[RLOP] Chapter : 21 - Whitebeard vs Kaido

The Waters of Edd Sea

A place carved deep into legend.

It was here that Golden Lion Shiki—one of the most feared figures of the New World and commander of an immense pirate fleet—once clashed with Gol D. Roger, the man destined to become Pirate King.

The battle was hopeless on paper. Roger’s crew faced forces dozens, even hundreds of times larger than their own. The world expected the Roger Pirates to be erased.

But fate intervened.

A sudden storm swept across the sea, capsizing most of Shiki’s fleet and sending them to the depths. Shiki himself was left broken, his skull pierced by the wheel of his ship.

Now, the same waters churned once more.

Two great fleets faced each other, their banners flying high in the wind—one bearing the crescent of Whitebeard, the other the horned skull of the Beasts Pirates.

Whitebeard Pirates vs. Beasts Pirates

Suddenly—

BOOM!!!

A thunderous blast of air erupted from the small island at the center of the battlefield, shooting into the heavens as if to split the sky apart.

That presence—overwhelming, tyrannical—crackled with red lightning that tore across the island and spread for miles.

Even the fleets, five kilometers away, felt the shockwaves buffet their ships.

“Oi, Marco!” Squard, captain of the Great Whirlpool Spider Pirates, shouted against the roaring winds. “You’re the First Division Commander—you must know whether that rumor’s true or not!”

Marco frowned, his pineapple-shaped hair whipping about. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Squard.”

“Don’t play dumb with me! Where’s Izo?!” Squard’s voice was raw with frustration. “That rumor—if it’s true—then for Pops, do our lives even matter?!”

On the opposite side of the battlefield, aboard the Beasts Pirates’ fleet:

“This pressure… they’ve already clashed with Whitebeard,” murmured Hanafuda, bracing himself against the storm. His eyes locked on the island.

Queen gave a heavy sigh. “Tch. This is a fight for monsters. Suits me just fine being a scientist instead.”

King said nothing.

Behind his mask, his gaze swept past the island and fixed on Whitebeard’s fleet. His sharp eyes caught the flicker of unease among their ranks—hesitation, doubt, even fear.

A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

“Well done, kid…”

His mind drifted back to the mysterious contact from days earlier—Rob Lucci. Even a cold, ruthless man like King couldn’t help but acknowledge it.

But what exactly had Lucci done?

Seven days earlier. Late at night.

The air was unnervingly still.

From atop a cliff, Lucci stood, his hawk-like eyes fixed on a distant glow of fire piercing the darkness.

That was his target.

“Big Brother, that’s where Princess Yamato is staying,” said a man with bat-like features, bowing respectfully.

“That’s right,” added another, this one with twitching whiskers and beady eyes. “Earlier today, that girl Kozuki Hiyori even went to visit her.”

These two were Lucci’s chosen “guides” for Yamato—petty thieves empowered by the Bat-Bat and Rat-Rat Fruits.

With their peculiar abilities, they became indispensable.

The rat dug tunnels and whisked Yamato away from place to place.
The bat spread messages, gathering actors from across Wano to put on endless plays before her.

Day after day, Yamato endured a different form of psychological torment.

Kozuki Hiyori…?

Lucci’s eyes narrowed.

In Wano tradition, a wife adopts her husband’s family name. Kozuki Toki—wife of Oden, the woman of prophecy—had also once borne that name.

And now, Hiyori had appeared… entwined with Yamato.

Fate? Or opportunity?

A cruel smile ghosted across Lucci’s lips. How truly wonderful.

“Hmph.” He lowered his gaze. “How’s Yamato’s mental state these past few days?”

“Uh…” The two zoan users exchanged a nervous glance.

Finally, the Rat-Man hesitated before speaking, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. “It seems… her mood’s a little… off.”

That gesture.

Lucci’s eyes narrowed further. A motion almost identical to a scene burned into his memories from another world.

“…Hmm?” His tone carried an edge.

The two immediately dropped to their knees, trembling.

“Big Brother! You know me—I’d never betray you! I only gather actors, nothing else!”

“Big Brother, I swear! I’m as timid as a mouse—I’d never dare lay a hand on Princess Yamato!”

Their pleas echoed in the silence, as the fire on the horizon burned brighter.

He had left in such a hurry he hadn’t even brought Hattori with him.
Otherwise, he might have made the pigeon slap these fools a few times.

Lucci’s mouth twitched as he looked down at the two trembling subordinates, their eyes glossy with tears. Resisting the urge to act on his irritation, he asked evenly:

“What happened exactly? Don’t speak in riddles. Just answer what I ask—I won’t blame you.”

The Bat-Man, seeing Lucci’s calm face, thought perhaps Big Brother was in a rare good mood. “Big Brother, don’t rush. This all started from—”

“Long story short.”

“Hii—!” The Bat-Man flinched, instantly regretting his life choices. How could I forget Big Brother Lucci always wears that expression?!

Scrambling to condense his words, he blurted everything out in one breath:

“Big Brother! My bat sonar lets me sense emotional changes at close range, but I never used it around Princess Yamato—I didn’t dare. But today, when I was setting up like usual, I suddenly noticed a little girl beside her. I investigated, just in case she was a threat, and heard her claim to be Kozuki Hiyori. But… I could feel she was lying!

“As for Princess Yamato—” he hesitated, then forced himself to finish, “Her mood is unstable. She’s lost interest in things, she’s listless, and… she even has thoughts of suicide…”

The words hung heavy in the night air.

Both the Rat-Man and Bat-Man pressed their heads to the ground, awaiting judgment. In their minds, it was over. The young heir of the Beasts Pirates had been driven into such despair, and even if the scheme hadn’t been theirs, feeding the fishes was inevitable. That was why they had stalled and quivered for so long.

But…

To Lucci, was this really such a catastrophe?

He pondered for a moment, then spoke with his usual flat calm:

“So, in short… she’s depressed.”

“Uh… what is depressed?” The Bat-Man dared to tilt his head slightly, confusion plain in his eyes.

“Never mind. It’s nothing serious. Children often have moods like this—it’s normal.”

He ended the subject there.

Looking at the two still kneeling, Lucci’s mind was already turning. A plan was forming.

“Get up. This isn’t your fault. Now, listen carefully. I want you to…”

As he laid out his instructions, the tension in their faces melted into relief and even eagerness.

“Don’t worry, Big Brother Lucci! We’ll definitely complete the mission!”

With that, the Bat-Man flapped his wings and darted into the night.

“Oi, mountain bandits!”

“Oh! Lord Batman! You here to dress up as samurai and rob some villagers again? Leave it to us!”

“Not this time. I’ve got honest work for you. Interested in making a hundred gold each—by tonight?”

“Huh?” The bandit leader blinked, then stiffened, face grim. “Lord Batman! We may be bandits, but we’ve got our pride. We’ll never sell our asses!”

“…What?”

Using his sonar, Bat-Man felt the swirl of emotions radiating off the man—joy, desire, anticipation.

He froze, utterly bewildered.