In the New World, on Onigashima in Wano Country.
This was the first time the Red Hair Pirates had set foot in this place.
Back when they hadn't yet become an Emperor-level crew, they once passed through Kaido's territory and were chased down for it.
But now, they could step onto Kaido's territory relying on their own strength.
"Shanks, Kaido isn't easy to deal with," Beckman said, wiping his pistol.
Shanks raised his head, looking at the dark clouds coiling above Onigashima.
His eyes were filled with determination.
"The Light hasn't reached the time when he should appear. If we don't suppress the Marines development, we might not wait until the Light awakens."
Before coming to Wano, he went alone to the East Blue to see the life of the "Light."
The current Light was still too immature.
Shanks needed to buy him more time.
He felt the changes in this world were no longer like the prophecy described.
Shanks fell into deep thought.
'When did it start?'
It seemed to begin when Whitebeard died at the hands of the Marines. From that point on, the balance of the world changed.
According to Roger's calculations, the Four Blues and the Grand Line should still be under Marines rule, while the New World would be divided among pirates.
The World Government's oppressive rule would force some people to go out to sea and become pirates, while others would choose to resist the World Government.
But why? Why had the world become like this?
The Four Blues had almost fallen into the hands of the Revolutionary Army.
The Marines stretched its arms into the New World.
Meanwhile, the pirates of the New World hadn't reached a balanced state and couldn't resist the Marines.
Aside from the World Government remaining oppressive, everything else had changed.
No matter what, forcing events back onto their original track would be difficult.
Shanks' thoughts were firm.
No matter the price, he needed to join forces with Kaido and drive the Navy bases out of the New World.
If it were just an ordinary Marine base, that'd be one thing. But the current base had three thousand elite soldiers and an Admiral.
No force in the New World could ignore its existence.
Before making a move, every pirate had to consider the Marine's presence. This caused the pirates to remain trapped in chaos.
For this purpose, Shanks came to Onigashima, hoping Kaido would give him some respect.
Whoosh!
A figure flew down from the sky at high speed, landing in front of Shanks with a single leap.
"Red-Haired Shanks, what are you doing here?" King asked in a deep voice.
Wearing his mask, no one could see the expression behind it.
"For the survival of the pirates of the New World, and to drive the Marines out." Shanks said calmly,
"King, the situation for pirates has reached a matter of life and death. If we keep fighting among ourselves, the Marines will defeat us one by one. I don't want to be locked up in Impel Down."
King nodded, then used his ability and flew into the sky once more.
"That guy is strong," Beckman walked up behind Shanks with a cigar in his mouth.
King gave him a strange feeling.
It didn't feel like his aura changed simply because of a Devil Fruit. It felt more like he belonged to a race that disappeared long ago.
Shanks shook his head. "Beckman, we came to seek an alliance with Kaido against the Marines, not to decide victory or defeat with him. Everyone has their secrets, and everyone hopes their secrets won't be known by others. Anyone who pries into those secrets might become a mortal enemy."
Beckman said nothing. He took a puff from his cigar and slowly exhaled.
Yasopp swung his long rifle and aimed a few times in the direction King flew off.
"Although I don't know that guy's exact abilities, I'm confident I can hit him."
Everyone trusted Yasopp's shooting skills, so no one refuted him. Instead, they burst into laughter and praised him.
...
On Onigashima, Kaido was holding a wine jar, drinking wildly. King, who had just flown over, stood beside him.
After King relayed everything, Kaido finished drinking the entire jar.
Kaido threw the wine jar away, smashing it.
With a drunken expression, he said, "That brat, even if he's become one of the Three Emperors, so what? He's scared of a mere Admiral. What an embarrassment to pirates."
Hearing Kaido's meaning, King thought Kaido intended to reject this cooperation, so he prepared to turn around and fly back to inform the Red Hair Pirates.
But Kaido waved his large hand. "King, bring them up."
"Understood, Kaido-san. I'll tell them to leave right away—huh?" King thought he misheard.
He assumed Kaido said to make them leave, not bring them up.
The corner of Kaido's mouth curled into a mocking smile. "If a newly ascended Emperor can see through the situation, I can understand it too. The Marines is playing a big game. They want to wipe us all out in one fell swoop."
At present, the New World almost no longer had new pirates coming in from the Four Blues or Paradise.
Most pirates now going out to sea came directly from the New World itself.
As for those in the Four Blues, they either joined the Revolutionary Army to resist the World Government, or they were eliminated early by the Marines in Paradise.
From what Kaido knew, every Warlord of the Sea who met Raleigh didn't dare violate the World Government's orders.
Each of them was crazily slaughtering pirates.
A mafia family he previously had good dealings with was personally destroyed by Raleigh.
All the officers of the Donquixote Family died on the road while being sent to Impel Down.
In front of Raleigh, the title of Warlord didn't seem to matter much.
Those who failed to complete their missions were sent to prison all the same.
Kaido didn't care whether Doflamingo died or not.
What he cared about was that the Donquixote Family took a large deposit from him, but before the goods were even shipped out, Raleigh wiped them out.
This made Kaido furious. He wished he could kill Doflamingo himself!
But right now, the most important thing was to think about how to join forces with Shanks against the Marines
....
Not long after, Shanks and his group arrived at Kaido's location under King's guidance.
King stood in place and signaled for Shanks to enter alone to speak with Kaido, while the others remained where they were.
Shanks didn't think too much about it. Confidently, he walked alone before Kaido.
"Heh, Red-Haired brat. I'm curious. How did someone with your level of strength lose an arm?"
The last time Kaido saw Shanks, he still had both arms intact.
Seeing him as a one-armed man was baffling.
"Kaido, all of us are insects caught in the web of fate. Sooner or later, we will be devoured. But I'm a little luckier than you. I saw the hope of escaping that web." Shanks moved his severed arm slightly, then continued.
"I know why you always try to kill yourself. It's because you learned of that prophecy. According to the prophecy, you'll only die after being defeated by one certain person. To resist that fate, you chose all kinds of extreme challenges. Although you'd be seriously injured, before that person appears, you'll never die."
Crack!
A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, striking directly between Kaido and Shanks.
In the flash of thunder and lightning, Kaido already gripped Hassaikai in his hand and smashed it forcefully toward Shanks.
Shanks showed no surprise.
His right hand drew Gryphon from his waist, and the blade pointed straight at Kaido.
Clang!
Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki clashed with full force. Black-red lightning crawled through the air.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Members of both the Red Hair Pirates and the Beasts Pirates drew their weapons.
While glaring at each other, they observed their captains from the corners of their eyes.