In the turbulent sea area surrounding Wano Country, the sky was pierced by a strange sight. A massive bird, wrapped in white bandages like a living mummy, glided silently through the air. Two lavishly dressed figures stood firmly on its back, peering down at the churning waves of the New World.
One of the men bore a face that would strike fear into most pirates; he looked almost exactly like the Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks. This was Shamrock, a member of the elite God's Knights and Shanks' biological brother. Standing beside him was Gunzi, a tall, slender woman with striking two-colored pupils. She wore a stylish hat and possessed the powers of the Arrow-Arrow Fruit.
As the misty silhouette of Wano Country began to materialize on the horizon, Shamrock raised a hand to signal a halt. "Alright, we stop here. We'll wait for news."
Gunzi looked at him with curiosity, effortlessly controlling the giant bird to hover in place. "Aren't we going to head straight in?"
Shamrock's brow furrowed into a deep line. "No. We've both seen what Kaido is capable of. Our mission involves the Ancient Weapon Pluton, so we can't afford any mistakes. We wait until we have confirmation that Kaido has actually left the mainland."
Gunzi gave a muffled nod, and the two of them remained suspended in the air, watching like birds of prey.
Meanwhile, on the island of the Wokah Kingdom, the atmosphere was the complete opposite of the silent skies near Wano. The air was thick with the sound of drums, gongs, and the sharp pop of firecrackers. Colorful ribbons danced in the wind, and every pub and shop was overflowing with life.
The visitors—pirates, merchants, and spies alike—were stunned. They had come to gather intelligence, but they found themselves mesmerized by the exotic geishas and the unique architecture that blended Wano's tradition with Totto Land's whimsical candy towers.
At the entrance of a small coffee shop, a group of suspicious-looking people sat huddled together. Despite their colorful masks, their nervous energy was impossible to hide.
"If you're so terrified, why did we even come here?" Mr. 3 asked, his voice dripping with annoyance as he adjusted his own mask.
Buggy the Clown, currently one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, turned to him with teary eyes. "You think I wanted this?! It's all because of Doflamingo! The Marines and the World Government are already breathing down my neck, asking questions about the televisions and recorders we've been selling. It's a nightmare!"
Mr. 3 sighed. "Then why not just stop working with Doflamingo?"
Buggy fell silent, but the beautiful Alvida answered for him with a smirk. "Because this greedy clown can't stand the thought of losing the profits those gadgets bring in."
"Hey! What do you think I'm doing this for?" Buggy wailed, his voice cracking. "Without money, we can't hire the pirates we need to stay on top! Do you have any idea how hard I work to keep our status? If I wasn't a Shichibukai, the Marines would have thrown us into the deepest hole in Impel Down by now!"
As Buggy actually began to sob, the nearby pirates started to stare. Mr. 3 and Alvida looked away, clearly embarrassed by their captain's public breakdown.
"So, what's the actual plan?" Alvida asked, trying to steer the conversation back to reality.
Buggy instantly stopped crying, his expression shifting to one of oily cunning. "I heard that Doflamingo is just a middleman for Kaido. So..."
"Wait," Mr. 3 interrupted, his eyes widening. "You're not thinking of trying to cut a deal with Kaido himself, are you?"
"Why not?" Buggy whispered, sounding more confident. "Now that these two monsters have an alliance, having Kaido as a partner would make us untouchable. No one on this sea would dare lay a finger on us!"
Mr. 3 stared at him in disbelief. "You... you are incredibly foolish, yet sometimes you're a genius."
"Gyahahaha! Don't underestimate me! I'm Buggy the Clown!"
Suddenly, the noise level on the island surged. Everyone rushed toward the port as a fleet of legendary ships began to dock. One by one, some of the most dangerous and influential people in the world stepped onto the stone piers.
The crowd erupted in whispers and shouts as they recognized the arrivals.
"Hey, is that Crocodile?! He actually showed up?"
"Look, it's Hawkeye Mihawk! Isn't he a Shichibukai?"
"There's Doflamingo... they say he's practically Kaido's right hand now."
"Look at her! That's Stussy, the Queen of the Pleasure District!"
"The King of the Funeral Parlor, Drag Pietlo! And the King of Warehousing, Umite!"
"Even the King of Shipping, Giberson, is here! Every titan of the Underworld has arrived..."
As the VIPs walked down the central street, even they couldn't help but look around in surprise. None of them, except for Doflamingo, had ever seen anything like the architecture of Wano before.
The group naturally split into factions. Doflamingo walked alone, while Mihawk and Crocodile formed a silent, intimidating pair. The Underworld Kings made up the third group. Doflamingo tried to flash a grin at his former Shichibukai colleagues, but Crocodile ignored him entirely.
Stussy brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, looking around with a smile. "Unbelievable. When I heard Kaido and Big Mom were teaming up, I thought it was a joke."
"The era of the Four Emperors is over," one of the shipping moguls remarked. "The sea is now split three ways. You have the Marines and the World Government on one side, Kaido and Big Mom on the other, and the Red-Haired Pirates standing alone."
"The Red-Haired Pirates look pretty weak in comparison, don't they?" another added. "Kaido's crew alone could probably give them a run for their money."
"Maybe," another countered, "but don't forget Shanks' ties to the Whitebeard remnants. If those two groups join up, they could still put up a fight."
Morgans, the King of News, turned his sharp beak toward Dracule Mihawk. "I'm surprised to see you here, Mihawk. Did the Marines not call you in for duty? Or are they planning to just ignore this alliance?"
Mihawk didn't even look at him. His yellow, hawk-like eyes were fixed on the distant horizon. "Unless I receive a mandatory order, the Marines have no claim on my time. As for what they are thinking..."
He paused, gesturing with a slight nod toward the edge of the sea where a massive, dark cloud was slowly rolling in.
"Why don't you go ask them yourselves?"
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