Chapter 555: Digging Up Old Secrets
After hearing such shocking news from Vice Admiral Momousagi, the reporters on site scattered in terror.
They rushed back to their newspapers as fast as they could, reporting the news of this Impel Down incident.
Thus, later that same day, an extra edition of the newspaper was published. Countless News Coos, carrying bags on their backs, flew into the sky, bringing this newspaper to all corners of the world.
In the East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, North Blue, the Grand Line, and the New World, almost everyone who picked up this newspaper began to tremble as they read on.
"Th-this... is this really true!?"
"The Seven Warlord, Black Dragon Ian, has rebelled, raided Impel Down, and freed over a hundred prisoners!?"
"A bounty of one billion Berry!? Another terrifying super-great pirate has appeared!"
"What is this world coming to?!"
"God, the Marine Headquarters was just about to start a war with Whitebeard, and now this happens..."
"Hahaha, those Marine bastards are in for big trouble!"
Civilians, pirates, high-ranking officials, and politicians from various countries—though their reactions to the newspaper's news differed—were all deeply shocked by the emergence of yet another pirate with a bounty over one billion.
That young man who had once audaciously attacked Holy Land Mary Geoise, killed a Celestial Dragon, and freed the slaves—had he finally grown to this level?
Besides the Four Emperors, the Marines now had another major threat to worry about...
On a small island in the New World, a man wearing a flamingo coat and sunglasses was holding this newspaper, letting out a wild "Fufufufufu" laugh.
"Unexpected, truly unexpected! After dragging me down from the position of Seven Warlord, you've now voluntarily given up that position yourself! Good, very good!"
After laughing wildly for a while, Doflamingo turned to a CP0 member standing beside him and said, "Hey, if I agree to your terms, will the World Government really give up hunting me?"
The masked CP0 member replied in a deep voice, "Yes! Although we cannot restore your title as a Seven Warlord, we can temporarily suspend the pursuit against you! The World Government will find an excuse to recall Vice Admiral Tsuru's forces!"
"Alright! I agree!" Doflamingo laughed loudly. "I never thought that because of Ian, the Seven Warlords' combat strength would be so lacking that even a wanted criminal like me would be sought out by you. But if it's just to ambush and intercept one of Whitebeard's support forces, this deal isn't a loss!"
After getting the answer he wanted, the CP0 member quickly left. Trebol, with his runny nose, came to Doflamingo and said, "Young Master, are you really going to help the Marines block Whitebeard's reinforcements?"
"Tch, let them die!" Doflamingo said disdainfully. "The reason I agreed is just to get that ally status. That way, we might be able to enter the battlefield under the Marines' heavy encirclement. My target has always been that bastard Ian! The grudge of the Donquixote Pirates nearly being wiped out—I must avenge it! So... I'm really looking forward to his appearance now..."
…………………………
On the other side, near the Red Line, on the New World side, a ship built from giant logs drifted on the sea.
Onboard, a News Coo lay in a pool of blood, shot down from the sky by a sniper rifle.
This was the Blackbeard Pirates' ship. Van Augur's gun barrel was still smoking. That News Coo was his latest handiwork. The entire bag of newspapers had been retrieved, and all five members of the Blackbeard Pirates were now reading them.
"Th-this..." Teach crumpled the newspaper into a ball and slammed his fist hard against the ship, causing it to shake violently. He roared angrily, "Why!? Why, just as we were about to head to Impel Down, do we hear news like this!?"
"Impel Down is finished!" Van Augur sneered. "The newspaper says all the prisoners on the fifth and sixth floors are dead. The rest were taken away by Ian. There's no one left for us to find at Impel Down!"
"How terrible!" Lafitte twirled his cane and said, "It seems Ian had the same idea as us, but he moved much faster!"
"I find it strange," Van Augur said with confusion. "If he was planning to recruit people, why did he kill the prisoners on the fifth and sixth floors?"
"I think so too!" Teach frowned. "It feels like he knew our moves. Our target was those prisoners on the sixth floor, but Ian killed them... It's like... like it was deliberate..."
"How did he know our intentions?" Burgess also looked puzzled. "Logically, he's so far away from us; he shouldn't have been able to predict our actions!"
"Cough... cough!" Doc Q coughed up blood and said, "All we can say is... he's a terrifying opponent!"
"One billion Berry!" Teach said regretfully. "That kid's bounty has reached such a level. Just as I got the title of Seven Warlord, he struck me down again! Damn it!"
"Now the whole world knows his name! His reputation is beyond our reach!" Van Augur said. "He will be the biggest obstacle on our path to becoming a Four Emperor!"
"Reputation..." Teach rubbed his chin, pondering.
In a way, the Blackbeard Pirates' most important need right now was reputation. According to Teach's plan, he would rise step by step: first a Seven Warlord, then a Four Emperor, and finally the Pirate King. But all of this required one thing—the world knowing his name. Otherwise, who would acknowledge an unknown pirate ascending to the throne of a Four Emperor?
Compared to the original timeline, a huge deviation had occurred. Ian's intervention had severely suppressed the Blackbeard Pirates' development, leaving Teach feeling like he was struggling to move forward.
"What do we do next, Captain?" Burgess asked. "Should we continue our plan?"
Teach glared at him fiercely and said, "Continue my ass! There's no one left at Impel Down now. What are we going there for!?"
"Then should we go back?" Burgess scratched his head. "The Marines have probably discovered our sneaky escape. If we go back now, Akainu will definitely arrest us as traitors!"
The Marines were in chaos due to war preparations. Teach and his five-man crew had taken the opportunity to slip away. They had originally planned to raid Impel Down, but halfway there, they heard the news of Ian's attack. This was really...
Teach didn't know what to say anymore...
"Damn it, even if we go back, we need to pull off something big first!" Teach said, his eyes bloodshot. "Reputation—we need reputation now. Since the plan to recruit criminals from Impel Down is off the table, we'll find another way. Once we have fame, people will come to us!"
"What are you going to do, Captain?" Van Augur asked.
"Hehe! I've thought of a great idea!" Teach opened a sea chart and pointed to a location on it.
Van Augur and the others leaned in to look. When they saw where Teach was pointing, they all froze, then drew in a sharp breath.
"Zehahaha! What do you think?" Teach laughed, spreading his arms.
"What a crazy plan!" Van Augur said. "Captain, if we really do this, we'll face endless pursuit from the Marines!"
"It doesn't matter," Teach said. "As I said, as long as I can get Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit power, no matter how many Marines come, we won't be afraid! Don't you remember? Ian did the same thing back then! If he could succeed, so can we!"
"So, are we doing it?" Burgess asked.
"We're doing it!" Van Augur and the others gritted their teeth and nodded firmly.
On the sea chart, Teach's dirty finger had left a smudge. And that smudge was on a location marked with a small line of text.
Holy Land, Mary Geoise...
………………………………
On the Calm Belt island of Amazon Lily, a prisoner still wearing prison clothes was holding a newspaper he had just bought from a News Coo, reading excitedly. After scanning a few lines, he immediately ran toward the gathering spot.
"I-Ian Boss!" the prisoner shouted. "Th-the news is out!"
Hearing his shout, a group of prisoners immediately gathered around, snatching the newspaper from his hands. "Let me see, let me see!"
"O-one billion Berry!?" Almost all the prisoners gasped when they saw Ian's new bounty. Then, after coming to their senses, they were filled with excitement!
"God! Ian Boss has... has become this awesome!?"
The prisoners stared at Ian with worshipful eyes, no, with adoring eyes!
This was the first time they had seen someone with such a high bounty, and he was right in front of them!
"Hurry, read it out loud for everyone!" Those on the periphery who couldn't see the newspaper urged impatiently.
"Alright, alright!" The prisoner holding the newspaper quickly agreed and began reading.
"...It is reported that the masterminds behind the Impel Down incident are two people. One is the former Seven Warlord, Black Dragon Ian. The Marines have stripped him of his Seven Warlord title and increased his bounty to one billion Berry to show their seriousness, vowing to do everything possible to capture him. The second mastermind is the captain of the Buggy Pirates, Clown Buggy..."
When he read this, the prisoners were stunned and all turned to look at Buggy.
"Huh? Why are you all staring at me..." Buggy's prominent red nose made him look foolish.
"How is that possible!? Such an idiot, how could he overshadow a Seven Warlord and be named one of the masterminds? We must have misheard! Or the newspaper made a mistake..." The prisoners thought this and continued reading: "...Clown Buggy, a former crew member of Pirate King Roger, highly valued, and a close friend of the Four Emperor, Red-Haired Shanks..."
At this point, the scene fell into silence. Everyone stared at Buggy in disbelief. Even his subordinates, Cabaji and Alvida, looked at their captain as if they had seen a ghost.
Only Ian was clutching his stomach, laughing so hard he could barely breathe!
Hahaha, I never thought, I never thought that Buggy would still be unable to escape the fate of having his true identity dug up by the Marines. This is going to be fun...