The wind howled and thunder rumbled.
In an instant, thick, inky storm clouds enveloped Hachinosu Island, and an enormous Azure Dragon emerged from the tempest, its terrifying presence sending waves of dread through the pirates below.
"That's... Kaido!!!"
"Why is one of the Four Emperors here?!"
"Whoa, this is the first time I've seen an Emperor other than Pops!"
The pirates craned their necks to gaze at Kaido, their breath growing labored. Just the sight of him was enough to convey an overwhelming, transcendent power—one that seemed to reign supreme over the world.
This was Kaido, the "Strongest Creature"!
His aura was entirely different from Whitebeard's—it was a biological suppression so absolute that even the thought of resistance was snuffed out.
Some even felt Kaido was more terrifying than their own Pops. At least Whitebeard was flesh and blood, but the Azure Dragon in the sky? They couldn't even fathom how to fight such a being.
Kaido looked down at Whitebeard, and Whitebeard stared right back. The two "strongest" men burst into laughter simultaneously.
"Wororororo!!!"
"Gurararara!!!"
Lightning split the sky, and the sea itself tilted!
With just their laughter, the two Emperors had summoned a cataclysmic disaster.
"CRACK!"
"BOOM!"
As lightning rained down and the earth quaked violently, the pirates collapsed to the ground, unable to even stand, screaming in terror.
"Pops, stop it!"
"You'll destroy the island!"
If these two Emperors truly fought, Hachinosu would be wiped off the map. The destruction caused earlier by Gurd and Kizaru's battle was nothing compared to this.
When their laughter finally ceased, the calamity gradually subsided. The Azure Dragon turned and departed without a single word.
But Whitebeard understood Kaido's message.
"Don't bully our kid."
Whitebeard withdrew his gaze, shifting it to Gurd, who had reverted to human form a dozen meters away. A glimmer of admiration flickered in his eyes.
What a fearsome youngster!
In less than a decade, this brat would undoubtedly carry the banner of the Beasts Pirates.
Fortunately, he too had found his successor. Soon enough, his sons would have someone to lead them against such a threat.
Until then, his battle-scarred body would have to shield them a little longer.
Whitebeard turned his attention to Kizaru, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
He had come with his sons to quell the conflict, never expecting things to escalate this far.
Nearly half of Hachinosu lay in ruins!
How could he sit idle after hearing such news?
Kizaru lay sprawled on the ground, his right hand clutching his face, blood seeping through his fingers. His internal injuries were far worse.
Taking a direct hit from the undefendable Tremor Fist, amplified by Conqueror's Haki Coating, had left his organs and bones fractured beyond immediate recovery.
He needed time to recuperate.
"Cough!"
Blood and fragments of internal tissue spilled from his lips.
"Admiral Kizaru!"
Momonga and Dore exchanged glances, resolve hardening in their eyes. Without hesitation, they stepped between Whitebeard and Kizaru.
In this ever-intensifying Great Pirate Era, the death of an Admiral on Hachinosu would have catastrophic consequences.
Even if it cost them their lives, they had to stop Whitebeard. A single second of delay would be enough—with Kizaru's speed, he could escape.
"Admiral Kizaru, retreat! We'll hold him off!"
"..."
Kizaru propped himself up from the ground, clutching his throbbing forehead with a weary sigh: "All of you, step aside. This old man is the Navy's top combatant—I'm not so easily defeated."
"Admiral Kizaru, please retreat!"
Momonga and Dore stood firm, having directly withstood Whitebeard's Tremor Fist. Any ordinary officer wouldn't have survived even with ten lives.
They had to cover Kizaru's retreat.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Whitebeard strode forward slowly, his naginata in hand, walking right between Momonga and Dore without hesitation.
"…!"
Cold sweat dripped down the two vice admirals' faces as their bodies froze stiff, their trembling swords emitting faint whimpers of fear.
Only when facing Whitebeard directly did they realize how naive their earlier thoughts had been.
They wanted to move, but their bodies refused to obey. It wasn't until Whitebeard had passed them that the terror gripping their limbs gradually faded.
"Clang!"
The naginata struck the ground before Kizaru, the shockwave buffeting his body violently.
Whitebeard glared down coldly at Kizaru.
"Go back and tell Sengoku—if even one more Marine dares set foot on Hachinosu Island, I'll personally storm Marineford and wipe out your headquarters!"
"…"
Kizaru remained silent, retreating in disgrace with the two vice admirals. Normally, he might have quipped, "How terrifying, Whitebeard," but not today.
He was just a salaryman—why risk his life against one of the Four Emperors without orders? Besides, while he wasn't worried for himself, Momonga and Dore wouldn't have escaped alive.
Nearby, Gurd raised an eyebrow.
Letting them go?
Even if the fight continued, the chances of killing Kizaru were slim. With the Glint-Glint Fruit's speed, Whitebeard's limited mobility made escape inevitable.
Still, it felt like a wasted opportunity.
Had Kizaru died, the Navy would've gone to war with Whitebeard, leaving the Whitebeard Pirates devastated.
Then, heh heh heh~~~
"He really has gotten old," Gurd sneered inwardly.
The same issue persisted—Whitebeard was past his prime, burdened by injuries. Even without major conflicts, he had only a few years left. He couldn't afford all-out war with the Navy.
Too many attachments weighed him down.
For pirates, attachments were the greatest weakness. So many abandoned wives and children just to eliminate vulnerabilities.
The old man should cough up his treasures already!
Whitebeard's icy gaze shifted toward him.
"You're that brat, Gurd?"
"Ah, yes, Senior!"
Gurd instantly switched expressions, grinning obsequiously as he scurried over.
"…"
Whitebeard stared at him in silence for a long moment.
This kid… really was…
A slippery little bastard!
Why couldn't his own sons be this cunning?
With a disdainful snort, Whitebeard rebuked him bluntly: "You've turned my territory into a complete mess, you brat!"
"Ah, Elder, how can you say that?"
Gurd put on an aggrieved expression, protesting indignantly: "This junior fought desperately against an Admiral—all to protect Hachinosu Island and uphold your esteemed reputation! I grew up hearing legends about you, admiring you since childhood!"
"Hmph!"
Whitebeard snorted again.
Like hell he believed that!
This scheming brat was full of rotten ideas!
If not for his meddling, would a Navy Admiral have invaded Hachinosu? Would the island be in this state?
Did Whitebeard look senile to him?
One thing might be a coincidence, but a series of them definitely isn't. This kid had planned everything from the moment he appeared.
If he had just taken out Kizaru earlier, that would have truly played into his hands—starting a war with the Navy would only benefit the other Four Emperors in the end.
But he couldn't criticize too much.
At least on the surface, this kid had indeed been flawless, even fooling his own sons so thoroughly that they'd still be counting money after being sold out.
There was one more thing—he couldn't figure out Gurd's true motives. If it was just to provoke a war between them and the Navy, that would be underestimating him too much.
Seeing Whitebeard remain silent, Gurd knew when to stop. Righteously, he declared, "I do bear significant responsibility for Hachinosu Island ending up in this state. To make amends, I have a proposal!"
"Speak!"
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed slightly.
He wanted to see what tricks this kid was really up to.
Gurd grinned and pointed at the surrounding ruins. "I'd like to take charge of Hachinosu Island's reconstruction efforts. I hope you'll agree, old man!"
"Hmm?"
A question mark popped up on Whitebea
rd's forehead.
Rebuilding the island would cost a fortune and require massive manpower and resources—something he was already struggling with.
And here was this kid, volunteering for the job.
"Kid, I don't have money to pay you."
"No payment needed! It's free!"
Gurd's smile grew even brighter.