Chapter Title: The Trump Card and the Brewing Storm
After Fleet Admiral Sengoku finished assigning roles to the other three Admirals, his gaze landed on Chiga, seated calmly beside him.
Everyone else in the room turned to look as well. It was no secret that, in this war, Chiga was the Navy's true trump card.
While the Three Admirals could hold their own against the Four Emperors in battle, defeating them outright would likely require the likes of Garp and Sengoku to intervene. And even then, the outcome wasn't guaranteed.
But the Emperors' crews didn't consist of just the Emperors. Their officers and commanders were powerful forces in their own right. The Navy's Vice Admirals, by comparison, seemed slightly underwhelming.
That's why Uchiha Chiga, whose strength far outclassed even the Admirals, had become the deciding factor.
Before Sengoku could speak, Chiga stood up and stated plainly,
"Kuzan only needs to manage the battlefield. As for Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks—I'll handle both."
As the glow of Chiga's Rinnegan flickered with a purple hue, no one dared question his confidence. Arrogance wasn't the impression he gave—it was assurance.
Even Akainu voiced no objection. Chiga's battle feats were undeniable. Not to mention, Shanks was already considered one of Chiga's defeated opponents.
Now it was time to determine who truly stood at the top: the Strongest Man in the World, or the Strongest Admiral in the Navy.
Chiga swept his gaze across the other Admirals, as if sizing up which of them still wanted to steal the spotlight in this historic war.
When his eyes fell on Kizaru, he noticed something surprising. The laid-back Admiral, usually more focused on clocking in and out than justice, now looked eager—motivated even.
Perhaps, without his grand-nephew present, Kizaru's long-dormant sense of duty had been stirred again.
With all four Admirals now committed, a rare relief washed over Sengoku's face. He turned to organize the rest of the strategy—assigning officers of the Four Emperors' crews to the Shichibukai.
And in truth, Chiga believed even Issho—could handle an entire Emperor's officers alone. With reinforcements like Yamato and others, the odds tilted even further in the Navy's favor.
To round things out, Garp had been assigned a roaming position, acting as the Navy's "wild card", able to reinforce any section as needed.
Once the final orders were delivered, Sengoku slapped the table and stared hard at everyone present.
"This war will be recorded in history. I believe—no, I am certain the Navy will emerge victorious. Justice will prevail!"
Those final words rang through the room like a war drum. For a moment, every officer was transported back to their early days—their first dreams, the pride in their uniforms.
They stood in unison, saluting.
"Justice will prevail!"
Akainu roared the loudest, removing his cap and slamming it on the table. Even Kizaru looked at him in surprise.
Luckily, Akainu didn't get so worked up that he activated his powers. His current uniform was new; the last one had been reduced to ashes during Issho's evaluation.
Meanwhile, Aokiji kept glancing at Chiga, his thoughts wandering back to their conversation in Alabasta. A quiet unease lingered.
After the meeting, Aokiji approached Chiga privately and lowered his voice.
"If the Four Emperors are defeated... what comes next?"
Chiga immediately understood. Aokiji was asking whether he planned to challenge the World Government once the Emperors fell.
But now wasn't the time to answer that. Everything hinged on Imu—if he made a move, Chiga would respond. If not, there was no reason to provoke unnecessary conflict.
The more time Chiga had to develop quietly, the better.
So he offered Aokiji a calm smile.
"What comes next? I'll keep doing my job as a Marine. You worry too much."
He patted Aokiji's shoulder and walked off, leaving the other man frowning in thought.
On Onigashima, Kaido's domain, an unexpected guest had arrived.
A towering woman with a full figure and a flamboyant pink dress adorned in red circular patterns—Charlotte Linlin, better known as Big Mom.
She had come to discuss an alliance with Kaido in preparation for the Navy's advance. Along with her came many of her children.
Her strongest son, Katakuri, had stayed behind to guard Whole Cake Island from possible raids.
The relationships between the Four Emperors were always complicated. Whitebeard and Shanks shared a closer bond due to their connection with Roger.
Big Mom and Kaido, however, were united only by past dealings during their time on Rocks D. Xebec's crew. It was said Kaido's Devil Fruit had been given to him by Big Mom, though whether he'd paid a price remained unclear.
When the Red-White Alliance was first announced, Big Mom had tried contacting Kaido via Den Den Mushi. His reply?
"Let them do whatever they want. I'll stay here. With that Navy monster on the move, you'd best be cautious too."
Then he crushed the Den Den Mushi in his hand.
Enraged, Big Mom stuffed several giant cakes into her mouth to vent.
But now, the Navy had come knocking. Ignoring the threat would be suicide.
This time, Kaido allowed Big Mom to visit freely. He didn't have Jinbe kick her down the waterfall.
Today, Jinbe simply stood at the gate, nodded politely, and stepped aside to let Big Mom and her entourage enter.
She glanced at him coldly but said nothing as she passed.
Among the Four Emperors, Kaido had the simplest base—his so-called fortress was little more than a massive cave.
Big Mom strolled in arrogantly, spotting Kaido downing sake at the far end. Jack, Queen, and other Beast Pirates stood nearby.
Upon seeing her, Black Maria's mood visibly darkened. She had always held personal interest in Kaido and saw Big Mom as a threat. But knowing she couldn't challenge her strength, Maria simply snorted and looked away.
Kaido tossed a sake flask toward Big Mom and muttered,
"You're here to talk about an alliance, right?"
Big Mom, unlike her usual manic anime self, seemed more composed today. She caught the flask, swaggered over, and plopped down on the floor with a thud.
Taking a long swig, she said,
"Whitebeard and Red-Hair already allied. So why shouldn't we?"
Kaido wiped his chin, locked eyes with her, and replied grimly,
"Let me tell you straight. Forming an alliance won't change a thing. With that monster on their side, we don't stand a chance."
100 Power Stones → 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power Stones → 3 Bonus Chapters