After a moment of thought, Marco made up his mind.
"Of course we will fight back. Call Jozu back immediately. If the Wang Zhi Pirates dare extend their claws, cut them off," he commanded firmly.
Marco had resolved that no matter who came, he would stand his ground. Resolving the conflict with the Big Mom Pirates first would make the crises on Nanku Island and Shihblan Island far easier to handle.
"Understood," Curiel nodded, then continued, "There's another major development. Eustass Kid, recently hailed by the World Government as one of the Worst Generation, attacked Mazou Town. He burned the flags of the Phoenix Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates, defeated the Wolfba Pirates, slaughtered over a hundred of their crewmates, and massacred more than eight hundred residents."
Marco's expression darkened. "He kills civilians too? Has he lost his mind? How can someone be so bloodthirsty?"
Curiel's voice was filled with indignation. "After defeating the Wolfba Pirates, Kid captured over a hundred people and ordered the townspeople to execute them. When they refused, he killed them himself. The town was completely destroyed. He's a perverted and twisted individual."
"He truly is despicable," Marco said through gritted teeth. Even without witnessing it firsthand, he could already sense the cruelty.
He understood this Supernova well. From the same era as Monkey D. Luffy, Kid was notoriously arrogant, but unlike Luffy, his arrogance came without a hero's halo or moral compass. Luffy's presumptuousness stemmed from his adventurous spirit and the protagonist's natural aura, but Kid's was a bloodthirsty nature. He didn't merely target Pirates; Marines and civilians alike were fair game. Unlike Luffy, who attacked under the guise of a pirate adventurer, Kid was a genuine villain.
In the original story, Shakky had explained that Kid's higher bounty compared to Luffy's was due to his frequent massacres of civilians, marking him as exceptionally vile. Initially, Marco thought this might have been an exaggeration for plot purposes, but the reports confirmed Kid was indeed a psychopathic threat.
For pirates, civilians represented resources. Pirates needed wealth and food, often obtained from plunder, but rarely did they harm civilians outright. Kid was an exception—a chaotic mad dog who destroyed indiscriminately, a dangerous and arrogant anomaly even among pirates.
Marco decided that once the current crises were resolved, he would personally deal with Kid. It was better to handle such a threat sooner rather than later.
"What about Wolfba?" Marco asked.
Curiel continued, "Wolfba fought Kid and was seriously injured but was rescued by Vice Captain Richie."
"Good. At least he survived," Marco murmured, relieved. With Wolfba alive, rebuilding the crew would only take time.
Curiel added, "Additionally, the Hawkins Pirates attacked Four Mouth Town two days ago. While disruptive, they only abducted around twenty residents."
Marco remained calm. After the Marineford War, such disturbances had become routine in their territory. Daily reports of minor attacks were manageable, provided no lives were lost. Much of this unrest came from other New World forces sensing that the Phoenix Pirates no longer deserved the Four Emperors' seat.
Time passed quickly, and three days later, the Phoenix Pirates arrived at the Kohn Islands, where the Big Mom Pirates were already waiting.
"Mama mama, you're finally here!" Big Mom greeted, sipping her morning tea with a wide, sinister grin and a ferocious gleam in her eyes.
As the Phoenix Pirates landed, the Big Mom Pirates immediately became alert.
Marco turned to those behind him. "Ace, Jinbe, come with me. The rest stay here."
"Don't we need to go all together?" Sak asked, nervous. The opposing force was significant.
Marco shook his head. "Big Mom is a Soul-Soul Devil Fruit user. If you feel even the slightest fear, she will take advantage and strike."
The Pirates swallowed hard. Fossa added, "Be careful, Marco, Ace, Jinbe..."
"Mm, don't worry," Ace replied with a confident grin. Together, the three of them could handle even superior numbers.
"Let's go," Marco called, and the trio advanced toward the Big Mom Pirates.
On the street, the Big Mom Pirates had set up a long table, with Big Mom herself seated at the far end. Marco's eyes were steady as he silently assessed her strength.
Charlotte Linlin, Paramecia - Soul-Soul Fruit, Estimated Strength: Admiral-Emperor Level.
Only Admiral-Emperor Level? Marco thought. As expected. Even in the original story, Big Mom's feats were less impressive than Kaido's. Her only true strength lay in her almost impenetrable defense, yet she had maintained her Four Emperors position for decades.
He offered a calm greeting. "It's really not easy to meet you, Big Mom."
____
Milestones
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
____
Become a patron right now to get access to exclusive chapters in advance
Patreon.com/Zphyr