107 The Battle Concludes
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Two days prior, a shift occurred in the New World.
Upon hearing of the clash between Brontes and Whitebeard, Kaido found himself unable to sit still, filled with a burning desire to join the conflict.
However, Kaido's ties with Morgans were not strong, placing him at a disadvantage.
Unlike Big Mom and other powers, he didn't get the news directly from Morgans. By the time word of the battle reached him, it had already begun.
Shaking off the haze of his drunkenness, Kaido grabbed his kanabo and made haste to the island where Brontes and Whitebeard were locked in combat.
Yet, his journey was halted by King and other crew members who opposed his participation in the battle.
Disregarding their objections as mere foolishness, Kaido gathered a handful of his followers and left Onigashima, setting sail with a single-minded goal: to confront both Whitebeard and Brontes.
He harbored deep-seated grievances against each of them, driven by a desire to bring down at least one.
The thrill of battle called to him, and Kaido, never one to shy from a fight, aimed straight for the heart of the conflict.
But an unforeseen obstacle in the form of Red Hair Shanks and his crew blocked his path, a twist that not even the Marine or the Five Elders had anticipated.
Shanks' intervention was a mystery, with only his closest confidants privy to his reasons.
Faced with such formidable opposition, Kaido knew better than to underestimate them.
He was aware that getting past the Red-Hair Pirates would not be as straightforward as he had hoped. Yet, undeterred by the prospect of a fierce battle, Kaido pressed forward, engaging Shanks in combat.
The clash was intense, but surprisingly, it gradually eased into a mutual stand-down.
The opponents locked gazes across the ocean, their standoff calming the spectators who had considered venturing closer to witness the battle firsthand.
.....
On Cake Island.
Big Mom was shocked to hear about Kaido's involvement.
She understood Kaido's wild and battle-hungry nature. She had a feeling Kaido might jump into the Whitebeard and Brontes showdown, adding even more chaos.
Big Mom wasn't naive; she noticed the Marines hadn't sent help, and Whitebeard hadn't called all his crew, suggesting they weren't looking for a full-blown war.
What surprised Big Mom even more was when the Red-Hair Pirates suddenly interfered and halted Kaido from joining the fight.
"Mother, what in the world is Shanks up to? It's been three days, and he's still facing off with Kaido. Could he be waiting for Whitebeard and Brontes to settle things?" Perospero asked casually.
"Shanks, that Red-Hair basterd, must have a dark plan. He must want Whitebeard out of the way to clear his own path." Big Mom said grimly.
Shanks' actions were confusing. Despite owing a debt to Whitebeard, the Red-Hair Pirates were now blocking Kaido, almost as if they were helping Brontes.
Big Mom couldn't help but suspect the worst of Shanks' intentions.
...
Eventually, the Beasts Pirates withdrew. Kaido, uninterested in tangling with the Red-Hair Pirates, decided to head back to Wano.
Only the Red-Hair Pirates remained. Shanks let out a sigh of relief and turned to Beckman: "How's the battle going?"
Beckman replied sternly: "It's still a stalemate. Both monsters are still locked in combat, but the ground beneath them is giving way. Whitebeard might end up in the sea."
"It's time to end this, repaying our debt to Whitebeard." Shanks said.
"Why did you delay Kaido? Allowing him to join would have finished the battle sooner." Beckman inquired with curiosity.
"Someone requested that I hold him back." Shanks replied simply, keeping the identity of the person secret.
Beckman, not privy to the individual's name, understood that as captain, Shanks had his reasons. He respected his comrade's judgment and chose not to inquire further.
...
On the third day, the fierce battle continued. The shrinking arena became the center stage for their conflict.
After three days, both Brontes and Whitebeard showed no signs of weakening, their bodies marked by scars but their determination to defeat each other unwavering.
"How much longer can you last, Whitebeard?" Brontes taunted, his grin showcasing dried blood, giving him a demonic appearance.
"You're not there yet, Brontes!" Whitebeard retorted, attacking without relying on his Devil Fruit powers. Normally, this strike would shatter the ground around them for tens of meters.
"Boom!"
Brontes dodged and struck Whitebeard's arm, only to be sent flying by Whitebeard's powerful counterattack.
"You don't have the ability to fly. Let's see how you fight without solid ground." Brontes said, thrusting his hands into the earth, summoning thunder and lightning that tore the ground apart.
"ZliZli! ZliZli!"
In the midst of the chaos, Whitebeard seized an opening as Brontes made his move.
Charging forward, his bisento infused with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
"Crarkk! Booom!"
With a mighty blow, the impact carved a fissure, parting the sea with force.
The Marines and Whitebeard's crew had become accustomed to such displays after three days of destruction, witnessing the island being torn apart.
"ZliZli!"
Brontes swiftly transformed into lightning, skillfully evading Whitebeard's attack and reappearing beside him.
However, instead of immediately striking back, Brontes turned his attention toward the horizon, his expression clouding.
"Why is he here?" He questioned. Whitebeard followed Brontes's gaze, mirroring his frown.
In unison, both combatants halted their actions, gazing up as a ship slowly made its way toward them.
The tense members of the Whitebeard Pirates also noticed the sudden pause in the battle between their captains, scanning the horizon alongside them.
"Marco, it's Shanks and the Red-Hair Pirates approaching." A lookout called down to Marco and the crew below.
"Phew! Shanks is here!" Marco exclaimed, relief washing over him as he connected the dots.
Shanks owed the Whitebeard Pirates a debt, and his arrival carried weighty implications. With the Red-Hair Pirates by their side, Brontes wouldn't dare to face the combined forces alone.
"Did you call him?" Brontes couldn't resist needling Whitebeard, despite knowing the old man would never seek assistance in a showdown against his foe.
"Who do you think I am? Even with Shanks here, do you believe the battle will stop?" Whitebeard's icy gaze bore into Brontes.
"Who knows? But I've gauged your strength now, Whitebeard. Age has caught up with you. You can shield them for now, but not indefinitely. The true spectacle lies ahead, and you'll witness it with your own eyes." Brontes sneered, his figure flickering with lightning.
"ZliZli!"
"You..."
Enraged by Brontes's words, Whitebeard erupted, snatching up his naginata and bringing it down upon Brontes without hesitation.
"Boom!"
Brontes's body was instantly rent in two, yet he maintained a smile, his eyes gleaming with scorn.
"Whitebeard, the day when piracy's roots are scorched from this world will dawn, and you shall witness it firsthand. But before then, I'll claim that man's life." Brontes declared coldly, transforming into lightning and streaking into the sky.
"Phew! Finally, Ragnarok has left." Marco and the others breathed out in relief.
Yet in the next moment, Marco's hands transformed into wings ablaze with blue fire, propelling him swiftly toward Whitebeard.
"Pops!"
As Marco observed the severe injuries on Whitebeard, including the loss of three fingers, he became visibly distraught.
Tenderly, he clutched Whitebeard's hand, surrounded by the protective flames that wrapped around Whitebeard's battered form.
Gazing up at the sky with a cold resolve, Whitebeard then cast his eyes upon Marco, who diligently tended to his wounds. Inwardly, he let out a weary sigh.
Merely three days into the grueling conflict, Whitebeard acutely felt the weight of his years, sensing his inability to keep pace any longer.
He understood that persisting in the battle could lead to his demise, for Brontes's formidable resilience would eventually outlast him.
Whitebeard foresaw the inevitable entry of Marco and the others into the fray, triggering a larger confrontation with the Marines, spelling doom for the Whitebeard Pirates.
Despite his unwavering confidence in his own might, the relentless march of time had eroded his power.
Compared to the formidable Admirals of the Marines, his crew's foundation seemed fragile.
In this moment of contemplation, Whitebeard pondered deeply; Just as Brontes had foretold, he could shield his crew temporarily, but not indefinitely.
