Never forgetting where he came from had always been Renji's principle for survival.
It wasn't because he was some exceptionally noble person.
Rather, once someone forgot their roots, they would end up chasing nothing but profit. Gradually, everyone around them would disappear until they were left completely alone, with no true friends.
Without friends, there would be no one to share happiness with.
No one to confide in during difficult times.
Everything would have to be endured alone.
Even if one stood unrivaled beneath the heavens, that kind of life would still be unbearably dull.
"Besides, you were once crewmates with Pops."
"A union between the Beasts Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates isn't exactly unimaginable."
At this point, Renji paused to think.
"Add Big Mom into the mix and rebuild the old Rocks Pirates..."
"That would be pretty interesting."
Interesting?
Maybe for pirates.
The original Rocks Pirates had only been a pirate crew. They hadn't even possessed territory on the scale of today's New World, yet they had forced the World Government into cooperating with pirates just to bring them down.
Now, the three giants who had once stood beneath Rocks, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom controlled nearly three-quarters of the New World's territory.
The forces under their command were even more terrifying.
If the three Emperors truly joined hands...
For the Marines no.
For the entire World Government it would be a suffocating nightmare.
"Damn it, what the hell is going through that brat's head?!"
On the small observation vessel, Sengoku broke out in a cold sweat as he listened to Renji's words.
He knew perfectly well that if such an alliance were ever formed, Whitebeard would undoubtedly stand at the center. Neither Kaido nor Big Mom would willingly submit to another Emperor.
That alone made the possibility extremely unlikely.
Even so, merely imagining three of the Four Emperors joining forces was enough to fill him with dread.
That would be a force truly capable of confronting the World Government head-on.
The Revolutionary Army had only gained the ability to oppose the World Government and had already been branded Public Enemy Number One.
Three Emperors united?
The threat level wasn't even comparable.
"Calm down."
Across from him, Garp appeared completely unconcerned.
"That kid's just provoking Kaido."
"He's trying to make Kaido angry so he'll gain an advantage in the upcoming fight."
"Have the Five Elders scolded you so much that you've gone senile?"
"How can you overthink such a simple taunt?"
"I know that."
Sengoku shot back immediately.
Yet the seriousness on his face didn't lessen in the slightest.
"Momousagi."
"Yes, sir!"
Momousagi stepped forward at once.
"Inform Marine Headquarters."
"We need to intensify our infiltration into the New World."
"They don't need to gather any other intelligence."
"They only need to closely monitor the relationships between the Four Emperors."
"Understood!"
Momousagi immediately turned to relay the order.
"Alliance between the Four Emperors?"
Compared to the Marines, who were tense and suspicious, Big Mom's face lit up with delight.
Among the Four Emperors, she was the weakest.
Her resistance toward cooperation with others was also the lowest.
In fact, she was even beginning to miss the days she had spent aboard the Rocks Pirates.
"That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea."
The World Government would undoubtedly do everything in its power to stop anyone from reaching Roger's treasure.
She didn't know what was hidden on the Final Island, but she was certain it wasn't merely gold and jewels. Otherwise, the World Government wouldn't be taking it so seriously.
Money was always good to have.
But for an enormous organization like the World Government, which collected taxes from nations all over the world, Roger's treasure wasn't particularly important.
What truly worried them was Roger's influence.
And the secret he had left behind on the Final Island.
"If the Four Emperors could really join forces..."
"I wouldn't be opposed to it."
"But..."
Big Mom took a bite of cake, a satisfied expression spreading across her face.
Her gaze settled on Renji.
"It doesn't seem like you can convince that stubborn old fool Kaido."
On the Red Hair Pirates' ship, Shanks frowned slightly.
Renji's proposal had quite clearly excluded him.
Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom had all been members of the Rocks Pirates.
He, on the other hand, had been a member of the Pirate King's crew—the enemy of the Rocks Pirates.
"If that day ever comes..."
After a moment of thought, Shanks spoke again.
"I'll be the first person to run away from the New World."
"Kid, that's not a bad idea."
Kaido looked at Renji and gave a rare nod of approval.
However, judging from his uninterested expression, it was obvious that he had no intention of actually joining forces with him.
After all...a man who had become the leader of one of the world's strongest powers—
how could he possibly be willing to submit to someone else?
"However..."
"I'll be the boss."
"Whitebeard and Big Mom can be my subordinates."
"Meet that condition, and I'll agree to play along with your little game. How about it?"
"So there's no room for negotiation?"
Renji's expression remained calm.
He had never expected Kaido to agree in the first place.
The reason he brought it up was exactly what Garp had guessed.
He simply wanted to provoke Kaido and see whether he would take the bait.
Now it seemed that Kaido wasn't affected at all.
Which was understandable.
After all, Kaido stood among the strongest beings in the world.
Someone who had experienced every kind of storm imaginable wasn't going to fall for such a simple provocation.
With both powers pushed to their limits, Renji began gathering the energy of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Crack after crack spread through the air around him.
Fixing his gaze on Kaido, he spoke once more.
"Want to fight?"
"Of course."
Kaido stared at Renji, his eyes filled with brutality.
He was angry.
Very angry.
The reason was simple.
This junior had actually dared to interfere in a battle between captains.
In Kaido's eyes, Renji's actions were the same as declaring that the Whitebeard Pirates no longer needed Whitebeard himself to deal with him.
At that moment, Kaido unleashed his Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki to their utmost limits.
"Be careful."
As he spoke, lightning erupted across his entire body.
Dark clouds began to gather in what had been a clear blue sky.
It was as though even the heavens had sensed Kaido's power.
Bolts of lightning flashed within the clouds, resonating with the thunder surrounding Kaido.
At this moment, Kaido seemed less like a man and more like a god.
A god who commanded thunder itself.
Taking a single step forward, Kaido unleashed an overwhelming surge of lightning.
The terrifying energy gathered entirely into the kanabo in his right hand before he swung it toward Renji.
Thunder roared across the battlefield.
Bolts as thick as tree trunks covered the island.
The sheer pressure and aura radiating from Kaido were enough to stun seabirds that ventured too close, sending them crashing into the ocean below.
Even the Sea Kings beneath the water rolled their eyes back and floated lifelessly to the surface.
Carrying a force that seemed capable of crushing every law of the world itself, Kaido arrived before Renji in an instant.
There was not the slightest hint of restraint in the swing of his kanabo.
"Thunder Bagua!"
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