[U.T] Ch 8: Big News Morgans

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World Economy News Headquarters

"News! Where is the big news I want?"

"Is there anything worth reporting?"

Morgans, the president of the World Economy News, who usually stays in his hybrid albatross form thanks to his Bird-Bird Fruit, was visibly irritated.

"Damn this so-called balance! Damn the World Government! Damn the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

He slammed his desk, his frustration boiling over.

Ever since that damn Warlord system was fully implemented, forming the so-called balance of power between the Marines, the Warlords, and the Four Emperors, the number of newsworthy events hadn't just dropped—it was nearly nonexistent!

Most of the Warlords were busy managing their own pirate domains, granted legal plundering rights by the World Government, which meant the Marines wouldn't even go after them.

The Four Emperors? They were holed up in the New World, ruling their territories, and the Marines wouldn't dare provoke an all-out war with them either.

So, what were the Marines doing? Catching weak, no-name pirates who weren't even worth a footnote in the papers.

The big-time pirates? They had either joined the Warlords, hid under the Four Emperors' protection, or disappeared from the world stage, going into hiding.

The sea was disgustingly calm.

How many real pirates still chased after the legendary treasure, One Piece?

Morgans was sick of these dull, uneventful days.

Just then, a report came in.

"A new story? From the East Blue? That so-called weakest sea has something worth my time?"

He flipped through the documents and photos that had been delivered, his interest piqued.

As the head of the world's largest news organization, Morgans had built an extensive network. He had photographers stationed across the seas to capture potential headlines.

While most of them were positioned in the Grand Line, there were still some in the Four Blues.

Whenever his photographers captured something newsworthy, it would go through multiple layers of review before reaching him.

If something landed on his desk, it meant it had passed every filter—it was worth his time.

And when he saw it…

"This… This is—!"

Morgans jumped to his feet as he scanned the images and reports of a young man calling himself Sky King Luen, the Uranus, unleashing a terrifying aura.

The rapid sequence of photos, taken in succession, practically played out like a moving image before his eyes.

"Conqueror's Haki???"

" There's no mistaking it! That's Conqueror's Haki!"

Morgans felt his entire body tremble with excitement.

After so many years of stagnation, a new king had finally emerged on these seas.

"A man who claims he will stand above the heavens?"

"Bold! Haha! I love it! That's what makes for a great story!"

Morgans burst into laughter.

If some random fool had declared themselves 'Sky King,' he would've dismissed it as idiocy. Every year, plenty of nobodies made outrageous claims before disappearing without a trace.

But if someone with Conqueror's Haki—a true king's spirit—said those words, and at such a young age, that was ambition. That was something worth reporting.

No, it wasn't just worth reporting—this was front-page material!

The last time Morgans had been this excited about a rising star was when Portgas D. Ace, now Whitebeard's Second Division Commander, first made his mark on the world as "Fire Fist Ace."

Back then, Ace had given Morgans plenty of great headlines.

But damn that Ace! In the end, he joined Whitebeard's crew, and the news dried up.

Since then, the world had grown so unbearably dull.

But now…

His eyes gleamed as he stared at the picture of Luen.

A young man with Conqueror's Haki, who could already control it precisely at such an early stage, and who was so openly arrogant—he was even more of a headline-maker than Ace had been.

And that wasn't even the end of it.

Morgans glanced at another name in the report—one that made his grin widen.

A boy in a straw hat, introducing himself as the captain of Luen's crew.

Monkey D. Luffy.

"Monkey? D? Hahaha!"

Morgans smirked as he leaned back in his chair.

As the president of the World Economy News, he was very familiar with that surname.

Monkey D. Garp, the Marine Hero.

Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army.

And now, judging by the boy's age, he must be Dragon's son—Garp's grandson.

So, Garp's son became the world's most wanted revolutionary, and now his grandson set sail as a pirate…

And he had a crewmate with Conqueror's Haki, who called himself the "Sky King"—a title almost like a counterpart to the 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh, the right-hand man of the Pirate King.

Was this kid aiming to become the next Pirate King?

Garp's grandson, chasing after One Piece… This family was insane.

There was just so much he could write about!

Oh, but there was no need to rush.

First, he'd start with Luen.

A story needed buildup. You had to hook the audience before unveiling the next big twist.

And right now, compared to Luffy, Luen's Conqueror's Haki was the real attention-grabber.

And what was the golden rule of news? You need a headline that grabs people instantly!

What could be more eye-catching than a young warrior declaring himself the "Sky King" while unleashing Conqueror's Haki?

Once the world's attention was on him, then he could drop the next bombshell—the Monkey D. surname.

Besides, with a name like "Monkey D.," Luffy would survive whatever storm this article kicked up. The government wouldn't dare wipe them out prematurely—it would only prove how much of a threat they were.

It had been too long since Morgans had found a story this perfect.

His eyes blazed with excitement.

"Spread this picture across the world! Make the name 'Sky King Luen' known to every corner of the sea!

Let those who have lost their dreams, who have rotted away in stagnation, know that a new king is rising!

The dull, lifeless sea is about to boil over once again! Hahahaha!"

His laughter echoed through the newsroom.

On his desk sat the featured headline:

"The Sky King: I Shall Stand Above the Heavens!"

Beneath it was Luen's fierce, determined expression as he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.

And in a smaller note below—almost as an afterthought—was a brief mention of a new pirate setting sail: Monkey D. Luffy.

With the power of news birds, this story would soon spread across the entire world.

The calm seas were about to erupt once more.

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