Chapter 296: Red Hair's Warning
Wano Country · Onigashima
Kaido and Red Hair's Conqueror's Haki clashed fiercely in mid-air. Lightning and dark red electrical arcs danced wildly like mad dragons, tearing the sky apart and shaking the entirety of Onigashima as if an earthquake had struck!
"RUMBLE-RUMBLE—!!!"
The terrifying oppressive pressure swept across the venue like a tsunami. Among the Beast Pirates, the weaker Gifters and Pleasures instantly rolled their eyes back, fainting and collapsing in droves.
Even the Headliners and the Tobi Roppo were forced to bend their knees, gritting their teeth as cold sweat rolled down their foreheads—
"So this is... the Haki of the Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks?!!"
"He can actually match the Governor-General head-on?!!"
The Three All-Stars subconsciously stepped in front of Kaido to protect him, staring dead at Red Hair, killing intent surging around them.
Seeing the casualties in his legion, Kaido's dragon pupils narrowed slightly, and he slowly reined in his mountain-crushing aura.
Shanks retracted his Conqueror's Haki at the exact same time. The air over Onigashima suddenly felt like a loosened noose, deathly still and heavy.
Kaido's deep voice rolled like muffled thunder, descending from the high throne: "That brat from Roger's ship..."
"Has grown to this level now?"
He tilted his head back and downed a gulp of liquor. The liquid dripped down his dragon whiskers onto the floor, making a pat-pat sound.
"Speak. Why... exactly did you come to find me?"
Shanks's gaze was like a knife, his tone icy and steady: "Hanafuda has been captured by Roy."
"You didn't know, did you?"
Kaido's pupils shrank violently: "WHAT?!!"
Red Hair ignored his shock, continuing: "The Marines are planning to publicly execute Hanafuda."
"The reason is—Hanafuda used his status as a Shichibukai to secretly collect Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits and strategic resources for years..."
"...and transported all of it to the Beast Pirates."
Kaido's fist clenched abruptly. With a CRACK, the giant wine jug was directly crushed to pieces. The liquor flowed down through his fingers, dripping onto the ground with dull thuds.
Red Hair took a step forward, his voice heavy like an iron hammer striking the ground—
"If this news is made public, what will you do?"
Kaido roared like thunder: "Bullsh*t! Of course I'll go crash the execution ground!!!"
A cold light suddenly flashed in Shanks's eyes, his tone as icy as a blade slicing through steel:
"Marineford!"
"Sengoku, Garp!"
"The Three Admirals!"
"Roy!"
He articulated every single word: "With what... do you plan to crash it?!!"
The air instantly solidified to the extreme.
The expressions of the Three All-Stars—King, Queen, and Jack—were as heavy as iron. The Tobi Roppo were even covered in cold sweat—
"That's Marine Headquarters..."
"Plus the Three Admirals and Roy, and even Sengoku and Garp... With that kind of lineup, even the Governor-General might not be able to retreat in one piece!"
Kaido's dragon pupils shrank sharply. His breathing was heavy like thunder, his heaving chest revealing suppressed anger and bewilderment.
He stared dead at Red Hair, his voice deep and hoarse: "What... exactly are you trying to say?"
Shanks slowly raised his head. His gaze was like a torch, his voice steady and unquestionable: "I came, to give you a choice."
"Abandon Hanafuda."
"The Beast Pirates must comprehensively consolidate their forces."
He paused, his eyes suddenly turning sharp, his tone like an iron hammer slamming into the chest. "Otherwise—"
"You will die."
"And the Beast Pirates will be destroyed along with you!"
"BOOM—!!!"
Kaido fiercely smashed his fist into the skull throne, shattering it! Stone debris exploded outward along with a shockwave!
"Red Hair... are you underestimating me?!!"
The muscles all over his body bulged, his veins popping like horned dragons. His killing intent materialized into a tangible pressure that swept the entire venue: "I am the 'World's Strongest Creature'!!!"
"Mere Marines think they can kill me?!!"
Red Hair, however, remained unmoved, completely ignoring Kaido's fury. He merely stated calmly:
"The latest intel I received—the Five Elders do not want the Marines to execute a Shichibukai."
"They are worried about the system collapsing, so they are secretly tripping Roy up."
"They ordered the Marines to execute Hanafuda on Hachinosu, and restricted the deployment of Marine combat forces."
As soon as these words came out, the hall suddenly went quiet. Even the All-Stars showed expressions of shock.
King stepped forward, questioning coldly: "Red Hair, why are you telling us this? The Marines weakening the Beast Pirates, isn't that more beneficial to you, Red Hair?"
Shanks just gave him a faint glance: "Because, compared to a crazed Kaido..."
"I would much rather not face an out-of-control Marines."
He turned and walked toward the port, his back snapping in the wind, leaving behind one last sentence—
"Roy and Garp have been restricted from deploying. This is my final warning. Weigh the options yourself."
Kaido stared dead at his back. In his dragon pupils, fury and rationality clashed fiercely, his fists cracking as he clenched them.
"Abandon Hanafuda?"
"Impossible! He is my brother!!!"
However, thinking of the luxurious Marineford lineup Shanks had described, even the "World's Strongest Creature" couldn't help but feel a trace of icy chill in his heart.
...
Inside the Fleet Admiral's Office
The atmosphere was as heavy as solidified air.
Sengoku folded his hands, resting his elbows on the desk. His sharp gaze locked onto Roy, his brow deeply furrowed: "Roy, this restriction set by the Five Elders... what is its significance?
Designating Hachinosu as the execution site for Hanafuda, only allowing one Admiral and two Vice Admirals to lead the troops, and specifically forbidding you and Garp from going.
What exactly does this mean?"
A trace of mockery flashed in the depths of Roy's eyes: "I'm afraid this is an idea someone handed to them."
He raised his hand and tapped lightly on the desk. "On the surface, it satisfies our request. But in reality, it's putting shackles on the rules..."
"Arranging it this way can lure Kaido to act in person, yet also ensure he won't be beaten to death.
Even if it really comes down to crossing blades and drawing blood, the final result will only be mutual destruction..."
"Perfectly fitting their so-called vision of the sea—'Balance'."
When those two words came out of Roy's mouth, they carried undisguised mockery and indifference.
Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged a glance. A connection to "someone" flashed in both their eyes, but now was clearly not the time to press the issue.
Tsuru's gaze sank, her tone carrying a trace of worry: "Then what do you think? If we only send one Admiral and two Vice Admirals to lead the troops...
If the Beast Pirates deploy in full force, we might not be able to hold them off!"
Hearing this, Roy merely smiled faintly, his tone certain and calm: "Don't worry. It's impossible for the Beast Pirates to deploy in full force."
He tilted his head slightly, a mocking glint in his eyes: "Since someone deliberately set up this restriction, it means he will definitely send this news 'intact' straight to Kaido's ears.
And Kaido..." Roy's voice lowered slightly, "Although he looks rugged on the outside, his heart is shrewder than anyone's... He will weigh the options."
Shifting the topic, he slowly raised his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a blade:
"Besides, those five old fools didn't restrict how much 'below Vice Admiral' combat power we can bring along..."
Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged another glance. This time, the new generation of officers who had rapidly risen under Roy's wing surfaced in their minds almost simultaneously—
Those young but already capable figures, practically invincible among their peers, who could even threaten the status of veteran Vice Admirals in certain fields.
As their eyes met, they saw the same light in each other's gaze. The situation might not be as locked down as the Five Elders thought.
Roy slowly leaned back in his chair, his fingertips rhythmically tapping the armrest. His gaze crossed the window, landing on the blue line where the sea met the sky in the distance.
"Since they want to disgust us..."
"Then don't blame me..."
"...for playing a few moves of my own."
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