Although the appearance of Straw Hat Luffy and a group of strange characters caused a huge reaction, people's main attention remained on Kaido.
They wanted to know what Kaido's intentions were by suddenly withdrawing to Whitebeard's side.
The appearance of Straw Hat Luffy and his crew only magnified concerns about Kaido. People believed that Kaido, now with so many potential allies, would become even more dangerous.
However, no one expected what happened next.
Kaido made no aggressive move.
Instead, he sat down, lay down, and fell asleep.
What is this guy doing?!
At a time when everyone was nervous and on edge about his next action, Kaido simply relaxed!
Was this some kind of twisted game?
His behavior was completely unpredictable.
It was downright infuriating.
"Kaido doesn't look injured or tired... Why did he lie down to sleep?"
"This is a battlefield. Who would sleep in a place like this?"
"Damn it! Don't you take us seriously?!"
The navy was in an uproar.
Kaido, the infuriating and hard-to-read monster.
Sengoku felt like his head was going to split.
This was totally unreasonable behavior!
Even Admiral Aokiji's eyelids twitched at the sight.
Aokiji was known for his lazy demeanor, but even he couldn't believe Kaido was this carefree.
Kaido, that bastard.
Even at a moment like this, he was so nonchalant. It was the ultimate insult to the navy, leaving many on edge.
Onboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard too had taken note of Kaido's behavior. Even he didn't understand it.
This guy said he had some critical information.
And Whitebeard would naturally find out about it later.
This was supposed to be serious.
Yet after delivering such an important piece of information, Kaido just laid down and slept.
It was too casual.
Too bizarre.
Even with all of Whitebeard's experience, he couldn't grasp what Kaido was thinking.
From Kaido's point of view, it was unfair to be judged this way.
His decision to lie down and sleep was merely a cover.
The real reason was that he was studying the rewards he had just received for completing a side quest.
Side quest rewards were different from main quest rewards. They didn't include something like a King-level power upgrade card or a top-tier ability boost.
Instead, it was a "lucky gift pack."
This needed studying.
And that's why Kaido chose to lie down, not out of laziness or disdain for the navy. Though, admittedly, with his attack power now bordering on invincibility, he could afford to look down on them if he wished. But consciously, Kaido didn't think that way.
…
While Kaido lay down to analyze his system rewards, on the other side, Luffy and his crew were also making their moves.
Take Jinbei for example.
He was still a Shichibukai, so technically, he should have been standing with the navy.
But in reality?
Jinbei stood on the opposite side.
This infuriated Sengoku.
Sengoku shouted, demanding to know where Jinbei's loyalties lay!
"Are you a Shichibukai or a pirate?"
"Are you on the side of the navy, or are you betraying us?!"
Jinbei's response was direct.
"I am no longer a Shichibukai!"
The title of Shichibukai meant nothing to him.
He had chosen to oppose the navy!
A Shichibukai.
Openly rebelling.
This delivered a severe blow to the morale and reputation of the navy, especially in the eyes of those in Sabaody Archipelago.
The rebellion of a Shichibukai made the navy appear disorganized and weakened their grip of authority, casting a shadow of doubt.
Sengoku was furious.
At this crucial moment in the war, morale and influence were everything!
Without morale, even if the navy had ten times the force of the enemy, they would lose. Morale was that important.
To restore some of that lost morale, Sengoku decided to act swiftly by revealing Straw Hat Luffy's true identity.
…
When Straw Hat Luffy reached the battlefield of Marineford's inner bay, he boarded the Moby Dick.
Standing at a high point, he cast his gaze upon Ace.
Then, with a shout, he declared that he would rescue his brother.
Luffy's appearance took Ace by surprise.
Ace knew Luffy's strength all too well.
On a battlefield like this, Luffy's arrival only meant he would get himself killed.
Ace was on the verge of execution.
Luffy couldn't die here as well.
So, Ace shouted back, urging Luffy to leave. He told him not to get involved in this chaotic war. It was too dangerous—this was not a battle Luffy should fight.
However, Luffy's response to Ace's pleas only strengthened his resolve.
He wasn't one to give up easily once he had set his mind on something.
For Robin, he had led the entire Straw Hat crew through Enies Lobby, becoming enemies with the World Government itself. For his comrades and those important to him, Luffy had no concept of danger, fear, or risk.
He only knew one thing: if someone important to him needed help, he would do whatever it took.
And so, Luffy answered Ace.
"Because I'm your little brother."
That sentence hit like a bombshell.
Navy, pirates, and even those watching from Sabaody were left stunned.
Brother?!
Ace's... younger brother?
"Does Roger have two sons?!"
"How many children did that demon leave behind?!"
"Roger has a son? And Ace has a younger brother?!"
This revelation sent waves of panic across the battlefield.
The navy, once believing that Ace's execution would eliminate Roger's bloodline for good, now faced a new reality.
Ace had a younger brother.
Killing Ace wouldn't mean the end of Roger's bloodline—it would still live on through Luffy.
This made the navy's efforts seem futile and even foolish.
Sengoku knew he couldn't allow morale to crumble any further.
So, he picked up a Den Den Mushi, his voice ringing across the battlefield:
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"He is not Ace's biological brother."
"His father is the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Army... a world-class criminal."
"The most dangerous man in the world."
"The Devil Among Demons."
"Monkey D. Dragon!"
"And Monkey D. Luffy is his son!"
As the news of Luffy's parentage spread, an uproar swept across the battlefield.
Dragon—the leader of the Revolutionary Army who had toppled countless nations and taken countless lives.
He was branded a devil.
A name that could strike terror into the hearts of children and adults alike—Dragon!
And now, they learned that he had a son.
And that son was right here, in front of them all!
"Another son of a notorious criminal!"
"This guy cannot be allowed to leave here alive!!"
The Navy roared, with countless voices suddenly calling for Luffy's death.
It also became clear why the Revolutionary Army cadre, the demon Ivan, was present.
Luffy was the son of Dragon.
It made perfect sense that the Revolutionary Army would help him.
On the execution platform, Sengoku, the Buddha, observed the naval forces, and he saw a shift in their emotions—suddenly, they all hated Luffy.
And Sengoku was pleased by this.
Hatred could erase fear and despair.
It could ignite the spark of fury that would restore the navy's fighting spirit.
When they realized that the son of a world-class criminal was right there in front of them, the desire to destroy him would overwhelm any doubts or fears. Morale would recover on its own.
Revealing Luffy's true identity had the desired effect, spurring the navy into action.
Meanwhile, Luffy, undeterred by the uproar, recklessly charged into the thick of battle.
Whitebeard, watching Luffy's determination to rescue Ace at all costs, made his own declaration: the Whitebeard Pirates would support Luffy's advance!
There were two reasons for this.
First, Whitebeard recognized Luffy's unwavering will.
Second, and more importantly, Whitebeard knew that to save Ace, they had to face one formidable obstacle.
That obstacle was Garp.
That old warhorse.
Damn it.
Whitebeard didn't have the confidence to defeat Garp—his age was starting to weigh on him.
There was only one person here who had the potential to overcome Garp.
That person was Luffy.
"Little ones, cover Luffy!!"
Whitebeard's voice boomed across the battlefield.
The pirates, rejuvenated by their captain's orders, erupted in cheers and cries for battle.
As Kaido's fight had come to a halt, and the clash between the emperor-level fighters had subsided, it created an opening for the smaller players to re-engage.
The Marineford battlefield quickly descended into chaos once again.
The Whitebeard Pirates launched themselves into action in all directions.
Even Little Oars Jr., the giant towering above all others, joined the fray, clearing a path.
Under the protection of the Whitebeard Pirates and Jinbei, Luffy pressed forward relentlessly. Though many obstacles arose, Luffy overcame them all with surprising ease, charging deeper into Marineford and causing havoc.
His actions rippled through the battlefield and even aboard the Moby Dick, where another group was taking note—Buggy the Clown's followers.
"Captain Buggy! That Straw Hat kid is stealing the spotlight!"
"Yeah, we can't let him hog all the glory!"
"Captain Buggy, let's kill Whitebeard, chop off his head, and take this opportunity to become famous across the world—become the new Emperor!!"
Buggy's followers gazed at him with shining eyes, full of adoration. Hearing this, Buggy froze in terror.
"Kill Whitebeard? Who's gonna do that?!"
Buggy's eyes widened as he snapped back at them.
"Of course, the great Captain Buggy will do it!!"
His followers cheered, lifting him up excitedly.
After all, Buggy had once sailed under the Pirate King himself!
A living legend of the seas!!
Surely, he and Whitebeard had clashed many times before. Their rivalry was the stuff of legend.
But now…
Whitebeard was old, a relic of the previous era.
Captain Buggy, on the other hand, was at his peak, brimming with strength and vitality.
This was the perfect opportunity to slay Whitebeard and settle decades of grudges.
Wasn't it glorious?
Seeing the starry-eyed admiration of his crew, Buggy was left dumbfounded.