The clash raged on when Rim and the others heard a thunderous roar. Instinctively, they turned to see what was happening.
From above, King and Marco descended to the ground. Upon seeing the man clad in golden armor, they both looked astonished.
"That's..."
"The ruler of Beehive Island, Ochoku!" Marco exclaimed.
"What's he doing here?" King added.
BOOM!
The harbor was already in shambles from the residual shockwaves of battle. A massive boulder blocked the path of Ochoku's ship. With a single swing of his blade, the boulder was reduced to rubble, sinking into the depths of the sea. As the warship anchored, Ochoku, leading a group of burly warriors, leaped fearlessly onto the shore.
The commotion quickly caught the attention of both Whitebeard and Kaido. Upon recognizing Ochoku, their reactions couldn't have been more different.
Whitebeard muttered in confusion, "Why is that guy here? Shouldn't he be guarding Beehive Island? What's he planning to do here?"
Kaido, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief. Though he didn't know why Ochoku had come, he felt the arrival of him could bring an end to this war.
While Kaido believed his side would eventually triumph, Whitebeard's overwhelming strength was a problem. If Whitebeard unleashed his full power, the losses on Kaido's side would be acceptable, but the destruction of Ailen Island would be catastrophic.
Ailen Island, with its rich mineral resources, had become the Beasts Pirates' second-largest source of income, surpassed only by Wano. If the island were destroyed, Kaido, who had long feared poverty, would be inconsolable.
For Kaido's ambitions—challenging the World Government and dominating the world—money was essential.
"Newgate! Kaido!" Ochoku's voice boomed across the battlefield. "Stop this madness! There's no point in fighting anymore!"
Strangely, at the sound of Ochoku's words, Jack, who had been unconscious, twitched as if trying to dance but ultimately collapsed again.
Although Ochoku's group was small, every man in it was tall, muscular, and radiated an intimidating aura. The mere presence of these warriors made the battle-hardened members of the Whitebeard Pirates and Beasts Pirates hesitate.
As Whitebeard and Kaido ceased their fighting and remained silent, the combatants on both sides began to step back, creating a path for Ochoku and his men.
Walking steadily toward the two Yonko, Ochoku stopped in front of them and raised his voice.
"Newgate! Kaido! There's no need for this war to continue!"
"Are you really going to let your pride and some meaningless fame blind you? You both know this is a trap laid by the World Government, don't you?"
"If you keep fighting, they'll be the ones to benefit from your exhaustion!"
Ochoku's words echoed loudly. "I've received intel—Garp is leading a team to ambush you both!"
Whitebeard looked at the corpses of his fallen sons and fell silent, deep in thought. Kaido, on the other hand, appeared unfazed.
Ochoku turned to Kaido, his tone serious. "By the way, this information came from Linlin herself. It's her will as well, Kaido!"
"Hmph! That old hag!" Kaido growled at the mention of Big Mom's name. Though visibly annoyed, he didn't argue further. His silence seemed to signal his acceptance of Ochoku's mediation.
Seeing Whitebeard still lost in thought, Ochoku pressed on.
"No matter what, we are pirates! Death is part of our lives—it's unavoidable! But you both know how closely the World Government watches us at our level. If you two really fight to the death, the only winner will be the Government!"
Whitebeard's brow furrowed deeply as he weighed his options. Meanwhile, Kaido cast a glance toward his subordinates. While King and Sasaki were relatively unscathed, many of his "All-Stars" and fodder troops had sustained heavy losses.
Still, Kaido had discovered promising talents during the war. Aside from his daughter Yamato, Rim had been a standout. Rim's illness had been cured, and his strength had grown significantly, surprising everyone as he fought Vista to a standstill.
Kaido's attention also fell on a high-ponytailed Fishman with remarkable strength. While Kaido didn't interfere with the Fishmen, Rim was a different story.
With several vacant positions among the Tobiroppo, Kaido mused about promoting Rim. If Jack agreed, Rim could follow him—if not, Rim might take up a spot among the Tobiroppo anyway. After all, in the Beasts Pirates, strength was the only rule that mattered.
At present, Jack's strength had already surpassed Queen's and King's, making him the strongest subordinate in the crew aside from Kaido himself.
"Hmph."
After a long pause, Whitebeard opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on Kaido.
"Andre is alive, isn't he? Kaido, hand him over! If you don't, this war won't end!"
"Oh..."
Kaido gestured to King, who transformed into his pteranodon form and flew into the air. Moments later, King returned, carrying a bruised and battered Andre—Jack's captive.
"Pops..."
"Andre!" Marco rushed forward, catching Andre as he collapsed. Looking at the fallen crew members around him, Andre muttered apologetically, "This... this is all my fault..."
"You fool! Stop blaming yourself!" Whitebeard roared.
"Let's go, my sons!" Whitebeard commanded. Without another word, he turned and left. Marco and the others hurried to support Andre and board their ships.
From a hidden corner, Willy watched the scene unfold. Noticing the retreat, he turned to Teach.
"Will we meet again?"
"Zehahaha! No, we won't!" Teach responded before swiftly slashing Willy with his claws. The latter fell silently, and Teach wiped his hand clean on Willy's clothes before striding toward the shore.
As the Moby Dick set sail, the remaining pirate ships scrambled to follow.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard's naginata, Murakumogiri, suddenly slipped from his grasp, clattering to the deck.
CLANG!
"Pops!" Marco shouted in alarm as Whitebeard coughed up blood.
...
Though they were puzzled by Whitebeard's decisive exit, neither Kaido nor Ochoku paid it much mind. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Ochoku and his crew departed proudly.
As Kaido was approached by Yamato, she asked, her expression stern, "Who is Big Mom? Why did you react like that when her name was mentioned?"
Kaido, looking exhausted, sighed and signaled King, who quickly intervened, whisking Yamato away to avoid further confrontation.
Meanwhile, Kaido shouted at those who were about to rush to Jack's aid, "Leave him be! Let him recover on his own!"
"Eh?"
Two days later, Jack's injuries had healed, and he groggily woke up, yawning as he looked around in confusion.
"Where is everyone? Did the Beast Pirates lose?"
"What happened? Did everyone die?"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg