A battle with no suspense quickly drew to a close.
Although King, Queen, Bullet, and Sebastian were all still young—the oldest, Queen, was only twenty-four, while the youngest, Bullet, was just thirteen—their strength had long since surpassed that of ordinary pirates. This fight was little more than a warm-up exercise for them; their opponents weren't even qualified to make them get serious.
After the battle ended, the four of them effortlessly hauled the spoils, worth tens of millions of Berries, back to the pirate ship. The treasure glittered under the sun, but to them, it was merely a minor gain on their journey.
"Set sail," Kaido commanded from the deck, the sea breeze lifting his long golden hair. The pirate ship slowly departed from these waters, setting course for the legendary Sleepy Old Town.
Although the weather in the first half of the Grand Line wasn't as unpredictable as in the New World, it still held hidden dangers. The sky was clear and boundless at the moment, but no one knew if a violent storm might suddenly rage the next. For these young men, however, whatever weather they encountered was just another part of the scenery on their adventure.
Twenty days later, the massive warship of the Beasts Pirates finally arrived at Sleepy Old Town in the first half of the Grand Line. This small island, perpetually shrouded in thick fog, was barely noted on nautical charts. A dilapidated wooden pier faded in and out of view within the mist.
When the black flag embroidered with a ferocious beast's head on the mast pierced through the dense fog, the fishermen working on the dock instantly panicked. "It's the Beasts Pirates!" "Kaido is here!" Amidst the rising and falling cries of alarm, the crowd scattered and fled, leaving only a white-haired old man leaning on a cane, trembling as he stood his ground.
As the heavy gangplank lowered, Kaido's burly figure was the first to appear on the deck. Behind him followed his four officers and dozens of fully armed pirates, the clatter of metal weapons particularly jarring in the silent port. The old man wiped cold sweat from his brow, his voice quavering. "G-Great One... our humble island truly has..."
"Wororororo..." Kaido's signature laugh cut the old man off. He looked down at the elder from his height. "I'm not here to steal your scrap metal and junk." With that, he strode purposefully toward the town center, his leather boots thudding dully on the wooden planks.
The architecture of Sleepy Old Town bore distinct medieval European characteristics, with pointed wooden houses lining the cobblestone streets. Although the streets were deserted, Kaido could feel countless pairs of eyes peering at them in terror through cracks in the windows.
"Old man," Kaido asked without turning his head, "where on this island are there the most bats?"
The old man scurried to catch up, panting as he replied, "T-the back mountain... there's an abandoned castle there. Bats gather in swarms, but..." He glanced at Kaido's profile, words halting, ultimately not daring to finish his sentence.
"Alright, old man, no need to follow us." Kaido said to the man, then immediately led everyone toward the back mountain the old man had mentioned.
Climbing up the winding mountain path, Kaido walked at the very front, his leather boots making sticky sounds on the moss-covered stone steps. Complaints occasionally rose from the pirate crew. "This damn place doesn't even have a road sign..."
"Shut up!" Queen snapped around his cigar. "Keep up, don't fall behind." His obese frame looked especially clumsy on the narrow mountain trail, frequently needing to brace against the rocky wall beside him to keep his balance.
As the altitude increased, the surrounding vegetation gradually thinned. Suddenly, Kaido, walking at the very front, stopped. Through the thick fog, the silhouette of a Gothic castle loomed intermittently. The castle's spire pierced the clouds, its mottled stone walls covered in dark green vines. A few broken stained-glass windows reflected an eerie light in the mist.
"This is the place," Kaido grinned, revealing sharp white teeth. He reached out and pushed open the rusted iron gate; the screech of metal grating startled a colony of bats roosting atop the castle, a dark mass swooping over everyone's heads.
King unfurled his black wings, hovering in mid-air, his scarlet eyes scanning the castle. "The legendary dwelling of vampires... interesting." His voice held a hint of excitement.
Upon entering the castle interior, a damp, rotting smell assaulted them. The floor of the hall was covered in thick dust, corners draped with cobwebs. A few tattered portraits hung on the walls, the eyes of the painted figures seeming to watch these uninvited guests.
"Search separately," Kaido ordered tersely. "Report immediately if you find anything suspicious."
"Yes, sir!" Upon hearing Kaido's command, the pirates immediately scattered to search.
"Boss Kaido, does this damn place really have that thing?" Queen said to Kaido, looking at the castle's shabby interior.
Kaido didn't respond. Instead, he simply glared at Queen, which immediately made the latter spring into action.
Half an hour passed. The pirates had turned the castle inside out, yet hadn't found a single decent piece of loot. Kaido stood in the center of the hall, his thick arms crossed over his chest, his gaze sweeping over his subordinates returning empty-handed. He wasn't particularly surprised. If that legendary Devil Fruit could be found so easily, Patrick Redfield would have gotten his hands on it years ago.
Kaido narrowed his eyes, suddenly thinking of something. He lifted his right foot and stomped heavily on the ground, the dull thud echoing through the empty castle. This action suddenly clarified his thinking—since they couldn't find it on the ground, perhaps the thing was hidden underneath!
"Everyone, evacuate the castle immediately!" Kaido's low voice boomed within the ancient walls. Hearing this, the pirates immediately dropped what they were doing, scrambling and pushing toward the main gate, afraid of being a step too slow. They knew their captain's temper all too well; it was best to obey at times like this.
After the last pirate disappeared beyond the doorway, Kaido took a deep breath. His body began to expand and transform, azure scales glinting in the sunlight. In the blink of an eye, a majestic azure dragon soared into the sky, circling above the castle. The giant dragon opened its maw, spewing forth blazing Flame Clouds. These fiery clouds rapidly enveloped the entire castle.
With a draconic roar from Kaido, the Flame Clouds suddenly constricted. Amidst a teeth-grating creak, the castle, having weathered centuries, slowly began to lift from the ground!
Bricks and stones clattered down, dust billowed, as the entire structure was ripped from its foundations. Kaido looked upon his handiwork with satisfaction. Now, it was time to see what secrets lay beneath this castle.
Kaido circled in the air, his draconic eyes fixed on the castle's foundation held aloft by the Flame Clouds. As the dust settled, a hidden underground chamber was revealed. He let out an excited roar and dove down—that legendary Devil Fruit was finally about to fall into his hands! Kaido dove down, his dragon claws easily tearing through the stone dome of the underground chamber. As smoke and dust billowed, his draconic pupils contracted sharply—on a crystal pedestal in the center of the chamber, a Devil Fruit covered in spiral patterns emitted an eerie glow.
"Ugo go go go..." The great dragon issued a low laugh, its tail sweeping the entire castle toward a distant cliff. Amidst the deafening sound of collapse, he reverted to human form and landed on the ground, striding purposefully toward that fruit.