273 Unexpected Visitor

Not far away.

Charlotte Linlin adjusted her posture and landed steadily from the air, her immense strength making the earth tremble.

"That guy is really troublesome."

Charlotte Linlin looked at Nicholas in the distance, her brows furrowed tightly.

In the process of fighting Nicholas, when Charlotte Linlin saw Nicholas not directly confronting her moves, she knew what he was up to, and this also made her feel a hint of crisis.

"Linlin, your attacks seem to be ineffective."

Kaido's mocking voice came from the sky.

"Kaido!"

Suppressing her anger, Linlin coldly glanced at the sky where Kaido, transformed into a dragon, was hovering. "You don't need to meddle, and your attacks haven't caused any trouble to that guy either."

"Wororororo, I'm just warming up, Linlin!"

Amidst the thunder and lightning in the dark clouds, Kaido's dragon form suddenly descended from the sky to the ground, transforming back into his human-beast form in just a second or two.

The injury on his chest inflicted by Nicholas earlier had already healed.

"What a joke...!!! I haven't even gotten serious yet!"

Hearing Kaido's words, Linlin's expression became quite unpleasant, but she still retorted without backing down.

As Kaido landed, wielding his club, he approached Linlin, gazing at Nicholas, surrounded by lightning.

"Face the facts, Linlin."

Kaido's eyes were filled with strong fighting spirit, and the club in his hand was pulsating with black and red lightning.

"In a one-on-one situation, we are no match for him. That guy is already on par with Whitebeard and Roger, the two monsters!"

"..."

Hearing this, Linlin's gaze towards Nicholas became terrifying.

"Wororororo... Linlin, after all these years, have you only been left with impotent 'anger'?"

With one hand holding the club, Kaido looked at the enraged Linlin with a sideways glance.

Linlin's talent, even Kaido envied it greatly. Terrifying physical qualities, powerful Devil Fruit ability, innate Conqueror's Haki—any one of these talents, if possessed by someone else, would be enough to dominate the seas. Yet, they were all concentrated in one person.

In Kaido's view, if Linlin had even half of his combativeness and continuously challenged strong opponents on the sea, then she might have a chance to claim the title of Pirate King before Roger.

But alas, this woman only cared about giving birth to children and had no other ambitions.

Hearing Kaido's words, Linlin couldn't help but be taken aback.

But she quickly reacted.

"Hmph... Kaido! I don't need your lectures!"

Although she said this, Linlin's anger subsided. Indeed, impotent rage alone might not determine the outcome of this battle.

"But you're right. That guy... is truly deserving of being called a monster. So... let's give him a memorable one!!!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the giant-sized Linlin almost simultaneously raised Napoleon, the longsword entwined with flames and lightning, with Kaido.

This was—

The starting posture of their combination technique.

...

At the same moment, in the East Blue, in the home of Garp in the Windmill Village.

In front of Garp appeared a familiar figure.

With his black handlebar mustache, unruly posture, and much less whimsical demeanor.

"Garp, are you surprised to see me here?"

Raising his eyebrows, Garp smirked.

"Not really, Roger!"

The man who appeared in front of Garp was none other than Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King of today, also known as Gold Roger.

"Hahahaha, I knew you wouldn't expect me to come looking for you. But truth be told, your strength has improved a lot, huh, monster."

Roger laughed heartily, looking at Garp with a sudden touch of emotion in his eyes. Over the years, the two of them had become both enemies and friends, and this was also the reason why he had come to find Garp.

"Enough of the nonsense. Who would've thought that the guy who stole my stuff in Loguetown would become a hero of the Navy."

Garp said, with a hint of displeasure. It could be said that the East Blue was his turf, and almost every time he came back, he would clean up the pirates in the East Blue. This also led to the reputation of the East Blue as the weakest sea, as almost every pirate who set sail from there would soon head to the Grand Line.

"Don't be so surprised, Garp. Both of us are descendants of the D, no need to be so formal. I'm here for a reason, and I need your help, Garp."

Roger's expression became serious, and his voice became very low.

Seeing Roger's serious expression, Garp also became serious.

He knew Roger well, and such an expression from Roger was rare.

"Garp, I'm aware that I have a terminal illness."

Roger suddenly spoke up.

"I've known for a long time that I have a terminal illness and won't live long. I've been able to hold on until now, largely thanks to that guy, Nicholas."

Roger's voice echoed in the room, and Garp, who was nodding, was stunned.

But he didn't interrupt the other's words, instead listening quietly.

"I've lived a fulfilling life. When I was young, I yearned for freedom, chased after my dreams, and longed to be one of those warriors who roamed the seas freely. Later, following the footsteps of freedom, I saw the vastness of the ocean, witnessed the beauty of the world, and met like-minded comrades."

"But gradually, as I chased after freedom, I began to see the truth. Similarly, when I reached Raftel, the final island, I realized the truth of the world."

"There, hidden the truth of the world, I learned about the hundred years of blank history in the known history, a truth shocking enough to astonish the world."

"I also learned that there were once powerful ancient weapons, possessing the terrifying power to destroy entire islands at will, and now, for some reason, these ancient weapons are beginning to awaken..."

Roger spoke a lot in one breath, and his gaze became brighter and brighter.

"I want to do something, but I can't do it on my own anymore. And I believe you've noticed that the contradictions in this world are intensifying day by day, and sooner or later, they will explode..."