One Piece: Lightning's Heir

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The battle had ended abruptly, its conclusion unseen, leaving a world of spectators feeling a sense of anticlimax. Many, however, breathed a sigh of relief that the world had been spared a greater upheaval.

"DAMN YOU, REDFIELD..."

Aboard the warship, Sengoku was incandescent with rage, slamming his fist against the railing and shattering it. If not for Redfield's interference, he would have etched his name into the annals of Marine history.

Beside him, Garp just threw his head back and laughed, carefree as ever.

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"To think it didn't end in a deathmatch! What a pity," Big Mom lamented from her singing ship, deeply regretting that the number of rivals at the top hadn't dwindled.

The battle was over.

The live broadcast was cut. The curtain fell on this world-shaking event.

The ships scattered across the waters surrounding Alasolan began their journeys home.

The Moby Dick, along with the rest of the Whitebeard Grand Fleet, rode the waves, departing under the watchful escort of other pirate crews who cleared a path for them.

The ravaged island of Alasolan fell silent once more, leaving only a scene of utter devastation.

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"You're Redfield??" Arthur tore his gaze away from Marshall D. Teach, turning to face the tall, blood-red figure.

Redfield carried himself with a natural air of nobility, as if he were true royalty. He seemed to take great care of his appearance, looking to be only in his thirties or forties, yet the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were an undeniable testament to his age.

This Legend of the Sea was also facing the inescapable decline of aging.

Redfield, ever the aloof, chose not to respond to Arthur, a smirk that bordered on a sneer playing on his lips. A golden chain connected his lip ring to his earring.

He hefted his cane-like weapon and began walking toward his own ship.

"Wandering the seas alone, no support, no comrades... there's only one end for a man like that—being cornered and captured by the Marines!" Arthur stated calmly.

"Kid... you want me to join your pirate crew?? You're about a century too early for that!" Redfield stopped but didn't turn, his voice a quiet, raspy murmur.

"As long as you're strong enough, you can escape any siege. But what happens when you're held down, your stamina drained, and there's no one to rescue you??" Arthur pressed on, ignoring Redfield's rejection.

"You're already facing the dreaded decline of age. In less than two years, you'll be locked away in Impel Down! You believe me, don't you??"

"You just fought Whitebeard, and now you want to anger me??" Redfield turned, his sharp, sinister eyes locking onto Arthur.

"AND WHAT IF I AM?? Are you stronger than Whitebeard? If you were... the title of the World's Strongest Man wouldn't belong to him!" Arthur retorted fearlessly, his expression cold.

"Hmph!" Redfield scoffed. "You're still too young, kid!"

With that, he paid Arthur no more mind, boarding his small, blood-red boat and sailing away on the wind.

Redfield was far too proud; the possibility of recruiting him was virtually ZERO.

But a man who feared his own decline, a man no longer in his youth—how much time did he truly have left??

When that pride was gone, when his arrogance was shattered by another—Arthur's words from today would surely resurface in his memory.

"You can't escape it!" Arthur watched Redfield disappear over the horizon, a disdainful smirk on his face.

He pulled a fresh set of clothes from his Castle-Castle bracelet, ate some food right there on the ravaged ground, and closed his eyes to rest and recover his strength.

A day later.

Arthur soared into the sky, becoming a mere speck of light aimed toward the Red Line.

He was going to cross the continent and return to the place where his dream began—Skypiea!

There, his vessel, one he had waited for for so long, was waiting for him—the [Thor].

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The great battle was over, but its shockwaves were still spreading, the ripples far from settled.

Whitebeard's transcendent power was still fresh in everyone's minds, and Arthur, the challenger, possessed an equally terrifying, despair-inducing strength.

No one doubted that Arthur now stood among the most powerful figures on the sea.

As a newly-crowned emperor of the New World, his authority would no longer be questioned.

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A Draw?? The Glorious Achievement of the New Emperor, Arthur, and the Unexpected Intervention of the Red Count! The World Is Spared from Chaos!

The World's Strongest Man—Whitebeard!

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The first article detailed the clash between Arthur and Whitebeard, reigniting the passion of those who had watched the broadcast but hadn't fully grasped the nuances of the fight.

They felt a vicarious thrill, wishing they could have been there.

At the same time, Arthur's new form—the [Thunder Emperor]—was meticulously documented, and his epithet had once again changed.

Finally, the paper gave a detailed account of the Red Count's life and deeds, a man who, by himself, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the legends of Whitebeard, Roger, and Shiki.

Some even speculated that Redfield's strength far surpassed the other three. Otherwise, how could one man be equal to entire crews??

However, a more rational analysis in the article pointed out the flaw in this thinking.

Redfield was powerful, perhaps on par with Roger and the others, but one must not forget... if Whitebeard were also a solo act, he too would possess the strength to rival any of the legendary pirate crews.

When a single punch can wipe out your entire crew, what's the difference between one man and an army??

The same applied to Roger and Shiki.

Therefore, Redfield couldn't possibly surpass the other three. Otherwise, why would Whitebeard be universally acknowledged by all pirates as the World's Strongest Man??

Then, more forward-thinking analysts discussed the terrible consequences that would have ensued had Arthur and Whitebeard continued their fight, expressing relief that the world had been spared from such turmoil.

At the same time, the second headline was published.

The title was simply: The World's Strongest Man!

This time, it wasn't just the pirates' consensus. Even the World Government offered no rebuttal, maintaining a collective silence.

Such an act—building up their enemies while undermining their own authority—was something the World Government would almost never do. No one knew what they were scheming.

Perhaps they intended to let those with ambition continuously challenge Whitebeard, letting the pirates weaken themselves through infighting.

Regardless, Whitebeard had earned the title of World's Strongest Man many years earlier than in the original timeline.

If Arthur had never appeared, he would have had to wait until the era of the Four Emperors, for the world to witness his absolute, unrivaled power even in old age, before being universally recognized.

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While flying over the Red Line, Arthur snatched these newspapers from a News Coo.

Perhaps it was due to Big News Morgans' special training, but the bird, upon seeing Arthur, simply handed over the paper without a fuss and flew away, remarkably self-aware.

After glancing at the contents, Arthur couldn't help but feel that Morgans was a true talent. The writing was not only captivating, but he also knew how to play to his audience.

Only someone so slick, who understood the ways of the world, could thrive in the business of selling news to criminals and not get himself killed.

He tossed the paper aside, his body once again transforming into a streak of lightning, racing towards Skypiea.

After two or three years, the [Thor] should have long been completed.

It was time for it to see the light of day.

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