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The numerous earth-shaking exploits of Monkey D. Luffy made waves around the globe as he approached the New World: toppling Enies Lobby as a bastion of Justice, dethroning Impel Down as impossible to escape, brashly challenging Marineford alongside Whitebeard and his allies; it all turned him into legend practically overnight. Yet after Whitebeard's death and his crew's defeat at the hands of the Marines, "Strawhat" Luffy and his crew vanished into the ether, their presence fading into nothing even faster than how they appeared on the scene. A vacuum was left behind in this sudden departure, a void that called for something to immediately fill it, as even an outlaw's world demands power to be present. Anyone could predict the repercussions, but not how quickly or bloody things became. Utter anarchy prevailed as people of every position; lawful or otherwise; scrambled to set things right, yet the powers which governed the world quickly found themselves spread too thin by the disorder and destruction which surged after the War at Marineford. What was once the Grand Age of Piracy ushered in by Gol D. Roger's words at his execution morphed into something twisted and bastardized beyond the original standards of lawlessness, pirates operating without any moral code whatsoever, without any morality at all, at that.

The Three Great Powers found themselves entirely ruptured, some more than others. With multiple bases going through reconstruction and a complete overhaul of their organization, the power of the Marines had become significantly weaker with scattered attention to all seas; the War at Marineford had indeed decimated their forces. Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp's resignations left quite a hole in the Marines' upper echelons, and though Admiral "Aokiji" Kuzan did his best upon receiving the title of Fleet Admiral in Sengoku's stead, the agenda left for him to fulfill was a staggering one. Meanwhile, the Shichibukai found itself suddenly devalued and thought overestimated regarding its reliability. If the War at Marineford proved anything, it was that the Shichibukai didn't stand as the pillar of strength in the lawless world it was meant to be. Sir Crocodile and Gecko Moria were defeated, Jinbe and Marshall D. Teach proved traitorous, and gaining cooperation from the likes of Dracule Mihawk, Boa Hancock, Donquixote Doflamingo, and Bartholomew Kuma before and after the War's conclusion proved nearly impossible. Thus, all active members were disbanded (though the official report labels them "retired") to make way for a new line of Shichibukai, starting with Buggy the Clown, whose reputation and participation in the War at Marineford garnered him new-found fame. The recruiting process for the new members is still proving extensively troublesome, however, as most of these newer pirates want nothing to do with the World Government; though this new crop is bloodthirsty, they still have honor, and would rather die than sell out for the Shichibukai title.

Finally, Whitebeard's passing tipped the scales in the balance of power between the Yonkou, "Red-Hair" Shanks vanishing altogether from the scene after his arrival to end the War at Marineford (for reasons unknown). His disappearance prompted a struggle between Big Mom and Kaidou for dominance in the New World, while the remaining Eleven Supernovas sought to make names for themselves, too. "Blackbeard" Marshall D. Teach set the pace before them, however, especially with his actions at the War (having squared off against Whitebeard and the Marines alike), then challenging the New World with the power of several horrifically strong Impel Down fugitives added to his crew's roster. These turns of events; alongside the shifting weights of power within the seas; caused the islands under the protection of Whitebeard to be assaulted and ravaged, bringing chaos to the entire Grand Line, his name no longer enough to provide sanctuary. Everyone sought bloodshed at every turn: Marines desperate to maintain control, pirates seeking fortune and fame, and Kingdoms imposing heavy martial law to keep the catastrophe out of their domains. This wave of unending annihilation and destruction continued on to all Four Seas as evil and malice clearly prevailed, and the "Dark Age of Piracy" thus began.

The Dark Ages had brought along with it new waves of pirates, criminals, and outlaws, ravaging the seas like never before. The Tenryuubito, frightened with the changes in time and the world below them, sought safety and security. With a mutual agreement with the Gorousei, they ordered the World Government to announce that the last stronghold of Justice, the Marines, were to flee and begin to rebuild themselves within the confines of the Red Line; thus leaving the Four Seas lawless and unprotected, their only option being to fend for themselves as best they can. Separating themselves from the rest of the Wolrd, the ties of the World Government and Tenryuubito with individual kingdoms slowly grew weaker. With most royalty keeping to their own domains for mistrust and fear of traveling on the ocean, most nations have turned to isolation; subsequently leading to an increase in risk from pillaging and plundering from Pirates. Without Reverie to harbor friendships between the territories, the seclusion has warped people's minds with fear and distrust, prejudices rising against one another that beforehand, had never existed.

If one would think that without an organization to protect and govern over the seas, crimes and other unlawful acts would send the world into a complete state of pandemonium ruled by pirates, they would be right. Yet silently lurking in the shadows was an organization of elite mercenaries: as effective at killing as CP9, each possessing at least the strength of a Vice Admiral, and their name carrying with it a reputation on-par with the title of "Shichibukai." Rumors of their presence and actions were whispered within all realms and circles of power: Piracy, the World Government, the Marines, and Kingdoms of any affiliation alike; The Blackflags. Existing for over half a century, this faction of individuals, independent from the World Government and the Marines, functioned in secrecy, taking whatever job offered to them when independently contracted. Whether labeled as "just" or "immoral" by society, tasks assigned to the the Blackflags were carried out with utmost skill and precision, so long as long as the pay matched the request. It is through their manners of operation that most have defined them as the borderline between pirates and Marines.

Upon the ordered reformation of the Marines, they were forced to step out of hiding and reveal themselves openly to the world, though now as a worldwide police force rather than a company of powerful soldiers for war. Ultimately, they seek to convey the message that they operate not only outside the law of any source, but beyond it - their own law. And that law is proper payment is all the Justice one needs to complete a job, no matter how dark, cruel, moral or just.

Now 50 years into the future, shall you align with the current trend of piracy, crazed by greed, aggression, and conquest? Or will you find yourself within the Blackflag ranks, hammering down on such evil with a moral code or an evil of your own? Or do you perhaps remember what the world used to be, and still grasp onto your ideas of Justice, or morality, or good, clean fun? After all, not all pirates are the blood-lusting, chaos-crazed fiends and knaves of this time (though there's certainly little room for them), and there are still those Marines who stay true to peace and lawfulness, as well as pirate hunters seeking a good bounty, and so on. Be warned, however, that allegiances to such "outdated" ideals will typically leave you alone and without too many others to lean on; a self-sufficient spirit might end up being the only company you get.

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