A New World.
An unnamed stretch of sea.
On an unknown island.
Kaido sat on the ground, gulping down wine from a massive flask. With a careless toss, he hurled the empty jar aside, wiped his mouth, and suddenly laughed aloud.
"That red-haired brat… his strength is getting more terrifying by the day!"
But his amusement quickly twisted into fury.
"Damn it! A mere intern from Roger's ship has climbed to this level?!"
His mood shifted violently, and before long, he broke into a thunderous, almost pitiful wail.
"Damn it… damn it! Compared to Roger's battles, all of this is child's play! I want a war—one on the highest level!!"
As his rage surged, the oppressive force of his Conqueror's Haki burst forth, engulfing the entire island.
Everything weak collapsed instantly, foaming at the mouth as they fell unconscious.
At that moment, the head of the Three Calamities—King the Wildfire—approached. He silently handed Kaido a report and, without wasting words, spoke plainly:
"Intelligence says Jack has been defeated by a navy rear admiral. He's being transported to Impel Down."
Kaido's wild aura reined in at once. He snapped his gaze toward King.
"What did you say? Jack… captured by the navy?"
Unfazed by Kaido's murderous presence, King continued in his calm, gravelly tone.
"Yes. By a rear admiral named Patino Yuno."
Kaido's expression darkened. "Tell me everything."
King gave a brief rundown of the events.
Kaido slammed a fist into the ground, cracking the earth beneath him. His voice was cold as steel:
"He actually ate one of our Beasts Pirates' Devil Fruits… and a mythical zoan at that."
King's eyes narrowed. "Do you intend to attack the navy now? With the New World in chaos, you can't afford to leave. I'll go and retrieve that idiot myself. Without Jack, the next battles will become… troublesome."
"Hmph! Fine. I'll leave Jack to you," Kaido growled. "But once things settle here, we'll take our revenge on the navy. Anyone who dares steal from me—Kaido of the Beasts—will pay the price. Even the navy!"
King nodded faintly, his form shifting. Vast wings unfurled, and in the next instant, he had transformed into a colossal Pteranodon, soaring into the sky until he vanished to a mere black speck.
"Navy… Patino Yuno… hahaha! Remember this name well. When the war comes, I'll be at your doorstep!"
Kaido's booming laughter shook the heavens. The sheer force of his aura churned the skies into a storm. Dark clouds thickened and swirled, lightning split the air, and the rumble of thunder rolled across the island.
Elsewhere in the world
The news spread like wildfire.
The kings of the underworld, the great pirates, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea all received word, each reacting in their own way—mockery, intrigue, indifference, or cruel delight.
—Aboard the Moby Dick, somewhere in the New World—
Whitebeard glanced at the newspaper in his massive hand and suddenly bellowed with laughter.
"That Kaido… one of his Three Disasters, beaten by a single navy officer! Gurararara! How amusing!"
Though his words carried humor, Whitebeard's expression turned faintly grim. Even for him, Kaido was a nuisance—reckless, unyielding, and troublesome enough to hurl himself against the Whitebeard Pirates whenever he pleased.
The most recent incident was just a few months ago. After being beaten down, Kaido went back to pick a fight with that Red-Haired brat. What a troublemaker!
Fortunately, that brat has since risen to prominence, having crushed a large pirate crew with a combined bounty exceeding 2 billion berries and seizing their territory!
Eventually, a conflict broke out between him and Kaido's forces over an island.
The two sides have been clashing for over ten days now, devastating most of the island, yet neither shows signs of stopping…
Marco the Phoenix approached with a faint smile.
"I wonder if that lunatic Kaido will cause trouble for the Navy. Without him, the New World might be a little more peaceful."
The current chaos in the New World is almost entirely Kaido's doing.
He's either stirring up trouble with the Whitebeard Pirates or going after Red-Hair.
And that crazy hag, Charlotte Linlin, occasionally adds to the mess. It's hard to say where those two find the energy…
Together, they've practically turned the entire New World upside down!
Whitebeard let out another booming laugh.
"Kaido's tangled up with that red-haired brat for now, so he doesn't have the time or strength to head to the first half. He'll have to wait until that fight plays out."
New World — Whole Cake Island
"Big Mom" Charlotte Linlin was also reading the latest news, a mocking smile curling on her lips.
"Kaido's men are really useless!"
Nearby, Charlotte Katakuri—already boasting a bounty of 900 million berries—looked grave.
"Patino Yuno? A Zoan-type Devil Fruit user? That's quite a good ability."
Charlotte Linlin grinned wickedly.
"Don't worry about Kaido. With that guy's temper, he'll definitely stir up trouble for the Navy sooner or later!"
The eldest son, Charlotte Perospero, spoke up cautiously:
"Mom, there seems to be a problem with the desserts Umit was entrusted to deliver this time…"
"Hmm?" Linlin's tone turned chilling, her massive presence pressing down on Perospero.
"What happened?"
Perospero's long tongue trembled as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. After wiping it away, he explained carefully:
"Umit's forces are in conflict with Doflamingo. They're too busy to help us with transport…"
"That's all you can manage?!" Linlin exploded in fury.
"Tell Doflamingo—if he dares lay a hand on Umit's fleet again, I'll wipe out his Donquixote Family myself!"
"Y-Yes, Mama!" Perospero answered quickly, not daring to defy her wrath.
Charlotte Linlin, unconcerned, turned her attention back to the other newspaper in her hand. A cruel smile spread across her face.
"Not only are his men pathetic, but Kaido himself is a disgrace. To think he let that red-haired brat climb so high. What a shame! Hmph, that fool hasn't improved at all over the years!"
Her laughter rang out—sharp, piercing, and carried by thunder and lightning that shook the skies above Totto Land. The ominous echoes filled Whole Cake Castle, giving it a sinister, foreboding air.
Elsewhere — Red Hair Pirates' Base
The crew was celebrating their victory after temporarily repelling Kaido.
Ben Beckman, the brains of the crew, was sifting through intelligence reports from across the seas. Holding a newspaper, he noted the latest headline about the defeat and capture of Drought Jack.
Taking a puff of his cigarette, he remarked,
"Looks like the Beast Pirates have taken a hit. The Navy captured Jack."
Everyone gathered around, curiosity lighting their faces.
"What's this about?"
"The Beasts Pirates are fighting the Navy?"
"Drought Jack? Hah! That stubborn monster! Who managed to take him down—a Rear Admiral? You've got to be joking!"
The atmosphere was relaxed and lively. The Red Hair Pirates made little distinction between ranks—new recruits could jest freely with senior officers.
Shanks leaned over to glance at the paper, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"So the Navy has its rising stars as well… Seems history is repeating itself."
His words carried a deeper meaning, but only Ben Beckman caught it.
Beckman exhaled a cloud of smoke, smiling slightly.
"Time for the seas to calm down—at least for a while."
Shanks gazed out at the horizon and spoke softly:
"The Navy, the Shichibukai, and the Emperors of the Sea… the three forces that keep this world in balance."
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