High above the battlefield, nestled quietly in the clouds, a three-masted sailing ship hovered in the sky—completely unnoticed.
Everyone's attention remained fixated on the escalating war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates.
On the deck, Kaelen, Nico Robin, and Kuzan stood side by side, each observing the carnage below with different expressions.
"Which side do you think will win?" Robin asked curiously, arms crossed, her gaze still fixed on the war below.
Kaelen didn't hesitate. "Even though the Whitebeard Pirates have the numbers, they're no match for Blackbeard's crew."
This battle was a desperate last stand for the Whitebeard remnants. Every division commander and ally had shown up.
It looked like a show of force, and Marco, Jozu, Vista, and the others weren't weak by any means.
But even without knowing the full details of the original story, Kaelen didn't have much faith in their chances.
"Blackbeard is ridiculously powerful. Marco won't last long against him. And those others—Shiryu of the Rain, Catarina Devon, Avalo Pizarro—they're not weaklings either."
He pointed toward the battlefield below, calm and analytical.
"They might hold the upper hand for now, but the longer it drags on, the more likely they'll lose."
Kaelen's tone carried a weight of certainty.
The heart of the battle was simple—Marco versus Blackbeard.
But with the power of two Devil Fruits, especially the Yami Yami no Mi's ability to nullify powers, Blackbeard had a brutal advantage.
Once Marco fell, the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates would crumble.
"I see," Robin murmured, beginning to understand the dynamic more clearly.
Kuzan, ever observant, had already seen how this would end. He continued watching with a detached gaze, offering no reaction.
As Kaelen predicted, the Whitebeard Pirates were fighting with righteous fury, desperate to protect their captain's legacy.
For now, they had the momentum. But even a casual observer could see Marco struggling to hold off Blackbeard.
Kuzan turned toward Kaelen, his eyes half-lidded, voice flat. "So... when do you plan to make your move?"
Kaelen blinked. For a second, he wasn't sure what Kuzan was thinking.
Ever since losing to Akainu, Kuzan had been… different. More unpredictable.
"Let's wait a bit longer."
The fighting had only gone on for about ten minutes—far too early to interfere. There was still more to see.
Kaelen's eyes gleamed slightly as he shifted his gaze back to the battlefield. "How about this? You take care of Shiryu and the others. I'll see if I can kill Blackbeard."
There was no hidden meaning behind it. Kaelen wasn't testing Kuzan—he simply wanted Blackbeard dead.
He wasn't concerned about altering the plot or fate. That wasn't part of his equation.
Kuzan narrowed his eyes and glanced toward Blackbeard and his infamous subordinates.
He frowned slightly, then asked, "You sure about this?"
That alone was a silent agreement.
Kaelen wasn't surprised by his response. Whether the plan succeeded or not, it was worth a shot.
If they succeeded, it would eliminate a monstrous threat.
If they failed, they'd at least get a solid read on Blackbeard's full strength.
Kaelen smiled faintly, baring his teeth like a predator.
"As long as you hold off the others, I'd say I've got an eighty percent chance of killing him."
Kuzan's eyes flickered. That was… a high number.
He realized once again that Kaelen couldn't be measured by ordinary standards.
As his thoughts raced, Kuzan gave a quiet nod. Instantly, the temperature around him began to plummet.
---
Below, on the battlefield:
The fight had escalated into chaos. Blood had been spilled. Bodies had fallen.
The top-tier fighters of the Whitebeard Pirates couldn't keep up.
Vista clashed with Shiryu, their sword auras colliding in a blur of steel. They were evenly matched, locked in a dead heat.
Elsewhere, Catarina Devon had transformed into a nine-tailed fox, overwhelming several commanders at once.
And looming above them all was Sanjuan Wolf, the colossal giant of the Blackbeard crew.
Each of his attacks landed like a mountain crashing down, causing devastation on a terrifying scale.
The Whitebeard Pirates were suffering heavy losses.
Marco continued his solo battle with Blackbeard, relying on mobility and aerial attacks.
But the Yami Yami no Mi's abilities were a nightmare for Devil Fruit users.
Getting too close meant being dragged into darkness, stripped of powers.
At the same time, he had to dodge the quaking fists of the Gura Gura no Mi—a nearly impossible balancing act.
As Marco struggled, a familiar scream echoed from nearby. His heart lurched.
That moment of distraction was all it took.
"Zehahahaha! Didn't Pops ever tell you not to lose focus in battle, Marco?"
Blackbeard's obese frame moved with shocking speed, vanishing and reappearing behind Marco in a single instant.
A swirling cloud of black smoke formed in his right hand as he reached forward.
"Black Hole!"
"Damn it!"
Marco gritted his teeth as a gravitational force yanked him backward. He struggled, wings flaring, but it was useless.
He was dragged straight into Blackbeard's grasp.
In that same breath, Blackbeard's left hand lit up with destructive white light.
"Now taste the power of the Gura Gura no Mi!"
BOOM.
The sky cracked.
The earth split beneath them.
A thunderous quake exploded against Marco's back, launching him dozens of meters through the air.
Fractures spread like spiderwebs in the ground below.
Marco coughed blood mid-air. His flame regeneration flickered weakly, threatening to extinguish altogether.
"Marco!"
"Damn it! Are you okay?!"
"ROAAAR! You bastard, Blackbeard! I'll kill you!"
The captains and allies roared in fury, trying to rush to Marco's aid.
But the Blackbeard Pirates blocked their path.
Marco lay wounded.
And for the Whitebeard Pirates, the true crisis had only just begun.
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