Tachibana Kyūjō casually deflected the crashing tide with one hand, while effortlessly parrying a sword slash from Red-Haired Shanks with the other. And why was he so relaxed? Simple—because he liked Shanks. That carefree, unshackled personality of his was just too likable. Besides, Shanks wasn't someone who had to be killed. Kyūjō had no intention of harming him, let alone killing him. The two continued to exchange blows, but for Shanks, the scene unfolding in front of him felt eerily familiar. "Why does it still feel like I'm just a trainee getting thrashed by a senior every time I fight this guy... even though I'm already a Yonko?!" He couldn't even finish his thought when a massive explosion erupted from deep within Whole Cake Island. The roar of destruction echoed through the sky. Through the eyes of Infinity, Kyūjō instantly caught sight of the situation and frowned—but only for a second. His expression quickly returned to calm. Akainu was being slightly pushed back in his fight against Whitebeard. Still, it wasn't anything alarming. Even if Akainu had grown strong enough to defeat Whitebeard outright... he shouldn't do that. Because here's the thing—no matter how strong the Navy was, there was no way they could completely wipe out the remaining Yonko. And even if they could... they shouldn't. The World Government would never allow it. This world needed the Navy... but it also needed the pirates. If the great pirates vanished, the World Government would lose their biggest excuse to demand the outrageous "Heavenly Tribute"—the sky-high protection tax extorted from its member nations. Would they resort to open, military-backed extortion instead? That would backfire spectacularly. Even the Navy soldiers might revolt. Chaos would erupt across the globe, and Revolutionary uprisings would explode like wildfire. That's why the pirates were essential—even their brutality was necessary. Without the threat of pirates, the World Government wouldn't have a "rational" reason to keep bleeding the world dry. It wasn't even about resources anymore. With the number of Celestial Dragons, they didn't need that much to live in luxury. But that massive "Heavenly Tribute" did more than fund their extravagance... It crippled member nations, stalling their development and keeping them too weak to ever resist. And as for the non-member nations? They were even worse off—ravaged by constant pirate raids, their people slaughtered, their resources looted. Very few countries could escape either fate. And that's why, in the eyes of the World Government— The Navy and the Pirates were both indispensable. As long as that balance was maintained, their power and dominance would remain untouched. But if anyone threatened that balance... They would become a target of the World Government's punishment. And if this war continued—if it truly spiraled into a deathmatch—then the ones hiding behind the scenes would surely step in. The God Knights—elite enforcers of the Celestial Dragons—would no doubt make their appearance. And they would help the Yonko fight the Navy. All because of one man in the Navy's ranks... A presence that threw the world's balance into disarray. Chapters fırst released on 𝗻𝗼𝘷𝗲𝗹•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥 And now, deep in his heart, Kyūjō didn't want to fight anymore. After all, the root cause of this war—he had already removed it himself. Another Yonko had suddenly risen in the New World, upsetting the territorial balance? That issue had been resolved. One Yonko had been slain. Three should be enough to divide up the New World peacefully, right? So everyone should just go back to their own territories. Let this war end here. And let him quietly grow stronger for a few more years—until he could break through the limits of this world! But... how could he bring this now-meaningless war to an end? As he pondered the question, Kyūjō's eyes fell upon the man before him. The Devil Fruit user who could control faces—the legendary captain of the Red-Hair Pirates... Three Minutes Earlier – Above Whole Cake Island Marco was soaring through the sky, carrying his father, Whitebeard, on his back. At the same time, King gripped Katakuri tightly as they raced toward the battlefield over Whole Cake Island. Directly above the battleground where Kaido was fighting Akainu and Aokiji, Whitebeard raised his massive naginata—then leapt down from hundreds of meters in the air. With that roar, Whitebeard's gigantic frame hurtled down like a meteor, poised to split the world in two. Seeing the old man falling from the sky, Akainu's face twisted into a grimace. "How the hell is this old fossil already here!?" Hesitating for just a moment, Akainu pulled back from Kaido, who now lay bloodied and beaten. Leaving Aokiji to deal with Kaido, Akainu turned to face the man known as the Strongest in the World... Edward Newgate—Whitebeard! From his towering frame—nearly three meters tall—streams of searing magma surged outward. Pressure erupted from his body like a rumbling volcano. With a furious howl, Akainu launched an attack toward the falling titan. "Hellhound Crimson Lotus!!" A blazing red hound, forged entirely from molten magma, let out a feral roar as it lunged upward—jaws wide, claws extended, aiming to rip Whitebeard apart midair! But Whitebeard growled back, raising his naginata with terrifying ease. "You think I'm some nobody, brat!?" As Murakumogiri met the magma beast, a shockwave of raw quake energy burst out from the blade. In an instant, Akainu's Hellhound was reduced to splattered magma, raining down across the battlefield like fiery blood. Before Akainu could react, Whitebeard raised his weapon again—its edge now glowing with the white shimmer of the Gura Gura no Mi. "I'm the strongest man in the world… WHITEBEARD!!" With a thunderous war cry, Whitebeard brought his naginata crashing down. Akainu blocked with both arms coated in blackened Busoshoku Haki—but the defense shattered in mere seconds. The force of the quake sent Akainu's entire body smashing into the earth below. The shockwave ripped across Whole Cake Island like an earthquake unleashed. Even the frozen terrain Aokiji had created couldn't contain the destructive force—it fractured and crumbled into ruin, tearing the island apart. At the same time, Aokiji glanced across the field. King stood guard over the wounded Kaido. Marco and Katakuri had also arrived. Three powerful warriors. Taking them all on alone wasn't an option. Reluctantly, Aokiji backed off, pulling the battered Akainu from the rubble and leaping into the sky with Geppo. Whitebeard couldn't fly, after all—so Aokiji was safe up here. He waited quietly... watching... Waiting for Tachibana Kyūjō and Garp to arrive. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 🎉 Good News! Arc 4 has officially begun! 🎉 The story has reached a whole new stage — packed with action, emotions, and long-awaited revelations! ✅ Enjoy 80+ chapters ahead of NovelHub ✅ Get 2 new chapters every day exclusively on ✅ Be the first to experience Arc 4 and the new season before anyone else! Let's keep this adventure alive, together chapter by chapter! 💖 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —