The thoughts of the Five Elders were easy for Kuke to guess.

At first, they intended for him and the monsters of the New World to tear each other apart. For a long time, they stayed quiet, holding back their forces. After the Cake Island incident, Kuke assumed they could no longer sit idly by.

As expected, shortly after the events at Cake Island, Violet’s abilities, combined with Shakky’s intelligence gathering, revealed that the Navy was mobilizing its forces.

Initially, it seemed as though the World Government and their strongest forces, alongside the Navy, would seize the opportunity to ambush or pluck the fruits of victory during his fight with Whitebeard. However, their movements suggested otherwise.

A week ago, Kuke had learned from Violet that most of the Navy’s elite, three of the Five Elders, members of CP0, and some hidden figures unknown to the world, silently boarded a vessel that was neither a warship nor an official World Government ship. They discreetly entered the New World.

In a week’s time, even the fastest ships could not have reached Whitebeard’s territory.

“They’re still not heading here; they’re far away from us,” Violet reported intermittently, using her powers to track the World Government’s main force, fearing she might lose sight of them.

“What exactly are they planning?” Kuke mused deeply.

The mobilization of the Navy’s elite, three of the Five Elders, and other top-level World Government agents marked the largest operation in their history. Yet, it was conducted so stealthily that it raised eyebrows.

At present, Kuke thought realistically: apart from himself, no one else in the New World warranted such extensive action by the World Government. And yet, they were not ambushing him.

The Sun and Moon Pirates’ arrival in Whitebeard’s territory had not been a secret. Anyone with some influence in the New World knew about it. The World Government could not have been ignorant of it. A month was ample time for them to quietly arrive and set up an ambush, yet they hadn’t.

“Could they have found a better ambush location?” Kuke’s mind raced as he pieced together the possibilities. Gradually, the answer became clear.

Most likely, that was indeed the case.

“Excellent. I was wondering how to repay their earlier ‘kindness,’ and now the opportunity has presented itself.”

If not for the World Government’s previous manipulations—spreading rumors and pushing the Sun and Moon Pirates into conflict with the other sea emperors, ensuring these clashes resonated throughout the seas—Kuke’s achievement points would not have surged so dramatically.

Now over 500,000 points, Kuke had been contemplating how to let the World Government experience the rewards of such achievements.

“With so many of their top fighters deployed, Mary Geoise should be left relatively unguarded, right?”

Kuke wasn’t focusing on the forces that had set out; his target was the World Government’s headquarters.

“This time, I must uncover the secrets of the World Government and the enigmatic Im.”

Kuke’s mind was already crafting the next steps of his plan.

Before he realized it, the uninhabited island had come into view.

Whitebeard, who had arrived alone on his ship, waited for a few minutes, puzzled as the Radiant Eclipse remained motionless.

What’s going on?

After a few more minutes, Kuke finally appeared in Whitebeard’s line of sight. “I was just thinking about something else.”

Whitebeard’s expression froze. Before their battle, Kuke had been distracted, lost in thought about other matters. Meanwhile, Whitebeard had been fully focused, preparing himself mentally and physically for what he considered the greatest challenge of his life.

“What were you thinking about?” Whitebeard couldn’t help but ask. He was curious about what could possibly take precedence over their fight.

“The World Government,” Kuke replied bluntly.

Whitebeard: “…”

The flames of Whitebeard’s irritation were immediately extinguished. He awkwardly withdrew his annoyed expression. Indeed, matters involving the World Government were far more important than their duel.

“You’ve noticed the Navy’s mobilization as well?” Whitebeard asked.

The movements of the Navy’s elite forces could hardly be concealed. Their target was obvious: Kuke and the Sun and Moon Pirates.

“Are you worried?” Whitebeard looked at Kuke, who had landed before him. Worry would be justified; the longer one lived, the more one understood the unshakable dominance of the World Government.

Whitebeard thought back to the Rocks Pirates. For a time, he truly believed their captain could become the king of the world and overthrow the World Government. Yet, in the end, the World Government didn’t even need to intervene. The Navy and Roger’s crew alone had dismantled the Rocks Pirates, despite not deploying their full strength.

From that day onward, Whitebeard never entertained the idea of challenging the World Government again. He didn’t want to attract their attention.

“Worried?” Kuke chuckled.

Whitebeard’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t underestimate the World Government. Centuries of rule have built depths that even the Five Elders can’t fully fathom.”

“Old men who should be enjoying their retirement shouldn’t bother with such things,” Kuke retorted dismissively.

He had no intention of elaborating. How he planned to act, and what he intended to do, was not for others to know.

Whitebeard’s expression darkened. He was trying to give a friendly warning, but Kuke had casually dismissed him. I’m Whitebeard, he thought indignantly.

“Gurarara, fine then! Show me the strength of the most domineering man on the seas,” Whitebeard roared, lifting his naginata. He spun it wildly, generating powerful winds and an overwhelming aura.

With a heavy stomp, the naginata struck the ground, causing a tremor that made hearts skip a beat.

“As expected of Whitebeard,” Gion and the others remarked, feeling the imposing presence of the living legend. Just a glance from him was enough to sap the fighting spirit of many.

“Start timing,” Kuke instructed.

Everyone instinctively looked at the clock to mark the start of the battle. “Let’s round it to forty-three minutes and give Whitebeard the extra forty-eight seconds,” Kuke quipped, further provoking his opponent.

Whitebeard’s eyes flared. “I’m Whitebeard!” he roared.

With that, he raised his massive fist, veins bulging, muscles rippling like dragons, and his hand enveloped in the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—the strongest Paramecia.

“Taste this!” Whitebeard shouted, punching forward.

The air shattered. Cracks spread beneath his fist as the entire island and surrounding sea quaked violently.

“This is the power to destroy the world,” the Sun and Moon Pirates’ crew marveled, stunned by Whitebeard’s destructive might.

“Mama… Whitebeard’s still this strong,” Charlotte Linlin sighed in relief. There was no sign of weakness in him. She couldn’t believe he would lose in just an hour.

Kuke countered with his own punch. Top-tier Conqueror’s Haki and Armament Haki blazed like fire around his fist, combined with his unmatched physical strength. His punch unleashed shockwaves and lightning, tearing the space before him.

The clash of two island-sinking blows created a scene of utter devastation. The fractured space expanded rapidly, and the massive island shattered into fragments as the sea beneath them broke apart like glass.

Marco and the others, prepared for the residual shockwaves, were nonetheless terrified by the spectacle. “Dad’s fights with Roger never reached this level,” they muttered, fear evident in their voices.

In the collision, Whitebeard’s fist, surrounded by his trembling power, began to crack under the strain of Kuke’s golden flames and black lightning.

“This… this can’t be…”

With a thunderous crash, Kuke’s punch shattered through Whitebeard’s power, striking his chest directly.

In an instant, Whitebeard was sent flying like a meteor.

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DONT FORGET POWER STONE

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up 40+ chapters at patreon.com/Emik01.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep