"Good afternoon, everyone!"
When Eden arrived at the location of the distress call, the sight that greeted him was the Redbeard Pirates robbing a merchant ship.
This made Eden pause for a moment before he landed directly on the deck. He first knocked out several pirates who were about to assault the passengers, then, with a smile, he greeted everyone present, just as he had when he first came to the pirate world.
"Who are you?!"
"Don't you know that this entire sea is my territory? The territory of the great pirate Redbeard, with a bounty of thirty million Beri?"
"Or are you trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress?"
"Or perhaps you want to be the one who stands out?"
The burly man with a bright red beard, annoyed at being interrupted by Eden, glared at him. He even pressed a pistol to Eden's forehead and roared.
"B-Boss, wait a minute."
"I think I've seen this face somewhere before!"
However, just as the self-proclaimed pirate Redbeard was about to make another move, his subordinate quickly stopped him.
The subordinate stared at Eden's face in terror and said in disbelief, "It's identical, truly identical! It's exactly the same as the statue built on the ruins of the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, the one carved into the Red Line by the giants with their chisels."
"What do you mean, identical?!"
Redbeard looked at his subordinate, confused.
"Hmm?!"
In fact, even Eden himself was now a little curious about the subordinate's words.
"Boss, I'm not mistaken!"
"This man who suddenly appeared on our deck is the legendary Hero of Liberation, Eden, who defeated the Celestial Dragons, abolished slavery, and brought freedom!!" the subordinate said loudly, taking a deep breath.
"L-L-L..."
"The Hero of Liberation, Eden?!"
After the subordinate's words fell, everyone present, whether they were pirates or passengers on the merchant ship, was stunned.
"How is that possible?!"
"The legendary Hero of Liberation, Eden, has been gone for ten years!"
"How could he possibly appear here?!"
Redbeard laughed loudly, his face a mask of disbelief as he spoke.
BOOM!!
Just as Eden was thinking, a clap of thunder echoed. A colossal Sea King, a full ten thousand meters long, its size rivaling Zunesha, broke through the water's surface. It raised its thousand-meter-long head and let out a shaky roar: "ROAR!!"
"This is...?!"
"The Hero Eden's pet, the Emperor of the Sea that surpasses all Sea Kings, Despair Black!!"
The moment the Sea King appeared, Redbeard's subordinate shouted, announcing its name.
"Despair Black?!"
Eden's eye twitched slightly, not quite understanding what this "Despair Black" was all about.
However, Eden did recognize the Sea King before him. It was Xiao Hei, who had gotten bored of being alone in the seas of the Fairy Tail world and had returned to the pirate world.
It was also the first Sea King Eden had tamed in the world of One Piece.
After Xiao Hei went to the Fairy Tail world and learned magic, he became unstoppable. In just a few short years, he had grown to an exaggerated ten thousand meters. Even Makarov, upon seeing Xiao Hei, had said in admiration, "He's a genius at practicing Giant Magic."
"There's no mistake!"
"The man standing before us right now is the legendary Hero of Liberation, Eden!!!"
At this moment, even Redbeard believed Eden's identity.
"Please! Can I have your autograph!"
In the next second, the group of pirates and the passengers from the merchant ship all surrounded Eden, speaking excitedly.
"We've all heard your stories!"
"It's truly a misfortune that we couldn't witness that world-shaking battle!"
Redbeard grabbed Eden, tears streaming from his eyes, looking every bit the part of a die-hard fan.
"Hey, hey, hey."
"Even if you try to get close to me, I'm still going to throw you in prison," Eden said, looking at Redbeard.
"It doesn't matter!"
"To be captured by the legendary hero, this life has been worth it," Redbeard said with a smile.
"..."
Eden was a little speechless, but he still signed autographs for everyone present.
"Lord Eden, please rest assured."
"The Redbeard Pirates will now escort this merchant ship to its destination and then turn ourselves in at the nearest Marine base."
After Eden finished signing autographs, Redbeard patted his chest and guaranteed.
"..."
When Eden realized Redbeard wasn't lying, he felt a little overwhelmed, but he watched as Redbeard protected the merchant ship and sailed away.
"Xiao Hei, long time no see."
After all that, Eden gently patted Xiao Hei's head and smiled. "How have you been, you rascal!"
"Aooo!!"
Xiao Hei seemed to understand Eden's words and let out a cry.
Immediately after, several thousand-meter-class Sea Kings and hundred-meter-class Sea Kings surfaced.
"You're saying these are all your wives and children?"
"You've successfully become the King of the Sea Kings?"
Eden looked at the Sea Kings filling the ocean surface and said in disbelief.
"Aooo!!"
Xiao Hei nodded with a smile.
"..."
Eden was amused by Xiao Hei's words. He shook his head and said, "You rascal, you're really something!"
Meanwhile.
As promised, Redbeard escorted the merchant ship to its destination and then brought his entire crew to a Marine base.
"Redbeard, what are you doing here?! Are you looking to die?"
The Marine Captain of the base in the Four Seas was flustered when he saw Redbeard and shouted angrily.
"Hahaha!"
"I'm here to turn myself in!"
"Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble."
"And if you ask why? It's because that man has returned!"
Redbeard laughed heartily.
"That man?"
The Captain looked confused.
"The man who brought liberation, the legendary hero, Eden!" Redbeard said excitedly.
"Huh?!"
"Eden is back?"
"Report to Headquarters immediately!"
The Captain, after his initial shock, immediately began to shout.
The legendary Hero of Liberation, Eden, has returned to this world. This would surely shake the Four Seas, wouldn't it?!
"The world is about to descend into chaos!" the Captain said to himself.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Currently, the three Admirals of the Marine Headquarters were Dragon, Kake, and Gion.
As for the Fleet Admiral, it was naturally still Sakazuki.
"What do you mean, Eden is back?"
"He promised to leave this world, so he should have stuck to it!"
Sakazuki's brow furrowed, feeling an immense headache from the news of Eden's return.
"Have the Admirals return for a meeting!" Sakazuki said after some thought.
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral, the Admirals are currently not at the base," a soldier reported to Sakazuki.
"What do you mean the Admirals aren't at the base?!" Sakazuki asked his subordinate, completely bewildered.
"It's said that to celebrate the return of the Hero of Liberation, Eden, all the major powers have sent representatives to attend a party."
As the soldier spoke, he looked at Sakazuki, seeming to hesitate.
Well, the leaders of all the major powers were invited, even the Admirals of Marine Headquarters were invited. Guess who wasn't on the invitation list?!
"..."
Sakazuki fell silent.
"I don't want to go anyway," Sakazuki said weakly after a long pause.
But his words sounded far too hollow.
Loguetown.
The Town of the Beginning and the End.
"I really didn't expect you to come back, Eden!"
Shanks smiled at Eden and then asked, "Did that guy Gildarts come back with you?"
"Gildarts is a complete doting father now. Where would he find the time to come back and drink with you guys?" Eden laughed.
"What about Makarov?"
Behind Eden, 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate asked about Makarov.
Newgate's presence was growing weaker; he looked gravely ill, as if he could die at any moment.
"Old White, it looks like you're about to die soon."
"Why don't you and the entire Whitebeard Pirates just commit suicide together?"
"I've already reserved a spot for you all in hell."
Eden looked at Whitebeard and smiled.
"That's not necessary!"
"The children have their own things to do!"
"I will wait for their arrival quietly in hell."
Newgate frowned and shook his head.
He then looked at Marco and the others and said sternly, "If I find out any of you committed suicide, then don't call yourselves the children of Whitebeard! I have no such cowardly children."
"We know, Pops."
"After you die, we will still choose to pursue our own lives."
"Until a hundred years from now, when we will meet you again in hell."
Marco smiled at Newgate and promised.
"Hey, Eden."
"That kid Loki hasn't caused any trouble for your Fairy Tail guild, has he?!" 'The Strongest' man, Jabba, asked Eden.
"Don't worry!"
"In our world, there are plenty of people stronger than him. That guy is training hard right now," Eden laughed.
"That's a terrifying world indeed."
"You know, that kid Loki is very strong!"
"As strong as his father, Gallard, the former king of the world's strongest kingdom of giants, Elbaf."
Jabba was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
"As strong as Gallard, huh?"
"Then he really is a monster."
Rayleigh seemed to be very familiar with Gallard's combat prowess.
After all, they were from the same era, the era when Roger, Rocks, Garp, and others were active.
But now, the only pirates from that era still alive were him, Jabba, Whitebeard, and Garp.
Strange, it seemed like someone from an enemy faction had snuck in.
Oh, and 'Golden Lion' Shiki and 'Red Earl' Byrnndi World, who were still in prison, didn't count.
"Everyone's here!"
"Ahahaha..."
Just as the last heroes of the pirate era were gathering, a loud laugh echoed. Garp arrived on the island with his son Dragon, the current Marine Admirals Gion and Kake, as well as Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru.
"Wait, why are you damn Marines here too?!" 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate said with displeasure upon seeing the newcomers.
"Hahahaha..."
Garp laughed heartily and walked over to Whitebeard's side. "Don't be so stingy, Newgate! The only ones from our era still alive are us few, right? We should get together when we can!"
"Am I that familiar with you?" Newgate said, tilting his head as he looked at Garp.
"Stingy fellow."
Garp said, then walked up to Newgate and drank all the sake from his gourd in one go.
"Garp, you bastard! Give me back my sake!"
Seeing this, Newgate flew into a rage. He swung his Quake Fist and smashed it towards Garp.
"Hahahaha!"
"Bring it on!"
Garp laughed and met the attack head-on. Their fists collided, creating an explosion of endless black lightning—the power unleashed by a clash of Conqueror's Haki.
Voom!
Just then, a portal suddenly opened, and the mages of the Fairy Tail guild walked out one by one. Natsu, wreathed in flames, rushed in front of Eden and shouted, "Eden, leaving me alone in that world is just too cruel!"
"Hahahaha..."
"Who was it that insisted on going to that world to find me?" Eden laughed.
"None of that matters."
"What matters is that because of your recklessness, Brother Eden, a time-space shift occurred, and in the end, it's up to us at Chaldea to patch things up."
At that moment, a new door opened, and 'All the World's Evils' Gudako walked out, speaking with a helpless tone.
"That's not important," Eden said with a wave of his hand.
"Anyway, I suppose this means we've finally found you, right?" Erza asked, looking at Eden.
"Of course."
Eden then took out the 'Book of Genesis' from his hand, cleared his throat, and said, "So I've decided to hand over the Book of Genesis! Whoever gets the Book of Genesis will be the next guild master of Fairy Tail."
After speaking, he tossed it directly to Erza.
"You be the master!" Erza said, throwing it to Laxus.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Laxus, with cold sweat on his forehead, threw it to Gildarts.
"Don't mess around!" Gildarts passed it backhanded to Mirajane.
"I can't possibly do it!" Mirajane, as if facing a great enemy, handed it to her younger brother, Elfman.
"Sis, how could you do this to your own brother?!" Elfman, in a panic, handed it to his younger sister, Lisanna.
"Seriously?!"
"So that's your reason for setting up your own sister?"
Lisanna finished speaking and passed it on again.
And so, the Book of Genesis, as if it were some evil object, was passed from hand to hand, finally landing in Makarov's arms.
"You all did this on purpose, didn't you?!"
For a moment, the old master looked at the book in his arms and suddenly fell into deep thought.