"Pops, a Marine fleet has appeared ahead!"
Shortly after Aomori and his group departed, a lookout shouted his report to Whitebeard.
"So they've truly come." Whitebeard gripped his great blade and raised it toward the sky. "Children, come with me to greet an old friend!"
"Yes, sir!"
Marco and the others were in high spirits, immediately entering combat status as they followed Whitebeard to the prow. The two fleets sailed toward each other until the silhouettes of the people on the opposing decks were clearly visible.
"Gurararara! Garp, Sengoku only ever knows how to order you around." Seeing the old friend he expected, Whitebeard laughed heartily. "As for the others, it's decades too early for them to dream of facing me."
"Whitebeard, enough talk. There's a small island nearby, let's settle this there. Do you have the guts?" Garp said bluntly.
Fighting Whitebeard at sea was a recipe for disaster; a single tsunami could wipe out the entire fleet. Thus, Garp used a provocative tone to lure the battlefield onto solid ground.
"Why wouldn't I!" Whitebeard understood Garp's intent but accepted readily. To him, smashing warships was far less satisfying than a long-overdue clash with Garp.
With the heavyweights having reached a decision, the others had no choice but to follow. Both fleets steered toward the island. Before the ships even docked, Whitebeard and Garp leaped onto the shore simultaneously, charging straight for the center of the island.
Soon, plumes of dust billowed into the air, accompanied by an endless succession of thunderous booms that reached the ears of those remaining on the ships.
"Garp-san and Whitebeard are both so scary." Kizaru transformed into a flash of yellow light and flew into mid-air, gazing down at the Whitebeard Pirates. "Hey, hey... excuse me, but is Aokiji there?"
Marco sprouted blue wings from his arms and flew up to confront Kizaru. "Him?" Marco said with a mix of truth and lies. "After meeting our Pops, he felt they were kindred spirits. He's already decided to join the Whitebeard Pirates."
"You're joking, right?" Sweeping the area with his Observation Haki, Kizaru found no trace of Aokiji's presence. He muttered to himself, "He's not on your ship... Good, good. Perhaps the intel guys got it wrong."
He tilted his head and looked at Marco. "Since I'm already here, it wouldn't be right not to fight. How about the two of us have a casual spar?"
Marco smiled. "Fine by me. I've been meaning to experience Admiral Kizaru's renowned techniques."
The two engaged in a fierce aerial battle, filling half the sky with blue flames and yellow flashes. Below, the crews watched their enemies with restless anticipation, but without orders, they could only watch the island, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.
Would it be the Marine Hero Garp, or would the World's Strongest Man, Whitebeard, defend his title?
…
While Garp and Whitebeard clashed, Aomori and his group raced toward Wano, guided by the Eternal Pose in Izo's possession.
"What is our plan once we arrive in Wano?" Izo asked. As a native of Wano, he was deeply worried about the state of his homeland.
"Simple. We take down Kaido directly, and peace will naturally return to Wano," Ace said, punching his palm as he shared his thoughts.
"The Beasts Pirates are massive, they have at least ten thousand men. We won't just be facing Kaido, but all his subordinates as well. I think we need a more deliberate plan," Izo countered, shaking his head.
They had thrown Marco's warnings to the wind, focused entirely on how to kill Kaido and avenge Oden.
"This time, I actually think Ace is right. In the Beasts Pirates, everyone except Kaido is mediocre. We don't even need to step foot in Wano proper; we go straight to his stronghold, Onigashima, and carry out a decapitation strike. I think it's feasible," Aomori added, aligning with their resolve.
In any case, he intended to let his fists do the talking with Kaido.
"But won't his subordinates interfere while we deal with Kaido?"
"Under normal circumstances, no. Kaido has a death wish; us going there to kill him is exactly what he wants. If anyone tries to interfere, we'll let Old Croc and Kuzan handle them. Their abilities are best suited for dealing with fodder."
"Hey, why should I work for you? I'm not your subordinate," Crocodile said, wearing a sour expression.
Aomori ignored him and turned seriously to Izo and Ace. "We three will be the main force against Kaido. Be prepared to lay down your lives."
"Ever since I heard of Oden-sama's death, I've been ready to die fighting Kaido," Izo said with fatalistic resolve.
"Don't worry, I won't let you die before me," Ace added, equally indifferent to his own survival.
"Good." Aomori nodded with satisfaction.
"And what about me?" Robin asked, pointing to herself.
"You? Your mission is to make sure you stay alive."
"..."
With the battle plan settled, their morale soared, and they wished they could face Kaido immediately. Half a day later, Izo felt something was off and approached Aomori again. "Um, although I'm not afraid to die, there's no need for needless sacrifice. Isn't it a bit arrogant for just the three of us to face Kaido? Maybe I should go to Wano first and find some like-minded allies."
"Actually, I know a very strong helper on Onigashima who will help us against Kaido," Ace chimed in.
The allies Izo wanted to find were likely the Scabbards, who would be taken out by a single swing from "Kaido-sensei," finding them would be a waste of time. Ace's helper was likely Kaido's daughter, Yamato; though she was strong, she was only roughly on par with Ace, making her a minor addition at best.
"You can, but it's not necessary," Aomori said, propping up his chin. "Actually, I could handle Kaido alone, but I'm letting you all join in so you feel a sense of participation. I really am a kind person."
"Pfft!" Robin couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Kind my foot! If you're going to be kind, be kind to the end and don't say it out loud!" Ace barked.
Izo's eye twitched; he had finally seen Aomori's true colors. However, having seen him display strength on par with Red-Haired on Whitebeard's ship, he knew Aomori wasn't just boasting.
"In that case, I'll leave it to you, Aomori-san." Izo's primary goal was revenge for Oden; he cared only for the result, not the process.
"No need for thanks. I'm doing this for myself as well," Aomori said honestly.
"Regardless, anyone who defeats Kaido is Izo's benefactor."
"Suit yourself."
After several days of sailing, they finally saw an island shaped like a giant horned ogre's skull.
Onigashima, reached!
On a cliffside at Onigashima, a young woman in a kimono stood gazing out at the sea. Red demon horns grew from her head, her long white hair fluttered in the breeze, and she possessed a towering, muscular frame. Holding a piece of paper, she murmured to herself, "Ace, when are you coming to get me?"
This was Yamato, the woman who shared a deep bond with Ace, and Kaido's "dutiful" daughter. Every day, she spent time at the place where she and Ace had parted, waiting for his return.
Thinking this would be another fruitless day, her eyes suddenly lit up. She saw an unfamiliar ship emerging from the horizon. "Is it you? Ace..."
On the ship, Ace spotted Yamato on the cliff. A wide grin spread across his face, so large his freckles seemed to vanish.
"Yamato, I'm back!" Ace shouted. Fountains of flame erupted from his feet, and using the thrust, he soared into the sky toward Onigashima. It was a move he had developed specifically for aerial mobility: Jet Rocket!
The bright firelight reflected on the girl's face, bringing a warm smile to her lips.
"Ace!"
"Yamato!"
As he landed, the two smiled at each other and immediately clashed, one throwing a massive fire punch, the other swinging a kanabo with all her might.
BOOM!
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged dozens of blows, turning the cliffside into scorched earth before stopping.
"Ace, you're still as strong as ever."
"Yamato, you haven't slacked off either."
"Hahahaha!"
They both recalled their first meeting and laughed out loud. After the laughter subsided, Yamato looked at Ace expectantly, her fingers twitching nervously. "Ace... are you here to take me out to sea?"
"Yes!" Ace nodded firmly. "And not just that. We're here to take down your father."
"Oh! That's great! Let me help too," Yamato said with a beaming smile, looking like a giant cat.
True to her reputation as a "loyal" daughter, hearing that her father was about to be beaten didn't worry her; instead, she was thrilled to join the fray and help deliver the beating.
"Alright. Let's wait for my partners to get here first."
"Partners? Is your brother Luffy with you?"
"Er, no. Luffy is still traveling far away, but we'll see him soon enough." Talking about Luffy made Ace's face glow. "Though there's still a gap between us, he's grown into a proper captain. You know, I saw him recently, and he..."
"Mhm, mhm." Yamato propped her chin on her hands, quietly listening to Ace's stories about Luffy, just like that night long ago.
Moments later, the ship docked. Aomori and the others leaped onto the cliff, meeting Yamato, who stood a full head taller than Ace.
"Hello, partners of Ace! I am Kozuki Oden! You can also call me Yamato." With that, she bowed to them. "Nice to meet you. Please take care of me."
"Why are you using Oden-sama's name?" Izo asked, bewildered by her self-introduction.
"Because Kozuki Oden is my idol!" Yamato said proudly, puffing out her chest.
"Stop! Let's cut that topic right there." Aomori didn't want to hear Oden's name anymore, fearing his facial expressions might slip. "No more small talk. We find Kaido and start the fight."
Aomori looked at Yamato. "Ace says you know this place well. Please lead us to Kaido."
"Sure, leave it to me!" Yamato thumped her chest vigorously.
"Nice. A very energetic girl," Aokiji silently gave a thumbs up.
"Indeed. No wonder Kaido is everyone's father-in-law," Aomori added a thumbs up of his own.
…
"At this hour, he should be drinking on the roof," Yamato said, leading the group through the stone forests toward the looming ogre castle.
"The roof? You mean the top of the giant skull?"
"Yes. We have to climb from the bottom of the castle all the way up. We'll encounter many enemies along the way, so be prepared for a long battle."
"No need. We'll go directly through the sky."
Aomori used his telekinesis to lift everyone, flying toward the highest point of Onigashima.
"Eh?! EHHH?!" Seeing the ground recede, Yamato was stunned. "This is amazing!"
"What's so amazing? I can fly too," Ace chimed in. "Didn't you see me fly over to find you earlier?"
"I guess so... You guys are so strong. I can't fly."
Amidst the chatter, Aomori landed them at the summit. There, they saw a massive man drinking and making merry. He had long black hair, a pair of horns similar to Yamato's (though white), and long, dragon-like whiskers. His chest was bare, revealing a cross-shaped scar on his lower right abdomen.
This man was the master of Onigashima, the de facto ruler of Wano, the Captain of the Beasts Pirates, one of the Four Emperors, and the man hailed as the "Strongest Creature in the World": Kaido of the Beasts.
However, his current state didn't quite match his fearsome reputation.
"Waaaaah... it hurts so much... why can't I ever die? This world is too boring... I just want to destroy it all..." Kaido was drunkenly sobbing, tears and snot streaming down his face, the picture of a pathetic drunk.
"He's drunk? Now's our chance!" Eager for revenge, Izo pulled out two flintlock pistols, aimed at Kaido, and pulled the triggers without hesitation.
Ace's eyes lit up as he too chose to strike. He leaped into the air, fire spiraling around his arm as he aimed a punch at the defenseless Kaido.
"Fire Fist!"
"Wait, don't!" Yamato shouted, a beat too late.
"Hmm? When I'm drinking... don't bother me!" Kaido's bleary eyes suddenly snapped open. He grabbed his kanabo and swung it, intercepting Izo's bullets and Ace's flames in a single motion.
"Get down here!"
Kaido leaped up, appearing behind Ace in the blink of an eye. The kanabo whistled through the air as it slammed down.
CLANG! BANG!
At the critical moment, Yamato arrived just in time to block the strike for Ace, but a second later, both she and Ace were hammered into the floor.
"How is this possible? He's drunk, yet his movements are so agile," Izo broke into a cold sweat.
Yamato stood up and said, "Because when that man is drunk, his strength doesn't drop, it increases. This is his most difficult phase to deal with."
"Truly a monster." Ace crawled out, wiping blood from his lip, his fighting spirit undiminished.
"Oh, it's Yamato. Come for another lesson from your father?" Kaido picked up a sake barrel and began chugging.
"No. This time, I'm here to defeat you!"
"Big talk. Then come, if you think you can do it!" Kaido smashed the barrel onto the ground.
Amidst flying wood splinters, a wave of murderous intent surged violently.