One Piece: Ulquiorra Template

Chapter 108: Whole Cake Island

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...

Beckman's words hung heavy in the air, a palpable tension settling over the Red Hair Pirates. Even Shanks, typically jovial, wore a grim expression.

"Shanks, what do you make of this?" Benn Beckman, his first mate, asked, exhaling a plume of smoke, his brow furrowed in thought.

"What do I make of it? I see it with my eyes, Benn." Shanks replied dryly, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

Beckman and the others exchanged glances, a silent acknowledgment of their captain's attempt at levity.

"Ahahahaha! Sorry, sorry! Just trying to lighten the mood." Shanks chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, his expression suddenly turning serious. "But things have been rather turbulent lately, wouldn't you say?"

"It seems this era is about to be thrown into chaos. Golden Lion Shiki, Silvers Rayleigh, Kaido... Even the Seven Warlords and that Dragon fellow from the Revolutionary Army. And all this seems to stem from the sudden appearance of one man."

"The Black-Winged Devil, Ian."

...

Onigashima of Wano Country

the skull-shaped island that served as the base of operations for the Beasts Pirates, loomed large in the churning sea. Thick, ominous clouds swirled overhead, punctuated by flashes of lightning that illuminated the night sky.

Within this fortress, considered one of the most dangerous places in the world, a tense silence had fallen. It had been weeks since their captain, the Emperor Kaido, had drunkenly stumbled out, and he was long overdue.

However, this absence felt different.

"Is there still no word from Kaido?" King, the Beasts Pirates' second-in-command, his body wreathed in flames and massive black wings spread behind him, demanded of the assembled crew.

"No, King-san. We still haven't been able to contact Kaido-sama. What should we do? Could the rumors be true? Is Kaido-san...?"

"Silence!" King roared, his voice laced with authority. His imposing figure and fiery aura quelled any further speculation.

"You imbeciles! That's Kaido we're talking about! Do you have any idea who our captain is?!" Jack, the Beasts Pirates' fourth-in-command, bellowed, his eyes bloodshot with frustration.

"Kaido is the strongest creature on land, sea, and air! No one can defeat him one-on-one! Only that old geezer Whitebeard could even scratch him, let alone defeat him!"

"How could he lose to some upstart? Even if he's taken down Warlords, he has no other significant victories. It's like he materialized from thin air. This has to be Marine propaganda, designed to keep us pirates in line."

"After all, the Marines rely on a handful of aging veterans. Their new generation is still wet behind the ears."

Queen, a massive, rotund figure, remained unconcerned, humming a tune and tapping his foot to an unheard rhythm.

"Or maybe they captured him and are keeping it under wraps. It wouldn't be the first time. They'll let him go eventually. What I didn't expect was Shiki, Rayleigh, and that new Warlord all appearing on the same day."

"And that Fujitora, just like this Black-Winged Devil... appearing out of thin air. Stopping Monkey D. Dragon?"

But reality often defied logic, the impossible becoming commonplace. No one, regardless of their power, could control fate or the currents of time.