Savage Conqueror's Haki collided in the sky, and visible black lightning erupted.
The skies seemed to darken in that instant.
On the island below, those who had just regained consciousness fell unconscious once more.
"Kaido of the Beasts!"
Many below recognized the Emperor, their expressions turning grave.
'What is this guy doing here? Did he come to start a war?'
Though those below harbored different fears, both figures in the sky wore wild grins.
Their pupils seemed to glow crimson.
This was merely a greeting.
"Kaido, what brings you here?" Charlotte Linlin asked through gritted teeth, both hands gripping her sword hilt.
"That's not a question for here, Linlin!" Kaido laughed heartily, retracting his spiked club and leaning backward, his entire body plummeting downward at increasing speed.
Standing on her thundercloud, Charlotte Linlin watched Kaido's movement with a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
It seemed this guy truly had business to attend to, otherwise, he would have insisted on fighting first rather than withdrawing after just exchanging greetings.
The people of Whole Cake Island watched Kaido's towering figure fall from the sky and crash onto the ground.
The entire island seemed to tremble from the impact, or perhaps it was just an illusion experienced by those standing close to the landing zone.
As everyone stared in stunned silence, Charlotte Linlin's booming voice rang out.
"Prepare the banquet!"
Charlotte Linlin descended in a curved path on her thundercloud, landing heavily on the ground.
At her command, everyone sprang into action.
Kaido rose from the crater he'd created, cracked his thick neck, then returned to Whole Cake Island's castle alongside the matriarch.
Others watched this scene, puzzled about Kaido's true purpose.
Inside the castle, Kaido sat directly on the floor while Charlotte Linlin took her throne.
Wine was brought first, which Kaido unceremoniously grabbed and began chugging.
Charlotte Linlin showed no urgency to question him, simply watching him drink.
"Speaking of which, you recently went to war with that Red Hair guy," Kaido suddenly remarked between gulps, darkening Charlotte Linlin's expression.
"You little brat, still as annoying as ever," Charlotte Linlin retorted sharply, mainly because she hadn't emerged victorious against Red Hair.
Though she hadn't lost either, she felt her status surpassed Shanks's—not winning meant losing in her eyes.
"So you came here to mock me?" Charlotte Linlin's tone grew increasingly hostile, as if ready to fight at any moment.
Under normal circumstances, Kaido would never refuse a fight, but this time was different.
Setting down his drink, Kaido looked directly at Big Mom.
"The Flame Demon has entered the New World. You must have received the news from Dressrosa."
Charlotte Linlin, who had been showing signs of anger, froze at these words.
"Mamamamama, this news reached here long ago," Charlotte Linlin laughed heartily, but her laughter abruptly ceased.
"So, you came for this guy? But why come to me? Or are you planning to deal with him, Kaido?"
Charlotte Linlin fired off a series of questions, but Kaido didn't interrupt.
Only after she finished speaking did he throw his head back and roar with laughter.
"That Doflamingo guy wanted me to make a move earlier, but I'm not stupid enough to challenge the guy who could unleashed that strike on the Red Line."
Kaido's words made Charlotte Linlin's expression turn grave.
Yes, that strike.
Not just Kaido, even she had been shocked by that blow.
Subsequently, images from recording Den Den Mushis had circulated, which Charlotte Linlin naturally managed to obtain.
A single sword slash that nearly split the ten-thousand-meter-high Red Line across the sea—such power was truly astonishing.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Charlotte Linlin frowned.
"He's closer to you than to me, Linlin. So, let's join forces." Kaido looked at her, waiting for a response.
'Join forces?' Charlotte Linlin clearly hadn't expected Kaido to suggest this, frowning as she stared at him.
"You want to deal with him?"
"It's not that I want to deal with him, but since he's entered the New World, he's bound to cross paths with us eventually," Kaido shook his head.
Someone of Cyrus's caliber was sure to stir up massive waves in the New World.
When that happened, it wouldn't be a matter of simply avoiding him.
Should they retreat before Cyrus even arrived? Such a thing was utterly impossible for Emperors of the Sea.
Seeing Charlotte Linlin deep in thought, Kaido didn't press her, instead resuming his drinking.
"Cooperating with a brat like you? I'd rather team up with that Cyrus," Charlotte Linlin suddenly remarked.
Kaido was taken aback, then burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"WORORORO, You're still so naive, Linlin. Haven't you forgotten? That guy's a Pirate Hunter. Besides, if you could bring yourself to submit to him, maybe it'd be possible."
Kaido's words clearly irritated Charlotte Linlin, but they also held undeniable truth.
Neither she nor Kaido had any intention of bowing to anyone.
That mindset had vanished ever since the fall of Rocks.
"Speaking of which, after he left Dressrosa, he entered Totto Land, Linlin," Kaido added more weight to his argument.
"Even if you say that, I won't make a decision lightly." When Charlotte Linlin's hunger pangs weren't acting up, her mind remained sharp.
With the geopolitical situation unclear, why would she immediately join forces with Kaido?
Kaido had anticipated Charlotte Linlin's response and didn't push further.
The banquet commenced, lively and bustling. A
fter all, they were hosting another Emperor of the Sea.
...
Cyrus never imagined Kaido would proactively seek an alliance with Charlotte Linlin to deal with him.
Even if he had known, Cyrus wouldn't have cared.
After all, Kaido and Charlotte Linlin were fundamentally different from the World Government.
Launching a full-scale assault on the World Government would require Cyrus to consider the subsequent impact on the seas, although these consequences wouldn't affect him personally.
Cyrus had no desire to see countless civilian deaths result from his decisions.
But Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were pirates.
If their territories were destroyed, there might be innocents caught in the crossfire, but most wouldn't be wrongly implicated.
Of course, Cyrus wasn't thinking about any of this now, because two people on the ship were desperately trying to impress him.
Hancock and Baby 5.
These two women were constantly by his side.
"Hancock, you don't need to do these things."
Watching Hancock and Baby 5 attending to him from either side, Robin watched from not far away with an expression that clearly said she was enjoying the spectacle.
'Miss Robin, didn't you say you were here first?'
"Lord Cyrus, these are all things I should be doing."
The Pirate Empress had never served as a maid before, and her professional skills were clearly several tiers below Baby 5's.
But she made up for it with genuine sincerity, and Baby 5 was much the same.
As for Issho in the distance, he felt he should be at the bottom of the ship rather than on the deck!