New World.
The fractured seas of countless nations. Ever since the deaths of Kaido and Big Mom, only about a third of this chaotic ocean remained under the control of her surviving children. At their helm stood Charlotte Katakuri, resolute and quiet, guarding the vestiges of the Totto Land legacy.
This once-ferocious stretch of sea had become something of a breathing space, an unexpected haven for the next generation of pirates stepping into the New World. And among these ambitious upstarts, none loomed larger than the Supernova Alliance: Eustass-Kid, Basil Hawkins, and Scratchmen Apoo.
On the main island that served as their shared base, under the shadow of a massive den den mushi screen, members of all three crews had gathered. Tension buzzed in the air like static, but the moment Uta's voice came through, clear, confident, and undeniably real, everything stilled.
"...Raftel."
The name hit like a thunderclap.
"Oi, oi, hold on.. what did she just say!?"
"Raftel!? You're kidding, right? Did she seriously say Buggy's already been there?!"
"That can't be real! You mean the One Piece… the real treasure… It's been found?!"
"And what were those texts she showed? Are they the Poneglyphs? The lost century?!"
"Boss Kid, you're better at this—say something!"
"This has to be a stunt. Who even livestreams Raftel? Have the Buggy Pirates lost their minds?!"
"It's over… I'm telling you, this is the beginning of an age of chaos we've never seen before!"
Not far from the screen, seated on a raised platform under makeshift shade, the three captains of the alliance were uncharacteristically quiet. Kidd's jaw was tight, his mechanical arm twitching slightly.
He exhaled sharply. "Hawkins. Apu. Thoughts?"
Hawkins, who had already drawn his tarot, stared down at the card in his hand for a long moment. His expression darkened as he finally spoke.
"It's impossible to calculate… but I saw it clearly. The odds of Godslayer Buggy becoming the Pirate King—100%."
"What kind of joke is that?!" Kidd snapped, but there was no bite in it.
Apu leaned back, thudding his chest with a resigned fist before groaning. "Tch. I hate to say it, but... if we're up against that man, even an alliance won't save us. Word is the live signal can't be cut. None of our jammers is working. It's like the feed's being protected by something weird."
He gestured to the screen with a heavy sigh. "Might as well keep watching. Let's see what our Buggy-sama has to say next."
Kidd didn't answer right away. His eyes stayed fixed on the broadcast, as if trying to burn through it with his glare.
"One Piece…" he muttered under his breath, his voice low with reluctant awe.
New World.Hive Island.
Blackbeard, a man who rarely showed concern for anything, sat before the live broadcast screen. For once, uncertainty clouded his expression.
Around him, his crew watched in stunned silence.
"That guy Buggy... did he really get his hands on that treasure?"
"But why would he reveal it to the world like this?"
"I can't make sense of what that lunatic's thinking!"
"Captain, what's your take? Could this actually be real?"
For a long moment, Blackbeard didn't answer. Then, slowly, he rose to his feet. His eyes were fixed on the screen, voice low and steady, serious in a way that silenced the room.
"That man doesn't lie. He doesn't need to. In this age... he's the one closest to the throne. I thought it would be Shanks who'd make the final move. But I never imagined Buggy would act first. Quietly. Completely under the radar."
"The four Road Poneglyphs... They're not something you just stumble upon. And yet, in just two and a half years, he's gathered them all. You think that's luck? No. That's his couple of decades of preparation."
A beat passed. Then Blackbeard's lips curled into a wide, crooked grin.
"Zehahaha... Buggy, you're crazier than I gave you credit for. To stand against the World Government now... you better be damn ready."
His laughter grew darker.
"What'll you do if they send out the Five Elders, each one wielding Admiral-level power? Or those so-called Knights of God? Even that guy, Shanks, took a heavy hit and backed off! And don't forget... the Marines are always watching."
He leaned closer to the screen, voice dropping to a rasp.
"Come on, show me. Let me see where your confidence lies..."
A beat.
"Pirate King..." He sneered. "Buggy the Clown."
New World, Elbaf, The Kingdom of Giants
At the heart of the massive stone plaza, Shanks sat beside the towering figure of Mountain Beard Jarul, a legendary giant and former co-captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates. Though Jarul had once commanded as a fearsome warrior, today his expression was calm, a hint of quiet wisdom in his eyes. Yet Shanks, despite his usual composure, was visibly tense.
The moment Uta's voice came through the broadcast, revealing the contents of the live transmission, Shanks' face darkened. His hand clenched the edge of his seat, his expression hardening.
"Buggy... you just have to make headlines, don't you?"
His jaw tightened.
"You bastard... If you want to throw your life away, fine. But why drag my precious Uta into it?! I should never have let her fall into your hands…"
"Weshahahaha!" Jarul let out a booming laugh, his great hand slapping his stomach.
"Shanks! So even you have moments like this!"
His voice rumbled with deep amusement, eyes twinkling as he leaned back.
"What's the big deal? Just a live broadcast about some island called Raftel, isn't it? And what, letting the Devil's son read a history stone or something…"
His smile faded, and he scratched his beard thoughtfully.
"Hmm? Raftel? Historical Text?"
Jarul's mirth gave way to confusion as his brow furrowed.
"Why do those words sound so familiar...? Like I've heard them somewhere before…"
Nearby, Red Ogre Brogy and Blue Ogre Dorry sat in solemn silence, lost in thought, while the other giants continued feasting, uninterested in the outside world. To them, everything beyond Elbaf was a distant noise, nothing more.
Shanks exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples in frustration.
"Mountain Beard… Raftel is no ordinary island. It's the final destination at the end of the Grand Line."
He looked up, his face serious.
"In this Great Pirate Era, any pirate with ambition sets sail with Raftel in mind. That island holds the treasure left behind by Captain Roger… the one Uta mentioned before. The truth of the world. The lost hundred years of history."
His voice grew quieter, more somber.
"All of it… is in Raftel."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
"In Roger's time… the one who reached that island… was called the Pirate King."
A heavy silence fell over the plaza.
The air, once filled with music and laughter, grew still. The clatter of mugs and plates ceased. Every giant now stared at Shanks.
They didn't know much about Raftel.
They didn't care for the Void Century.
But the title—Pirate King—that they knew.
"Hey! Shanks!" the voice of Jarul thundered, shaking the ground as he leaned forward. "Are you telling me that Buggy… Buggy… is the Pirate King now?!"
Shanks sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.
He nodded.
"Yeah… as of today, Buggy is undoubtedly the King of Pirates."
Grand Line.
Marine Headquarters — Marineford.
Vice Admiral Tsuru slammed the den den mushi receiver down and barked out, her voice sharp with urgency:
"Get every senior officer to the conference hall—now! Tell them to move at full speed!"
Minutes later.
A strange sight unfolded in the skies above Marineford. Any officer ranked Rear Admiral or higher, and capable of using Moonwalk, was streaking across the sky like missiles.
Dozens of high-ranking Marines flew toward the headquarters' main conference hall. Within moments, the room was packed with top brass. Seated around the table were some of the Navy's most formidable names, including Admirals Fujitora and Aokiji.
Yet Vice Admiral Tsuru didn't even acknowledge them. Her focus was elsewhere as she redialed another line, eyes cold with fury. Then, with a scowl, she cursed under her breath:
"Sakazuki, that bastard... Where the hell is the Fleet Admiral when we need him? Not even at HQ—damn it!"
The gathered Admirals, Vice Admirals, and Rear Admirals exchanged uneasy glances and wisely pretended they hadn't heard anything.
Just then, the den den mushi crackled to life.
"Yo! Tsuru, why're you calling me at a time like this?" came Garp's unmistakable, carefree voice.
Tsuru didn't hesitate.
"Where the hell are you, you old fool? What were you doing in the Crimson Empire?! Did you miss the fact that Buggy's gone to Raftel?! He's become the One Piece, Garp! Get your ass back to headquarters—immediately!"
Hiss—
Several Marine officers gasped aloud. The room, once filled with tension, now pulsed with shock. Had they heard that right?
Buggy the Clown, the Warlord, the man who ruined the marinerford—had reached Raftel?
And claimed the title of Pirate King?
"Oi, Vice Admiral Tsuru... is this real?" Aokiji asked, his usual calmness replaced by a rare sharpness in his voice. He sat up straighter, the casual slouch gone, as his eyes narrowed in disbelief.
Tsuru didn't answer with words. Instead, she calmly raised her hand and pressed a button on the back of the large den den mushi sitting beside her.
Beep.
Two rays of light shot from the creature's eyes and lit up the white wall in front of them. A live feed blinked into view.
A voice echoed from the projection:
"Wow! Robin, is this Raftel? Doesn't look all that special!" said a young girl's voice.
"Yes, this is Raftel," came Robin's calm, melodic reply. She smiled gently and pointed behind them. "Look at the pale golden light curtain over there."
Uta turned, her large eyes sparkling. She stepped toward the shimmering barrier and raised her hand to poke at it. After glancing back at Robin for confirmation, she pushed her whole palm through the curtain. Her expression immediately changed.
"Wow! Robin, it's seawater outside!"
Her eyes lit up in wonder.
"I feel weak already… The sea's right there, but it's not coming in at all. It's like the bubbles on Fish-Man Island! And those golden lights… they're so pretty. Are they lighting the place?"
Robin nodded.
"Yes. This entire area is a massive port, likely constructed by those who came before us. This port—"
Her voice echoed through the conference hall. Every officer in the room stared at the wall, stunned. No one spoke.
"No way… Is this really Raftel?"
"Raftel's not the shocking part. It's the fact that Buggy's crew is the one arriving there now. That's what feels strange."
"Oh? What do you mean by that?"
"Did everyone forget already? The Buggy Pirates include Gabban, Bullet, Doringo, and Sunbell—four former officers from Roger's crew! Gabban was even their navigator! If anyone could find Raftel, it's them. So honestly, it's not that surprising they made it."
"Yeah, that's true now that you mention it! But… why now? And why broadcast the inside of Raftel to the whole world?"
"Doesn't seem all that special at first glance. I mean, aside from the bubble film made from Yarukiman Mangrove that's keeping the seawater out, it just looks like a bigger port."
"'Not special'? Are you blind? Look again, check out the port and those walls!"
"No way… Is that… is it gold?!"
What began as idle chatter among the Marine top brass had now turned into stunned silence. At first, none of them had looked too closely. But now that someone had pointed it out…
That shimmer, that unmistakable glow…
It looked exactly like gold.
And their disbelief was mirrored by millions of viewers across the world watching the live broadcast.
Uta, ever the showman and well aware of the audience's thoughts, stepped forward with purpose. Her voice was bright but laced with curiosity.
"Hey! Robin, I've got a question!"
She suddenly squatted down, inspecting the slightly darkened ground beneath her feet. Her fingers brushed over it gently.
"I noticed it as soon as we arrived… These golden lights. They feel just like the glow of actual gold. Is it really what I think it is?"
Robin gave a soft laugh, her expression thoughtful and calm.
"Oh? You picked up on that already?" She nodded, her smile full of quiet pride.
"Yes. It's exactly what you're thinking. The island of Raftel… is actually a golden mountain."
Uta's eyes widened. Robin continued, raising a hand to gesture toward the shimmering walls around them.
"The port we're standing in—it was carved into the side of this mountain of gold. When we arrived, we investigated the terrain. The entire island... is made of gold."
Uta's jaw dropped.
She looked up at Robin, stunned into silence.
A mountain of gold. Not metaphorical treasure. Not hidden maps or forgotten truths. Literal, shimmering, tangible gold.
Gulp.
She swallowed, struggling to form words.
"S-So… the great secret treasure Roger spoke of… the one said to be worth the entire world—was it this? This golden mountain beneath the sea?"
Robin smiled and gave a simple, definitive nod.
"Mm. That's right."
Boom!!!
It was as if the entire world erupted at once.
From every island, every bar, every warship, and pirate cove came a collective cry of disbelief and greed.
The whole island is gold?!
Gold enough to buy kingdoms. Gold enough to challenge empires. Gold enough to turn a pirate into a king of the world.
Every pirate still chasing the dream of the Pirate King… fell into despair.
The great treasure… had been found.
Too late and too far out of reach.
And worst of all, it had been claimed by Buggy the Clown.
The emotions around the world were impossible to name. A mixture of wonder, heartbreak… envy.
But when the world learned that the one who had claimed the legendary treasure… was none other than the man now hailed as the strongest alive—God Slayer. Emperor of the Seas. The Fourth King. Buggy, it felt oddly appropriate.
Much like in the days after Roger's execution, when the world believed only Whitebeard was fit to inherit the Pirate King's throne. He had the strength, the legacy, the crew... everything but the will to claim it.
Though Whitebeard never pursued the title, he still stood above all—the uncrowned king of the post-Roger era.
Now, twenty years later, history had crowned a new king.
The throne of the Pirate King had a master once again, the God Slayer. The Dreamer. The World's Strongest Man. Buggy the Clown.
What no one expected… was that Buggy would stream the entire unveiling of Raftel live for the world to see.
From the looks of it, he wasn't hiding anything. If anything, he wanted the world to witness.
To the common folk, it was madness, pure fantasy. A whole island made of gold? The ultimate treasure finally exposed?
But for those who understood, those familiar with the politics and the history of the sea... it was something far more profound.
Among the leaders of the World Government and its affiliate nations, a single phrase rose like a ghost from the past:
"The dream is true."
It had swept across the world over the past two years. It wasn't just propaganda. It was a movement. A silent rhythm is embedded into the hearts of even the simplest civilians. Now, with the entire world watching… they felt it again. That pulse. That tremor in the chest.
No one could say what today would mean.
But everyone knew, Today was historic.
The day the Pirate King rose again. Two decades later.
Perhaps it was for the best that the Straw Hat Crew was stranded on some uninhabited island, unable to watch the broadcast.
Because if Luffy had seen it… He might have lost something deeper than just hope.
But sooner or later, the broadcast would reach him too.
Elsewhere on the Whitebeard's home island…
Ace and Marco sat quietly, their faces lit by the glow of the screen. The live broadcast had left them speechless for a long, long time.
Finally, Ace looked skyward with a bitter laugh.
"…Luffy must be devastated, huh?"
"Hahaha!"
Marco broke into a loud laugh, arms crossed, wings twitching slightly behind him.
"That kid? Maybe. But listen—if there's anyone worthy of that throne in this era… It's Buggy."
He smirked, eyes gleaming. "He might be a clown, but in my heart… he's always been the real deal."
Ace nodded slowly. But this time, his gaze hardened. "…Marco. I'm going to repay that man's kindness."
Marco blinked, then stood tall, eyes serious now. "…Yeah. Let's go. For Dad's sake, too."
Meanwhile, at the top of the world—
Red Line. Pangaea Castle.
The Five Elders were mid-rant, tearing into Akainu over his failure to contain Buggy's rise. Their voices boomed, echoing across the throne room.
Then, without warning, a call came through the Den Den Mushi.
Silence.
One of the elders picked it up. A voice crackled through—cold, commanding, final.
A moment later, Akainu was unceremoniously kicked out of the chamber, his face stunned and unreadable.
Now, only four elders remained.
The Den Den Mushi spoke again. "The time has come. Activate the Mother Flame."
---
You can read 40+ Chapters more now on P*treon.com/Marioni