Over the next few days, the world remained in turmoil.
The battle of Ink Tide Island was like a massive stone crashing into the New World, its ripples rapidly spreading across every sea.
The islands that had once relied on Whitebeard's flag began to stir with unrest, and one matter in particular drew widespread attention.
Pirate strongholds that had spent years tyrannizing others under Whitebeard's banner were completely purged in multiple places. The strongholds collapsed, and the ground was covered in quake-split scars.
The sight led countless people across the seas to speculate.
"Could Whitebeard be dealing with traitors?"
"He's still alive?"
"Those quake marks can't be wrong! It has to be the Tremor-Tremor Fruit!"
"But wasn't Whitebeard beaten to the brink of death by Rock?"
"Could the battle report be fake?"
"Or... has a new Tremor-Tremor Fruit user appeared within the Whitebeard Pirates?"
The discussions grew more numerous, and the panic deepened.
Those pirate crews that had used Whitebeard's flag to oppress civilians, traffic people, and smuggle weapons could no longer sleep.
They feared the Navy by day and that mysterious Tremor-Tremor Power by night. The flag they had once relied on was becoming their death warrant.
Meanwhile.
The Navy began launching forceful offensives as well, with Zephyr personally leading a team on a rampage through the New World.
Wherever they went, pirates only died; none survived.
"Death Blow Zephyr is here!"
"Run!"
"Is that old man insane?! He's not leaving a single survivor?!"
"Don't block the way! That monster's charging over here!!!"
Pirates targeted by Zephyr basically had no chance of escaping.
On a certain island.
Sakazuki happened to be carrying out a pirate extermination mission nearby.
Not long after landing, he turned his right fist into scorching magma and punched straight through the pirate camp's gate.
Boom!