Elsewhere, in the New World.
"Mama, Mama! We heard that the Marine Borsalino was killed! The one who attacked Mary Geoise did it!" the Homies beside Charlotte Linlin shouted loudly.
"Borsalino? That Logia brat in the Marines who shoots lasers? Hmph! Good riddance. Just looking at that creepy face of his made me sick."
Charlotte Linlin kept stuffing cream puffs into her mouth.
"Still, ugly as that guy was, he was strong. To be able to kill him... Mamama~ mama! Looks like that brat who dared attack Mary Geoise wasn't just acting on impulse. He does have some real strength. If he enters the New World, let's see whether we can recruit him into our Totto Land."
On a certain winter island, Kaido was drinking heavily without pause.
"Glug... glug..."
Kaido raised his sake gourd and gulped down huge mouthfuls.
"Boohoohoo! One billion! Back in my day, I only reached one billion after several bounty increases! He's just some newcomer brat! What gives him the right?!"
He drank while crying at the same time.
"I heard it's because he killed Borsalino, the Marine admiral candidate."
A Kaido subordinate holding the bounty poster spoke up cautiously.
"Borsalino? You mean that Marine with the face that makes you want to punch him? Puhahaha! That guy actually died? Hahaha!"
One second, Kaido had been bawling in sorrow; the next, he had instantly switched into a joyful mood.
"Unpredictable" was exactly the word for Kaido.
"But killing that glowing brat only proves that lightning brat has a bit of strength. If I got even a little serious, I could do the same! Once those brats enter the New World, I'll make sure to teach them a proper lesson!"
As he spoke, Kaido, who had just been laughing, instantly shifted into a berserk state. Grabbing his kanabō, he began swinging it around.
While Kaido roared and howled, deep in the New World, aboard a white whale-shaped ship—
"Gurararara! I didn't expect that lightning brat to really have something up his sleeve. Looks like his strength truly isn't weak!"
Whitebeard sat in the main seat and laughed boldly.
"Yeah, Pops. I've crossed paths with that Borsalino twice. To be honest, the current me still isn't his match. At most, I can rely on the physical boost from my Mythical Zoan to contend with him in hand-to-hand combat for a while. But killing him? That would be impossible."
Marco was not yet the Marco of the Summit War fifteen years later. He still had room to grow.
"But no matter how strong that guy is, he definitely won't be Pops' opponent!"
"Exactly! Ten billion berries or whatever, once he enters the New World, Pops will smash him flat!"
"That's right! Pops is the World's Strongest Man!"
The people on the ship shouted one after another. Marco did not refute them either, and a confident smile appeared on his face.
Although Whitebeard's body had gradually begun to decline, he was still basically in his prime. The title of the World's Strongest Man was well deserved.
East Blue, Syrup Village.
Banchina held Usopp and gazed out the window. In her hand, she was still holding Yasopp's bounty poster.
"Yasopp, you finally realized your dream, didn't you? Out there on the sea..."
Banchina looked into the distance, her heart filled with longing.
"Has Dad become a pirate already?" little Usopp asked, his eyes sparkling.
"Mm. Usopp's dad is the bravest warrior of the sea!"
Banchina smiled as she spoke to Usopp.
"Banchina, I'm back! I missed your rum!"
Suddenly, a burst of laughter came from inside the house.
"Dad! It's Dad's voice!"
Becoming a great pirate made Yasopp extremely happy and proud. He could not wait to tell his wife and child about it, so he asked Roy to send him back with Instant Transmission.
"Banchina, we're having a banquet today!"
"...All right! I'll go buy ingredients and prepare everything!"
"Of course, Usopp. Let Dad tell you properly about the story of all of us on Little Garden, especially those two giant warriors and the Island Eater!"
East Blue, on a certain island.
In a dense forest, a red-haired man wearing a straw hat, with three scars over his left eye, looked at the bounty poster in his hand and scratched his head.
"As expected, I really didn't misjudge him. That Yasopp is definitely a first-rate sniper. What a shame..."
"Hahahaha! Isn't it because Boss was too lame and couldn't recruit him? Now he's following the most famous pirate crew out there, and his bounty alone is way higher than all of ours!"
Lucky Roux, dressed in green and holding meat in his mouth, laughed loudly.
"Shut up! Just eat your meat. Ah, I'm still so disappointed. Our pirate crew is missing a sniper."
"Hahaha! Brothers, Boss is jealous! Hurry up and take a look. See if East Blue has any other promising talents!"
...
At a Marine elite base.
Garp was still casually eating his senbei. However, this time, he was not eating while sleeping. Instead, he was focused intently on Zephyr, who was giving an impassioned speech on the platform.
"That is why all of you must properly learn hand-to-hand combat! Whoever dares say physical techniques are unimportant might very well become the next Borsalino! You must understand that Devil Fruit powers are not invincible. One day, you will encounter someone whose development is more thorough than yours and whose ability is stronger than yours!"
"So what if someone is a Logia user? If they run into a physical-combat expert who can use Haki, the result is still death!"
"Hey! Smoker! This especially means you! Did you hear me?!"
Garp chewed the senbei in his mouth while slapping the table and speaking angrily to Kuzan beside him.
"Looks like Zephyr was hit pretty hard by this. Although that guy Borsalino had a very poor relationship with him, he was still someone Zephyr personally trained. That guy's death may have proven Zephyr right, but I don't think Zephyr wanted proof in this form."
Kuzan quietly looked at Zephyr on the platform.
Borsalino's death had shaken him and Sakazuki the most.
After all, Borsalino had long since possessed admiral-level combat power. The only difference between him and the two of them had been rank.
And yet, someone like Borsalino had actually been killed. That meant even he and Sakazuki could possibly be killed as well.
(End of Chapter)
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