The endless sea stretched out under the blazing sun, calm and serene.
On a modest 20-meter-long ship, Sanders sat by the railing, one hand holding a fishing rod while the other clutched a newspaper. The headline boldly proclaimed:
"Crocodile Joins the Beasts Pirates!"
Sanders smirked as the ocean breeze tousled his black hair. "That prideful guy, joining under Kaido's banner? He must still be obsessed with the Pluton."
He casually tossed the newspaper aside, watching as it fluttered away. With a wave of his hand, a bottle of beer from the deck floated toward him. A faint crackling sound filled the air as ice crystals formed inside the bottle.
Taking a refreshing sip, Sanders set the bottle down and fixed his gaze on the fishing float.
After his monumental clash with Whitebeard, Sanders had gained a clear understanding of his abilities.
In terms of power, he knew he stood at the pinnacle of the sea, surpassing the likes of Admirals, Sengoku, Garp, and even the other Yonko. Fighting two top-tier opponents simultaneously was well within his capabilities, but taking on three at once would stretch him to his limits, primarily due to the physical toll of wielding multiple Devil Fruit powers.
While his abilities made him an unmatched force, he understood that prolonged battles against top-level foes could last for days, a testament to the sheer durability and resilience of the combatants in this world. Even so, his ability to end a fight in a single day was a feat that firmly established him as a peerless warrior.
His mastery of Haki, swordsmanship at the level of a great swordsman, and his enhanced physique—further strengthened after his encounter with Kaido—made him formidable even without relying on Devil Fruit powers.
Among his Devil Fruit arsenal:
The Goro Goro no Mi (Rumble-Rumble Fruit)
The Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Float-Float Fruit)
The Chiyu Chiyu no Mi (Heal-Heal Fruit)
These had all awakened, while his other fruits were steadily progressing. The Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit), partially derived from observing Whitebeard, was nearing completion, and Sanders felt he only needed one more encounter with the man to fully replicate it.
With his six-sided skillset—excelling in attack, defense, speed, and versatility—his thirst for additional Devil Fruits had significantly diminished.
A sudden tug on the fishing line jolted Sanders from his thoughts. The float dipped below the surface, and with a deft motion, he pulled up the rod. A meter-long yellowfin tuna burst from the water, flailing wildly before landing on the deck.
"Not bad. Guess it's a special dinner tonight," Sanders said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.
After stunning the fish with a quick punch, he brought it to the kitchen. With practiced hands, he began to gut and clean the tuna, all the while pondering his next move.
Following his victory over Whitebeard, Sanders had seized some of his territories and left instructions for Issho to oversee their transfer. However, he knew that the Whitebeard Pirates were preoccupied.
Kaido's Beasts Pirates had taken advantage of the chaos during Sanders' duel with Whitebeard to launch a raid on several of his territories. True to his nature, Whitebeard would undoubtedly retaliate to reclaim his honor.
For the Whitebeard Pirates, it wasn't just about revenge; it was also a chance to reassert their dominance after their recent defeat. In this brewing conflict, the Beasts Pirates were a perfect target to restore their reputation.
A massive clash between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Beasts Pirates was inevitable.
Unbothered by the brewing storm in the New World, Sanders focused on his personal agenda. He had made a promise—to deliver a "gift" to the World Government and the Marines. True to his word, he had prepared something special.
As he finished his meal of freshly grilled tuna, his small ship arrived at a secluded island. A cunning glint flickered in his eyes as he stepped ashore, ready to set his plans in motion.
On a desolate island in the vast ocean, there was nothing but wild birds and beasts. The place was barren, devoid of any signs of human life.
Leaping high into the air, Sanders observed the island from above and nodded with satisfaction.
The island wasn't large, but if dropped from a height of ten thousand meters, the resulting destruction would be immense.
Landing back on the island, Sanders activated the power of the Float-Float Fruit.
A violent tremor spread across the entire island.
Birds were startled into flight, and the wild beasts scattered in panic. The surrounding seawater surged, causing waves to crash in all directions.
In no time, under the effects of Sanders' Float-Float Fruit powers, the island slowly began to lift from the sea.
The island gradually ascended, eventually disappearing into the white clouds in the sky.
Standing on his small floating boat, Sanders cast a satisfied glance at the floating island.
He had always wondered why someone as powerful as Golden Lion Shiki, who possessed such extraordinary abilities, wasted time researching IQ.
When it came to destructive power, what could surpass dropping an island from the sky?
This island would serve as one of the "gifts" Sanders planned to deliver to the World Government and the Marines.
Having kept a low profile for so long, it was time to avenge his adoptive father!
As these thoughts filled his mind, Sanders began to deduce the location of the Celestial Dragon who had killed his adoptive father.
Figarland Meg Saint.
A name that had never appeared in the world of One Piece.
The name itself indicated that this person belonged to the Figarland family.
Among the known members of the Figarland family, only one had been revealed—Figarland Garling Saint, the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights of the Celestial Dragons and suspected to be Shanks' father.
This individual held an esteemed position among the Celestial Dragons, with the authority to execute even their own.
In the manga, Garling Saint was seen executing Donquixote Mjosgard, a Celestial Dragon, for aiding the Fish-Men and releasing Charlos Saint's assassin.
Soon, a small red dot appeared in Sanders' mind, accompanied by fragmented images.
In the vision, Figarland Meg Saint stood inside an opulent palace, watching as one slave after another knelt before him.
"So, it's indeed at the Celestial Dragons' Holy Land, Mariejois?"
"Well, this 'gift' won't go to waste," Sanders muttered coldly, a cruel smirk forming on his lips.
Storming the Celestial Dragons' holy land was not feasible—not yet.
Even with his current immense strength, the Holy Land housed formidable powers.
The Five Elders, who could transform into demons, the mysterious Holy Knights, and Im, who ruled the world—all posed unknown threats.
Without fully understanding their capabilities, Sanders wasn't willing to take unnecessary risks.
He knew he was strong now, even possessing Pure Gold to extend his lifespan, so there was no need to act rashly.
Even if he were to attack Mariejois, it would have to be with a strong alliance of allies.
After considering his options, Sanders began deducing the whereabouts of another target.
This time, his focus was on the Celestial Dragon who had once enslaved the Pirate Empress.
Aside from challenging Whitebeard and establishing himself as the strongest in the world, Sanders also intended to correct the injustices inflicted upon the Nine Snake Tribe and remove the Empress' lingering shadow of trauma.
Since he had decided to make a move against the World Government, he might as well avenge the Pirate Empress while he was at it.
Soon, Sanders deduced the identity of the Celestial Dragon who had purchased Hancock years ago.
Jaygarcia Marjane.
A female Celestial Dragon, now in her forties.
Interestingly, this Celestial Dragon wasn't located in Mariejois but instead on the Sabaody Archipelago.
"Someone from the family of Saturn, one of the Five Elders, and a guardian of scientific defense, huh?"
"What a coincidence!"
"Since she's at Sabaody, it's the perfect opportunity to catch up with old man Rayleigh," Sanders murmured indifferently.
"I hope Hancock likes this gift."
As his calm voice echoed in the sky, Sanders willed his small boat to ascend, guiding the floating island toward the Red Line.
At the same time, just as Sanders had anticipated, the Whitebeard Pirates, who had lost several territories to Kaido, wouldn't let the matter slide.
After a brief recovery under Marco's treatment, Whitebeard led his crew to confront Kaido.
Meanwhile, having just recruited a new powerhouse, Kaido had no intention of relinquishing the lands he had seized.
Thus, the two pirate crews clashed on a remote island.
As the battle began, Crocodile set his sights directly on Whitebeard.
"Long Time No See, Whitebeard!"
"I never thought someone like you would lose to Sanders!" Crocodile smirked as he spoke, the cigar in his mouth tilting slightly with his grin.
Before the words even fully left his lips, his figure disappeared, reappearing behind Whitebeard. The golden hook on his hand, sharp like a scorpion's sting, stabbed toward Whitebeard with deadly precision.
"You never change, do you, Crocodile?"
Without even glancing back, Whitebeard's expression remained indifferent as he strode steadily toward Kaido.
"Boom!"
Crocodile's attack never reached Whitebeard. Marco, now in his phoenix-human hybrid form, struck Crocodile with a powerful kick, sending him flying.
"I can't let you harm Pops so easily," Marco chuckled softly, standing protectively between Crocodile and Whitebeard.
"Soldiers fight soldiers, captains fight captains, and kings fight kings. Your opponent is me—Marco the Phoenix!"
Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke, his face calm and composed.
"For someone like you to side with Kaido, you must be scheming something," Marco remarked with a smirk, his sharp gaze fixed on Crocodile.
Crocodile's eyes flickered, but he didn't respond. Just as he prepared to charge at Marco again, one of Whitebeard's division commanders stepped forward to block him.
"Marco, your opponent is King the Wildfire! Leave this one to me!"
The speaker was none other than Thatch, the 4th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and their head chef.
He had a pompadour-style haircut and a confident grin on his face.
"What? You're underestimating me, chef?!"
Crocodile's forehead veins bulged with rage as he transformed into his Sand-Sand Fruit form, lunging at Thatch with ferocity.
Marco chuckled at the scene before turning his attention to King, who stood tall with his menacing wings, a mask concealing his face, and a towering frame.
King's gaze also locked onto Marco, and the battle intent was palpable between them.
Without hesitation, both leapt into the sky, wings unfurling as they clashed midair.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard and Kaido's subordinates had instinctively paired off against their respective opponents.
Kaido, wielding his massive spiked club, marched directly toward Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard, show me how much strength you have left!" Kaido roared, charging forward with a wild grin.
"Gurararara!"
"Still plenty to beat you down, Kaido!" Whitebeard laughed heartily as the two powerhouses began their fierce battle.
Their crews tactically cleared the area to give the two emperors room to fight, taking their own skirmishes to other parts of the island.
The clash between the two Emperor crews officially began.
As their weapons collided, Kaido couldn't help but feel something was off.
This old man, wasn't he supposed to be riddled with injuries and ailments?
Why does he seem stronger than the last time we fought?!
Ever since learning about Sanders' ability to wield multiple Devil Fruit powers, Kaido had focused more on improving his own strength.
While he still indulged in drinking and his reckless tendencies, he had allocated some of his time to serious training. His strength had marginally improved as a result.
He had expected to crush Whitebeard easily this time, but to his surprise, the old man seemed to be in even better shape than before.
"Damn it, Sanders! Did you somehow make Whitebeard stronger by fighting him?!" Kaido cursed inwardly, growing increasingly frustrated.
The battle between the two great pirate crews raged on for three days and nights.
In the end, their destructive combat sank the entire island, forcing both sides to retreat.
The confrontation ended in a draw, with neither side able to claim victory.
This battle silenced all doubts about Whitebeard's declining power.
Having just defeated a Marine Admiral and now holding his ground against the Beast Pirates, Whitebeard and his crew proved they were still a force to be reckoned with.
Those who had once boasted about taking Whitebeard's head quickly fell silent, realizing the old man was far from finished.
Meanwhile, oblivious to the epic clash between the two pirate crews, Sanders, floating high above the Red Line, sneezed unexpectedly.
With an indifferent expression, he glanced down at the sprawling Red Line below, the looming landmass stark against the sky.
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T/N:
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