The incident on North Blue's Minion Island was a significant matter for the World Government. However, to the wider world, it was nothing but a minor blip, an inconsequential event. After all, what did the death of one small-time pirate mean on a global scale?
The world's attention was fixated elsewhere. In New World, the downfall of Charlotte Linlin, once a figure on the verge of claiming the title of Pirate Emperor, had sent shockwaves across the seas. Marine, CP-X, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea had banded together to eliminate her, leaving the remnants of her Big Mom Pirates scattered.
Kaido's Beasts Pirates capitalized on the opportunity, annexing a significant portion of Big Mom's territory and resources. With this windfall, Kaido's influence surged. He now stood as a veritable Pirate Emperor, his strength and reach rivaling even that of the Whitebeard Pirates.
---
On the Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh sat on a sofa inside Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, holding a photograph in his hand. His brow furrowed as he examined it closely.
The photograph was of Claudius, the same one Morgans had purchased for two billion berries and plastered across newspapers worldwide. It was a hot topic in the intelligence world before its publication, and once released, Morgans made a fortune from the attention it garnered.
"It's strange," Rayleigh muttered, comparing the Claudius he remembered with the man in the photo. "It doesn't look like him at all. Did that kid hire a body double?"
The Claudius Rayleigh knew was insufferable yet carried himself with the refined grace of a noble. He was arrogant but composed, a model of Celestial Dragon superiority. The man in the photo, however, was a wild berserker, his muscles rippling with ferocity.
"Even if it doesn't seem like him, you can't deny it's Claudius," Shakky said, holding up the newspaper with a knowing smile.
Rayleigh sighed. "I never thought he'd pull off something this big."
"Charlotte Linlin was powerful, wasn't she?" Shakky asked curiously.
"Very," Rayleigh said with a nod. "Back in the day, we had to go through a lot of trouble just to steal a copy of the Road Poneglyph from her."
At that time, Roger's health was failing, and the crew avoided direct conflict to preserve his strength for their journey to Raftel. Instead of confronting Big Mom, they opted for stealth to secure the Poneglyph.
Rayleigh's expression darkened slightly as he recalled his brief clash with Linlin in the Valley of the Gods. Even then, she was a formidable monster. After so many years, she must have grown even stronger. And yet, Claudius had defeated her.
"The newspaper claims Claudius nearly took down Charlotte Linlin single-handedly. The photograph seems to back that up. If he's truly as strong as an Admiral—or stronger—he's a monster in his own right," Shakky said thoughtfully.
"And he's still young. He could grow even more powerful. Doesn't that just make you sick?" Rayleigh chuckled bitterly.
"What's there to be upset about? He's not our enemy. If anything, he's on friendly terms with us, isn't he?" Shakky said, laughing.
"Maybe, but something about him doesn't sit right with me," Rayleigh said.
"You think he might become one of the Five Elders someday?" Shakky teased.
"Who's to say he won't?" Rayleigh replied with a hint of unease.
---
Meanwhile, in New World, aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard frowned as he read the same newspaper. His massive frame leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed as he digested the implications.
For decades, Charlotte Linlin's raw physical power had been unmatched, save for his own. Even he had been slightly envious of her natural durability and monstrous strength.
Now, she had been toppled by Claudius, a man shrouded in mystery. The photograph of him dominating Linlin in battle confirmed his strength. Whitebeard recognized Claudius as someone who could potentially stand as his equal.
"Dad, Kaido's sent a messenger," Marco said, walking up to him.
"What does that brat want?" Whitebeard asked without looking up from the paper.
"Who knows? Maybe he's here to declare war on us," Marco joked lightly.
Diamond chimed in, "Kaido may be reckless, but he's not stupid. He's still consolidating Big Mom's territories. I bet he's here to propose an alliance."
Whitebeard finally put down the newspaper, his eyes narrowing. "That sounds about right. He's probably worried the World Government will come after us next."
"The fall of the Big Mom Pirates has shaken New World. If the World Government decides to strike while we're weakened, it could be trouble," said Saatchi, captain of the fourth division. "What should we do, Dad? Should we cooperate with Kaido?"
"Cooperate? Hah!" Whitebeard laughed disdainfully. "Back when we were on Rocks' ship, I knew Kaido was no good. Have you ever seen pirates truly work together? Besides, I'm Whitebeard! If the World Government thinks they can take me down, let them try. I'll show them the difference between me and that old hag, Charlotte Linlin!"
"What about Kaido's envoy?" Marco asked.
"Kuhahaha! Send them packing! Tell Kaido we're not interested and to stay out of my way," Whitebeard said, his laughter echoing across the deck.
Even with Linlin's downfall, Whitebeard's confidence remained unshaken. Unlike Kaido or Linlin, his pride was untouchable.
---
In East Blue, the Red-Haired Pirates had settled in Windmill Village of the Goa Kingdom.
Inside the tavern, Shanks sat with a newspaper in hand, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So, CP-X is real, huh? This Claudius guy is something else," said Lucky Roo, biting into a massive chicken leg.
"Of course it's real," Shanks replied with a grin. "I've never met Claudius myself, but Captain Roger and Rayleigh have both mentioned him. A strange Celestial Dragon, they said."
"Really?" Lucky Roux said, unimpressed.
Shanks nodded. "New World is a mess right now. The Big Mom Pirates are finished, and Kaido's taken a lot of their spoils."
"What's that got to do with us?" Yasopp asked casually, cleaning his pistol.
Shanks smirked. "Everything."
"Huh? What are you getting at?" Benn Beckman asked, raising an eyebrow.
Shanks closed the newspaper and leaned back. "I've decided. We're leaving East Blue."
At that moment, the tavern door burst open, revealing a self-proclaimed mountain bandit king. He swaggered in, full of bravado, but before he could say a word, Lucky smashed him over the head with his chicken leg. The bandit collapsed instantly, leaving his gang dumbfounded. They quickly scattered, not daring to confront the pirates.
Shanks barely acknowledged the commotion, focusing instead on his crew. "Our vacation in East Blue is over. It's time to return to New World and take the title of Pirate Emperor. What do you all think?"