In the middle of the Sea Circle Calendar year 1520, the world remained in an eerie state of peace, with the rise of the so-called "Worst Generation" barely making a ripple.
Most eyes were fixed on the New World.
The reunion of three pirate emperors was a spectacle that drew intense attention.
No one knew what kind of agreement Shiki, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin had reached during their gathering.
It was rumored that a battle had indeed taken place, but the details remained unclear.
After staying together for about half a month, Shiki and Charlotte Linlin eventually left Onigashima in Wano Country.
There was no official news of an alliance, yet the aftermath spoke volumes.
The Flying Pirates, the Beasts Pirates, and the Big Mom Pirates all exercised restraint.
Previously, if any of these three factions encountered each other at sea, it was nearly impossible for them to pass without exchanging cannon fire.
Now, however, when they crossed paths, they merely passed by as if they hadn't seen each other at all.
The implications were obvious—these three emperors had reached some form of agreement.
With three of the Four Emperors seemingly allied, Shanks naturally became the center of attention. Everyone wondered how he would respond.
The answer? Not much.
The Red-Haired Pirates remained as carefree as ever—one day they were spotted in the West Blue, and a few days later, they might show up in the North Blue. Their movements were unpredictable, and they showed no signs of being involved in the strange shifts occurring in the New World.
But upon closer thought, perhaps it truly had nothing to do with them.
For a long time, the Red-Haired Pirates had hovered on the outskirts of these power struggles. Even if the new alliance of emperors sought to expand their control, they wouldn't prioritize eliminating Shanks' crew first.
As for Claudius, he had little interest in Shanks.
If the man wanted to be a carefree drifter, then so be it. As long as he didn't stir up trouble, Claudius had no reason to concern himself with him.
Meanwhile, the rookie pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million berries had finally gathered at the Sabaody Archipelago. These individuals, now dubbed the "Worst Generation," represented the rising wave of chaos in 1520.
Strangely, neither the World Government nor Marine Headquarters had taken direct action against them.
With the Celestial Dragons no longer in power thanks to Claudius, there was far less chaos on the Sabaody Archipelago.
As a result, the gathering of these supernovas only led to minor scuffles most notably a fight between Eustass Kid and Basil Hawkins.
There was no major incident.
And naturally, no Marine Admiral showed up to intervene.
Without experiencing firsthand the overwhelming might of the world's strongest forces, the supernovas set sail for the New World, full of reckless ambition and fearless excitement.
---
In the gateway sea zone of the New World, the warship Prometheus cut through the waves.
Claudius had finally left Mariejois after a long time, heading toward the new Marine Headquarters.
The reason was simple.
After months of testing and fine-tuning, the PX-Pacifistas had officially passed their trials. Claudius was eager to see the ultimate weapon that would counterbalance the Great Pirate Era.
If the results satisfied him, he would immediately allocate funds to ramp up mass production.
On the deck of the Prometheus, Claudius lounged under the sun, casually flipping through a book about the "Future Kingdom."
The Future Kingdom was a nation renowned for its advanced scientific prowess. It was also the birthplace of the brilliant scientist Dr. Vegapunk.
This trip to Marine Headquarters would also give Claudius a chance to meet Vegapunk in person—the man said to be five hundred years ahead of the world in intelligence.
Claudius had always been interested in him, yet had never gotten the opportunity to visit.
In the past, his position did not permit such a meeting, as Vegapunk was directly overseen by the Five Elders. The Marine Science Unit functioned more like his personal security detail.
Later, Claudius simply became too busy to think about it.
Now that the chance had finally come, he wanted to prepare himself—hence why he was reading up on the Future Kingdom. He didn't want to walk in completely clueless and embarrass himself.
Previously, Prometheus had been entrusted to Robin, who took her mother on a journey across the seas.
However, the two had recently returned.
Since her mother's release from prison, Robin's personality had become noticeably more cheerful.
Olvia, on the other hand, seemed eager to make up for lost time with her daughter, choosing to live aboard the Prometheus as well.
In her youth, Olvia had been a great beauty. But after spending half her life in prison, time had left its mark.
Although her imprisonment had been relatively comfortable under Spandine's arrangements, she was now fifty years old. The traces of age were evident.
While she still possessed a lingering charm, to Claudius, she was simply an elder woman. He had no other thoughts about her.
Given the sheer size of the Prometheus, having one more person aboard made no difference.
Seeing how happy Robin was, Claudius had no objections.
And so, the Prometheus library gained a new administrator.
After finishing the book, Claudius set it aside, picked up a glass of juice from the table, took a sip, and turned his gaze toward Nami.
The young navigator sat under the mast, looking listless, seemingly lost in thought.
Claudius found this amusing and called out, "Nami? What's wrong? Weren't you looking forward to sailing on the Prometheus? Why do you look so down? Where's your navigator's enthusiasm?"
Hearing his voice, Nami lifted her head and pouted.
"To be honest, this ship doesn't even need a skilled navigator," she grumbled.
Claudius blinked in surprise. "Oh? And why's that?"
"This ship is just too powerful! It can effortlessly resist most dangers at sea. Because of that, a navigator's role is practically useless."
She gestured in frustration.
"Whirlpools? We can just charge right through them without a scratch. Violent storms? The ship barely even rocks. Under normal circumstances, a good navigator is crucial, but on this ship? All I really have to do is point us in the right direction. Even a random person could do that! It makes me feel so... powerless."
Claudius chuckled at her complaints.
So, the ship was too strong, making the navigator redundant?
That was certainly an amusing dilemma.
"Don't think of it that way," he said with a smile.
"A ship that can handle any challenge, paired with a top-tier navigator like you, makes for the perfect combination.
Only with both working together can we truly conquer the seas."
Nami opened her mouth as if to argue but found herself unable to refute him.
Seeing her at a loss, Claudius changed the subject.
"The new Marine Headquarters has been up and running for a while now, but I haven't had the chance to visit. This time, I'll take you along—it'll be an eye-opening experience."
At that, Nami quickly perked up.
"Bell-mère's biggest dream was to become a Marine officer, but she gave it up to take care of me and Nojiko. She never got to see Marine Headquarters—this way, I can see it for her."
The Prometheus was a massive warship, yet it traveled swiftly across the sea.
Before long, the island housing the new Marine Headquarters appeared on the horizon.
(To be continued.)
***
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