One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

Sakazuki held Kaido himself, who, more than twenty years later, spoke of shattered dreams and his innermost thoughts. The ideology of the Beasts Pirates, whether it was the most extravagant war or the perspective of the survival of the fittest, originally came from Kaido. Therefore, from a certain angle, it was truly "I" who had chosen myself.

From an outsider's perspective, the Beasts Pirates praised the future "me" and the present "me"; from a future standpoint, it was the present "me" and the past "me"—all of them were "me," yet none of them were truly "me."

Freud once categorized the three aspects of the self, with the commonly accepted explanation being:

The ego represents the existence and awakening of one's consciousness.

The id is the manifestation of primal desires.

The superego embodies societal norms, moral principles, and prohibitions.

And Kaido—he was a monster.

His monstrous nature was not only reflected in his unparalleled physique but also in his psychology and spirit.

For many people, the id is built upon the realization and fulfillment of their desires.

But Kaido was different. His ideology of "the weak perish, and the strong dominate" was rooted in his ego and expressed through his superego, as if the id barely left any traces on him.

Yet, according to conventional wisdom, a man of Kaido's temperament should have prioritized the satisfaction of his id far more than his pursuit of societal structures or his introspection on self-awareness.

But the Beasts Pirates did not function that way. This demonic god's values and consciousness were like the worst kind of dancer—gracefully twirling where a slow step was needed and trampling the rhythm into chaos where precision mattered most.

If Whitebeard and Shanks were heroes, and Big Mom was a never-growing wicked child, then Kaido was an unpredictable madman.

Unlike a certain green-haired, purple-clad individual, Kaido's unpredictability carried an added layer of ruggedness and childlike impulsiveness.

Sakazuki still did not let down his guard. Though it seemed that this version of Kaido had been successfully coaxed into a state of confusion, his subordinates certainly did not share his impulsive temperament.

"Ichimaru, tell our allies about our plan," Sakazuki shifted the topic toward Lindemann.

If a fox had a tail, it would surely be seen swaying behind Lindemann as he smirked, "It's very simple. We've received intelligence that Whitebeard's whereabouts are currently uncertain, but it's highly likely that he will be launching an attack on Fish-Man Island. We hope that Lord Kaido can lead his army to feign an assault on the Navy's G-1 branch in the New World. This will force the Navy to allocate more forces there, tying up Whitebeard..."

In the darkness, a figure curled their lips into a sneer—this was fake information he had overheard just last night outside the Wano embassy. That Wano Country shogun thought he could fool Kaido with mere wordplay? He was being far too naive!

"Bastard!" Sakazuki suddenly interrupted with a furious roar, causing both Kaido and Lindemann to freeze.

"Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni," he called out, his voice filled with reprimand as he scolded Lindemann, "Put away your little tricks! A true ally needs to see Wano's real intentions, not some smokescreen created to deceive outsiders!"

"..." The shadowed figure was momentarily stunned. The Wano Country shogun, who was supposed to defend the nation's borders, had made such a direct and candid move that even he was caught off guard.

"My deepest apologies, Master Yamamoto Genryūsai. My deepest apologies, Lord Kaido." Lindemann immediately fell to his knees in a perfect dogeza, assuming the posture of complete submission. "The shogun hopes that Lord Kaido will assist him in attacking Whitebeard's territory. Whitebeard is currently en route to Fish-Man Island for a direct confrontation with the Navy, making it difficult for him to send reinforcements. We will use this window of opportunity—to seize the Poneglyphs!"

This information indeed aligned with what the top brass of the Beasts Pirates had overheard the night before. The only difference was that Wano's original plan was to use them as cannon fodder—to lure more of the Navy into that sea region and drag Whitebeard and Kaido down together.

But that Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni shogun indeed possessed the demeanor of a true general, unlike his petty and short-sighted fox-like subordinate.

He laid everything out on the table—straightforward and honest negotiations.

Sakazuki's voice turned eerily cold as he made his final inquiry, "So, Kaido, do you wish to form an alliance with me? First, we'll cause trouble for Whitebeard—kill the chicken to scare the monkeys! And afterward, we'll deal with Kozuki Oden together in Wano?"

Kaido slowly stood up. "I like guys like you—the ones who talk about schemes and conspiracies like they're making a righteous declaration of war! Whitebeard's territory, huh?"

He strode toward the cave's exit.

One of the Three Calamities, Jack, could no longer sit still and emerged from the shadows. "Boss? Where are you going?"

The towering, demonic figure didn't stop walking, but his lips curled into an unrestrained, savage grin.

"Kill the chicken! Take the eggs!"

Meanwhile, far away, Marco, who was overseeing affairs in Whitebeard's territory, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill in his nether regions.

Akainu hung up the phone and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Though it seemed like he had only moved his lips, this kind of information warfare had nothing to do with the intelligence of either side. The information gap, combined with exquisite acting skills, was enough to deceive the opponent.

If not for the immense pressure brought by Whitebeard, Akainu would never have resorted to such a mentally exhausting tactic.

The days spent figuring out how to break the deadlock had drained much of his energy, and the psychological battle with the Beasts Pirates had left him feeling mentally exhausted.

The Vice Admiral took out a half-smoked cigar from his coat pocket. Magma was a far better ignition source than a cigar lighter, though he had to be careful not to press the tip completely into the molten rock.

He slowly closed his eyes, letting the smoke swirl around his mouth.

The tightly shut door was gently pushed open from the outside, without a sound. The Grand Knight of the Sea held his breath as he quietly approached. Seeing that Akainu was no longer on the call, he finally spoke in a hushed voice:

"Has the operation begun?"

The Vice Admiral's expression was somewhat bitter. "Only when that brat Lindemann returns safely to Marine Headquarters will I consider it truly started."

Neptune patted his shoulder apologetically. "I feel very guilty, my friend. If I had contacted Whitebeard just one day later, the Marines wouldn't be in such a passive position. I am deeply sorry. But that fox-like boy is so sharp—haven't you already arranged an escape plan for him?"

Akainu, however, did not continue the conversation. He remained resting with his eyes closed.

"What news could possibly make you knock on my door personally?"

"They've arrived," Neptune replied solemnly, nodding his head. "Five minutes ago, the Nautilus Patrol near your Marine G-1 base detected the Moby Dick descending with its coating."

So, they've finally come? Whitebeard!

The Marine Vice Admiral immediately stood up from his chair. "I can't wait for Kuzan to rendezvous with me. What's the status of the resident evacuation at Fish-Man Island's main gate?"

"They've all been moved!" Neptune walked alongside Akainu. "Let me be the one to negotiate with Newgate. At the very least, he would still show me some respect. If worst comes to worst, I'll kneel and apologize to him—he won't make things difficult for me."

"You must not step forward this time!" Akainu sternly interrupted him. "You understand that your stance represents Fish-Man Island's stance, don't you? Fish-Man Island must maintain its neutral position. No matter which side loses, you must have room to maneuver afterward!"

Akainu tossed the Marine cloak he was holding to Onigumo, preventing him from stepping forward. "Onigumo, you have two tasks. First, lead the Marines into Fish-Man Island and carry out disaster relief for the residents. The thousand fine young men aboard the warships are meaningless against someone like Whitebeard. Instead of fighting alongside me, they should focus on minimizing losses!"

"Don't joke around, Vice Admiral Akainu! I will not let you face the Whitebeard Pirates alone!" Onigumo roared at Akainu for the first time in his life.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Akainu said seriously. "Remember your second task! Get in touch with the leading Marine reinforcements as soon as possible! The sooner Kuzan arrives, the greater our chances!"

Neptune furrowed his brow. "Must there really be a battle with Whitebeard?"

"There is no other way." Akainu shook his head. "Whitebeard has already seen our joint execution broadcast, yet he still chose to come to Fish-Man Island. That means he doesn't distrust you—he distrusts the Marines! This is a test. If I catch it, the Marines will be able to maintain law and order on Fish-Man Island."

A single sentence from him had led to a battle between the so-called righteous Marines and his friend, Whitebeard. This made Neptune deeply sorrowful.

He smacked his forehead in frustration, striking so hard that his crown fell off.

The Marine Vice Admiral bent down, picked up the fallen crown, and solemnly placed it back in Neptune's hands.

"Don't be foolish, my friend," Akainu said, standing at the entrance of Ryugu Palace and waving his hand. "We both know this isn't your fault. If you hadn't contacted Whitebeard sooner, every extra day that passed would have meant another day of anxiety for Fish-Man Island. And the Marines are merely paying the price for being late!"

This struggle was not about right or wrong—it was about different positions.

If Whitebeard repelled the Marines and secured Fish-Man Island under his protection, he would never allow those lurking evildoers to set foot on it.

But whether the Marines had the strength and determination to guard Fish-Man Island was something Whitebeard needed to see for himself.

Whitebeard came to Fish-Man Island for stability. Akainu came for the same reason. And everything Neptune did was not for himself but for the safety of his people and the peace of Fish-Man Island.

If Whitebeard were a Marine, Akainu wouldn't have needed so many schemes and arrangements.

If Akainu were a pirate under Whitebeard's command, then Whitebeard wouldn't have needed to mobilize such a grand force.

But unfortunately, Whitebeard was a great pirate. Akainu was a Marine Vice Admiral. And Neptune, as a king, was merely an ordinary man struggling to protect his subjects between two great mountains.

The three of them shared the same goal, yet their stances dictated that they could not sit down together and enjoy a drink.

At the main entrance, the Marines and the Neptune Army had already cleared the nearby residents.

On the now desolate street, an atmosphere of bleakness spread.

And beyond Fish-Man Island's borders, the massive silhouette of the White Whale Pirate Ship loomed.

Standing steadily at the bow of the Moby Dick, the great pirate—Edward Newgate, Whitebeard—held his naginata single-handedly, upside down.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed down at Fish-Man Island's gates.

Someone stood there.

A lone man guarding the way.