Next Bonus, 100!!
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The day of Ace's public execution.
Sabaody Archipelago.
Early morning.
The sea was dead calm. Fluffy white clouds drifted across the sky, seagulls tracing lazy arcs beneath them.
A massive crowd of civilians had already gathered around the designated broadcast zones, waiting in hushed anticipation.
"Is a single Yonko commander really worth all this trouble?"
"Of course not. Anyone with half a brain can see this is bait. They're trying to force Whitebeard's hand."
"It's not a trap. It's an open challenge."
To ensure the news reached every corner of the globe the second it happened, journalists and cameramen from every major publication had flocked to the archipelago.
They were frantically setting up their equipment, checking feeds, and securing the best angles.
The largest contingent, naturally, belonged to the World Economic Journal.
Those who were already set up stood in small clusters, trading theories.
"Do you really think Whitebeard is that stupid?"
"Knowing it's a trap and still walking right into it, dragging his entire crew down with him... that's beyond stupid. It's suicidal."
"Not just suicidal—it's tactically brain-dead!"
"Why play by the Marines' script?" one reporter argued. "Why not assault the G-1 base? Kidnap a few Vice Admirals, or grab a Celestial Dragon... and use them to barter for Ace? Wouldn't that be a million times smarter?"
"Whitebeard isn't stupid." an older journalist shot back. "You don't survive long enough to become a Yonko by being a fool. It's impossible."
"Exactly. To sit on a Yonko throne, you need more than just overwhelming power. You need the cunning and the strategic mind to hold an empire together."
"Is Kaido stupid? He's had Wano dancing to his tune for decades."
"Is Charlotte Linlin stupid? Totto Land is thriving under her rule."
"And don't even get me started on Shanks. If he were an idiot, how could he have carved out his own territory right between the other three monsters?"
"Whitebeard is the farthest thing from a fool."
"What looks like a stupid, reckless move to you... is exactly why you'll never be Whitebeard. It's why you'll never be a Yonko."
"That's right. He's a pirate from the old era. He operates on a code of honor. That code is the bedrock of his entire empire."
"And Whitebeard's honor... is his sons."
"It doesn't matter which son it is. If they're in trouble, even if there's a mountain of blades ahead and a bottomless hell below, he'll charge straight in."
"That absolute, unwavering loyalty is why so many men are willing to die for him."
"You think the commanders and captains sailing with Whitebeard to save Ace don't know what they're walking into? You think they don't realize they're going to war with the full might of the Marines? They know."
"Hell, among those allied captains, there are probably a few who don't even like Ace. Brothers fight. And Ace has caused his fair share of headaches."
"But the moment Whitebeard gives the order? They draw their swords without a second thought."
"They aren't necessarily marching to save Ace. They're marching to repay Whitebeard. To honor the man who has protected them all these years."
"They're marching to defend the flag."
"Regardless of their personal feelings toward Ace, as long as he holds the title of Second Division Commander, he's family."
"Family members can bicker and fight behind closed doors. But the second an outsider tries to lay a hand on one of them? All bets are off. Because they're family."
"Whitebeard spent decades building that reputation. He instilled the concept of 'family' into the very marrow of his crew."
"That ideology is the cornerstone of their strength. It's why they've remained an unshakeable force for so long... If Whitebeard and his crew didn't show up to save Ace, it would shatter that entire foundation. Their core values would crumble. The entire Whitebeard fleet would rip itself apart from the inside out."
"The Marines know this perfectly well. They understand Whitebeard's code. That's exactly why they set this stage."
"A public, globally broadcast execution... it's a brilliant, unavoidable ultimatum."
"If Whitebeard shows up, he has to fight the entire Marine Headquarters on their home turf. The odds of survival are abysmal."
"If Whitebeard doesn't show up, they execute Ace anyway. Then they tell the world that Whitebeard's 'honor' was a lie. That he was too terrified of the Marines to save his own son."
"His lifelong legacy would be destroyed in a single afternoon."
"As for taking hostages... kidnapping Vice Admirals or Celestial Dragons..."
"It's not that simple, And it's not in Whitebeard's nature. A proud Yonko, using hostages to blackmail the Marines? He wouldn't stoop so low. He couldn't stomach the shame."
"Even if he did, do you honestly think the World Government or the Marines would care? They'd just let the hostages die."
"Who's the coward then?"
"At the end of the day... The Whitebeard Pirates were forged by honor. And they will fall by it."
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The New World.
The sea breeze howled.
At the volatile border where Whitebeard's territory met Kaido's, the massive fleet of the Beasts Pirates emerged from the horizon, led by Kaido and the All-Stars.
Among the Four Emperors, Whitebeard held the largest expanse of territory.
Big Mom came in second.
Kaido followed closely behind, while Shanks held the smallest domain.
Due to their shared history, Kaido and Big Mom maintained an unspoken truce. They rarely infringed on each other's turf; their skirmishes were usually little more than violent posturing.
Therefore, before Shanks' rise to power, the fiercest territorial disputes had always been between Kaido and Whitebeard.
Now, the Whitebeard Pirates had mobilized their entire main force to rescue Ace.
Their vast territories were left completely undefended.
It was an unguarded treasury, ripe for the taking.
Thanks to Jin's earlier machinations, Kaido's underworld operations had taken a massive financial hit. He desperately needed a lucrative raid to offset the losses.
Faced with an opportunity this golden, Kaido wasn't about to let it slip away.
And how did Kaido know the exact disposition of Whitebeard's forces? The World Government had graciously provided the intel.
On the surface, the Yonko and the World Government were mortal enemies. In the shadows, figures like Kaido maintained highly lucrative commercial ties with Mary Geoise.
Where else would the World Government source the massive quantities of highly refined Seastone produced by the slave labor in Wano's Udon Prison? They were the only entity with the capital to purchase it in bulk.
Naturally, these transactions were always handled through discrete middlemen—like Doflamingo.
Standing at the prow of his flagship, Kaido stared out at the churning sea.
He knew exactly what the World Government was doing. They were trying to force Whitebeard to fight a two-front war, dividing his attention and his forces.
It was a dirty tactic.
But... the World Government had sweetened the deal with significant concessions.
If he didn't strike now, would the other scavengers of the New World sit quietly?
If he moved first, he could carve out the best pieces for himself and leave the scraps for the rest.
"Captain! That's... Red-Haired Shanks!"
The lookout in the crow's nest shouted, finally making out the insignia on the approaching ship's sails.
"Hm? Red Hair... that bastard!"
Kaido's eyes narrowed dangerously.
High above, two massive, churning storm clouds—representing the overwhelming presence of the two Yonko crews—collided violently.
CRACK-BOOM!
Thunder split the sky. The relatively calm sea instantly erupted into massive, frothing waves.
Shanks stood at the bow of the Red Force, meeting Kaido's glare. The wind whipped his crimson hair. Behind him, his crew stood ready, hands resting on hilts and triggers, the tension thick enough to ignite.
"Shanks!" Kaido bellowed, resting his massive kanabō club on his shoulder. He frowned. "Are you looking for a fight?"
Shanks slowly drew Gryphon from its scabbard. "We can certainly find out."
Both Yonko moved at the same instant.
VZZZT!
Before their weapons even met, their Conqueror's Haki clashed in mid-air, creating a visible, crackling shockwave that rippled out like black and red lightning.
The ocean heaved. The massive warships pitched violently on the swelling waves.
On the Beast Pirates' ships, the weaker crew members—those unable to withstand the sheer, suffocating pressure of two colliding Yonko-level Haki bursts—began to collapse, foaming at the mouth.
Conversely, on the Red Force, not a single man fell.
King the Conflagration observed this with cold detachment.
The Red Hair Pirates were renowned as an "Iron Wall." Even their newest recruits were seasoned "Great Pirates" with bounties pushing the hundred-million mark. Shanks ran an elite, highly concentrated crew. With less than a hundred men, every single one was a powerhouse.
The Beast Pirates operated on a different philosophy. They were a massive, chaotic horde, their strength varying wildly from foot soldier to All-Star.
CLANG! CLANG!
After exchanging several deafening blows that sent shockwaves rolling across the sea, Shanks and Kaido disengaged, landing back on their respective ships.
"Kaido," Shanks called out, his voice carrying easily over the roar of the wind. "Until the dust settles at Marineford, turn your ships around and head back to Wano."
"Otherwise, you'll be dealing with us."
"You know how this game is played. If Whitebeard falls completely, it throws everything out of balance. We all suffer."
Kaido scowled.
"The Marines have laid a massive trap for Whitebeard," Shanks continued. "If we start tearing each other apart here, who benefits? The World Government."
"Shatter the balance of the New World now, and all those ambitious rookies gunning for a Yonko seat will swarm in to exploit the chaos."
"Think carefully, Kaido. Is it worth it?"
"And what happens after the war?" Kaido demanded.
"After?" Shanks sheathed his sword. "Afterward, I have no reason to stop you. I have absolutely no interest in Whitebeard's territories."
"But if you make a move now... we won't hold back."
"Kaido. Give me some face."
Kaido grunted, weighing his options.
The situation was too volatile. If he ignored Shanks' warning and initiated a pointless, grinding war with the Red Hair Pirates here and now, the losses would far outweigh any potential gains.
"Fine," Kaido growled. "Remember your promise. I'll give you this one."
He gestured sharply. The Beast Pirates' armada slowly began to turn around.
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