News of Joy Boy in Elbaf swiftly reached the heart of the Great Kingdom.
Although the vast majority of ordinary people in the Great Kingdom had long forgotten this dispensable king, the higher-ups dared not forget him.
After all...
Joy Boy was not just a puppet king and mascot—he was also the ultimate weapon they had once sought to create.
His disappearance had caused an uproar within the Divine Council at the time.
But eventually, they too cast him from their minds...
Simply because Joy Boy never reappeared.
Since he remained unseen and opposed the Great Kingdom, they couldn't be bothered with someone they deemed no threat.
But now, things were different.
Joy Boy had suddenly appeared in Elbaf at this critical moment?
Did that mean he was connected to the rebel forces and the insurgents of Alabasta?
Now they were wide awake!
Even if Joy Boy had nothing else, his mere presence alone carried formidable power that couldn't be ignored.
Moreover...
Both the Divine Council and the entire Great Kingdom were aware of the legendary "Sun God Nika."
Their original goal had been to mold Joy Boy into the fabled "Sun God Nika," the perfect tool to solidify their dominion over the world...
Rather than allowing him to truly become the Sun God!
But it was too late for regrets now.
Given Joy Boy's temperament, once he started opposing them, there was no chance he would back down halfway.
Thus, the Divine Council's decrees rained down like snowflakes across the vast territories of the Great Kingdom.
In no time at all, Joy Boy—once the king of the Great Kingdom—was demonized by the Divine Council's propaganda into a monstrous figure practically depicted as feasting on human flesh and blood.
Though to the discerning few, such claims were nothing short of absurd.
The common folk, however, lacked such sharp judgment.
And so, through relentless propaganda, distortion, and exaggeration, Joy Boy's image among the populace spiraled into that of the world's most vicious criminal.
When the wanted posters for Joy Boy surfaced, even he couldn't help but mock them:
"Looking at this, even I'd want to turn myself in!"
"The Great Kingdom and that damned Divine Council—they've pinned every last one of their misdeeds on me!"
"Good grief, I may be naive, but I'm not actually stupid!"
"Using me to balance their books? Seriously?"
Joy Boy's words drew hearty laughter throughout the halls of Orest Castle.
Even King Tyr, who held Joy Boy in the highest esteem, couldn't suppress a knowing smile.
"What can you do? That's the power of propaganda," Michael remarked, flicking the wanted poster before tossing it aside. Under the Holy Flame, it instantly turned to ash.
"When we control the narrative and public opinion, we could do the same... But these aren't peaceful times. Whether it's smear campaigns or political slander, they're just pathetic tricks for laughs... The real test lies on the battlefield."
"Right now, we're expanding outward from Alabasta..." Lily, seated beside Michael, said solemnly.
"In these remote regions of the Great Kingdom, their control is far weaker than in the vassal states... And among the vassal kings, aside from a few fools, most weren't even surprised by the rebellion... Many practically rolled out the red carpet for us."
"That's because they know resistance is futile," Toki scoffed. "The outskirts are just beginner-level difficulty... The real challenge begins when we reach the territories ruled by races holding seats in the Divine Council. Those will be the toughest nuts to crack."
"Tough nuts?" King Tyr chuckled. "Leave the tough nuts to Elbaf! The reputation of the War Country must not fade under my watch!"
"Are the giant warriors ready to join the fight now?" Michael ruffled his wings. "If so, that would be a tremendous help."
"No problem at all... As long as your supplies hold, the giants can mobilize anytime."
Michael nodded.
The giants' logistical demands were indeed an issue.
But with Imu—a veritable sugar mama—backing them, and Doflamingo playing the role of deep-pocketed patron, they could sustain the war effort for quite some time.Besides, not every battle requires the mobilization of the Giant Tribe.
Why use a sledgehammer to swat a fly?
They are primarily deployed as strategic weapons—used more as a deterrent than in actual combat, except during sieges.
Under the leadership of Imu and Lily, one towering and the other petite, the rebel forces continued to expand, swallowing up faction after faction.
...
Time flew by in the blink of an eye... Another five years had passed.
During these five years, the Great Kingdom had completely fractured.
The remote regions had all fallen under rebel control, and though the Great Kingdom's response had been sluggish, the Divine Council and the might of the major races had managed to preserve over half of its territory.
However, the rebel forces had also hit a temporary bottleneck two years prior.
Thus, the fierce warfare gradually transitioned into a stalemate.
A stable standoff had taken hold.
At this point, neither the Great Kingdom nor the rebels had the confidence to decisively crush the other.
They could only bide their time, waiting for new opportunities.
As for Michael... he wasn't the least bit concerned about any of this.
The rebel forces—destined to be the Twenty Kings—would inevitably defeat the Great Kingdom.
So he had no reason to worry.
"Mr. Michael, are we really just going to stand by and watch Miss Toki like this?" asked Figarland Samir, the red-haired young man who served as his attendant, his expression grave.
"If Miss Toki gets hurt—"
"What else can we do? She's the one who insisted on dueling that Lunarian prisoner—to the death, no less..." Michael scoffed. "She even said that if he managed to kill her, she'd promise to spare his life."
"Should we honor that promise?"
"Did you make that promise?"
"No."
"Then why the hell would you honor it?" Michael rolled his eyes. "You blockhead... Now I see why Imu assigned you to follow me. You report every little thing I do straight to her, don't you?"
"Yes, Mr. Michael," Samir admitted, his rigid face flushing slightly. "Lady Imu has compiled all your activities into The Chronicles of Michael..."
Michael sighed.
These past few years, Imu had become increasingly... unsubtle.
Was she really that desperate to get married?