"I should have told you back then—this thing may be called 'revival,' but in essence, it's healing and stamina recovery. If you're truly dead, it won't be of any use."
"I remember. And you also said that unless modified, this thing can only be used by the Pokémon you created or Pokémon Ability Users.
Since it can be modified, why not go all the way with it? Like, make him temporarily regain his youth?"
In battle, Arceus' most unbeatable ability is immunity, but his true power lies in creation, and modifying through creation is the essence of his ability.
"It's possible, but why would you want to do that?"
"Why? I can't really say. I hate that guy's personality, but he's one of the few opponents I actually respect. It'd be a shame for someone like that to die at another person's hands.
Even though he's only fifteen years older than me, I still missed his strongest years. Not being able to experience that feels like a bit of a waste."
Kaido almost never talks about his time aboard Rocks' ship. That period of his life, given his personality, wasn't bad—he enjoyed living amidst the fighting. Back then, he even had a caring older sister whose figure hadn't gone out of shape.
For Kaido, that was a pretty decent memory.
"Besides, once this war is over, the balance of power in the seas will change again. If Whitebeard dies, we'll probably become a thorn in the World Government's side.
Tesoro will have a headache too. At a time like that, he would need a way to relieve the pressure, don't you think?"
"You want to use Whitebeard to lure them out?"
"That's exactly what I mean. People are born unequal—wealth, status, power. That's why some trash gets to sit on the throne from the moment they're born.
But no matter how powerful someone is, death treats everyone equally.
Those cowardly fools hold power without having the strength to match. After enjoying so much prosperity, they fear death even more than the average person—especially those old geezers who are near the end. They won't let any opportunity slip by."
You could already see hints of this from the financial reports Tesoro submitted. The majority of the health supplements went to the Celestial Dragons, as well as kings of affiliated nations and wealthy merchants from around the world.
They're willing to spend that money just to extend their lives as much as possible.
"Why else would the Op-Op Fruit fetch such a sky-high price of five billion? Isn't it all because of that rumored Immortality Operation?"
"This war can't possibly be hidden from the world. So tell me—if those people saw a sign that youth could be restored, or even immortality achieved, what do you think they'd do?"
By using Arceus's ability to temporarily restore Whitebeard's youth, on one hand, he could fulfill his own desire for battle, and on the other, pave the way for what comes next.
When a corporation truly develops a means for immortality, even if the company has a questionable background, the top brass's priority won't be to immediately eliminate them. Their first move will be to obtain the results. No matter the method, they need that breakthrough.
Kaido wasn't going to Marineford for an outing. This move meant openly tearing apart relations with the World Government. The core members on the Beasts Fruits side had already been relocated using Dragonite as a precaution against any worst-case scenario.
With the effects of the Revival Herb, in the best-case scenario, they could negotiate a new agreement.
Even if things didn't go ideally, it wouldn't be the end of the world. At worst, they'd become a special organization like Morgans' World Economy News Paper which has no fixed place.
Kaido thought this idea was reasonable. Worst-case scenario? It'd just mean Queen continues to be the unlucky one.
"See? Preparing a little new trick for Whitebeard won't hurt us in any way—so why not go for it?"
"Go get ready then. I'll hand it to you later. Just be careful—don't go dragging Shayna and the others into this."
"Worororo, relax. I'm not going to die. I'm not heading there to throw my life away. Besides, Yamato needs to experience something cruel. After all these years, she's still too naïve. This war should open her eyes to a lot of things."
The day of the Summit War was drawing closer. Zunesha had already arrived at the designated position, and the forces within the Beasts Pirates' territory had all been assembled, now moving toward their assigned locations.
As Kaido took his team into the sky, the various divisions of the Beasts Pirates began to move as well.
Such a massive operation naturally couldn't be hidden from others. The Marines and the World Government merely issued alerts and precautions. But the Big Mom Pirates also began to stir—they had no intention of letting go of the opportunity created by Whitebeard's departure and wanted to take a piece of the pie too.
Time passed. The scheduled time for the Summit War drew ever closer, and people all over the world turned their attention to news of the war.
In South Blue, the streets were filled with unease.
"Only a few hours left… is Whitebeard really going to show up?"
"Who knows? But even if he does, isn't he already super old?"
"Is that really the case?"
"He's a survivor from before the Great Pirate Era, after all. It's been years since we last saw his name in the headlines."
"What are you guys talking about? Precisely because he's an opponent who can't be ignored, Marine Headquarters has gathered elite forces from everywhere. I think he'll definitely show up."
An older man standing nearby offered his own judgment. Based on his age, he was also an old geezer from the same era as Whitebeard and understood him more deeply.
"Then what would happen if he really does show up?"
"Who knows."
In East Blue, sheep grazed on the grass under the herders' guidance. People here seemed much more relaxed.
"He's already a pirate from ages ago. There's no way Marine Headquarters would lose, right?"
"Yeah, no matter what kind of pirate it is, it's impossible to break into Marineford."
"That's not necessarily true. Around twenty years ago, a pirate named Golden Lion actually broke into Marineford. That battle destroyed half of Marine Headquarters. This time might even surpass that. No matter who wins or loses, there will be tremendous casualties.
It would be best if Whitebeard didn't show up. I really hope the execution can go smoothly."
That was said by another older person, who didn't hold an optimistic view of the war's outcome.
In North Blue, snow was falling and several people were arguing in front of a shop.
"Boss! Hurry and bring out the booze!"
"Get lost, get lost! Who's in the mood to do business at a time like this? If the world still exists tomorrow, I'll naturally open up again!"
"Then at least sell us some liquor! In this cold weather, without it, I feel like I'm the one being put on the execution platform!"
West Blue. In a nameless pub.
"Don't treat him like just some ordinary old man! About a year ago, we gave up all hope of survival just by seeing him sitting there."
A pirate with a missing leg recounted his experience, still deeply shaken by Whitebeard. The hand holding the cup of wine was trembling uncontrollably.
"Even if it's the Marine Headquarters… that old man wouldn't be afraid of them."
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