“Alliance or losing SMILE and opposing me? The choice is yours now, Kaido.”
In the eerie silence that fell over the sea, this was the only sound that echoed through the air.
Nagato stood at the bow of the ship, staring down Kaido without flinching, while the hundred men behind him were so tense they could barely breathe, on the verge of fainting.
In the next moment, all the Dressrosa soldiers and sailors aboard the warship indeed passed out!
On the deck, even inside the cabins, everyone rolled their eyes back, and some even foamed at the mouth. Over a hundred men collapsed to the ground.
Even Kaku’s vision went black, and he fell to his knees, barely holding on to consciousness!
Kaido’s Conqueror’s Haki!
Undoubtedly, Kaido was enraged to the extreme.
But Nagato remained unfazed, not even preparing his Susanoo.
He was betting that Kaido wouldn’t dare to make a move.
Nagato’s words were undoubtedly provocative, especially against Kaido, the most reckless of the Yonko. There was no room for compromise.
If Nagato had relied solely on SMILE for leverage, it would have been foolish. Though Kaido valued his dream, it wasn’t enough to sway him so easily.
Nagato dared to threaten Kaido because he had proven his strength in their battle.
Strategy could only complement; strength was the foundation. Having fought Kaido to a standstill, Nagato knew Kaido couldn’t easily retaliate against his demands.
Because Nagato was Kaido’s equal.
The key was that Nagato matched Kaido in strength, proving that another individual of Yonko-level power had emerged!
What did this mean? It required a broader perspective.
The world often debated whether the Yonko or Admirals were stronger. After encountering Kizaru, Sengoku, and now fighting Kaido, Nagato had a clear judgment.
The pirate emperors and the Navy’s top combat forces were on par!
Perhaps the Yonko had a slight edge, but only by about 10-20% in theoretical advantage. Battle outcomes were unpredictable due to numerous factors.
However, if that were true, why did the Navy, with three Admirals, and the World Government fear the Yonko?
Nagato understood after reaching this level: at this level, one person was enough.
In simpler terms, from Nagato’s first world, the Yonko and Admirals were akin to nuclear weapons!
The Yonko might have slightly higher “yield”; the Navy’s three Admirals were like having three times the nukes of their enemy. When the minimum yield of a nuke could destroy everything and nukes could be reused, was there much difference in deterrent power?
Understanding this clarified why the Navy and pirates were in a stalemate.
It also explained why Nagato dared to show no respect to Kaido!
Because Nagato now stood on the same level as Kaido and wouldn’t relinquish what he had claimed!
Moreover, claiming Whitebeard’s territory was Nagato’s rightful demand. Otherwise, as he previously stated, disrupting his plans wouldn’t only deny him the territory but also harm Kaido significantly.
A sufficiently large territory acted as a constraint. Without it, any single Yonko had enough power to make life unbearable for others, potentially causing chaos. This applied to both Kaido and Nagato.
This was what Nagato confirmed in his previous words.
This was the origin of the titles “Pirate Emperor” and “Ultimate Combat Force” — human-shaped nuclear weapons, the ultimate strategic deterrent!
After a long silence, the wind ceased.
Boom!
Kaido retracted his Conqueror’s Haki, then suddenly stomped his foot and jumped onto the warship, crashing through the deck. His massive frame caused the ship’s bow to dip, producing a resounding crash.
“Boy.” Compared to Nagato, Kaido was like a giant beast, his massive frame casting a shadow over Nagato in the morning light, creating an oppressive atmosphere. “You’re courting death.”
Though the distance between them was perilously close, Nagato didn’t activate Susanoo.
Instead, he kept his Rinnegan’s visual power ready, prepared to use the Deva Path’s abilities at any moment.
He said to Kaido, “Stop with the empty threats, Kaido. Even you must understand the situation after this fight.”
“With Edward dead, this territory became unclaimed. With one Yonko gone, it should be divided among the remaining three — if things remained as they were, nothing could change that…”
“But,” Nagato’s tone shifted sharply, his words undeniable, “I’m here now, and Edward’s position is a perfect fit.”
“Hmph!”
Kaido snorted angrily but said nothing more.
In truth, when Kaido jumped onto the ship instead of attacking, it was clear they wouldn’t fight again.
Kaido was arrogant but not stupid. He likely understood the stakes but couldn’t let Nagato’s words sway him immediately due to his habitual arrogance.
“Where’s the sake? Bring me sake!” Kaido’s shift from combat to demanding sake was swift, as if there had never been hostility and killing intent, his massive frame settling with a loud thud, demanding loudly.
“If there’s any, give it to him,” Nagato turned to the only conscious person on the ship, Kaku, and instructed.
“Yes…” Kaku, having barely endured Kaido’s Conqueror’s Haki, was drenched in sweat as if he had been underwater. Hearing Nagato’s order, he shook his still-dizzy head to regain his senses.
Despite his disheveled state, facing Kaido’s terrifying presence, Kaku glanced at him, not with fear but with a firmer and brighter resolve in his eyes.
“Yes!” Kaku’s slight movements went unnoticed by both Nagato and Kaido. Fully regaining his composure, he loudly affirmed and turned to go below deck.
After Kaku left, Nagato spoke.
“Now that we’re here, let’s get started.” Nagato didn’t sit like Kaido, not having that habit. “I’m talking about an alliance; this won’t change, Kaido.”
“Hmm?” Kaido grunted, then said, “Speak, boy, what exactly do you want?”
“We’ve fought, but I don’t have time to fight Shanks and Charlotte as well. I need efficient methods.” Nagato replied, “And you are that method, Kaido.”
Nagato looked at Kaido and said, “Forming an alliance, I need you to publicly announce it with me and acknowledge my control over this territory!”
“You want to use my name?”
“Yes,” Nagato nodded.
Despite the twists and turns, the plan remained the same: ally with Kaido to quickly stabilize control over the territory.
Choosing Kaido wasn’t because he was the best partner among the remaining Yonko after Whitebeard’s death, but given Nagato’s conditions, Kaido was the most likely to agree due to their prior contact and SMILE.
Initially, Nagato heavily relied on SMILE as leverage, foreseeing difficulties and planning to use the super Shinra Tensei as a threat if negotiations failed.
Now, it was still a combination of SMILE and strength, but having fought Kaido solidified his position. Nagato no longer needed to exhaust himself proving his strength with a super Shinra Tensei.
From the beginning, in Nagato’s plan, Kaido was the ally he aimed to secure!
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