Alliance (End)

"Out of consideration for our former companionship, let me give you a warning. A new era has arrived. It's time for you to step down." Upon hearing that Esdeath had gone to Wano Country, Kaido immediately stopped worrying about Whitebeard. After all, Wano Country was his headquarters.

Even so, before leaving, Kaido still gave the Whitebeard Pirates a parting shot, spewing a torrent of scorching flames. Facing Kaido's attack, Ace wanted to turn into fire and block it, but Whitebeard stopped him. Then Whitebeard punched the empty air ahead of him, activating the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power and shattering Kaido's attack.

It had to be said that Ace was still quite far from the very best when it came to developing his Devil Fruit. The Flame-Flame Fruit's flames simply could not compare to Akainu's or Kaido's in temperature.

Kaido's breath could instantly evaporate and destroy an entire mountain peak, something Ace could never accomplish. Not just Ace—even Akainu could not do that in one strike. Akainu could destroy a mountain peak, but it would take several blows.

"Pops." Seeing Whitebeard sway slightly after throwing that punch, Marco immediately stepped forward with a worried expression.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Though Whitebeard said so, he could not help sighing inwardly as he watched Kaido depart.

As former comrades in the Rocks Pirates, Whitebeard had once had a fairly good relationship with Kaido and the others. But after the Rocks Pirates were defeated, Whitebeard, Kaido, Shiki, and the others had gone their separate ways.

If Whitebeard had possessed ambition back then, he would have had every chance to replace Rocks as captain of the new Rocks Pirates. But he gave it up. Kaido, Big Mom, Shiki, and the remaining members refused to submit to one another, and they too went their separate ways.

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