"It's the Beasts Pirates' King of Wildfire, King! A pirate with a bounty exceeding ten billion Berries—an absolute top-tier pirate!"
At the port, those with sharp eyes immediately recognized the tall figure standing at the bow of the ship.
"You've got to be kidding me! Why is King here? Why would he show up in this place?"
"Is he stopping by to resupply?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Have you ever seen one Emperor's crew stopping for supplies in another Emperor's territory? Not to mention, this is the only known stronghold of the Thunder God Pirates in the New World!"
"I feel like something big is about to happen… Should we go check it out?"
Some onlookers, having never seen the infamous King in person, looked eager to approach and investigate why the Beasts Pirates' second-in-command had come here. However, one of their companions quickly grabbed them and pulled them back.
"Go if you want, but I'd rather live a few more years! Pirates of this level are all unpredictable—one wrong move, and you could be dead. Don't expect the Dressrosa royal army to protect you. King won't show mercy to anyone except the Thunder God Pirates, not even to King Riku!"
As King's ship docked, the expressions of the people at the port turned to fear.
A captured pirate, yet to be escorted to prison, silently observed the scene before him.
For the first time, he truly grasped the disparity in power across the world.
The same people who had mocked him without hesitation now looked terrified, not even daring to step forward, let alone speak recklessly, in front of the Beasts Pirates' King of Wildfire.
Cavendish stood at the port, his expression solemn as he watched King's arrival.
He was here because Viola had informed him of the situation in advance.
"Don't worry, Cavendish. The Beasts Pirates probably aren't here to start a war."
At that moment, a deep voice spoke from behind Cavendish.
Turning around, he saw a burly man standing there.
This man had a buzz cut, a forked beard, and was shirtless, revealing his solid muscles. He carried a massive spiked iron ball attached to a thick chain.
This man was none other than Tank Lepanto, the former captain of the Riku Royal Army.
"You're here too, Lepanto."
Cavendish rested his large sword on his shoulder and nodded slightly in greeting.
"King Riku was a little worried. After all, we're talking about the right-hand man of a Sea Emperor."
Lepanto replied in a low voice, glancing around before asking:
"The Thunder God Pirates haven't shown up yet? They should have received the news first."
"They should be arriving soon," Cavendish responded.
Lepanto gazed up at the sky with anticipation.
"I wonder if Lord Sanders will show up. He was the one who drove Doflamingo out of Dressrosa… I still haven't had the chance to thank him."
He knew that while the Thunder God Pirates had a base in Dressrosa, their true headquarters was up in the sky.
Cavendish shook his head.
"Kaido isn't here, so Lord Sanders probably won't appear."
Like Lepanto, he also held deep respect and gratitude toward Sanders—not just for liberating Dressrosa but also for curing his severed leg.
"That's a shame."
Lepanto sighed.
"I guess Issho will be the one to step forward then. After all, the one who came is King."
King against King, General against General.
Since both belonged to the ranks of Sea Emperors, the Thunder God Pirates naturally had to send their vice-captain, Issho, to meet the Beasts Pirates' second-in-command.
"Let's go. We should head over first."
"Until Issho arrives, make sure no one at the port provokes King."
Cavendish called out to Lepanto while ordering the royal guards to disperse the crowd, ensuring that no reckless individuals angered King, a true top-tier pirate.
Aboard the Beasts Pirates' Ship
Yamato's large eyes darted around beneath her mask, observing the port with curiosity.
"So, this is Dressrosa?"
She whispered, taking in the scenery.
"It's completely different from Wano."
"So many pirate ships… Doesn't the Thunder God Pirates care?"
She spoke softly as she compared Dressrosa's bustling harbor to the isolationist land of Wano.
Back in Wano, so many different pirate ships would never be allowed to gather.
The only ones who appeared were either Beasts Pirates' subordinates or foolish challengers seeking to take on the crew.
Seeing such a diverse array of ships all at once, Yamato's interest was piqued.
She wondered how strong these pirates were.
A fight against powerful warriors from around the world had been her dream since childhood.
"Though they probably aren't as strong as Kaido… These pirates don't even look as strong as the Flying Six."
Yamato thought to herself while observing the various pirates at the port.
King, meanwhile, observed the harbor with a calm gaze.
"A lot has changed… There wasn't a port here before."
Having worked with Doflamingo in the past, he was no stranger to Dressrosa.
Then, he turned slightly toward Yamato and issued a warning.
"Yamato-dono, once we're on land, keep quiet. And under no circumstances should you mention that you are Kaido-sama's 'son.'"
"The marriage alliance must remain secret for now."
Kaido sought an alliance with Sanders to wage a massive war, but such plans couldn't be made public.
For this reason, King intended to keep their true mission under wraps, officially claiming they were only here to resupply.
Whether or not the Marines or World Government believed that didn't matter.
What mattered was ensuring that no one found out that Kaido had sent his "heir" here for a political marriage.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. You've already said this a hundred times. So annoying."
Yamato huffed in irritation.
King remained unfazed by her attitude and added one final warning:
"And don't bring up that 'Oden' nonsense again. You should know the consequences."
"You are Yamato. Nothing else."
Hearing this, Yamato's tone grew colder.
Wano was a painful subject for her.
And both her father, Kaido, and the man before her—this damn King—used it as leverage to keep her under control.
"Let's go."
King nodded before stepping off the ship.
At That Moment…
A ship bearing the Whitebeard Pirates' flag slowly approached.
Standing at the bow, wearing a purple coat over his bare upper body, was the Phoenix, Marco.
His sharp gaze locked onto the Beasts Pirates' ship.
"Beasts Pirates, huh?"
Marco narrowed his eyes and muttered.
"What the hell are they doing here?"
As he eyed their flag, his expression darkened.
The memories of the recent war against the Beasts Pirates flashed through his mind, making his gaze even more dangerous.
"Things just got interesting."
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T/N:
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