The Sabaody Archipelago was renowned as an island of dreams. Its climate was mild, the sky a brilliant, endless blue, and the light, filtered through countless floating bubbles, gave the groves a magical, dreamlike quality. The sea that lapped at the roots of the giant Yarukiman Mangroves was typically calm and gentle.
But in an instant, all of that changed.
A fierce gale, unlike anything the island had ever known, swept across the archipelago. A wicked wind howled through the groves, twisting faces, tearing hats from heads, and sending clothes flapping wildly. The bubbles, the island's most iconic feature, began to burst by the thousands. Above, the sun vanished behind a rapidly gathering mass of dark clouds, casting a grim shadow over the land and filling everyone with a deep sense of dread.
"Hey, what's happening? Is this the end of the world?"
"First the Celestial Dragons, then the Admirals… why is today so cursed?"
"Forget talking, just run! I've got a really bad feeling about this…"
But there was no escape. The chaos on the island was nothing compared to the state of the surrounding sea. The once-calm waters were now a churning hell of towering waves and violent, swirling currents. The entire ocean had been whipped into a frenzy by the storm that had materialized from the distant sky.
"Worororo… So this is the presence of an Emperor," Doflamingo laughed, a maniacal grin spreading across his face as he stood up on the mangrove trunk.
Kaido's physical form had not yet even appeared, but the sheer force of his Haki had brought the entire battlefield to a dead halt.
Akainu, who had been relentlessly pressing his attack on Yamato, stopped immediately. His expression was grim as his gaze locked onto the approaching dark clouds. Kizaru, abandoning the pirate ship, transformed into a flash of golden light and reappeared beside his fellow Admiral, his usual lazy demeanor gone, replaced by a deep frown.
As for Yamato, she knew that Haki better than anyone. She had, after all, been on the receiving end of it for most of her life. Seeing Akainu halt his assault, her own expression grew tense, and she quickly retreated to the deck of her ship.
Just then, a peculiar sound cut through the howling wind.
"Purupurupuru… Purupurupuru…"
Akainu glanced at Kizaru, who pulled a Den Den Mushi from his coat pocket, his face still etched with concern. The moment the call connected, a low, authoritative voice came through.
"Borsalino, has Kaido appeared?"
"Ah," Kizaru replied, his eyes never leaving the storm clouds that drew ever closer. "What's the plan, Fleet Admiral Sengoku? This has gotten rather troublesome, hasn't it? Are we preparing for a war with one of the Four Emperors?"
There was a tense silence from the other end of the line. "Have you confirmed the relationship between the villain who attacked the Celestial Dragon and Kaido?"
Akainu looked toward Yamato's ship in the distance and answered calmly, "No, not officially. But given the current situation, I don't think we need proof anymore."
Kizaru added, "There's more bad news, Fleet Admiral. Jewelry Bonney is on their ship and appears to be involved. And Jinbe… his allegiance does not seem to be with us, either."
Another long silence followed. From the pained and frustrated expression on the Den Den Mushi's face, both Admirals could feel Sengoku's immense distress.
"I understand," Sengoku's voice finally returned, strained. "You two are to hold them there. Do not escalate further!"
"Understood."
They both knew what that order meant. As humiliating as it was, the decision to go to war with a Yonko was not theirs to make. That command had to come from the World Government itself. They were caught in an impossible situation: on one side was a criminal who had committed the unforgivable act of striking a World Noble, and on the other was an Emperor the Marines absolutely did not want to confront. To make matters worse, two Warlords were actively working against them, and the allegiance of two others present on the island was questionable at best.
As they processed their orders, the dark clouds in the sky finally stopped moving.
Boom!
With a gust of wind, the storm clouds began to disperse, revealing what they had been concealing: a massive island, wreathed in flame clouds, floating ominously in the sky. Upon it sat a city that seemed to be forged from solid gold. But no one cared about the treasure. All eyes were fixed on the terrifying figure standing at the island's edge.
The World's Strongest Creature. One of the Four Emperors of the Sea. Captain of the Beasts Pirates: Kaido.
The next moment made the two Admirals frown even more deeply. After appearing, Kaido's first act was to cast his gaze directly down at the person responsible for this entire incident.
On the deck of her ship, Yamato felt her father's stare. Uncharacteristically, she lowered her head, her knuckles white as she gripped her kanabo. She said nothing. To anyone watching, it looked like a tense confrontation between a rebellious child and a furious father.
Of everyone on the battlefield, only Jinbe, who had heard the full story from Marco, knew the truth. Bonney, also a daughter with a complicated paternal relationship, looked at the dejected Yamato and guessed that something deeper was going on. But it didn't matter. Kaido was here. That meant they weren't going to die today. That was good news. She let out a long sigh of relief, a brief thought of her own father flashing through her mind.
High above, Kaido looked down at Yamato, a flicker of surprise in his own eyes.
Well now, he thought, this is unexpected.
To be honest, his reasons for severing ties with his "highly filial" daughter were twofold. The first was to remove the most unstable element from Wano before he solidified his complete control. The second was more of an experiment: he wanted to unleash Yamato, a fighter of near-Admiral strength, upon the world to see if her presence could alter the outcome of the approaching war at Marineford.
Could she save Fire Fist Ace? he mused. It wasn't an emotional consideration. He simply wanted to see if fate was truly set in stone, or if Ace's death was merely a stepping stone required for Straw Hat Luffy to become Pirate King. If Ace lived, who would claim the title? Would the two brothers work together, or would their ambitions tear them apart? It was a fascinating question.
As for Whitebeard, he couldn't care less. The old man was destined to die, one way or another. Even if the Marines failed, Blackbeard wouldn't. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit was a prize Teach would never let slip away. Kaido's only other planned intervention was to ensure Red-Hair Shanks was kept far away from the battle. With him out of the picture, the war at the summit of the world was destined to be even more gloriously tragic than the story he knew. That was his true goal.
He just hadn't expected the first domino to fall so quickly. His daughter had not only entered the game but had stolen the spotlight from Luffy, becoming the one to punch a Celestial Dragon.
Interesting, Kaido thought, a slow, dangerous grin spreading across his face. Perhaps a little more support is in order. She might yet provide an unexpected surprise.
But that was a matter for later. For now…
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse