"Despicable bastard!!!"
Faced with Red's blatant threat, Kaido instantly widened his eyes in shock.
At this moment, how could he not realize that he had already been pushed into a deadlock, unable to advance or retreat?
Kaido even began to suspect that the Straw Hat Pirates had long known about the simultaneous movements of the Beasts Pirates and the World Government.
Otherwise, how could they have appeared at such a perfectly calculated moment—and trapped both him and the Beasts Pirates so exquisitely right here?
If he were confident that he could instantly annihilate Red in a short span of time, Kaido truly wanted nothing more than to spew a mouthful of dragon breath and incinerate this brat on the spot!!!
A Yonko of the Sea—since when had he ever been treated like this!?
"So," Kaido growled, "what is it that you want!?"
In an instant, Kaido revealed a dangerous expression. Still, he followed Red's lead and asked the question.
He had no time to think about how Red was controlling such a massive volume of seawater in such an abnormal way. What he knew was that he had no other choice.
Hearing this, Red's lips curled slightly as his tone shifted, and he said with a smile:
"Isn't it obvious, Senior Kaido…?"
"Right now, in this stretch of sea, there are the Straw Hat Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Beasts Pirates, and the World Government fleet all present at once."
"Don't you think that among these… there's one party that's completely unnecessary?"
"You want me to help you deal with the World Government?" Kaido narrowed his eyes. Though he had already vaguely guessed it, the feeling of being calculated against and toyed with still ignited a nameless fury within him.
Yet Red seemed completely oblivious to the danger hidden in Kaido's enormous dragon pupils and continued with a light chuckle:
"Who else could it be, Senior Kaido?"
"Although this sea region looks like a chaotic mix of factions, in truth there are only two camps!"
"Pirates—and the Government forces!"
"As fellow pirates, there's absolutely no reason for us to fight among ourselves right now and let the World Government reap the benefits."
"What's more…"
"If I'm not mistaken, among this World Government fleet, there's a very high chance that one of the Five Elders is personally accompanying them."
"Don't you want to see for yourself the true foundation that has allowed the World Government to rule the world for eight hundred years!?"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"After all, chances on this sea for three Yonko to join forces are exceedingly rare!"
"And don't forget—above the Five Elders, seated upon the Empty Throne, there exists Imu, the true ruler who controls the world from the shadows!"
"If I remember correctly, Senior Kaido, you were once an experimental subject of the World Government. Even if you don't hate them to the bone, that kind of grudge isn't something that can be so easily erased."
"But you also know very well that with your current strength alone, you're no match for the World Government. Isn't that right?"
"This might very well be the only chance in your lifetime to take revenge on the World Government, Senior!"
"..."
Kaido had to admit it.
Listening to Red's reasoning and emotional appeal, the hostility in Kaido's eyes rapidly faded away.
What replaced it…
…was an expression of unrestrained, manic excitement.
"Who knows whether this so-called Imu isn't just some fabricated existence you and Morgans cooked up to grab headlines."
In his colossal dragon form, Kaido suddenly opened his jaws, baring razor-sharp fangs, and did not immediately agree.
But the very next moment, his expression shifted as he spoke directly:
"However, there's one thing, brat…"
"You've convinced me!"
"As fellow pirates, there really is no need to put on a show for the World Government and the Marines right now."
"I agree to join forces with you against the World Government—but on one condition."
"You must be able to persuade that old man Whitebeard."
"Hahahaha, don't worry, Senior Kaido."
Seeing Kaido relent, Red immediately burst into hearty laughter and said:
"Whitebeard's hatred for the World Government is far deeper than yours ever was!"
"You're damn right!"
At that moment, a deep, thunderous laugh suddenly echoed from behind Red.
Red and Kaido both shifted their gazes toward the source of the sound.
At some point unknown to them, the Moby Dick of the Whitebeard Pirates had already arrived beneath the two of them, and their entire conversation had been heard loud and clear.
Of course, such an obvious move was something both Red and Kaido had long been aware of—and silently permitted.
Hearing Whitebeard speak up, Kaido also looked downward.
"Looks like we've got another chance to work together, old bastard."
"Heh~" Whitebeard snorted with a dismissive laugh. "I never thought there'd come a day when I'd cooperate with you again either!"
As his words fell, Whitebeard and Kaido locked eyes once more.
Two former members of the Rocks Pirates—after decades of storms and bloodshed—now reunited again as emperors of the sea…
Even someone as seasoned as Whitebeard couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
What a cruel twist of fate…
Almost unconsciously, both Whitebeard and Kaido turned their gazes toward Red—the one who had orchestrated all of this.
Though neither of them had ever witnessed the Straw Hat Pirates' true combat strength, the fact that Red possessed the ability to overturn Whole Cake Island in a single day…
…and that he had seemingly planned from the start to unite three Yonko crews…
Even setting aside sheer power, this level of foresight alone was enough to earn their respect.
At this moment, Red's actions alone were enough to ensure that neither Kaido nor Whitebeard would ever dare underestimate the Straw Hat Pirates again.
And just like that, three Yonko pirate crews formed an unprecedented alliance.
Soon, under Red's control, the colossal wall of seawater slowly descended—without stirring even the slightest ripple.
Surf—a move that had once played an important role in the Straw Hat Pirates' growth, but had gradually faded from the stage with Laboon's return and the evolution of the Going Merry.
After all, despite its grand scale, Surf could only clear out fodder.
Against true top-tier fighters, it dealt little real damage.
Figures like Kaido and Whitebeard would never be harmed by something as trivial as Surf.
So rather than letting the roaring waves strike others, it was better to let them disappear altogether.
At the very least, from a visual standpoint, it made Red appear even more mysterious.
And sure enough…
The Beasts Pirates members—still unaware of what Kaido and Red had discussed—stared in confusion as the massive dragon suddenly vanished, completely at a loss.
At that moment, Kaido suddenly descended from the sky and reverted to his human form.
Seeing their captain return, the Beasts Pirates' top officers quickly gathered around him.
When they learned from Kaido what was happening in this sea region, every single one of them instinctively sucked in a sharp breath—and turned their gazes toward Red, who had already landed on the deck of the Moby Dick.
As expected of the pirate crew with the world's highest bounty…!They'd grasped everything with terrifying clarity.
For a brief moment, the Beasts Pirates' officers even felt as though they had suddenly appeared on a gigantic chessboard, reduced to mere pieces.
And behind them, an emotionless pair of enormous hands manipulated every single piece at will—using them to secure victory in this grand game!
Was Captain Kaido's decision truly the right choice for the Beasts!?
No one among them could answer that.
But there was one thing they knew for certain…
The battle that had seemingly ended was about to begin again!
And this time, their enemy was the far more terrifying World Government!
The good news was…
They had two Yonko-level allies.
The bad news was…
From beginning to end, they had been completely passive—without a shred of freedom to choose.
...
...
Meanwhile.
As Kaido explained the alliance to his subordinates, Red—now aboard the Moby Dick—began explaining his identity as a Trainer to Whitebeard and the others, as previously agreed.
With countless examples already laid out before them, they quickly accepted Red's identity and gained the opportunity to become Pokémon.
Thus, one by one, Red brought the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders into the Pokémon world.
This time, Red was extraordinarily generous. His contracts included not only the division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates, but also the captains of pirate crews willing to follow under Whitebeard's banner.
With a major battle imminent, increasing their strength was never a bad thing.
However, having already grown accustomed to seeing powerful stat panels, Red found himself disappointed—none of the commanders or captains truly caught his eye.
Even Marco, the Whitebeard Pirates' right-hand man, was a step below Charlotte Katakuri.
At his current level, he might not even be able to defeat Ace, the Second Division commander.
It could only be said that Whitebeard had protected his "children" far too well.
Otherwise, Marco—who had followed Whitebeard since childhood and possessed such a powerful Mythical Zoan ability—should never have been limited to this level.
Fortunately…
Whitebeard's own stat panel did not disappoint Red in the slightest.
With the dark ailments in his body removed, Whitebeard's strength was still somewhat affected by age.
But at the very least, judging from his stats—
He truly deserved the title of "World's Strongest Man."
[Pokémon: Edward Newgate]
[Level: 89]
[Gender: ♂]
[Nature: Gentle (+Sp. Def −Attack)]
[Type: Normal / Ground]
[Ability: Parental Bond(For each genuine child or descendant nearby, strength increases slightly.PS: Adopted children also count.)]
[Moves: None]
[EXP: 0 / 22447]
[Total Stats: 1709]
...
...
As expected of the man feared by the World Government and the Marines!
Not only did he possess the highest level Red had ever seen—Level 89—but with the device's assistance, he had awakened the powerful ability Parental Bond!
Originally, Parental Bond was an ability exclusive to Kangaskhan—Pokémon that treat their baby as part of themselves.
In the anime, it allowed the baby to assist in attacks.
Even in the games, it merely caused an extra hit dealing a percentage of damage.
But under the device's modifications, Parental Bond truly lived up to its name—transforming familial love directly into power and bestowing it upon Whitebeard.
Although the device's description was simple, standing before Whitebeard, Red could personally feel just how terrifying this ability truly was!
When he brought Whitebeard out of the Pokémon world, the "sons" gathered around him instantly erupted with a unique force visible only through Aura, which surged wildly into Whitebeard's body.
In an instant, Whitebeard's already overwhelming presence skyrocketed even further!
If he hadn't deliberately suppressed it after realizing something was wrong…
This entire sea might have begun boiling once more under Whitebeard's sudden pressure.
"This is…?"
Whitebeard's eyes widened in shock.
As the last person to enter the Pokémon world, he had already witnessed the incredible abilities his children gained from the Pokémon templates.
But he never imagined that his own ability would cause such an explosive increase in power!
According to the device, Parental Bond only granted boosts from genuine descendants—and was even marked as a "slight increase."
But grains of sand form a tower; small amounts accumulate into something vast!
When more than five thousand pirates gathered around Whitebeard, the power Parental Bond granted him allowed him to leap across multiple tiers of strength.
Though Red had never seen higher stat values, he estimated that with the ability's amplification, Whitebeard's total stats had already surpassed 1900!
"Looks like I accidentally gave Whitebeard a massive gift…"
A sharp glint flashed through Red's eyes.
And with that, his confidence for the upcoming battle against the Five Elders surged.
At the very least, with Parental Bond alone, Whitebeard would absolutely not be slacking off in the coming fight.
Red would never allow a repeat of Marineford—where Whitebeard merely supervised from the rear!
This time, Whitebeard had to charge at the very front!
Otherwise, Parental Bond would be completely wasted.
...
...
Waves roared and the sea churned violently.
Not long after the three Yonko formed their alliance, gigantic warships flying the flag of the World Government slowly emerged from beyond the horizon.
At the same time, inside a luxurious chamber aboard the flagship—
Akainu, accompanied by Aokiji and several elite Vice Admirals, stood before Saint Saturn of the Five Elders.
Watching Saturn leisurely sip his afternoon tea, Akainu's forehead bulged with a vein—yet he dared not show any disrespect.
Finally, after Saturn drained half his cup, he slowly raised his head and signaled that Akainu could speak.
Seizing the moment, Akainu stepped forward and reported swiftly:
"Saint Saturn, we have entered the Totto Land Waters."
"According to prior intelligence from Cipher Pol, the sugar fragments drifting in the air above this region appear to possess enemy-detection capabilities."
"If the Straw Hat Pirates have mastered this technique, they may have already detected our arrival."
"Enough."
Saint Saturn raised a hand, cutting him off.
"Even if they have discovered us, in the face of over a hundred warships, all they can do is obediently await the end on Whole Cake Island!"
Although Luffy and the others had escaped last time, based on later footage, Saturn concluded that the Straw Hat Pirates had some strength—but not much.
This operation had only been personally authorized because the Straw Hats' actions were too outrageous, prompting Lord Imu to dispatch him to execute them.
At least…
That was how Saint Saturn viewed it.
Seeing Saturn's overwhelming arrogance—and his complete disregard for caution—Akainu clenched his fists tightly.
If this old man weren't his superior, holding absolute authority over his life and death, Akainu would have already punched him black and blue!
Thankfully, Akainu endured it in the end.
However…
Just because he could endure it didn't mean another member of the "Red" lineage could do the same.
At that moment, a clear, resonant voice suddenly echoed above the flagship's cabin.
"To barge so brazenly into our territory!?"
"Isn't that far too arrogant!!!"
Standing high above the Totto Land Waters, Red looked down with a smile at the hundred-plus naval warships.
Under the gaze of countless Marines and Government troops, he slowly raised a finger and shouted:
"Laboon—use Surf!!!"
(End of Chapter)