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"What I mean is, the Beasts Pirates, the Thunder God Pirates, and my Big Mom Pirates should form an alliance, crush Whitebeard, and then the three of us can occupy the New World. What do you think?"
"A territory as massive as the New World... Thunder Emperor, you can have as much as you want!" Bloodshot veins appeared in Big Mom's eyes. Her breathing grew heavy, her expression ecstatic.
"The new era has arrived! What right do the legends of old have to roam the seas? Being buried in the old era is the most perfect curtain call for him! MAMAMAMAMA!"
She paid no mind to the countless underworld kingpins surrounding them, speaking of eliminating Whitebeard right in front of them.
An emperor at the pinnacle of the world couldn't care less about the opinions of others. Even if Whitebeard found out, so what? With his personality, he would be too lazy to even bother with it.
"HMM?" Kaido's interest was instantly piqued when he heard Big Mom's insane proposal.
"Starting the world's greatest war and killing Whitebeard? There's no way I'm passing up an opportunity like that!!!"
The grudge between him and Whitebeard had been forged through countless failed challenges. Whitebeard couldn't kill him, but every time, he would beat him half to death and toss him into the deep sea.
However—
"Is that all the ambition you have?" Arthur said calmly, putting down his teacup, his expression tinged with contempt.
"What do you mean, Thunder Emperor? You don't want to crush Whitebeard and have our three crews divide the New World?" Big Mom's constant eating stopped. She couldn't comprehend Arthur's thinking.
WASN'T THIS PROPOSAL TEMPTING ENOUGH??
A territory as large as the New World, divided by only three people! Could there be anything more appealing than that?
"If you invited me to this so-called Tea Party to discuss such a boring topic—then I see no need to continue. If you want territory, you go and take it. Join forces with others? I'm sorry, but I would first kill the idiot who had the guts to propose an alliance with me..." Arthur said bluntly.
"Join forces to kill Whitebeard? ARE YOU JOKING?? The two of you have to team up to face an enemy?? Where is your pride as emperors of the sea?? Have you already admitted, in your heart—that you can never surpass Whitebeard in this lifetime?"
Arthur shot to his feet, his eyes filled with extreme contempt.
Whitebeard was powerful. Incredibly. So powerful it was despair-inducing. Even the Marines acknowledged that he possessed the power to destroy the world, and he was universally recognized as the World's Strongest Man.
He was a peak that others could never hope to reach in their lifetime, a summit whose top they could never see—
But that was for others... it didn't include the two monsters before him.
With the strength of Kaido and Big Mom, they were truly just one step away from that pinnacle.
Yet, under the influence of Whitebeard's terrifying aura, did they not even have the courage to try and defeat him head-on?
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"Kaido. You kept challenging Whitebeard one-on-one, over and over. Were you just looking for a way to die? Did you never even intend to actually kill him? If that's the case, then you're nothing but garbage—no different from this worthless hag Big Mom, who does nothing but eat, sleep, and pop out kids!"
Arthur showed them no mercy, his face cold, his taunts relentless.
"My purpose in coming here was not to listen to you discuss how to conquer the New World or how to crush Whitebeard! I came here simply to inform you: SPIT OUT THE TERRITORY YOU'VE SWALLOWED. YOU CAN'T SPIT IT OUT? THEN I'LL BEAT YOU UNTIL YOU DO!"
"The territory left by Roger and the Golden Lion—I want at least half!" This was a tyrannical announcement, not a negotiation.
"Haaaa..."
Big Mom let out a heavy breath. She was driven mad by Arthur's words—but what remained of her reason told her that if they were to fight in Totto Land, she would be the only one to suffer.
"Thunder Emperor, don't get so cocky! You barely have a handful of decent subordinates. Demanding half the territory right off the bat—aren't you afraid you'll bite off more than you can chew?"
"My subordinates are few, indeed. But one of them is worth ten of your sons," Arthur sneered. Behind him, Shiryu smoked his cigar in silence, the bloodlust in his eyes growing ever stronger.
"MAMAMAMAMA! I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW YOUR SUBORDINATE IS WORTH TEN OF MY SONS!" Big Mom roared, her thick finger pointing at the silent Shiryu.
"KATAKURI! KILL HIM!"
"JACK! GET OVER THERE AND FIGHT THEM!" Kaido roared in timely fashion.
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"Katakuri's impressive, I'll give him that—but are the Beasts Pirates really this short-staffed? Where are Queen and King?" Arthur flashed a wild grin.
"Jack is more than enough to kill your subordinate! We don't need Queen and King for this!" Kaido seemed to have great confidence in Drought Jack.
"Hahahaha, excellent!" Arthur's gaze swept over Kaido and Big Mom.
"Why don't we have a little stimulating wager? How about we use the outcome of our subordinates' battle to decide the ownership of the territory? If my subordinate loses, the territories of Roger and the Golden Lion are yours. But if I win... you spit out everything you've eaten. How about it?"
"Thunder Emperor, are you trying to get something for nothing? You're not putting anything on the table—and you have the nerve to propose a bet?" Big Mom's rationality returned.
"Oh?? Then what do you want?? Just say it."
"If Kaido and I win, you... will get the hell out of the New World, and you will not be allowed to interfere in any territorial disputes for ten years. HOW ABOUT THAT?"
"This suggestion doesn't sound very stimulating, but I agree!" Kaido glanced at Jack and immediately agreed, seemingly very confident in his subordinate's strength.
"Ten years without interfering?" Arthur was silent for a moment.
Big Mom knew she couldn't make Arthur permanently withdraw from the New World stage, so she came up with a ten-year limit to restrain his reckless behavior.
Low-level pirates had no commitment. Breaking promises was as common as eating and drinking, second nature.
But among the pirates at the top, a promise was the only thing that could bind them. Of course... this was only between equals. If it was from a superior to a subordinate, it didn't count.
"What? The Mighty Thunder Emperor Arthur doesn't have the guts to bet? Not confident in your own subordinate's strength? If word gets out, you'll be a laughingstock! MAMAMAMAMA!" Big Mom cackled loudly, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
Arthur wasn't angry. He had always believed that Shiryu would not disappoint.
"Fine. If you win, I will immediately withdraw from the New World and not set foot in it for ten years. I'll come back in ten years. But if you lose, all the territory of Roger and the Golden Lion is mine!"
"MAMAMAMAMA! You agreed so readily, Thunder Emperor! Aren't you afraid you'll really lose?" It was Big Mom's turn to mock Arthur.
"KATAKURI! CRUSH THIS SWORDSMAN! HUMILIATE THUNDER EMPEROR IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!"
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