"Shanks!"
Luffy's voice cracked with disbelief as he stared at the figure standing so close to him. At that moment, no one needed to point it out; every single person on the battlefield had their eyes glued to the newcomers standing before the Moby Dick, the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates.
There he was, standing alongside the legacies of Whitebeard and Kaido. It was Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors of the New World, accompanied by his elite crew. Beyond the massive encircling walls, in the parts of the ocean that hadn't been frozen solid by Admiral Aokiji, the Red Force unfurled its sails, dancing majestically in the wind.
"Luffy, I didn't think we would meet again under these kinds of circumstances!" Shanks said. He looked up, meeting Luffy's gaze across the distance, noting the spark of excitement in the boy's eyes.
While Luffy was overjoyed, the Marines looked like they had just lost everything. The atmosphere among the soldiers was one of pure despair. They had barely managed to hold their ground against Whitebeard. Then Kaido arrived, defeating Fleet Admiral Sengoku and leaving the legendary Navy Hero Garp helpless. Now, with the arrival of Red-Haired Shanks, three of the New World's Four Emperors were present in one place. Many wondered if this was truly the end for the Marines.
"Red Hair!" Garp bellowed, his face contorted with rage. "You total bastard, Red Hair!" To Garp, Shanks was the man responsible for "corrupting" his grandson. If it weren't for him, Luffy would never have set out to sea as a pirate.
Sensing the weight of everyone's stares, Shanks began to walk forward slowly. His eyes scanned the crowd, passing over the battered Marshall D. Teach and eventually settling on Kaido.
"Everyone, take it easy. I'm not here to start a deeper conflict," Shanks announced calmly. "Actually, I've come here to put an end to this war."
The battlefield fell silent as the words sank in. "End the war?" people whispered, stunned by the claim. Shanks ignored the murmurs and kept his eyes fixed on the massive figure of Kaido. "Kaido, is this really what you wanted to see happen?"
"Worororo..." Kaido's laughter echoed across Marineford. In response to Shanks, he activated his Mythical Zoan ability. His body shifted and grew until he transformed into a towering, blue dragon that coiled into the sky. From high above, he looked down at the chaotic, blood-stained battlefield.
"You've got it wrong, Red Hair," Kaido rumbled from the clouds. "This isn't just what I wanted. This is what this entire ocean has been waiting for!"
The statement left everyone confused. Shanks frowned, his hand resting near his sword. "Then what exactly is your goal here?"
"My goal? Well, now that the final guest has arrived, it's time for the grand finale to begin. King, get ready."
"Understood, Big Brother!" King replied. He took a specialized Den Den Mushi from Eneru's hand and took to the sky, hovering at an angle that would capture the most imposing view of the scene. Once he was sure the broadcast was reaching every corner of the world, he spoke into the device.
"I am speaking as the Governor of the Beasts Pirates and the ruler of Wano Country," King declared. "I am here to make an announcement to the entire world: starting today, the Beasts Pirates are launching a full-scale assault to claim the great treasure, the ONE PIECE!"
A shockwave of silence followed, followed quickly by an uproar. This wasn't just a pirate's dream; it was an official declaration of war against the Marines and the World Government. But Kaido wasn't finished.
"During our preparations, I have a message for anyone on this sea," Kaido's voice boomed. "As long as you can make it into the New World and reach my territory, you will have the chance to join the Beasts Pirates. You can become my subordinate and share the great treasure with me."
The world watched in shock. This was an open recruitment call from a Yonko, and it was incredibly persuasive. The Beasts Pirates were already one of the strongest forces in existence, and today's performance proved it. Their Lead Performers had gone toe-to-toe with the three Navy Admirals. Kaido himself had taken down Fleet Admiral Sengoku, fought Garp to a standstill, and crushed the Blackbeard Pirates. In a world where might makes right, there was no better advertisement for power.
While the Marines looked grim, the Red Hair Pirates became equally serious. Shanks stepped further onto the plaza, looking up at the dragon in the sky.
"Kaido, listen to me. I didn't go all the way to Laugh Tale with Captain Roger, but I know one thing for sure: you are definitely not the person he was waiting for," Shanks said firmly. "Being a pirate is about freedom. What you just said is an insult to the dreams of everyone who seeks that freedom!"
"Shanks is right!" Luffy shouted, backing him up immediately. "I don't want to be anyone's subordinate. I'm going to be the Pirate King myself!"
The crowd gasped. Even in the face of a terrifying monster like Kaido, the boy in the straw hat didn't flinch. Kaido looked down at him, and Luffy stared back with unwavering eyes. After a tense silence, Kaido let out a mocking laugh.
"Worororo! I think I just heard a very funny joke."
Shanks stepped in, his voice hardening. "Kaido, the dreams of the younger generation are nothing to laugh at."
"Is that what you think?" Kaido's gaze swept the area again, landing on the trembling Teach. Blackbeard flinched, but Kaido didn't attack. Instead, he spoke with a chilling calm. "Hey, Teach. Do you know why I let you take Whitebeard's power, even though I knew exactly what your Devil Fruit could do?"
Teach didn't have an answer. He wiped blood from his mouth, feeling the eyes of the world on him through the broadcast. "Yeah? Why is that?" he asked with a nervous laugh.
"It's simple. I actually appreciate you," Kaido said, an answer that left Teach speechless.
"Twenty-two years ago, Gol D. Roger started the Great Pirate Era on that execution platform in Loguetown," Kaido continued. "Since then, 'freedom' and 'dreams' became the most popular words on the sea. But nobody realizes that it was all just a scam."
"A scam?" The word echoed through the crowd as disbelief grew.
"Worororo, don't get me wrong. Whitebeard was right—the ONE PIECE is real. It's just... do you really think you can become the Pirate King just by having dreams and freedom? You heard what Red Hair just said. Whitebeard even told Teach the same thing: that neither I nor Teach are the ones Roger is waiting for. Worororo!"
Kaido's laughter was cold. "Don't you see? While all of you—and even I—are fighting and dying for the throne and the treasure, Roger and his crew already picked the winner. They've already designated the next Pirate King. The rest of you are just stepping stones for that person's growth."
The entire plaza went silent. Even the people watching the screens across the globe were speechless. They wanted to argue, but looking at how the "chosen" few spoke, it felt like the truth. Was the path to the top already decided? Were they all just supporting characters in someone else's story?
"Is... is that really true?" a pirate whispered, his voice shaking with doubt.
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