Hearing his subordinate's words, Kaido let out his unique laugh again.
After that, he picked up the gourd in his hand, took a heavy swig, then grinned as a gleam flashed in his eyes.
He smiled and said, "King, do you think my former partner will come begging me for help?"
"No."
Facing his captain's question, the masked man known as King felt not the slightest emotional fluctuation. "Those worthless fools can't possibly threaten the Big Mom Pirates."
"That's true. You have a point, those fools... Linlin can deal with them herself without me lifting a finger."
Kaido burst into laughter again. But after laughing, he sat up boldly, lifted his gourd again, took another gulp, and chuckled gleefully. "Too bad. I was actually hoping she'd come begging me for help!"
As he spoke, he looked down at the newspaper spread open in his left hand, the corner of his mouth curling with a meaningful smile. "West Blue rebel Ian... I've really been hearing that guy's name nonstop lately. Ian, the God of Sun, huh? King, do you think that guy is the God of the Sun?"
King: "..."
Hearing Kaido's words, King fell silent for a moment, but eventually shook his head and replied flatly: "I don't know."
"True, who would know! But I didn't expect such a boring world to actually produce such an interesting guy. I'm getting impatient to meet him."
Kaido narrowed his eyes, an odd glint flashing through them. Then he stood up, raised his Kanabo, and grinned at King. "Tell that idiot Orochi to hurry it up. If he slacks off, I'll replace him with another Daimyo and have those idle crewmembers get out to sea and look for Devil Fruits."
Then he spread his arms wide: "Worororo! I can't wait to start a war at the very top of the world. The expressions on those high-and-mighty nobles will definitely be priceless."
As Kaido's words fell, a strange glimmer also flickered in King's eyes beneath the wildfire's mask.
He bowed respectfully to his captain and said in a solemn tone: "Yes!"
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he turned around and left to carry out the captain's orders.
Once King had left, Kaido reclined back upon his throne again, spreading his hands along the armrests.
His eyes narrowed slightly as if recalling something, and he muttered to himself: "The West Blue..."
...
On the other side, the Whitebeard Pirates.
As another Emperor crew, they too received the news of the Big Mom Pirates' defeat immediately.
Even the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Edward Newgate, had a heavy expression the moment he saw the newspaper. "That guy again, huh?"
"Ian, the God of Sun. Even the newspapers now acknowledge that name."
Sitting cross-legged nearby, Whitebeard's right-hand man, Marco, rubbed his forehead and spoke helplessly. "I didn't expect the captain of the Big Mom Pirates to be defeated at a time like this."
The title of Yonko hadn't existed for that long, and yet one of them had already been defeated by some guy from the West Blue.
No wonder the idiots in the New World were getting restless.
They used to laugh at the Seven Warlords, but now... It looked like someone was going to start laughing at the Emperor crews instead.
"Gurararara! My son."
Perhaps seeing Marco's distress, Whitebeard let out a loud laugh, then smiled with the gentleness of a father. "Don't worry. I haven't grown weak enough to be beaten by those fools."
"That's right. I was worrying too much."
Marco let out a breath of relief. He lifted his head with a smile. "After all, Pops is the Strongest Man in the World."
"Gurararara!"
"And besides, it's not easy for those guys to defeat the Big Mom Pirates."
Marco fell into thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Not everyone is like that guy from the West Blue... But I have to admit that guy from the West Blue sure knows how to stir things up. He just beat an Admiral not long ago, and now he beat the Big Mom Pirates... and that Red-Haired Pirates captain..."
He wore a helpless smile. "He's really made a big splash this time."
"This sea has never lacked strong men, nor so-called monsters."
Whitebeard's eyes flickered as he stared meaningfully at the ocean before him. "Is a new era about to arrive?"
The moment those words fell, Marco jerked his head up in surprise.
Whitebeard immediately followed with a hearty laugh. "Gurararara! But the old era hasn't ended yet! Kids, let's drink to my former partner, losing reputation like this!"
"Cheers!"
"What are you cheering for! Pops, you can't drink!"
"If pops can't drink, then let's celebrate Big Mom Pirates losing reputation instead! Party time!"
With Whitebeard's declaration, a chaotic banquet immediately began.
Watching his sons celebrate joyfully at his feet, a smile rose on Whitebeard's face.
He quietly pulled out a cup full of alcohol from who-knows-where, raised his head, gazed at the sea, and murmured: "The time when the new era and old era collide, huh? Quite exciting..."
...
Meanwhile, in the Paradise, inside the Enies Lobby.
A man with curly purple hair and a leather mask over his face looked at the two people who had just fled back, wearing a gloating smile. "What a sorry sight you two are in..."
Lucci and Kaku: "..."
Covered in rags and injuries all over his body, Lucci blocked the furious Kaku, who seemed about to say something.
With a gloomy face, he looked at their superior in front of them and said coldly, "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're going to make us carry out some horrible mission again? Spandam!"
"This is my office. Is it strange for me to be here?"
Faced with Lucci's coldness, Spandam didn't mind at all. He continued to sit elegantly in his office chair, smiling as he looked at Lucci and Kaku in front of him, though that smile carried a hint of mockery. "And you should be addressing me as Chief Spandam, Rob Lucci!"
"... Chief Spandam!"
"What a wonderful title!"
He seemed very satisfied with Lucci's response. Even though the guy in front of him still had a dark expression, Spandam acted as if he didn't see it, still smiling as he said: "Don't be so tense. I didn't come here to give you another horrible mission this time."