Silence fell. They were failures. What was left to fight for?
Back at the Edd War, Shiki had lost to Roger and never challenged for the throne of the pirate king again.
They were pirates. They understood defeat. Once beaten, pride meant nothing, and fate would deal with them as it would with any other.
Whitebeard gestured, and Jozu unlocked their seastone chains.
"Why come to Wano?" Kaido grunted, stretching his limbs.
"You think I wanted to come? It was Roy's idea. Compared to other places, Wano is safer. The Celestial Dragons have already started moving. If nothing unexpected happens, there's going to be an apocalyptic war," Whitebeard said.
"An apocalyptic war?!"
Kaido looked at Whitebeard, rolling his shoulders. His body was still wrapped in bandages, not fully healed.
"Yes. The Celestial Dragons plan to start a war. I don't know the details, but Roy said it. During your battle, the World Government used an ancient weapon and erased the entire Lulusia Kingdom off the map." Whitebeard said.
"Erased from the map?" Charlotte Linlin was shocked.
"That's right. Even the land is gone, just like God Valley back then, wiped off the map," Whitebeard said.
"So Uranus really is in their hands. The reason you didn't kill us is it that you want to ally with us?" Charlotte Linlin smirked.
"With your strength, whether you're here or not, doesn't change much. The Whitebeard Pirates have enough power on our own. I just want you to witness the new era," Whitebeard said.
"Don't look down on us, Newgate!" Big Mom snapped.
"You're losers. Nothing more."
"You're the loser." Charlotte Linlin retorted.
"I have Roy. How have I lost?"
At that, both Kaido and Charlotte Linlin were left speechless. He'd brought up his heir; what more could they say to that?
'Damn it.'
The two of them looked frustrated.
"Got anything to eat? I want some soup," Charlotte Linlin said.
"Your friend prepared some for you," Whitebeard said.
"Friend?" Charlotte Linlin looked confused.
"Linlin!!"
At that moment, a girl appeared from behind Whitebeard, smiling brightly at her.
"O-Tama?!" Charlotte Linlin's heart trembled when she saw her. That long-lost warmth returned. For a moment, she was back in her childhood, with Mother Carmel and the other kids.
Her yearning for giants, her wish for everyone to become "big," was nothing more than a childish desire to have playmates her own size, to overcome that loneliness that was.
Toward children, Charlotte Linlin had always carried a kind heart.
Kaido, watching this scene, grimaced in disgust.
"What's going on in the outside world now?" Kaido asked.
Marco stepped forward. "During the Reverie…"
When Kaido heard that the Marines and Cross Guild were about to clash, his interest was immediately piqued. That was going to be a war worth watching.
"Buggy, Mihawk, Crocodile, former Marine Admiral Kuzan, Gecko Moria…" Kaido was shocked by the lineup.
Four former Warlords of the Sea, plus a former Admiral. The Cross Guild's strength was terrifying, possibly even surpassing the Beasts Pirates at their peak. No wonder the Marines had to move against them.
And the Marines' force? Admiral Fujitora, Garp, Vice Admiral Gion, Vice Admiral Tokikake.
"Have they started fighting yet?" Kaido asked curiously.
"If nothing unexpected happened, then yeah, it's already begun," Marco said.
From New Marineford to Karaibari Island wasn't far.
When the Whitebeard Pirates reached Wano, the Marine fleet had already appeared at Karibari Island.
The Marines had long since gotten intel. The Cross Guild hadn't chosen to flee, but instead chose war, and even wanted to broadcast it live.
As the self-proclaimed king of live broadcasts since the Egghead Incident, Buggy had picked up one of Morgans' video transponders and used it to stream to the world.
This time, in order to promote the Cross Guild, Buggy again chose a live broadcast to spread their message to the entire world.
"People of the world, greetings! Today's a fine day! You see that?" Buggy pointed at the mast in front of him. The mast was shaped like a number 7, and tied to it was none other than Marine Admiral Ryokugyu.
"Today, we will execute this evil Marine Admiral! He has committed heinous crimes, slaughtering countless innocent civilians! And we, as JUST pirates, will execute him today! And them too…"
Buggy gestured elsewhere, to other captured Marines, including Koby and several other officers.
When Buggy declared that "pirates are justice," everyone watching via transponder snails was left speechless.
Even the Five Elders and Akainu in Mary Geiose were dumbstruck, followed quickly by pure rage.
....
On Karibari Island, the pirates erupted in cheers.
Then, four men appeared on-screen: Kuzan, Crocodile, Mihawk, and Moria.
Their presence instantly pressured the entire world. The might of the Cross Guild was terrifying. People even doubted the Marines had any chance of winning. How could one admiral fight against such a force?
"The Cross Guild's strength might even surpass the Whitebeard Pirates," someone whispered in Dressrosa as they watched the battle projection.
"Probably does. Whitebeard's old now, and doesn't have much fight left. Among the Emperors, only Roy truly remains standing. Even if he's monstrously strong, he can't take on those five."
"Don't forget, there's still Marco and the division commanders."
"I heard the 16th division commander, Izo, is already dead."
"But the Spade Pirates are strong too. Fire Fist Ace is said to be on par with an Emperor now. His bounty even surpassed that of the Emperor Straw Hat Luffy."
At that, someone pulled out the latest wanted posters.
Emperor "Straw Hat" Luffy, 3,000,000,000 berries.
Flame Emperor Ace, son of Pirate King Roger, former 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, 3,842,000,000 berries.
Black Dragon Loxus, son of the Emperor Roy, former leader of the Beasts Pirates' Calamities, 1,800,000,000 berries.
Hundred Birds Deuce, Phoenix fruit user, doctor of the Spade Pirates, 1,000,000,000 berries.
...
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu