290. Summit War
Bonus 3
"It's Kaido!"
"Everybody, move! This guy is totally nuts!"
A Marine, seasoned in the New World, yelled urgently.
They've witnessed this guy's insanity firsthand!
"Now that the old man Whitebeard is gone, I won't be messing around with you Marines anymore!"
Kaido spoke, gave a disdainful look down at the frightened Marines, and bared his fangs.
A blazing breath of the dragon erupted, chasing the scattered Marines with a sweeping force!
"Kaido! It looks like my beloved iron fist hasn't left a mark on you yet!"
Garp used to swiftly move towards Kaido, his fists, each the size of a cooking pot, clenching loudly.
"Huh?!" Kaido's head instinctively retracted upon hearing this. His colossal dragon form stepped on a Flame Clouds and soared away from Marineford. His booming voice echoed across Marineford.
"Garp, I'll let you off the hook this time, Marines, but I had a blast!! Worororo!!"
Boom!
Garp landed heavily next to Sengoku, casually raising his fingers to dig into his nostrils.
"Kaido's got a really tough hide and a sturdy build. He can take a beating better than my grandson."
"...Well, let's clean up the battlefield. Dealing with Kaido's Devil Fruit ability is too troublesome. I doubt anyone on the Marine's side can keep up with him except that kid, Atlas."
Sengoku spoke calmly without budging.
On the battlefield, besides Atlas and Akainu besieging the remnants of the Roger Pirates, there were numerous Marines chasing down the remaining Whitebeard Pirates.
After all, the war is winding down, and these surviving members of the Whitebeard Pirates have earned their keep by staying alive!
Sabaody Archipelago, among the refuge ships.
Luffy, Sabo, and Ace stared blankly at the enormous screen, shock and a hint of fear lingering on their still-young faces.
After a long pause, Sabo spoke, "So... this is war?" He stretched out his hand, rubbing his stiff, little face, his voice tinged with a touch of harshness.
"Then, is he the strongest man in the world now?" Luffy asked with a confused tilt of his head.
"Probably. After all, Whitebeard has already been defeated by him, but..." Ace swallowed a gulp of saliva, his excitement evident, "This is the real battle between the strong men of the sea!"
He had never imagined that someone could truly accomplish such feats.
Stirring up natural phenomena, manipulating wind and clouds, even conjuring clouds and rain to obliterate entire islands! Such strength, such a battle!
Just how formidable must Roger have been?
"The title of the strongest man in the world sounds so grand!"
When Luffy heard this, his eyes lit up with, and his admiration for Atlas was indescribable.
At the bottom of the screen, Zephyr's face remained solemn, devoid of any joy despite winning the war.
"Teacher Zephyr, what's the matter?" Ain asked with some reverence, observing the figure responsible for the carnage in Marineford. Turning around, he saw Zephyr wearing a downcast expression, sparking curiosity.
With the war concluded, Marine undoubtedly emerged as the biggest victor. It bared its sharp fangs to the pirates at sea, ensuring a period of relative calm.
"...Don't underestimate Whitebeard's words before he died."
Zephyr understood exactly what Ain was thinking and shook his head slowly.
It would have been great if things unfolded as they anticipated, but unfortunately...
That Whitebeard scoundrel!!
He felt a twinge of irritation; Whitebeard truly lived up to being a scoundrel like Roger!
"With the backing of two legendary pirates from the old era, countless skeptics about the existence of the One Piece have now plunged into madness."
"It's foreseeable that, after this war, hordes of people will set sail. Whether they seek the so-called One Piece or not, it will still have a massive impact on the order at sea."
"The so-called dream of pursuing adventure is merely an excuse for a group of individuals whose ambitions and abilities don't align!"
...
A few days later, a piece of significant news rapidly spread worldwide.
The Whitebeard Pirates, attempting to rescue crewman Marshall D. Teach, were fatally thwarted by the Admiral at Marine Headquarters. All other members of the Whitebeard Pirates were apprehended.
Furthermore, the bounties of all members of the Red Hair Pirates who took part in this war doubled, instantly propelling them to the status of the most renowned pirates in the New World.
As for the remnants of the Roger Pirates, only Rayleigh managed to escape with a broken arm; the other two members who took part in the battle didn't survive.
By the way, Gaban, Roger's left hand, suffered serious injuries, fell into the sea, and disappeared.
And this war.
World Economy News labeled it - Summit War!!!
The individuals who witnessed this war were left utterly dumbfounded, with emotions swinging between shock and uncontrollable fanaticism!
Snap!
Shakky slapped the freshly printed newspaper in front of Rayleigh, her expression solemn.
"It appears... the cost this time seems rather steep."
"Yeah, I'm unsure whether Gaban is still alive or not. Also, Sunbell and Donquino."
"Moreover, I can't help but feel sorry for the brothers on the ship."
Rayleigh shook his head, wearing a bitter smile.
Marine has reinstated the bounty order for the Roger Pirates.
Next, they'll be confronted with the relentless pursuit from the Marines!
"Additionally, I can't linger at Sabaody Archipelago any longer. Apologies for causing you trouble, Shakky."
"What nonsense are you talking about? We've been friends for so many years. Besides, where can't we do business?"
"The worst that can happen is we sail away together. The sea is vast; there's no way Marine can track us down."
Shakky calmly lit a lady's cigarette, took a slow drag, and spoke composedly.
"Finding a needle in a haystack" – that's not just talk.
No matter how potent Marine's intelligence network is, it's still impractical to locate someone intent on hiding in the expansive sea.
"and..."
Crash—!!!
Shakky placed the cigarette in her mouth, turned the newspaper in her hand left and right, and frowned, saying,
"It seems World Economy News didn't report what happened to Beckman and the others at Impel Down?"
"This kind of thing is normal. After all, we just defeated the Whitebeard Pirates, so news of Impel Down being breached can't be leaked."
"Also, Morgans of World Economy News, don't overestimate his lower limit. Offending the world government can be a big matter."
Rayleigh shook his head; he was used to it.
Even though Morgans appears daring enough to report on anything, he also evaluates the situation when it comes to news that crosses the world government's bottom line.
Though Morgans' World Economy News station hasn't been discovered by the World Government's spy agency yet, if the authorities are determined to crackdown on World Economic News, their sales will undoubtedly plummet!
It remains uncertain how much support Morgans, the king of the underground world, can secure by then.
"However, Marine has showcased a lot of hidden strength this time. Despite not holding the position of Admiral, he possesses enough power to assume the highest combat authority in the Marine. Issho and... Hakuryu."
Shakky slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, her expression unreadable.
"Hakuryu? He's indeed a formidable individual."
Rayleigh's expression froze, and he subconsciously touched his empty right arm.
That knife is truly sharp!
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