Shock

The announcement of Whitebeard's new bounty rippled through the world like a shockwave, and newspapers descended like a flurry of snow, each page carrying the same, singular piece of news: Whitebeard's bounty soaring from 5,046,000,000 Bellies to an astounding 5,564,800,000 Bellies.

The revelation sent shockwaves reverberating across the globe, and in the quiet realm of East Blue, on a floating island, an old man with flowing golden hair and a dazzling coat erupted into laughter while perusing the newspaper. "Jihahahaha~ 5.564.8 million! Whitebeard, you truly shocked everyone!" The old man, known as Shiki, the Golden Lion from the old era, had been hiding on the floating island since escaping Impel Down.

"Now you've even reached that level, taking on one hundred thousand Marine officers all by yourself. Such incredible strength, what a display of pride!" Shiki exclaimed, his laughter echoing through the palace. "But as for me... I can't fall behind you! Wait, Whitebeard, just you wait. I'll succeed soon. I'll give the world an incredible gift. The world will eventually belong to me!" With that declaration, the Golden Lion reveled in his ambitious laughter, unable to contain himself any longer after witnessing Whitebeard's feat.

In another corner of the world, at Sabaody Archipelago, within a dimly lit pub, a white-haired old man with glasses, Rayleigh, sat at the counter with a newspaper in hand. "5.564.800.000 Bellies, I really missed this reward," he mused, feeling a wave of emotion. This bounty held special significance for him, representing the final reward of his captain.

Shakky, leaning against the bar, exhaled smoke rings as she remarked, "Whitebeard's reward is now on par with Roger's. Do you know what people are calling Whitebeard after this news spreads? They call him... the King of the World!"

"King of the world?" Rayleigh questioned, smiling curiously. "Shouldn't it be Pirate King?"

"Who knows," Shakky replied. "Regardless of whether he's called the King of the World or the Pirate King, the impact is the same. The new era has arrived, and the Grand Line is about to be filled with turbulence. As a member of the Roger crew... are you not prepared to embrace this new era?"

Shakky gazed at Rayleigh with curiosity dancing in her eyes.

"Forget it," Rayleigh said, placing his wine glass down. A subtle trace of sadness flickered in his eyes. "My adventure... it has already come to an end."

Indeed, his adventure concluded the moment the Roger Pirates disbanded. Now, he found himself simply serving as a coater in Sabaody Archipelago.

As for the new era, all he could do was observe the unfolding of time.

---

The Moby Dick continued its journey toward Sabaody Archipelago after parting ways with Jinbei and the others. Unhurried, the fleet indulged in banquets along the way, causing several days to slip by without reaching the archipelago.

Then, on a particular day, as Marco obtained newspapers from Newsbird, the ship erupted with joyous cheers.

"Pops' bounty is out!"

"5,564,800,000 Bellies! Pops' bounty is 5.5 Billion!"

"It's increased by five hundred million! Pops is truly amazing!"

The Whitebeard Pirates' crew celebrated loudly.

"This increase is more than just a 500 million boost," remarked Marco, shaking the newspaper playfully. "Do you know? Pirate King Roger's bounty was also 5,564.8 million!"

Silence fell upon the crowd as the revelation sunk in. The young crew members, initially cheering, turned to Marco in amazement.

"Is this really true?" a nervous young crew member inquired.

"Of course!" Marco chuckled.

"So, Father is the Pirate King?"

"Pirate King? That's underestimating the old man too much. He's now known as the King of the World!"

"Yes, Pops' position has surpassed even the Four Emperors. Soon, they'll become the Three Emperors, and Father will be the only one above them all!"

The Whitebeard Pirates' crew buzzed with excitement, discussing the incredible news.

"Hahahah," Marco laughed, addressing Luffy, "Did you see? The old man's bounty has reached 5.5 billion, and you're still far from becoming the Pirate King!"

Ace shot a triumphant glance at Luffy. "Wow... that's incredible!" Luffy's eyes widened in surprise, his expression filled with a tinge of envy. This kind of bounty had always been his dream.

"Of course, and this is just the beginning. As long as we keep sailing, Father's accomplishments will surpass the Pirate King, and he'll become the Emperor of the entire world!" Ace declared, his voice tinged with longing.

Luffy narrowed his eyes, giving Ace a curious look. He wasn't entirely sure if it was just his imagination, but he always felt like his brother was showing off just for him. Regardless, he couldn't deny the twinge of genuine envy he felt.

"Guurarara~" Whitebeard chuckled, taking the newspaper and glancing at the bounty. "Are they really offering a reward of 5.5 billion? Sengoku actually dared to announce it."

"Father, since we're all so happy today, let's have a banquet!" Marco suggested with a laugh.

"Father's bounty increased by a whole 500 million, so naturally, we have to celebrate," Ace wholeheartedly agreed, raising both hands in approval.

The rest of the crew members eagerly listened, their eyes fixed on Whitebeard, hoping to seize the opportunity to revel in the joyous occasion.

"Guurarara~" Whitebeard stood up from his seat, glanced around at his sons, and then let out a hearty laugh, declaring, "Sons... let the party begin!"

"Yeahhh~" The crew members erupted in cheers, the air quickly filling with cheerful laughter as they clinked their cups and celebrated together. The spirits of the crew soared, creating an atmosphere of excitement and joy.

....

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