"Tch, turns out it's just a flashy thing with no substance," Bullet said with a disappointed click of his tongue, clearly finding the overly easy fight rather dull. He dusted off his hands and turned to leave.
"Boss Kaido, it seems there's nothing else of interest on this island. Should we begin the takeover?" King had also lost interest and turned to Kaido for instructions. His gaze swept over the fallen giant serpent, a flicker of disdain in his eyes.
Kaido, however, did not respond immediately. He looked thoughtfully at the giant serpent, unable to rise, and suddenly spoke. "Sebastian, Gavin, although this snake is no match for a real fight, it's a decent training partner for the two of you. Stay here and hone your skills properly."
As an experienced powerhouse, Kaido could see through Nola's true strength at a glance—roughly between that of a Marine Commodore and a Rear Admiral. It was just the right level to serve as a sparring partner for the two newcomers. This arrangement could temper his subordinates without posing too great a risk, killing two birds with one stone.
Sebastian and Gavin exchanged a glance, both seeing eagerness in the other's eyes. Although they had just witnessed Bullet easily dispatch Nola, they were well aware that with their current strength, dealing with such an opponent would be no easy feat.
"As you command, Lord Kaido!" the two said in unison, immediately assuming fighting stances, ready for this long-awaited practical test.
Nola shook its massive head as it rose once more, scarlet snake eyes burning with rage. It hissed, venom dripping from its fangs, corroding small pits into the ground. Sebastian held a hefty iron hammer in one hand, its head gleaming with cold metal light. Gavin drew his twin swords, their blades flashing coldly in the sunlight.
"Watch out for its fangs!" Gavin warned, his figure blurring as a streak of blade-light like a shooting star glanced off Nola's scales, showering sparks. His movements were light and swift, his twin swords tracing elegant arcs through the air.
Sebastian seized the opportunity, darting forward with a burst of speed, his hammer smashing hard against the giant serpent's vital spot just below the head.
A dull thud sounded. Nola let out a pained hiss, its thick tail sweeping horizontally, forcing the two back several steps. Sebastian landed solidly, twirling his hammer in hand as he prepared for the next assault.
"Good coordination!" Kaido, watching from a distance, nodded in satisfaction. His gaze shifted between the two newcomers, as if evaluating their progress. King and Bullet also watched with crossed arms, observing the battle with interest. Bullet even began critiquing their moves, offering suggestions from time to time.
The battle continued. Although Nola was massive, it gradually fell into a disadvantage against the two pirates with their coordinated tacit understanding. Gavin's twin swords left wound after wound on the giant serpent's body, while Sebastian's heavy hammer struck vital points with precision again and again. Surrounding trees were felled in the fight, the ground pitted with deep craters.
"It seems they've improved quite a bit," King said quietly, a flicker of approval in his eyes. Kaido didn't reply, but the slight upward curve of his lips showed he was clearly satisfied with the two newcomers' performance.
After the battle concluded, Kaido and the others, bringing Gan Fall with them, returned to the palace on "Upper Yard." Relying on their overwhelming force, they conquered the entirety of Skypiea with ease.
Queen hurried toward Kaido with a few subordinates in tow, his face unable to conceal his excitement. "Boss Kaido, I have good news!" He rubbed his hands together, his voice tinged with triumph.
Kaido was sitting on a rock, drinking. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What good thing could this island still have?" He set down his gourd, his thick fingers drumming on the rock surface. From what he remembered, aside from the mountains of gold and useful Dials, this island seemed to only have a Poneglyph left.
"What is it?" Kaido asked directly, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
Mysteriously, Queen pulled a bizarrely shaped fruit from his breast pocket, carefully presenting it to Kaido. Under the sun, the fruit's strange surface patterns gleamed with an eerie sheen. "Look at this!"
Kaido's pupils contracted slightly. "A Devil Fruit?"
"Exactly!" Queen nodded excitedly, the fat on his face quivering. "I saw the Devil Fruit encyclopedia when I worked at MADS. If I remember correctly, this should be the Zoan Type, Ordinary Model: Uma Uma no Mi."
Kaido extended his enormous hand to take the fruit, weighing it gently in his palm. He suddenly remembered something, narrowing his eyes—in the original storyline, it seemed there was a bird on Skypiea that ate the Uma Uma no Mi and became a pegasus. Looks like at this point in time, the fruit hadn't been eaten yet.
Kaido nodded in satisfaction, the corner of his mouth lifting into a meaningful smile. His sharp eyes gleamed with excitement as his gaze shifted from Queen to the skinny pirate standing behind him.
"Truly an unexpected harvest," Kaido's voice was low and powerful.
The pirate was currently nervously twisting the hem of his shirt, fine beads of sweat on his forehead.
"Did you find this?" Kaido leaned forward slightly, his immense shadow enveloping the shivering pirate.
"Y-yes, Boss Kaido," the pirate stammered, his voice trembling almost beyond comprehension. His legs shook uncontrollably, his knees knocking together as if they might give way at any moment.
Kaido suddenly grinned, revealing sharp white teeth. "Well done." He turned his head and spoke to King, who stood in the shadows, a note of approval in his voice. "Record his merit."
In truth, Kaido was quite satisfied with this pirate's actions.
In the survival-of-the-fittest world of the New World, the first reaction of an ordinary person upon finding a Devil Fruit was often to eat it secretly—even the most ordinary Devil Fruit could grant an average person considerable power. Yet this fellow before him had chosen to hand it over. Such loyalty was indeed rare.
Kaido narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the pirate carefully. He was already considering whether to groom this fellow. If his aptitude was decent, he'd reward him with this Devil Fruit after some time. Even if his aptitude was average, he'd still give an appropriate reward. After all, in a world where underlings were always ready to betray their superiors, loyalty was indeed a scarce quality.
"Thank you, Boss Kaido!" Hearing this, the pirate immediately straightened his posture, his eyes shining with excitement. His voice quivered slightly from emotion but was no longer as stuttering as before. He felt a warm surge in his heart, as if he had received the highest honor.
Kaido casually waved his hand, signaling for them to withdraw.