Dragon ball:cosmic fighter group one-piece

When Jack saw that the mission was once again from the world of pirates, and that this time the employer was none other than Sengoku, he couldn't help but find it interesting. Last time, the employer had been from the pirate side, resulting in massive losses for the Navy. Back then, Jack had wondered whether someone from the Navy would also trigger a thug mission. He hadn't expected it to actually happen.

After accepting the task, Jack quickly understood what was going on.

Pirate World

At Marineford, the Navy Headquarters, the scars of the last war with the Whitebeard Pirates remained. During that conflict, an unknown powerhouse had appeared and aided the Whitebeard Pirates, dealing a severe blow to the Navy. Most of the plaza in front of Marineford had been reduced to rubble. Worse still, countless soldiers had perished, and even an admiral had fallen.

Now, in the seas outside Marineford, numerous pirate ships were anchored. Judging by the flags they flew, they clearly belonged to two different pirate crews. Anyone familiar with those symbols would be shocked, as these were no ordinary pirate fleets.

They belonged to two of the Four Emperors: Kaido's Beast Pirates and Big Mom's crew.

Though all Four Emperors were pirates, they weren't allies. On the contrary, they often clashed or viewed each other as rivals. Seeing two of them join forces, especially right outside the Navy Headquarters, clearly spelled trouble.

"I didn't expect you to actually agree to come with me," Kaido said, glancing over at Big Mom aboard her ship.

After hearing of the chaos within the Navy—the death of Akainu, the shattered chain of command—Kaido saw an opportunity to cause even more destruction. On a whim, he had reached out to Big Mom, inviting her to join him.

To his surprise, she had accepted.

"The Navy is in disarray. It's a perfect chance to weaken them," Big Mom replied. "How could I pass up such a golden opportunity?"

If it had been earlier, she might not have cared to attack Marineford. But now, with morale low and the command structure broken, it was an ideal time to strike.

"Those two showed up too, but they're just here to watch," Kaido said, glancing at two pirate ships in the distance—smaller in number but still carrying immense weight.

They belonged to Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks.

The two Emperors had arrived, but not to join the assault. Instead, they hovered at the edge of the battlefield like silent observers.

"I get why Shanks is just watching," Kaido continued. "But Whitebeard? I thought for sure he'd jump at this chance to hit the Navy. Strange."

"Doesn't matter. We strike before the Navy regroups. Attack!"

Under orders from Kaido and Big Mom, their combined pirate fleets charged toward Marineford. Though the Navy had assembled troops in response, the mobilization was far from complete. The internal turmoil after Akainu's death had disrupted their ability to respond efficiently.

On Whitebeard's ship, Marco observed the unfolding chaos. "Dad, Kaido and Big Mom have already started attacking. Why aren't we joining them?"

"Yeah," another captain added. "The Navy tried to execute Ace before, and he nearly died. If it weren't for that Mr. Kring, Ace wouldn't be here now. Shouldn't we be helping?"

They were confused. When Whitebeard had brought them here, everyone assumed they were going to fight. Yet, now they were merely watching.

Ace stepped forward. "I believe Dad has his reasons."

"Ace is right," Whitebeard said. "I do have my reasons, and you'll understand them soon enough."

He looked toward Marineford, his expression heavy. He recalled how a mysterious man, Mr. Kring, had appeared last time to help the pirates. That man had slain a Navy admiral effortlessly.

Now, with the Navy in peril, it was likely someone from their side would call for help from the same mysterious organization—the Thugs.

Whitebeard knew bits and pieces about them. When someone faced an overwhelming threat, they might attract the attention of the Thugs and trigger a mission. If that happened, the Thugs would intervene.

Mr. Kring was likely just one of many powerful individuals from that group. If the Navy requested their help and someone even stronger than Kring showed up, Kaido and Big Mom could be in real trouble.

Not just them—their subordinates too.

And if Whitebeard chose to join in, his crew might get caught in the crossfire.

It was a risk he couldn't afford. The core strength of the Whitebeard Pirates was all present. If they were wiped out here, the crew would be finished.

So Whitebeard decided to wait.

Marco and the others saw his expression and grew uneasy. They hadn't seen their captain this serious since the battle to rescue Ace.

"It's a shame we don't know where Mr. Kring is," Marco muttered. "If we could invite him again, taking Marineford would be easy."

"If I'm right," Whitebeard replied, "you might see Mr. Kring again—or someone like him."

He referred, of course, to the Thugs.

Meanwhile, at Marineford, the battle had begun in earnest.

The last war had been a devastating one. This one was even bigger.

Last time, only one Emperor—Whitebeard—had launched an assault. This time, two had joined forces.

And unlike before, the Navy was severely weakened. They had lost an admiral and had no time to appoint a replacement. Even the Seven Warlords were absent.

The Navy's numbers had also thinned dramatically. After Mr. Kring killed Akainu, many ordinary soldiers had lost faith. They felt it was suicide to oppose enemies of such overwhelming power, and many resigned.

Now, the Navy had only two admirals, a few vice admirals, and a reduced number of rank-and-file soldiers. It was a third less than their strength during the Whitebeard War.

"Garp, this might be the end for the Navy," Sengoku said grimly, watching Kaido and Big Mom attack.

Kaido alone was strong enough to pin down both admirals. If Big Mom was kept busy by Garp, Sengoku himself would have to deal with their elite subordinates: Kaido's three Disasters and Big Mom's powerful children.

Individually, they weren't as strong as an admiral or Emperor. But together, they could certainly challenge anyone below that tier.

Sengoku, a former Fleet Admiral, would have to step in himself.

In terms of top-tier combat power, things were balanced—barely. But in the mid- and low-level battlefield, the pirates had a significant edge.

Had they one more admiral, things might be different. But after Akainu's death, there was no replacement.

The timing couldn't be worse for the Navy.

At least Whitebeard and Shanks hadn't joined the battle. For that, Sengoku was deeply grateful

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