One Piece: Rising to Fleet Admiral Through a Coup

With the release of the Marine Headquarters' public announcement, the Sabaody Archipelago, a crucial hub in the Grand Line, became a hive of activity. Journalists from major factions scrambled to report the news as massive screens were quickly set up in the bustling squares and crowded areas of various districts across the archipelago.

Information brokers were on high alert, keeping close contact with operatives embedded in different factions and monitoring the situation around Sabaody Archipelago.

Pirates, too, took great risks to approach the archipelago. Landing at various points, they blended into the crowds, eager to witness the live-streamed execution that had captured the attention of the entire world.

Even Shakky's Rip-Off Bar was abuzz with activity due to the sudden announcement of the live execution. In less than an hour, the small bar was packed to the brim with people, all of whom were pirates who had recently arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago. Many were planning to use the archipelago as a transit point to reach the Ryugu Kingdom 10,000 meters below the sea.

Some of these pirates belonged to crews whose ships were being coated by Rayleigh. Although their ships were ready, their departure to the Ryugu Kingdom had been delayed due to the Marine Headquarters' sudden announcement.

Another group consisted of a newly arrived pirate crew, numbering only seven or eight members in total.

"Captain, do you know the connection between this so-called Whitebeard Jr. and Whitebeard, the man known as the world's strongest in the New World?"

At one of the corner booths, a tall pirate, already red-faced and slurring from too much drink, suddenly stood up. He looked at the middle-aged man across from him, who was draped in a coat, and began speaking excitedly, "Although the Marine Headquarters announcement didn't explicitly mention their relationship, the fact that they're going to such lengths to publicly execute Whitebeard Jr. suggests they've already confirmed his connection to Whitebeard. They're using this live broadcast to declare war on the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"Haha, that makes a lot of sense!"

The middle-aged man laughed heartily. "If Whitebeard Jr.'s identity weren't significant, why would Marine Headquarters go to such great lengths?"

"But—"

The man's tone shifted as he suddenly became more serious. "I'm more interested in learning about this new Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters! After all, we're pirates. When we eventually enter the New World to become the next emperors of the sea, we'll inevitably have to deal with him! Ahahaha~"

"Exactly! That's something we need to consider!"

"Captain, why don't we take this opportunity to challenge Whitebeard? If Whitebeard Jr. really is his son, he's bound to go to Marine Headquarters to rescue him. We could ambush them along the way and catch them off guard!"

"If we take down the Whitebeard Pirates, you'll become the new Four Emperors, Captain! Wahahaha~"

Amid the flattery of his crew, the middle-aged man grew increasingly smug. Narrowing his eyes, he adopted a pretentious air of contemplation and declared, "Indeed, Whitebeard is old. It's time for him to step down from the throne of the world's strongest!"

Hearing this, his crew erupted in cheers, shouting, "Captain, you're invincible!"

Behind the bar, Shakky showed no disdain for their ignorant bravado. In the Grand Line, every era had its share of blind and fearless "warriors." These men, isolated by their life at sea and trapped in their own bubbles of perception, often grew arrogant after a few lucky victories. They naively believed themselves to be the strongest.

This was why, despite the dominance of Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaido in the New World, with their fearsome reputations, there was never a shortage of fools who challenged them. Yet, aside from Shanks, a former apprentice on Roger's ship, no one had successfully risen to their level. Even Gecko Moria, now a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, had suffered the devastating loss of his entire crew after challenging Kaido.

As for the pirates loudly boasting in her bar, Shakky knew they wouldn't even make it past Whitebeard's division commanders, let alone challenge the man himself.

At that moment, the bar's door creaked open, and Rayleigh, wearing a straw hat, stepped inside.

Under Shakky's watchful gaze, Rayleigh walked straight to the bar, picked up a glass of wine, and downed it in one gulp. He then looked up with a wry smile and said, "This young Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters really doesn't play by the rules."

"What's happened?" Shakky asked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Rayleigh didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to look at the pirates in the bar, his gaze tinged with sympathy. "There are over a dozen warships on the sea outside, led by Sakazuki himself."

"Additionally, the naval base on Sabaody Archipelago has been fully mobilized under the command of Vice Admirals Strawberry and Bastille. Any pirate crew that recently arrived or has been lingering here for the past few days is in for a world of trouble."

Shakky blinked, her reaction slightly delayed. "What do you mean?"

Before Rayleigh could respond, Shakky's pupils suddenly contracted. "Are you saying that Xayuki plans to eliminate all potential threats in the vicinity of Marine Headquarters and Sabaody Archipelago before the live execution?"

Before Rayleigh could nod, a group of seven or eight pirates seated at a nearby booth abruptly stood up and turned their heads toward the bar.

"Eh? Did they overhear us?"

Rayleigh tilted his head toward them and said cheerfully, "Since you heard, you'd better settle your tab and start running for your lives!"

Bang—

Rayleigh's words had barely left his mouth when the bar's door was violently kicked open.

Strawberry, his unusually elongated skull gleaming under the light, stepped inside with an expressionless face. His sharp gaze swept over everyone in the bar before he coldly declared, "Run? The entire Sabaody Archipelago is under a blockade. Where do you think you trash can escape to?"

Meanwhile, aboard a large warship en route to Sabaody Archipelago, Sakazuki stood on the deck, his military cap casting a shadow over his stern face. As the ship approached the naval base's port, he picked up a Den Den Mushi and issued an emotionless order:

"Relay my command: all warships are to lock onto their designated patrol zones. If a pirate ship is spotted, engage immediately. Do not let a single pirate ship escape."

"Additionally, all personnel landing on Sabaody Archipelago are to begin operations immediately. Purge every pirate hiding on the archipelago. Leave no one alive."

With Sakazuki's command, a brutal purge targeting the pirates on Sabaody Archipelago commenced. Gunfire, the clash of blades, and the anguished screams of the dying echoed throughout the districts of the archipelago from dusk until nightfall.

Sabaody Archipelago, District 13.

Inside Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, none of the pirates managed to escape. They were subdued by Strawberry and his Marines and forced to kneel in a line on the open ground opposite the bar.

Holding a thick stack of bounty posters, Strawberry flipped through them under the bar's dim light.

Soon, he pulled out a poster and slapped it onto the forehead of the middle-aged pirate who had been boasting about Whitebeard earlier.

"Eric, captain of the Charging Pirates, from the North Blue. During your journey through the Grand Line, you've burned and pillaged three villages and collaborated with other pirate crews to invade a town of one million, resulting in over a hundred civilian deaths. Bounty: 67 million Belly. Non-Devil Fruit user."

Strawberry's eyes gleamed coldly. "Truly unforgivable."

Before Eric could react, a Marine behind Strawberry stepped forward, raised his rifle, and fired two shots into the man's chest and one into his head.

Strawberry didn't spare Eric another glance. He continued flipping through the bounty posters, reading out the names and crimes of the kneeling pirates one by one. Each time, a Marine would step forward and execute the condemned pirate with ruthless efficiency.

This grim process repeated until over a dozen pirates were executed on the spot.

Similar scenes played out across the other districts of Sabaody Archipelago. Under the cover of night, the Marines carried out a systematic purge. With each burst of gunfire, another pirate met their end.

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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