As his words fell, lightning flashed through the clouds behind him, and thunder roared in echo.
"Take this old man's head?"
Whitebeard murmured, his eyes suddenly sharpening.
"If you're saying that, you must be ready to pay the price, right?"
"Kaido!!"
An immense, oppressive aura suddenly erupted, shooting straight toward Kaido in the sky. Its savage force blasted apart even the dark clouds in its path.
"The price?"
"What price could there possibly be?"
"I came to take your head before the Marines could end your life!"
Kaido's dragon whiskers swayed as he roared.
At that moment, man and dragon locked eyes, and sparks seemed to flash through the air between them.
"We're doomed!"
"We haven't even fought the Marines yet, and now we're clashing with another of the Four Emperors!"
"Pops is incredible! Even with war looming, he still has the courage to face a challenge head-on without a trace of fear!"
"A battle between Emperors is about to begin!"
Countless pirates felt their hearts tremble at the sight, their pupils contracting sharply. Tension and a suffocating pressure filled their chests, making even breathing difficult.
From Kaido's arrival to the exchange between the two Emperors, the scent of war had spread across the entire sea almost instantly.
Whoosh!
Waves surged up, battering the ships and leaving many unable to keep their footing.
Suddenly.
"Look! The sky's changing color!"
"It's split into two distinct halves!"
"Is that Pops's and Kaido's presence? It's terrifying! It's like we're trapped in hell!"
The pirates trembled all over.
"Worororororo!"
"Whitebeard, at your age, you're still dreaming of charging into enemy territory to save your beloved subordinate!"
"You'll only be handing them your head!"
"Why not give that head to me, right here, today? Let me carry the fading light of your old age to