(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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To enter Fish-Man Island from the New World, one must navigate a specific ocean current to find the correct channel.
Without this route, even with a coated hull, locating Fish-Man Island was impossible.
On this day, over a dozen ships from the Whitebeard Pirates had gathered in the waters near the crucial current.
This was not the entirety of their forces.
Counting all their allied pirate crews, the Whitebeard Pirates boasted tens of thousands of members.
Still, the sight of this fleet was intimidating nonetheless.
All the captains participated in the mission, bringing along all the elites of their squads.
With Whitebeard and Sasuke among them, they were confident in facing even a direct confrontation with the Marines.
However, Sasuke was far from optimistic.
No matter how numerous the pawns were, they remained pawns.
The number of ants no matter how much, cannot topple a god.
Recalling the taunting expression of Colt during their last contact, Sasuke was sure that Colt had already set his traps, waiting for Whitebeard to walk into them step by step.
Snap!
A hand clapped Sasuke's shoulder.
"Hey, Sasuke, we're almost there! Stop wearing that grim look!"
The voice belonged to Marco, who had been observing Sasuke's behavior.
Marco couldn't fathom what could make Sasuke so wary.
If Kisame had such a powerful backing, why would he settle for being a Shichibukai, a lackey of the World Government?
"Idiot, do you think the world is that simple?"
Sasuke sighed at Marco's naivety.
Over time, Sasuke had discovered a fatal flaw in the Whitebeard Pirates—their unshakable arrogance.
More accurately, it wasn't arrogance but blind faith in Whitebeard, the so-called strongest man in the world.
Marco and the others believed that as long as Whitebeard stood, no force in the world could make them fear them.
This faith was justified in the past when Whitebeard's strength shielded them from danger.
But now? Things were different.
Sasuke understood the iron order Colt imposed and how the ninja world had bent to his will.
Here, too, escape was not an option.
Sasuke opened his mouth to speak but suddenly froze.
His Observation Haki detected a change—a thick fog rising over the sea at an unimaginable speed.
"What's going on?"
Marco sensed it too and quickly joined Whitebeard with Sasuke.
"Gurarara! I can't say for sure, but someone else among you might know, isn't that right, Sasuke?"
Whitebeard turned to look at Sasuke.
"Mist Shinobi Technique. A unique technique of the Mist Village used for assassination," Sasuke said grimly.
The Chakra lingering in the air revealed their assailant's identity.
What surprised Sasuke was their boldness in taking the offensive.
Whitebeard detached the IV tube from his arm, standing tall with an imposing presence.
Grasping his weapon, his right hand swung it powerfully, stirring a fierce wind as his voice roared across the sea:
"Gurarara! Little ones! The enemy is here—go find them!"
The Moby Dick and nearby ships erupted in roars of acknowledgment.
Led by Jinbei, the Fish-Man crew leaped into the waters, searching for Kisame.
In the fog's heart, Kisame stood calmly on the water, using the Mist Shinobi Technique to monitor the Whitebeard Pirates.
"The sea is truly a paradise for Water Style ninjas. If the ninja world had such landscapes, the Land of Water wouldn't have been so weak," Kisame mused.
The limited seas in the ninja world had restrained Water Style ninjas from reaching their full potential as most fights were done on land.
But here, the oceans were boundless, offering endless opportunities.
"You already possess a terrifying trump card. Why play these games?"
The voice of Three-Tails echoed within Kisame's mind, laced with confusion.
Three-Tails knew the terrifying power Kisame now wielded thanks to him.
Why not use it to annihilate the Whitebeard Pirates outright?
"This is the difference between humans and you tailed beasts," Kisame chuckled.
"You go through things blindly, but I want to prove my worth and complete my tasks flawlessly. If Colt-sama resolved everything himself, what value would I have as his subordinate?"
Three-Tails snorted.
"You think you can handle that old man and the Uchiha kid over there so easily?"
Without Sasuke and Whitebeard, Kisame might have stood a chance, especially with the Three-Tails' support.
But against both of them? Impossible.
So, he didn't understand what Kisame was talking about. Might as well press your advantage from the start and deal some heavy damage.
"Of course not. Whitebeard's [Tremor-Tremor Fruit] can restrain both you and me, and Uchiha Sasuke's power is beyond comprehension," Kisame admitted, his expression grave.
He began forming hand seals.
It was time to take things seriously.
"Isobu, lend me your Chakra. Let the world witness the might of a Tailed Beast."
"At the very least, I'm going to let the Whitebeard Pirates remember the name Kisame Hoshigaki from now until their death!"
Moved by Kisame's ambition, Three-Tails relented, its long-dormant spirit stirring with excitement.
"Fine. Let's make some noise!"
A sky-blue Chakra cloak enveloped Kisame, forming an armor-like shield around him.
The Perfect Jinchūriki form.
Their Chakras fused, creating immense power.
The sea churned violently from the energy fluctuations.
Kisame's eyes lit up, surprised by his unexpected transformation.
Slamming his hands onto the water's surface, Kisame roared:
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!" (Suiton: Dai Bakusui Shōha)
A colossal wave, hundreds of meters high, surged forward like a bloodthirsty beast, crashing toward the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet.
The Moby Dick trembled under the wave's looming shadow, and Whitebeard's face turned stern.
"Marco! Call Jinbei and the others back—now!"