Chapter 62: The Great Pirate Era

That historic event swept across the entire world in a single day, leaving people with an ominous sense that the seas ahead would be more violent than ever.

It was then that the legends of many dreamers began.

"I'm heading out!! To the Grand Line!!! There's endless dreams and adventure waiting there!!!"

"Roger said it!!! He said his treasure is in the Grand Line!!!"

"The One Piece is out there in that sea!!!"

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a pirate!!!"

East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, South Blue. And the Grand Line.

The world was thrown into a frenzy by the news.

As if to prove that what moves people most are dreams and the call of adventure, men and women everywhere raised their own flags of belief and took to the seas, chasing after the treasure the Pirate King left behind—the legendary One Piece.

And so, with the death of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, the Great Pirate Era began.

"That damn Roger... he really went and did it...!!!"

"Instead of breaking the pirates' spirit, he did the opposite... he lit a fire in their hearts...!!"

But beneath the surface of the people's fevered excitement, there were those troubled by the start of this new era—those filled with unease, and others already suffering its consequences.

"Fleet Admiral Kong!! The transponder snails won't stop ringing with reinforcement requests from all over!!"

"The number of pirates is skyrocketing...!! They say they can't contain it anymore...!!"

"Dammit...!! Who would've thought Roger’s execution would lead to a catastrophe like this...!!"

The sudden surge of pirates left the Marines, tasked with maintaining the world's maritime order, scrambling for a solution.

The World Government and the nations under its banner could do nothing to stem the rising tide of pirates making names for themselves, leaving widespread destruction in their wake.

Among the chaos, two locations suffered especially heavy damage.

"Gyahaha!! Look at that!! A real fish-man!! Gross!!"

"I hear mermaids sell for a lot!! Maybe we should snag one!!"

One was Fish-Man Island.

Located at the midway point between the first and second halves of the Grand Line, it was a necessary passage for any pirate aiming for the One Piece.

Even before the Great Pirate Era, Fish-Man Island suffered frequent attacks due to human prejudice against fish-men. But after the era's onset, the flood of pirates meant the damage skyrocketed even further.

And the second hotspot, naturally, was beyond Fish-Man Island—deep within the second half of the Grand Line: the New World.

"Ugh... D-dammit...!!"

"Don't do it... huff huff... If you kill my crew, you’re gonna regret it...!!"

"........."

"GYAAAAAAHHHH!!!?"

"Wha— you bastard...!!!"

Compared to the first half of the Grand Line, the seas of the New World were hell itself.

Even though the Grand Line as a whole was feared as a "pirates' graveyard" by those from the four seas, the difficulty of navigation and the strength of pirates in the New World far exceeded anything before it. Compared to the New World, the first half of the Grand Line was practically a "paradise."

Yet the rookies who had crossed those relatively easier seas, gained some skill and confidence, and now dreamed of new adventures, had no idea.

The New World was in utter chaos. And for good reason—its balance had just been shattered.

The New World had once been ruled by four pirate emperors: Roger, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Big Mom. It was a sea governed by the strongest of the strong.

But now, things had changed. Roger had become Pirate King and died. The Golden Lion, Shiki, had been imprisoned in Impel Down, and his crew, the Golden Lion Pirates, had crumbled into near-ruin from internal strife and external attacks.

With their downfall, the seasoned pirates rooted in the New World had become far more active. These were no rookie pirates born of the Great Pirate Era. They had long vied with the Four Emperors for supremacy.

Yes—the islands of the New World were in chaos, but that wasn’t all. The rookies newly arriving, misjudging their own strength and the level of this sea, foolishly tried to throw themselves into the New World's struggle for dominance. And just like the civilians they once preyed upon, they too had everything stolen from them and were wiped out by the true pirates of the New World.

Especially unfortunate were those who crossed paths with one particular crew—currently one of the most brutal pirate groups operating in the New World, second only to Whitebeard and Big Mom in their ferocity and rapidly growing influence.

Any pirate familiar with the New World would know to steer clear of them. That crew, flying the flag of a twin-horned skull—the Beasts Pirates—was infamous for their savagery and brutality. Their insane exploits were countless, and they would bare their fangs even at the strongest of the strong, be it the Four Emperors or the full might of the Navy.

Yet those burning with ambition couldn't resist the pull.

"I killed him. So? Think you can do anything about it?"

"Y-you... GAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

Naturally, no one in the New World was going to be intimidated by the bluster of some rookie pirate.

"If anyone should be saying they won't let it go, it's me... wasting my time dealing with worthless trash like you...!! You won't get a clean death... I'm gonna tear you apart piece by piece and feed you to the beasts...!!"

"Ah... guuh... p-please... stop... I get it... I’m sorry...!! Just spare my life—"

"Shut up. Your whining's getting on my nerves."

"Gyahhhhhh!!?"

On the deck of a pirate ship flying a skull-and-bones flag, a man in a suit with his shirt open, wearing a horned demon-like mask, mercilessly hacked off the arms of young pirates with his sword.He was the captain of this pirate crew—a man who had entered the New World as a rookie. On his way, he'd been attacked by some fledgling rookies under the Beast Pirates' banner, and he had wiped them out without much trouble. His subordinates called out his name:

"—Captain Who's-Who!! This guy’s bounty is higher than we thought!!"

"What...?" Who's-Who muttered, glancing at the fallen pirate. "That so? Then we'll hand him over to the Navy."

"Yes, sir!! Should I contact a broker to set it up?"

"...The hell are you babbling about...!?"

"Huh—? Guh!!?"

The man known as Who's-Who grabbed the subordinate by the neck with his right hand in a flash, visibly furious.

"Are you stupid or what...!? Do you even understand what we're about to do right now!?"

"Guh... Y-Yes, of course! We're going after the head of a monster... right?"

"That's right. Then use your damn head. This is the perfect chance to go straight for the kill...!"

The "Beast" Kaido—the captain of the Beast Pirates—and his sworn sister and vice-captain, the "Phantom Beast" Nue.These two top figures of the Beast Pirates were infamous across the New World, their overwhelming strength making it nearly impossible for most pirates to even catch a glimpse of them.But right now, the situation was different.

"According to the intel we got from the underworld, the Beast Pirates are on the move, trying to seize the territory left by the Golden Lion. Captain Kaido himself is personally out there, wiping out the remaining forces."

"! Then we have a real shot...!"

"Yeah. That's why we have to seize this opening and take his head—if we pull that off, we'll secure an unbeatable position in the New World...!!"

"!!? T-That's...!"

The crew buzzed with excitement at Who's-Who's words.In other words—the Four Emperors, the rulers of the seas after the Pirate King.This was their once-in-a-lifetime shot to rise to that level.

"You get it now? We need achievements under our belt! If we waste time dealing with trash like these rookies and fall behind even for a second... we'd be throwing away our chance to climb to the top!!"

"I-I see...!!"

"You understand how serious this is? —Then move your asses already, you idiots!!"

"Y-Yes, sir!!"

Spurred on by Who's-Who's roar, the pirates scrambled into action.Though mere crewmen, they were still rough, ambitious men, itching for an opportunity.

Sheathing his sword, Who's-Who left the clean-up to his subordinates and headed back inside the ship. Clicking his tongue lightly, he muttered to himself as he listened to the sounds echoing from within.

"Tch... Wasted time dealing with trash pirates...!! Gotta prep everything before it’s too late..."

Closing the door behind him, the ship soon echoed with the roars of a beast, the sound leaking out even onto the deck.

"...Captain Who's-Who seems pretty pissed..."

"Yeah... you hear that? That noise from inside... That's his anger taking form."

"New guys better not mess up... If they screw around and get punished by the Captain, it’s on them..."

"Ugh... W-What's he doing in there...?"

Hearing that, every crewmember winced and hurried back to their tasks, determined not to draw any unwanted attention to themselves.

---

The island in the New World had once flown the flag of the "Golden Lion," one of the four great powers of the sea.

But the head of the Golden Lion Pirates, "Golden Lion" Shiki, had launched a suicidal assault on Marine Headquarters after hearing the news of Roger’s capture. After a fierce battle with Garp and Sengoku, he was also captured and imprisoned in the great underwater prison, Impel Down.

What followed for the Golden Lion Pirates was chaos and tragedy. With Shiki imprisoned, they were torn between three options: appoint a successor, launch a desperate rescue mission at Impel Down, or sit tight and wait. Disagreements flared, and the group fell into turmoil.

Some even deserted the moment they heard Shiki had been captured. They were sharp—and lucky. The fleet of dozens of pirate ships, the various pirate crews Shiki’s charisma had barely held together, now had no hope of maintaining their power. After all, it was the strength of the top that held together the so-called "four powers."

To make matters worse, Roger’s execution had triggered the start of the Great Pirate Era, and a flood of new pirates surged into the New World. Although most were crushed, the seasoned predators were not about to overlook the opening.

Their real misfortune, however, was that the ones eyeing them like hawks were none other than the Beasts Pirates—the insane crew led by that monster, Kaido. Even against the mighty four powers, they never backed down from a fight.

Had the Golden Lion Pirates regrouped quickly and chosen a new leader, they might have been able to drive them off.

But they didn’t. And the result was—

"Pl-please... no more... I'm begging you...!!"

"Hachacha?"

"Gokiki..."

"Kunyu~♡"

"Jukiki!!"

"Ahh, aaaahhh...!! Stop!! Stoo—"

The Golden Lion’s once-proud flag was torn down along with its buildings, the island engulfed in flames. The pirates who remained were mercilessly crushed by the monsters. The dying screams of a wounded man were accompanied by the crunching and snapping of bones. The grotesque monsters roared in delight. However, right after—

"Hey!! How many times do I have to tell you—no snacking before the barbecue!!"

"Ibi!?"

"Fugaga..."

"Ku-kunyu!!"

"Zagigi...!!"

A girl with jet-black hair, looking almost comically out of place on the burning island, swooped down from the sky. She smacked the huge monsters on the head and scolded them sharply. The monstrous creatures, who had moments ago been savagely attacking their enemies, immediately cowered, clutching their heads, their massive bodies shrinking down like chastised children. Apparently, this girl was someone who could command even these monsters—or perhaps she herself was the greatest monster of all.

Anyone who knew her would know the truth: compared to her, the Numbers were the least of anyone's worries.

"We're gonna have a big barbecue party after this, so hold it in! Food tastes better when you wait for it!!"

"Jukiki..."

"Got it? Good! Now hurry up, load everything onto the ships—we're having that barbecue party ASAP!!"

"Rokiki!!"

"Alright, pack it up—!! And Kaido!! What the hell do you think you're doing, still tearing things up!?"

"Ubuh!?"

The girl barked orders to the monsters, directing them to carry treasure and supplies onto the ships. Then she flew over to where a giant dragon—Kaido—was still drunkenly rampaging over the ruins, and smacked him on the head.

Kaido, still in his dragon form, glared at her.

"What the hell, Nue!? —Hic...! I don't remember doing anything that deserves getting hit!!"

"The enemy’s already wiped out! You can’t just keep wrecking the place for no reason! If you destroy the whole island, what’s the point of taking it!?"

"Pfft, that's all? Just get the crew to rebuild it or whatever."

"That’s not the point!! —Wait, actually, yeah! That works!!"

"Eh!? Seriously!?"

Kaido and the girl—Nue—argued in midair, but when she abruptly agreed with him, the Beasts Pirates crew below couldn't help but react. Their unpredictable vice-captain’s whims were nothing new, but even the roughest pirates couldn't help but call her out when she did something that random. Nue just pointed at the ship in the distance and declared,

"Alright!! On to the next one!! We're gonna conquer it too!!"

"Understood!! What about this island!?"

"I just told you!! We’re leaving a crew behind to hold it. —Black Maria!!"

"Here!"

At Nue’s call, a young girl stood up and responded with a lively shout.

Unlike the monstrous Numbers, she looked fairly human, though unusually large for a child. She had two horns on her head—a rare, but not unheard-of trait. Dressed in a flashy kimono straight out of Wano Country, her hair done up with hairpins, she looked like a miniature oiran. Nue flew down until her face was level with the girl’s and issued her orders.

"I’m giving you an important job! Stay here and guard this island with the others, okay♡"

"...It’s a shame I won’t get to see more of cute Nue-san... but if it’s an order, it can’t be helped!!"

"C-cute...? Oh, you think so too? I knew you’d understand, Black Maria♡"

"As your loyal fan, of course!! You’re always so scary and so cute at the same time... I absolutely adore you♡"

"Beasts Pirates Apprentice 'Headliner (Pending)' Black Maria."

Though still a child, Black Maria was already an apprentice officer in the Beasts Pirates—and a huge fan of Nue. She placed a hand on her cheek, blushing as she praised Nue, making Nue beam even brighter. Watching this, Kaido drunkenly staggered toward the ship and called out,

"Whee... Hic... Hey, Black Maria... make sure you guard this place properly...!!"

"Of course, Kaido-san! —Alright, everyone! Ready!?"

"Heck yeah, boss!!"

"Hyahaha!! Look at all that fresh timber!!"

"This island’s worth rebuilding! Solid ground, too!!"

"Hehehe... You better brace yourselves! We're gonna tear you down and rebuild you into something magnificent!!"

"Nails ready!! Saws ready!! Blueprints ready!! Lumber ready!! Safety checks complete!!"

Behind Black Maria stood a gang of rough-looking men, licking their lips at the sight of all the building materials. Their eyes were savage, like predators about to pounce on prime prey.

Spreading her fan with a flourish, Black Maria gave a confident grin.

"Leave it to us! We'll have this island rebuilt in no time."

"...Hey, Nue. Since when did you recruit a whole bunch of craftsmen into our crew?"

"I didn't let them in. Everyone just picked it up on their own... well, I guess it’s kind of our fault though..."

When Kaido spun around to ask Nue, she whispered back to him. It seemed even she hadn't expected this. No, she knew there were a few like that, but the numbers had clearly grown. Maybe it was contagious... Nue thought, bewildered. Like one of Queen’s virus outbreaks. Looking closer, even Black Maria was carrying a mallet and some blueprints...

"...Anyway, let’s shake it off and move on. Black Maria, I'm leaving the rest to you!!"

"Yes! Just like Nue-san, I’ll crush every last one of the fools who dare step into our territory♡ — All right, you lot!! Let’s get started!!"

"Hyahhah! Construction time, baaaby!!"

"...Well, this is actually kind of fun, and useful too, so whatever!!"

Watching the subordinates begin construction under Black Maria’s command, Nue boarded the ship along with Kaido and the others, setting sail for their next target. Speed was everything when it came to seizing islands, and they were finally starting to gather some reliable subordinates. The Beasts Pirates were becoming strong enough that even if they split their forces up a bit, it wasn’t a big problem anymore.

— Meanwhile, on another island...

"Mmmmmm♪ Exciteeeeeed!! Muhaha!! No bite to these guys!! Guess without Golden Lion around, this is all they’ve got!!"

"All that's left is to take the island... but according to Joker’s intel, a few other pirate crews are eyeing Golden Lion’s old turf too..."

"Thanks to that bastard Roger kicking the bucket, looks like the seas are crawling with small fry now!! Not that any of ‘em are a match for me~~~♪"

This island, too, had once been part of the Golden Lion Pirates’ territory.

Having piled up mountains of corpses from the pirates who dared oppose them, King and Queen, the top executives of the Beasts Pirates, planted their flag at the port and waited for their men to haul in the stolen treasure and supplies.

The Great Pirate Era had begun, and with two of the "Big Four" dropping out all at once, the New World was in complete chaos. It was the perfect time to expand territories, bolster crews, and grow their power.

Hearing rumors of an upcoming reorganization, the lower-ranking pirates were more fired up than ever. They all had their eyes on higher ranks — on becoming officers. Pirates were always hungry for more glory and spoils.

Not that it really concerned King or Queen, but the more manpower they had, the easier things became. When you're aiming to be the strongest pirate crew, you could never have too many strong recruits.

And then — another one showed up. Yes, one more figure approached them.

"Huh?"

"Mm?"

"............"

King and Queen noticed it at the same time. A boy — no, really just a kid.

A kid with sharp, fang-like teeth, clearly not a normal human. Maybe a fishman, they thought. One of the crew noticed too, and gasped,

"Whoa!? When the hell did this brat sneak in!?"

"S-sorry!! I’ll toss him out right away!!"

"...Let me aboard this ship."

"Huhh!!? Are you outta your damn mind, kid!? This ain't no daycare!!"

"This is a pirate ship!! Beat it already!!"

The crew barked at the kid, trying to chase him off. Normally, a kid would’ve bolted by now or collapsed in fear.

But this one was different. He calmly approached the crew blocking his way and shoved their legs aside.

"Uwah!?"

"Ugh!?"

"Huh!? Wh-what’s with this brat!? He’s crazy strong!!"

Easily brushing aside the pirates' legs, the boy walked up to King and Queen. He was so small he had to crane his neck to look up at them — they could crush him like a puppy if they wanted.

Yet the boy stared straight at them and spoke again.

"...Let me join this ship."

"...Oh?"

"............"

The fearless kid piqued their interest. Although, if you looked closely, you could see the sweat dripping down his forehead, and a slight tremble in his body. He had guts, but he wasn’t blind to the overwhelming power gap.

Still, he couldn't even be ten years old yet. And yet, with that kind of guts — and strength enough to toss grown pirates aside — King and Queen took notice. This one might be a real find.

"Muhaha, not bad. You wanna be a pirate, huh. What about your parents?"

"...Ain’t got any."

"Fishmen are born with ten times the strength of humans... but because of history, they’re also often discriminated against. Most likely abandoned or sold off..."

"...Don’t know."

"WAHAHAHAHA!! I see, so you've been on your own since you were born!! That's hilarious!!"

Queen roared with laughter upon hearing about the boy’s circumstances. As King had explained, something must have happened, though the boy was clearly too young to even understand it himself — it simply seemed he'd ended up alone.

But background didn’t matter. Queen nodded and slapped his knee.

"Alright, you're in!!"

"Ehhhhh!? Are you serious, Queen-sama!?"

"But he's just a kid!"

"What the hell are you so surprised about!? We've already got kids among us, you idiots!! Sure, none this tiny, but still!!"

"If he's got strength, it's not a problem... Kaido-san and Nue-san, we'll handle introducing him to them. Leaving a kid this small unattended could cause issues later..."

"U-Understood...!!"

When King and Queen said so, the subordinates had no choice but to back down. After all, the Beasts Pirates rarely turned anyone away just because they were a child. Sure, Nue liked kids, but that was beside the point — Kaido himself approved of it too.

Because in their world, strength was everything. If you were strong, you stayed. If you were weak, you died. There were even those who had joined as kids and, despite still being young, had grown strong enough to be counted as real fighters. They didn’t need to coddle anyone like parents would.

King and Queen understood that — that's why they gave their approval. Of course, spotting potential in the boy played a part too. Seeing that promise, Queen decided to ask his name.

"──What's your name?"

"...Jack."

"Huh? J-A-C-K? ──BWAHAHAHA!! Now that's a riot!!"

"Quite the fitting name... or did you pick it after hearing about us?"

"...I'm Jack."

"MUHAHAHAHAHA!!! I can't!! It's too good!! A little brat calling himself Jack right off the bat!! It fits so perfectly it's hilarious!!"

"Hmph... you've got guts."

At the boy who called himself Jack, Queen couldn't hold back his laughter, clutching his belly, while King, trying to gauge his true intentions, threw a question at him. But whether he didn’t understand or simply had no hidden motive, the boy just repeated his name. King smirked, appreciating the kid's nerve, and turned to his crew.

"──Hey. Give him a job."

"Huh? A j-job?"

"He's strong. Teach him the work. ──Or do you need me to tell you twice?"

"!! U-Understood!! ──H-Hey, you, come on, kid!!"

"...Yeah."

"WAHAHAHA!! Did you hear that answer!? The little brat’s got such an attitude!! He's hilarious!!"

"Nue-san would probably like him... Whatever. Let’s set sail and catch up with the main force."

With King’s commanding presence driving them, the crew members led the boy — Jack — into the ship. Watching it all, Queen laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, while King, quietly evaluating that their bosses might take a liking to the kid, gave the order to move out and set sail toward the main fleet.

──Meanwhile, in the New World, the turf wars between the great pirate crews raged on, with the fast-moving rookie pirates being swallowed up and picked clean.

──However... only a few months after the beginning of the Great Pirate Era, just as the Beasts Pirates were steadily expanding their forces in the New World, a new wave of powerhouse rookies was gathering at the end of the first half of the Grand Line — the Sabaody Archipelago — aiming for the ultimate prize of the era, the "One Piece."

『"Hawk-Eye" Dracule Mihawk』

『"Desert King" Sir Crocodile』

These names were only a small handful — but without a doubt, they were men destined to stir up major events across the world.

And among them, the one who had risen the most in fame was the man who had already made his way into the New World.

"Kishishishi!! So this is the New World, huh!! But... it's got no bite!! Is this really supposed to be the level of the New World!? It's pathetic!!"

"Ugh... damn it... damn rookie...!!"

'Captain of the Gecko Pirates, Gecko Moria — Bounty: 320 million berries'

The giant, whose very appearance resembled that of a demon, had defeated New World pirates alongside his reliable and capable crew who had overcome countless hardships together. His eyes, brimming with ambition and confidence, looked down at the defeated pirates with a fearless sneer. Strangely, none of those he defeated had shadows.

"Captain Moria!! What should we do next!?"

"Let's rampage even more!! There's nothing for us to fear!!"

"We're gonna plant the Gecko Pirates’ flag all across the New World!! We're the ones who'll claim the 'One Piece'!!"

"Before that, Captain Moria, let's have a drink!! To celebrate our arrival in the New World!!"

"Kishishishi!! Settle down, you bastards!! Don't get ahead of yourselves!! We've already picked our next target!! ──Take a look at their flag!!"

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's..."

Having entered the New World and won their battles, the members of the Gecko Pirates wrapped their arms around each other, eager to drink in celebration. Moria, laughing as he watched them, showed them the flag he had stomped underfoot. It belonged to a pirate crew so famous that even they knew the name.

"That's Kaido of the 'Beasts' Pirates' flag!! Did we just take down someone that big!?"

"Gyahaha!! That's great!! Our name's gonna get even bigger!!"

"Kishishi!! You idiots, these guys were just grunts!! But now that we've crushed them, it can't be helped!! Since we've already picked a fight by taking down his underlings──the only thing left is to take the boss's head too!!!"

"Hell yeah!! That's right!! As expected of Captain Moria!!"

"Gyahaha!! But I’m not gonna lose either!! I'm the one who's gonna take Kaido's head, not Captain Moria!!"

"Kishishishi!! You bastards better be content with taking down his lackeys, you morons!!"

"That's right!! What kind of idiot tries to steal the captain’s prey!!"

"Leave it to me!! I'm going to be the Pirate King!! You lot are gonna be the crew of the Pirate King!! ──No, I'll make you into that!!!"

"Whoo!! You're the best, Captain Moria!!"

'A~hahaha!!'

Upon the seas of the New World, the Gecko Pirates made a name for themselves, aiming for the title of "Pirate King" as they set their sights — guided by the Eternal Pose they had stolen from others — toward the Beasts Pirates' stronghold: Wano Country.