Four Emperors Go to War

"So why are we still throwing a banquet today?" Yota took a sip of juice and spoke helplessly. "Didn't they say Kaido and the others would be here soon?"

"Because yesterday's was to celebrate Yamato and me, while today's is for you!" Ace said with a smile as he sat beside Yota.

"Yeah, yeah! Besides, what pirate doesn't love a banquet?" Yamato held a jug of liquor in one hand and a huge chunk of meat on the bone in the other. Her voice was muffled as she stuffed herself, yet she still remembered to chat with Yota.

"And what's with drinking juice? Yota, are you still a kid? Pirates should be chugging liquor!"

"Sorry, but my sixteenth birthday is still over half a month away. I really am underage!" Yota rolled his eyes. "And is it really okay for a girl to drink this much every day?"

"What are you talking about? I'm a man who wants to become a great hero like Kozuki Oden. How could I not know how to drink?" Yamato crunched through even the bones, showing off the bite force she had gained after eating the Okuchi no Makami Fruit, yet she still did not forget to promote her persona.

"No, isn't that just because you like drinking?" Yota could not help but retort. "I even think your father Kaido's genes are a major factor."

"After all, your old man is a complete and utter super drunk!"

"Genetics, huh? That might actually make some sense." Yamato did not care about Yota's words. "Still, I'll probably be fighting Pops this time, right?"

"Oh, come on. With Pops Whitebeard here, how could it possibly be your turn?" Yota said disdainfully.

Soldiers fought soldiers, generals fought generals. Battles at sea had always worked that way. Unless Whitebeard was defeated, there was no way Yamato would be the one facing Kaido.

Now that Whitebeard's body had been healed, he was at the peak of his strength. Kaido would already be lucky to barely hold Whitebeard off. Win? He could keep dreaming.

However, Kaido isn't someone who makes things easy for others. With the Whitebeard Pirates, plus me, Yamato, and Ace, the Beasts Pirates' chances of winning are practically nonexistent. Kaido may look rough, but he's meticulous and scheming. A losing deal like this isn't something he would make.

There might be some unexpected twist in this battle...

Yota's instincts were right. Three days later, when the Beasts Pirates' ships appeared before the Moby Dick, he understood what backup Kaido had prepared.

"Yota, Ace!" An excited Yamato waved her iron club as she spoke. "Look, those ships are singing! Since when did Pops's ships learn how to sing?"

Ace looked utterly confused. "No, I don't know. Can ships sing?"

Yota finally could not help rolling his eyes. "You two should really read the intelligence gathered by the Whitebeard Pirates! Those singing ships are clearly the Big Mom Pirates' Homies! Can't you even recognize the signature abilities of the other Four Emperors?"

"The Big Mom Pirates?" Ace muttered. At last, he sensed that something was wrong. He turned to look around and found everyone aboard the Whitebeard Pirates' ships staring solemnly at the singing vessels, ready for battle.

"Why are these guys coming to cause trouble for the Whitebeard Pirates? Does that mean we'll be facing two Four Emperors Crews this time?"

Yota frowned slightly. "I think it's probably to preserve the balance of power. Our arrival broke the balance of strength among the Four Emperors. So the Big Mom Pirates felt threatened as well..."

Of course, Yota suspected that Kaido and Big Mom also had some sort of history together. They had probably first made contact through that connection, then Kaido had brought up the threat posed by the Whitebeard Pirates' increased strength. That was why the two Pirate Crews had joined forces.

"Fortunately..." Marco let out a long sigh at that moment. "That crazy woman Charlotte Linlin isn't among the Big Mom Pirates. Katakuri should be leading them."

Yota was slightly stunned. He narrowed his eyes and carefully looked around. Sure enough, he did not see that fat woman anywhere.

"Is she staying behind to protect her territory? That makes sense. There are Four Emperors on the seas, not Three Emperors. Although Red Hair isn't particularly ambitious, he has always maintained the balance of the seas."

"And if the Whitebeard Pirates fall, the next target of the Big Mom Pirates and Beasts Pirates' alliance might be Red Hair. So no matter what, the Big Mom Pirates would leave behind enough fighting strength to prevent Red Hair from making a move."

With that thought, Yota quietly let out a breath. Without Charlotte Linlin, even if Katakuri had come, this battle was still winnable.

Just as Yota was lost in thought, Whitebeard stepped forward. "Gurararara! When it's time to fight, don't think about so much."

"So what if Linlin has joined forces with that brat Kaido? I am Whitebeard!"

The instant he finished speaking, Whitebeard's Murakumogiri, wreathed in a white sphere of light, crashed down upon the sea!

The sea churned violently. A vast tsunami surged toward the pirate fleet opposite them, about to swallow every pirate ship whole.

"Whitebeard!" With an angry roar, Kaido, standing at the front of the fleet, transformed into a dragon and unleashed a fierce tornado. It became a waterspout that blocked the incoming waves.

"Gurararara! So it's you, brat Kaido! What, are you looking for another beating?" Whitebeard laughed.

"Wororororororo! Old man Whitebeard, there can only be one strongest in this world. I've wanted your head for a long time!"

At the brink of battle, Kaido's blood boiled. He forgot all about his son and his treasure vault, charging forward in dragon form!

"If you want my head, come and take it! As it happens, I think I'm missing a dragonhide belt." Whitebeard shouted back. Murakumogiri was wrapped in Conqueror's Haki like tiny black bolts of lightning as it collided with Kaido's charging dragon claw.

The entire ocean shook violently. The sky split in two from the impact as two overwhelmingly powerful bursts of Conqueror's Haki clashed. The Moby Dick began to rock, and the other crew members standing beside Whitebeard were all blasted away.

With his body restored to health, Whitebeard felt his blood surge and his mind fill with the desire to fight. He even found his sons to be in the way, so he decisively shouted, "Get away from here, all of you! This isn't a battlefield you should be interfering in!"

Marco transformed into a Phoenix and shouted as he flew, "Pops, you're acting recklessly again! Everyone, get off the ship now!"