Chapter 114: Intersecting Fangs
Marineford Era 1518.
The World Conference, held every four years, was about to convene, keeping the World Government and Navy extremely busy from top to bottom. Yet at this critical moment, the New World was shrouded in the clouds of war, as two of the four Pirate Emperors made their moves, directing their forces toward the Eckmond Kingdom, seemingly preparing to besiege the Black Prince, the least experienced Overlord.
“To pick this exact time, that cunning guy······”
Sengoku flipped through the report that had just arrived, reading it over and over many times. He felt utmost regret in his heart. Such a rare opportunity was right in front of him, yet he was powerless to seize it. The matters of the World Conference tied down the Navy’s hands and feet, truly unable to spare the strength to fish chestnuts out of the fire in the New World.
“Many people see Beasts as a madman solely focused on combat, but anyone holding such a view has been deceived by Beasts.” Vice Admiral Tsuru said softly, “Choosing this time to suddenly strike at the Black Prince is nine times out of ten no coincidence. It must be deliberate, spotting that we can’t intervene in the New World’s changes at this moment.”
The Black Prince had risen for a year already, and that maritime transport network hadn’t only now threatened Beasts’ plan. Yet in all those previous days, Beasts had never shown the slightest hostility toward the Black Prince, which surprised many. Among the four Pirate Emperors, this one was the most belligerent and bloodthirsty, even more so than BIG·MOM, always seeking fights every few days, stirring up waves of turmoil in the New World.
However,
Despite the Black Prince’s rise, Beasts hadn’t challenged him as many had expected, not until now with this sudden action.
To those in the dark, Beasts was still the same Beasts, probably held back by some matter before—after all, Wano Country was said to be perpetually unstable! Swordsmen rebelling against Beasts’ rule were cut down only to sprout anew.
But to sharp-eyed people like Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru, the timing Beasts chose was exceedingly clever, leaving the Navy in an awkward, extremely uncomfortable position.
“Now it seems Beasts was likely enduring and waiting all along. The World Conference happens once every four years—an unchanging precedent. After waiting half a year, he’s probably been waiting for this opportunity.” Vice Admiral Tsuru’s voice was not loud, but her slightly furrowed brow showed her caution.
The renowned Great Advisor of Navy Headquarters, whose wisdom even the Generals respected by a third, yet the officers and soldiers below didn’t know she was so wary of Beasts, that infamous brute.
“Sigh! Tsuru, I understand what you’re saying. I’ve never underestimated Beasts. I’m just annoyed at being so brazenly schemed against by him.” Sengoku’s face darkened.
If Beasts were playing some conspiracy or trick and fooled him for a moment, that would be fine. He didn’t think himself the only smart person in the world; occasional lapses in even the most careful plans weren’t unheard of. By comparison, this overt scheme made him angrier.
He clearly saw through Beasts’ scheme, yet due to various factors, he was powerless to change anything, forced to watch Beasts succeed as wished.
For a “strategist,” this was humiliating!
“Sengoku, anger is the most useless thing. Since we can’t interfere in New World matters, better to watch quietly as events unfold. Beasts picked a good time, but that Black Prince is no pushover either. His maritime transport network has spread so vast, inevitably touching the Four Emperors’ interests·······”
Vice Admiral Tsuru trailed off, her voice growing quieter until she fell silent, closing her eyes in deep thought.
Sengoku looked at his old friend in surprise, knowing she must have thought of something. He didn’t interrupt, instead recalling her earlier words, pondering them repeatedly to glean some insight. But before he could fully engage his “strategist” mind, Vice Admiral Tsuru opened her eyes.
“Sengoku, Beasts and BIG·MOM may not gain anything this time.”
Vice Admiral Tsuru’s gaze was piercing, years of accumulation deep in her eyes transformed into a glow of wisdom. “The Black Prince might refresh many people’s cognition once more.”
“You mean······ the Black Prince is prepared?”
“Before Zephyr headed to the New World, he met the Black Prince. If he can persuade Zephyr, even Beasts and BIG·MOM together might not gain much advantage. And besides Zephyr, the Black Prince has excellent relations with the Whitebeard Pirates······ Of course, the Black Prince may not call for reinforcements, but······”
“If he doesn’t seek Zephyr or Whitebeard, what trump card does the Black Prince have?”
Vice Admiral Tsuru fell into prolonged thought again.
However,
Sengoku already understood Tsuru’s meaning. The Black Prince knew full well that spreading his maritime transport network so vast would provoke the Four Emperors, yet he pressed on regardless. The network’s expansion never paused for a day. He acted this way for one of two reasons:
First, boldness—fighting BIG·MOM to a draw inflated him to disregard the Four Emperors. But this possibility was minuscule. Sengoku and Prince Elus had met; he had a profound impression of that excessively young prince and didn’t see him as so arrogant.
Then,
The second possibility: Prince Elus was confident he could handle the Four Emperors’ wrath, hence acting so freely.
The puzzling part was what confidence Prince Elus had against Beasts, that undying monster. If he couldn’t quickly neutralize Beasts’ threat, BIG·MOM would seize the chance and bite down hard on Prince Elus.
“Black Prince······ Prince Elus······” Sengoku narrowed his eyes, pondering the possibilities.
————
On the Sea, wind and waves raged fiercely.
Surging malign waves towered over ten meters high—ordinary ships would be smashed to pieces in a few hits. Yet this majestic fleet parted the waves, advancing relentlessly. The perilous wind and waves along the way couldn’t hinder it at all. Those waves that could shatter cliffs with thunderous crashes were casually dispelled by those on deck before they even neared.
The black pirate flag snapped fiercely in the wind and rain, its long-horned skull exuding menace.
This was—
The flag of the Beasts Pirates.
This fleet had set out from Wano Country, speeding toward the sea area of the Eckmond Kingdom.
“Has Lingling come too? Haha! Let her do as she pleases, so long as she doesn’t get in my way. No need to mind her.”
In the cabin’s vast cleared space, 【Beasts】 Kaido, the world’s strongest creature, sat cross-legged on the floor. A pair of long, dragon-horn-like spikes protruded from his head toward the sky. Dragon-whisker-like long black whiskers framed his lips. Bare-chested, he revealed muscles tougher than rock or steel, with dragon-scale tattoos on his left arm and an X-shaped knife scar on his right abdomen.
He lifted a barrel of alcohol and chugged half of it in one go, his demeanor utterly bold.
“Lingling is very shrewd. She absolutely won’t act without seeing sufficient gain. Jack, don’t worry about Lingling. You take the lead, teach that so-called Black Prince a lesson. Tell him not to get cocky in front of me just because he fought Lingling to a draw.”
“I understand.”
Jack, bearing the epithet 【Drought】, responded loudly. The metal jaw guard hid his ferocious grin but not his bloodthirsty laughter.
Jack shook the decorative ivory tusks he favored, exiting the door. Eagerly, he gathered manpower to prepare for leading the vanguard. This single-minded Fish-Man knew no fear; instead, the thought of clashing with Prince Elus excited him more.
“Let me see, Black Prince—what are your capabilities?”
Once Jack left, Kaido continued drinking boldly, but his eyes showed no impatience or anger—deep and cold like a bottomless icy pool.
————
Black Swan Island.
A fleet that had been roaming afar for a long time docked at the island’s military port. Eckmond Kingdom’s garrison helped repair and maintain these battle-worn warships. Soldiers who had drifted at sea for many days fled the ships like refugees.
Zephyr stood on the port’s dock, watching the staggering Marines, a flicker of hard-to-discern guilt in his eyes.
Due to his obsession, these fine men had drifted at sea, always pushing to their limits before resting. Without their strong sense of justice sustaining them, they might have long collapsed under his orders.
“Teacher, you should rest too.”
Oddly dressed Binz cautiously approached Zephyr, persuading the elderly man to rest. Ain, as the Pirate Guerilla Squad’s second-in-command, was busy coordinating with the island’s garrison and couldn’t come, so she sent Binz to watch Zephyr.
“I’m fine—my body’s in great shape now!”
Zephyr waved it off.
“Prince Elus······ his Devil Fruit ability is quite wondrous!” He flexed his fists, feeling the surging power in his body—better condition than ever. He came from Bikahi Island. The Pirate Guerilla Squad had been striking pirates outside when Prince Elus suddenly contacted them, sending them to Bikahi Island, the capital of Eckmond Kingdom.
There, Zephyr met Prince Elus.
And with Prince Elus’s help, he cured the malignancy many famous doctors deemed incurable.
Yes,
The malignancy on his body was gone.
Recalling his meeting with Prince Elus, he still couldn’t fathom how it was done. A casual wave of the hand, specks of bluish light merging into his body—then he felt his body lighten. The once burdensome frame, like carrying thousands of pounds, suddenly became as light as a bird.
Such means shocked Zephyr to the extreme.
He’d thought Prince Elus excelled in combat, but he hadn’t expected such prowess in healing. This forced him to praise the wonder of Devil Fruits. He himself scorned eating them, but that didn’t mean he’d underestimate Ability Users.
“Teacher, why are you still standing here? The wind’s so strong—storm’s coming soon. What if you catch a cold?”
Ain hurried from the other side of the dock. Her complaint arrived before she did.
“Ain, I feel great—better than ever. Prince Elus’s ability is impressive.” Zephyr was in high spirits, a faint smile on his face. He even punched the air to show his student how good his condition was.
With that Damocles’ sword of malignancy gone, Zephyr no longer feared suddenly losing breath. He could feel his current body could last another ten or twenty years easily.
Strength lost to bodily decline naturally recovered with his body’s restoration. Though his lost arm couldn’t regrow, he now had confidence to hold out for days against a Four Emperor or General without defeat.
As long as Prince Elus helped find his old enemy, he wouldn’t need help—he had enough confidence to settle that past grudge personally.
“······Teacher, are you really going to fight BIG·MOM?” Ain approached, asking uneasily.
Ain was thrilled her teacher had recovered, but thinking of the cost—a possible fight with BIG·MOM—filled her with panic. Before the training ship incident, she wouldn’t have felt this way.
But after that tragic event,
She always worried about Zephyr’s body. Even though Prince Elus cured his malignancy with incomprehensible means, it didn’t quell her unease. After all······ losing an arm couldn’t be without impact for a pure physical techniques master like her teacher.
“Not necessarily!”
Zephyr shook his head lightly.
His stop at Black Swan Island wasn’t mere convenience—Prince Elus had specially tasked him to garrison the kingdom’s easternmost gateway, hindering BIG·MOM Pirates’ invasion as much as possible.
This was part of the deal. Prince Elus hadn’t cured his malignancy for free. Blocking BIG·MOM Pirates now barely offset the favor—he might yet be called upon by Prince Elus several more times······
Zephyr quashed stray thoughts, gathered himself, and continued to Ain: “BIG·MOM Pirates may not actually invade, provided Prince Elus can quickly neutralize Beasts’ threat.”
“That won’t be easy.”
Ain shook her head.
Four Emperors weren’t so easily dealt with. Back then, Prince Elus and BIG·MOM fought three days and nights without a victor, ending only because continuing held no gain for her. This time, the aggressively charging Beasts wouldn’t be so easily repelled.
