After three days of rest and recuperation in Sleepy Old Town, King had fully mastered his newly acquired power. Kaido stood on the deck, gazing into the distance, and gave the order to set sail. The sea breeze ruffled his long black hair; the bulging veins on his thick arms displayed his formidable strength.
In the turbulent seas of the New World, the flagship of the Beasts Pirates was cutting through the waves.
"Boss Kaido, are we heading back to the New World next to seize territory?" Queen asked, a cigar in his mouth, his face full of anticipation. At the words "New World," the eyes of Bullet and Sebastian lit up. That sea, teeming with powerful figures, was the battleground they yearned for.
Kaido shook his head, his voice grave. "It's not yet time. Our strength isn't sufficient." He turned to face all the crew, his voice like thunder. "Next, we will continue sailing through the first half of the Grand Line, and later, we will go to the Four Seas. We will recruit more promising rookies in these places. Once our forces have grown, we'll return to the New World."
Kaido understood the situation clearly. Right now, the New World was a battlefield of divided warlords. Legendary pirates like Whitebeard, Shiki, Redfield, Gol D. Roger, Charlotte Linlin, Wang Zhi, and John were all there fighting over territory. Although Kaido was confident in his own strength, the other members of the Beasts Pirates still needed time to grow.
"If we clash with those monsters now, I can't guarantee that King, Queen, Bullet, and the others will all survive," Kaido thought to himself. He had decided to wait until, at the very least, all his officers were proficient in both types of Haki and had mastered some of the Rokushiki techniques before considering an advance into the New World. After all, these future top-tier fighters were important assets in his quest to rule the seas.
On deck, Queen respectfully sought Kaido's guidance on their heading. "Boss Kaido, which direction should we sail next?"
Kaido stood at the ship's bow, his gaze burning as he looked toward the horizon. "Set Mock Town as our destination. Keep an eye on the islands along the way; see if we can spot any promising rookies." This future Emperor's voice was low and forceful, exuding unquestionable authority.
"Understood," Queen responded immediately, then unfurled a nautical chart to study it carefully. He expertly located Mock Town's position and took out a Log Pose to confirm the nearest route. As the ship's jack-of-all-trades, Queen not only served as the navigator but also took on the roles of doctor and scientist.
Meanwhile, King was below deck, taking inventory of their supplies. This chief steward meticulously recorded the consumption of every last item of provisions, ensuring the pirate crew's logistical security was flawless. On the lower decks, Sebastian led the fish-man crew in inspecting and repairing the hull. These water-savvy warriors were not only excellent shipwrights but also elite fighters in naval combat.
Bullet was in charge of training the ship's combat personnel. Drawing on his rich military experience, he devised a strict training regimen, molding the crew into stronger warriors. The entire ship operated with clear divisions of labor, proceeding in an orderly fashion toward their target sea.
Seven days later, the pirate ship reached a small island called Cairns Island. After replenishing some supplies, they set off once more.
The sea wind howled. The flagship of the Beasts Pirates carved a white wake across the azure sea. Kaido stood at the bow, his black hair dancing in the wind. He stared at the distant horizon, his eyes glittering with ambition.
"Boss Kaido! A merchant ship spotted ahead!" a crewman shouted from the crow's nest.
The corner of Kaido's mouth lifted in a cold smirk. "Sebastian, take the fish-men for an underwater interception." He turned and gave orders to the officers behind him. "Queen, take a team and flank them from the left. Bullet, you take the right. King, you lead the frontal assault."
The crew sprang into action. The pirate ship lunged at the unsuspecting merchant vessel like a beast of prey. The sailors on the merchant ship panicked when they saw the massive ship flying the Beasts Pirates' flag closing in rapidly.
"It's... it's the Beasts Pirates!" The merchant captain's face turned ashen; the telescope in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp. "Quick! Hard to starboard!"
But it was too late. Kaido's pirate ship was already upon them. Its cannons roared with deafening booms; cannonballs landed precisely around the merchant ship, sending up massive plumes of water—a clear warning shot.
"Stop your ship and surrender, or you'll all be sent to the bottom!" Kaido's voice thundered across the water.
Forced to a halt, the merchant crew trembled as they raised their hands. Kaido personally led his officers aboard the merchant ship to begin plundering the loot. The holds were piled with silks, spices, and precious gemstones from the West Blue.
"Not a bad haul," Queen said with satisfaction as he tallied the spoils. Suddenly, he noticed a large young man chained up inside an iron cage in a corner. "Huh? What's this?"
It was a youth of about seventeen or eighteen, with a shock of rare auburn hair and a body covered in scars. Despite being caged, his unusual height was still apparent, and his gaze was exceptionally sharp.
Kaido also noticed this peculiar captive. In the world of pirates, height didn't necessarily mean much, but the probability of a strong person emerging from among the physically larger was somewhat greater.
"Who are you? Why are you locked up here?" Kaido asked, looking down from his height.
The youth looked up, meeting Kaido's gaze without fear. "My name is Commodore Gavin. I'm this ship's 'cargo,'" he said, his voice hoarse but firm. "They were going to sell me at the slave auction house on Sabaody Archipelago."
A flicker of interest passed through Kaido's eyes. "What crime did you commit?"
"I killed someone," Commodore Gavin said calmly. "I killed a noble who was trying to harm my family."
Kaido suddenly burst out laughing. "Interesting!" He gestured for his men to unlock the chains. "Kid, how about joining my pirate crew?"
Commodore Gavin flexed his newly freed wrists, watching Kaido warily. "Why?"
"Because I admire people with backbone," Kaido grinned. "And I can tell the blood of a warrior flows in your veins."
Queen chimed in from the side. "Kid, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Follow Boss Kaido, and you'll not only gain your freedom, you'll also become stronger."
Commodore Gavin pondered for a moment, then finally knelt on one knee. "I pledge my allegiance."
"Good!" Kaido nodded with satisfaction. "From today, you are a member of the Beasts Pirates."
During the subsequent voyage, Commodore Gavin displayed a startling natural talent for combat. Bullet was put in charge of training him and discovered that this young man possessed an innate, keen instinct for battle. It might not compare to the likes of Bullet or King, but his aptitude was on par with Sebastian's. With proper nurturing, and if given a Devil Fruit, he could become another Tobiroppo.
"The kid's got decent talent, enough to rival Sebastian's," Bullet reported to Kaido, unable to hide his surprise.
Kaido was very pleased with this. "Continue focusing on training him. I need more fighters like this."
One evening, an urgent alarm suddenly sounded from the crow's nest. "A Marine fleet spotted ahead!"
Kaido immediately climbed onto the deck. On the distant horizon, three Marine warships had appeared, sailing toward them in a combat formation.
"Prepare for battle!" Kaido ordered, his voice low. "Let the rookies join the fight too. This is a good opportunity to test their mettle."
A naval battle was imminent. The Marine warships opened fire first; cannonballs rained down. Queen directed the crew in skillfully maneuvering the ship to evade while launching their own counterattack.
"King, Queen, Bullet, you will also command this battle," Kaido said to the group, then sat down to drink and watch the fight.
For battles at this level, unless the opponent had someone with Vice-Admiral-level strength or above, Kaido had absolutely no interest in participating.
The battle lasted about two hours, ending with the Marine fleet's retreat. Kaido stood on the bullet-scarred deck, looking at his crew with satisfaction.
"Well done," he said to the pirates.