In the afterglow of the setting sun, Marco walked through the streets, and every pirate who saw him couldn't help but show respect.
Soon, Marco found a gourmet restaurant and sat down to enjoy a well-earned dinner. The recent battle had drained him, and replenishing his strength was a necessity.
…
"Ding!"
"In the battle involving a physically formidable opponent, the host has unlocked space for comprehensive physical enhancement through the system's auxiliary mechanism."
The system's chime echoed in Marco's mind.
His physical skills were enhanced across the board—boxing, footwork, and hand-to-hand combat all reached a new level of mastery.
"Ding!"
"After engaging in combat with a top-level Armament Haki user, the system's auxiliary mechanism has unlocked potential for further improvement of the host's Armament Haki."
Marco felt a noticeable refinement in his Armament Haki. It was now potent enough to rival the strongest warriors sailing these seas.
"Ding!"
"During the intense battle with an expert of Observation Haki, the host's Observation Haki has also undergone significant development through the system's auxiliary mechanism."
Marco's Observation Haki was already exceptional, but this battle had sharpened it even further, bringing him a rare sense of satisfaction.
The system's notifications ceased there. It was clear that neither his Conqueror's Haki nor the powers of his Immortal Phoenix fruit had advanced.
Reflecting, Marco thought, "It makes sense. I didn't need to use Conqueror's Haki, and my fruit powers were overwhelming enough to ensure a decisive victory."
He leaned back, lost in thought.
"I heard from Doflamingo earlier—someone from the Blackbeard Pirates took down a legendary pirate on a nearby island. If that's true… then they've likely caught wind of my movements too."
Marco knew news of his swift execution of Rob Lucci would travel fast, spreading across the nearby islands.
So, would the Blackbeard Pirates continue their hunt?
Another pressing question lingered: "Who exactly is the legendary pirate they targeted?"
"A Devil Fruit powerful enough to stir the interest of the Blackbeard Pirates…." Marco mused quietly.
"If they retreat, I'll have Doflamingo dig deeper. But if they don't… they might come straight to me. Either way, I need to prepare for both possibilities."
Marco remained calm, his mind working through the different scenarios. Having Doflamingo as a source of intelligence made things significantly easier.
"Building my own powerful organization would make things even smoother," Marco thought, considering the idea for the first time.
Creating a supreme force wasn't an easy task, and it wasn't something Marco had previously entertained. He lacked people he could truly trust. But now…
"If I want to stand at the top of this world, I'll need to establish an unmatched force," Marco analyzed. He knew that in the era of pirates, building a formidable organization was a necessity.
A force of that magnitude would need more than just strength. It required intelligence networks, medical expertise, skilled cooks, logistics personnel, and above all, elite combat units.
"But… this isn't something that needs to happen right now."
…
On an island not far from Marco's location...
"Keh keh keh, Marco's really gotten arrogant, hasn't he? Took out Rob Lucci, the head of CP0, like it was nothing."
A woman with a massive upper body and a slender, heavily made-up lower half grinned wickedly.
The Crescent Moon Hunter, Catarina Devon.
"Have we sent word back to the captain? What does the captain want us to do?"
A man with a burgundy face, wearing a clown hat and carrying a massive wine gourd, grumbled. His fierce expression was as strange as his outfit.
Vasco Shot.
"It's Admiral, not captain!"
A gaunt, sickly man snapped irritably. "The Admiral told us to stand down."
The grim voice belonged to Shinigami, Doc Q.
"What?! Stand down?!"
Both Catarina Devon and Vasco Shot exclaimed in disbelief.
The idea that Blackbeard would order them to abandon a mission seemed absurd.
"To cancel the operation just because Marco's nearby?" Catarina muttered, her grin twisting into a sneer.
Vasco slammed his gourd onto the ground, fuming. "We're this close to catching our prey, and now we're supposed to give up?!"
It's a little too long for others to destroy their own prestige!
These two notorious figures, once famous in the New World, were unwilling to be humiliated, let alone abandon their plan. They yearned for revenge on Marco!
"Are you still afraid of Marco? It's just Marco! When the old lady roamed the New World, even if his father was Whitebeard, he had to give the old lady some respect!"
"Besides, the three of us joining forces to take down Marco will be a piece of cake!"
"I don't agree with the Grand Admiral."
The Crescent Moon Hunter and Vasco Shot couldn't tolerate this resignation any longer.
In their eyes, if the three of them united, they could certainly kill Marco with ease.
Moreover, the hunting plan was on the verge of success, and it seemed they were close to capturing a Devil Fruit that could make one a legendary sea thief!
Who wouldn't be tempted by that?
Yet here they were, on the cusp of victory, only to have Blackbeard order them to abandon the whole plan because… Marco was nearby!
"The Admiral's words are orders. What we need to do isn't about slaughtering Marco for glory or venting our frustrations; it's about obeying the Admiral's commands."
Shinigami, Doc Q, spoke with a disgusted expression before closing his mouth, seemingly unwilling to say more.
…
Marco's exploits were constantly shaking the New World.
Almost every significant event drew the attention of countless pirates across the seas.
The whirlwind of rumors and news stirred up the entire world, creating shockwaves that reverberated everywhere.
At the same time, it was influencing and changing the course of history.
The New World was in turmoil, much like the first half of the Grand Line. As time passed, more and more news emerged, prompting many pirates from the first half of the Grand Line to venture into the New World.
As the sea thieves of this era, how could they resist the allure of the captivating New World?
Not only in the first half of the Grand Line, but also in the four seas—the southeast, northwest, and northeast—countless pirates were preparing to set sail.
In no time, a wave of newcomers boasting bounties over 100 million began pouring into the New World.
Simultaneously, a plethora of seasoned sea thieves, who had bounties exceeding 300 million or even 500 million a few years prior, were making their way into the New World from other seas.
The entire New World became a boiling cauldron of activity and chaos.
In the shadows, a new grand era was gradually being ushered in.
And the one who ignited this monumental shift was… the Immortal Phoenix, Marco!