"Mamamama! So that's how it is, so that's how it is!"
Charlotte Linlin's booming laughter shook the very air above the sea. To her, this was the perfect outcome. She was on the verge of obtaining all the Road Poneglyphs without having to spill a single drop of her own blood. While Big Mom celebrated, Kaido's revelation left Shanks, known as "Red Hair," with a grim expression. The secret Kaido had just exposed was a heavy weight, enough to force the Emperor's hand. After all, Shanks had famously bet his left arm on the new era and a boy named Luffy.
Seeing the hesitation in the eyes of the Red Hair Pirates' captain, Kaido knew his leverage was working. He leaned forward, his massive silhouette casting a shadow over the water.
"Wororororo! Like I said before, I don't put my faith in saviors or gods," Kaido shouted, his voice like rolling thunder.
Shanks's face shifted. It was clear now that Kaido knew far more about the secrets of the world than anyone had realized.
"I'll give you my word, Red Hair," Kaido continued. "Hand over the text of your Road Poneglyph. In exchange, I promise that for the next two years, as long as no one provokes us, neither I nor Linlin will expand our territories. The Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates won't start any wars or hunt for Laugh Tale during that time."
"What?!" Linlin shrieked, her eyes wide with shock. She wasn't the only one; every Marine and pirate listening was stunned by the sudden offer of a ceasefire. "Hey, Kaido! What are you talking about? I never agreed to stay still for two years!"
"Linlin, shut up and stay calm," Kaido replied with a freezing glare. "Think about it. Why do you think Gold Roger, the Pirate King himself, chose to surrender even after he found Laugh Tale and the One Piece?"
The question hit Linlin like a physical blow. She stood there, mouth agape, unable to find an answer. "You... what the hell do you actually know, you bastard?" she muttered under her breath.
Down on the surface, Shanks narrowed his eyes. He was trying to pierce through Kaido's motives, but the logic didn't quite line up. Kaido didn't wait for him to figure it out. He turned his attention back to the wider world, knowing the broadcast was reaching every corner of the globe.
"Furthermore," Kaido announced, "I won't keep these four Road Poneglyphs to myself. I'm going to share the information on them with every pirate on this sea!"
The world went silent for a heartbeat before erupting into chaos. On the island, the pirates began to cheer and howl with excitement. Across the Four Blues and the Grand Line, anyone watching the screen felt their heart race. Even those who had never considered a life of crime felt the spark of ambition. The path to the greatest treasure in history was being opened to everyone.
Shanks turned to his first mate. "Beckman, what do you think he's planning?"
Benn Beckman took a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes scanning the horizon. "I'm not sure yet. But two years... that's a specific amount of time. It's an interesting window to choose."
The realization hit Shanks like a bolt of lightning. He remembered his promise to Luffy. They were supposed to meet again in two years. "So, Kaido," Shanks thought to himself, "are you waiting for the same thing I am?"
With that realization, the doubt in his heart vanished. If Kaido was willing to wait, then the immediate threat to the future was gone. He didn't have to worry about Kaido hunting Luffy down right now, and he wouldn't be bringing a war to the shores of Elbaf. Shanks wasn't a man who wasted time once his mind was made up.
"Fine, Kaido," Shanks shouted back, his voice steady. "As long as you stick to your word, I'll give you what you want. But you aren't getting the stone. I'll only give you a copy of the rubbing."
"Worororo! That's fine by me!" Kaido laughed.
Big Mom's anger vanished, replaced by a greedy grin. "No problem at all! I'll give you a copy of mine in return!"
While the Emperors reached their stalemate and the pirates of the world dreamed of glory, the Marines were reaching a breaking point. On the deck of a massive warship, Fleet Admiral Akainu stood with smoke rising from his shoulders. His body was turning into bubbling, red-hot magma.
"Kaido! Red Hair!" Akainu roared, his voice trembling with rage. "Do you have any idea what you've done? The world will fall into total chaos! Do you know how many people are going to die because you've invited every thug on the sea to hunt for that treasure?"
Shanks didn't even look at him. Kaido, however, looked down at the Fleet Admiral with pure contempt. "Don't make me laugh, Sakazuki. Since when have the Marines ever actually cared about the lives of ordinary people?"
"The Navy's Justice exists to protect the innocent!" former Fleet Admiral Sengoku joined in, his voice filled with righteous fury. "Do you realize the blood that will be on your hands?"
"Is that the story you're telling today, Sengoku?" Kaido sneered. "Then tell me this: thirty-eight years ago, when the Celestial Dragons were playing their 'human hunting games' and destroying a different country every four years for sport, where was your Justice then? Weren't you and Garp, the 'Hero of the Marines,' standing at the door acting like loyal dogs for those monsters?"
Sengoku and Garp both froze. The color drained from Sengoku's face, and Garp's head dropped, his jaw tight. They wanted to argue, to defend their honor, but the words wouldn't come. The truth was a physical weight they couldn't push off.
"And you, Akainu," Kaido continued, pointing a massive finger at the current Fleet Admiral. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who ordered the destruction of the civilian ship at Ohara. You murdered thousands of innocent people who had nothing to do with the scholars, just to be 'thorough.' That was your doing, wasn't it?"
The Marines on the deck looked at one another, their morale crumbling as the "King of the Beasts" listed their sins.
"Tell me, Marines," Kaido's voice boomed across the sea. "Where is your Justice when the Celestial Dragons take slaves in Mary Geoise and kill them on a whim? Where was it when you hunted for Roger's unborn son? You were so afraid of a baby that you checked every pregnant woman on Baterilla, willing to kill them all just so one child wouldn't escape. Or what about the Amber Lead disease in Flevance? You helped the World Government cover up the truth for profit, and when the people got sick, you slaughtered them to hide the evidence. Do you want me to keep going?"
The silence that followed was deafening. The Marine soldiers looked down at their boots, unable to meet the eyes of the pirates they were supposed to be judging. Then, a calm but sharp voice broke the quiet.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki... is what he's saying the truth?"
It was Admiral Fujitora. Though he was blind, his face was turned toward Akainu, and it was clear he was waiting for an answer.
Akainu gritted his teeth, the magma on his arms hissing. "It's all in the name of Justice, Issho! Those were necessary sacrifices to stop threats that could destroy the world's stability!"
"So," Fujitora said softly, "everything Kaido said is true."
Sengoku stepped forward, trying to salvage the situation. "Issho, you have to understand. The world isn't simple. Sometimes the Navy is forced into positions where we have no choice."
"I see," Fujitora replied. "Then tell me about the killing games thirty-eight years ago. Did the Celestial Dragons really destroy a country every four years for fun?"
Sengoku couldn't answer. He turned away, his silence speaking volumes. Fujitora then turned his head toward the legendary hero of the Marines. "Mr. Garp, I have always respected you. Please, tell me. Is it true?"
"Hey, old man, what are you doing?" some of the younger Marines whispered, sensing the tension.
Garp didn't look up. His voice was low and heavy with regret. "Every word Kaido said is the truth."
"Garp!" Sengoku shouted, but it was too late. The admission was a devastating blow to the Navy's image, broadcast for the whole world to hear.
Then, Fujitora did something that terrified everyone on the ship. He began to walk toward the edge of the deck.
"Fujitora! Where do you think you're going?" Akainu barked.
"Nowhere," Fujitora said, his voice calm but final. "I joined the Marines because I thought that even in a dark world, there were people working toward the light. But it seems the light was just a story we told ourselves. Fortunately, Sakazuki, our official arrangement was never finalized. If I leave now, I won't be breaking any vows. I'm done."
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