PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

"Ghost Spider" Onigumo was the first to crack, his expression warping in disbelief.

Through the live Den Den Mushi feed, they had personally witnessed Blackbeard and Doflamingo's betrayal. But after the Whitebeard Pirates' surprise assault disrupted the broadcast, they had lost all contact with the second battlefield.

Now, faced with Blackbeard suddenly arriving with a host of prisoners, the unimaginable had become reality.

If their worst fears were true—if the second battlefield had indeed fallen—then this war would spiral into nightmare.

A single Whitebeard had already thrown them into chaos. If Kaido himself were to appear next…

Would Marineford even survive the aftermath?

"You bastard, Teach!" Whitebeard bellowed, veins bulging as he gripped his naginata and brought it crashing down upon Blackbeard.

The grin on Teach's face froze.

From the start, he'd assumed Whitebeard would unleash his Devil Fruit powers first. He'd planned to use that moment to exploit an opening and deliver a fatal blow.

Never had he imagined Whitebeard would strike so directly, so ferociously.

There was no time to think. All Teach could do was raise his arms and brace himself.

"Dark Surge!"

Boom!

Blackbeard was sent flying, crashing through debris like a ragdoll.

The powerful Haki shockwave knocked back his crew—Catarina Devon and the others—tumbling them away like rag dolls.

The nearby Marines, still frozen in shock, were jarred awake by the sudden counterattack.

Sengoku crushed the stone in his hand, his voice thundering across the battlefield.

"Teach! What the hell happened at Impel Down? Why are you here? Where is Luo Yu?! Speak now, or I'll crush you where you stand!"

"What happened?" Teach stumbled out of the rubble, forcing a crooked smile as his expression shifted uncertainly.

"He's still fighting Kaido, of course. I'm not like Doflamingo, betting everything on Kaido. I took my men, hijacked a warship, and slipped through the currents of the Gates of Justice."

"Since you couldn't see the rest of the live feed… I did."

"That guy's strength is impressive, and his trump cards are terrifying. But Kaido took the hit. I didn't see the end, but I'm betting right now he's dead or barely hanging on!"

'Barely hanging on?'

Sengoku's expression darkened.

Just then, a Marine came sprinting forward.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! The Sun Pirates are arriving, and they've brought prisoners—former Warlord Crocodile has been spotted among them!"

Silence fell.

Blackbeard's claim had just been corroborated.

Even he couldn't suppress the triumphant gleam in his eye.

"Ha ha! Didn't I say it, Sengoku? That brat must've fallen to Kaido!"

"This is our chance—what are you all waiting for?! Help me bring down Whitebeard! That Gura Gura no Mi is mine!"

Blackbeard surged forward.

Catarina Devon, Shiryu of the Rain, and the rest of his crew exchanged quick glances and nodded. There was a hint of relief in their expressions—but no hesitation in their movements as they charged Whitebeard together.

Sengoku exploded with fury.

"Tsuru! Go verify what happened at Impel Down!"

"Akainu! Stall Whitebeard—I'll deal with Teach myself!"

With those orders barked, Sengoku's body erupted in golden light as he transformed into his towering Buddha form. He charged toward Blackbeard like an unstoppable force.

Akainu's expression soured. He didn't have the full picture yet, but he had no intention of letting his hard-won gains slip away.

Lava exploded from his fists as he launched himself toward Whitebeard once more.

Further away, Vice Admiral Tsuru handed over command to her deputy, her face etched with grim urgency. She turned to investigate Impel Down's fate.

But before she could take more than a few steps—

A news airship sliced across the sky, its arrival jolting everyone on the battlefield.

"EXTRA! EXTRA! Why isn't Admiral Taiote Luo Yu here?" boomed the familiar voice over a Den Den Mushi loudspeaker.

Standing boldly at the bow was none other than "Big News" Morgans.

The moment he took in the chaos of the battlefield, his expression froze.

Everyone stared, stunned.

Morgans should've been near Impel Down, broadcasting the second battlefield. Why was he here?

Had the battle ended?

Even Blackbeard's movements faltered. Then, as if remembering something, his grin returned.

"Haha! Looks like the fight is over! Morgans is here to confirm what I already said—that brat must've run back here with his tail between his legs!"

"If that's the case, then sorry to disappoint you all—he didn't make it back alive!"

Teach, still haunted by Luo Yu's previous feats, had fled the battlefield early. But now, he was desperate for confirmation—desperate to know his nightmare was over.

Unfortunately, his words had barely left his mouth when Catarina elbowed him sharply.

"Captain... Why does he look at you like you're an idiot?"

'Like an idiot?'

Teach stiffened and slowly looked up at Morgans.

Their eyes met.

And in that instant—Teach felt the crushing certainty of being wrong.

"You?! Teach, you damn coward—you vanished with Crocodile and the others the moment the fight started! You dare judge Admiral Luo Yu?!"

Morgans scoffed, his voice laced with disdain as he glanced across the battlefield.

"Wait—none of you know what happened in the second battlefield?"

He shook his head, then lifted the loudspeaker again.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to say it again."

The moment those words fell, the entire battlefield tensed.

Every soldier, pirate, and officer had the same absurd, impossible thought creep into their minds.

And before they could voice it—

"EXTRA! EXTRA! In the battle at Impel Down, the second battlefield of the Summit War—Marine Admiral Taiote Luo Yu has defeated the Four Emperors' Kaido of the Beasts!"

Defeated Kaido?!

Dead silence.

Everyone—mid-fight, mid-motion—froze as if the world had paused.

That absurd thought in their minds… now echoed as Morgans' voice filled the air.

An outcome none of them had dared to imagine.

The Four Emperors had been challenged.

And Kaido—the one known as the "Strongest Creature in the World"—had fallen.

To Luo Yu.