New World, offshore of Palm Island.
A massive, whale-headed ship rested quietly on a calm sea. Its huge sail bore a pirate flag with a cross made of two bones and a white skull with a crescent-shaped, upward-curving mustache.
Sitting on the railing of the ship's side was a man with a golden punk haircut and a dagger at his waist, idly enjoying the sea breeze. Suddenly, he heard the sound of someone gulping down a drink. He opened his deadpan eyes and said with a helpless sigh to the tall figure on the deck, "Pops, the doctor told you to drink less! Why are you drinking again?"
"Gurarararara~"
The tall figure put down the sake barrel and laughed heartily, "Marco, a life without sake is like eating without my favorite sea salt—it's bland and tasteless!"
He had a sturdy, giant-like physique, with his upper body bare save for a white coat with gold trimmings draped over his shoulders. A black bandana was tied around his head, but his most striking feature was the crescent-shaped, upward-curving white mustache on his face.
That's right, this was none other than the legendary "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate! The captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Strongest Man in the World, a Tremor Human who ate the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, with a bounty of 5,046,000,000 Berries!
The man called Marco rolled his eyes, leaped off the railing, and scratched the back of his head in frustration. He said with a sigh, "Honestly, Pops, patients who don't listen to doctor's orders are such a pain!"
Marco the Phoenix, the First Division Commander and ship's doctor of the Whitebeard Pirates, and a Zoan-type, Mythical Zoan, Phoenix-model Devil Fruit user!
"Gurararara~ Don't be like that, Marco. I'll stop drinking for today after I finish this one!" Newgate laughed loudly, raising the sake barrel in his hand and chugging the potent liquor.
"What do you mean, 'for today'? You're already on your second round!" Marco grumbled.
"Pops, stop drinking! Look at this newspaper!"
Suddenly, a tall, powerfully built, dark-skinned man ran over, clutching a newspaper tightly in his gloved hands.
"Vista, what's wrong?" Marco asked, puzzled. The newcomer had a curved black mustache, a dark blue top hat, and golden earrings. He wore a dark blue deep-V shirt that exposed his chest hair, a black cape, and light blue pants. On either side of his belt were three rapiers in their sheaths.
Vista of the Flower Sword, the Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, a two-sword style swordsman.
"Pops, Marco, Patrick Redfield has been captured by the Marines!" Vista's expression was grave as he handed over the newspaper.
"You mean the Red Count? You must be joking!" Marco started, immediately taking the newspaper from Vista's hands and reading it carefully.
The bolded headline of the newspaper read: A Great Marine Victory: The Great Pirate, Patrick Redfield, Captured!!! Below it was a photo of Redfield tied up with chains as thick as an adult's arm.
"When did this happen?" Newgate's expression remained unchanged, but he stopped drinking. His gaze was deep as he asked in a strange tone.
Marco checked the date on the newspaper. "Yesterday... that's what the World Economy News Paper says!"
Newgate nodded, extending his hand, which was as large as a cattail leaf fan, and took the newspaper from Marco. His face was expressionless as he began to read.
Meanwhile, the commotion had alerted the other crew members on the Moby Dick, who left their rooms and began to gather. If Whitebeard weren't quietly reading the newspaper, they would have already started discussing it among themselves.
"Whew—"
After a long time, Newgate exhaled, tossed the newspaper aside, and picked up his sake barrel, chugging down the drink.
"Pops..."
Marco wanted to stop him, but opened his mouth and said nothing.
At that moment, after a few drinks, Newgate wiped the liquor from the corner of his mouth, looked at the sons who had gathered on the deck, and grinned. "Gurararara~ Did you all gather here to have a feast? It's not a big deal that that idiot Redfield was caught. It's just one less old friend. I'm certainly not going to Impel Down to see him!"
"Gurararararara~
"I am Whitebeard!!!"
Rumble—!
The air shook, and the chaotic air currents became a fierce gale. The entire sea region was in turmoil, creating waves several meters high.
....
Wano Country, Onigashima .
"Wororororo~ What a job, Marines!"
The demon-like Kaido was sitting cross-legged in a dark castle room, a playful smile on his face. He muttered to himself, "There was no news before, and all of a sudden, they caught that old man Redfield. That's so interesting!"
"'Aloof Red,' the 'Red Count' Patrick Redfield, a man said to be as powerful as Roger and Whitebeard, has been captured by the Marines. It seems the Marines can now restore the face the World Government lost at the 'Mariejois Incident'!"
To Kaido's right, sat a tall, well-built, and proportionate figure. He wore a mask and goggles, and his entire body was covered in a pitch-black outfit, not a single inch of skin showing. He had large black wings on his back, a long katana at his waist, and strange flames wreathed the back of his head.
King the Conflagration, one of the Beasts Pirates' three All-Stars, a Zoan-type, Ancient Zoan, Pteranodon-model Devil Fruit user!
"Yes, with this achievement, the Marines can certainly deter most people, after all, the man they captured was a legend!"
To Kaido's left, sat a bald, obese man with a thick golden braid only on the back of his head. He wore sunglasses, had purple lips, and was smoking a cigar. He had a golden mustache, a mechanical prosthetic left arm, and a dark tattoo of the word "QUEEN" and the Beasts Pirates emblem on his right arm. He wore a black-and-white striped jumpsuit.
Queen the Plague, one of the Beasts Pirates' three All-Stars, a Zoan-type, Ancient Zoan, Brachiosaurus-model Devil Fruit user!
The two spoke with grave tones, clearly surprised by the Marines' latest achievement.
"Don't give that old man too much credit!" Kaido waved his hand, his tone disdainful. "I admit that he is a monster of a fighter, and I am incredibly shocked the Marines were able to capture him! But his refusal to ally with anyone and his belief in loneliness is the very reason he was defeated and captured!"
"Fighting alone... Heh, how foolish!"
In the dim candlelight, Kaido's expression became ferocious. His eyes, at some point, had transformed into golden-brown vertical pupils, revealing a chilling majesty and terror. Even the air became incredibly heavy, like an invisible gravity was pressing down on them.
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