Chapter 94: Shanks Summoned Back to the Holy Land!
East Blue, Loguetown.
"Oh—Oh—Oh—"
"Look, the News Coo is here!"
A little boy heard the sound and immediately looked up, pointing at the large bird flying down from the sky and shouting excitedly. His seemingly young father beside him smiled and waved.
Soon, the large white bird flew down. It was a yellow-beaked bird wearing a white Hat and carrying a red square bag around its Neck. Its gaze and expression, in particular, looked very human-like.
"Here, one hundred."
The father casually took out a Coin from his Pocket and put it into the Red Envelope on the bird's chest, then took the New Newspaper handed to him. The little boy carefully stroked the News Coo's wings nearby.
"Oh~"
The News Coo showed a happy Expression when the transaction went smoothly. At the same time, the men and women around also gathered around, ready to buy the latest issue of the Newspaper.
"Give me one!"
"Me too!"
But these people didn't notice that the young father who bought the Newspaper first suddenly changed his Expression when he saw the Front-page headline.
Soon, more and more people saw the content above. They didn't even notice the News Coo flying away, and everyone had a surprised Expression.
[Shocking! The Pirate King Gol D. Roger's Great Treasure, ONE PIECE, Has Been Found!!!]
The content below highlighted that the World Government had found the Great Treasure on an Island somewhere in the 'New World'. A Fleet consisting of ten Warships led by Marine Admiral Sengoku and Marine Hero Garp had already arrived at the Island.
Furthermore, the World Government would conduct a Public Broadcast tomorrow, making the process of the Fleet escorting the Treasure back to Mary Geoise public. They would also show all the Treasure to the world's Citizens before storing it in the Holy Land Treasury.
"This is impossible!!"
At the Rip-off Bar in GR13 Area of the Sabaody Archipelago, a handsome blonde uncle sat at the bar counter, staring dumbfounded at the Newspaper in his hand.
"Oh? What's wrong?"
Shakky, who was wiping a Wine Glass with a cloth and holding a lady's Cigarette in her mouth, looked over confusedly, as Rayleigh rarely had such a big Reaction.
"It says here that the World Government found Laugh Tale and Roger's Treasure, and the Gold and Jewels they found filled two Large Cargo Ships..." Rayleigh put the Newspaper on the bar counter with mixed feelings.
"Is that so?"
Shakky put down the Wine Glass and cloth in surprise and picked it up. She read very quickly, and a moment later, she smiled, "I didn't expect you guys were quite rich back then. Why didn't you bring some over? Then we wouldn't have to live so poorly now."
"You're wrong, we didn't leave any Gold or Jewels on that Island at all..." Rayleigh Shake Head and sighed, looking at the Whiskey in his glass with a helpless Expression.
"I didn't expect it, Roger's scheme was broken by the World Government just like that, and so quickly, and in this way. Amazing!"
He thought that if Roger knew about this in the Land of the Yellow Springs, he would probably be very angry.
Shakky was an extremely smart woman. As soon as she heard his words, she immediately understood the meaning. Raising an eyebrow, she pinched the Cigarette in her mouth between her fingers, letting wisps of smoke slowly rise from it.
"So this is a show by the World Government, huh? It's indeed a good method. It can be considered to have eliminated half the impact of the Great Treasure Rumors, mainly stopping the subsequent continued fermentation."
"Sigh—"
Rayleigh sighed again, picked up the Wine Glass, and drank the Drink inside in one gulp. Unwilling!
In the New World Sea Area of the New World, at Whole Cake Island, the center of Totto Land, Big Mom had just finished listening to her Eldest Son, Perospero, relay the content of the Newspaper.
"Mama~ Mama~, truly an astonishing move, World Government..."
At this moment, Charlotte Linlin's figure hadn't completely gotten fat, but looked a bit plump. She sat Sexiness crossing her legs on the huge Throne.
"So those Marines are somewhere in this Sea Area right now, right?"
"Yes, Mama."
Perospero, who was twenty-six years old this year and already serving as the Candy Minister, nodded, sticking out his long Informant.
"Find them for Mama!"
Charlotte Linlin revealed a cold smile.
"Although it's unclear if the found Treasure is real or fake, it's already meaningless. But even so, I can't let those Marine guys easily return from this Sea Area. Mama wants to join in on this fun~~"
For her, ONE PIECE was previously just a symbol that could prove one became the Pirate King. After all, the saying circulating on the sea was that whoever found it was the next Pirate King, which is why they searched for Poneglyphs.
But now, the World Government, through this Public Broadcast, has made this symbolic meaning disappear!
If the Treasure the Marines are escorting is real, then there's naturally nothing to say. But even if it's fake, it's still been found. With no one able to prove it's fake, and on the premise of ensuring most people believe it, fake and real are no different.
Even if a former member of the Roger Pirates stood out, compared to the Media Power controlled by the World Government, the former's influence is simply not worth mentioning. Moreover, they will Public Broadcast the escort process and pile all the Treasure together for the world to see. The shocking Impact Force will create a deep impression.
In front of the 'facts' and 'evidence' with videos, pictures, and objects, those few Rumors are simply no match.
So even if she finds the real ONE PIECE and Laugh Tale in the future, not many people will believe and acknowledge it, and it will naturally lose its authenticity as the Pirate King's identity!
"It seems the World Government's actions this time have made Mama a bit angry..."
Perospero held the pink and white striped Cane made of candy in his hand. As Charlotte Linlin's Eldest Son whom he is most familiar with, he understood as soon as he saw her expression.
The reason is easy to guess. The existence of ONE PIECE and Laugh Tale actually provided these Yonko with a path to smoothly become the Pirate King without excessive Conflict.
Just like Gol D. Roger, he didn't become the Pirate King by defeating Golden Lion Shiki, Edward Newgate, and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin, but by finding Laugh Tale.
But now, it has directly returned to the situation decades ago. If you want to be the next Pirate King, you must defeat all competitors in a method similar to Gu, just like that Rocks.
East Blue, Shanks, who was only fifteen years old and wandering alone, was sitting on a beach outside a Town at this moment, holding the Newspaper in his hand. His face became increasingly ugly, even angry.
"Nonsense, we didn't have that much Treasure at all!!"
After arriving at Laugh Tale at that time, because Buggy suddenly got a high fever, he didn't go ashore with them to take care of Buggy.
But one thing is very clear: they didn't move that much Treasure from the Ship to the Island at all. Moreover, Roger especially liked holding banquets. As long as they saved some money on the Ship, they would spend it all on Food and Drink. Later, it was used to buy medicine and Medical Treatment supplies to suppress Roger's Incurable Disease.
"Figarland Shanks, right?"
Suddenly, a cold voice sounded from behind Shanks. He instantly became alert and turned around, finding that the person who came was a White-clothed Person wearing a White Mask, accompanied by two Men in Black in Suits.
"World Government people!"
"Come with us. The Five Elders have summoned you back to Mary Geoise."
As soon as these words came out, Shanks, wearing a Straw Hat, was stunned for a moment, and immediately after, his face turned ugly...