"Mom can beat Whitebeard, right?"
"Kaido couldn't hold out, but Mom definitely can!"
On the distant singing ship, the Charlotte kids chattered away, stirred up by the final outcome of the battle.
...
"Just a measly Kaido of the Beasts—what an overconfident fool!"
Not a single soul in the Whitebeard Pirates could hold back their cheers.
Whitebeard had crushed Kaido in battle and returned in triumph.
The main goal of this mission — avenging Kozuki Oden — was accomplished.
And along with it, they had defended Whitebeard's unshakable title as the Strongest Man in the World!
Moments later, Whitebeard stood tall on the main deck of the Moby Dick, raising his naginata, Murakumogiri, and roared.
"Gurararara! We did it, boys! Victory is ours!"
"Ooohhh!!!"
The deck erupted into a frenzy of celebration.
In stark contrast...
Across the sea, on the other island, the Beasts Pirates' fleet stood watch in silence.
Normally as noisy as a zoo, now the only sounds were the waves and the wind.
Everyone stared at each other, still in shock from what had just happened.
They couldn't believe their invincible boss, Kaido, had fallen. But then again... against the living legend, the Strongest Man in the World, Whitebeard — maybe it made sense.
But still... was Kaido really dead? Killed by Whitebeard?
"Don't tell me... we're gonna have to pick a new boss?!"
Queen, one of Kaido's All-Stars, his beady little eyes darted nervously behind his shades as he spotted the descending Numancia Flamingo ship.
A lightbulb went off in his mind — maybe he'd found his next gig.
Caesar and Judge were doing just fine under Doflamingo's wing. His own skills with tech and viruses weren't any worse than theirs, right?
Yeah... he could make this work!
But then again... Queen figured there was no way Kaido would go down that easily.
Sure, Whitebeard's attack was terrifying, beyond anything else.
But Kaido wasn't just any monster—he was the monster among monsters.
With his Oni bloodline and the strongest Zoan-type, Mythical Zoan abilities... even if his heart exploded, the guy might still stitch himself back together.
As for King the Wildfire, the other All-Star—
He was already tearing through the sky, flames trailing from his wings as he dived toward the crater where Kaido had fallen.
No way was he going to believe the man who rescued him from Punk Hazard had died so easily.
But... was this really the end?
...
"Mamamamama! So it's you who won, huh, Whitebeard?!"
Charlotte Linlin slowly descended, riding on Zeus.
From the singing ship, the Charlotte children saw their mother's move and quickly maneuvered their vessel to block the Moby Dick's path.
On the Moby Dick—
Whitebeard, surrounded by his commanders, was eating to replenish his strength.
His heart tightened when he saw the woman riding in on clouds, but he didn't let it show.
Instead, he let out a booming laugh.
"Gurararara! Linlin! Long time no see!"
The commanders' faces darkened with worry.
Their old man had just fought Kaido for four days and nights.
Who knew what condition his body was in now?
And here comes Big Mom — someone on the same level as Kaido — ready to stir things up.
Not to mention Doflamingo, watching like a vulture.
The situation...
Was dire.
...
"Mamamamama..."
Charlotte Linlin chose to greet them with a bang. Zeus turned black as night in an instant.
Blinding lightning shot down from the sky into her palm — then she hurled it down.
Just as Marco was about to leap forward, Whitebeard's right arm flared with pale white energy.
He punched the air.
He wasn't so weak that he needed his sons to shield him from an old friend's greeting!
"Quake!"
Boom!
Lightning and compressed air collided and canceled each other out.
Whitebeard staggered back a step, barely holding himself steady. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Sure, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was powerful... but it came at a price. The strain on his body was enormous.
Running his Quake powers on a body already burning out like a dying flame — the toll was brutal.
"Old man!!!"
All the commanders' faces twisted in horror.
They glared daggers at Big Mom for attacking while their father was weakened.
Marco, their ship's doctor, instantly pressed against Whitebeard's back.
Blue phoenix flames surged from his arms, flooding Whitebeard's body with healing fire.
With that boost, some color returned to Whitebeard's pale face.
...
"Mamamama! Whitebeard, I thought your ship's doctor was that leopard-print slut Miss Bakkin! What's this kid doing here now?!"
With just one strike, Charlotte Linlin could already tell — Whitebeard was at his limit.
Zeus sneered.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Numancia Flamingo—
Doflamingo wore a lazy grin, munching popcorn like he was watching a show.
Did he just hear that right? Leopard-print slut?
So Miss Bakkin really had something going on with Whitebeard, huh?
No wonder the old man later ended up surrounded by nurses in tight leopard-print uniforms when he was stuck with IV drips.
Turned out they were old flames.
And that big oaf Weevil? Guess that bloodline was looking more and more legit.
...
"Linlin... what do you want?"
Whitebeard ignored her taunts, gripping Murakumogiri tight as he narrowed his eyes.
Marco's flames were working to patch up his battered body.
But what he really needed was time — time to recover his drained Haki and stamina.
Time to break out of this tightening noose.
...
"Just wanna see if you've got any fight left in you, old man!"
Big Mom had already run the numbers with Doflamingo.
Kaido's fate was up in the air. No way she could just let Whitebeard walk away now.
If Sengoku and Garp got involved, neither she nor her dear son-in-law would hold up under the pressure.
She had to drag Whitebeard down into this mess too.
The Numancia Flamingo maneuvered around to flank the Moby Dick from the other side.
Doflamingo dropped his little theory session and grinned as he chimed in.
"Fufufufufu... don't be in such a rush, Newgate-san. This little war game's far from over."
And now, here came his real angle.
...
"You punk... You killed all of Oden's family, didn't you?!"
Even now, with the odds stacking against him, Whitebeard's spirit didn't waver. His face turned dark as he snarled the accusation.
His voice rang out loud and strong — still full of that indomitable will.
But behind him, Marco, whose healing flames should've been endless, was starting to pale. His energy draining as fast as he poured it out.
...
"No, no, no! I only killed Momonosuke — cut off that idiotic bloodline before it could spread. Kozuki Toki and Kozuki Hiyori? Still alive!"
Doflamingo licked his lips as he casually dropped a bombshell that made every member of the Whitebeard Pirates seethe with rage.
Crack!
That was the sound of hundreds of fists clenching, bones popping in unison.
Whitebeard took a deep breath, choking back the fury boiling in his chest.
"I will make you pay for every drop of Oden's blood, one by one!"
...
"Fufufufufu... sure you will! If you're still alive by then, that is!"
Doflamingo chuckled, loving every second — watching men he despised froth with rage, yet powerless to touch him.
...
"Mamamamama! Whitebeard! Don't you go forgetting about me, you old fossil!!!"
Big Mom, having been sidelined for too long, snapped with a roar.
"You think you're man enough to lay a finger on my son-in-law? Dream on!"
...
And then, Doflamingo's eyes caught something on the horizon — flags rising from the distant sea.
His grin stretched wider as he pulled out a Den Den Mushi from his coat and spoke into it.
"Ladies and gentlemen, look over here!"
His obnoxious voice made every single member of the Whitebeard Pirates turn and glare, pure instinct driving their attention his way.
Click!
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg