Chapter 39: The Whitebeard Pirates

——The Grand Line, the "Great Pirate Route."

The ship was massive, its design modeled after a white whale. Sailing across increasingly warmer waters under relatively stable skies, the world-renowned pirate captain was sparring with his "sons."

"RAAAH!!"

"HOOOH!!"

Two young men roared as they charged at their "Pops." Not as enemies—no, on this ship, anyone who officially joined the crew and shared a cup of sake with the captain became his "son," bound by the ties of family.

Unlike the infamous Golden Lion Pirates or Big Mom Pirates making waves in the world, this crew had no fixed territory. They were true pirates, sailing the high seas in search of adventure, upholding justice above all else. And at their helm stood the towering man with his signature white beard—Edward Newgate, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.

"GURARARARA! Still got a long way to go, Marco! Jozu!"

"G-Goddammit, old man!! Cut us some slack!!"

"Ugh... I’ve got a lump the size of an egg now..."

The two apprentices—Marco, a spirited kid with a pineapple-like mop of hair, and Jozu, a hulking but soft-spoken young man rubbing his sore head—had just been effortlessly tossed aside. The crew around them burst into laughter.

"Hahaha!! Hey, Marco! Ain’t you the ‘Phoenix’?! A little punch shouldn’t even faze ya!"

"Shut it, Vista!! Just ‘cause I heal don’t mean it don’t hurt!"

"Jozu! If you kept your ability active, you’d be diamond-hard all the time! Why not just shine forever?!"

"Can’t move... when I do..."

The two rookies were heckled good-naturedly by their crewmates: Vista, the dual-wielding swordsman; Rakuyo, the dreadlocked brawler with a spiked ball; Kingdew, the top-knotted brawler; Atmos, the gruff-faced helmsman with bull-horned armor; Fossar, the cigar-chomping bruiser; the ageless female pirate Whitey Bay; and the eccentric but loyal Epoida, Andre, and Iru.

At the center of it all, Whitebeard grinned down at the two sprawled apprentices, his pirate’s grin wide and warm.

"Not yet. At this rate, you’ll be stuck as rookies for years."

"Whaaaat?! Who cares as long as we’re strong?!"

"You ain’t strong. And rushing won’t change that. You two—"

Whitebeard didn’t need Observation Haki to read their transparent thoughts. Even the crew could see it. But Marco cut him off, slouching with his hands behind his head before perking up with excitement.

"But we’re headin’ to the New World soon, right?! Gotta graduate before then!"

"No."

"Why the hell not?!"

"You’re too young. I’ll treat you as full-fledged men at 16 or 17. Till then, suck it up."

"...Tch. Fine. If Pops says so."

Marco and Jozu pouted but didn’t argue. This was Pops speaking—not just their captain, but the closest thing they had to a father. On this ship, family didn’t defy family.

...Not that the Whitebeards were strict about hierarchy. Crewmates often sassed Whitebeard himself, but it was all in good fun—like playful squabbles between parent and child.

"GURARARA. Even if we are New World-bound, we’ve got islands to hit first. Get too eager, and you’ll burn out. Focus on the next stop for now."

"Oh yeah!! Hey, when’re we docking?!"

"Dunno... But the weather’s stabilizin’. Means we’re close to—"

Just then—

"—POPS!! LAND HO!!"

"Speak of the devil. —Oi, you lot!! Prep for landing!"

"Aye!!"

"Heh. Summer island this time?"

"Sure feels like it. Could go for somethin’ icy right ‘bout now."

At the lookout’s shout, Whitebeard barked orders. True enough, an island loomed on the horizon, and the crew buzzed with anticipation for the next adventure.

As they neared the coast, scouting for a secluded cape or beach to moor (real pirates rarely docked at ports—too many marines, too few welcomes), something caught their eye.

"Huh. Pops? There’s a bunch of pirate ships at the harbor."

"GURARARA! Must be a lawless island, then. No need to hide. Take us straight in."

"Hey theeeere!"

And with that, the Whitebeard Pirates docked the Moby Dick at the harbor. But just as they lowered the anchor and folded the sails in preparation to disembark, someone else took notice of something.

"Huh? There's a flag up there... Whose flag is that?"

"A Jolly Roger...? So, this place is someone’s turf...?"

"Pops! Do you recognize that flag?"

"Hmm? Which one?"

"That one right there! The skull with the double horns!"

"...!"

The skull flying at the port caught the attention of the more experienced crew members. It was a clear sign: this island belonged to another pirate crew. But no one could recognize whose Jolly Roger it was, and they all tilted their heads in confusion.

Naturally, they turned to the one man most likely to know—their captain, Whitebeard. He was the most seasoned and knowledgeable pirate among them. And Whitebeard himself moved to identify the flag carefully—better safe than sorry. Stirring up trouble in another crew’s territory could easily spark a war.

But as he looked at the double-horned skull flying over the island, Whitebeard furrowed his brows slightly. It didn’t ring a bell. And yet...

“Pops? Do you recognize it?”

“...No, I’ve never seen that flag before... But maybe—”

Whitebeard paused, a bad feeling creeping over him, and his words trailed off. His crew picked up on the shift in his mood, puzzled. And then—just moments later—

“Everyone, back off!!”

“Eh!? What’s going on—!?”

“—GOTCHAAAAA!!”

“!!?”

Right after Whitebeard shouted his warning, he spun around and blocked a sudden strike from behind with his naginata. The crew gasped—only a few had sensed the incoming attack.

But what really shocked them was the figure following up with a flurry of trident thrusts at Whitebeard. The attacker was nothing like him in size or presence—

“A... a girl!?”

“You okay, Pops!?”

“Who the hell are you!? Coming after Pops outta nowhere—!!”

The assailant was a girl with mysterious red and blue wings. Small and slight, yet wielding a massive trident with ease, she launched a series of attacks at Whitebeard, all laced with Armament Haki. The tension skyrocketed.

Yet Whitebeard deftly deflected each blow, his booming voice cutting through the air.

“—I knew it!! Nue!!”

“Ahaha! Long time no see, Whitebeard!”

“Wait, you know her!?”

“Hold on... That’s—”

“She’s from the Rocks crew...!”

Gasps spread through the crew. The girl who had launched a surprise attack on Whitebeard—he’d called her by name. And for those who’d been with Whitebeard since the very beginning, even back before he started his own crew, the sight of her made them visibly grimace. They knew her. They remembered her.

Her name was Nue.

The rest of the crew, unfamiliar with her, could only gawk at her contradictory nature—innocent appearance, monstrous strength—and whisper among themselves in confusion.

Meanwhile, Whitebeard, fending off the energetic girl’s trident, eventually caught it mid-swing, and with his free hand, grabbed hold of her.

"...Still the same mischievous brat, aren’t you...?"

"Aww, boo. Guess I lost. Tch, I really thought I’d manage to land a hit on you this time."

"Like I’d ever lose to a little punk like you. ...But more importantly... if you’re here, that means this island is—"

“Ah, so you figured it out! Well then, since there are some new faces here, let me introduce myself properly, okay?”

Now subdued and held by Whitebeard, the girl puffed her cheeks in frustration while he looked as though he’d just swallowed a lemon. Then, as the crew looked on in astonishment, Nue slipped from his grip—perhaps sensing he had no real intent to restrain her—and floated lightly into the air.

“Welcome to Keyes Island, Whitebeard Pirates!! This island is the territory of us—the Beasts Pirates! And I’m the crew’s vice-captain, the world’s cutest and most mysterious pirate: Nue the Sealed Beast!! I used to be Whitebeard’s crewwww-mate!! So be nice, 'kay? ♡”

“The Beasts Pirates... Wait, those Beasts Pirates?”

“Pops’ old crewmate...?”

“.........”

Confusion swept through the crew as Nue cheerfully welcomed them. Some were shaken by the mention of the Beasts Pirates. Others were caught on the fact she’d been one of Whitebeard’s former comrades. And still more simply couldn’t make heads or tails of this bizarre girl.

Whitebeard, meanwhile, stared at Nue—his old comrade—feeling a storm of complicated emotions churning inside. Silently, he ground his teeth.

---

The finest hotel on the southern side of the island.

The tatami-floored banquet hall inside had now become the base of operations for the Beasts Pirates.

At the moment, aside from a crowd of underlings, three of the four who had the privilege to sit at the head of the room were present. Among them, a massive, rotund giant sat surrounded by subordinates, eating the island’s famous ice cream as he spoke. Several wanted posters were spread out in front of him.

"—The Whitebeard Pirates. Led by that monster Edward Newgate, 'Whitebeard' himself. The guy who used to be the No. 2 of the Rocks Pirates—the same crew Kaido and Big Mom were part of back in the day. Rumor has it he’s strong enough to rival Roger and surpass even Golden Lion and Big Mom."

"Y-You’re not seriously thinkin’ of pickin’ a fight with those guys, are ya?!"

"I was shocked enough findin’ out the bosses used to be part of Rocks… but now Whitebeard’s here on the island?! What’re we gonna do, Queen?!"

The underlings of the Beasts Pirates visibly trembled at the mere mention of Whitebeard’s name. They were pirates too—there was no way they hadn’t heard of Whitebeard or the Rocks Pirates.

Until just a few years ago, Rocks had dominated the seas, including the Grand Line. And Whitebeard? He was one of Rocks’ most feared commanders. The only ones who could stand on equal footing with him were the pirates of the New World. As the other top officer—King, the "Wildfire"—put it:

"Quit pissin’ yourselves… Yeah, the New World’s crawlin’ with Rocks’ remnants now, but Whitebeard ain’t even that big of a 'force' yet. And even if we were up against Golden Lion or Big Mom, if Kaido says we fight—we fight. So get your damn heads straight…!!"

"Ugh…"

King’s presence was sharp as an unsheathed blade, his fighting spirit honed to a razor’s edge as he maintained his sword. His imposing aura was reassuring—but terrifying all the same. If any of them dared say they were scared of fighting Whitebeard now, they’d be cut down on the spot. The underlings instinctively took a step back from him.

Watching this, Queen, the "Plague", scoffed.

"Tch. Gettin’ all fired up by yourself, huh? Still, this freak’s got a point. If the boss says we go, we go. Simple as that, boys."

"D-Damn, Queen’s as cool as ever…"

"You’re not… scared of Whitebeard?"

"Scared? Wahahaha! What’s there to be scared of? We’re the invincible Beasts Pirates! And besides—you’ve got me, don’t ya?"

"Q-Queen-sama…!!"

"WOOOOOAH!! QUEEN!!"

"—And let’s be real, if Whitebeard’s involved, it’s Kaido or Nue who’ll handle him. I ain’t tacky enough to butt into a fight between captains."

"Huh? W-Wait… So what if Whitebeard comes for us?!"

"The hell kinda question is that?! We fight, you dumbasses!! —But I’ll be busy wreckin’ their officers, so I might not have time to deal with Whitebeard myself…"

"Wha—?! You’re just makin’ excuses ‘cause you don’t wanna fight him, right?!"

"Nah, I’d love to take Whitebeard’s head myself. …Too bad I’m just a subordinate now. If I were captain, maybe I’d give him a shot…"

"He’s totally tryin’ to dodge the fight while soundin’ cool!!"

"That’s so cheap, Queen-sama!!"

The underlings called out Queen’s obvious reluctance. Truth was, if it came to a fight, Queen would fight—but even he couldn’t hide how much the idea of facing Whitebeard unnerved him.

King let out a derisive snort.

"Hmph. Pathetic."

"The hell?! You sayin’ you could take Whitebeard’s head?!"

"If I’m ordered to, I will. Unlike you, coward."

"Who the hell you callin’ coward?! I’d do it too if I was told!!"

"S-Stop it, King-sama, Queen-sama!!"

"Y-Yeah! This ain’t the time for—"

As usual, King and Queen were locked in a heated glare over something trivial, while their underlings desperately tried to mediate.

But there was only one person who could shut them down.

Seated at the center of the head table was a towering man with horns—Kaido, captain of the Beasts Pirates, the "Strongest Creature."

"—GODDAMMIT!!!"

"?!"

"Whoa?! Wh-What’s wrong?!"

He suddenly smashed an empty liquor bottle and roared, his face still twisted in the same fury he’d worn since hearing the news. Even King and Queen stopped arguing to look at him. The underlings stared in shock.

Then Kaido growled, his voice dripping with rage.

"This pisses me off…!! Why the hell should I hold back when that bastard’s right in front of me?! Hey, answer me!!"

"Y-Yessir!! I-I mean… It’s just, Lady Nue said it’s not the right time to make a move, so…"

“W-Well, Lady Nue said she’d scout things out and bring back information… In the meantime, Lord Kaido would consider what to do, and once he hears what Lady Nue has to say, he’d decide whether or not to engage… That’s how the plan went, I think…”

The subordinates stammered their way through the explanation as Kaido’s furious presence overwhelmed them. Earlier, Kaido, Nue, King, and Queen had discussed the situation and reached that conclusion — to wait and see for now.

The plan was to gauge Whitebeard’s strength before deciding to strike. It was Nue’s suggestion, and since Kaido often accepted her ideas, he’d begrudgingly gone along with it. But this time, with Whitebeard as the opponent, he’d looked dissatisfied from the start — and now, he was finally exploding.

“Yeah, that’s right… That’s how it was…!! Damn Newgate is strong…!! He’s always been strong!! Among all the beasts aboard Rocks’ ship, he was one of the strongest… But he was always so damn preachy, and that’s why I always wanted to kill him…!!”

Kaido growled, clutching a bottle as he recalled the past. He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular — more like ranting to himself, reliving his memories with anger.

“But I never beat him. Not once… Neither I nor Nue stood a chance back then…!! We were way too weak!! So it couldn’t be helped — I decided I’d go independent and one day kill him myself… And now what, I’m just gonna let him go without a fight!?”

Slamming his jug down, Kaido grabbed his kanabo and rose to his feet. His frame, now far larger and more muscular than in his apprentice days, radiated both immense physical power and polished Haki.

The killing intent rolling off him was suffocating. Seeing that, Queen panicked and called out.

“Whaaat!? You’re gonna attack already, Kaido-san!? But Nue-san hasn’t even come back yet—”

“Shut the hell up!!! We’re going to pick her up ourselves!! I’m gonna get a good long look at Newgate’s smug face… and then smash it in with my fist!! LET’S MOVE!!! Today, I’m taking Whitebeard’s damn head!!!”

“O-OOOHHH!!”

When the captain gave the order, there was no choice but to follow. Their opponent was that Whitebeard. But Kaido was a monster in his own right. To his men, Kaido was the strongest being they had ever seen. Surely even Whitebeard couldn’t stand up to him — or so they believed.

And the scouting report had said they outnumbered Whitebeard’s crew, too. Confident they had the upper hand, Kaido gathered his forces and headed toward the location where Nue and the Whitebeard Pirates were waiting.

---

“Alriiiight!! Time for a drink, everyone!! Oh, and you’re all staying here tonight, okay? I’ve already talked to the hotel owner~♡!”

“…Oyaji, what do we do?”

“…We’re not staying. We’ll sleep on the ship.”

“Ehhhhh?! But I had everything ready for you guys! …Well, whatever. Let’s drink! Come on, cheers~!!”

“…Yeah.”

I, Nue, had led the Whitebeard Pirates to a large hotel on the northern part of the island. I’d reserved the entire banquet hall just for them. The tables before us were piled high with food and overflowing with alcohol — all local specialties and the finest dishes the island had to offer.

Taking a gulp of sake, I turned to Whitebeard and grinned.

“Puhah! Come on, come on! Don’t be so stiff, everyone! The food’s amazing, and the drinks are even better~!”

“…Uhh, Oyaji? Is it okay if we eat?”

“…I don’t see why not… Just don’t tell me you laced it with poison or anything.”

“Wha—how rude!! I’d never do something like that! If you’re that worried, I’ll eat some first! Nom, chew… Mmm! See? Delicious!!”

“…Haaah. Alright, dig in, everyone.”

“Right… Well then… Let’s eat.”

Despite their wariness, the Whitebeard Pirates finally began to eat. Whitebeard had been on guard, clearly unsure if he could trust me, and the others had followed his lead, unsure how to deal with me.

But I had no intention of starting anything right now. They’d lose out if they stayed tense all night, after all. So I said nothing and simply started enjoying the food and sake.

“Mmm~ so gooood♡ Come on, Whitebeard! You should eat, too! The food here is amazing! Especially the fish — it’s out of this world—”

“…You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Hm?”

Just as I was about to offer Whitebeard some food, he furrowed his brow and said that. I pouted instinctively.

“‘Haven’t changed,’ you say? That’s so rude! Come on, I’ve changed a lot! I mean, look—I’m way cuter than I used to be, right? Fufun.”

“Hah… Talking to you always throws me off. More importantly, what are you planning here? Where’s Kaido?”

“Kaido’s probably back at our base. Though, maybe he’ll show up here soon. As for what I’m planning~... I’m just curious how my old crewmates are doing, that’s all. You’ve got some pretty interesting recruits now, after all!”

“...We’ll see. And don’t go talking nonsense to my sons.”

Whitebeard leaned on one elbow, keeping his voice curt as he spoke to me. Hmph. He’s really being cold. Maybe he’s heard some rumors about us? That would explain the suspicion. —Well, never mind that. I turned my gaze toward the rest of his crew.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You don’t want the past brought up, right? Gotcha. Anyway—hey, you guys over there, have a drink! Or wait, maybe you're too young? Either way, wanna chat?”

“H-huh? Why are you treating me like a kid… Oyaji! Who the hell is this lady, yo!?”

“She’s just an old acquaintance. Don’t get too involved, or she’ll scramble your brain.”

“Ugh, harsh much? Your dad’s got a mean streak, huh? Also—‘Oyaji’ makes you his son, right? Wait, Whitebeard, since when did you get married?”

With a mischievous grin, I teased Whitebeard while addressing a particularly promising-looking kid among his trainees. He scowled even harder.

“I never got married… These guys are all my sons, bound by shared cups of sake.”

“Ohhh, I see. So it’s more like you gathered up folks you liked and made a family out of them to sail with. Classic Whitebeard. You always did do things differently than other pirates!”

“……”

“…Oyaji?”

I praised him for that approach, figuring it might lighten the mood, but he didn’t say a word in response. Huh. That’s odd. I thought he’d be happier hearing that. His sons, too, looked confused by their captain’s silence. Well, I did come here to enjoy myself, but if this is how things are going… then maybe causing a little mischief might be fun too. Hehe. Guess I’ll chat with the sons next. No real reason—just curious.

“Heeey, you there, pineapple-head!”

“Who the hell are you calling pineapple-head, yo!?”

“Then tell me your name! C’mon, tell your big sister~”

“…Marco. And seriously—what even are you, yo…?”

“Me~? Hmm, how should I put it… I guess you could say I’m Whitebeard’s former crewmate and ex-apprentice? —But forget about that. I wanna hear your story!”

“…Ours?”

“Yep yep. So, Marco, are you having fun on Whitebeard’s ship? Are you enjoying the pirate life?”

When I asked, he hesitated for a moment, but then answered seriously.

“…Yeah, I am, yo. Traveling with Oyaji and my crewmates, I get to see things I never imagined. It’s exciting, thrilling…”

“Oooh, and then?”

“And then—”

“—Hey, Nue. Don’t go messing with my trainee. I’ll smack you.”

Just as I was about to get more out of him, Whitebeard cut in sharply, clearly having seen right through my intentions. Muuu… Still as sharp as ever. Oh well. I gave a cheeky smile and turned my attention back to him.

“Whaaat? I wasn’t trying to mess with him or anything. …Whitebeard, aren’t you being a bit cold? You used to dote on me so much, remember~?”

“You’re an enemy now… And more than that, even if you were once an ally, now that you’re not, you’re a threat. I can’t afford to let my sons be exposed to danger.”

“…Oh? So you’re admitting I’ve gotten stronger?”

“At the very least, you’re not weak. Your Haki’s improved too…”

Hoooh, now that’s a surprise. And honestly? Kinda makes me happy. Back when I was training in Haki, he rarely ever praised me—yet now that we’re enemies, he’s giving me compliments? What a tsundere. Well, whatever. I don’t dislike praise.

“Man, I feel like you don’t trust me at all anymore… I haven’t changed one bit, but you, Whitebeard—you’ve changed, haven’t you?”

“…The fact that you haven’t changed is the problem.”

“…?”

He said that with a grim expression. Tilting my head in confusion, I waited for him to explain.

“…On my way here, I took a look around town… The people were afraid of you. And the only rumors I’ve heard about you are ugly ones… You’re still doing things the same old way, aren’t you?”

“Fufufu, being told I’m like the ‘old days’ is kinda flattering, you know? But come on, it’s not that bad. It’s not like there’s constant murder on the ship, and we’re not going around slaughtering peaceful towns. I just kill anyone who resists or stands in our way—and aside from that, we run a proper operation. Honestly, I’d say we’re way more gentle than before.”

“...Tch. Just as I thought. I don’t care what kind of pirates you and Kaido have become… but if you so much as lay a hand on my crew—I’ll sink you.”

"Hmm, I'd really rather not get sunk... Not that we're going to start anything right away, of course. I mean, Whitebeard's always hated that kind of thing, hasn't he? Still, I think we could at least get along. Or... is it that you can't be friends anymore with your old partners in crime?"

"...That's not it. The fact that we're even sitting here talking and drinking should be more than enough, don’t you think?"

"Hmm, when you put it that way, I guess so. I mean, you're a captain now, and I'm a vice-captain."

"Exactly. So don't start anything. In return, we won’t either—not while we’re on this island. We’ll leave the moment our log pose sets."

Hmm, sounds like Whitebeard’s acting like this because he’s thought things through as a captain. I mean, I am technically the vice-captain of the crew that’s claiming this island as our territory. Refusing outright and picking a fight would be one problem, but getting too friendly would also make things awkward, considering our reputation. So I guess this weird in-between vibe makes sense. Still... I wish he’d just relax and enjoy himself a bit more. Is it because seeing me brought back old memories? He’s overthinking it. The past is the past—just let it go. But I guess that’s also exactly what makes him “Whitebeard,” huh? It’s complicated.

But still, talking to him again after so long is fun. I wanna chat more—ask him more things, talk to his crew—but... it doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen. I finished the cocktail in my glass and smiled.

“—Well, that was our plan too, actually. Buuuut our captain doesn’t seem too interested in that idea anymore~♡”

"! ...So he’s here, huh."

“Eh? Pops, what do you mean by— …!!”

Right after I exchanged those words with Whitebeard, the hotel wall suddenly exploded with a deafening crash. His crew flinched, shielding their faces from the shockwave. Whitebeard’s brows furrowed as he sensed the presence approaching. I leapt up and headed in that direction.

“He’s already here. So you do wanna fight, huh?”

“—Hell yeah...! You think I can sit still with Newgate so close!?”

“Kaido…”

Whitebeard stood up, calling out the name of our captain—Kaido—as he emerged through the ruined wall. I hovered nearby, a bit above him, and behind us came King and Queen. I glanced at our subordinates and thought—well, figures. There’s no way Kaido could resist. He’s been itching for this. Now he’s glaring straight at Whitebeard and marching right up to him.

“Been a while, Newgate…!!”

“—How many years has it been, you lunatic brat? You’ve gotten a hell of a lot more savage since I last saw you…”

The two exchanged words at close range. Kaido was radiating pressure, but Whitebeard met it calmly. It felt like a flashback to the old days—but this time, Kaido's height nearly matched Whitebeard’s massive five-meter frame. Their eyes met on even ground—no longer looking up or down. Back then it was just me and Kaido, and Whitebeard was alone. Now, both sides had their crews behind them.

“So that’s Kaido of the Beasts…!!”

“He still looks young, but Pops was right… that’s some vicious Haki he’s got…”

“Tch… So this is how it ends up, huh. Well, knowing Kaido, I guess it was inevitable…”

Apprentices and younger pirates who’d never seen Kaido before, as well as seasoned ones with plenty of experience, all seemed to sense he wasn’t just anyone. Even those who’d once sailed with him were on guard.

And on our side, seeing Whitebeard in person brought its own reaction.

“So that’s Whitebeard…!!”

“H-Hey… he’s just as massive as Lord Kaido…”

“Muhaha… Looks like we’ve got the numbers, at least.”

“Hmph… so that’s Whitebeard. His crew doesn’t look like much though…”

“Don’t underestimate them!! Whitebeard’s a real monster, seriously!! And his crew isn’t weak either! But it’s not like we can’t beat them—so get fired up!!”

I warned both the ones who were getting cocky and the ones who were getting too scared. Honestly, it’s gonna be a rough fight… but saying that out loud wouldn’t help. If we’re doing this, might as well go all in and enjoy it, right?

While I was bracing myself, Kaido and Whitebeard each reached for their weapons. Whitebeard gritted his teeth, while Kaido wore a fierce grin—one that could only be called beastly. Whitebeard, knowing a fight was unavoidable, took up his bisento and made one last confirmation.

“You really wanna do this…!? I’m not gonna hold back like I used to…!!”

“No need for that…!! Newgate… I’m taking your head!!! —Let’s go, boys!!!”

“UOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!! Follow Lord Kaido!!!”

“Tch… Idiots…!!! —Oi, all of you!!! Get ready to fight!!!”

“Yeah!! Let’s take ’em downnnn!!!”

With Kaido’s shout, we—the Beasts Pirates—charged in. Whitebeard followed with his own command, and his crew rose to meet us.

—And so, that day, we, the Beasts Pirates, threw ourselves into our fiercest and most thrilling battle yet: a clash with the fearsome Whitebeard Pirates.