Afternoon
The seas were already shaken once today.
The Sun and Moon Pirates and the Beasts Pirates had gone to war, with the entire world watching to see who would erge victorious. Everyone knew it would take ti for the outco to be revealed.
Late at Night
The News King's office was working overti, a rare situation marked by the release of a newspaper late at night. Such events only happened during world-shaking incidents.
"What's happened now, so late at night?"
"Morgans' newspaper? Morgans… Could it be?"
Many people bolted upright from their beds, too restless to sleep. They scrambled for the latest edition.
"Ah?!"
Shouts of disbelief echoed across various places, breaking the silence of the night.
"The results are in—The Sun and Moon Pirates won?"
"You've got to be kidding. How could it be over so quickly?"
"It's only been about ten hours since I heard about the fight. How could such a high-level battle end in just ten hours?"
"Wait, wait, wait—are you serious? Not ten hours, but a little over four hours and the Beasts Pirates were completely routed? Kaido lost, all of his officers were defeated?"
A collective gasp.
The stunning details were written clearly across the newspaper, but it was almost impossible to believe.
It wasn't that people couldn't imagine The Sun and Moon Pirates winning, but no one expected it to happen this fast, and certainly not so easily.
"Is Morgans making things up?"
So doubted the authenticity, but there were pictures.
Pictures showed Onigashima fleeing Wano, the Beasts Pirates officers with defeated, slumped postures, and a visibly battered Kaido.
The evidence was right there.
No denying it.
"Good grief, what's scarier here—the strength of The Sun and Moon Pirates, or the weakness of the Beasts Pirates?"
"Weak? The Beasts Pirates? Any faction in the New World that faced their wrath knows better. They weren't weak—if they were, they'd have been wiped out long ago."
"Just how strong are The Sun and Moon Pirates?"
"I knew it—the events at Sabaody Archipelago weren't the full extent of their power."
"The ga has changed; the entire balance of the New World has shifted."
"As many of us expected, there's a difference in power even among the Emperors, and apparently, the Beasts Pirates fall short."
"That's not right, is it? Losing is one thing, but we all know the Beasts Pirates were strong. Maybe it was just a close fight?"
The reputation of the Beasts Pirates ran deep, etched into the bones of many.
"A close fight? In a few hours? This wasn't close; this was a total stomp."
"And Kaido couldn't even protect his own wife and daughter—got driven out of his own ho. You call that a close loss?"
"I've been alive for decades, and I've never heard of an Emperor being humiliated like this. Poor Kaido—he doesn't even have a ho anymore, hahaha."
"Poor Kaido."
The entire world laughed.
They all mocked Kaido.
Kaido never had a good reputation; in fact, it was terrible. Few people liked him. But no one had ever been able to do anything about the Beasts Pirates, so they tolerated him.
Now, the chance to ridicule one of the Emperors didn't co often.
"Don't get it twisted—Kuke didn't steal Kaido's wife and daughter. According to the paper, they willingly joined The Sun and Moon Pirates. Who knows, maybe Kaido's wife will be in Kuke's quarters tonight… and soon enough, his daughter, too, since she's coming of age."
Many n raised their eyebrows, smirking.
They were jealous too.
"If I were Kaido, I'd find a quiet place to hang myself. A man reaching this point—it's too pitiful."
"Suicide? Kaido's attempted that often enough. He just can't die."
"Can't die, can't win—how pathetic is that?"
Now the world pitied Kaido.
Many pirates began to think they were above an Emperor—because none of them had fallen this low.
"Four Emperors? More like three Emperors and one clown."
"Who's the clown? I think we all know."
"Don't be so quick to judge—soon, it could be two Emperors and two clowns. Don't forget Big Mom invited Kuke to her tea party."
"Those old Emperors think they can push Kuke around just because he's young and newly crowned. But it turns out they were trying to bend a steel beam."
"Steel? More like titanium alloy."
"Next up, let's welco our next victim—Big Mom. I wonder if she'll announce the cancellation of her tea party tomorrow?"
"Bet she will."
The world buzzed with excitent.
Seeing these once untouchable Emperors fall was a delight.
On Onigashima
Kaido's trembling hands held the newspaper.
He kept telling himself, "Don't look, don't look."
He knew it wouldn't be favorable to him.
But he couldn't help himself.
Kaido's rough face contorted into a constipated expression. He muttered feebly, "No, no, I don't have a wife. I don't!"
Then it struck him.
At this very mont, Kuke might be in the capital of Wano, the ho Kaido had built for ten years, holding Black Maria, eating grapes, drinking wine.
Kaido spat out a mouthful of blood.
He wasn't wrong.
Wano's Shogun's Palace - The New Owner
Kuke had just enjoyed a traditional geisha dance perford by Black Maria.
"Captain, did you like my dance?" Black Maria cooed, leaning close to Kuke, delicately placing a grape into his mouth.
"Very much. But from now on, only I get to watch." Kuke wrapped an arm around her pale shoulder.
"As you wish, Captain."
Black Maria rested her head against Kuke's chest, enchanted by his powerful physique.
Miles away, Kaido
Kaido silently cried.
"Buru Buru—"
Kaido, wiping away tears, eyed the ringing Den Den Mushi beside him.
"Damn old hag."
Kaido almost crushed it.
That old hag—she was definitely calling to mock him.
He hesitated.
He couldn't be the only one suffering. If more people were in his situation, maybe there'd be fewer people laughing at him.
Kaido knew he had no hope of defeating Kuke and the Sun and Moon Pirates. This sha would haunt him forever.
So what could he do?
Drag others down with him.
With a wicked grin, Kaido picked up the receiver.
"Mama… Kaido, my little brother, you're such a disgrace. So useless, beaten so quickly, lost your wife and daughter—what a pathetic failure you are."
Big Mom's voice carried ridicule without rcy.
Kaido's face twisted, veins bulging.
He clenched his jaw.
"You old hag, you just wait. You're not getting away scot-free either."
When Big Mom had her fill of mocking him, her tone grew serious. "Little brother Kaido, how strong is the Sun and Moon Pirates, really?"
When Big Mom saw the newspaper earlier, she'd almost fallen out of bed in shock.
"Sure, you're my little brother, and not as good as , but you shouldn't have been beaten in a matter of hours."
She was perplexed.
Kaido's expression twitched.
I'm not as good as this old hag?
Who said that?
"Old hag, are you scared?" Kaido couldn't resist taunting her.
Silence on the other end.
Kaido's gut twisted.
This wasn't good.
The old hag was actually scared.
The contents of the paper had shaken her.
Kaido couldn't let her back down now—if she did, he'd be left alone in his disgrace.
Kaido may have seed reckless, but beneath it was cunning. He spoke without missing a beat. "Linlin, shut up. If you don't know the truth, don't be like those fools at sea, thinking I lost."
There was still silence on the other end.
But Big Mom's deanor shifted.
Realization dawned on her.
It made sense.
Defeating the Beasts Pirates in a matter of hours wasn't realistic—there had to be more to the story.
Big Mom's startled expression slowly relaxed.
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DONT FORGET POWER STONE
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up 40 chapters at patreon/Emik01.
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