Four Emperors! Whitebeard!
"Who cares if it's true or not! I'm happy as long as the navy gets humiliated! Let's go! Pack our things and head to the West Blue! Maybe I can even become a captain under this new emperor!"
Countless ambitious pirates stood up, kicked over the stools at their feet, and ran towards the dock.
Some veteran pirates frowned, staring at the cold-eyed black-haired youth in the newspaper, their fingers unconsciously tapping the table, pondering whether they should personally go to Origin Island to test its strength.
Meanwhile, in a small seaside town in the West Blue, the dilapidated "Seagull Tavern" was also packed with pirates discussing the matter.
In the corner, a boy wearing an orange hat with two white pom-poms hanging from the brim was engrossed in eating barbecue, with the steel pipe on his back leaning against the wall.
Three plates in front of him were already empty, and his beer glass was nearly empty, but he showed no sign of leaving, his ears perked up, listening to the noise around him.
Ace has been chasing Blackbeard for almost a week now. From the Grand Line to the West Blue, that cunning bastard is as slippery as an eel, and he's almost caught him every time.
"Hey! New newspaper! Breaking news! That Void Demon Tamer Uchiha Natsu has a bounty of 3.5 billion Beli! The Navy has named him the Fifth Emperor!"
A newsboy rushed into the tavern carrying a stack of newspapers, and before he could finish speaking, he was surrounded by a group of pirates. Ace looked up, stopped the newsboy, tossed him a Beli, and took the top newspaper.
When Ace's gaze swept over the bold headline, his hand holding the newspaper paused, and a clear look of surprise appeared on his face.
"The Fifth Emperor?"
He quickly flipped through the newspaper, the contents of which Morgans had written in a wildly exaggerated style, with things like "punching Kizaru," "cutting a warship in half with a single slash," and "one man crushing an entire naval fleet"—all ridiculously exaggerated.
But when he saw that familiar name, and below it, the bounty of 3.5 billion Beli, his surprised expression slowly turned into understanding.
He recalled that day on Origin Island. The black-haired youth stood atop the giant Wood Dragon, casually blocking Kizaru's Yasakani no Magatama Susanoo's blade slashed through the sky, even the sun lost its light.
With that kind of strength, it wouldn't be surprising if it were more than 3.5 billion, let alone 3.5 billion.
Ace's lips slowly curved upwards, revealing a bright and excited smile, showing his two sharp little fangs.
He knew that Natsu was no ordinary person. In just a few days, he had already caused unrest throughout the entire ocean, and even the navy had to reluctantly acknowledge his status.
"Interesting..." Ace lightly traced Uchiha Natsu's portrait on the newspaper with his finger, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation. "The sea is going to be even more exciting now."
He folded the newspaper and stuffed it into his pocket, tossed a few Beli onto the table, picked up the steel pipe from his back, and strode towards the door. Sunlight shone on his orange hat, giving it a warm golden edge.
First, take care of that traitor Teach.
Once everything is over, he must go to Origin Island and have a good drink with Natsu.
At the Naka Shrine on Origin Island, the air is filled with the salty, fishy smell of sandalwood mixed with the sea breeze.
Natsu Fugaku off when she ran her fingertips along the jet-black Den Den Mushi on the table, its shell slightly warm from the sun.
This was something Ace insisted on giving him before he left.
The guy was shoving Den Den Mushi into his hand, grinning broadly, and said that whether he needed help or just wanted to find a place to have a drink, he could just dial this number anytime.
The World News delivered this morning was still spread out on the table, with the three bold characters "Fifth Emperor" on the front page hurting one's eyes, accompanied by his expressionless profile.
With a gentle press of the dial button, the black Den Den Mushi immediately puffed out its cheeks and emitted a "bru bru" sound, which was particularly clear in the quiet shrine.
The phone was answered after ringing less than three times.
The Den Den Mushi's face twitched, slowly revealing the appearance of an old man with a signature white crescent-shaped mustache.
Before Natsu could speak, a deafening laugh rang out, making the Den Den Mushi's shell tremble slightly.
"Gurgle la la la la! Ace, you brat, you finally answered your Pops's call!"
Whitebeard's voice carried the roughness of the sea breeze and his unique authority, yet it couldn't hide his deep worry. "How many times have I told you, that traitor Teach is not someone you can handle! Listen to me, come back immediately! I'll send Marco and the others to deal with this!"
The Den Den Mushi frowned, mimicking Whitebeard's anxious expression, even its beard twitching along with it.
Natsu raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.
He had assumed it would be one of the captains answering the phone, but it turned out to be Whitebeard himself.
He cleared his throat and spoke calmly, "Hello, Mr. Edward Newgate. I'm not Ace, I'm Uchiha Natsu."
The laughter on the other end of the phone was abruptly cut off, as if someone had forcibly covered its mouth.
The smile on Den Den Mushi's face vanished instantly, replaced by a furrowed brow.
Those eyes, which had been smiling, suddenly widened, becoming as sharp as a hawk's, as if they could see through the telephone line and stare straight at Natsu, who was far away in the West Blue.
The air seemed to freeze instantly. The sea breeze outside the window whistled through the eaves of the shrine.
"Uchiha Natsu?" After a full three seconds of silence, Whitebeard's voice deepened, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure, "How did you get Ace's Den Den Mushi?"
"We met a while ago, so we can be considered acquaintances," Natsu said in the same tone. "I wanted to ask him about the training methods for Armament Haki and Observation Haki, but he said he wasn't good at it and recommended you instead."
"I see." The Whitebeard's tone relaxed slightly, then he burst into a hearty laugh. "Gururu! That kid certainly knows how to cause me trouble. But it's just Haki, nothing serious."
"Quite the opposite," Natsu said truthfully. "Last time Blackbeard attacked our clan's territory, it was Ace who helped us. The Uchiha Clan owes him a favor, and we'll have to repay it sooner or later."
"It's nothing," Whitebeard waved his hand dismissively, and the Den Den Mushi shook its head in response. "But if you see that kid again, be sure to pass on a message for me—stop chasing Teach and get back to the Moby Dick right now."
"I tried to persuade him." Natsu leaned against a wooden pillar at the shrine, her fingertips lightly tapping the table. "Just a few days ago, I told him that Teach wasn't so simple, and that he couldn't handle him alone. But you know that kid's personality; once he's made up his mind, not even ten oxen could pull him back."