---
As the bubble shields surrounding the two ships broke apart, great torrents of seawater cascaded back into the ocean.
The El Pirates' vessel and the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship rose to the surface together.
Having passed through the underwater passage beneath the Red Line via Fish‑Man Island, they had now entered the second half of the Grand Line.
This was the New World.
These waters were almost entirely under the rule of the Four Emperors.
Even the power of the Marines or the World Government was far less effective here than that of the great pirate crews.
What they could easily achieve elsewhere became difficult in this region.
The Four Emperors had divided the New World into their respective domains, leaving little room for outsiders to maneuver.
For any newcomer hoping to make a name here, the options were few: either join one of the Emperors' crews, or retreat in defeat.
It was no easy task to survive and rise to prominence; one wrong move could cost a man his life.
Being a pirate was never meant to be simple or safe.
Upon arriving in the New World, the two crews naturally went their separate ways.
Their meeting at Fish‑Man Island had been an unexpected turn of events, and now it was time for each to sail toward their own territories.
The Whitebeard Pirates also preferred not to remain too close. Two forces of such immense power could not comfortably coexist within the same stretch of ocean.
Yet looking at it from their perspective, encountering the El Pirates so early was not necessarily bad news.
Their own strength was already in decline, and they could ill afford to make more powerful enemies.
Though no formal alliance or defense pact had been agreed upon, the incident at Fish‑Man Island had ensured they were no longer outright foes—and that alone was a great relief.
The officers of the El Pirates felt much the same way. Resolving the conflict peacefully rather than through bloodshed was a positive outcome.
Their captain El, however, seemed far less concerned. To him, maintaining good relations with Whitebeard's crew made little difference.
Eventually, if he intended to claim the title of the strongest, the Whitebeard Pirates would inevitably stand in his way—it was only a matter of time.
For now, El could clearly see that the Whitebeard Pirates were no longer at their peak.
If given the choice, El would have preferred to face Whitebeard in his prime—and as an enemy.
For a being of such overwhelming power, what purpose was there if not to stand against him?
That was how El thought, though none of his crew could possibly guess it.
If they knew their captain was not only eager to fight the Whitebeard Pirates as they were now, but also imagined facing them at their absolute strongest, they would likely be terrified.
Even in their current state, the Whitebeard Pirates still held the highest standing among the Four Emperors.
The others might be younger or in better health, yet none dared to provoke them lightly.
After leaving Fish‑Man Island and sailing deeper into the New World, the El Pirates soon found themselves approaching Dressrosa.
Once, this kingdom had been under the iron rule of the Donquixote family. But those days were long gone.
"What is that?"
The lookout spotted other ships anchored near the coast.
Normally, even in this age of piracy, vessels would not loiter so close to an independent kingdom unless they had some clear objective.
This was exactly how the Donquixote family had seized control of Dressrosa years ago.
But these were not Donquixote ships.
They belonged to the Beasts Pirates, led by Kaido—one of the Four Emperors, equal in standing to Whitebeard.
The Beasts Pirates were feared throughout the New World, and their reputation was well‑earned.
Yet unlike other crews, they focused heavily on one particular specialty. In the past, they had maintained close ties and trade relations with the Donquixote family.
Back then, Doflamingo controlled the production of artificial Zoan‑type Devil Fruits, and Kaido possessed an almost obsessive desire to collect them.
Nearly all of the Beasts Pirates' top officers were Zoan‑type users, and even among their lower ranks, the proportion of Devil Fruit users was higher than in any other great crew.
They truly lived up to their name. It was likely this preference stemmed from Kaido himself being a Zoan‑type user.
At that time, the relationship between Doflamingo and the Beasts Pirates had been mutually beneficial, so seeing their ships near Dressrosa was not entirely unexpected—Doflamingo had once used the kingdom as a hub for his underground trade.
But all that belonged to the past. Now, the presence of the Beasts Pirates' fleet here felt distinctly out of place.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Doflamingo was immediately informed. As a high‑ranking officer of the crew and the former ruler of Dressrosa, he was the most qualified to understand the situation.
El, too, wanted to hear his thoughts. "Why would the Beasts Pirates be here, now of all times?"
To be honest, Doflamingo himself had no answer.
"All I can say is… if we can avoid them, it would be best."
He was reluctant to cross paths with his former business partners.
For years, the artificial fruits produced by the Donquixote family had been sold almost exclusively to Kaido's crew.
Though the Beasts Pirates were enormously powerful, they tended to remain within their own territory rather than roam widely across the seas.
Kaido himself, however, was known to travel constantly—not for adventure, but in search of the perfect place to take his own life.
Because of his Devil Fruit, he was nearly indestructible.
Awakened Zoan‑type users were notoriously difficult to kill, and Kaido was an extreme case even among them.
__________________
For more advance chapters visit patreon.com/bars45.
For 10$- All advance chapters.
"Schedule"
Monday - Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day
Saturday - Sunday - Off