"Emperor's Alliance?" Marco muttered under his breath. Over five months had already passed—almost half a year—since he arrived in this world. During that time, his main concern had been ensuring the survival of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Now, with his strength having reached Strong General Emperor level, at least outwardly, he ranked among the world's elite. It was finally time to think proactively about his next moves.
Kaido's gaze fell on him. "So, Marco… what do you think?"
Marco fell silent for a moment. The position of an Emperor was essentially within his grasp, yet he felt a brief sense of uncertainty. There were only three major objectives left on his list: annihilate the Blackbeard Pirates, defeat Kaido, and surpass the old era to become the strongest in the new era. He wondered when the next task would appear.
Almost immediately, the system responded, as if reading his thoughts: 'New task issued… Task: Choice: Accept Kaido's proposal to form an alliance or refuse the alliance. Reward: 1000 attribute points.'
Marco raised an eyebrow. Though 1000 attribute points were a modest reward, he would receive them whether he accepted or refused.
He glanced at Ace, Jozu, and Jinbe, standing nearby. "What do you all think?"
The three exchanged brief glances.
Jozu replied seriously, "Personally, alliances are unreliable. Neither under Pops nor now have we ever relied on them. But Marco, this decision is yours to make."
Jinbe added firmly, "Exactly. You are the Captain. Whatever path you choose, we will support you."
Ace hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I feel the same. We know too little about them. And now that we've reestablished ourselves in the New World, diving into some Four Emperors alliance feels… overwhelming."
Izo's voice cut sharply through the discussion. "I don't approve of this alliance. Kaido is the murderer of Lord Oden. Even if we don't avenge him, there's no reason to ally with such a monster. And he just killed Orochi, his so-called ally! Trusting him would be reckless. He could turn on us at any moment."
Kaido's expression darkened. "Orochi was weak. He courted his own death. If I had truly wanted to kill him, he would have been useless even before I took care of Oden."
Izo glared at Marco, silently urging him to reject the proposal outright.
But Marco hesitated. The system's task guaranteed 1000 attribute points either way, yet his own ambitions weighed heavily on him. He had arrived in the One Piece world with a purpose: to eventually drag the Celestial Dragons from Mary Geoise down to earth. With the system aiding him, gathering enough attribute points to reach or surpass Imu's level was entirely achievable in time.
Yet, despite his enormous strength as a Strong General Emperor, many rivals remained. The Marine Admirals alone could challenge him, and defeating them might require more than brute strength—it could demand strategic attrition.
Kaido and Linlin, observing Marco's hesitation, were inwardly pleased. They had already secretly formed an alliance. The act of hiding it now was intentional, designed to prevent Marco and Red-Haired Shanks from becoming wary. Revealing the alliance prematurely would make their plan harder to realize.
Benn Beckman noticed a flicker of indecision in Marco's eyes. Red-Haired Shanks' temperament was well-known—he would never allow the existing balance of power among the Emperors to be disrupted lightly. Beckman also understood that Kaido and Linlin's alliance could change the New World's power dynamics drastically. If the Phoenix Pirates joined as well, the balance would collapse entirely, even threatening the Red Hair Pirates' foothold.
Benn Beckman's voice cut through the tension. "Pirates are full of schemes and betrayals. Once interests diverge, a fierce battle is inevitable. Any Four Emperors alliance is unreliable."
Red-Haired Shanks watched Marco intently, sensing his inner conflict. He could not intervene; doing so might push Marco toward a choice he didn't want.
Finally, Marco lifted his gaze, looking directly at Kaido and Linlin. A faint, mocking smirk played on his lips. "Kaido, Linlin… you two haven't already formed an alliance, have you?"
Kaido and Linlin's pupils contracted briefly, but both masked it quickly.
Ace and Jinbe exchanged wary glances. If the two Emperors had already allied secretly, joining them could be fraught with danger.
Kaido, for his part, was a little taken aback. He had revealed nothing of his secret pact with Linlin, not even to their subordinates. How had Marco discovered it?
After a pause, Kaido said cautiously, "Linlin and I have considered it, but we haven't formally allied yet."
Ace and the others remained uneasy. A hidden alliance between Kaido and Linlin meant any move toward a three-way partnership could be manipulated.
Kaido's thoughts, however, were calculating. A two-Emperor alliance with Linlin would be the minimum gain; ideally, the Phoenix Pirates could join as well. The ultimate goal—a Four Emperors alliance—was a distant dream, especially knowing Red-Haired Shanks' independent nature. The Red Hair Pirates were elite, mobile, and territorial flexibility was low, making them unlikely to join.
Yet their presence could not be ignored. If only Kaido and Linlin allied, Red-Haired Shanks and the Phoenix Pirates could counterbalance them, neutralizing much of the strategic advantage. Securing Marco's participation was crucial.
Kaido shifted the conversation smoothly. "Worororo… I've already considered the concerns you raised about Who's Who…"
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