Aftermath: The World Is Shocked
Boom! Boom!
As the Golden Lion fell, one after another, enormous islands slowly descended.
That's right, it's gradual! This means that the Float-Float Fruit ability is only weakening gradually, not disappearing instantly.
Brush--
Sanji, who used Geppo to Luffy, caught Luffy, who was falling exhausted, while the rest of the Straw Hat crew immediately raised their weapons into the sky.
"Watch out, protect Roman and Zoro!"
After that burst of power, Roman, Zoro, and Luffy were all truly exhausted. They didn't even have the strength to lift a finger, let alone fight. Faced with the attack that rained down from the island like a meteor shower, they could only rely on the others.
Of course, the Straw Hat crew members have never disappointed.
"Weapon in the left hand!"
"Arm Strength Enhancement— "
"Forty-round Flower-Cottage"
"Ultimate Move: Green Star Sargassum!"
As Franky and Chopper knocked away the falling debris from the giant island, Robin used her arm to create a space, Usopp released plants that climbed all over Robin's arm, building a temporary shelter to block smaller pieces of debris.
Nami carried Roman, Brook dragged Zoro, and Luffy, Luffy had been rescued by Sanji, to the shelter. After Sanji took over Chopper's job, Chopper began to treat the three of them.
"Hehehe, we won!"
"That's right, so close..."
"It's a pity we can't take any more risks~~~"
"Not necessarily."
Amidst the deafening roars, the earth groaned in agony as it was violently smashed and shattered, becoming fragmented! Countless shockwaves propagated and spread across the island's surface, their intense undulations even giving the illusion of surging ocean waves.
Countless pieces of soil, rocks, trees, and buildings erupted into the air like raging ocean waves, and raging fires burned everywhere. The entire island's surface was being destroyed at an accelerated pace, soon to become a pile of rubble and ruins beyond repair.
However, because the islands used as weapons disintegrated in the air, the impact on the underground was relatively less significant. Although most of the pirates on the surface were killed or wounded in this attack, the civilians who were hiding underground by Kaku and the Kalifa organization suffered little damage.
This is even after most of the power was neutralized by Roman, Luffy, Zoro!
Legend has it that a pirate can single-handedly build an army and destroy a nation.
This is not an exaggeration, but the truth!
"Wow, that's really impressive!"
Yet even this legendary and Great Pirates fell to the BOSS and the Straw Hat crew. If it were us in their place...
Jabura stroked his long mustache and finally had to admit:
We are no match for them!
More like a sneak attack or assassination...
"Let's go,"
Rob Lucci turned around calmly and slowly walked away with the pigeon 'Hattori' on his shoulder.
"Their battle is over, but our battle is not."
"Everyone, come here, we'll take you—?!"
As the feathers on her arms fluttered and flew up, Kalifa couldn't help but complain about the commoners on the island.
"Can these wings really fly? I always thought they were just a customary decoration for the people of this island..."
"Wow, is this the power of the 'IQ' serum?"
The Lion Kanshō and the Kalifa, who had not appeared until now, arrived together, causing the long-nosed Kaku to look at them.
"So, have you gotten the experimental data yet?"
"They're all here with me, chatter away."
Roman sent the two of them to obtain all the data the Golden Lion had accumulated over the past few decades on the evolutionary drug called 'IQ'. — Roman never believed that any power could be 'evil': after all, nuclear fission could produce atomic bombs, and it could also be transformed into nuclear power plants.
Power itself is never evil; evil is only found in those who wield it.
"Very well, since most of you can fly on your own—"
As the island began its rapid descent into the abyss, the island's civilians were inexplicably aroused, unfurling the feathers on their arms and transforming into figures that seemed to float in the air.
And those who are old, weak, sick, or disabled:
"Foam Master - Floating Bubbles!"
As bubbles, mimicking the shape of a Sabaody, floated out, they carried the elderly, children, and patients who couldn't fly on their own. This prompted several CP0 members nearby to remark:
"Kalifa, your abilities are really useful."
"Hmph, it's all thanks to the BOSS's guidance."
Unlike the previous development of things like the "golden bubble" that allowed you to touch the opponent, Roman instructed Kalifa to focus her development primarily on various support abilities. Invisibility, defense, flight—how powerful are those wide-area support abilities! Why insist on focusing on single-player combat? Isn't that foolish?
Anyway, this CP0 team, which is directly under Roman's command, already has enough combat personnel, and they don't need Kalifa, the weakest combatant.
"We'll stay here for now, settle the civilians first, and then take over the 'IQ' research..."
On the island that was beginning to descend, a group of CP0 members calmly held a meeting Geppo.
"How's it going with the boss...?"
"What a thrilling battle!"
Zoro, his body wrapped in bandages, grinned, seemingly unconcerned about his injuries.
"The feeling of unleashing that giant slash earlier..."
As expected, battle is the best catalyst. Zoro has mastered the giant slash, Sanji has mastered Geppo, Luffy's Haki has reached a new level, and even Roman himself has made further progress in developing various Devil Fruits.
"Paper Dance - Hot Air Balloon!"
Having regained some of his strength, Roman released a giant hot air balloon, placing the Straw Hat crew inside. As the giant islands beneath them fell into the sea one by one, the balloon finally stabilized after creating massive waves.
And so a new 'archipelagos' was born.
The hot air balloon was dropped onto the island, and at the same time, the civilians who had been flying, as well as the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled who were protected by Kalifa's bubbles, landed safely.
The pirates on the island were truly unlucky: they had already suffered heavy casualties in a series of battles and meteor showers. Now, they'd been caught in a sky descent, leaving even those who survived lying motionless on the ground. Therefore:
"Boss, this..."
When the Navy's Fleet 211, which had been lurking nearby, arrived, they were met with a scene of wounded and dead pirates scattered across the ground. And:
The Golden Lion, handcuffed with Seastone handcuffs, was unconscious and held to the side!
"Ah, as you can see, the battle is over."
Roman, wearing a naval officer's coat, casually waved his hand. Beside him stood Nami, dressed in a naval officer's coat. —Unlike Roman, who was forcing a pale and tired expression, Nami was basically unharmed.
"Install!"
A slender figure rushed over and grabbed Nami's hand with concern.
Are you alright?
"I'm fine, you'll see~~ Don't worry, Isca."
"That's the Golden Lion...?"
"Yes, it was Roman... cough cough, he took it all by himself."
?!
This,
Borgin scratched his blond hair and looked at the mountain-like ruins scattered across the scarred island, the huge, charred craters everywhere, and the rest of the island shattered.
It's not that he underestimated his boss, it's just that Roman's individual strength...
Fine, if you say so, then so be it.
Who are those people?
Several navy personnel noticed Rob Lucci and his group in white suits and masks nearby, and were about to approach them with weapons in hand when Borgin instantly teleported in front of them, stopping them.
"They are... people from the World Government."
This outfit, this aura... CP0?
"Ignore them, we'll just take the pirates off the island."
I see!
Boss, your identity...?
No wonder you dared to venture into the Golden Lion's territory alone, it turns out... no, wait!
Borgin glanced around and, judging from their aura alone, not one of those people in white suits was weaker than him! Even the only woman was probably about the same level as Isca.
So, it must be some kind of extremely useful ability user...
So, is it because we're not strong enough?
"What?!"
Say it again—
"Big News! Big News!!"
As Roman led Fleet 211 back to Marine Headquarters, a massive message swept across the world like a tsunami.
The Legend Ends, the Golden Lion is Arrested!
The mastermind behind the East Blue tragedy: the destruction of fifty pirate crews!
Whether it's avenging past humiliations by capturing Golden Lion and sending him to Impel Down, or the feat of instantly annihilating fifty pirate crews, it's enough to keep reporters awake for three days and three nights!
Although they didn't witness it firsthand—in fact, even Roman's own navy couldn't give a clear account of the battle—that didn't stop them from using their imaginations to write hundreds of thousands of words about Rear Admiral Roman battling a legendary pirate and fifty pirate crews. As for its authenticity:
Totland,
"Mama mama, that Golden Lion is such a piece of trash!"
Surrounded by 43 islands filled with various snacks, chocolates, and refreshments, the largest Whole Cake Chateau, is filled with enormous cake buildings. In the very center, amidst a gigantic multi-tiered cake structure, Big Mom Linlin, one of the Four Emperors Charlotte, bursts into laughter after reading the newspaper in her hand!
As a top-tier pirate with a bounty of 4.388 billion Beli, there are few things that can affect her mood anymore.
However, the Golden Lion is an exception.
A terrifying laugh swept through the room like a whirlwind, echoing throughout the entire island. Everyone instinctively stopped, clasped their hands together, and prayed for their Queen.
"Tickling~~ Mommy, what's making you so happy?"
Faced with her eldest son's question, "Candy Minister" Charlotte Perospero, the Big Mom who was not ill handed him the newspaper.
"That piece of trash, Golden Lion, actually fell into the hands of a junior naval officer."
"They've utterly disgraced the Rocks Pirates!"
"Is that Uncle Shiki?"
(When Perospero was born, Big Mom was still on the Rocks Pirates' ship.)
Charlotte Perospero took the newspaper and pretended to look at it—in reality, he had already obtained more detailed information through other means.
"He's not just a Vice Admiral, Mom. Lick lick~~"
As Perospero licked the giant lollipop cane in his hand, he handed the newspaper to Charlotte Brulee, the quiet 35th daughter of the family, who was sitting next to him.
"My men report that there are many men in black suits and masked men in white suits active on the battlefield against the Golden Lion... licks"
"Oh? Those Rat in the gutter of the government's CP?"
The enormous (8.8 meters tall, 8.8 meters circumference) 'Big Mom' Charlotte Linlin unconsciously reached out and threw the pastries on the table next to her—the table itself—into her mouth!
"They actually had the courage to step into the spotlight? Looks like we underestimated them..."
"I'll intensify my investigation, Mom. licks"
"Okay, it's up to you."
Meanwhile, Brulee, who was quiet on the other side, glanced at Roman in the newspaper with Nami and Isca on either side, and a hint of disdain flashed across her innocent face.
Ah, men.
"Waaaaahh..."
"Boss, please stop drinking..."
"Boss, don't cry..."
"What do you know!"
He was extremely tall and robust, with long black hair, a pair of long horns like a horned dragon, a long beard like a dragon's whiskers, and a dragon scale tattoo on his left arm.
The man, who was naked from the waist up, with an X-shaped scar on his right abdomen, wore a purple shirt with two gold chains hanging from the hem, and dark green wide trousers with Shimenawa tied around his waist. He was also wearing a purple fur cloak. He was pouring wine into his mouth from a wine pot with the character 'Heaven' written on it, while crying loudly.
"Shiki has given me a lot of guidance in the past, so—"
Kaido, known as "The Beasts," is the governor of the Beasts Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the New World. He possesses immense strength, with unimaginable defense and vitality, earning him the title of "the Strongest Creature." His bounty is 4,611,100,000 Beli.
When he was an apprentice sailor in the Knox Pirates, Golden Lion had already made a name for himself on the seas.
"Only I can take the head of the Golden Lion!"
The man who abruptly put down the wine jug radiated an overwhelmingly domineering light from his hazy, drunken eyes.
"That Vice Admiral, you'd better wash your neck clean and wait!"
P. S.: Okay, since you're asking for monthly votes, I'll post another chapter...