Yesterday, the government Marine launched a large-scale ambush on the Sabaody Archipelago, wiping out a significant number of pirates in one fell swoop.
Over 500 pirates with bounties on their heads were eliminated, including but not limited to a bounty of 88 million, 79 million, and others worth 50 million or more.
Under the leadership of the World Government, the seas are peaceful and orderly. The people live and work in happiness, singing praises of the government's wise leadership and the might of the Marine.
We must steadfastly support the governance of the World Government, it is the only correct path toward global prosperity and the wellbeing of all peoples.
Excerpt from World Economic Journal
Doflamingo folded the newspaper, rubbed his temples, and looked puzzled as he turned to Trebol.
"That brat just told us to look at the paper?"
Trebol sniffed noisily, barely catching the mucus that was about to drip down, scratched his head, and replied, "Yeah, I think… that's all he said."
Doflamingo lowered his head in thought, then suddenly his eyes lit up. He reopened the newspaper, walked to the balcony of the Dressrosa royal palace, and gazed out toward the sea.
"He's probably trying to tell us the Marine is preparing to strike the New World."
"What!?" Trebol gasped, disbelief written all over his face.
And he couldn't really be blamed for his surprise.
Lately, the New World has been rocked by a series of fierce battles. It had only just begun to settle down when Red-Haired Shanks surged to power, claiming the title of Emperor with unmatched momentum.
With that, the balance of the Four Emperors was finally established. The New World was carved up neatly, and no one dared make reckless moves anymore.
Doflamingo adjusted his sunglasses with a finger and continued to analyze, as if confirming his own speculation.
"This operation by the Marine essentially wiped out almost all the pirates on the first half of the Grand Line. That means the New World has lost a key source of fresh blood.
Now, Red-Hair has only just ascended to his throne. His foundation isn't solid yet. The Marine striking down this many rookie pirates might be their way of sending a message to the other three emperors, undermining Shanks' position.
There's no way those three old-guard emperors will be happy sharing the stage with a young upstart like him.
If that sparks conflict among them… the Marine just has to sit back and watch the show.
A brilliant move."
At that moment, a particular figure surfaced in Doflamingo's mind, a person who had once hounded him across the seas like a ghost: Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Marine's chief strategist.
"Damn it! That scheming old hag… it has to be her."
Just thinking of her gave Doflamingo a chill. Tsuru had become a lingering fear buried in his heart.
"And that brat too… he predicted everything."
He remembered clearly what Luffy had told him that day.
To be able to see through the world's geopolitical shifts with such clarity, making bold predictions that had now all come true, it made Doflamingo look at Luffy in a whole new light.
"Tch. Anyone who's fit to play the game… would never settle for being a pawn. What exactly are you waiting for?"
Dressrosa, land of love, passion, and toys.
In the streets, every person, every toy, wore a bright and joyful smile.
"Achoo!"
Far away, back on the Sabaody Archipelago, Luffy sat cozily in a small house, eating freshly washed fruit that Robin had prepared. He casually scrolled through the system shop interface.
After yesterday's events, Luffy had briefly chatted with Vincent, the Vice Admiral, under the guise of a bounty hunter.
Vincent had vowed to continue his pursuit, heading into the New World to personally eliminate the Reaper Pirates.
Out of basic decency, Luffy gave him a few words of moral encouragement before they went their separate ways.
As they parted, a Marine soldier snapped a photo of Luffy and Vincent together, saying it would appear in the February 15th issue of World Economic Journal.
Luffy had never been the type to read newspapers, let alone a free internal publication that circulated only within the Marine.
Coincidentally, after he returned home, Robin told him Trebol had called, asking about his "progress."
Luffy had no clue what "progress" Trebol meant, so he just mentioned the newspaper offhand to brush him off.
The result? Doflamingo completely misinterpreted Luffy's offhand comment, elevating him to a peer, analyzing the world stage from the same level of insight.
Still, credit where credit's due, Doffy's instincts were razor sharp. While his logic may have been off, the conclusions he drew turned out to be completely accurate.
A month later, news shook the world: the Beasts Pirates, led by Kaido, had gone to war with the Red Hair Pirates.
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Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
In a small war room, all officers at the rank of general or above had gathered.
Standing at the front, Fleet Admiral Sengoku slammed a stack of reports on the table. His tone was grim.
"Tsuru, give us a brief analysis, what does this clash between two Emperors mean for the New World?"
The room stirred slightly as all eyes turned to the white-haired woman seated beside Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru.
She sighed softly.
"Two Emperors clashing… Although our intelligence didn't capture the entire battle, based on what we have, it seems that the newly crowned Red-Hair Shanks managed to claim a narrow victory.
Two islands within Kaido's territory have vanished, presumably destroyed during the fighting.
With Shanks victorious, it's unlikely Whitebeard or Big Mom will make any further moves for now.
From this point on, Red-Haired Shanks is undeniably the true Fourth Emperor of the sea.
The New World will probably enter a brief period of peace, however dark that peace may be.
Which also means… it's slipping even further from our control."
The room fell into silence as everyone contemplated her words.
Tsuru's analysis painted a grim picture: the Marine's position was weakening.
The New World, the second half of the Grand Line, was the stage where the world's most powerful gathered.
It wasn't just where the Emperors recruited their forces, it was also the key to the Marine finding new talents.
Letting the New World slip out of their grasp was not something they could afford.
Sengoku tapped the table with one finger, breaking the silence.
"Tsuru, what do you think we should do next?"
She laced her fingers together and rested her chin on her hands, her signature posture when thinking deeply.
"Do you remember the plan we had to abandon halfway? The one we shelved when Red-Hair's rise diverted our attention?"
Sengoku's eyes flashed. After a moment, he nodded.
"You mean… the Seven Warlords plan?"
The Shichibukai Plan, one of Sengoku's pet projects since his days as an admiral.
It was designed to weaken powerful pirate groups by co-opting them. In essence, pirates would become government-sanctioned hunters of other pirates, tools the Marine could wield as needed.
They'd use the power of these infamous pirates to establish footholds in the New World, thus undercutting the influence of the Four Emperors. And if needed, the Shichibukai could serve as auxiliary troops.
Unfortunately, most pirates despised the Marine on principle. Aside from a few who'd already been recruited, many positions remained unfilled.
After that, every senior officer at the table took turns sharing their vision and suggestions for implementing the plan.
Finally, Sengoku brought the meeting to a close.
"Good. Our next priority is to find the right candidates for the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Thank you all. The meeting was adjourned."
Garp rubbed his eyes, yawned, and muttered, "Finally. Time to head home and get some real sleep."
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