Chapter 84

Baihuzi's death took everyone somewhat by surprise, with some feeling astonished, some sighing, some gloating, and others heartbroken.

Although many had anticipated Baihuzi's death today, the end of a generation of pirate legend in this way is indeed lamentable.

"Old man, old man, Kaido, you bastard, Kaido, I'll kill you!" Marco furiously looked at Kaido and said.

Sylvanas took out some magical materials, began to surround Baihuzi and carve various patterns, then took out the blood death knight transformation device previously prepared by her subordinates.

Placed one by one around Baihuzi's corpse, a black-purple six-pointed star magic formation quickly formed around his body.

"Here, this is the summoning incantation and the contract magic circle; just follow the steps above and you can control him. Remember, you must find a way to weaken his soul so he will submit to you." Sylvanas handed a spell to Luode and said.

Turning into a death knight is only the first step; the more important step is to control the target. Controlling undead beings is somewhat easier than controlling demons, but it still requires sealing the contract.

After receiving the incantation, Luode nodded, approached Baihuzi's corpse, and began to draw the necromancy magic circle and the blood transformation circle on his body.

This was also her first time, the first time she had transformed another life into an undead creature.

But this was inevitable; she was the queen of the Forsaken race and had to consider the whole race.

Some things must be done even if unwilling; otherwise, the Forsaken will eventually disappear.

On the other side, Kaido stood beside Luode holding his spiked club; at this moment, Blackbeard's face was extremely grim—this was a great opportunity to seize Baihuzi's Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

But unfortunately, the Four Emperors' Kaido stood there, along with that dreadful brat, that special woman, and the skeleton lying on the ground—it seemed no one had noticed! Turns out there's another tied-up skeleton among them? "You bastard, what are you doing to Old Man's corpse? He's already dead; give the body back to us!" Marco shouted.

"You bunch of trash, shut up; if anyone wants to die, just come over." Kaido said.

A few commanders of Baihuzi's pirate crew immediately wanted to rush over, but Marco immediately stopped them.

Others may not know Kaido's strength, but could he be unaware? This is the only monster capable of defeating Old Man in a one-on-one fight.

Now that Old Man is dead, he is the captain of Baihuzi's pirate crew; he has the duty and obligation to safely bring all his brothers back to the New World.

This rescue operation ended in utter failure; their rescue target, Fire Fist Ace, died in battle, and even Old Man Baihuzi fell.

"Haramu Star, Salamu Karu." A bitter, obscure, indescribably strange chant was spoken from Luode's mouth.

Sylvanas then began to release powerful necromantic energy; the necromantic force from the world of Azeroth turned into a black-purple mist that started to spread around Baihuzi.

The black-purple mist gradually entered Baihuzi's body. The ferocious wounds on his body began to change.

The two huge wounds on his chest actually began to heal, but strangely, Baihuzi's body gradually turned toward the woman's skin tone just now.

It turned into a dark purple hue, a chilling wind blew past, and everyone present, whether pirate or marine, felt an icy cold aura.

The four jars placed around Baihuzi shattered violently, large amounts of blood poured out, then gathered on Baihuzi's body.

An indescribably eerie, hair‑raising feeling welled up in everyone's hearts.

It seems! It seems! Something extremely terrifying is about to happen.

"Hey hey hey! What is that newbie kid of the Beasts Pirates doing? And that strange woman—what are they going to do to Whitebeard's corpse?" Du Q said.

As a black doctor, also known as the Grim Reaper, he clearly sensed something different—the aura that only death possesses, an absolute deathly energy.

"I don't know, just keep watching. Anyway, we can't stop it, and besides, this is Marine territory—even the higher‑ups haven't said anything." Baihuzi glanced at the distant Fleet Admiral Fozhizhenguo and said.

"Marco! Dad, Dad's body feels off! Dad's skin tone seems to have turned dark purple, just like that woman." Huajian Bista said.

"Moreover, have you noticed that Dad's wounds seem to have completely healed? This is truly bizarre—what's going on?"

The Seven Warlords on the high platform were also watching the spectacle, but the Empress Boya Hankuke quietly left the scene.

Nothing else mattered to her more than Lufei; she urgently needed to check on his condition, so she hijacked a Marine ship and set out.

Just now she seemed to see a small boat like a submarine, which rescued Lufei and Shenping.

"Fleet Admiral! What should we do? Should we attack?" a Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters approached Fleet Admiral Fozhizhenguo and asked.

"If we go to war with the Four Emperors, we need the World Government's consent; they only approved our war against Whitebeard, so if Kaido doesn't show hostility toward us, we'll just hold back and observe." Fleet Admiral Fozhizhenguo said.

This situation actually works to their advantage as Marines; let these pirates kill each other! Just now the Beasts Pirates' Kaido killed Whitebeard, but that did them a big favor.

"Sengoku, I feel that the dark‑purple‑skinned woman in Kaido's crew and that young brat are not simple; they seem to be doing something terrifying." Vice Admiral He said.

"Let's just wait and see for now, Chiquan, hurry up and recover your strength." Fleet Admiral Fozhizhenguo glanced at the Admiral beside him, Chiquan, and said.

He was the one who exerted the most effort in this war, though this guy also suffered the worst injuries.

For a moment, Kaido's presence created immense intimidation, so neither Marines nor pirates dared act rashly, giving Luode the crucial time he needed for the transformation.

Time passed slowly, and Xierwanasi could barely endure it at this point—this old Baihuzi's physique was absurdly strong.

Trying to turn it into a powerful death knight consumes an enormous amount of deathly power.

But fortunately, they are on the battlefield where at least ten thousand have died, producing abundant deathly energy that they can fully absorb and convert.

"Luode, how's it going?" Kaido said.

It's been almost an hour already, and you still haven't finished? "Almost done—Sylvanas, bring out his weapons and armor." Luode finished the final incantation of the transformation.

He began channeling deathly power with all his focus.

Furthermore, he inscribed a magic sigil upon Whitebeard's soul, completing the final step to enslave his soul.

At this very moment, in an unseen spiritual realm, Luode was binding Whitebeard's soul with countless black chains.

"Submit to me, Whitebeard, submit to your new master." Luode said.

"Damn brat, you actually—you actually want to control me? No way—I will never submit to anyone." Whitebeard's soul struggled, trying to break free of the black chains, never expecting that even in death he would find no peace. "Whitebeard, your power is immense—are you really willing to just lie down forever? Rise and serve me!" Luode increased his magical output and said.

Truly befitting a Four Emperor–level existence, Whitebeard's soul is indeed powerful, but fortunately I had made ample preparations.

Just the mana recovery potions and mana enhancement potions—he had drunk plenty, plus various kinds of mana‑enhancing concoctions.

"You damn brat, I'm Whitebeard! Even if I'm dead, I won't accept being controlled—do you think I fear death?" Baihuzi said.

Meanwhile, he increased his strength and began to break free of the black chains; on the chains binding Baihuzi's soul, faint cracks started to appear.

"Conqueror's Haki can probably damage your black chains, brat—you'll never control me." Baihuzi's soul said.

"Resistance is futile, Baihuzi—do you think breaking one chain is enough? If you break one, I'll bind you with ten." Luode snorted.

He once again increased his magical output, and dozens of black chains appeared, instantly binding Baihuzi's soul.

"Damn it!" Baihuzi's soul half‑knelt on the ground, furious beyond measure.

This bastard kid—is this power to control the dead a Devil Fruit ability? I've never heard of such a Devil Fruit power! For a moment, both sides reached a stalemate; old Baihuzi's stubbornness reached its peak, and even as a soul he would rather die than yield, frantically struggling.

Damn it, just a little bit more, just a little bit more and I could control him.

At this moment, Luode was also a bit anxious; he really hadn't expected that Conqueror's Haki could actually resist his own soul contract spell.

No choice, it seems I can only use some other methods to weaken Baihuzi.

"Baihuzi, you don't want anything to happen to your own child, do you? You don't want those sons of yours to die, do you?" Luode said.

"You bastard brat, what do you want to do?"

"I won't harm your sons, but what about Blackbeard and the Navy? They're trying to annihilate your Baihuzi pirate crew; your sons are now in great danger."

"Accept my enslavement, become my weapon; I will let you keep your free will, promise to bring your sons out of here safely, all your sons." Luode said.

If Baihuzi's soul could actively give up resistance, then the soul contract could be completed; Baihuzi's weak point is precisely those sons of his.

"You! You!"

"Baihuzi, I possess tremendous power; you will become my trusted chief commander, I will take you to a different world, let you see different scenery."

"Even in the future, when I become strong enough, I can resurrect your most beloved son, Ace." Luode said.

"Kurarara! You bastard brat, are you trying to fool me? How could resurrecting the dead be possible? If you want to turn Ace into a slave like me, forget it." Baihuzi said.

"I'm not joking; I can do it. Among the myriad worlds, there are treasures you couldn't imagine; resurrecting the dead is absolutely easy."

"All you have to give is one thing: loyalty, fight for me." Luode said.

Great! Baihuzi's will to resist has begun to weaken.

"Can you promise me? Promise to let all my sons leave safely." Baihuzi said.

No matter what, he can't let go of his beloved sons; even if he's dead, let me, old father, take care of you once more!

As for resurrecting the dead, to be honest, Baihuzi doesn't really believe it; just being able to save his remaining sons is enough.

"Hmm! I promise you, I can take them away safely." Luode said.

"Even in this cruel sea, one must uphold benevolence and righteousness!"

"Brat, these are your words; remember your promise." Baihuzi said.

"I, Luode, will do whatever despicable thing, but I never go back on my word to others." Luode said.

"I've promised you; from now on I'll serve that guy Kaido." Baihuzi said.

At the same time, he also gave up all resistance, and the Conqueror's Haki vanished.

"No no no, you mustn't misunderstand anything; Beast Kaido's status is just a bit higher than yours, he's practically my cheap father-in-law, but he's also my subordinate." Luode smiled with satisfaction and said.

"???? That Beast bastard! Kurarara! In that case, I feel much better."

Luode's lips also curled into a slight smile; the final enslavement contract was finally completed.

Baihuzi also completed his final transformation, becoming the first blood death knight of the pirate world; Baihuzi Aidehua·Niugate was born.

Outside, at this moment everyone, whether Marine or pirate,

all were utterly astonished, mouths agape, faces full of disbelief.

"Hey hey hey, you're joking, right? You're joking, right?"

"How is this possible?"

"Could it be, could it be that Beast guy just didn't kill the hundred-bearded?"

"Dad! Dad actually lived!"

"But Dad! He, he's gotten really weird!"

At this moment Baihuzi had already risen from the ground, his skin turned a dark purple.

His eyes also became a deep blue like a ghost's, his body surrounded by an intensely bloody aura and a chilling deathly aura.

Four thousand words to continue, more tonight

(End of chapter)