As the sun set in the west, Kaido sat alone on a protruding rock, his thick fingers gently stroking the Devil Fruit in his hand.
The lingering glow of the sunset fell on his bronze skin, gilding the burly man with a golden halo. He intently examined the fruit's peculiar spiral patterns, feeling its rough texture under his fingertips.
"The third one..." Kaido murmured to himself, his voice rumbling like muffled thunder in his chest.
He weighed the spoils in his hand with satisfaction—among them were also two rare Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits. This harvest made the corner of his mouth lift slightly in a barely perceptible smile. He was one step closer to his goal of building an army of ability users, and this thought pleased him.
"King." Kaido called out without looking up, casually tossing the Devil Fruit toward his first mate standing nearby.
The fruit traced a perfect arc through the air, caught deftly by King. They had repeated this action countless times, their coordination seamless. King's movement was crisp and clean, as if he had anticipated this moment long ago.
Kaido picked up the gourd of liquor he always carried and took a large swig. The strong liquor dripped from his beard, leaving dark stains on the rock. He put down the gourd, wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and turned his gaze to King. "How is your ability development progressing?"
A full month had passed since King ate the Mythical Zoan, Kōmori Kōmori no Mi, Model: Vampire.
Kaido clearly remembered the scene at the time. He had specifically instructed King to prioritize developing one seemingly insignificant yet crucial ability above all others—hypnosis. This Devil Fruit contained numerous powerful abilities: absorbing blood to heal wounds, stealing others' lifespans, using supersonic waves, enhancing power in darkness, and so on. But under the current circumstances, the hypnosis ability was the most urgently needed.
As their voyage progressed, the secrets on board grew. The ship now had 273 crew members, nearly a hundred of them fish-men recruited on Fish-Man Island, the rest hailing from various islands.
Kaido knew full well the World Government's favorite tactic was to plant spies within various factions. Byrnndi World had been thrown into Impel Down for decades due to spies on his ship. Although his own power was still weak, judging by his previous battle with Navy Admiral Zephyr, the World Government's level of concern for him shouldn't be low either. It was entirely possible that spies existed on his ship.
"Brother Kaido." King's voice interrupted Kaido's train of thought. "That ability you mentioned, I can use it now. Currently, as long as the target has no will to resist, I can control them."
A sharp glint flashed in Kaido's eyes. He abruptly stood up, the motion causing the surrounding air to tremble. "Excellent," his voice was low and powerful, like a rumble from deep within the earth. "Gather everyone here. Immediately."
Soon, all crew members were assembled before Kaido. The sun was setting, its golden afterglow spilling onto the deck, casting everyone's shadows long. The crew gathered in the clearing below the rock, whispers rising and falling, the air thick with an inexplicable tension.
"Captain, have you gathered us to set sail again?" Bullet's booming voice shattered the silence. His tall figure was especially conspicuous in the sunset light, veins bulging on his thick arms.
Kaido slowly surveyed everyone present, his low voice echoing in the sea breeze. "It is time to set sail again." He paused, his gaze growing sharp. "But before we weigh anchor, there's one more matter to handle."
"What matter?" Bullet pressed, his brow slightly furrowed.
Kaido answered nonchalantly, "Conducting a bit of security risk screening." Having said that, he shot a glance at King beside him. King immediately understood, stepping forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd like a blade.
"Next, I will conduct a loyalty screening on all of you," King's voice was icy and bone-chilling. "No one is permitted to resist. Violators will die!"
The crew members exchanged uneasy glances, unease spreading through the ranks. Some instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons, others shifted their feet nervously. The sea wind carried a chill, but it couldn't disperse the gradually solidifying tension.
King closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, his originally black pupils had transformed into a demonic blood-red.
An intangible mental fluctuation radiated from him, causing barely perceptible ripples in the air. The crew members froze in place one by one, their eyes gradually growing vacant. Someone's weapon clattered to the ground, but no one paid it any mind. The entire crew seemed to be under a paralysis spell, leaving only the sound of the sea breeze rustling against their clothes.
Kaido stood on higher ground with his arms crossed, watching this scene with satisfaction. A cruel smile played on his lips, the muscles on his thick arms knotted.
"Found them." King's hoarse voice suddenly rang out. His gaze locked onto two crew members. Although they looked as dazed as the others, deep in their eyes flickered a light of struggle.
With a vicious grin, Kaido raised his heavy kanabo, the muscles on his thick arms tensing. Thud! Thud! After two dull impacts, only two mangled, bloody remains lay on the ground. Blood seeped slowly through the cracks in the earth, gleaming with a glaring red under the sun.
"Let this be a lesson to you all!" Kaido's deafening roar echoed across the sea. His thick finger pointed at the two corpses. "This is the fate of traitors!"
As for whether these two were actually spies, Kaido didn't know. But anyone who dared disobey his command had to die.
The crew members gradually awoke from their daze. Seeing the horrific scene before them, many turned deathly pale, their legs trembling uncontrollably. The air was thick with the heavy stench of blood, nauseating to the senses.
King retracted his blood-red pupils, expressionlessly retreating to stand behind Kaido. The sea wind, carrying the smell of blood, swirled over the ground. The crew was as silent as cicadas in winter, even their breathing becoming cautious.
"Now, does anyone else want to try?" Kaido's low voice held a clear threat, his gaze sweeping over the crowd like a blade. No one dared answer. Everyone hung their heads low, afraid to meet his eyes.
"Good." Kaido sneered, turning to walk toward the ship's cabin. "Before sunrise tomorrow, all hands make ready to set sail."
Only then did the crew breathe a collective sigh of relief, but the air still hung heavy with oppressive fear.
They silently cleaned up the mess, but a deep shadow had been seared into their hearts—the price of betrayal was far more terrifying than death. Some secretly wiped cold sweat from their brows; others clenched their fists so tightly their nails dug deep into their palms. This sudden "screening" had made each and every one of them deeply experience Kaido's cruelty and might.
The last vestige of the sunset's afterglow vanished below the sea's horizon, darkness gradually enveloping the entire ship. But the fear in the crew's hearts was deeper than the night itself.