Making a Name for Myself Across the Seas

"If my guess is correct, the Golden Emperor's Devil Fruit is that one."

Tsuru's words made Sengoku frown, his expression quickly turning grim.

"The Gold-Gold Fruit."

"It's highly likely."

Tsuru put down the documents, her expression grave. "This Devil Fruit cannot fall into the Golden Lion's hands, otherwise his influence will expand even faster."

Both Sengoku and Tsuru understood what the Gold-Gold Fruit represented.

If the Golden Emperor were to be subdued by the Golden Lion, it would mean the Flying Pirates would gain immense wealth, making it easier for them to recruit more members.

The most fundamental tie binding a powerful force together was money.

In the Devil Fruit Compendium, the Gold-Gold Fruit wasn't the most powerful, but it was the most important.

Especially for a faction.

Mastering the Gold-Gold Fruit meant being able to easily find gold buried all over the world, which was equivalent to controlling wealth and the world's economy. No ambitious person would let such an opportunity pass.

Moreover, the Gold-Gold Fruit hadn't appeared in a long time!

Now that it had surfaced, it would surely attract the covetous eyes of many ambitious individuals, strategists, and even kingdoms.

"It's a bit late."

Sengoku sighed. It was too late to suppress this now.

It could be predicted that in the coming days, the Golden Emperor would become famous.

This was simply because Dragon Horn Jax was the captain of the Flying Pirates' 20th Fleet, and anything associated with the Flying Pirates meant huge news.

This matter could no longer be contained.

Setting aside everything else, the mere fact that the Golden Emperor possessed a mountain of gold would be enough to make Chaos a household name across the seas.

After all, weren't people venturing out for wealth, fame, and power?

Such a massive mountain of gold could easily buy an entire kingdom.

"Money makes the world go 'round" wasn't just a saying.

"Since the news can't be suppressed, let's push it!"

Tsuru tapped the desk with one hand, and a plan of action quickly took shape.

"You mean...?"

With just a look, Sengoku understood Tsuru's intention.

"It's a shame he's a pirate."

Tsuru nodded first, then her gaze sharpened as she looked at the wanted poster.

The next day, a newspaper spread across the seas.

"Extra! Extra!"

"Dragon Horn Jax, captain of the Flying Pirates' 20th Fleet, with a bounty of 330 million Belly, was killed by the Golden Emperor on Sabaody Archipelago!"

"The Golden Emperor has issued a challenge to the Golden Lion, vowing to take his head."

"The Golden Emperor's bounty has increased from 123 million to 567 million."

"Golden Emperor Gaia Chaos, Paramecia-type Gold-Gold Fruit user, possesses two types of Haki and Rokushiki."

"Paramecia-type Gold-Gold Fruit, the wealthiest Devil Fruit, grants the ability to turn one's body into gold, manipulate gold, and even detect gold through the ground."

"The Golden Emperor once battled using gold worth tens of billions of Belly. Whoever controls the Golden Emperor can become the richest person in this world."

"..."

Like a stone thrown into a calm lake, the Golden Emperor's name spread throughout the Four Seas, the Grand Line, and the New World within a single day.

Almost all pirates looked greedily at the newspaper. The photo displayed was of Chaos standing in the palm of the Goddess of the Heavens, a fifty-meter-tall, golden, alluring figure.

Especially the line stating that whoever controlled the Golden Emperor could become the richest person in the world.

This was as impactful as becoming the Pirate King in the future Great Pirate Era.

The Great Pirate Era had not yet begun, but everyone who set sail as a pirate did so for wealth, women, power, and fame. Now, wealth was presented before them.

All they needed to do was control the Golden Emperor.

With money came power, women, fame, and even the entire world.

Recruiting troops and building an army – there was nothing money couldn't achieve.

The entire sea had gone mad.

The Golden Emperor was now the future One Piece!

It was a naked treasure.

Countless pirate crews began to turn their ships towards the Grand Line.

A certain sea area in the New World.

Ten thousand meters in the sky.

Various strange islands, hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of meters in size, floated in the air, scattered like a fairyland.

The closer to the center, the larger the islands became.

This was different from Sky Island; Sky Island floated because of the White Sea, but these islands had no White Sea and yet they hung in the air, as if some mysterious power and force field existed.

These islands were peculiar, with islands made entirely of water, islands made entirely of rock, and so on. All kinds of islands floated in the air, creating a beautiful spectacle.

Some islands had rainbows spanning their undersides.

High mountains, flowing water, and falling waterfalls could be seen, along with many flying birds like white cranes and the roars of beasts from the jungle.

The view zoomed in continuously, and among the well-arranged islands, there was a large one.

A continuous stretch of buildings covered its surface.

Majestic, tall, luxurious, and grand, the very front featured a huge plaza where many pirates could be seen from time to time.

Inside the palace at the very center, a gathering was taking place. A single glance revealed a multitude of notorious pirates.

Anyone seated here had a bounty of at least 300 million Belly, with higher bounties the closer they were to the throne!

Their strength also increased accordingly.

However, the usually lively banquet had quieted down somewhat, with many great pirates looking at the newspapers in their hands.

And on the throne at the very front sat a man who looked down on all things, exuding an overbearing aura that roared like a lion across the seas and aimed to conquer the heavens.

He was the future legendary pirate, Golden Lion Shiki, a supremely powerful being who would soon threaten and attempt to recruit Roger, single-handedly destroy Marineford, and require the combined efforts of Sengoku and Garp to defeat.

In terms of current fame, Golden Lion Shiki was the undisputed overlord.

Even Whitebeard, Lone Red, and Roger couldn't compare.

In this era, Golden Lion Shiki was full of ambition, aiming to rule the entire sea.

Both in terms of influence and strength, he stood at the pinnacle of the food chain.

His legs were not yet lost, nor was a ship's helm stuck in his head, meaning his strength was not restricted in any way!

He could look down on all heroes and reign supreme!

"Kekekeke~"

"A Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user!"

Golden Lion looked at the newspaper in his hand, puffing on a cigar and laughing maniacally.

"Admiral, give me ten days, and I'll bring the Golden Emperor to you."

At the banquet table below, a man with a blind left eye and three whiskers finished his drink in one gulp, his gaze filled with ferocity as he looked at the laughing Golden Lion.

Captain of the 15th Fleet, Lone Wolf Spand, bounty of 710 million, Zoan-type, Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Dachshund.

"Ten days? I only need five."

A disdainful voice came from a bare-chested, muscular man standing 6 meters tall with a thick growth of chest hair.

Captain of the 13th Fleet, Great Kong Omit, bounty of 960 million, Zoan-type, Ancient Zoan: Kong Form.

"Pfft~"

As soon as Great Kong Omit finished speaking, a mocking laugh came from the seat next to him.

It was a seductive woman in a bikini, with purple lipstick. As she chuckled, her E-cup breasts jiggled.

"Crystalis, what are you laughing at!"

Great Kong Omit's eyes widened in anger. Compared to Crystalis, he was a beast and she was a beauty.

If one looked closely, they would notice that Great Kong Omit seemed to be wary of this woman.

This woman was none other than Captain of the 12th Fleet, the Cruel Queen Crystalis, bounty of 1.015 billion, Paramecia-type, Net-Net Fruit user.

She enjoyed torturing her enemies. While she appeared alluring and sexy, she had a heart of a viper.

Her cruel methods were among the best in the entire Flying Pirates.