"Oi! Over here."
Sensing a News Coo flying in the skies tens of thousands of meters away, Ozz casually raised a hand. A newspaper blinked into his grasp a second later.
In the past, such an abrupt interception would've startled the bird wings flailing in a panic.
But not anymore. This one had been trained.
After a moment's hesitation.
Salute!
Though unsure which direction to face, the seabird solved that dilemma the most diplomatic way possible: a full 360-degree salute.
"Now that's interesting."
Ozz chuckled softly, reclining into his chair as he unfolded the paper and immediately caught sight of the headlines.
"A Sea in Turmoil! The Rise of Three Emperors and One King!!"
"Emperor of the Seas? Try King of the Underworld!"
"Whole Cake War: Black Emperor vs. Kaido and Big Mom Total Domination!"
The more he read, the more the corner of Ozz's mouth twitched.
What the hell is this nonsense?
"Total domination"? Seriously?
Most of the article dissected the shifting power dynamics across the seas, analyzing the newly emerged pirate overlords. But the bulk of the coverage fixated on the Whole Cake battle.
Very thoughtfully almost too thoughtfully not a single image or sentence hinted at Ozz's injuries or any sign of weakness.
On the contrary, the reports gleefully showcased him grabbing Linlin and smashing her into Kaido, driving a fist into the ground with both Yonko under him, and four clones simultaneously suppressing two emperors. All the "highlight reel" moments were there in full color.
Thanks to some expertly crafted phrasing, the whole thing came off like Ozz had trounced two of the Sea's most formidable emperors like it was child's play.
They even included a dramatic still of Big Mom and Kaido unleashing their final Supreme Conqueror clash before slumping down in exhaustion.
"This time... I might be making headlines rivaling Captain Roger himself…"
Both Big Mom and Kaido ruled vast territories in the New World and were acknowledged by many as potential Emperors. Their global bounties were among the highest known.
And now, both had been crushed by Ozz.
Especially that technique the mysterious instantaneous shadow clones…
Just one Ozz was enough to shatter hope.
But four?
Even if the world's strongest man, Edward Newgate Whitebeard himself were to face them, he might have to sacrifice half his life just to walk away.
"Damn, they really laid it on thick. Your lackeys sure know how to brown-nose."
A puff of smoke curled from a cigar as Crocodile Little Sand stood behind Ozz, her gaze sharp as she eyed the newspaper in his hands.
She had been there for the whole fight.
So when she saw the dramatized version in print, she couldn't help but scoff.
Sure, she'd admit Ozz hadn't gone all out or used the more extreme combat styles he was capable of. But still… one man effortlessly crushing two Emperors without a scratch? That was just a bit too much.
Ozz just shrugged in response.
"That's not on me. My subordinates just… know how to read the room."
He chuckled, then slipped two sheets out from under the newspaper.
"And speaking of things worth reading how about the new bounty posters?"
"Bounties?"
She took them, raising an eyebrow and blinked.
Right at the top was her own face, radiating that unmistakable underworld queenly menace.
Crocodile
Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit user.
Bounty: 1.564 billion Berries.
Crimes severe. Dead or alive.
"Quite the bump. The Marines really do love wasting effort on pointless theatrics."
Her words were disdainful, but the slight curl of her lips betrayed the pride she was trying to suppress.
For pirates, a rising bounty was the most direct acknowledgment of their threat level a badge of prestige in this lawless sea.
"Oh? Then take a look at the next one."
Ozz leaned back lazily, head resting on folded arms, opening one eye to study her expression.
And just as expected.
Her face froze.
"NA...NANI!? That bastard Mihawk!?"
Crocodile's eye twitched, blue veins and stress lines flaring across her forehead. The paper crumpled between her fingers.
Wanted Poster
Hawk-Eye Dracule Mihawk
Master swordsman. Full command of all three types of Haki. Unparalleled blade talent.
Bounty: 3.318 billion Berries.
Crimes severe. Dead or alive.
"Instead of knocking others down, maybe take a good look in the mirror. Did your bounty rise? By how much?"
"In the Whole Cake War, you mostly played support. Little Hawk's spotlight was way brighter than yours."
Ozz's tongue was sharp as ever, cutting right through her pride. Her cigar nearly snapped in two.
Her face flushed in pure, helpless frustration.
"If that damned Katakuri and his future sight hadn't locked me down, I would've made sure Mihawk never got the chance to show off!"
"But didn't he injure King with a single, all-out slash?"
"…!"
Snap.
The cigar finally gave out, turning to a flicker of sand as she vanished from sight.
Her expression had soured.
And even though she knew Ozz was just needling her, she couldn't find a single word to counter him.
No matter how infuriating he was he had a point.
She'd felt a surge of pride earlier when she saw her own bounty spike. But now, seeing Mihawk's bounty nearly double hers, that pride twisted into something bitter.
She didn't argue.
Didn't bicker.
She just silently swore to herself.
Next time there's a fight, she will prove herself.
And as Ozz expected, the news sparked wildfires across the calm seas.
Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Room of Power.
"According to battlefield footage, even without fully merging his abilities, Ozz's raw strength alone is enough to rival a Marine Admiral…"
Five figures stood or sat, newspapers in hand, waving CP0 messengers away as they absorbed the report.
"That much is clear."
"But that's not the part we need to be most concerned about."
Saint Mars narrowed his eyes, pulling a second dossier from the table his expression darkening further.
It was an intelligence report smuggled out by the CP operatives embedded in Morgans' news agency. And it contained something far more unsettling than mere battle footage.
The call to convene a Council of the Underworld, issued by Ozz the one and only true king of the dark world.
Compared to that, pirate skirmishes were trivial.
After finishing the report, all five of the world's supreme authorities fell into heavy silence.
To be frank, they found this development… troublesome.
"So? Do we make a move?" asked Saint Nusjuro, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "The underground economy holds a great deal of the government's stake. If we let Ozz take it all…"
"Impossible."
The moment he finished speaking, Saint Saturn cut in firmly, his expression grim.
"Such an action would mean total war with Ozz. No room left for negotiation. The price would be far greater than any loss of assets."
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Meanwhile in advanced chapters... The Apex Clash That Shakes the World
When Ozz faces off against Shamrock, it's not just a duel between warriors it's a collision between two future kings. Conqueror's Haki erupts, black lightning tears through the sky, and for the first time, even the Five Elders look uneasy. Shamrock unleashes a monstrous, awakened Zoan weapon... but Ozz? He brings out something rarer, something deadlier a weapon made of pure seastone.
As blades shatter and legends tremble, the battlefield becomes a crater. One walks out unscathed. The other learns what it means to fight at the edge of human potential.
This isn't just a fight.
It's the moment the world realizes
Ozz may not be a king in name...
But he already rules the game.
The tides are shifting, and secrets linger in the dark... Step into the shadows early on P@treon, where the next chapter awaits before the world sees it.
p@treon.com/_theon
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