To the world, two years was not a long time, but for ordinary people, the tremendous upheavals of those two years made it feel as though a lifetime had passed.
First, countless pirates seized territories that had once belonged to the Whitebeard Pirates. They competed for the position of one of the Five Emperors, but even the strongest among them, the Blackbeard Pirates, still fell short.
Moreover, not only had Blackbeard failed to gain the recognition of the other sea emperors, but the pirate crew he had rebuilt had once again been destroyed in its war with the "New Marines."
Then came the rapid development of Marine Headquarters. After that former Marine Admiral defected from the Marines, many people had waited to see Longinus make a fool of himself, believing Marine Headquarters might decline under the new Fleet Admiral.
Yet the facts proved that this new Fleet Admiral was not only immensely powerful, but also outstanding in ability and methods. Through his sweeping reforms, the Marines, once somewhat stagnant and rigid, had regained their vitality.
Beyond that, his appeal was incomparably powerful. By virtue of his reputation alone, he had drawn countless people who yearned for Justice into the Marines. From the various kingdoms to the different races, those who had once received Longinus's aid joined the Marines in droves, restoring their influence to its peak.
Next came the impact the New Marines had brought to these seas. Though they were merely an emerging force, they had split from Marine Headquarters with formidable strength, so their power was beyond question. The Blackbeard Pirates' second destruction had further proven this point.
Thanks to Akainu's uncompromising performance in the Summit War and the aggressive conduct of the Marines under him, the New Marines' relentless advance through the New World had also attracted