"Fire! Cover Vice Admiral Garp!"
Garp had just entered the firing range of the Marine warships when Kaido continued his pursuit. Without hesitation, the surrounding Marine vessels adjusted their cannons and aimed directly at him.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
A storm of cannon shells rained down upon Kaido. Though the explosions could not pierce the scales of his dragon form, the continuous detonations and shockwaves forced him to halt his advance. Smoke and flames surrounded him as he turned his cold gaze toward the attacking warships, irritation evident in his expression.
"Annoying trash…"
A sphere of compressed energy began to gather in his mouth.
Garp's eyes widened in alarm. "Stop, Kaido! Your opponent is me!"
Kaido ignored him completely.
"Wind Blade!"
In an instant, countless massive wind blades, each stretching dozens of meters, tore across the sea. The air screamed as they descended upon the Marine fleet. Several warships were sliced apart as if they were fragile wooden toys, their hulls shattered into fragments that scattered across the waves.
Seeing the destruction of his subordinates' ships, Garp's fury erupted.
"Kaido!"
He surged forward.
"Fist Bone!"
"Worororo, are you angry?" Kaido blocked the incoming punch with his kanabo, the collision sending tremors through the sky. He sneered. "Then come and kill me. Avenge them if you can."
Not far away, Sengoku watched the battlefield deteriorate. His expression gradually darkened. It was now undeniable that Garp alone could not suppress Kaido. If this continued, the Marines might face total annihilation.
The most troubling factor was Kaido himself. With his Devil Fruit abilities fully mastered and his power elevated to terrifying heights, he was no longer the same opponent they once knew. Sengoku understood clearly that both he and Garp were far past their primes. Even if the two of them joined forces, the Beasts Pirates still held a numerical and strategic advantage.
Ships, manpower, high level fighters, the balance tilted heavily in Kaido's favor.
Even naval combat, which should have favored the Marines, offered little reassurance. There was no one present capable of truly restraining Kaido.
After a brief but intense deliberation, Sengoku made his decision.
"All Marines, listen carefully! All units, retreat immediately!"
The order stunned those within earshot.
"What?" Garp exclaimed mid battle.
Even Zephyr, who was locked in combat against Vergo and Who's Who, froze in disbelief.
"Sengoku, what are you doing?" Garp demanded.
Sengoku raised his voice over the roaring winds. "Garp, fall back! We cannot stop them. There is no reason to waste more lives here!"
Kaido observed the Marine fleet gradually pulling away. His eyes narrowed.
"Oh? After weighing the pros and cons, you choose to retreat?"
King, however, remained cautious. He approached Kaido and said quietly, "Lord Kaido, this could be a feigned withdrawal. If they circle behind us while we sail toward Whole Cake Island, it could become troublesome."
Kaido immediately understood the implication. He had no doubt that Sengoku was capable of such strategy. Though he wished to rush to support the Big Mom Pirates, leaving Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr unchecked behind him was a risk. Together with the thousands of Marines under their command, that force rivaled a Yonko crew in strength.
Leaving such power at his back would be foolish.
Kaido sneered at the retreating Marines. "Worororo, who do you think I am? You intercepted us first, and now you want to leave? The three of you may escape if you wish, but the rest will stay in this sea."
With that, he lunged toward the retreating warships.
If Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr chose to flee using Moonwalk, Kaido could at most pursue one of them. But the ordinary Marines were another matter entirely. Destroy their ships, and they would be stranded helplessly in open waters.
Sengoku's face grew darker as he saw Kaido charge.
"Don't even think about harming them!" Garp roared, stepping forward once more to intercept him.
Kaido's gaze turned cold. "If you intend to escape, then save yourselves. I will destroy your strength first."
Garp met him head on, his voice firm and unshaken. "If we choose to leave, no one here can stop us."
At that moment, Sengoku and Zephyr also launched into the air using Moonwalk, positioning themselves to cover the fleet's withdrawal. The three veterans formed a defensive line before Kaido while the remaining Marine warships steadily increased their distance.
Kaido glanced at the retreating ships, then at the three legends before him. His expression hardened.
"Worororo, come then!"
Another fierce clash erupted. Garp engaged Kaido directly once more, while King intercepted Sengoku again. This time, the Marines had a singular objective, delay. Once sufficient time had passed and the fleet was safely distant, the three would withdraw together.
Meanwhile, the Beasts Pirates found themselves facing a difficult decision. Pursue the Marines, or proceed to Whole Cake Island?
King flew beside Kaido and asked, "Kaido, shall we chase them, or move to support the Big Mom Pirates?"
Kaido watched the dozen or so Marine warships shrinking on the horizon. If he pursued, there was no guarantee he could eliminate Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr. If he ignored them, they might regroup and strike later.
After a brief internal struggle, he made his decision.
"No. Our priority is to support the Big Mom Pirates. The Old Hag's situation is dire."
King nodded slightly.
Kaido continued, "We cannot forget that they are facing not only the Marines, but also the Gorosei. I am concerned that the Old Hag and Marco may not endure much longer. If they fall, the Beasts Pirates will be next."
The surrounding members of the Beasts Pirates grew solemn. Even without eloquence, they understood the simple truth, if one ally fell, the others would soon follow.
"Jack," Kaido commanded, "lead the fleet and follow behind us."
"Yes, Lord Kaido," Jack responded firmly.
Kaido added, "If Sengoku and the others return after I depart, you may choose to engage or withdraw. Use your judgment."
Jack nodded again. "Understood."
Without another word, Kaido transformed into his massive azure dragon form. His colossal body coiled through the sky as storm clouds gathered around him.
With a thunderous roar, he soared toward Whole Cake Island.
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