"Kaido-sama!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates have appeared! They're rapidly approaching the Ailen Island!"
"Their entire fleet has assembled!"
"At their current speed, they'll arrive in about two hours!"
After delivering his report, Fendel turned to Kaido, who smirked and called over to King.
"Oi, King!"
"Should we throw a little welcoming party for that old geezer Whitebeard?"
King, arms crossed over his chest, responded in his usual calm tone, "It would be an honor."
"Wororororororo! Let's go, then!"
As the two took to the skies, Jack stood watching, a jealous look plastered on his face.
For all his physical prowess, Jack still couldn't match Kaido or King in their ability to fly freely. While techniques like Geppo from the Navy's Rokushiki allowed short bursts of aerial movement, they were nothing compared to Kaido and King, who could practically live in the air.
Rokushiki techniques were rooted in physical strength, and regardless of mastery, they consumed a lot of stamina. Even someone like Jack, with his monstrous physique, couldn't sustain long flights—let alone replicate Kaido's effortless, soaring dominance.
As Jack rubbed his chin in thought, his gaze flicked to the unoccupied Devil Fruit slot in his mind.
"Whitebeard's crew has that phoenix guy, Marco, right? If I take him out, could I snag his ability? Or maybe Borsalino… if I get my hands on his light powers, I could be an unstoppable flying war elephant! With built-in special effects! That would be insane!"
...
On the deck of the Moby Dick, Namur, the 8th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, stood before Whitebeard. The tattooed number "8" on his neck stood out as he spoke with guilt weighing heavy in his voice.
"Father, I'm sorry. Some of my kin on Fish-Man Island have forgotten the kindness you've shown in protecting them!"
"They've joined the Beasts Pirates and now stand against us."
"It's shameful, and I deeply apologize!"
"Gurararara..." Whitebeard laughed heartily.
"Namur! My son, what kind of foolishness are you spouting?"
"Kindness? We're pirates, boy!"
"We're at war with the Beasts Pirates now. Those fish-men joined Kaido's crew because they see us as enemies—it's as simple as that!"
"If they betrayed their captain over a mere debt of gratitude, that'd be truly disgraceful! A pirate's so-called 'kindness' is meaningless when faced with grander ideals!"
"There's no need for you to feel ashamed. Have you forgotten? You're a pirate too!"
Namur scratched his head awkwardly, breaking into a sheepish grin.
"Hahaha! Of course, I haven't forgotten, Pops!"
"But if gratitude doesn't mean much, then neither does blood. In this moment, it's meaningless!"
"I, Namur, will remind them of your fearsome reputation, Father!"
His gaze turned to the sea, his tone dripping with resolve.
"Gurararara..." Whitebeard chuckled lightly, standing tall on the deck as he gazed into the distance.
A short while later, Whitebeard frowned, sensing something amiss. Marco, the crew's first division commander, also noticed, his expression tightening as he looked skyward.
A strange hum filled the air. Soon, all the Whitebeard Pirates looked up, drawn by the ominous noise.
"That's..."
"Kaido!"
From the sky, Kaido, in his azure dragon form, descended toward the Moby Dick. His arrogant laughter echoed as the sheer force of his flight made some crew members clutch their ears.
"Heat Breath!"
"Boom!"
A massive stream of flames shot from Kaido's mouth, but Whitebeard stood unfazed. With his beloved Murakumogiri in hand, the legendary pirate unleashed a shockwave from its tip, slicing the flames apart.
"Bang!"
The flames scattered, but no sooner had they dissipated than King arrived. Flames erupted at his feet as he hurled a barrage of fireballs toward the ship.
"Hmph!"
Marco transformed into his phoenix form, skillfully intercepting each fireball midair. He hovered, wings ablaze, locking eyes with King.
"Wohohohohoho! Whitebeard!"
Kaido spiraled through the air, towering over the Moby Dick. Whitebeard shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand, squinting as he spoke softly:
"Kaido! You brat... You're still as much of a fool as ever."
"Wohohohoho! I've received your declaration of war loud and clear!"
"This is my gift to you—a grand welcoming party! I hope you enjoy it!"
Kaido roared, unleashing a flurry of wind blades and powerful tornadoes toward the ship. The Whitebeard Pirates scrambled as the storm of attacks bore down on them.
"Hold on tight! Steady the helm!"
"Everyone, be careful!"
"Ahhhh!"
Whitebeard remained calm. Gathering power, he slashed his weapon downward. The sea surged, rising into a massive tsunami that collided with Kaido's tornadoes. The violent clash sent waves crashing over the ships, causing chaos as pirates struggled to hold their ground.
Back on Kaido's end, he and King returned, clearly exhilarated.
Jack, watching them with a mix of confusion and curiosity, smirked.
"Kaido-sama really seemed to enjoy himself this time. Maybe it's because Whitebeard used to be his crewmate."
Jack's thoughts spiraled further.
"Perhaps Whitebeard tried to recruit Kaido back then, only to get rejected and beat him up. So now, Kaido-sama keeps pestering him for fun. Makes sense."
"Look sharp! That's the Moby Dick!"
The shouts of the Beasts Pirates interrupted Jack's musings. Grabbing a telescope, he focused on the crescent-bearded man standing tall on the deck.
"That's Whitebeard..." Jack muttered, narrowing his eyes. "He's got a pointy chin too. Wait, what's he doing now?"
On the Moby Dick, Whitebeard laughed loudly, his voice booming across the waves.
"Gurararara! Kaido, you brat!"
"Your welcoming party—I loved it! Here's my return gift. I hope you like it!"
Whitebeard crossed his arms and grabbed the air itself, shattering it.
Seconds later, the sea raged. Waves over 30 meters high surged toward Rensk Harbor, where the Beasts Pirates had anchored.
"Shit!" Jack yelled.
"Is every gift you give this big? Looks like you really liked Kaido-sama's present after all!"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg