With a thunderous roar, the sky itself seemed to tremble.
"Boom…"
Lightning flashed across the heavens as Kaido transformed into his colossal azure dragon form. His massive body enveloped the sky above, casting a menacing shadow over the Whitebeard Pirates, giving them a sense of an oppressive storm ready to crush them.
"Clang!"
Whitebeard slammed the ocean-sized sake bowl he had been holding onto the deck.
In the next instant, he rose to his full height. Towering over six meters, his massive figure seemed almost dwarfed before Kaido's dragon form. Yet the sheer aura of his Haki radiated so strongly that even Kaido could feel its overwhelming pressure.
After all, he was hailed as "the strongest man in the world."
With a swift motion, he gripped the hilt of Murakumo, one of the twelve Supreme Grade Greatswords, wedged securely in the deck.
Raising his head, his crescent-shaped white mustache trembled slightly.
"Gurararara…"
A boisterous laugh erupted from his mouth, a deep, commanding sound that shook the air itself. Then, with unmatched authority, his voice carried over the battlefield:
"Kaido! You never learn from a beating, do you? The rule of Alabasta Island belongs to me, Whitebeard!"
Kaido, hovering above in the sky, erupted in fury. His face twisted in rage, long black whiskers fluttering in the wind, and his enormous nostrils expelled white steam like a locomotive engine.
With a roar that revealed his sharp dragon fangs, he bellowed:
"Whitebeard!!"
"Come, little worm. Let's see if your armor can withstand the might of Murakumo!" Whitebeard's words were reckless and defiant, brimming with the aura of a conqueror.
Bending his knees, he launched himself upward.
"Boom!"
The sound was like a cannon firing, echoing across the seas. The Moby Dick trembled violently as the sheer force of Whitebeard's leap lifted him into the air. To Marco and the others, their father looked like a human cannonball, clutching Murakumo as he rocketed toward the clouds.
Kaido's dragon eyes, larger than lanterns, glared down at the charging Whitebeard. Without hesitation, he swung a massive claw.
In an instant, blade met claw.
"Boom!"
The shockwave rattled the heavens. Violet lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the battle of titans.
One day later, the world remained as chaotic as ever.
On an island entirely constructed of sweets and pastries, the Whole Cake Castle stood proudly.
"Mother…"
A worried voice echoed from outside the palace. A young man dashed in, wearing a top hat adorned with countless candy sticks. His lean figure and long, pointed nose gave him a unique appearance, and his tongue flicked nervously as he hurried forward.
This was Charlotte Perospero, Big Mom's eldest son and one of the key officers of the Big Mom Pirates. Known as the Minister of Candy in the Thirty-Four Ministers of Totto Land, he oversaw all operations on Candy Island.
Rushing to the throne where Big Mom indulged in a massive slice of cake, he blurted out:
"Mother! Kaido and Whitebeard are at war!"
Big Mom froze mid-motion. Her eyes, sharp and chilling, fixed on her son, and with a voice that pierced the air she replied:
"That idiot Kaido… But this works in our favor. Send our forces to seize territory. I want more and sweeter cakes for myself!"
"Yes, Mother!"
Perospero bowed respectfully and turned to leave. As soon as he stepped out of the castle, Big Mom's gleeful laughter rang from within:
"Soon, there will be an abundance of delicious cakes! Haha! Mother, mother…"
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford:
Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Admiral Kong sat with arms crossed. They had just received intelligence collected from the New World. Both fell silent as the full implications settled in.
"We cannot allow them to act recklessly any longer," Kong said, his voice resonant and firm.
Here, "them" referred to the three Emperors: Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom.
"Ever since Roger's death, the number of pirates seeking the One Piece has skyrocketed. In this Great Pirate Era, the most notorious are the crews of Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom. They have carved up the New World with an iron fist. If we intervene now, the Marines will suffer dearly," Sengoku explained, his expression calm but calculating.
Kong nodded in agreement. "This situation is extremely unfavorable for us. Do you have any suggestions?"
Sengoku adjusted his small round spectacles, his eyes glinting with thought. "I have an idea, but its execution is uncertain."
"Then let us go to the World Government. We can present your plan to the Five Elders," Kong suggested.
They departed Marineford and soon arrived at Mary Geoise, the Holy Land of the World Government.
Before them stood the Five Elders.
"Sengoku, tell us your plan," said one Elder, bald, wearing a white samurai outfit, holding a blade of uncertain origin, possibly the legendary First Kitetsu.
Sengoku paused, then spoke solemnly:
"The New World is controlled by Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom. Though they fight amongst themselves, any Marine interference will unify them. From a social standpoint, we are soldiers they are thieves."
"Could we eliminate one at a time?" asked another Elder, golden-haired with a full beard.
Sengoku shook his head. "I considered it, but losses to the Marines would be significant, and the other two would likely interfere."
"So, what's your plan?" asked a third Elder, wearing a hat, curly-haired, a scar cutting across his left cheek.
"Since they despise the Marines, perhaps we can leverage pirates as intermediaries disrupting the current balance of power. Essentially, we use their hatred of us to weaken them from within," Sengoku explained carefully, revealing his strategy piece by piece rather than in full.
The Elders and Kong fell silent, contemplating the risk.
"And what if the pirates we empower refuse to follow our orders?" an Elder finally asked.
"We've thought of that," Sengoku admitted. "There are a few candidates already under consideration."
An hour later, Sengoku and Kong left Mary Geoise.
"Kong, do you think the Puppet Plan will succeed?" Kong asked, curiosity lacing his tone.
Sengoku hesitated, giving an ambiguous reply: "It should… hopefully."
The plan was perilous. Any misstep could result in disaster. Every calculation had to be precise.
The New World was a chessboard, and every move carried the weight of empires and legends. The battle lines had been drawn, and the stage set for an unprecedented confrontation among the strongest forces the world had ever seen.
The chess pieces were in motion, and only time would tell which side would emerge victorious.