Chapter 444: The Sacred Tree!
Chapter 444 - 444: The Sacred Tree!
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 Chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
(30 Chapters of the new book are already released in p.atreon)
And with this... the story is over! It's been fun guys xD
The new story will also soon drop, be sure to check it out.
****
The changing of eras often signified a redistribution of power and interests.
In the world of One Piece, the entire ocean was undergoing a massive upheaval.
On one hand, the World Government's power had reached unprecedented heights, now ruling the entire planet. That's right, Colt kept the name of the world government for his organization.
There was no longer a distinction between member nations and non-member nations—because all nations had ceased to exist.
Now, there was only one rule: obey the World Government.
Faced with such a demand, no king could possibly agree.
Many rulers tried to use their status to unite and pressure Colt into granting them more privileges, but their efforts were in vain.
The monarchs of all member nations that were against the order, just like the Five Elders, were wiped out.
As for the rulers of non-member nations, Colt personally dispatched capable officers to "negotiate" with them—figures such as Madara, Sasuke, and the newly resurrected Uchiha Itachi.
When it came to enforcing reason with fists, the Uchiha clan was unmatched.
The fate of these rulers was determined based on their reputations.
Kings known for their benevolence were allowed to retain most of their wealth and limited governance over their territories, working alongside officials appointed by the World Government to maintain order.
However, for tyrants—such as the infamous ruler of the Drum Kingdom—justice was served directly by the people.
But for the pirates, life became even harsher.
The Red-Haired Pirates remained peaceful and didn't mind the new world order, while the other three Four Emperors crews had all been absorbed into Colt's ranks.
Now, any pirate with a bounty faced not only the relentless pursuit of the Marines, now strengthened by the previously called revolutionary Army, but also the ever-present threat of being hunted by the Four Emperors or the former Shichibukai.
Going against either the law or the underworld was dangerous enough.
Against both? That was a death sentence.
In this new world order, there was no room for pirates.
They had only two choices—vanish into obscurity or perish.
Within just two months, the once-thriving pirate-infested seas were nearly wiped clean.
With the fall of the pirates and the overthrow of despots, public admiration for Colt soared.
Many now believed he was not just a ruler but a god—a divine being sent to save the world.
Thus, the Great Pirate Era ignited by Gol D. Roger finally came to an end.
The myths of Joy Boy and the D-Clan lost their meaning, fading into history.
However, the true protagonist of this world remained—the sea.
Even Colt could not control people's hearts or suppress their longing for adventure.
The legend of Raftel still beckoned countless dreamers.
But if piracy had no place in this new era, then a different path was necessary.
Pirates were no longer allowed, but officially registered sailing groups could set sail freely—as long as they abided by the laws of the World Government.
Should a sailing group violate these laws, their status would be immediately revoked, and they would be branded as pirates.
And in this new world, even the smallest pirate crew would not survive long before being hunted down by an Admiral. And there were now a lot of Admirals...
To mark the beginning of this new age, Colt held a live broadcast, speaking to the entire world through Morgans' Den-Den Mushi:
"From this day forward, sailing groups, and adventurers can lawfully search for the One Piece!"
****
Six Months Later
The world had changed.
With the disappearance of pirates, maritime trade flourished like never before, reaching an all-time high.
The release of multiple technological advancements from Vegapunk accelerated global progress, ushering in an age of unprecedented prosperity.
However, not everyone welcomed these changes.
****
New World – An Unnamed Island.
A bonfire crackled in the night, surrounded by Shanks, Beckman, and the remaining members of the Red Hair Pirates.
They were holding a banquet, and the atmosphere was festive.
Life had been kind to them.
Though they had spent years at sea, the Red Hair Pirates had never truly been villains.
For the past few months, Shanks and his crew had registered as a sailing group, wandering through the New World.
When money ran low, they took on assignments from the Sailors' Guild, completing odd jobs.
It was a carefree life.
"Shanks, stop spacing out—the meat's ready," Beckman said, handing him a skewer of roasted meat.
"Thanks, Beckman." Shanks showed a smile, taking the food but not eating it.
Instead, he sighed.
"Life's gotten... boring. Even holding a banquet doesn't feel the same anymore."
Hearing this, Beckman's expression tensed.
He wasn't wrong.
In this new era, even the strongest pirate crew couldn't stand against the might of the World Government.
The monsters on Colt's side were far beyond what they could handle—even if their strength was to double or triple.
Though Shanks had no desire to still remain a pirate, he wouldn't have minded if Colt had given him something to do, him and his crew.
"Don't go getting any dangerous ideas. Things aren't like they used to be."
Beckman feared Shanks would let his emotions drive him to a reckless decision.
"I know, Beckman. I'm not stupid enough to challenge Colt."
Shanks took a bite of meat and mumbled,
"I just feel like, out of all Emperor crews, we got the worst deal."
Beckman fell silent. A helpless smile on his face.
"We sure did, Ahahaha" Lucky Roo chimed in from the side.
"Let's drink to that, haha" Shanks soon laughed with his crew.
Kaido had become the Haki Instructor for the World Government's troops.
He spent his days sparring with powerful warriors and drinking to his heart's content.
During the battle against Luffy, he even discovered his hidden talent as a teacher—something that gave him a new purpose.
Charlotte Linlin finally achieved her dream of a world where all races coexisted thanks to Colt.
And with that, her mentality was restored, and she regained her happiness.
She was no longer as big, and had regained her once lithe form.
Now, she ran a chain of bakeries, and even a chain of orphanages alongside a certain ninja named Yakushi Kabuto—and rumors suggested the two were quite fond of each other.
And then there was Whitebeard...
****
A small boat approached the massive Moby Dick, carrying Marco, Ace, and their crew.
"Old man, we're back!" Ace grinned as they climbed aboard.
"The haul this time was great! We ran into some bandits on the way back, and the Sailors' Guild gave us an extra 50 points as a bonus!"
"Good, good, good!"
Whitebeard laughed, not because of the points they earned, but because his sons were full of life.
"Alright, boys, get ready—the feast is on tonight!"
Though they were no longer pirates, the tradition of feasting remained.
That night, the division commanders sat around Whitebeard, sharing tales of their adventures.
Until they reached a certain consensus.
"If we earn another 1,000 mission points, we can ask Sasuke to get the leader to extend Pops' lifespan!"
Excitement filled their voices.
The Sailors' Guild, modeled after a mercenary system, allowed groups to take on various missions—protecting merchant ships, delivering cargo, building, evacuating and demolishing, anything went, even law enforcement.
But to Whitebeard's crew, nothing mattered more than keeping their op alive.
"Pops, do you think we should attend Colt's upcoming festival?" Marco asked hesitantly.
Whitebeard took a sip of sake and grinned.
"Of course! I want to congratulate that monster on having a kid of his own. We finally have something in common."
A few days ago, a piece of news had spread across the seas.
Colt was set to hold the establishment ceremony of the World Government in the Sabaody Archipelago and had invited many to attend.
People from all corners of the world were curious and eager to meet this new Lord of the World.
****
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and soon, a month had gone by.
Dozens of islands in the Sabaody Archipelago were packed with people. A large number of ninjas and marines maintained order, yet surprisingly, no conflicts broke out.
Even the Straw Hat Crew, who were always unruly, didn't dare to cause trouble.
They understood—this world would no longer allow evil to go unpunished. Which was necessary for peace.
"Why hasn't Colt appeared yet?" Luffy stretched his neck to more than 20 meters using his Devil Fruit ability, looking around at the massive crowd.
"I don't know, Luffy! Hold onto Marimo, or he'll get lost again."
"BASTARD! LOVE-COOK! I WON'T GET LOST!"
The loud voices of the Straw Hat Crew made the surrounding crowd give them wary looks, stepping aside.
The Straw Hat Crew was currently the most famous pirate crew, the one closest to reaching Raftel.
More importantly, Princess Vivi, who was still considered a member of their crew in name, had now become one of Colt's close confidants.
They were not to be messed with.
Luffy's reasons for coming were simple—watching the celebration, enjoying the spectacle, and challenging Colt once more.
"Look at the sky! There's someone up there!"
A passerby using binoculars suddenly cried out in shock.
WHOOSH!
In unison, countless heads tilted upward, eyes widening in amazement.
At the same time, the live broadcast screens around the world lit up.
High above in the sky, Colt and Kaguya stood upon the clouds, looking at the Red Line before them.
"My, people, on this day, to celebrate, we will get rid of the divide between the lands!"
He then looked at the red line.
"This mountain is quite an eyesore," Colt muttered.
"Then we should flatten it," Kaguya replied, extending her hand.
A massive, inflated [Truth-Seeking Ball] formed in her palm, ready to be unleashed.
But Colt stopped her with a raised hand.
"Let me handle this. The [Truth-Seeking Ball] takes too long."
As he spoke, his eyes gleamed with blue radiance.
His right hand slowly extended forward, and more than ten [Truth-Seeking Balls] fused with golden chakra, spinning at high speed until they condensed into—
A massive golden light!
A golden beam shot into the sky, and became dazzling like a second sun.
Under the stunned gazes of countless people, the Red Line was sliced in half—
The natural barrier that had once divided the Paradise and the New World was gone!
"Much better," Colt nodded in satisfaction before turning to Kaguya. "Shall we begin?"
"I shall follow your lead," Kaguya answered softly.
Colt smiled, clapped his hands together, and transformed into his pure white [Six Paths] form.
He whispered:
"[Birth of the Divine Tree: World Envelopment!]"
BOOM! BOOM!
The earth trembled violently.
Towering waves surged across the ocean as a deafening roar filled the air.
From the ruins of the old Marineford, a sacred tree, far larger than even the ones Sabaody Archipelago, began to rise.
In mere moments, it had broken past hundreds of thousands of meters in height.
Mariejois, already in ruins, was crushed completely beneath its roots—vanishing from existence.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya looked up at the divine tree Colt had summoned, momentarily stunned before regaining her composure.
"Uhm, turn off the broadcast, please"
Colt laughed and did as she said.
She then summoned a smaller divine tree, which nestled beside Colt's massive one.
Feeling the endless flow of natural energy surging into his body, Colt's smile grew even wider.
From this moment on, this world truly belonged to him.
Suddenly, something stirred within his body—his [Dimensional Anchor] trembled.
It seems adventures into other worlds, awaited him.
But it was not yet the time.
(End of the book.)
What do you think?
Total Responses: 0