An Emperor fell, and others submitted one after another

The reporter from World Economy News Paper arrived the following morning.

Two people arrived: an older reporter and a young photography assistant.

The veteran reporter, surnamed Norton, had worked at the newspaper for nearly twenty years and had seen it all.

He climbed the steps of the Mary Geoise gate, looked up at the cloth bag hanging from the beam, and stopped.

The cloth bag had been blown by the wind all night, and the outer layer of cloth had loosened, revealing the lower half of a face.

He had a stubble beard, his mouth was half-open, his jaw was loose, and his tongue was crooked to one side.

Norton tilted his head back and looked at it for a few moments, then turned to his photography assistant behind him and said, "Take the pictures. One from every angle."

The photography assistant was a young man in his early twenties, carrying an old-fashioned upright camera, his hands trembling slightly.

He set up his camera, took a picture of the cloth bag on the crossbeam, and then moved to a different spot to take a second picture.

By the time he took the third picture, his hand was shaking so badly that Norton patted him on the back of the head.

"Stay calm. I'll have a hard time explaining if the photos go back blurry."

"Mr. Norton..." the camera assistant lowered his voice, "Is that Blackbeard? Marshall D. Teach? Really that one?"

"It really is that one," Norton said. "It was hung up last night. Lord Madara hung it up himself."

The photography assistant swallowed hard, steadied the camera again, and took five or six shots in quick succession.

Norton waited at the city gate for half an hour until the light was better, then had his assistant take another round of photos.

Then he called his assistant to the base of the wall, took out a small notebook from his pocket, and began asking questions while taking notes.

"Go back and write the article. I've got the title in mind: ' Blackbeard's Head Hangs at the Gates of Mary Geoise.'"

The story begins by stating that yesterday evening, Lord Madara hung Teach's head on the beam of the city gate.

The middle section describes Lord Madara's five-day pursuit, and the ending mentions the Uchiha Clan's rule. "Those who resist die, those who submit live."

"We don't know the details of Lord Madara's pursuit," the photography assistant said.

"Details," Norton said. "No, reasonable speculation. Lord Madara's round trip to the New World within five days is itself a demonstration of his strength."

Teach is one of the Four Emperors, with subordinates and a ship. Lord Madara went alone and came back alone, bringing back his head.

That's enough. No need to make things up; just present the facts, and the reader will figure it out for themselves.

The manuscript was sent back to the World Economy News Paper headquarters that afternoon.

Morgans read it over, changed a few words, and changed "Teach" to "Blackbeard"—he said that readers were used to the name "Blackbeard," so seeing "Teach" would make them think twice.

Norton's writing is plain and straightforward, without piling up adjectives; it simply states the time, place, people, and outcome.

Morgans added a line at the end, "Reported by Norton, our correspondent, at the gates of Mary Geoise."

The newspaper was sent out early the next morning.

The New World reacted quickly.

The Blackbeard Pirates didn't have much remaining strength to begin with.

After escaping the Deserted Island Battle, Teach was left with only a few fast-moving officers and a group of stragglers.

The day Norton's newspaper was published, they were holed up in an unnamed rocky bay in the New World, discussing what to do next.

The newspapers were delivered with the supply ship.

One of the officials picked it up and glanced at it, then his hand froze.

A few people gathered around, looked at the headline, looked at the photo of the head hanging at the city gate, and then no one said anything.

After a long while, an official put down the newspaper, his voice a little hoarse. "The captain is dead."

No one answered.

"Ban killed him. Five days. He went alone and came back alone."

Still, no one responded.

The cadre stood up, took the knife off his waist, and placed it on the table.

"I'm leaving. Going back to my old home in the East Blue. Going to farm." He paused. "You guys can all go home too. The Blackbeard Pirates are finished. It's over."

The remaining people looked at each other in bewilderment.

Some people stood up and put their weapons away.

Some people were still sitting, staring at the photos in the newspaper.

After watching for a while, he stood up too.

That afternoon, the last remaining members of the Blackbeard Pirates dispersed.

The same newspaper also spread to other corners of the New World.

A mid-sized pirate crew called the "Beluga Pirates" is led by a newcomer with a bounty of just over 200 million, who has only recently established himself in the New World.

He read the newspaper, folded it, and said to his second-in-command, "Send a letter of surrender to Mary Geoise. Say that the Beluga Pirates are willing to join the Earthly Chief Guard."

The deputy was taken aback for a moment.

"Captain, are we stopping the fight?"

"Shut up." The captain slammed the newspaper on the table. "Blackbeard, Four Emperors, with two Devil Fruit. He got his head chopped off by Madara in five days. We're nobody in his eyes. If you know what's good for you, surrender quickly, and you might have a better ending."

The deputy said nothing more and turned to write the surrender document.

On the other side of the New World, an old pirate crew called "Iron Claw" also saw the newspaper.

Iron Claw's captain is a seasoned veteran in his fifties, with a bounty of over five hundred million, and has been in the New World for almost thirty years.

After finishing reading the newspaper, he took off his reading glasses, placed them on the table, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes for a while.

He had met Blackbeard when he was young and knew how troublesome that guy was.

Now that guy's head hangs at the gates of Mary Geoise, his picture printed clearly in the newspaper.

"Pass it on." He opened his eyes and said to the officer beside him, "Iron Claw Pirates, go to Mary Geoise tomorrow to deliver your surrender document. We're done fighting. This sea is no longer ours."

The cadre opened his mouth. "Captain, have you thought it through?"

"I've made up my mind." Iron Claw put his reading glasses back on, picked up the newspaper, and glanced at it again. "Blackbeard's dead. Who do I think I am?"

A corner of the port of Mary Geoise was designated specifically for receiving those who surrendered.

The place wasn't big, just a flat stone slab floor and two rows of wooden tables against the wall. On the tables were booklets, inkpads, ink, and stacks of neatly folded Earthly Chief Guard uniform coats.

Three people sat behind the table: a young member of the Night Owl Guard responsible for verifying identities, an old soldier of the Earthly Chief Guard responsible for registering names, and a clerk of the Heavenly Star Guard copying and backing up the records.

A rope was strung in front of the table, and the surrenderers lined up to pass through it one by one.

The person in charge of leading the effort was Uchiha Hayate, the vice-captain of the 17th squad of the Night Owl Guard, who was twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and efficient.

He stood by the table, clutching a stack of surrender documents, flipping through them one by one, reading out a name with each page.

"The Beluga Pirates, Captain Brandon Cruz, bounty 230 million. Crew of 27."

"Here!" Brandon squeezed out of the line. He was in his early thirties, with short hair, a few freckles on his face, and wearing a faded pirate coat. The knife at his waist was already unfastened and held in his hand.

He was followed by more than twenty crew members, of varying heights and builds, standing Crooked, looking less like pirates and more like a group of fishermen who had just finished their work.

Hayate glanced at him, then looked down at the letter of surrender. "You are willing to be incorporated into the Earthly Chief Guard and obey orders. Right?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Brandon nodded quickly. "Yes, I'm very willing."

"Put down your knives. All weapons are to be stored away. They will be issued as needed after the units are reorganized."

Brandon placed the knife on the table with remarkable speed and efficiency.

One by one, his crew members behind him put up their weapons—knives, guns, daggers, iron bars—forming a small pile.

Hayate tilted his head to the side, and a Heavenly Star Guard clerk came over to collect the weapons and register them.

"After you register, go over there to get your clothes." Hayate pointed to the left. "The shoes and coats are in the first tent, and the belt and armbands are in the second. After you get them, line up in the open space at the back. Someone will explain the rules of the Earthly Chief Guard to you."

Brandon led the crew toward the shed. The next person came up from behind the rope.

"Iron Claw Pirates, Captain Iron Claw Jason, bounty 510 million. Crew of 43."

Iron Claw walked up with steady steps.

He was in his fifties, with gray hair and deep wrinkles on his face. He was missing three fingers on his right hand, and the cut edges were worn smooth.

He placed his knife on the table; the blade was wide, and the hilt was wrapped with old strips of cloth, indicating it had been used for many years.

"Captain Jason," Hayate glanced at him, "How many years have you been sailing the high seas?"

"Almost thirty years," Iron Claw said.

"Thirty years." Hayate turned to the last page of the surrender document. "Are you sure you've thought it through? The Earthly Chief Guard has rules. Things will be different after you're enlisted. You'll have to go on missions and follow discipline. You were used to being free when you were captain; now you'll have to take orders."

Iron Claw chuckled, rubbing his right hand, missing three fingers, on his trouser leg.

"I've thought it through. After my fleet disbanded, the crew members just drifted along with me, without any proper work. At least here they have food to eat and a place to stay." He paused.

"And your rules, I've seen them. They're quite good. When I was young, I was sailing the seas and saw too much mess. Since you came, there's been much less mess. I agree with that."

Hayate didn't ask any more questions, and tilted his head towards the shed. "Go get your clothes."

Iron Claw left with his men.

Behind them were three small pirate crews, none of them large, totaling less than sixty people.

Hayate read out the letters of surrender one by one and processed the formalities one after another.

By the afternoon, the receiving point at the port had processed nearly two hundred people's applications.

It's very lively over there at the shed.

The clerks of the Heavenly Star Guard were distributing uniforms, while the veterans of the Earthly Chief Guard were teaching the newcomers how to fasten their belts and wear their armbands.

Brandon had already changed, wearing a gray-blue Earthly Chief Guard coat with the belt tied a little tight, and he was twisting and turning to adjust it.

Iron Claw, slow down. Put on your coat, make sure your armband isn't crooked. An Earthly Chief Guard soldier came over and straightened it for you.

"The armband is on the left," the veteran said. "The right side is where the armband is; you can wear that when it's issued."

"Left side." Iron Claw looked down. "Okay, got it."

By evening, the first batch of surrenderers had all completed the formalities.

Hayate stood on the stone platform by the harbor and glanced at the newly formed Earthly Chief Guard lined up below.

The rows of people in gray-blue coats, though not perfectly aligned, at least formed a square formation.

Brandon stood in the first row, Iron Claw in the second row, and behind them were two younger pirate captains.

Behind them were ordinary crew members, some still tugging at their clothes, others whispering to their fellow soldiers.

Hayate cleared his throat. "Quiet down."

The formation fell silent.

"From today onwards, you are the people of the Earthly Chief Guard."

The rules of the Earthly Chief Guard will be distributed to everyone later; please read and memorize them yourselves.

I'll only mention a few of the most important points.

First, obey orders.

Go wherever I tell you to go, do whatever I tell you to do.

Second, follow the rules.

The discipline of the Earthly Chief Guard is much stricter than when you were pirates. If you break the rules, you will be punished, and the punishment will not be light.

Third, manage yourself well.

You used to be pirates, but you're not anymore.

In the past, people would rob and kill at will, but that's no longer the case.

Anyone who can't resist the urge to quit should leave now, instead of regretting it after being punished.

No one spoke in the formation.

"Did you understand?"

"Understood!" Brandon shouted the loudest, and the others followed suit.

Hayate nodded. "Training begins tomorrow. Formations, patrols, basic combat tactics. Once you've mastered them, you'll be assigned to your respective strongholds. Dismissed."

Brandon emerged from the formation, rubbed his shoulders, and turned to talk to Iron Claw beside him.

"Captain Jason, when you were sailing the seas, did you ever imagine you'd be wearing this suit one day?"

Iron Claw looked down at his gray-blue coat and chuckled.

"No. When I was young, I thought being a pirate was the most carefree thing to do. Now that I'm older, I actually think having a proper job is pretty good too."

"I think so too," Brandon said. "At least I don't have to live in Tenten fear anymore. Back in the New World, I was Tenten afraid of this and that, I even had to sleep with one eye open. Now it's great, my boss is from the Uchiha Clan, who dares to mess with me?"

Iron Claw nodded. "That's right."

The two walked towards the harbor. As they passed the city gate, they looked up and glanced at the cloth bag hanging from the beam.

Iron Claw stopped and watched for a while.

Brandon watched for a while as well.

"That's Blackbeard," Iron Claw said.

"Hmm," Brandon said, "Pretty big a head."

Iron Claw glanced at him and chuckled. "You've got some nerve, saying that like that."

"He's dead, what's there to be afraid of?" Brandon said. "Besides, I heard Blackbeard begged for mercy before he died. Begging was useless; Lord Madara chopped him down with a single stroke." He paused, "If I can ever reach Lord Madara's level, it'll be worth dying for."

Iron Claw shook his head and patted him on the shoulder.

"Stop overthinking. Let's go, we have training tomorrow."