One Piece : Brotherhood

Notification:

✨ Up to Chapter 370 is now available on my Patreon! ✨

Join now to read the latest updates early and support the journey! Thank you for your continued encouragement! 🚀

👉 [Patreon : www.patreon.com/Silent_stiele]

******

*****

[SEA CALENDAR YEAR 1504]

The massive flagship of the Beast Pirates floated steadily on the open sea, anchored in place as gentle waves lapped against its iron-plated hull. Despite the calm, the atmosphere on deck was anything but tranquil. It was electric—charged with an air of anticipation.

Pirates moved in and out of the shadows, their faces hidden by the dim light of the overcast sky. The clinking of weapons echoed softly, while Zoan users in their hybrid forms loomed like restless beasts, pacing and twitching with impatience.

On the railing, Bullet stood with arms crossed, his muscular frame casting an imposing shadow across the deck. His sharp eyes scanned the horizon, barely paying attention to the crew below.

His gaze eventually settled on Kaido, who stood nearby, drinking from a massive gourd, unbothered by the brewing tension. The Emperor of the Seas looked as immovable as a mountain, his silence a stark contrast to the atmosphere around him.

Bullet's face twisted with disbelief, unable to hold back his thoughts any longer. "You ruled Wano for years, Kaido," he said, his voice tinged with mockery. "And you had no idea they were hiding a Road Poneglyph?"

Kaido's reaction was slow but deliberate. He lowered the gourd from his lips and turned his cold, reptilian gaze on Bullet. His hulking frame shifted slightly, casting a shadow even over Bullet's intimidating form.

"Worororo... You've got guts to talk like that on my ship, Bullet," Kaido growled. His tone was even, but the threat in his voice was clear. "Wano ain't just some island. It's built on secrets. Oden hid more than just a Poneglyph from me—things I'll make sure to rip out of that country."

Bullet's brow twitched slightly. He knew Kaido was dangerous, but this? Missing something as important as a Road Poneglyph was a blind spot too large to ignore. For a man like Bullet, who had once served under Gol D. Roger, such an oversight was laughable.

But Bullet wasn't here just to laugh. He had his reasons for seeking out Kaido—reasons the Emperor would never know.

Kaido must've sensed Bullet's smugness because his sneer widened. "And weren't you supposed to be on Roger's ship? So how come you didn't make it to Raftel with the rest of them?" Kaido's grin was sharp, mocking. "Seems like someone got left behind when the real journey started, eh?"

That jab hit its mark. Bullet's jaw clenched for a moment, though his face remained impassive. He could feel the scar Kaido was digging into, the wound that never truly healed.

Being excluded from Roger's final voyage to Raftel, being deemed not "ready" by the Pirate King himself—it was something Bullet would never forget. But if Kaido thought he could unnerve him with that, he was mistaken.

Bullet leaned forward slightly, his voice as cold as steel. "I'm not here to play games, Kaido. We both know why I came to you. The Poneglyphs are the key to Raftel and to becoming King of the World. You've been sitting on one of those keys without even realizing it. I can help you find the rest... if you don't screw this up."

Kaido's dragon-like pupils narrowed further, his arms crossed over his massive chest as he considered the man standing before him. Two titans of ambition, each one fully aware that this alliance was nothing more than a temporary convenience.

"You think I need you to get to Raftel, Bullet?" Kaido rumbled, his voice laced with danger.

"Worororo... Don't get too cocky. I'm not anyone's pawn. This world belongs to me."

Bullet's lips curled into a smirk. He wasn't fazed by Kaido's bravado. In fact, he was counting on it. This wasn't just about getting to Raftel; it was about using Kaido as a weapon to tear Wano apart—and to get to what he truly sought. Bullet's mind churned with secret plans, thoughts he wouldn't dare share.

The real treasure wasn't just the Road Poneglyph. It was something far more valuable. The Eternal Log Pose to Raftel. Bullet had learned of it years ago, a secret known only to those who were closest to Roger.

If he could get his hands on it, the Poneglyphs wouldn't matter. But there was a catch—he suspected it might be hidden in Wano, possibly in Oden's possession.

For now, Kaido didn't need to know that. Bullet had already been hunting Roger's former crewmates discreetly, searching for clues. If Oden had the Eternal Log Pose—or at least the Logbook he kept during his journey—Bullet knew he could unlock the path to Raftel without needing all four Poneglyphs.

He wasn't about to tip his hand yet. Not while Kaido was still useful.

Kaido, however, wasn't fooled easily. "You still haven't answered me," Bullet said, turning to the massive pirate with a sly smirk. "We're floating in the middle of nowhere. Why haven't we moved on Wano yet? Who are we waiting for?"

Kaido's eyes flashed, his irritation palpable. "You think I need to explain my plans to you?" His voice was sharp, laced with the promise of violence. "Worororo... Don't think I've forgotten who's in charge here. You're just a tagalong, Bullet. I could crush you if I wanted."

Bullet's eyes darkened, and a subtle pressure filled the air. His Haki flared ever so slightly, pushing back against Kaido's raw presence. A silent clash of wills hung between them, but Bullet remained calm, not yet willing to escalate things into a full-blown confrontation.

"I wonder..." Bullet began, his voice laced with venom, "are you too scared to face Oden alone? You think even with my help, we might not be able to take him down, don't you?"

That was a direct hit. Kaido's lips curled into a snarl, and his Conqueror's Haki surged momentarily, pressing down on everyone aboard the ship. Several weaker pirates staggered, some falling to their knees under the weight of Kaido's overwhelming presence.

"Oden humiliated you, didn't he?" Bullet continued, his tone now almost mocking. "For all your power, you know deep down he's the one man you couldn't break."

Kaido's eyes burned with rage, but there was also something darker behind them—an acknowledgment of truth. Oden was a name that still haunted Kaido's memory. Despite all his strength and dominance, Oden had challenged him, humiliated him, and lived to tell the tale.

"You think I need your help to crush Oden?" Kaido growled, his voice barely above a whisper yet filled with menace. "I'll break him. I'll break Wano. And when I do, the Poneglyph will be mine. You're just a means to an end."

Bullet laughed softly, stepping closer to Kaido. Their towering forms stood eye-to-eye, two giants locked in a battle of wills. The tension was suffocating.

"Oden isn't just any man, Kaido. You know that better than anyone. If you want to destroy him, you'll need more than brute strength. That's where I come in. I know Wano's secrets. I know things about Raftel that even you don't."

Kaido's eyes flared as his Conqueror's Haki clashed with Bullet's once more. The deck beneath them creaked and cracked, the sheer force of their wills threatening to tear the ship apart.

"Worororo! You've got guts, Bullet," Kaido finally said, his grin widening. "But don't forget—there's only room for one King in this world. And that's me."

Bullet's own Haki surged in response, his smirk unwavering. "Maybe. But until then, let's tear it all down together."

Their laughter echoed across the sea, a sound as menacing as the storm clouds gathering above. Two monsters, united for now, but destined for a clash that would shake the very world they sought to conquer. The road to Raftel was paved with betrayal, and both knew that only one of them would stand at the end.

For now, Wano and Oden would burn.

At the very top of the Beast Pirates' flagship, a pirate in the crow's nest squinted through his spyglass, peering into the dimming horizon. The sun had nearly disappeared, casting the sea in a veil of darkness.

As he scanned the surrounding waters, something strange caught his eye—a distant shadow, too large to be a normal ship but too small to be an island. Intrigued, he kept his focus on the anomaly, watching as the minutes ticked by. The speck was growing larger, slowly but surely, cutting through the fog.

His pulse quickened. It wasn't an island at all—it was a ship, and a colossal one at that, heading directly toward them.

His heart pounded as he jerked back from the spyglass, his hands shaking slightly. "What the hell..." he muttered under his breath. Wasting no time, he grabbed the speaking tube attached to the crow's nest and shouted down into it, his voice sharp with urgency.

"Ship spotted! Massive one! Dead ahead! Coming in fast!" His voice echoed through the tube, reaching the Beast Pirates below deck.

The message hit the crew like a tidal wave. Pirates scrambled to attention, some darting toward the edges of the ship to catch sight of the approaching vessel. The Zoan users on guard shifted into their hybrid forms, preparing for a fight, their eyes wide with anticipation.

Weapons were drawn, and the clinking of steel resonated throughout the deck as the message was passed from one pirate to the next.

"Massive ship approaching! Prepare for battle!"

The warning spread like wildfire, soon relayed through Den Den Mushi transceivers to the rest of the Beast Pirates' fleet scattered around the flagship. From ship to ship, the alert was delivered, the crews on edge as they began to ready themselves for what could be a massive clash.

The sea around them began to hum with activity as the fleet adjusted its formation, preparing for whatever this new threat might bring.

Meanwhile, down on the flagship's main deck, the tension was palpable. Bullet squinted toward the horizon, his brow furrowing as he tried to make out the silhouette of the approaching ship. His sharp eyes soon widened in disbelief. The monstrous outline, the familiar size—he couldn't be mistaken. His head snapped toward Kaido, disbelief flooding his expression.

"You didn't..." Bullet muttered, half in shock, half in suspicion. "But how…? Isn't she supposed to be dead? The whole world thinks she's dead."

Kaido, standing tall and unfazed amidst the chaos, let out a booming laugh, his gourd swinging lazily from his hand. His massive shoulders shook as he relished Bullet's reaction.

"Wororororo! Dead? If only Linlin were so easy to kill." His eyes gleamed with amusement as he leaned in closer to Bullet, his voice filled with dark humor. "If it was that simple, I'd have killed her myself a long time ago."

Kaido's laughter rolled across the deck like thunder, the deep rumbling sound causing several pirates nearby to stiffen. "You really think Linlin would die that easily? She's tougher than she looks. The world might think she's dead, but I never believed it. And now she's coming."

Bullet's expression darkened, but he kept his composure, though his mind raced. He had heard of what happened back in Sorbet Kingdom; it was one of the many reasons that made him push for an alliance with Kaido—Golden Lion Shiki and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin were supposed to have disappeared during the attack of the ancient weapon, presumed dead. Rumors had spread far and wide, claiming their demise.

Yet here she was—or at least her ship—the Queen Mama Chanter, the massive flagship of the Big Mom Pirates, slicing through the waves and heading straight for them.

Kaido's grin widened as he continued, relishing the confusion on Bullet's face. "You see, while the world was busy thinking Linlin was gone, I made sure to... expand my reach. I took over her territories—hell, I took Shiki's too. Wano wasn't enough for me."

Kaido's eyes gleamed with pride. "But Linlin? She never forgets a debt. And I still owe her from way back. I knew she'd come back one day. Worororo!"

The sheer audacity of Kaido's laughter rang out across the deck as Bullet clenched his fists. Kaido had taken advantage of Big Mom's absence to seize her territories, growing his empire even further. Now, it seemed, the balance of power was about to shift once again.

"Is this some kind of reunion?" Bullet asked, his voice laced with sarcasm but also a tinge of concern. "You're not seriously thinking of allying with her, are you? Two Emperors of the Sea on the same side? It'll tear the world apart."

Kaido shrugged, still grinning. "Wororororo! Who says we have to be on the same side? But for now, we have common interests. Oden's head. Wano's throne. The Poneglyph. If Linlin wants in, why not?"

Bullet narrowed his eyes, watching as the massive silhouette of Big Mom's ship drew closer, the towering figure of the Queen Mama Chanter now unmistakable. He had never considered this possibility, never thought Big Mom could still be in the game. But Kaido... Kaido was always playing the long game.

The Beast Pirates were already restless, shifting on their feet, weapons ready. The air was thick with the scent of saltwater and tension, as two forces of nature—the Beasts and the remnants of Big Mom's crew—seemed on a collision course.

Bullet exhaled slowly, calming his mind. "This is madness. If she's coming for Wano too, it's going to complicate everything."

Kaido's laughter roared again, louder this time, almost as if the prospect of chaos thrilled him.

"Wororororo! Complications? This world was born in chaos! Let it burn!"

As the massive ship of the Big Mom Pirates sailed ever closer, the seas themselves seemed to churn in anticipation. The stakes had just been raised, and Wano would soon witness the clash of some of the world's greatest titans.

But one thing was certain—whatever Kaido had planned, it was far from simple. And Bullet knew that in this volatile alliance, there was more at play than met the eye.

As Kaido reveled in his wicked joy, his laughter booming across the sea, a roar shook the heavens themselves, reverberating like the call of an angry god.

"Kaidooooo!" The voice, unmistakable and filled with fury, tore through the skies like a storm.

"You bastard! Give me back everything you took from me!"

In the distance, Big Mom launched herself from the deck of the Queen Mama Chanter with terrifying speed. Her immense frame, which defied the laws of physics, soared through the air as she came barreling toward the Beast Pirates' flagship.

In her hand, a new weapon gleamed—a monstrous naginata formed from her latest Homie, a sentient hat that bore a striking resemblance to her old weapon, Napoleon. Its blade gleamed with malicious intent, as if eager to devour everything in its path.

Kaido, far from intimidated, tossed aside his gourd, which clattered loudly against the deck, splashing water onto the planks. His eyes locked onto Big Mom, and a wild, savage grin spread across his face.

He launched himself into the air to meet her head-on, his massive spiked kanabo club, infused with Haki, glowing with dark energy. The sky crackled with anticipation as the two Yonko collided.

"CLANG…!!!"

The sound of their weapons clashing echoed like thunder, reverberating across the sea. Big Mom's naginata, filled with her raw fury and armament Haki, smashed into Kaido's spiked club, which pulsed with the same deadly energy.

Their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air, and their Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, manifesting in the form of brilliant lightning—Big Mom's a fierce pink, and Kaido's a deep, menacing purple.

The air around them cracked, and the very sky above them split in two, creating a jagged rift of clear sky between storm clouds, as if the heavens themselves were being torn apart by the force of their wills.

Below them, the sea churned violently, and the impact of their clash created a massive whirlpool, swirling directly beneath the two titans. The vortex was so large and powerful that it looked as though it could swallow entire islands whole. The once-still sea had transformed into a cauldron of chaos.

The ripples of their battle blasted out in all directions, the sheer force of their clash pushing both fleets back. The Beast Pirates' ships, sturdy as they were, groaned under the pressure as waves surged against them, forcing the crew to brace themselves against the railings.

Even the massive Queen Mama Chanter was driven back slightly, the pirates on board holding on for dear life as the seas swelled and buckled beneath them.

In the air, Kaido and Big Mom remained locked, neither willing to yield an inch. Their weapons ground against each other, the raw force of their clash causing sparks to fly, illuminating their fierce faces. Pink lightning from Big Mom's Haki intertwined with purple lightning from Kaido's, creating a crackling storm that illuminated the sky in flashes of violent color.

"You bastard!" Big Mom roared, her eyes wild with rage. "Have you forgotten what I've done for you? Everything you are, you owe to me! You wouldn't be standing here if I hadn't given you that damn Devil Fruit on God Valley! You owe me everything!"

Kaido snarled, his muscles bulging as he pressed harder against her weapon. "Worororo! Finders keepers, Linlin!" He growled back, his voice filled with both amusement and disdain.

"The whole world thinks you're dead. You should have stayed that way! While you were gone, I took everything you left behind—your territories, your influence. It's only fair, isn't it? If you want it back, come and take it!"

Big Mom's face twisted with fury, her teeth grinding together as she pushed more of her armament Haki into her weapon. The naginata vibrated with a terrifying force, shaking the air around them as she tried to overpower Kaido.

Her eyes gleamed with a deep resentment, but there was also something deeper in her tone—something almost like hurt beneath the layers of rage.

"Don't act like you're above me, Kaido!" Big Mom hissed through gritted teeth, her voice trembling with both fury and something almost akin to... familial disappointment.

"Everything you've done, I made possible! And now you dare steal from me? You ungrateful brat!"

Kaido's grin widened, revealing sharp teeth. His Conqueror's Haki flared even brighter as he met her eyes with a fierce, almost challenging look. For all the hate between them, there was something like a twisted bond—an understanding only the strongest shared.

Their history was long and complicated, intertwined with their rise to power. They weren't just rivals. They were like siblings, bound by the violent, chaotic world they'd shaped together.

"Worororo! You really think I care about your debts, Linlin?" Kaido's voice was filled with a deep, almost mocking affection.

"You're right—I owe you. But that was a long time ago. If you want anything back from me now, you'll have to fight me for it!"

The tension between them grew unbearable, the clash of their wills shaking the very fabric of the world around them. Below, the pirates from both crews watched in awe, too afraid to intervene, as the two Emperors continued their battle midair, each trying to assert dominance over the other.

Despite the viciousness of the clash, there was an undeniable bond between Kaido and Big Mom. It was a twisted, destructive relationship—born from shared history, mutual respect, and a desire to prove who was stronger.

They were like siblings who had fought, loved, hated, and competed their entire lives, neither one able to fully destroy the other, yet never able to coexist in peace.

Big Mom, sensing Kaido wasn't going to back down, let out a frustrated growl. "You think this is a game?! You think you can take my territory and laugh in my face?" Her weapon flared with even more Haki, pushing Kaido back slightly.

Kaido gritted his teeth, but his grin never wavered. "Worororo! You want them back? Earn them! Wano is mine, Linlin, and I won't let anyone stand in my way—not even you!"

The sky continued to crack, the sea churned with unimaginable force, and the two Yonko hung suspended in a violent struggle for dominance. Neither would back down. Neither would break.

But beneath the rivalry, beneath the clashing egos and insatiable thirst for power, there was an unspoken truth: they were bound together, two of the most powerful beings in the world, forever locked in a cycle of conflict, respect, and bloodshed.