Kaido's face twisted into a vicious grin. In his mind, the only reason Whitebeard had lost to Kai was simple: the old man's body had finally given out. After all, Kaido had clashed with Whitebeard countless times—he knew better than anyone just how monstrous Whitebeard's strength truly was.
"Yes, Kaido-sama!" Jack replied, practically vibrating with excitement. As one of the Beasts Pirates' top three officers, Jack—"The Drought"—was born for battle. He'd gone head-to-head with entire Navy fleets before; nothing got his blood pumping like a fight.
But Kaido had no idea: Whitebeard's body had actually recovered to its prime. Even after his brutal battle with Kai, the Emperor was anything but washed up.
And it wasn't just the pirate crews buzzing—the news had reached every corner of the world.
East Blue, Foosha Village—Party's Bar
"Makino, hurry up! I'm a pirate—I want rum! Rum!" Luffy shouted, pounding the counter. He was over ten now, no longer the tiny kid he'd been five years ago, but his face was still full of youthful energy.
"Absolutely not!" Makino shot back, handing him a glass of juice instead. She waved the newspaper teasingly. "Still dreaming of being a pirate, little Luffy? You'd better watch out or Kai will catch you. He even beat Whitebeard—the strongest pirate in the world!"
"Whitebeard!? Is he the Pirate King?" Luffy blinked, scratching his head.
For all his determination to become Pirate King, Luffy didn't actually know any pirates besides Shanks' crew. He couldn't even name the current Pirate King.
"Defeated… Whitebeard!?" A black-haired boy with freckles and a cowboy hat perked up at Makino's words. He strode over and snatched the newspaper from her hands.
Makino just smiled at the boy's rudeness. "Oh, Ace, you haven't met Kai yet, have you? That's right—he headed off to Navy Headquarters with Vice Admiral Garp before you arrived. What's the matter, thinking of joining the Navy yourself?"
The boy was none other than Portgas D. Ace—Gol D. Ace, son of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. Future captain of the Spade Pirates, and later, commander of Whitebeard's Second Division.
Ace knew Whitebeard's reputation better than anyone. His father's greatest rival and closest friend—Ace never missed a scrap of information about Roger.
He'd heard the name Kai Mitarashi after arriving in Foosha Village. Supposedly, Kai was a Vice Admiral stationed at Sabaody, but there hadn't been much else. Now, suddenly, his name was everywhere—and the headlines were explosive.
Luffy downed his juice in one gulp, grumbling, "Hmph… what's so great about that? When I'm Pirate King, I'll teach Big Bro Kai a lesson!"
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 9
Unlike the bustling other groves, Grove 9 was nearly empty and dripping with luxury. The reason? This was home to the World Nobles—the Celestial Dragons of the Rosward family.
"This guy… he actually beat the Four Emperor Whitebeard!? How can anyone be that strong!?" Saint Charlos snarled, clutching the newspaper.
Arrogant as he was, even Charlos knew Whitebeard's reputation. His own father had warned him never to provoke the old pirate.
"Hmph… Why are you worried, brother? That lowlife dared defy us Celestial Dragons. Father already reported it to our ancestor, and the old man said he'll personally deal with him after this period passes." A woman beside him, face hidden behind a silk scarf and bubble helmet, spoke with open disdain for Kai and blind faith in their so-called ancestor.
"Hmph! When ancestor steps in… I want him punished a hundred times, a thousand times over!" Charlos spat, never considering the possibility of failure.
New World, Dressrosa Kingdom
Doflamingo—"Joker"—sat in his palace, scanning the newspaper with narrowed eyes. A flicker of wariness crossed his face. "So the Marines have produced a monster… or maybe Whitebeard is just getting old. Either way, my future plans need to be even more covert."
On the Vast Sea
A tiny coffin-shaped boat drifted on the waves. Its sole occupant: a man with hawk-like eyes.
Dracule Mihawk—"Hawk Eyes." The World's Greatest Swordsman.
He caught the falling newspaper, flipped through it silently, then his gaze sharpened. Disappointment flickered across his face. "Defeated Whitebeard, huh? Kai Mitarashi… Too bad he's not a swordsman."
With a shrug, Mihawk tossed the paper into the sea. If you weren't a swordsman, no matter how strong, Mihawk simply didn't care.
Meanwhile, in the New World—A Clash Erupts!
Whitebeard Pirates VS Beasts Pirates!
"Ahahahaha… Whitebeard, get out here!" Kaido bellowed from the bow of his ship, voice brimming with arrogance.
"Gurarararara… Kaido, you brat, back for another fight?" Whitebeard's iconic laugh thundered from the Moby Dick.
Kaido's heart skipped a beat. That voice—so powerful, so full—it didn't sound injured at all!
Whitebeard strode out onto the deck, facing Kaido head-on. The moment Kaido laid eyes on him, his shock only deepened.
That presence… that aura… Could it be? Had Whitebeard regained his youth!?
Impossible!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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