"I see it."
"The Demon King Bai Yu is a new generation of Rocks…"
"No, he's even crazier than Rocks, and that will only bring more chaos to the world!"
Everyone stared as Shanks' rare solemn expression deepened.
"Today, you dare to take Celestial Dragons as slave girls. Tomorrow, you might dare to storm Impel Down. And the day after that, you could attack Marineford and even the Holy Land itself. The world would be thrown into utter chaos."
"The time is not right yet. The current world still needs balance."
"I need to do something."
Bai Yu: ???
Hearing Shanks' words, everyone put down their drinks and looked serious.
A single word from the Red-Haired Pirate was enough to command their attention.
Ben Beckman remained calm, blowing smoke rings before speaking, "Let's observe a little longer. At least until the war is over, we'll take it one step at a time."
Shanks nodded seriously, "Alright. I just hope that with the end of the old era, Bai Yu will sober up a little. He shouldn't think that just because he has some strength, he can do whatever he wants."
"Young people should be more cautious and not always stir up trouble everywhere."
Bai Yu: ???
On Onigashima
"Hahaha! Well done!"
Kaido naturally praised Bai Yu and continued doing so for an entire hour without stopping.
Below him, Yamato, who had been growing more and more impatient, finally had enough and shouted:
"Enough already! Anyone who hears you would think he's your own son!"
"Hm?"
Kaido paused mid-sentence, his eyes lighting up before he burst into laughter.
"Gehaha! Are you jealous? I haven't praised you that much before. Don't worry, daughter, I'll treat you well from now on!"
"I don't need that!"
Yamato turned her head away, pouting.
Not far away, King, Queen, and Jack exchanged looks, each of them feeling increasingly uneasy.
Queen whispered, "Have you noticed that ever since Yamato started following Bai Yu around, her relationship with Kaido has been improving?"
King's eyes gleamed with wisdom as he calmly analyzed, "When two people bond over a common interest, they naturally develop shared topics and grow closer."
"Boss Kaido admires Bai Yu, and Yamato is curious about Bai Yu."
"They've been reading newspapers together, discussing recent events, and over time, they've become a little closer."
King paused for a moment before glancing at Queen and Jack, who were both stunned. Then, he continued his analysis:
"But this is all superficial."
"If you really want to bridge the gap, it must be through a deep, soul-shaking experience—something that breaks emotional barriers."
"For example, if Yamato found herself in despair and was saved by Boss Kaido, gratitude could bring them closer together."
King narrowed his eyes.
"If we want Yamato to truly accept her father, it will take a profound moment of connection, something like… Well, I haven't figured that part out yet."
Queen was speechless.
Jack was in a daze.
King… had become a philosopher?
Meanwhile, Kaido, still arguing with Yamato, subtly pricked up his ears upon hearing King's words.
Deep in thought, he murmured to himself, "Seems like I need to find a way to… No, I need King to come up with a plan."
Time Passed
Bai Yu spent some time patrolling the Demon King's territory, solving cultivation problems for his subordinates.
In the evenings, he returned to Onigashima to spend time with his sister.
Days passed quickly.
Around the world, discussions about "Celestial Dragon beauties," "Supernova," and "Demon King Bai Yu" gradually faded.
Because—
The Summit War was about to begin.
At Marine Headquarters, the atmosphere was tense.
A hundred thousand elite Marines had gathered. Vice Admirals and Admirals were assembled.
At a single glance, any ordinary pirate would tremble in fear.
Currently, it was breakfast time.
With only a few hours left until the execution, the Shichibukai were casually enjoying their meal.
As Sengoku walked in, he glanced around and asked, "Where are Blackbeard Teach and that woman?"
A Marine soldier stepped forward and saluted.
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral! Boa Hancock has not shown up for breakfast. As for Blackbeard, he left for Impel Down before dawn."
Sengoku frowned.
The Shichibukai had special privileges to enter and leave Impel Down freely. But of all times, why now?
Though he felt uneasy, Sengoku wasn't too concerned.
Unless there was a riot both inside and out, there was no way Blackbeard and his crew could shake things up too much.
Right now, the Summit War was the priority.
Pushing his doubts aside, Sengoku turned his gaze to the remaining Warlords.
"You scum of the sea…"
"If anyone fails to act in this war, once it's over, you will face the wrath of this old man!"
For a moment, the Shichibukai frowned.
Sengoku's attitude was unusually firm.
But he didn't care what they thought.
The time for compromises was long gone. What was the use of disobedient Warlords now?
Meanwhile, at the Calm Belt
A sea with no wind or currents.
Also known as the lair of the Sea Kings.
Giant sea creatures surfaced and submerged, their massive bodies making even seasoned pirates shudder.
Only special ships lined with Seastone or Amazon Lily's serpentine vessels could cross safely.
All other ships relied on sheer power—or they would be doomed.
"Zehahaha!"
A man with missing teeth laughed wildly. His rugged face was adorned with necklaces, rings, and other jewelry.
Marshall D. Teach!
A true pirate—cunning, ruthless, ambitious, and greedy.
Using his Warlord privileges, Teach was now approaching Impel Down. His heart raced with excitement.
The ring current near Marineford was fast, and they were almost there.
"Hahahaha! The plan has begun! Let's turn the world upside down!"
On the deck, Jesus Burgess grinned. "Zehaha! Captain, I can't wait!"
Doc Q coughed violently. "Cough… Cough… It will definitely succeed…"
Lafitte tipped his hat and smirked. "At this speed, we should arrive at Impel Down in ten minutes."
"Zehahaha!" Teach laughed even louder. His crew looked eager.
If all went according to plan…
No—there would be no surprises!
No one would stand in their way!
At that moment, Van Augur suddenly stiffened. His eyes widened in shock.
"Fate… has led us to him."
"Captain, we've spotted the Demon King!"
"What?"
Teach's laughter stopped abruptly.
Everyone's faces went pale.
Looking up, they saw a floating island cloud speeding toward them.
Sitting atop it, eyes closed, was Bai Yu.
Even though he hadn't moved, his presence alone sent an overwhelming pressure crashing down on them.
"The new Yonko!"
"The strongest in the New World!"
"The captain of the world's strongest pirate crew!"
In an era where Whitebeard still lived, a newcomer had claimed all these titles.
Regardless of how true they were, the weight of those words was suffocating.
"Why is he here…?"
A bead of sweat dripped from Teach's forehead.
He was truly afraid.
And the confrontation begins…
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Unlock the full story now—click here to download the complete novel in PDF and embark on the adventure today!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ko-fi.com/abrahamsmith1b