"End?"
Standing on the bare and desolate battlefield today, Bai Ye gripped Ryūjin Jakka tightly in his hand. The saber Griffin, wielded by the red-haired Shanks, remained unthrown to the ground. Shanks's attempt to end the conflict with words and resolve it peacefully was evident.
However, Bai Ye's indifferent eyes carried nothing but disdain.
First, Bai Ye had burned Kaido's body to prevent the World Government from extracting more of his blood factors and using them to create weapons. Then, turning to face the red-haired Shanks, Bai Ye spoke:
"In your opinion, are rules made only for those who cannot survive without them?"
Shanks's expression shifted at these words. Bai Ye could clearly see through him. He knew the Red Hair Pirates had other goals to achieve in the first half of the Grand Line. Realizing he couldn't win against Bai Ye with his current strength, Shanks sought to retreat.
But did Shanks truly believe he could decide when this battle ended?
From the very beginning, this battlefield was the stage for the "Operation Demon Slaying" initiated by the World Government. After Bai Ye had killed Kong, the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's forces, Kaido, who had secretly witnessed Bai Ye's overwhelming power, attempted to intervene. Kaido's actions had led Bai Ye to one conclusion: Kaido's life was now his to take.
And yet, the Red Hair Pirates had appeared, standing between Bai Ye and Kaido. Their reasoning? "Killing Kaido will break the balance of the New World."
Bai Ye found this laughable.
The so-called balance, upheld by the triad of the Marines, the Shichibukai, and the Four Emperors, was nothing but a facade. Bai Ye, as a time traveler, understood this better than anyone. This so-called "balance" was the World Government's hypocrisy at its peak—a system designed not to maintain peace but to consolidate their absolute power. It was a fabricated set of rules, a shackle imposed on the seas to serve their own agenda.
The World Government's intentions were clear: ensure chaos where order was needed and create rules where none were required. All this was done to make the world believe that life without their rules would lead to catastrophe.
From his decades-long experience as a Marine in North Blue, Bai Ye had seen through the lie. For ordinary people, the so-called "balance" meant little. They only cared about having enough to eat, reuniting with their families, and avoiding pirate attacks. The rules imposed by the World Government served no purpose for the common folk.
Take, for instance, Dressrosa, ruled by Doflamingo—the underworld's number one weapons supplier. Under his control, the kingdom supplied arms to pirates and kingdoms alike, facilitated intelligence brokering, slavery, and human trafficking.
Or Alabasta, which had narrowly avoided falling into the hands of Crocodile, a member of the Shichibukai. Despite being "saved," Alabasta remained a land plagued by civil strife and a water crisis, unable to meet even the most basic needs of its people.
Such chaos, hidden behind the guise of balance, only exacerbated conflicts across the seas. And the World Government? They stood back and reaped the rewards, enjoying unchallenged power while ordinary people suffered.
Boom!
A burst of scorching flames erupted from Ryūjin Jakka, engulfing Bai Ye's blade in bright orange fire mixed with spiritual energy. With one decisive swing, Bai Ye unleashed the flames across the battlefield. The ground, stretching over a hundred kilometers, melted into molten rock, and the sky turned a fiery red.
"You… this guy!" Yasopp and the rest of the Red Hair Pirates, stunned by Shanks's hesitation, felt the intense heat from Bai Ye's flames. Their faces paled collectively.
This man—was he even human? Was this overwhelming power something a mortal could possess?
And now, even after Shanks had set aside his pride and attempted to avoid conflict by appealing to Bai Ye, this man refused to yield.
Bai Ye's voice echoed across the battlefield, reaching Yasopp and the others.
"Whether it's the so-called 'balance' or the 'unnecessary rules' crafted by the World Government…"
His tone was calm but carried a chilling finality.
"All of these hypocritical constructs will share the same fate as the World Government—they will be buried together. The outcome is inevitable."
His fiery gaze swept over the Red Hair Pirates.
"And anyone who dares to stand in my way or become an obstacle—I will eliminate every single one of them."