This included the Marines.
Having dominated the seas for so many years, if the Marines couldn't capture him, couldn't they at least capture one or two of his sons?
Of course there's a chance.
But the Marines understands that harming his children is equivalent to declaring war on Whitebeard himself.
Unless they were fully prepared beforehand, how could they possibly declare war on him?
Even if they were prepared.
The New World isn't solely Whitebeard's territory—Shanks, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin—which one of them would be easy to deal with?
Aren't you afraid they might join forces?
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be so bad.
Given Kaido and Charlotte Linlin's personalities, they might even take this opportunity to seize his territory!
But right now, that Marine and Kaido are locked in an irreconcilable conflict.
You could say it's reached a life-or-death situation.
To provoke him further at this moment?
This probably isn't a wise choice!
Because this way, even if he and Kaido don't join forces and fight separately, the Marine still won't gain any advantage...
What if he and Kaido truly unite?
Then the Marine would have to face two Emperor-level pirate crews simultaneously.
Given Kaido and Charlotte Linlin's relationship, perhaps... it might even mean facing three Emperor-level pirate crews at once.
Unless everyone in the Marines has gone mad.
Otherwise, they would absolutely never do something so foolish.
Even if someone actually attempted it, Sengoku and Tsuru would immediately step in to prevent it.
Because they certainly don't want to trigger an all-out war with the pirates of the New World.
But judging by Kaido's demeanor earlier, it didn't seem fake.
So, for a moment, Whitebeard couldn't decide whether to trust his own analysis or his judgment of Kaido.
...
Meanwhile.
"Fire Dragon Emperor!"
King roared loudly as his entire body instantly burst into raging flames, the fire wrapping around him like a layer of scorching armor.
Immediately after, the samurai sword gripped in his hand was also engulfed by these flames, gleaming with a dazzling radiance.
The next moment, accompanied by a violent roar, a massive eastern dragon-shaped flame erupted from the blade.
This fire dragon appeared vividly lifelike, claws bared as it charged fiercely toward the ground.
Wherever it passed, the air warped and distorted from the intense heat, as if space itself were melting under the searing flames, its temperature comparable to surging magma.
Standing on the ground below, Lancelot saw this scene and showed not the slightest panic.
Instead, the corners of his mouth curled into a sly smile as he murmured to himself.
"Hehehe, the opportunity has finally come..."
As he spoke, his right hand shot toward the sword at his waist with lightning speed.
Simultaneously, his deep eyes fixed intently ahead, his gaze sharp as a torch, firmly locked onto the majestic eastern dragon-shaped flame King had launched.
Just as the fire dragon was about to reach him, Lancelot suddenly shouted.
"Return to Sea: One-Sword Slash!"
With this roar, his wrist flicked, a cold gleam flashed, and the treasured sword Shusui was instantly drawn from its scabbard.
In that split second, an incomparable aura erupted from Lancelot's body, sweeping outward in all directions like a tidal wave.
At the same time, a mysterious and powerful force—Conqueror's Haki—continuously surged from his being.
In the blink of an eye, the surrounding void trembled violently, and pitch-black lightning-like substances materialized out of thin air, rapidly converging toward the Shusui sword in Lancelot's hand.
These black lightning bolts coiled around Shusui's blade as nimbly as spiritual snakes, causing the entire sword to emanate an intimidating aura.
Finally, Lancelot fiercely swung his longsword, slashing directly at the oncoming fire dragon.
With a sharp "swish," an immensely terrifying slash burst forth.
This slash was like a colossal lightning bolt tearing through the night sky, charging forward with the momentum to annihilate heaven and earth.
The moment it emerged, the entire world seemed to fade into insignificance, with everything else reduced to mere background, as if this slash alone was the undisputed protagonist of this world.
Even the scorching, blazing sun hanging high in the sky seemed to lose its usual radiance, growing noticeably dimmer.
The sunlight, which once conveyed a searing intensity, now gradually softened.
As for the ferocious fire dragon unleashed by King, it was split in half by this razor-sharp slash while still seven or eight meters away from Lancelot.
Moreover, after cleaving through the fire dragon, the slash showed no sign of slowing, continuing its relentless charge toward King with undiminished force.
"Not good!"
Witnessing this, King felt a surge of panic, inwardly cursing his misfortune. It must be noted that King's reaction speed far surpassed that of most formidable fighters.
Yet at this moment, the opponent he faced was none other than Lancelot!
Lancelot's slash was enveloped in a terrifying layer of Conqueror's Haki, enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
One must understand that Lancelot already possessed the formidable strength of a Great Swordsman.
Now, combined with this overwhelmingly fearsome Conqueror's Haki, the fusion of the two created the most dreaded slash in the world.
Faced with such a strike of astonishing power, even someone as powerful as King could not help but pale in terror.
Regrettably, it was already too late.
He had no time to mount any effective defense.
In that instant, Lancelot's devastating slash closed in on him with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, it struck his head with brutal force.
With a sharp "swish," the mask on his face was instantly shattered by the sheer power of the strike.
But the destruction wrought by this terrifying blow did not end there.
Not only did it effortlessly split King's mask, but it also left a deep, bone-exposing gash on his face—a horrifying sight!
Through the gruesome wound, one could clearly see the stark white bone beneath, as if it were on the verge of being fully exposed.
Blood gushed out like a breached dam, staining the surrounding air crimson, creating an extremely bloody and gruesome scene.
Simultaneously, the immense impact sent King flying backward.
It must be said, the Lunarian race truly was extraordinary. Even after such an injury, he still hadn't died.
But would Lancelot give him a chance?
Before flames could reignite on his body, Lancelot pushed off with his legs, propelling himself forward like a cannonball.
In an instant, he caught up to King, and Shusui moved once again.
This time, however, it was not a slash but a thrust.
Its target was King's heart.
"Thud..."
Shusui pierced through, directly impaling King's heart.