Chapter 357 Anticlimactic
This situation had become quite troublesome!
Kaido violently struck back Shanks with his club, then turned to look at Charlotte Linlin collapsed at Katakuri's feet. He couldn't help grinding his teeth internally.
Linlin, you fool! How could you fail so easily!
You've really left me with a huge mess!
Even if your bastard son won't participate in the upcoming battle, how am I supposed to defeat both Red-Hair and Hawkeye alone?!
Though Kaido thought highly of himself, he hadn't inflated to the point of believing he could defeat two people on his level simultaneously.
So what should he do now?
Kaido fell silent.
"Oh! Truly impressive! You won that quickly?"
Shanks laughed heartily. "Truly remarkable, Katakuri!"
Though Charlotte Linlin had indeed reached the point of utter exhaustion, subduing her so easily was no simple feat.
Even an exhausted monster was still a monster!
"This completely reverses the current situation."
Hawkeye's lips curved into an interested smile. He looked toward Kaido. "So, what happens next?"
"Damn it!"
Kaido ground his teeth.
"Linlin!"
He suddenly shouted, looking at Charlotte Linlin in the distance. "Don't blame me for not being loyal!"
After that shout, clouds spread from his body, lifting him up. In an instant he soared skyward, heading toward the distant shore.
"You bastard!!"
Charlotte Linlin, weakened from the Seastone bracelet, cursed furiously at Kaido flying high above.
You were the bastard who asked me to help, and now that I've fallen, you're fleeing without hesitation!
"Eh? He's running?"
Shanks blinked. "I thought with Kaido's personality he'd fight us to the very end."
"That guy's no fool. A battle with no chance of victory—there's no point continuing."
Hawkeye snorted derisively.
Unlike the brutal, rough image rumored at sea, the real Kaido was far more cunning.
Choosing to continue fighting would guarantee defeat.
Better to preserve his strength for another day.
Kaido swiftly escaped the battlefield and flew to the shoreline.
"Kaido-san, what's happening? That Conqueror's Haki just now was—?!"
Also exhausted, having separated from the Red-Hair Pirates into two wary groups, King immediately flapped his wings and flew up, shouting his inquiry.
That suddenly appearing powerful Conqueror's had truly startled him.
After all, that Conqueror's had clashed with Charlotte Linlin's—and Charlotte Linlin was their ally.
"We're leaving."
Without another word, Kaido released clouds that swept up all his subordinates, then carried them skyward together.
"So the final result is failure?"
Doflamingo said wearily.
"Katakuri betrayed Linlin. When everyone was exhausted, he appeared as the decisive force that changed the battlefield." Kaido explained.
"I see."
What else could Doflamingo say? He could only sigh helplessly. "No one could predict such a development would occur."
"Things are about to get lively—two new Emperors appearing at once!"
"This is what they call the new era!"
The Red-Hair Pirates members showed no reaction, simply watching the Beasts Pirates depart quietly.
"Either way, this should be the end, right?"
Yasopp collapsed completely on the ground, limbs spread wide. "Ahh, I never thought I could actually hold out through such an intense battle!"
"After this, there probably won't be many people daring to trouble us."
Beckman forced his body to sit at the shore's edge, lit a cigarette, and began smoking.
This time they'd repelled both Kaido and Charlotte Linlin.
After this, no one could question their title as a Pirate Emperor.
Then very few in this world would dare harbor any designs against them.
"How's the captain doing?"
Lucky Roux, also collapsed on the ground, asked.
"Who knows."
Beckman slowly blew a smoke ring. "Probably chatting cheerfully."
The island's center.
"Hahaha! Either way, I really have to thank you for your help this time, Katakuri."
Shanks lay on the ground without any pretense, laughing as he gazed at the sky.
Beside him, Hawkeye maintained his dignity by sitting cross-legged.
"No need. Perhaps I should be thanking you instead."
Katakuri maintained his awakening, using mochi to suspend Charlotte Linlin. "Without you, achieving my goal wouldn't have been easy."
Without the previous fierce battle weakening Mama, he never could have defeated her directly.
Katakuri understood this clearly.
Even though he'd mastered Conqueror's Coating technique, his mother also wielded it with consummate skill.
With such an overwhelming disadvantage in base attributes, how could he possibly defeat his mother?
At best, he could barely maintain an undefeated situation against her using his future-seeing Observation Haki.
"Hahahaha! Then let's call it mutual assistance."
Shanks laughed magnanimously. "So, Katakuri—want to join us for a banquet?"
"No need."
Katakuri shook his head. "News of this battle will probably spread across the seas soon. I need to hurry back to Totto Land to maintain order."
"I see."
Shanks sat up, smiling and nodding. "Next time then. After all, we're friends now, right?"
Katakuri smiled slightly, then turned to leave with his siblings.
"Ahh! It's finally over!"
Shanks stretched. "Now we need to hold the grandest banquet to celebrate properly! Mihawk, you're not rushing off, are you?"
Hawkeye's lips curved upward. "Following an exhilarating battle with a banquet as the finale—not bad at all."
"About that banquet—can I join too?"
A voice came from the side.
Shanks and Hawkeye simultaneously turned their heads to see a certain individual slowly descending from the sky.
Hawkeye's eyes suddenly widened, filled with delighted surprise.
"Oh!"
Shanks's eyes lit up. He spoke with equal delight. "Brett! You were here!"
"Of course. Though I couldn't appear directly on the battlefield, I naturally didn't want to miss such a spectacular fight."