Chapter 45 — The News That Shook the World
Inside the headquarters of the World Economic News Agency, Morgan was staring at the Den Den Mushi in front of him with wide-open eyes.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi opened its eyes and spat out a single photo.
Ptooi!
Then it went silent.
Morgan, who had been staring at the Den Den Mushi, reacted faster than lightning as he grabbed the photo.
He stared at the picture.
Then he rubbed his eyes and looked at it again.
His body began shaking from head to toe.
"Thi-this—"
His voice stuttered, and his feathered wings trembled in disbelief.
His eye sockets shrank to pinpoints, his beak hanging wide open.
The photo showed Kaido lying on the ground speaking with Kai just before the Seraph Contract.
"D-dead... Ka-Kaido is dead!!!"
Morgan finally snapped out of it.
With wounds like those, there was no way Kaido was coming out alive.
Even if he somehow survived, he had lost an arm.
"Kuhah... Kuahhahahahahaha!!"
Morgan burst into mad laughter.
After all...
An Emperor had fallen.
"Cancel today's news and print this story!"
"Call back all the news birds!"
"I want this news out ASAP!!"
Morgan roared at the top of his lungs.
Soon, Den Den Mushi began ringing everywhere as the news spread.
Peru Peru Peru... Peru Peru...
WENA stations all across the seas received the report.
Printing presses roared as newspapers were printed at incredible speed, while news seagulls were called back from their routes.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Whrrr! Whrrr!
"Kuahhahaha! An Emperor has fallen! Now two seats are empty."
"How will those hungry hyenas stay silent?"
"Those bastards will go crazy trying to claim those seats!"
Morgan looked toward the horizon, his wings spread wide in anticipation.
At Marineford, on the port, Sengoku looked at the distant silhouettes of the warships as they sailed away to carry out their missions.
"Sigh..."
"Now the Marines need pirates' help to deal with pirates."
Sengoku sighed helplessly.
The next instant, the disappointment vanished as several veins popped on his forehead.
"Damn you, Roger!!"
He suddenly roared out of nowhere.
The nearby soldiers were startled.
Some nearly dropped their caps in fright at Sengoku's sudden outburst.
Sengoku took a few deep breaths and finally calmed himself.
"Phew..."
"Now I need to go back and take care of the paperwork."
Sengoku released a long exhale and prepared to return to his office.
Just then, he noticed a news bird flying toward the port.
"Hmm... the news bird?"
"Nice timing."
"I might as well take today's newspaper directly."
Sengoku muttered.
Because of the war between the Oni Samurai and Kaido, he had been checking every newspaper daily.
After all, sending CP agents into a country like Wano was no easy task.
And he had no authority to command them.
The Gorosei were planning to plant spies there, but even that would take quite some time.
After all, infiltrating a Yonko's crew wasn't an easy task.
Soon, he took the newspaper and looked at the front page.
The moment he saw it...
He froze.
His face went pale.
His hands began shaking.
Sweat formed on his temples.
"Ho-how...?"
The news spread throughout the seas as countless news birds delivered newspapers across the world.
Many people looked at the headline with disbelief...
Fear...
Greed...
And excitement.
The front page showed Kaido lying on the ground covered in blood, his right arm missing.
Kai stood beside him with Akatsuki resting on his shoulder, his cracked Oni Mask still covering his face.
[STORM KING WINS THE BATTLE]
[BEAST KING KAIDO DEFEATED — LIFE OR DEATH UNKNOWN]
[FALL OF A YONKO — STORM KING'S VICTORY]
On the Moby Dick, the atmosphere remained normal in its own strange way.
Some pirates argued over something.
Others laughed.
Some drank.
Newgate looked at everyone with a warm smile.
His presence remained the same, but his life force had grown slightly weaker.
The change was so subtle that even most people around him couldn't notice it.
Just then, Marco flew in and landed before Newgate.
"Hey, Pops."
"There's quite the news in today's newspaper."
"You might want to see it, yoi."
He tossed the newspaper toward him.
Newgate casually caught it and began reading.
For a moment...
He remained silent.
Then—
"Gurararara!"
"That guy is really something."
"What's the news, Pops?"
Jozu walked over curiously, followed by many others.
"Kaido has been defeated by that Oni Samurai."
Newgate replied calmly.
Jozu and the others froze.
"The battle ended?"
"Kaido really lost?"
"Not just that."
"Kaido lost an arm."
"His life or death is still unknown, yoi."
Marco muttered with a sigh.
"W-What?!"
Everyone who heard it froze.
Kaido...
That madman...
Lost an arm?
How was that even possible?
In East Blue...
A lone man sat inside a small boat drifting peacefully across the sea.
He lowered the newspaper slightly.
"So..."
"Kaido is down, huh?"
A smile slowly appeared on his face as his red hair fluttered in the wind.
"Well..."
"I can't be left behind."
"Gotta find a crew ASAP."
He muttered as the tiny boat continued sailing toward the horizon.
At Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 13...
Shakky puffed on her cigarette before slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Haaah..."
"Little brother is quite scary."
"First Shiki..."
"And now Kaido."
She turned toward the sea.
"I wonder who's next."
"This era is just getting started, and so much has already happened."
A smile appeared on her face as she quietly watched the ocean.
On Whole Cake Island...
A tall man with his tongue hanging out came running with a newspaper in hand.
"Mama!"
"It's not good!"
"Kaido—!"
He continued running while shouting.
"Kaido is down!!"
A massive woman, who had been eating sweets, suddenly paused.
She slowly turned toward the man.
"What did you say, Perospero?"
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Fear gripped everyone's hearts.
Even the air became suffocating.
Perospero swallowed nervously.
"M-Mama..."
"The fight between Kaido and the Oni Samurai just ended."
"Kaido... has lost."
"Ehhh?!"
"That brat Kaido lost?"
"How pathetic."
"How could he lose to that guy?!"
Her Conqueror's Haki exploded in every direction.
BOOOOM!!
Many Big Mom Pirates rolled their eyes back and collapsed unconscious, foam forming around their mouths.
Perospero trembled in fear as he handed her the newspaper.
Meanwhile, back on Onigashima...
Kai and Yamato carried the now deeply sleeping Kaido and the unconscious King inside Onigashima.
Yamato looked toward Kai.
"Was forming that contract with him the correct choice?"
"What if he doesn't want to listen to you after waking up?"
Kai yawned and wrapped his arms around Yamato's neck.
"Nah."
"Kaido isn't like that."
"His pride won't allow him to go against his own words."
"Plus..."
"With you and me, we can deal with him."
He nuzzled against her like a lost cat that had finally returned home.
Yamato smiled.
"Yep."
"With you and me..."
"We can definitely deal with him."
She said confidently.
Kai pecked her cheek.
"I'm so tired!"
"Give me a lap pillow."
Yamato looked at him.
He looked perfectly fine...
Yet he was acting like a spoiled kid.
Her mouth twitched.
"You still haven't given me an explanation!"
"Why didn't you tell me you were back?"
She raised her fist.
Kai gulped and looked at her with the most innocent eyes he could make.
"I-I..."
"It was a surprise..."
Sweat started forming on his forehead.
He looked at her before sighing.
"Okay."
"I'm sorry."
"I really forgot, okay?"
Yamato smiled and nodded.
"Come on."
"I fought Kaido and freed Wano just for you."
"Can't you at least give me a lap pillow?"
Kai puffed out his cheeks.
Yamato rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine."
"You can sleep all you want."
Kai grinned.
"Fighting Kaido was absolutely worth it."
"Stop grinning like an idiot."
Yamato sighed.
"Well..."
"So when are we going out?"
"I want to travel all over the world."
She asked with sparkling eyes.
"Well, for now we can travel around Wano."
"We need to help stabilize Wano."
"After that..."
"We'll go out to sea and travel all over the world."
Kai said with his eyes closed.
Yamato looked down at him and smiled softly.
"Well, fine."
"But you better not forget our promise."
Kai gave her a thumbs-up.
"Never dreamed of forgetting."