As Redyat had said, the Navy's unreasonable slaughter of civilians was not an isolated incident.
In some particularly sensitive regions, civilians had already begun to drive out the local Navy forces.
"Get out! We can protect ourselves. We don't need your so-called protection!"
People held weapons in trembling hands, pointing them at the Marines standing before them.
Some Navy soldiers tried to explain, but their words fell flat. Faced with fear, anger, and distrust, all they felt was suffocating helplessness.
In other regions, the situation was far worse.
Rather than reflect on their actions, certain Navy units doubled down. They responded to civilian resistance with brute force, enforcing order through violence. Bloodshed followed, and long-simmering resentment finally erupted into open conflict.
These incidents were still limited to a small number of areas. Most regions remained outwardly calm, but the people were watching. Waiting.
They wanted an explanation.
They wanted accountability.
At the same time, public attention had shifted heavily toward the Nightfall Pirates.
Compared to a year ago, they were almost unrecognizable.
The power displayed by their captain, the so-called "Dark Emperor" Marshall D. Teach, left countless people uneasy. Based on what Teach had revealed about the Dark-Dark Fruit and its terrifying applications, some supporters boldly claimed he was already invincible.
That, however, was an exaggeration.
Even Teach himself acknowledged that there were still monsters in this world he would rather not face head-on.
Those claims mostly came from admirers and diehard supporters of the Nightfall Pirates.
Even so, Teach had undeniably become a top contender for the position of Emperor.
Previously, he had only been seen as someone with potential. Now, his performance surpassed many established overlords.
What shocked the world most was that the Nightfall Pirates had achieved all of this before even entering the New World.
Based on the battle footage alone, some observers calculated that aside from the core executives, the Nightfall Pirates possessed more than ten rare Devil Fruit users.
That number alone stunned countless people.
Beyond the executives, there were also standout crew members worth noting.
Clemons and Daz Bonez, the two monk brothers, were among them.
Due to their youth and physical limitations, their growth had been relatively slow. Over this period, they focused on building a solid foundation through martial arts training, real combat, and careful development of their abilities.
Once they entered their rapid growth phase, the strength they would unleash would be terrifying. Their combat power would surge in a very short time.
Many people saw their potential, especially Clemons.
The Muscle-Muscle Fruit was widely regarded as one of the most coveted Devil Fruits among martial artists.
Teach returned to the original battlefield.
The ground was littered with corpses. Only the Nightfall Pirates remained standing.
They regrouped and began moving toward one side of the island, where several Navy warships had already been seized by their crew. Meanwhile, other members had sailed the Lucky Goddess and five additional ships along Urso Island's coastline, heading for the opposite shore.
Just like that, the great battle came to an end.
It had not lasted long.
The Nightfall Pirates' overwhelming strength earned them a chilling reputation for efficiency.
None of them were expendable fodder. Every single crew member was an elite. Even by New World standards, their combat power was formidable.
Even those who had joined only a year ago, regardless of gender, had already seen blood. Though young, they were seasoned by battle.
Environment could reshape a person.
That was why Teach had joined the Whitebeard Pirates when he was weak. Training alone could only take someone so far. A teacher, and the right battlefield, mattered far more.
Especially in a place as brutal as the New World.
The Whitebeard Pirates had allowed Teach to survive his weakest period and grow rapidly.
"How did it go?" Teach descended from the sky, landing beside Redyat with a grin.
"Very successful," Redyat replied with a smile. "This sea is getting more interesting by the day."
Before this battle, even he had not anticipated such a plan. The result only pushed the already chaotic world further toward disorder.
Chaos was fertile ground.
A peaceful world did not allow rapid growth. That kind of development was an illusion.
Only in chaos could dissent be crushed and power consolidated through force.
"Where do you think this sea is heading?" Redyat asked, gazing into the distance.
Teach clenched his fist, his eyes gleaming.
"Into our hands," he said confidently. "The New World is our stage. No, the whole world is."
Around them, the crew gathered.
Once the war ended, all recordings were shut off. The Nightfall Pirates were no longer being filmed.
Morgans, ever perceptive, had already taken his News Coo flock and fled at top speed. He could barely contain his excitement.
The footage needed processing immediately.
The headlines were already forming in his mind.
This was destined to be a massive financial success, but more importantly, it was the kind of news he lived for.
Even with the spread of video technology, newspapers remained dominant. Long articles allowed events to be analyzed in detail, while video provided raw impact.
Video Den Den Mushi were expensive and rare.
A newspaper cost only 100 Berries.
Almost anyone could afford one.
Even those who could not would borrow a copy from someone else.
What Morgans struggled with now was choosing the headline. There was simply too much material.
What should be the focus? What should be secondary?
Across the World Economic News Agency and other media outlets, articles had already begun during the battle. However, live broadcasts could not capture every detail across all three battlefields.
In this regard, Morgans held an overwhelming advantage.
He had everything.
Around Urso Island, the great pirates and various observing forces gradually withdrew.
King, the so-called "King the Conflagration," transformed into a flame-wreathed Pteranodon in his black prison guard uniform and flew toward the New World.
Charlotte Katakuri, seated atop his Hurricane Homie, departed in silence as well.
Both were cold men, their expressions unreadable.
But their hearts were heavy.
Because they had witnessed it firsthand, they understood the Nightfall Pirates' true strength.
The Nightfall Pirates were fully capable of becoming rivals to both the Beast Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates.
Teach himself was already comparable to Kaido and Charlotte Linlin.
With the added threat of his abilities, neither side could confidently overpower him.
In terms of overall crew strength, the Beast Pirates and Big Mom Pirates still held the advantage due to years of development in the New World.
But when it came to top-tier combatants, the Nightfall Pirates were already formidable.
And they were young.
Their potential was terrifying.
Once they entered the New World, conflict was inevitable. King and Katakuri both knew that their captains had surely watched the footage by now.
How to deal with the Nightfall Pirates would soon become a pressing issue.
The Big Mom Pirates, centered around Totto Land, controlled more than twenty islands transformed into food-themed territories through Charlotte Linlin's powers.
Totto Land was a fortress.
Her battle with Marine Vice Admiral Lloyd had already proven her overwhelming strength. She was an army unto herself.
Bound by blood, her children had grown into fearsome warriors. Katakuri, born with Conqueror's Haki, was the most famous among them.
Others were no less dangerous.
Years of constant warfare in the New World had forged them into hardened veterans. Combined with their personalized Homies, their combat power was immense.
Charlotte Linlin had ruled Totto Land for over a decade, forging alliances and controlling large portions of the underground world.
No one dared disrespect her tea parties.
In terms of intelligence and influence, she was widely regarded as the best in the business.
Only the Flying Pirates, still at their peak under Golden Lion Shiki, surpassed her in sheer scale.
The Beast Pirates had developed differently.
Before acquiring territory, they lacked a fixed base, and Kaido's reckless behavior hindered long-term growth.
That changed with the conquest of the Kate Kingdom.
After establishing the Barbarossa Kingdom and inheriting its wealth, the Beast Pirates' development accelerated dramatically.
The royal family had been absolute rulers. Once destroyed, Kaido inherited everything without resistance. His reputation as a "hero" within the kingdom skyrocketed.
The nation's strength, beast-taming techniques, and vast wealth made it ideal for the Beast Pirates.
Their roster expanded rapidly.
King, Gates, and Queen all gained fame through brutal battle records. Queen, an Ancient Zoan Brachiosaurus user, was especially dangerous.
Below them were numerous powerful fighters, bolstered by access to rare Devil Fruits.
A virtuous cycle formed.
Their growing reputation attracted even more talent.
They also possessed a young Mythical Zoan user of the Nine-Tailed Fox Fruit, Crayel.
And hidden from most eyes was Yamato, Kaido's daughter, who had inherited his monstrous potential.
Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were the most likely candidates for the third and fourth Emperor positions.
Originally, they only needed time.
But now, the Nightfall Pirates had entered the equation.
Even before reaching the New World, their forces rivaled an overlord-level crew.
Some pirate factions considered uniting to eliminate them early.
That idea died the moment Teach's power was revealed.
Without an Admiral-level force, such attempts would be suicide.
Teach's "Star of Destruction" made that clear.
Ironically, the footage saved the Nightfall Pirates a great deal of trouble.
It also attracted countless pirates who saw their youth, strength, and future.
Many now dreamed of boarding the Nightfall Pirates' ship.
And this influence was only the beginning.