Void Federation: A New Beginning
In the Mary Geoise forecourt, the sunlight streamed in completely.
At dawn, the gray sky slowly transformed into a pale golden sunrise. The sea rippled and shimmered, and the cracks on the decks of the distant Allied warships and the taut cables were clearly visible.
On the ground, the World Government's banner lay slumped amidst the rubble and dust, its surface crumpled and trampled by the crowd, with no one willing to bend down and pick it up. The powerful force that had ruled the entire ocean for hundreds of years had utterly collapsed after this great war.
Lin Yuan stood on the harbor shore, quietly gazing at the boundless sea. Garp's Marine Fleet had long since sailed out of sight; on the horizon, only the silhouettes of the densely packed Allied fleet remained, bathed in the rising sun.
The steady footsteps approached step by step along the stone steps, slow yet powerful.
Whitebeard walked to Lin Yuan's side first, his huge Naginata slamming heavily onto the stone slab, blade pointing downwards. The bandages wrapped around his shoulder were already soaked with blood, the brown bloodstains glaringly conspicuous in the morning light, the wounds from days of fierce fighting still not healed.
"What are your plans now?" Whitebeard's voice was deep and resonant. "We defeated the Five Elders and overthrew Mary Geoise. But the war is over, not everything is settled. The rules of this vast ocean must be re-established."
Lin Yuan turned his head and looked at the dilapidated Royal City at the top of the Red Line.
"The rules will be set by all of us together."
"Everyone? Where should the scope be defined?"
"Anyone willing to stand up and break the shackles of the old era," Lin Yuan said, opening his arms to the assembled powerful figures. "The Whitebeard Pirates, Roger Pirates, Big Mom, Rocks, Golden Lion, and Kaido. Even the Marines, as long as they are willing to abandon the Celestial Dragons' rule, are welcome to sit down and discuss this."
Whitebeard fell silent, his gaze fixed on the devastated Mary Geoise, and pondered for a long time.
"But if multiple forces each hold their own version of events, who will chair the talks? Who will judge right and wrong? And who will be responsible for upholding the agreements? If everyone only thinks about protecting their own interests, in the end, we will only repeat the same mistakes, no different from the old World Government."
Lin Yuan gently shook his head, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. "We don't need rulers, we don't need judges, and we certainly don't need a dedicated law enforcement team. We will only uphold one bottom line: we will never return to the old era. We will no longer support the Celestial Dragons, we will no longer establish an authoritarian government, and we will never allow any force to arbitrarily oppress others through force."
"What if someone breaks the agreement and recklessly starts a war?" Whitebeard pressed.
"All other forces joined forces to stop it. One person rebels, and all heroes unite to punish him."
Whitebeard chuckled softly, his signature laugh echoing throughout the harbor, "Gurara! Your system seems comprehensive, but in the end, there's no core leader. Everyone can control others, yet no one can unify everyone."
"That's exactly right," Lin Yuan said frankly. "Only by eliminating supreme authority can we prevent the birth of a second Imu and a second batch of Five Elders."
On the other side of the harbor, the various pirate leaders gradually gathered.
Kaido sat cross-legged on a broken boulder, his Iron Club resting across his knees as he slowly wiped the dried blood from his weapon, exuding an aura of arrogance. Bullet stood quietly beside him, his arm bandaged, his gaze fixed on the vast sea, his expression cold, never looking at the people around him.
Rayleigh, representing Roger Pirates, arrived at the meeting empty-handed; Roger's sword was temporarily entrusted to Lin Yuan. He leaned against the coastal rock wall, his silver hair fluttering gently in the sea breeze, his expression serene.
Big Mom stood beside a still-intact stone platform. The countless Homies had been completely dissipated, and fragments of their souls, like scattered candy crumbs, were slowly dissipating in the wind at her feet. Katakuri followed closely behind his mother, his scarf covering most of his face, his amber eyes constantly alert to any movement around him.
Rocks stood at the foot of the steps of Mary Geoise's main entrance, his coat hem covered in dust, but he didn't seem to care. The Golden Lion hovered in mid-air about ten steps behind him, its feet never touching the ground, its arms crossed over its chest. He first looked at the sea, and after waiting for someone else to speak for a long time, he finally turned his gaze back to Lin Yuan.
With everyone gathered here, a meeting that would determine the landscape of a new era officially began.
Facing the rising sun, Lin Yuan addressed the assembled top powerhouses of the vast ocean. "With the fall of Imu and the Five Elders, the World Government's century-long tyranny has come to an end. What order should be established on this ocean from now on? This is a matter for discussion among all of you. My proposal is to form the Void Federation. Within the Federation, each faction will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, supporting and assisting each other, without establishing a single, centralized monarchy."
"Let's be more specific." Whitebeard stepped forward. "Who ultimately decides the division of territory and the allocation of power?"
"Each member of the Federation retains complete sovereignty over its own territory. Territorial boundaries and internal governance are entirely determined by the pirate crews themselves, and the Federation will never interfere. Only in the event of a major crisis affecting the entire sea will representatives from each party gather to discuss the matter. We have fixed the location of our annual Joint Conference at Hachinosu."
Lin Yuan paused, then added, "After this great war, the Navy has completely broken free from the Celestial Dragons' control. They can also join the Federation as independent entities, responsible only for maintaining the stability of sea routes, without needing to be affiliated with any pirate force."
Rocks raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "Who will enforce the decisions reached through negotiation?"
"There are no dedicated executors," Lin Yuan replied. "If anyone violates the alliance, any member can propose a solution at Joint Conference, which will be voted on by all allies. We do not form a unified army; we pool our wisdom and efforts in all matters."
The Golden Lion floating in the air spoke slowly, its tone carrying a hint of scrutiny. "What if there is a force that refuses to obey the decisions of the masses?"
"That's tantamount to voluntarily withdrawing from the Void Federation," Lin Yuan said calmly. "After leaving the alliance, you can no longer enjoy the protection of your allies, and naturally you will no longer be bound by the treaty. You will bear all the consequences yourself."
After hearing this, the Golden Lion shut his mouth, gazed at the boundless sea again, and did not ask any more questions.
Whitebeard frowned, raising a new concern. "You're allowing the Navy to join? Aren't you afraid that after these guys recuperate, they'll come back and rebuild an authoritarian regime?"
"The Navy has long since severed its ties with the Celestial Dragons," Lin Yuan explained slowly. "Garp and Sengoku have sworn an oath not to be enemies with our alliance anymore. If they want to establish themselves in this new era, they must redefine themselves and avoid becoming mere tools of the nobility."
"What if the navy refuses to join?"
"It doesn't matter much. They can still uphold their justice across the world. There are only two red lines they cannot cross: First, they must not trespass into the territorial waters of Federation members; second, they must never rebuild the power structure of the old World Government."
After some thought, Whitebeard nodded emphatically. "My Whitebeard Pirates are willing to join the Void Federation."
"Alright!" Kaido stood up, wielding his Iron Club, and declared loudly, "Wano Country will not join the alliance, but trade cooperation will remain unchanged! The price of Seastone will remain the same, not subject to the Federation treaty. I guarantee that the sea-based Seastone trade channels will be stable and uninterrupted."
"Okay, the cooperation agreement will be signed as scheduled." Lin Yuan nodded in agreement.
Rayleigh sighed softly, gazing at the horizon where the water met the sky in the distance. "The Roger Pirates have long since disbanded. I am joining in my personal capacity, not representing any fleet. In the future, if any other powerful individuals wish to join the Federation, they only need to submit an application to the Joint Conference, which will then be approved by a vote of all members."
"Then let's vote by raising hands." Whitebeard looked around at everyone present. "Those who agree to establish the Void Federation, please state your opinion publicly."
"I agree," the Whitebeard said first, his deep voice echoing throughout the harbor.
"I agree," Rayleigh echoed.
Kaido waved his hand and reiterated, "We will maintain cooperative relations with Wano Country, but will not join the alliance."
Bullet, expressionless, uttered three simple words. "I agree."
Charlotte Big Mom burst into laughter. "Well, well! I agree! Whole Cake Island will be incorporated into the Federation's territory, and my Homies Territory will retain its autonomy in trade. Outsiders are not allowed to interfere in my territory. Anyone who tries to mess with me, I'll personally deal with them!"
The Golden Lion remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "I will not join the Federation, but I will not interfere with the rules you have set."
Rocks's expression was cold and arrogant. "I will also not join the alliance. We'll keep to ourselves and not interfere with each other."
Lin Yuan surveyed the crowd and made the final decision. "Then the results of this vote will be implemented. All forces that join the Federation will retain territorial autonomy, form mutual defense lines, and abolish centralized power. The next annual Joint Conference will be held on Hachinosu one year from now, and only representatives from newly joined members will be invited to participate."
The port fell into a brief silence.
As the sun rose higher, its pale golden rays transformed into blinding white light, casting a bright halo around the outlines of the warships. The abandoned World Government flag fluttered gently in the morning breeze, lying quietly amidst the ruins like a long-forgotten piece of evidence.
Whitebeard turned and walked towards the dock, his steps much more steady than before. He lifted his Naginata from the ground and then lowered it, the blade slicing across the stone steps, leaving a shallow mark. Kaido quickly followed, and the two walked side by side toward the Moby Dick, their paces in sync.
Rayleigh remained on the shore, not moving for a long time, his gaze piercing through the vast sea, looking into the endless distance, as if he could already see the unfolding of a new era.
Bullet stood up from the boulder, aggravating the wound on his arm, but he didn't even flinch. He took two steps closer to Lin Yuan, stopping two meters away. He didn't speak, but silently approached, signifying his stance.
The sea breeze blew against Lin Yuan's face, causing the two swords hanging crossed at his waist to flutter. Roger's sword and his own sword were close together, reflecting a similar cold light under the rising sun. On the sea, all the allied ships slowly raised their huge sails, the sails billowing in the wind, forming a magnificent silhouette.
Whitebeard's voice drifted from ahead. "What's the first thing to do after the Federation is established?"
Lin Yuan withdrew his gaze from the distant sea, his tone calm. "First, spread the news of Imu and the Five Elders' demise to every island in the world, preventing the remnants of the World Government from hiding underground and continuing the Celestial Dragons' old rule. We must ensure that all old bureaucratic institutions are disbanded in an orderly manner, and not allowed to resurface under a new guise."
"And then what?"
"Wait patiently until the Joint Conference of Hachinosu next year."
Whitebeard didn't ask any further questions, stepping onto the gangplank to board the ship. The tip of his Naginata left a final mark on the stone steps before he leaped onto the deck of the Moby Dick. Kaido, carrying his Iron Club, followed closely behind, never looking back.
Lin Yuan was left all alone on the harbor shore.
The sea breeze, carrying the salty smell of the sea, rushed towards me, stirring the knots wrapped around the sword hilt.
As the sun fully rose above the horizon, golden light bathed the entire Mary Geoise harbor, showering upon everyone welcoming the new era.
The old era has ended, Void Federation begins a new chapter on the sea.
(End of Chapter 122)