Chapter 97 Red Hair Pirates Are Coming, Please Give Me Some Face

New World, Somewhere in the Sea

A pirate ship sailed swiftly across the ocean, with six Marine warships trailing behind. Yet, not a single Marine was visible on their decks.

The pirates aboard the ship were drinking, feasting, and celebrating with a lively banquet.

"How's this, huh? Being a pirate is way more fun than being a Marine, don't you think?" Kaido grinned, downing a large gulp of wine and wiping his mouth.

"You've got some nerve, going after the Heavenly Tribute like that," Kuzan said, shaking his head slightly with a sigh.

After Kaido and Bullet made their bet, the two groups went their separate ways and sprang into action. Kaido had extended an invitation, and Kuzan, though a former Marine Admiral, had boarded the pirate ship.

At first, Kuzan wasn't informed about the specifics of their plan. It was only when they reached their destination that he realized what was happening.

Kaido and his crew were planning to steal the World Government's Heavenly Tribute!

Kuzan understood that this operation might solidify his transition into the pirate life. From this moment forward, he'd be seen as a traitor by the World Government, and returning to the Marines would no longer be an option.

During his time with the pirates, witnessing their way of life firsthand, Kuzan's resolve only deepened.

"Even if I've fallen into darkness, I'll still carry out justice in my own way…"

At that moment, the lookout's voice echoed from outside.

"Boss Kaido! We've got a situation!"

"What is it?" Kaido and Kuzan exchanged a look, quickly making their way to the deck. They grabbed binoculars and peered into the distance.

Ahead of them, a three-masted ship flying the Red-Haired Pirates' flag cut through the waves, heading straight toward them.

At the bow of the ship stood a one-armed man with red hair, facing the sea breeze.

"Kaido, you're biting off more than you can chew," Shanks called out. "Give me some respect and hand over the Heavenly Tribute!"

"Give you respect? Who do you think you are? Do you deserve it?" Kaido laughed, as if he'd just heard the most absurd joke.

Shanks' expression darkened. He uncorked the gourd hanging from his waist, took a swig of wine, and then tossed it aside.

After a brief pause, he placed his right hand gently on the hilt of his saber, staring intensely at Kaido.

Their eyes met across the distance, and Kaido's smile slowly faded.

"So, Red-Haired Shanks… Are you really going to try and stop me?"

Shanks snorted coldly. "No matter how flawed the World Government is, it's created some order in this world."

"If I let you carry on with this, the world will fall into chaos and endless turmoil! I won't stand for that. Stop this now!"

With those righteous words, Shanks narrowed his eyes. In that instant, it was as if a bomb had detonated, unleashing an overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki across the area.

The sheer force of his presence was so powerful it seemed to press down on everything, suffocating the air around them.

The pirates aboard Kaido's ship could feel it in their bones. Their ears rang, and their chests tightened. Half of them collapsed on the spot, fainting from the pressure.

The few who remained conscious were trembling, their hearts pounding in terror as if they'd just witnessed a force of nature.

"What… what insane power. This guy's like a monster…" one pirate muttered, barely able to speak.

"Yeah, no kidding! Who would've thought the Red-Haired Pirates would side with the World Government?" another pirate added, nervously.

Kaido snorted, unimpressed. "Hah! You can talk all you want about justice and order, but let's be real. You're just after our treasure. We've got 200 billion Beli here—don't try to tell me you're not tempted."

Another pirate chimed in, "These guys aren't your average pirates either. I heard they've taken down several big crews recently. If we go head-to-head, it's anyone's guess if we'll survive…"

Kaido glanced at his crew, then turned back toward Shanks.

"What a ridiculous, boring excuse," Kaido sneered. "Unrest? Chaos? In this world, it's the strong who make the rules!"

He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "We may have no personal grudge, but since you've decided to stand in my way, I guess I've got no choice but to kill you."

Swish!

Shanks drew his sword with one hand and pointed it directly at Kaido.

"Yes, you're strong. You were once a Sea Emperor, the so-called strongest creature in the world."

"And now, you've got a former Marine Admiral on your side…"

"But I'm not alone either."

As soon as he finished speaking, eight black silhouettes emerged beside Shanks.

A powerful aura swept through the air, making everyone tense.

As they took a closer look, the pirates couldn't help but gasp in shock.

"Those are...!"

"Benn Beckman, Lucky Roo, Yasopp, Limejuice…"

"The entire Red Hair Pirates crew is here!"

Kaido sneered.

"Stop pretending, Shanks. You must have some shady connection with the Celestial Dragons."

Shanks stepped forward, his expression serious.

"Today, you're not leaving with the Heavenly Tribute. I'm warning you."

"Are you sure you want to start a war with all of us Red Hair Pirates?"

Even Kaido and a former Marine Admiral might not be able to take on Shanks and his entire crew.

Shanks and his companions had forged an unbreakable bond of trust during more than ten years of adventures. Along the way, countless powerful enemies had fallen before them.

This time would be no different.

"If that's how it's going to be, let's settle this with our strength."

Kaido's words sent a chill through everyone around them. The tension was palpable.

Shanks' frown deepened. "You've completely crossed the World Government. Are you sure you want to declare war on us too? This isn't a smart move."

His words carried a clear threat, and the atmosphere grew heavy. It seemed as though a single wrong word could spark a fight.

Kuzan stood by silently, weighing his options. He had hesitated for a long time, but he eventually took his place beside Kaido.

Back when he was still a Marine, Kuzan had heard of the Red Hair Pirates. Shanks was a man who could match swords with Dracule Mihawk, the greatest swordsman in the world. And Benn Beckman, the vice-captain, was said to be just as formidable.

Even if they left those two aside, the rest of the crew were seasoned pirates, each with bounties of hundreds of millions.

The upcoming battle wouldn't be easy.

If Kuzan stood back and watched, Kaido would almost certainly lose, and his undercover plan would fail. He had no choice but to side with Kaido now, even if it meant taking on the Red Hair Pirates head-on.

Fighting alongside Kaido would earn him more trust.

Just as Kuzan was calculating his next move…

Bang!

A gunshot rang out, a hot bullet speeding towards them. Kuzan could even smell the gunpowder in the air.

His heart skipped a beat as he realized the danger. His temples pulsed, and a faint numbness spread through him.

These were the Red Hair Pirates, after all, the rulers of the New World. They had perfectly timed their attack to catch them off guard.

There was no time to dodge.

Even with his Logia powers, elementalization wouldn't be fast enough. He'd take significant damage.

And worse yet, it looked like they were trying to take out both him and Kaido in one strike!

In that split second, countless thoughts raced through his mind. The threat of death loomed closer than ever.

Just as the bullet was about to hit…

Kaido's eyes gleamed. He grabbed his mace, swinging it with immense force and knocking the bullet away.

Before Kuzan could even breathe a sigh of relief, the Red Hair Pirates launched a full-scale assault.

Beckman had fired the first shot—signaling the start of the battle!

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