Kronos never once believed that Whitebeard, at his advanced age, could recover like he did in his youth.
Even if the old man were given months, it would be impossible for him to return to his peak condition.
And it wasn't only Whitebeard—his captains were all scarred and battered as well.
Under such circumstances, how long could the Whitebeard Pirates really survive?
Albedo seemed to catch on to her captain's true intention. She spoke thoughtfully:
"I understand. You pushed Whitebeard out as bait, didn't you?"
Kronos snapped his fingers and grinned.
"Exactly. That old man is the perfect lure. He'll draw the fire of every pirate in the world."
"After that, we don't even need to move. Others will do the job for us and finish off Whitebeard."
Albedo's admiration for her captain only grew. She nodded, letting out a sigh.
"This is brilliant… a true strategy of killing with another's knife."
Not long after, the Kamui Pirates, having utterly crushed their powerful enemy, threw a grand banquet on Honeycomb Island.
They had seized far more supplies than they could possibly consume—why not celebrate?
While the Kamui Pirates reveled in their victory, the Whitebeard Pirates' remnants, who had fled Honeycomb Island in disgrace, were left in despair.
Many of the surviving captains looked as though they no longer had the will to live.
This battle…
was a humiliation too great to endure.
The Whitebeard Pirates had suffered shame beyond words.
"Why did it turn out like this?!"
"Damn it all!"
Grief and rage filled their hearts.
To lose was one thing. But to lose to the Kamui Pirates—an upstart crew—was unbearable.
After this, the entire world would surely mock them in secret.
Worse still, they knew that over the years, the Whitebeard Pirates had earned countless enemies in the underworld as the price of their dominance.
As long as Whitebeard's might remained, no one dared to challenge them—doing so was suicide.
But now, things had changed. After this battle, all forces would realize the truth: neither Whitebeard nor his crew held the overwhelming dominance they once had.
They were like a tiger brought low by sickness—soon to be hunted like prey.
And what followed was exactly what Kronos had foreseen.
Sure enough, Akainu and the Marine fleet, having arrived with their forces, quickly received word—through hidden channels—that Whitebeard had been defeated and was retreating from Honeycomb Island.
The moment this news reached the Marine fleet, every Vice Admiral immediately understood: this was the chance of a lifetime.
The chance to finish off the "Strongest Man in the World."
To the Marines, Whitebeard's existence was a thorn lodged deep in their throats, a symbol of defiance that they could never ignore.
Now, the opportunity to eradicate him had finally come.
"This time Whitebeard is finished!"
"God is on our side! If we seize this moment and bring him down, the shame of Marineford will be erased instantly!"
"Yes! We cannot let this chance slip by—we must strike with everything we have!"
The Vice Admirals were flushed with excitement, their blood boiling at the thought of finally cleansing the humiliation of the Summit War.
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