At this moment, as Caelan and the top Navy officers left Marineford on the back of a dragon, the entire world was thrown into chaos.
No one had expected the Navy's grand execution to end like this.
If the event had followed the Navy's original intent, then the execution could be considered a success.
The bloodline of the Pirate King had been executed in front of the world, and the Whitebeard Pirates were completely wiped out.
It should have been a glorious victory, with the Navy's global prestige soaring, and Admiral Akainu becoming a legendary figure thanks to his outstanding performance.
But in the end, Caelan publicly ripped away the World Government's facade, killed its three highest authorities, and demonstrated an unmatched level of dominance.
The most ridiculous part was that Caelan actually took away all the high-ranking officers from Marine Headquarters.
Since Caelan's appearance, the war at the top had taken on an almost dreamlike pace.
"I've had enough of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons! No matter which pirate crew, all they do is extort Celestial Tribute. If we can't pay, they kill us!"
"And those pirates are no better. They murder and plunder without restraint. None of them are good!"
"Now someone has finally come to deal with both!"
"Great! The era of pirates and the World Government is coming to an end!"
Civilians across the world were overjoyed, even as their televisions turned to black screens.
The crimes of the World Government and the pirates were no secret.
One exploited them brutally, the other ravaged them with violence.
No matter which side won, the common people always suffered.
Most people hated both groups but had no way to resist.
Strength had returned to the hearts of countless oppressed people, and they praised him from the bottom of their hearts.
They looked to the sky, and it felt as if the beam of light piercing the heavens and the earth still remained, shining upon them.
From this day forward, they finally had hope.
…
All over the world, pirates fell into a state of panic.
Caelan had declared through the video Den Den Mushi that he would eradicate both the pirates and the World Government.
No one doubted his words. The Neo Navy had already proven Caelan's stance with actions.
Facing such a powerful Caelan, and a Neo Navy that had absorbed nearly all of the Navy's top brass, they had no chance of victory.
For a while, pirate crews big and small across the seas felt the threat looming over them.
"That's the God Slayer! How are we supposed to resist him?"
"Let's just disband. Find an uninhabited island and hide there. Live the rest of our lives in peace."
"Losing our freedom is better than losing our lives."
Countless pirates thought this way, sighing as they disbanded on the spot, retreating to deserted islands.
The overwhelming strength Caelan had displayed left most pirates too terrified to act.
Even in hiding, they couldn't relax.
They still worried. Could they really survive by hiding?
In the past, it was ordinary people who feared the pirates. Now, it was finally the pirates' turn to fear Caelan's judgment.
Still, some pirates refused to give up their lives of killing and pillaging.
"Why don't we go join Shanks or the Big Mom Pirates? Maybe we'll have a chance to survive."
"I don't want to give up the pirate life. I want to keep robbing whatever I please!"
"Let's wait a few more days. We'll see what happens when Caelan really starts targeting pirates."
They were drawn to the strong, and the strong were drawn to stronger forces.
All pirates who still had ambition began gathering together.
If they united, maybe they could resist.
Just as the World Government once tolerated the Yonko, maybe the Neo Navy would allow one Pirate Emperor to exist.
The carefree pirates had never been so united.
The World Government had never applied this level of pressure to them. But Caelan, a man of his word, had.
What they didn't know, however, was that even the two most powerful pirates they hoped to join were uneasy.
Who dared to act arrogantly in front of Caelan now?
Some might have laughed at such a thought in the past, but now it had become reality.
The remaining two Yonko had already accepted this truth.
Shanks, who had left Marineford with the bodies of Whitebeard and Ace, was now seriously considering renaming the Red Hair Pirates to the Red Hair Tour Group.
He had no choice. He couldn't defeat Caelan. He couldn't even touch him.
He believed he hadn't done anything wrong. His goddaughter, Uta, was even Caelan's concubine.
Quitting the pirate world would be good for both sides.
Besides, there was nothing wrong with retiring. They always paid for their drinks anyway.
So, sorry. I don't want to be a pirate anymore.
As for the Big Mom Pirates, no matter how insane Charlotte Linlin was, she knew she couldn't defeat Caelan.
Still, her madness surged. She decided to hold out.
This decision was partly because of the size of the Big Mom Pirates and their brutal nature.
Compared to the Red Hair Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates were the truest form of pirates.
The current situation was beyond recovery, and there was no choice but to walk the path they had chosen.
Among the pirates, however, there was one who could only be described as a husky.
"All the Navy's top brass have joined the Neo Navy... What do I do now?"
Drake, still undercover as a pirate, was completely at a loss.
To infiltrate the Beasts Pirates, he had disguised himself as a pirate and even made it to the level of a Supernova.
But now the Beasts Pirates were gone, and Sengoku, along with all the top officers, had defected to the Neo Navy.
What made it worse was that as an undercover agent of his level, his direct superiors were Chief of Staff Tsuru and Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Not only had he lost his role as an undercover agent, but also the identity itself.
Halfway through his mission, both his enemy and his superior were gone.
This was what it meant to draw your sword and find yourself lost.
After a long hesitation, Drake finally made up his mind.
"I'll just follow Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the others to the Neo Navy."
He was now an undercover agent without a superior, and a Supernova pirate in name only.
To Caelan, he was exactly the type he had vowed to eliminate.
But Drake was a Marine at heart, a man of justice.
If Caelan cut him down without a second thought, it would be too unjust.
So the best path was to follow Sengoku to the Neo Navy. At least then he wouldn't have to worry about being treated as an enemy for no reason.
In short, the aftermath of the Battle of Marineford shook the major powers of the world.
At this moment, Caelan and his group, riding atop the Blue Dragon, finally returned to Dressrosa, the heart of his new order.
Coincidentally, Magellan and his team also arrived, escorting the 256 Devil Fruits.
All of Dressrosa erupted in celebration.
Welcoming Caelan's victorious return.
(To be continued.)