial Dragon, they said."

  "Really?" Lucky Roux said, unimpressed.

  Shanks nodded. "New World is a mess right now. The Big Mom Pirates are finished, and Kaido's taken a lot of their spoils."

  "What's that got to do with us?" Yasopp asked casually, ing his pistol.

  Shanks smirked. "Everything."

  "Huh? What are you getting at?" Benn Be asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Shanks closed the neer and leaned back. "I've decided. We're leavi Blue."

  At that moment, the tavern door burst open, revealing a self-procimed mountain bandit king. He swaggered in, full of bravado, but before he could say a word, Lucky smashed him over the head with his chi leg. The bandit colpsed instantly, leaving his gang dumbfouhey quickly scattered, not daring to front the pirates.

  Shanks barely aowledged the otion, fog instead on his crew. "Our vacation i Blue is over. It's time to return to New World and take the title of Pirate Emperor. What do you all think?"