"I—am I dead?"
"I lost to that Straw Hat brat... How is that possible!"
The final moment of his life, the image of Monkey D. Luffy's colossal fist, echoed in his mind.
Though every fiber of his being resisted the truth, the sight of his own corpse beneath his feet and his current near-transparent form told him that everything Whitebeard said was true.
He had truly lost.
"This—urgh, waahhh!"
At the realization, Kaido, a seven-meter-tall behemoth, burst into tears. He wailed openly, his cries echoing without restraint.
Thud!
Big Mom punched him from the side, knocking him to the ground.
"Kaido, you're a ghost now. Stop acting like a pathetic drunk!"
"You were one of the Four Emperors. You just died, that's all. There's nothing to cry about."
"Ow, ow... You damn old hag, what was that for!"
Kaido clutched his aching cheek, his tears miraculously stopping.
That was right. He was a soul now; he wasn't drunk.
Having been punched, Kaido shook his head. Just as he was about to raise his fist to retaliate, a deafening shout rang out.
"Both of you idiots, stop it!"
Thud!
Whitebeard's massive blade slammed down between them, putting an end to their squabble.
Big Mom looked at Whitebeard and grinned. "Whitebeard, what's your story?"
Seeing that they finally understood their situation, Whitebeard spoke. "I died a long time ago during the Paramount War. Naturally, I am a soul as well."
"However, I found a new job in the afterlife. I happened to be around when you two kicked the bucket, so I came with my boss to take a look."
With that, Whitebeard stepped aside, revealing Ren sitting on a nearby rock.
Kaido frowned as he looked at Ren. "The afterlife... and a boss?"
"Who exactly are you?" Big Mom asked.
"A Soul Reaper."
Ren looked at the two of them and spoke slowly.
"Or to be more direct, I am the Lord of the Underworld who governs the souls of the deceased."
"A Soul Reaper?"
"Lord of the Underworld?"
Upon hearing the introduction, Kaido and Big Mom remained relatively calm—certainly less reactive than when they first learned they were dead.
They exchanged a glance, and as if reading each other's minds, they both smirked.
Kaido laughed wildly. "Worororo! So, you're here to escort us to the world of the dead?"
"Correct," Ren said. "I watched your battle just now. You both have impressive skills and excellent abilities."
"Therefore, I'm giving you a chance. Do you want to work under me?"
"Mamama! We can talk about that later."
Big Mom wore the same arrogant grin.
"Since you're the King of the Underworld—"
Big Mom and Kaido glanced at each other, their unspoken understanding clear.
Their sharp eyes locked onto Ren simultaneously. "That means if we defeat you, we'll become the rulers of the afterlife!"
"Linlin, our pirate alliance continues."
"Until we seize the Underworld, Kaido!"
Their battle spirit surged as they glared at Ren's small frame.
Seeing their reaction, Ren didn't feel surprised at all.
Given how arrogant these two were, this choice actually felt strangely authentic.
Except—
'Is everyone in this world an idiot?'
They had only just died, yet they dared to entertain such reckless thoughts.
Would an ordinary person think like this when facing a reaper after death?
Ren had completely lost hope in the logic of those from this sea.
Sane people were too rare; trying to understand them was a waste of time.
"Insolent!"
A cold snort rang out. Before Ren could move, Shisui was already bristling with rage.
His Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life as Shisui took a light step forward. His Spiritual Pressure erupted instantly, pinpointing Kaido and Big Mom.
"Ugh!"
"Gah!"
An indescribable weight descended upon them.
Without even a chance to resist, the two were pinned to the ground by the overwhelming pressure. No matter how much strength they mustered, they couldn't support themselves; they couldn't even lift their heads.
Under this pressure, they felt their internal organs creaking and groaning. They couldn't even perform the most basic act of breathing.
The powerful bodies they possessed in life were useless now, feeling as though they might be crushed into a pile of meat at any moment.
Whitebeard looked at the pathetic duo and sighed.
'These two fools...'
They had been dominant for so long in life that they assumed the afterlife would be the same.
Teaching them a lesson was for the best; it would serve as a wake-up call.
Seeing that Kaido and Big Mom were on the verge of being crushed to death by the pressure, Ren waved his hand at Shisui.
"As you wish."
Shisui immediately withdrew his Spiritual Pressure.
The two Four Emperors felt the burden lift instantly, collapsing onto the ground and gasping for air.
They looked up at Ren and the Shisui standing beside him with looks of pure disbelief.
To be left helpless by sheer presence alone—
Just how powerful was this strength?
And from the looks of it, he was merely a subordinate.
If a subordinate possessed such power, then how strong was the Soul Reaper who ruled the Underworld?
"You've experienced it for yourselves now. You should have a clear grasp of the difference in our power."
Whitebeard let out a sigh of lament.
"This is a difference in dimensions. You two idiots better behave, or you'll suffer even more."
Kaido and Big Mom panted heavily, trying their best to recover from the near-death state they had just been in.
Ren looked at the disheveled Emperors and said calmly, "Now, tell me your answer."
"Yes or no?"
Kaido wiped the blood from his mouth and gritted his teeth. "If I work for you, can I become as strong as you?"
"That is difficult; it depends on talent," Ren replied, pointing to Shisui. "However, with your potential, reaching Shisui's level shouldn't be a problem."
Kaido looked at the short man who had pinned him down with nothing but his aura. A glint appeared in his eyes as he slowly stood up.
His lips curled into a grin, and a thunderous laugh erupted.
"Worororo! Fine, I'm in."
"As long as you can make me stronger, I'll work for you."
Ren nodded and turned his gaze to Charlotte Linlin.
"And you?"
Big Mom sprang up from the ground, reflexively dusting herself off before remembering she was a soul.
She looked at Ren, then at Whitebeard and Kaido, and let out a boisterous laugh.
"Mamama! If that old man Whitebeard and Kaido are both under you, I don't mind following suit. But I have one condition."
"Speak."
Charlotte Linlin looked into the distance, her gaze seeming to pierce through the vast expanse to see her beloved children.
"In the future, when my children die, I want their souls to be by my side."
"Of course."
Ren nodded, granting the request.
Among Big Mom's children, there were many powerful individuals worth contracting.
People like Katakuri and the other Sweet Commanders would be significant additions to his forces; there was no way Ren would let them pass.
With both Kaido and Big Mom in agreement, Ren stepped down from the rock and slowly drew the Zanpakutō at his waist.
"Now, sign the contract with me."