Chapter 6: The Wall of the New World
The Descent of the Sun God's Shadow
The toxic purple fumes of Queen's Rank 50 slot were violently blown away by a sudden, localized eruption of volcanic heat. On the screens, the golden borders turned a deep, obsidian black, outlined by a flickering, eternal crimson flame.
[RANK 49: KING THE CONFLAGRATION]
[Affiliation: The Beast Pirates — Lead Performer]
[Total Essence: The Sovereign of the Eternal Flame]
The projection didn't start with a fight. it started with a silent, haunting image: a young boy with silver hair and a single black wing, chained in a white room filled with Marine scientists. The boy's back was on fire, a flame that didn't consume him but seemed to breathe with him.
"Wait, that's..." Sanji's cigarette dropped from his lips. "That's a World Government research facility. I recognize those cold-room markings."
In Marineford, Sengoku's face went from pale to ghostly. "Cut the feed! Contact the Gorosei! The List is showing the Punk Hazard experiments from thirty years ago!"
But the "System" didn't care about Marine censorship.
The First Feat: The Great Breakout
The screen shifted to a younger, muscular Kaido, his hair wild and his chest bare, smashing through a massive steel door with a roar. He looked at the chained boy and offered a hand.
"If you want to change this world, come with me!"
The boy stood, his eyes glowing red behind his silver fringe. In an instant, the entire facility was swallowed by a dragon of fire that didn't just burn—it melted the very stone.
[Feat: The Destruction of the 'God-Cell' Research Lab.]
[Description: The erasure of a Government facility using only the natural flames of his race. No Devil Fruit, no Haki—just the wrath of a God.]
> [King]: "Kaido-san gave me a name and a purpose. The World Government gave me chains. The List is merely stating what the heavens already know."
> [Kaido]: "Worororo! That's my King! Show them, boy! Show them why the 'Gods' were wiped out by those cowards in Mary Geoise!"
>
The Lunarian Paradox
The projection transitioned to the current day. It showed King standing on the rooftop of Onigashima, facing a fleet of rogue pirate ships. He didn't move. He didn't draw his sword. He simply folded his wings.
A barrage of cannonballs, Haki-infused arrows, and even a laser beam struck him directly. The smoke cleared, and King stood there, his back-flame burning bright, without a single scratch on his suit.
[Feat: The Absolute Defense of the Lunar Race.]
[Description: A biological anomaly that grants near-invulnerability as long as the 'Flame of Life' burns.]
"Wait, wait, wait!" Usopp shouted, pointing at the screen. "He just took a direct hit from a ship-mounter cannon and he didn't even blink? Is he made of Kairoseki?!"
"It's his bloodline," Robin explained, her voice low and serious. "The Lunarians were said to be able to survive in any environment. Fire, ice, vacuum... they were the ultimate lifeforms. That's why the World Government feared them."
The Funny Side of the 'God'
The "System," seemingly bored with the serious lore, suddenly switched the footage to a "Behind the Scenes" moment in the Beast Pirates' mess hall.
The screen showed King trying to eat a bowl of soup through his mask. He was using a straw, looking incredibly dignified despite the ridiculousness of the situation. Queen was sitting next to him, poking him with a mechanical finger.
"Hey, Kingy! Take the mask off! I bet you have a big mole on your nose! Or maybe you're just ugly!"
King didn't say a word. He simply ignited his wing, setting Queen's hair on fire.
"MY HAIR! MY BEAUTIFUL FUNK HAIR!" Queen screamed, running around the room while King calmly finished his soup through the straw.
> [Queen]: "HEY! SYSTEM! Why are you showing that?! That was a private moment! And my hair was a masterpiece that day!"
> [King]: "You deserved it, you loud-mouthed lizard. I should have used more fire."
> [Gol D. Roger]: "Bwahaha! Even the 'Gods' have trouble with annoying coworkers! Rayleigh, remember when Gaban tried to cook with your sword? Same energy!"
>
The World's Reaction: The 'God' Hunt
The reveal of King's race sent the world into a frenzy. In the Blue Seas, bounty hunters were already checking their maps for the Red Line.
"A reward of 100 million Berries for just info on a Lunarian?" one hunter muttered in a bar in Mock Town. "And he's right there! Rank 49! He's worth a fortune!"
"Are you stupid?" his partner replied, staring at the screen where King was currently shown bisecting a sea king with a single wing-swipe. "He's Rank 49 on a list that includes the Pirate King. You go after him, you aren't getting a bounty—you're getting a funeral."
In Mary Geoise, the Five Elders were livid.
"The secret is out. The 'Flame' is known," Saint Saturn growled. "But more importantly... if the 'God of Fire' is only Rank 49... who is the 'God' at Rank 1?"
The screen began to glow with a deep, pulsing crimson, signaling the end of the feats and the preparation for the Rank 49 Trial.