The News That Shook the World

"It's truly tragic." Novoya flew through the air, looking down at Sony Island below. He released his Observation Haki and quickly locked onto Zephyr, the only survivor.

All the pirates on the island fled, not daring to stay any longer. They might even have to flee for some time to come, facing retaliation from the Navy.

Zephyr had already fallen into a coma. The attack of his asthma, the injury of his severed arm, the excessive blood loss, and the complete annihilation of his students had made him so angry and weak that he lost consciousness.

Standing beside Zephyr, Novoya could feel Zephyr's despair. There were tear stains on his face. Although he was unconscious, his brows were furrowed, and he was sweating profusely. His body was burning hot, as if he were having a nightmare.

Zephyr's plight moved Novoya deeply, making him realize just how desperate Zephyr must have felt.

Zephyr was, after all, his teacher, and he had been dedicated and responsible in teaching him.

However, compared to emotions, Novoya's rationality prevailed.

With his hands in his pockets, blood streaming down his face, his cloak of justice fluttering in the wind, Novoya waited quietly to the side.

He had already checked; apart from Zephyr, there were no survivors. All the naval cadets had perished, and some couldn't even be found with their bodies intact.

Such losses were too devastating for the headquarters; all three years' worth of elite trainees had been sacrificed, along with twelve Commodore and Rear Admiral.

This is equivalent to the loss of hundreds of future Commodore Rear Admiral and major generals, including even Vice Admiral.

"I've arrived."

"Dial the phone number to headquarters, "Novoya said softly.

"How is the situation?" Sengoku in front of the Den Den Mushi, already had a bad feeling. Other Marines were also nearby and rushed over after receiving the news.

"The head instructor lost an arm and is currently in a coma. As for the other trainees and assistant instructors, they were all wiped out. It seems they went through a very fierce battle."

"There's no one else on the island. The murderer and the pirates have all escaped."

The entire naval conference room fell silent instantly, the air seemed to freeze, and everyone stared wide-eyed in disbelief, some trembling, their minds blank.

"How... how could this be?"

Sengoku had prepared himself for huge losses, but he hadn't expected them to be this severe, making it impossible for him to remain calm.

The only saving grace was that Zephyr was still alive; otherwise, he wouldn't know what to do.

Sengoku took a deep breath, trying his best to calm his mind, but he couldn't.

Clenching his fist, it cracked.

Gritting his teeth, he said, "Investigate! Those pirates are definitely in the surrounding waters. We must find out their identities, the cause and effect, and exactly what happened!"

Upon receiving Sengoku's orders, the strategist Tsuru quietly departed; even she could not remain calm in the face of such news.

But what's done is done and can't be undone; all we can do is find out what happened as soon as possible.

On the other side, Admiral Akainu's fleet arrived.

They already knew what had happened, but seeing the situation on the island still deeply shocked them.

The island was littered with corpses, rivers of blood, and mangled limbs; the scene was utterly devastating.

As the rain poured down, the naval officers and soldiers, wearing their caps, stood in solemn silence to mourn.

"Take the body back for burial, make proper arrangements for Teacher Zephyr, and check on the situation on the island."

Although Akainu was used to seeing such scenes, he felt like he was about to explode with rage every time the Navy suffered heavy losses.

If he had known the battle was so fierce, he would have used Geppo to rush over without rest.

It might also be late.

Based on the situation on the island, it can be inferred that the naval cadets were facing an attack by numerous pirates.

Nearly half of them died at the hands of a powerful figure.

"Admiral, a black market has been discovered underground on Sony Island. It's a large illegal goods trading market, but not much was left behind; most of it was burned, probably before the pirates left."

Are there any obvious markings?

"Sorry, we didn't find it; it should have been destroyed."

"Then take away the contraband that was stored there."

After spending a considerable amount of time packing their things, they prepared to return to headquarters. Novoya stood on the warship, escorting Zephyr back, and also taking the opportunity to visit headquarters.

"How is Zephyr- sensei?" Akainu asked the army doctor, looking at Zephyr lying on the bed.

"He's not in immediate danger, but his condition isn't good." The doctor shook his head. "Mr. Zephyr lost his right hand and has lost a lot of blood. He's very weak, and his body is very hot; he seems to have a fever. More importantly, his mental state is very poor. If this continues for too long, his life will be in danger. He needs to be taken back to headquarters for treatment immediately."

As a military doctor, he would make simple diagnoses and take some emergency measures. However, for a severe case like Zephyr, a full recovery would require returning to headquarters.

The best equipment and medicines are available there.

"Is that so? I understand." Sakazuki nodded. By this time, the warship had already set sail. He turned around and went to the stern of the warship.

His gaze fell upon Sony Island, and a powerful aura erupted from his body.

Novoya knew what Sakazuki was going to do next, and some marines familiar with Sakazuki could guess it too.

"This is a disgrace to the navy; let it perish!"

Sakazuki shouted.

"Meteor Volcano!"

Like cannons, his fists unleashed countless Magma Fist that shot straight into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.

Soon, the sky suddenly darkened, and a fiery red cloud gathered in the sky, creating a scene like a volcanic eruption.

The scorching heat evaporated all the water vapor in the clouds, and the torrential rain quickly stopped.

Giant lava fists rained down from the sky, countless in number, crashing down on Sony Island like a meteor shower.

In Sakazuki's eyes, such a sinful place should be destroyed.

In any case, the Navy's bodies had been mostly recovered, and he didn't care about the remaining pirate bodies. As for the so-called evidence and the scene, many photos had been taken, enough for the Staff Department to analyze.

Boom! Boom!

The Meteor Volcano, capable of destroying everything, is more terrifying than the Buster Call, launching a comprehensive attack on the entire island.

The scorching lava spewed out and flowed across the ground, and soon, most of the island was reduced to nothing.

"Every time I see it, it's so breathtaking!" Novoya exclaimed inwardly as he watched the scene.

A year and a half has passed since the battle with the Beasts Pirates, and Sakazuki has not stopped. Novoya can sense that Sakazuki has become even stronger.

Although there was no direct comparison, Novoya could sense it.

At 45 years old, Sakazuki has essentially reached his peak, but he has not yet reached his limit and is still getting stronger. His abilities will be further developed over time.

Over the years, he has not relaxed his exercise routine.

Similarly, the other two Admiral were terrifyingly powerful.

Although the navy has suffered heavy losses in recent years in terms of core combat power, high-end combat power, and the number of lower-level personnel.

However, in terms of top-tier combat power, the Navy still possesses the strength to intimidate the world. With the crippled former Fleet Marshal Kong and the deceased Admiral Black Pigeon, the Navy has weakened, but not to the point of being crippled.

With the current Three Admirals fully grown, Sakazuki will no longer be easily suppressed by Big Mom as he was in the New World War years ago.

Big Mom has also become stronger, but the gap between the two is narrowing, and the pace of improvement slows down as time goes on.

Moreover, the Navy also has Gion, Kake two other top-tier combatants who are still developing.

Novoya is next.

And Smoker, a Logia Devil Fruit User, may not be able to compare with the current Admiral, but with proper training, he could easily become a top-tier fighter.

The Marine Headquarters has high expectations for these future prospects.

The strength of a navy is the foundation of its global dominance.

Meanwhile, the message was instantly transmitted throughout the world via Transponder Snail).

Such a major event was naturally not overlooked by the World Economic News. After learning that Sony Island was a target of the Navy, Morgans sent people to make preparations on the island in advance.

After all, this is a significant piece of intelligence, and it also allows us to assess the capabilities of the new generation of naval personnel.

However, unexpectedly, such a major incident occurred during this combat training exercise at the Marine Elite Training Camp.

"Quickly! Edit the battle footage and send it out."

"The editorial department needs to speed things up. You have half an hour to write what needs to be written and then send it to the printing press."

The World Economic News got busy at Morgans's urging.

First, let the world know the news through battle footage, then tell the inside story and what exactly happened through newspapers.

"President, half an hour isn't enough time."

"I don't care! I'm giving you half an hour. If you finish within half an hour, the bonus will be doubled!" Morgans said excitedly, picking up a pen and starting to write.

"Yes, President!"

Hearing that the bonus would be doubled didn't excite anyone; they were more motivated than excited.

For Morgans and the World Economic News, money is not an issue; the important thing is to deliver detailed news to the world in the shortest possible time.

"Shocking! Former Admiral Zephyr loses arm!"

"Pirates' counterattack! The entire Marine Elite Training Camp has been wiped out!"

"Whitebeard II.! A monster with the power of Whitebeard in his youth!"

In this era, news spreads much faster than ever before.

Sony Island was a pirate island, and it was also destroyed by Sakazuki.

The footage shot by World Economic News has already shown part of the process and the results.

A lot of information can also be obtained from the pirates who escaped from Sony Island. After all, the battlefield is vast, and the World Economic News's footage only focuses on the important aspects.

Don't underestimate the world's various media outlets; they all have extraordinary intelligence networks and can exchange intelligence with other media.

Soon, the overall cause and effect will be traced back to a fairly complete point and become known to everyone.

Although it only happened on a small island, it was undoubtedly a major event that shocked the world.

Edward Weevil, who calls himself the Whitebeard II, is recognized worldwide for his immense strength and is able to confront former Marine Admiral Zephyr head-on.

Although the severing of Zephyr's arm was largely a coincidence, Zephyr's asthma suddenly flared up, giving Weevil the opportunity.

There are no coincidences in battle; ultimately, it all comes down to being outmatched in skill.

Moreover, this wasn't the first time Zephyr had an asthma attack; he had also had one years ago during his battle with Ares, the leader of the Night Pirates.

Edward Weevil's bounty immediately jumped to 600 million Beli.

Given his abilities, no one would say anything even if his value increased to a billion Beli.

However, the bounty is not only based on strength, but mainly on the threat posed to the World Government.

A sudden increase of 500 million Beli is already quite high. As a lone wolf, Weevil's threat level is far lower than that of pirates backed by powerful forces.

Edward Weevil's strength is undeniable, although his appearance is vastly different and cannot compare to the heroic figure of Whitebeard in his youth.

But his blond hair and crescent-shaped Whitebeard were hallmarks of Whitebeard at his peak.

Weevil's overwhelming power, his ability to withstand Zephyr's powerful blows multiple times, his monstrous physique, and his powerful Impact-Impact Fruit ability—how similar they were to Whitebeard in his youth!

Some have already suspected that Weevil might indeed be Whitebeard's son, perhaps due to a past romantic entanglement, sparking curiosity and discussion around the world.

Who doesn't love gossip? Especially gossip about a world-class monster like Whitebeard!

Having adopted so many sons, it's interesting that a biological son suddenly appears.

Other notable figures include Frey, Bolo, and Roy, the three strongest pirates of Sony Island.

Although their strength was insignificant in the eyes of the Great Pirate of the New World, their deeds made them famous and known to everyone.

Before the Navy arrived, they were the first to gather most of the pirates on Sony Island, consolidate their forces, and devise a plan to counterattack and destroy the Marine Elite Training Camp.

It is said that Edward Weevil, the culprit who defeated Zephyr and destroyed the elite training camp, was brought in by Frey and his two companions.

In other words, the main reason for the Navy's recent predicament lies with these three individuals.

This wasn't the first time the Marine Elite Training Camp conducted live-fire exercises, but unexpectedly, they were defeated by these three "little pirates" this time.

Frey and his two companions enjoyed immense prestige among pirates and the general public, who admired their courage in challenging a behemoth like the Navy.

And they succeeded.

The top pirates of the New World are all extending invitations to them; such pirates are undoubtedly talented.

The three pirates have disappeared without a trace. After distributing a batch of treasure to their subordinates, they disbanded their pirate crew and their whereabouts remain unknown.

When Doflamingo, the person behind the scenes, received the news, he was completely stunned and broke out in a cold sweat.

Once people find out that Frey and his two companions are actually his subordinates, he'll be severely punished, if not killed. At the very least, the Navy and the World Government won't let him off so easily.

Then they heard Frey and his men recount in detail the plan to retaliate against the Navy.

They were also surprised; the plan had succeeded just like that, even more perfectly than they had imagined.

There's a lot of coincidence involved, but the most important factor is Weevil's immense strength and effectiveness. It was initially thought he could only hold off Zephyr.

Doflamingo immediately ordered them to disband their pirate crews, accept his orders, and hide in the New World. If they didn't go to the New World, their only fate would be death, facing the enraged Navy.

Doflamingo didn't want such talented people to die like this, and their loyalty was beyond question.

To avoid being caught by the navy, the three of them disguised themselves and planned to go to the West Blue first, then cross the West Blue Calm Belt the New World without anyone knowing.

Fish-Man Island might have already been targeted by the Navy.

He had already taken care of all the arrangements for one of the routes, after all, Doflamingo had considerable influence in the Grand Line.

Once they reach the West Blue, they will need to rely on the Night Pirates to secretly transfer themselves.

Since the West Blue is not his territory, the Dark Council is very exclusive and has expanded into other sea areas, so how could it allow other forces to intervene?

This kind of thing is something the Night Pirates do very casually.

Once the storm has passed, there's no need to hide like this anymore. Although they are the planners, this represents the interests of pirates, a resistance for survival, and a counterattack against the Navy.

It was Edward Weevil who truly dealt a heavy blow to the Navy, whether it was killing the vast majority of naval cadets or severing Zephyr's arm.

Moreover, these pirates fled halfway through.

The combat footage vividly portrays Edward Weevil's cruelty.

Ultimately, it was Weevil who attracted the Navy's hatred; the three planners, Frey, only represented a small portion.

Doflamingo also kept in mind Weevil, this monster who might be related to Whitebeard.

He naturally wouldn't provoke the other party.

Weevil looks like a fool, and his mother, who loves money, is of great use to him as a super henchman.

"Pops! Is Weevil really your son?"

"I heard from some of the older crew members that Bakin used to be your crewmate, and he stayed on the ship for two years after the pirate crew was formed."

Marco stared at Whitebeard in astonishment, and the other members were also curious, wanting to know Weevil's identity.

Whitebeard looked at the photos in the newspaper, the figures of Weevil and Bakin, and it was as if he were lost in memories.

Whitebeard had a fairly good understanding of Bakin's abilities and personality. Based on Weevil's appearance, his age, and the time Bakin left, Whitebeard guessed Bakin's possible purpose.

This made him somewhat uncomfortable, but he didn't show it.

Whitebeard was more concerned about Zephyr, his old rival. He felt sympathy for Zephyr's plight, but that's just how the sea is.

"Gurrah! You are all my sons!" The Whitebeard drank the wine heartily and laughed loudly.

In the Night Sea Domain, Teach, who was doing simple training, suddenly froze. He was also somewhat surprised to receive this information.

In just a second, Teach moved again under intense pressure.

While some things have changed, some things have still happened; this historical correction, or rather, the unexpected turn of events, is what makes it interesting.

It was a small matter, and he didn't really care.

This major event also made many people realize that Zephyr. This once Admiral once dominated the seas would have had a very different outcome if Weevil Zephyr his prime.

His repeated defeats at the hands of younger generations, whether it was Ares or Weevil, shattered the myth he had once built.

It's laughable that such a monstrous disease asthma can suffer so much pain.