Skill Tree Chronicles: One Piece

Aboard the Moby Dick—

Whitebeard folded his arms, sitting before Shen Yuan with a serious expression.

Shen Yuan mirrored his mood, his eyes sharp and solemn.

Marco stood nearby, an odd mix of curiosity and bafflement on his face.

"To three!"

"Are you kidding me?! I only have one left! Let me go already!"

Marco blinked at the sight before him—then his eyes lit up with realization.

"To five! Let's go!"

Shen Yuan's face darkened. With a sigh, he pulled out a thick handful of Baileys from the coin purse slung at his waist and stuffed them into Marco's pocket.

"Vice-captain, you've lost everything again today! And Dad, too!"

Whitebeard's face wasn't dark. Instead, it flickered between red and white—like a faulty electrical breaker endlessly tripping.

"Enough playing around."

Three months had passed since training began.

When the World Government confirmed that Shen Yuan and his crew had joined the Whitebeard Pirates, they made no public move—yet.

Shen Yuan had remained unusually quiet during those three months.

Little did he know, this silence was merely the calm before the storm.

"Dad! Big news! Big news!"

Over these past months of rigorous training,

Each division—every squad and captain—underwent a transformation.

First: temperament and image. Once scattered in personal attire, now they stood in uniform ranks.

Second: strength. Some captains had awakened their Armament and Observation Haki to the intermediate level.

Others even showed signs of developing Devil Fruit Awakening—something the crew had never dared to attempt before Shen Yuan introduced the concept.

Namur approached Shen Yuan and saluted crisply.

"Vice-captain."

Shen Yuan nodded and folded his arms as Muir stepped up with a fresh newspaper.

"Dad, today's edition just came in!"

Indeed—

This was the long-awaited announcement the World Government had prepared for three months.

Today, it was released across the Grand Line.

Whitebeard unfolded the newspaper and scanned the bold headline.

Headline:

> "The Four Emperors of the Sea Officially Recognized!"

Article:

> Starting today, the World Government formally acknowledges the rise of the Yonko—Four Emperors ruling the second half of the Grand Line, the New World. Their identities are as follows:

Kaido of the Beasts – said to be the strongest creature alive.

Shanks of the Red Hair Pirates.

Charlotte Linlin, aka Big Mom.

Edward Newgate – Whitebeard, the world's strongest man.

Whitebeard held the paper in silence, expression unreadable.

Then another article caught his eye.

Sub-headline:

> Shen Yuan: Revolutionary Ties Confirmed. Notorious Pirate Now Worth 2.53 Billion Berries!

The report stated:

> The swordsman Shen Yuan, known as the Death God of the Seas, has allegedly allied with the Revolutionary Army. He is now considered a Level-One Threat to World Government stability. Effective immediately, his bounty has been raised to 2.53 billion berries.

Whitebeard didn't even blink.

Their crew's power spoke for itself. A 2.5 billion bounty? Honestly, it felt a bit low.

Another headline followed.

Announcement:

> Shichibukai Recruitment Underway. Interested candidates are summoned to the Holy Land of Mariejois.

"Shichibukai? What the hell is that?"

"Probably seven idiots in masks diving off a cliff into the sea."

Whitebeard froze.

He wasn't laughing.

That imagery was just too real.

"Old man, it's time."

Shen Yuan emerged from the captain's quarters.

He wore a black cloak, embroidered with the same symbol as Whitebeard's on the back—clearly denoting command.

"I borrowed your vice-captain status for this mission. Hope you don't mind?"

Whitebeard was about to speak.

"I know, I know. You don't. After all, I've been helping train your brats day and night. You should be thanking me!"

Whitebeard opened his mouth, then gave up.

"Fine."

He raised one massive hand, fingers spread wide.

"Go then. Don't make me miss you too much."

Whitebeard: "…"

"First and Fifth Divisions, prepare to mobilize!"

Marco and Vista stepped forward, faces tense.

"Second and Third Divisions, prepare to deploy!"

Enel and Joz stood ready, expressions grim.

"This battle—we must win. Understand?!"

"UNDERSTOOD!"

"Though we're the ones launching this war, Kaido's reign is ruthless and tyrannical.

We're not attacking—we're executing divine judgment!"

"DO JUSTICE FOR HEAVEN!"

Shen Yuan smiled with approval and patted Joz on the shoulder.

"You've mastered my Iron Fist combat style. Use the battlefield to polish it."

Joz nodded with teary eyes.

"I will not fail, Vice-Captain!"

"I hereby declare—total war begins now!"

"HUAAAAAH!"

The entire Moby Dick erupted in thunderous cheers.

Even Whitebeard trembled with anticipation.

Shen Yuan turned and noticed the older man's flushed face.

"Relax, old man. You'll get your spotlight too."

With that, Shen Yuan began issuing tactical orders.

"First—Moby Dick will follow the strike route."

"Second—I'll assign each squad their specific duties.

Follow your captains' instructions to the letter."

The pirates all nodded.

"Marco and Joz—you're the front-line assault team. Engage the enemy head-on and absorb their main force."

They exchanged glances and nodded.

"Enel—you'll locate and retrieve treasure stores. Anyone who blocks your path—eliminate them. No mercy, no exceptions."

Enel gave a twisted smile and nodded coldly.

"Vista—handle the assassinations. Focus on supply lines. Disrupt logistics hard."

Vista gripped his sword silently.

"The rest of you—escort the main ship."

Once all teams were briefed,

Small assault vessels launched in sequence while the Moby Dick remained in standby mode.

In this war, Shen Yuan was the undisputed commander-in-chief.

Everyone moved with a precision that only came from three months of Awakening training and Shen Yuan's relentless forging of body and will.

---

As the newspaper spread through the world,

A rising pirate had now become a feared criminal mastermind.

"Ahahaha! That devil brat's got some nerve!"

Kaido grinned madly, wine sloshing from his gourd.

He sat deep in a cave while Orochi knelt before him.

"Lord Kaido, I beg of you—lend me your power!"

Kaido's brows twitched.

"You think I'm your damn attack dog?!"

His spiked kanabo slammed down with force—but stopped inches from Orochi's face.

"Tch… fine. I'll humor you. For now."

Orochi gulped, then sneered silently.

"The Nine Red Scabbards… you'll all pay!"

Kaido waved him away like a fly.

---

Elsewhere, in Totto Land—

"MMMMM!"

Big Mom cackled as she flipped through the paper.

"Such a cute little boy… What lovely children we'd have!"

She had no idea Shen Yuan had privately called her an "old sow" over 3,700 times during training conversations with Whitebeard.

Nearby, Katakuri stood solemnly with the paper.

"Mother. Will the Shichibukai system affect us?"

"Shichibukai?"

Big Mom scoffed with open disdain.

"Those pitiful government dogs can't compare to Emperors of the Sea."

---

In Alabasta—

"Shichibukai… huh."

Crocodile chuckled as he read the paper, swirling wine in his glass.

He grabbed a Den Den Mushi and made a call.

"Yo."

On the other end, Shen Yuan lay lazily on a raft.

"Captain. Congrats on the new bounty—2 billion, huh?"

"Piss off."

"What do you think of the Shichibukai program?"

The term tickled something in Shen Yuan's memory.

Where had he heard it before?

Still, he gave it some thought.

"Joining the Shichibukai will give you full access to gather intelligence without interference.

You're my eyes on this sea. Understand?"

Crocodile smirked.

"Hah! I like the sound of that."

He hung up and gazed at the Alabasta skyline.

The Baroque Works headquarters had officially moved here.

A new order had begun.

But the world didn't yet realize—

Everything had already changed.