Victor covered his entire body in Armament Haki and drew Chikara from his waist, also coating it in Haki. He stood quietly, awaiting the moment of life and death.
At this moment, Victor was eerily calm. There was no fear of impending death—only a rising, indomitable fighting spirit. He was ready to stake everything on this desperate battle.
Kaido, having flown to this patch of land, reverted to his human form—towering and ferocious, a sight terrifying enough to make children cry. His outfit was nearly identical to the one he wore during the Onigashima War 18 years later, except for a small wound on his right cheek that occasionally oozed blood.
'Shinki can indeed hurt Kaido… but penetrating deeper is no easy task. Otherwise, I'd really go all out!' Victor thought.
Meanwhile, Gion had the little yellow creature tow the warship closer. The cadets stood on the deck, watching the two figures with bated breath.
"Gion, don't come any closer. Stay back—listen to me!" Victor's calm voice carried over.
Of course, Victor could have ignored the people on the warship. Survival at any cost wouldn't have been shameful. But he couldn't cross that line in his heart. If he fled now, he might never find himself again.
Tears welled up in Gion's eyes as she heard his words. She knew that with Victor's speed, he could have easily escaped if he fought only for his own life. But for their sake, he had staked his own.
She bit her lip and halted the warship, not wanting to waste Victor's sacrifice. Her gaze remained fixed on him, his fighting spirit unwavering.
"Kid, in your next life… don't be a Marine. That place will only corrupt you."
Though Kaido held no love for the Marines—disgusted by their hypocrisy—he couldn't help but admire Victor's resolve.
With that, Kaido raised his kanabo, 'Hassaikai', ready to unleash his full power.
Victor gripped his sword with both hands, steadily layering it with Shinki and sword aura.
"Ragnaraku!"
"Dragon-Slaying Slash!"
The two charged at each other in a blur. The kanabo collided with Chikara's blade—yet despite the Haki, Shinki, and sword aura reinforcing it, it had no effect and broke.
The club's momentum didn't slow. It smashed into Victor's chest, his full-body Armament Haki proving useless.
Victor was sent flying toward the Red Line, blood spurting from his mouth and nose. Yet, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"So this… is Ryuo?"
BOOM!
A deafening crash echoed as Victor slammed into the Red Line, carving out a massive conical crater. His body was embedded deep within the rock, surrounded by a web of cracks. Bloodied and broken, the two halves of Chikara stood planted in the crater like a memorial to their fallen master.
"NO!!!"
Gion let out a grief-stricken cry, launching herself toward the battlefield with Geppo. The moment she landed, she drew her sword and rushed at Kaido, ready to fight to the death.
"D…Don't… attack him… I… won… my bet…"
A weak but clear voice stopped her in her tracks. She turned and dashed toward Victor instead.
Kaido didn't even blink at her assault, confident she couldn't breach his defenses.
"Live on, kid. Witness the coming era of history… That glorious, ancient age!"
His eyes sharpened, and with those cryptic words, he transformed into his Azure Dragon form and soared away.
"What does he know…?"
That was Victor's last thought before darkness claimed him. His injuries were severe—had his body not been so resilient, he would've died then and there.
Gion reached him and pulled him from the earth, laying him gently on the ground. A quick check confirmed he was still alive. She then retrieved the broken 'Chikara' and sheathed it.
The warship finally docked, and Barnett rushed over to treat Victor's wounds.
---
Not far away, a swift Marine vessel approached the battlefield.
"Gone already?"
"Kid… I hope you're still alive."
Garp stood at the bow, arms crossed, his expression grave. He had taken the fastest ship available, but Kaido had already left. What awaited them now?
---
The next day, Victor and Kaido made headlines worldwide. But one of the protagonists now lay in a Marine hospital, with Rebecca and Wendy keeping vigil at his side.
Yes, Rebecca had woken up—precisely when Kaido sent Victor flying. She had jolted upright with a scream, as if waking from a nightmare, her face streaked with fear and sorrow. Since then, she hadn't left Victor's side.
Gion, meanwhile, had been summoned to a debriefing on the incident.
The final verdict? Kaido's bounty would be raised. Victor, having protected everyone, would be rewarded with merits. Upon graduation, he'd receive a promotion based on his achievements. Gion, too, was credited—after all, not a single cadet had died, a rare outcome in such encounters.
---
In the New World's first half, a lush, verdant island loomed beside a docked pirate ship—the 'Red Force'.
On its deck, the crew feasted on meat and ale. They'd been anchored here for over a month.
''Meanwhile, on the Red Force...''
Lucky Roux was munching on a giant piece of meat with one hand while holding a newspaper in the other—freshly bought from a News Coo.
His eyes were glued to the front-page headline, which featured a striking image: Victor cleaving through a massive pillar of flames, the sheer scale of both the fire and his slash vividly captured.
The bold headline read: '"Marine Prodigy Slays Mysterious Creature!"'
"Oi, Beckman! Check out today's paper!" Lucky Roux called out to his first mate, who was casually smoking and drinking nearby. "That kid who sparred with the captain last time—turns out he's a Marine!"
Beckman tilted his head to glance at the article. "Oh? The Marines actually got a promising youngster like that? Lucky bastards."
"The captain's still on the island getting special training from Rayleigh," Lucky Roux mused. "Wonder what he'll think when he finds out—he actually helped that Marine kid!"
Beckman smirked. "Relax. With his temperament, he'd just laugh it off. If anything, he'd be amused."
He knew Shanks better than anyone. It was that very charisma and boundless spirit that had won Beckman's loyalty in the first place. Otherwise, a man of his caliber would never settle for being second-in-command—Conqueror's Haki or not.
---
''Elsewhere in the New World...''
A massive pirate ship, shaped like a white whale, hosted a raucous feast. At the center sat the "Strongest Man in the World," Edward Newgate—Whitebeard—gulping down an enormous barrel of sake.
"Oyaji, today's news might interest ya," Marco said, tossing him the paper. (As usual, Whitebeard never bought his own—he just mooched off his sons.)
"Gurararara! Let's see what's worth reading." Whitebeard's eyes locked onto the front page.
"Since when did the Marines get a rookie like this? Splitting Kaido's 'Bolo Breath'? Kid's strong enough to be one of my commanders!" He chuckled before his expression darkened. "But why was Kaido in Paradise? His crew's been radio silent for ages. I've had a bad feeling about this..."
Marco nodded. "Last time, he fought Red Hair, right? Back then, nobody knew his background—like he popped outta nowhere. Lost to Shanks back then, but looks like he's gotten way stronger."
"Mm. Another monster like Garp, rising at breakneck speed." Whitebeard's voice turned grave. "If any of you run into him alone, be careful."
He set the paper down, gazing at the sky.
"Roger... Will that moment you spoke of really come? Will the world change in our lifetime?"
"I'd have loved to see the world 900 years ago..."
"Now you're eyeing me too, huh? But for my family's sake—I fear nothing."
---
''Totto Land, Big Mom's Territory...''
Though not yet the sprawling "Whole Cake Island" empire it would become, Charlotte Linlin's domain was already formidable.
"Mama~! That guy you wanted us to keep tabs on made headlines again!" Perospero licked his candy cane while waving the paper. "Too bad~! Orens Victor's a Marine~! Your plan's ruined~!"
Big Mom (currently less bloated but still towering) snatched the newspaper. The children fell silent—their mother's "love" often came with a side of stolen lifespans.
"Mamamama~! What a shame~! Such a fine son-in-law, gone just like that~!" She cackled, though her eyes gleamed with something darker. "But I've got a feeling he'll come to me someday... Could it be fate? Mamamama~!"
Perospero grinned. "No worries, Mama~! If we can't get him, why not find a bride for Mont-d'Or instead~? Then Totto Land can host another tea party~!"
Mont-d'Or paled. "M-Mama! Many brothers are still unmarried! They should go first—I'm still young!"
Big Mom ignored him, already lost in sugary delusions. "Mamamama~! Do as Perospero says~! My sons deserve only the best~! Pick from the finest families~!"
"Oh no," Katakuri thought, watching her twitch. "She's about to get a craving."
"Someone get a cake ready—NOW!"
(Some things never changed.)