[Breaking News!]
"Pirate King Gol D. Roger Captured!"
"Public Execution Set for September!"
"Shock Report! Navy Commodore Ezra D. Vale Fights Whitebeard to a Draw!"
"Rumors Say He May Be the Next Admiral!"
Ezra stared at the newspaper in his hands, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Beside him, Gion burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
She had witnessed everything firsthand. And honestly, calling it a "draw" was pushing it.
"Hey, hey, can you calm down a little?" Ezra muttered, half embarrassed, half amused.
The newspaper's exaggeration was nothing new, but he had to admit it wasn't entirely wrong either. Because right now, Ezra was not the same man he had been two days ago.
[Host: Ezra D. Vale]
[First Inheritance: Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto]
[Inheritance Progress: 42.1%]
The moment he returned to Marineford, Ezra had fused the ten percent inheritance bonus from his last mission. Once that threshold passed forty percent, everything changed.
His spiritual pressure grew denser, heavier, enough to crush a captain-level opponent five times over.
Even more terrifying was the range of his Shikai before, no matter how hot the flames, the area of effect had been limited. Now, it spanned a hundred kilometers in all directions.
Every Shikai skill had been fully unlocked, and the time limit for using it was gone.
He had also mastered the first fifty levels of Kido. His arsenal of techniques had stepped into a completely different realm.
If he could reach sixty percent, Ezra was certain he could achieve Bankai and that would be true invincibility.
For now, though, fighting an admiral or even one of the Four Emperors wasn't an issue.
How many moves it would take to win? That depended on how hard they wanted to fight.
"By the way, Ezra," Gion said, her laughter fading into curiosity. "Are you free these days?"
Ezra glanced up. "More or less. Why?"
"Could you… maybe teach me some sword techniques?"
Ezra blinked. "Huh? I thought you wanted to challenge me again."
Gion shook her head quickly. "Not anymore. You've gotten way too strong. If we fought now, I probably wouldn't last a second."
Ezra raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You're not wrong."
Gion froze for a moment, then sighed deeply.
Ezra shrugged, stretching lazily. "Training with me isn't easy. You sure you can handle it?"
Her expression softened, then turned resolute. "If it means getting stronger, I can endure anything."
In her heart, though, another thought whispered quietly
And maybe, I can get closer to you too...
While Ezra was helping Gion hone her swordsmanship, news about him exploded across the world.
If there were such a thing as a trending list, the number one topic would be Roger's public execution. The second would be Ezra D. Vale fighting Whitebeard to a draw.
Of course, everyone knew the papers tended to exaggerate, especially when boosting the Navy's image.
But this time, the story had teeth.
Morgan, the albatross who ran the World News, had risked his feathers to confirm the story directly. Swallowing his fear, he had even sent word to Whitebeard himself and the old man, with a thunderous laugh, had admitted it.
Yes. Neither side had won.
That one line from Whitebeard was all it took.
Overnight, Ezra became a global sensation.
The Navy, "by accident," released a few photos to the press. The image of a laid-back yet roguishly handsome officer standing amid flames spread like wildfire.
He wasn't just the pirates' nightmare anymore he had become the fantasy of countless young women across the seas.
Deep within Pangaea Castle, the world's highest authority sat in the shadows.
Imu held a folder of intelligence reports each one detailing Ezra's actions in meticulous detail. Slender fingers traced the edge of his photograph, eyes glimmering with unreadable emotion.
"My child," Imu whispered, voice soft yet filled with something ancient and cold. "Be bold. Do what your heart desires."
Below, the Five Elders knelt in complete silence, their foreheads nearly touching the floor. None dared to breathe too loudly.
Imu slowly took a pair of golden scissors and cut out Ezra's picture, holding it tightly in her palm, as if afraid he might vanish again.
The rest of the dossier fluttered to the floor in front of the Elders.
A collective shiver ran through them.
"Have you gathered information on Ezra's origins?" Imu asked, her tone calm but frigid.
"W-we're still investigating, Lord Imu!" one stammered, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Imu's voice turned faint and icy. "You have three days."
The room dropped to freezing silence. Even the air felt heavy.
"Otherwise…"
The unfinished word lingered, slicing through them sharper than any blade.
The Elders bowed lower, trembling like frightened birds.
"Yes, Lord Imu!"
Meanwhile, far across the seas in the New World, on the misty cliffs of Wano Country, a booming laugh echoed through the mountains.
"Roger's been captured, huh?" Kaido grumbled, guzzling from his gourd of sake. "Gurararara! That flying old man's going to lose it for sure."
He leaned back, smoke and laughter rising into the sky.
"Interesting. Maybe I should crash that execution myself. Didn't I say I'd drop by Marineford soon anyway?"
At that moment, one of his commanders approached the Drought, Jack.
"Governor! Big Mom sent a letter," Jack reported, bowing his head. "She's invited you to a tea party. Says it's important."
Kaido clicked his tongue in irritation, snatching the letter from Jack's hands.
"Tch. Guess I'll have to delay my trip a bit longer."
He tossed the empty gourd aside, grinning wickedly. "But fine. Let's see what that old hag wants this time."
Across the seas, the world held its breath.
The age of the Pirate King was ending.
And somewhere in Marineford, a young man sat beneath the blazing sunset, flames flickering faintly at his fingertips, unaware that his name was already shaking the world.
Ezra D. Vale the "Crimson Inferno" of the Navy.
A man whose power, mystery, and ambition would soon burn through the world's old order itself.
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