Kaido regained his senses after witnessing a future predicted through his advanced Observation Haki.
He saw the towering figure of Whitebeard aboard his battleship, the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard sat calmly, holding his supreme grade sword, Murakumogiri, in his right hand, while his left hand grasped a pot of wine.
Behind him, several female nurses attended to him, administering an IV drip.
Onboard the Moby Dick were many prominent members of the Whitebeard Pirates. There was Marco, the captain of the first division, also known as the "Phoenix."
Jozu, the captain of the third division, known as the "Diamond."
Vista, the captain of the fifth division, the "Flower Sword."
And several other commanders stood around.
The second division had no captain because Ace, the "Fire Fist," had been captured by the Navy.
He was soon to be executed at Marineford, the Navy Headquarters.
At that moment, all of Whitebeard's commanders were on high alert, their eyes filled with wariness as they focused on Kaido.
Although Kaido had come alone, he alone possessed 90% of the Beasts Pirates' total combat power.
Whether one member of the crew came or the entire crew, the difference was negligible.
Yet, Whitebeard remained composed.
He gazed indifferently at Kaido, who hovered in the clouds above.
Despite being old and ill, Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world, still wielded an unmatched level of Haki. His emotions remained steady, completely unfazed by Kaido's presence. Any hint of nervousness or fear was unthinkable.
"Gurararara—Kaido," Whitebeard chuckled, his voice deep and mocking. "It's been a while. What brings you to my territory? Are you looking to start a war with me?"
As those words echoed, Kaido was about to respond when he suddenly received a system notification:
[You have come into contact with Whitebeard]
[Main quest begins]
[Whitebeard's survival timer starts]
[One second, two seconds, three seconds…]
So the main storyline only begins now that I've met Whitebeard?
I thought it started the moment I bound with the system.
No matter, it starts now just the same.
"I heard Ace was captured by the Navy," Kaido remarked, returning his focus to the present.
"Your information is accurate. So, what is it that you want?" Whitebeard asked, his voice steady.
"I know you're planning to head to Marineford to rescue Ace," Kaido said bluntly. "But let me be frank: in your current condition, going to Marineford will only end in tragedy. You will die. Ace will die. And many of your men will die as well."
Kaido's intentions were clear.
If he could somehow convince Whitebeard not to go through with the rescue mission, he wouldn't need to confront the Admirals himself later on.
Whitebeard, in his current state, could still live several more years, perhaps even a decade or longer.
After all, the system had only tasked him with ensuring Whitebeard's survival—it didn't matter where he survived.
There was no need to engage in the battle at Marineford.
As for the side quests, Kaido could deal with those on his own terms.
However, Kaido's words sounded like a provocation to Whitebeard.
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard laughed coldly, his tone hard. "Kaido, boy, are you questioning my strength? Do you want to test my power and take my head? Gurararara—you're not worthy of that, boy."
Hearing this, Kaido was taken aback.
He had been misunderstood.
But that was to be expected.
After all, the relationship between Kaido and Whitebeard was far from friendly.
Though both had been members of the Rocks Pirates in the past, the crew was notorious for infighting.
Over the years, as two of the Four Emperors, Kaido and Whitebeard had their fair share of clashes and conflicts.
Moreover, Whitebeard had a close bond with Kozuki Oden.
And Kaido had killed Oden.
The shadow of that event undoubtedly tainted any potential camaraderie between them.
Under such strained circumstances, Kaido's arrival aboard the Moby Dick and his comment—implying that Whitebeard's strength was no longer what it used to be—was bound to be seen as an insult.
Even Red-Haired Shanks, with all his charisma, had failed to sway Whitebeard in discussions about Blackbeard and Ace. A breakdown in talks between Kaido and Whitebeard was almost inevitable.
Kaido lacked Shanks' persuasive charm.
"Whitebeard, don't misunderstand me," Kaido explained. "I came here to help you, not to fight you. I want to go to Marineford with you and cause some chaos together."
"You think I'll believe that, Kaido, boy?" Whitebeard sneered as he ripped the IV tube from his arm and stood up.
His supreme blade, Murakumogiri, began to crackle with his immense Haki.
Suddenly, the massive Moby Dick shuddered under the weight of Whitebeard's power as he leaped off the ship, sword in hand.
Murakumogiri, imbued with Conqueror's Haki, was hurled directly at Kaido.
"It seems this fight is unavoidable," Kaido muttered, shaking his head.
He raised his iconic weapon, the Hassaikai, and unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Kaido charged.
His entire figure blurred with speed.
Fast!
Very fast!
Even those with advanced Observation Haki, capable of glimpsing the future, would struggle to avoid such a swift and deadly strike unless their reflexes and agility matched the speed.
Hassaikai and Murakumogiri clashed, sending shockwaves through the air.
Just as Kaido had foreseen through his advanced Observation Haki, their clash seemed to tear the sky apart.
The Conqueror's Haki of both Kaido and Whitebeard was so immense that it made the ocean around them feel like the world's end was near.
It was as if a cataclysmic disaster was unfolding right there, threatening to destroy everything.
Countless people below, whether on the island or aboard the ships, rolled their eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed unconscious.
The sheer aftermath of the Conqueror's Haki confrontation was overwhelmingly destructive.
The sea surged violently, and all the ships rocked precariously, as if a tsunami was about to engulf the entire island.
Those strong enough to resist the force weren't unconscious, but they struggled to maintain their footing.
"Kaido's Haki can rival even our father's!"
"Even in this poor state, Dad's attack is still comparable to his prime… Dad's serious! The fact that Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, made him get serious shows just how powerful he is!"
"Kaido… He's not here just to cause trouble, is he?"
"Damn it! I can't stand… I can't stand at all… What terrifying Conqueror's Haki!"
"Is this really what it's like when the Four Emperors fight? Staying conscious feels nearly impossible… The Four Emperors really are monsters capable of ending the world!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates' commanders were in dire straits.
Even Marco, the captain of the first division, wore a grim expression.
Though Marco managed to hold his own, his condition was far better than many of the other commanders.
Some of the other officers were trembling uncontrollably.
A few could barely stand, dropping to their knees under the immense pressure. Others stabbed the backs of their hands with their swords in a desperate attempt to stay conscious.
Some commanders even fainted outright in the wake of the overwhelming clash of Haki.
Meanwhile, the island Whitebeard protected was in total disarray. The islanders had all passed out, losing consciousness in the face of this apocalyptic scene.
Those who remained awake were gripped with terror at the sight of the chaos around them.
As Whitebeard landed back on the Moby Dick, the ship jolted and swayed violently from the impact.
Kaido, having returned to his Azure Dragon form, continued to hover above in the clouds.
"Kaido, it's been many years. You've improved a lot," Whitebeard said, his voice steady but tired.
Kaido, however, had noticed something troubling.
Whitebeard was not in good shape.
The previous battle had clearly drained him, pushing him beyond his limits.
"Whitebeard… he won't die because of me, will he?"
A sudden wave of anxiety hit Kaido. "My system mission is to protect him… If I end up killing him here, that would be a cruel irony…"
Whitebeard was still the strongest man in the world.
But neither age nor illness could be fought off.
Kaido felt the tension growing.
He hadn't decided what his next move should be.
Just then, Kaido received another system notification:
[Whitebeard's survival time: one minute]
[You have obtained: Rewards for the first stage.]