Changes!!! (2 in 1 chapter)

Time flew by.

Six months later.

The Red Line, which once divided the Grand Line into two, was no longer an insurmountable barrier. With the connection between the Grand Line and the New World, the previously harsh climate of the New World began to gradually improve. Even some islands, once uninhabitable by humans, were becoming more suitable for human life.

The Holy Land of Mary Geoise, where ordinary people could only enter as slaves, had now turned into a tourist attraction. Every day, large numbers of visitors from all over the seas came to witness the former residence of the Celestial Dragons, who once dominated the world.

Next to Mary Geoise stood a newly built city named "World City." From a distance, the city showcased buildings reflecting the diverse architectural styles of various races, neatly arranged throughout. At the very center of the city stood a building no less imposing than the former World Government headquarters at Pangaea Castle. The square in front of the building was adorned with flags representing different nations.

Anyone passing by would glance at the world symbol that represented the unity of all races, proudly displayed on the building.

"It's really incredible. Who would've thought we'd see Fish-Men walking openly in human cities," remarked a Fish-Man standing on the bustling streets. He wore a short-sleeved shirt, a bandana on his head, and had thick, curly hair, a wide mouth, and a beard covering his face. He was missing an arm. His eyes focused on the flag of Fish-Man Island waving prominently in the square.

"Tiger, why are you just standing here? King Neptune has been waiting for you for a while now," said a voice nearby.

Tiger turned and saw Jinbe, dressed in a suit, walking toward him.

"Jinbe, why did you come to pick me up yourself? You've got so much work at the Fish-Man Island embassy. You could've sent anyone," Tiger said, smiling as he embraced Jinbe.

"Well, if it were anyone else, I wouldn't have come. But since it's you, Tiger, I had to," Jinbe replied, his face beaming with a smile.

Though the new government had only been established for six months and there was a lot to handle for Fish-Man Island, Jinbe had no complaints about the busy work. In fact, he was full of energy. To him, the smiles on the faces of Fish-Men who now lived on land were the best reward for his efforts.

"Let's go, we shouldn't keep King Neptune waiting," Tiger said as he started walking toward the building, with Jinbe accompanying him.

"By the way, Tiger, why don't you want to live on land?" Jinbe asked.

"Because we're Fish-Men. We can move on land, but we must never forget that the sea is our true home," Tiger responded.

...

"The Soul King's world tour concert is about to begin! Everyone, hurry up!" A lavishly decorated vehicle rolled down the street, displaying a large poster. The poster featured Brook, sporting an afro and sunglasses, holding a microphone while striking a wild pose with his electric guitar.

"The Soul King? Who's that?" an elderly man, new to the city, asked curiously as he watched the crowds become excited about the concert.

"The Soul King is the world's newest superstar. His music has the power to shake your soul! You shouldn't miss it, old man," a young man explained before rushing off to grab a seat at the concert.

The old man, Nagli, slowly retracted his gaze and reached out with a trembling hand to take the concert flyer offered by a staff member. The cover featured the same image as the poster on the car—a skeleton with an afro.

"It wouldn't hurt to check it out," Nagli muttered to himself, studying the flyer.

Ten minutes later, following the directions on the map, Nagli arrived at a massive square. Looking ahead, he saw that a grand stage had already been set up in the center.

Outside the concert venue, there was a stall filled with dark, gothic-themed merchandise. Behind the stall stood a girl in a black gothic dress with smoky makeup. Beside the stall was a large poster, identical to the one on Nagli's flyer.

Surveying the crowd dressed in various styles and holding fan merchandise, Nagli approached the stall. After carefully browsing for a while, he picked up a skull flag, gently running his fingers over it, and then asked the girl behind the stall, "Little lady, how much is this?"

"Horo horo horo, thank you for your patronage! It's 2,000 beli," the gothic girl replied, unfolding a fan and covering half of her face, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"Thank you for your business," Perona said with a sly smile as she took the money.

After Nagli left, a man who seemed to be a staff member rushed over to Perona's stall.

"Miss Perona, the concert is about to start."

"Horo horo horo, I know, I know," Perona replied nonchalantly as she grabbed her small red umbrella and floated toward the stage.

As the concert began, an intense electric guitar riff blared through the speakers, enveloping the entire square. The music seemed to resonate directly with people's souls, making everyone feel as if their spirits were celebrating.

Meanwhile, ghosts began floating around the square, interacting with the audience.

Perona, seated at the drum set, tapped away at the drums with her drumsticks.

Two hours later, the concert ended with a serene violin melody.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, only Brook, Perona, and a few staff members remained on stage, packing up equipment.

"Hey, Bonehead, are you really planning to do a world tour?" Perona asked curiously, floating in midair. Even though the Grand Line was now connected, completing a world tour still seemed like an incredible feat.

Brook sighed and then spoke seriously, "Miss Perona, this is the wish of my old crew. I've already delayed for half a year, and it's time to set out. Plus, there's an old friend still waiting for me."

Looking at Perona, Brook added earnestly, "If you'd join me for the tour, it would be wonderful."

Thanks to her powers, Perona's ghostly energy had greatly enhanced the reach of Brook's soul music. He genuinely hoped she would accompany him on the tour.

"An old friend?" Perona asked, curious.

"Yes, a little whale named Laboon. I promised him I'd return," Brook explained.

Perona, moved by the story, sniffled and said, "That poor whale... okay, Bonehead, I'll go with you."

Meanwhile, in the New World Government building, inside an office...

Sengoku, who was buried in a mountain of documents, suddenly looked up at the door, then went back to his paperwork. In this early stage of the new government, there were many problems left behind by the World Government to handle. Conflicts between non-member countries, as well as how to deal with former member nations, required a lot of effort.

As the door opened, Garp walked in with a very reluctant Luffy. Sengoku, deeply focused on his work, didn't even glance up.

"Hey, Sengoku, an old friend's here! Aren't you going to greet me?" Garp said casually as he plopped down on the sofa, while Corazon, who was pouring tea, could only look on helplessly. Although Vice Admiral Garp had retired, his unpredictable nature had only grown stronger.

"Alright, Garp, just tell me what brings you here this time," Sengoku said as he put down the documents and looked at Garp.

"Heh heh." Garp grinned.

"Sabo's doing great in the navy, Ace has joined the New World Government's Pioneer Team to explore unknown islands, so I thought maybe you could find something for Luffy to do as well, to stop him from wanting to be a pirate."

Sengoku turned to Luffy, becoming more serious. The World Government had made its stance on pirates very clear: they would crush any pirate they found. Now was definitely not the time to become a pirate.

"Grandpa, what are you saying? What's wrong with becoming a pirate? Shanks is a pirate, too! I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy declared, full of conviction.

Seeing Luffy's attitude, Sengoku abandoned the idea of persuading him and instead asked Garp, "You didn't take him to see Roger or Shanks?"

After all, even the former Pirate King held a symbolic position as a peace ambassador in the World Government, and Shanks had washed his hands of piracy, bringing his crew along with him.

"I did, but it didn't help. Who knows what's wrong with this kid's head? He won't even sail as an adventurer."

Garp was equally frustrated. If Luffy insisted on becoming a pirate, there was no doubt that Nicholas would take action to stop him.

"It's clear he really is your grandson," Sengoku said with a glance at Luffy.

"Hey, what do you mean by that, Sengoku?"

"Nothing. If he wants to be a pirate, just take him to see some of the records on pirates. Let him meet the ordinary people who've been hurt by pirates. If he still wants to go out as a pirate after that, then I suggest you talk to Dragon and see if he can give you another grandson while he's still young."

Sengoku returned to his work, indicating that this was a family issue, not his problem. He had already given his advice.

Knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Sengoku said without looking up.

"Sabo!" Luffy shouted excitedly as Sabo entered.

"What's the matter, Sabo?" Sengoku asked, finally looking up.

Sengoku was highly satisfied with Sabo, who had helped shoulder many responsibilities.

"Sengoku, all the representatives from the world's countries have arrived safely. Will Nicholas be attending the first World Summit?" Sabo asked.

Nicholas' role within the new World Government was quite unique. While he had promised not to interfere in its operation, many policies were still drafted with his input.

"Not this time. Make sure to inform Dragon to come back for the summit. As the Grand Speaker, he has to be there, or the meeting will be meaningless."

"Understood," Sabo nodded.

"Oh, by the way," Sengoku added calmly, "I've heard that some fools are still engaging in underground deals."

"That's inevitable. Illegal activities often bring huge profits. But I've already contacted Admirals Sakazuki and Kuzan, and they're handling it."

"Good job," Sengoku said, satisfied.

Meanwhile, in Totto Land's embassy in World City...

"Katakuri, are we really going to accept the World Government's authority?" Brûlée asked, conflicted.

After all, just a year ago, they were the infamous Charlotte Family, led by one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom. Now, they had gone from pirates to government collaborators, a change that was hard to adjust to.

Other members of the Charlotte family who had accompanied Katakuri to the World Government summit seemed to share the same feelings.

"Remember this: Pirate King Roger, Shanks, and even Whitebeard abandoned the pirate life. Do you really think we, the Charlotte Family, can stand on par with them after losing Mama? They made their choice. Isn't it obvious what we should do?"

Katakuri regretted not making his siblings study more, but he understood that under Big Mom's rule, strength was everything, and knowledge was just a tool to serve power. Still, he knew they had to change their pirate mindset quickly or it would lead to serious problems.

"Do you know that in just six months, Totto Land has earned as much through trade as it did in the past three years combined? Stop clinging to the idea of being pirates," Katakuri said sternly.

"What? That much?" A few of the Charlotte children were stunned. They knew the family had produced a lot of goods using their abilities, but they didn't expect it to be this profitable. Could doing business really be faster than robbing?

"Hey, Katakuri!" A voice called out suddenly from a distance.

Katakuri looked up and saw Marco, along with Jozu and Whitey Bay, all dressed in sharp suits, walking toward them.

Seeing Marco and the others so well-dressed, and comparing them to his own group's rather flamboyant styles, Katakuri decided he'd get someone to teach his siblings how to dress properly when they got back to Totto Land.