Anyone capable of joining the Red Hair Pirates was already a leader in the New World. Every officer on Shanks' crew possessed strength that could rival him or even surpass him in specific aspects.
Against Kaido or the Big Mom Pirates, however, the story was different. In those battles, even they risked being crushed, so Kid still had a slim hope of escaping disaster.
While tension built on his ship, the Kid Pirates' vessel drifted closer to the Red Hair Pirates. Figures that were once blurred slowly became clear as the distance closed.
Before long, only five meters separated the two ships. Kid stood at the bow, glaring at Shanks, irritated that the red-haired Emperor spared him only a single glance before focusing again on the sea ahead. It was as though something far more important awaited him there.
Shanks' officers were also staring toward the horizon, clearly uninterested in the Supernova before them. A bounty of 300 million Berries was hardly enough to draw their attention. Every officer on this ship had once crossed swords with pirates worth over 500 million, and most of those pirates had ended up captured by Shanks himself. Compared to such foes, Kid was an ant.
This was not their goal.
As the two ships drifted past each other, Kid's fists tightened, his expression twisted with frustration. Yet he remained silent. Even his anger wasn't enough to make him shout in front of them.
"Captain! Another pirate ship!" Lucky Roux shouted, jolting the air.
Kid turned toward the stern, curious to see how Shanks reacted to another approaching vessel. Misery felt lighter when shared; if he was already unhappy, at least someone else being targeted might ease the sting.
But the moment he reached the back of the ship and spotted the enormous beast-like silhouette in the distance, along with the pirate flag fluttering above it, his face darkened.
"The Thunder Pirates…"
This pirate crew was newly formed, yet every member aboard possessed strength far beyond anything Kid could provoke. Even compared to the elite forces of the Red Hair Pirates, the Thunder Pirates were a step above.
If Kid fought the officers of Shanks' crew with everything he had, he might be able to endure for a while. But against the officers of the Thunder Pirates? That would be pure slaughter.
Bullet. The Red Earl. Issho. And Captain Kaito.
The strength of Commander Issho remained somewhat of a mystery, but the memory of Bullet's power still haunted Kid. The image of Bullet mercilessly destroying Supernovas was burnt into his mind.
"It's getting interesting…" Kid murmured, eyes narrowing with a mix of fear and curiosity. "The Thunder Pirates running into the Red Hair Pirates. An Emperor meeting another Emperor. Tsk… natural enemies."
He waved his hand. "Slow the ship. I want to see whether those two will fight."
"Yes, Captain Kid!"
…
On the Red Hair Pirates' deck, Benn Beckman's expression hardened the instant he recognized the pirate flag.
There was no mistaking it. The presence of the Red Earl alone made this crew worthy of serious caution. That man had once stood on a level comparable to the Roger and Whitebeard Pirates all by himself.
And that wasn't all. Bullet, Issho, and Kaito were aboard as well, each one possessing overwhelming strength.
"I expected Kaido or Big Mom's group to be blocked here," Shanks muttered. "Didn't think we'd be intercepting him first."
To his left, Yasopp exhaled a smoke ring. "That man is just as dangerous as any of the Four Emperors… maybe even worse."
"I don't like their name," Lucky Roux muttered. "Thunder Pirates. Sounds like they're trying to overshadow us."
"Captain," Beckman said with a faint smile, "if it comes down to a fight, that ship of theirs is certainly big… even bigger than Whitebeard's Moby Dick."
"What's the use?" Lucky Roux scoffed. "The captain destroyed the Moby Dick with one stroke."
Shanks raised his hand, calming the group. "Relax. Don't forget why we came here."
"We're returning this dangerous man to the Grand Line."
His gaze drifted toward the enormous ship approaching from the horizon.
"If his destination truly is Marineford…" Shanks' eyes sharpened with determination. "Then before we intercept Kaido, we'll test Kaito first. The Thunder Pirate Emperor. Let's see whether his title surpasses ours."
"Heh. I want to see it too," Lucky Roux grinned through a mouthful of meat. "His existence is starting to irritate me."
…
Kunpeng Pirate Ship
Inside an ornate cabin, Ayanami Kaito sat comfortably while sipping sake, staring through the glass at the open sea. With the Beasts Pirates now serving under him, he barely needed to lift a finger. His Wood Style techniques allowed him to shape ships with ease, making life far more convenient than when he only had four people on board.
A rapid knocking broke the calm.
"Come in," Kaito said lazily as he set down his cup.
"You're drinking at a time like this? There's trouble outside!" Yamato announced as she stepped in, her expression tense.
"Trouble? What trouble? Who would dare block our ship?" Kaito asked with a relaxed smile.
Yamato blinked. "Wait… how did you know we were blocked?"
Kaito twitched slightly. He had just guessed, but it wasn't worth explaining.
Standing up, he moved toward the door. "Someone really has blocked us."
"Of course! Didn't you already know?"
Kaito paused. In the original story, during the Summit War, Shanks intercepted Kaido in the New World before heading to Marineford. Understanding this, he already knew who awaited him.
"Red Hair, huh? Fine. I'm not even looking for trouble today, but if he insists…" Kaito smirked. "I'm not Kaido. And this crew of mine will make him regret it."
"Does my father know?" Yamato asked.
"No. I'll tell him as soon as this is over. You're the captain," Yamato declared proudly.
"Good. Tell the others to stay back for now. I'll handle Shanks myself."
"Got it!"
Kaito stepped onto the deck in a flash, with Yamato running after him. The crew members immediately bowed.
"Kaito!"
"This doesn't concern you. Go about your tasks."
"Yes!"
Within moments, only Kaito and the Red Hair Pirates' officers faced each other across the narrowing distance.
"Well, well. Shanks," Kaito said with a mocking grin. "What's this? Collecting protection money today?"
Shanks smiled, revealing a row of sharp white teeth. "Nothing like that. We're only here to wait."
____
This fanfiction has concluded on Patreon with a total of 517 chapters.
The ending may not be perfect, but it was still memorable.
Bonus chapters will be released for every 100 Powerstones earned,
or you can become a patron to access the unreleased chapters immediately.
Thank you for all your support!
Patreon.com/Zphyr