Kaido… has a daughter?!
Dimon halted mid-stride. He knew Yamato would exist in the "original" timeline, sure—but Kaido setting sail on a grand expedition and returning… with a baby? That was new.
"I'm heading to Kuri. Abel, no need to follow."
A streak of black light split the sky over the Flower Capital as Dimon shot toward Beast City in Kuri.
He dropped into the inner courtyard just as Kaido was swigging from a jug, cross-legged and content.
"Osu, Kaizo—heard you've got a daugh—huh? And this little punk is…?"
Beside Kaido stood a teenager with a soldier's bearing—broad-shouldered, eyes like someone who'd crawled out of a battlefield made of corpses.
"Been, what, over two years?" Kaido grinned. "Soon as I watched the Rogue Town execution, I came straight back."
He noticed Dimon sizing up the newcomer and couldn't resist a proud snort. "Name's Douglas Barrett. Paramecia—Merge-Merge Fruit. Picked him up recently. He's strong."
If Kaido called you strong, you were strong. Dimon's eyes narrowed. So this era's currents had shifted again—
"Barrett, huh. Another one for the New Age, then?"
Barrett's gaze burned. "You're the legendary Brewer Dimon. I challenge you."
"Cool it. You can't beat him," Kaido muttered. His new recruit was a fighting maniac—anything that looked tough, he'd swing at it.
Dimon's mouth curled. "Challenge me? You're green, kid. Beat Abel, and I'll consider you worthy."
"Who's Abel?" Barrett practically vibrated with eagerness.
"My subordinate," Kaido answered, taking another pull of liquor. "An immortal—thanks to the Immortality Wine. Ancient Zoan: Pteranodon. A survivor of the Lunarian line…"
Even Kaido sounded unsure whether Barrett could win that. Immortality alone tilted every fight.
"That's not fair," Kaido added, glancing at Dimon. "Abel can't die. Barrett can. Pour the boy a cup of your wine—he's at the perfect age."
He flashed a wolfish grin. "And I brought you six Devil Fruits from my campaign. You'll get them in a minute."
Dimon arched a brow. Talk about a pillow delivered when you're sleepy—his wallet had just been bone-dry.
"Wine can wait. I heard you've got a daughter—where is she? Let me see."
Kaido's mouth twitched, but he signaled for attendants. Soon, a man and a woman hurried in; the woman cradled a baby girl.
A tuft of short white hair, two tiny red gradient horns budding from her brow, fat little hands hugging a milk bottle as she stared up with curious, dark eyes.
"Come now, let Uncle Dimon hold you."
Dimon beamed and—yoink—scooped Yamato into his arms, teasing the little one. She wasn't shy at all; she drank and studied him at the same time, bright as a lantern.
Cute. This Yamato was nothing like that future chatterbox who'd run around hollering "I am Oden!" all day. Then again, Oden was already dead—different seeds, different tree.
"Who's the mother?" Dimon asked the female pirate.
She flustered. "Not me, my lord—I only care for Lady Yamato."
"Died in childbirth," Kaido said flatly.
Poor kid—motherless at birth. No wonder the Yamato in another history had grown… sideways. Kaido the brawler wasn't exactly father-of-the-year material.
"Fruits are here."
The male pirate unwrapped a bundle—six Devil Fruits nestled inside.
"All for me?" Dimon's eyes flicked over them; the Atlas of 300 was etched in his mind. In a heartbeat he had them sorted: two Paramecia, four Zoan, one of those a Ancient Model.
Zoan: Ox-Ox Fruit, Ancient Model: Giant Rhinoceros.
Paramecia: Float-Float Fruit (not the Flyer's Fly-Fly; this was the one that makes things light), and Paramecia: Bubble-Bubble Fruit.
The other Zoans were decent stock as well.
"Take them," Kaido rumbled. "I'm building an Immortal Legion. I'll need a sea of wine."
"Good plan." Dimon palmed the bundle into a five-pointed array—shunk—and the fruits vanished into his vault. Then he conjured a bottle of Immortality Wine. This one had been formed in Rogue Town; only one cup poured so far—into Roger.
"Three cups left in this bottle. It's yours for now. I'll send another afterward—enough to get you started."
"Six fruits for seven cups?" Kaido grinned as he took the bottle.
"The extra cup is a gift for your daughter." Dimon waggled his brows at Yamato. "She'll drink someday anyway. Consider it Uncle Dimon's red envelope."
Kaido chuckled and poured Barrett a glass. "Drink. With this, you'll grow stronger."
Barrett took the cup. The wine glowed a mystic crimson; countless seekers would kill for a drop, and here he was, being handed a full measure. Kaido might be a beast, but he treated his men like iron.
He'd been a child soldier—their unit called everyone "Bullets." The commander was Douglas; he was Bullet No. 9—thus Douglas Barrett. In one engagement their unit was annihilated; only Barrett, defeated, survived. Kaido saw the steel in him and made the offer.
"Thank you, Lord Kaido."
Barrett tipped his head back and drank in one go.
And somewhere on the sea, another immortal was born—
—and a challenge was set.
(Next: Abel vs. Barrett? Plus: which six fruits did Kaido really plunder… and who else has their eyes on Dimon's stockpile?)
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