The azure sea stretched to the horizon, its shimmering waves glinting with dazzling brilliance under the sun.
A massive three-masted sailing ship cut through the waves, its white sails flapping crisply in the breeze. The hull sliced through the calm sea, leaving a long, foaming wake in its path.
On the deck, Kaido was instructing several of his officers in their daily training. His low, resonant voice echoed across the planks as he periodically corrected their movements. Sunlight bathed his bronze skin, highlighting the powerful lines of his muscular physique—every sinew seemed to contain boundless strength.
After leaving the sky island of Birkans, Kaido had used his abilities to safely lower the entire pirate ship from the ten-thousand-meter-high White White Sea down to the ocean's surface. When the vessel landed steadily upon the waves, the crew erupted into cheers, their admiration for Kaido deepening even further.
To everyone's surprise, however, after descending from the skies, they found themselves not in the familiar waters of the Grand Line, but in the distant West Blue.
"King, your training from now on will focus on swordsmanship, physical combat, and your Devil Fruit," Kaido said, turning to King. King stood before him, his young face etched with determination. "You haven't eaten your Devil Fruit for long, and you're still in a period of rapid physical growth. The next few years will be a time of swift increase in your strength. As long as you follow the steps, your future is promising!" Kaido's voice was full of encouragement. He continued, "You've already grasped the basics of Busoshoku Haki and Kenbunshoku Haki. As for the final one, Haoshoku Haki... King, as the last descendant of the race once called 'gods' by people, I believe you possess the latent quality. You just need to dig deep and unlock your own potential."
"Big Brother Kaido, I..." King began, hesitation in his voice. A flicker of unease passed through his eyes, as if he lacked confidence in his own abilities.
Kaido saw his concern and stepped forward, clapping him on the shoulder. "King, as my right-hand man in the future, you'll face countless formidable enemies. I believe you won't let me down, will you?" His gaze was full of expectation, as if he could already see King's glorious future.
"Big Brother Kaido, I won't let you down." Looking into Kaido's eyes, King's hesitation vanished, replaced by firm conviction. He clenched his fist, his eyes shining brightly.
Kaido nodded in satisfaction and turned to the next crew member.
"Bullet, for you, the focus will be on physical combat and your Devil Fruit," Kaido said to Bullet. Bullet was a burly young man, a confident smile often playing on his face. "I already have an idea about your Devil Fruit. We should be able to acquire it not long after we return to the New World."
A hint of mystery tinged Kaido's tone, as if he had already charted Bullet's future path. "Besides that, it's the three types of Haki. Similarly, you've also grasped the basics of Busoshoku and Kenbunshoku Haki. As for Haoshoku Haki... that will depend entirely on your own ambition."
"Don't worry, Captain. I will definitely become the strongest in the world," Bullet responded, brimming with confidence. His voice was loud and full of fighting spirit.
Kaido smiled slightly, quite satisfied with his answer. He was also confident in Bullet's potential; the young man was destined to become one of the world's top-tier powerhouses.
"Uh, Boss Kaido, the rest is fine, but Haoshoku Haki... you're really asking the impossible from me!" Queen complained immediately as Kaido's gaze turned toward him. He was a portly crew member, his face often wearing a comical expression.
Kaido looked at him, a flash of helplessness in his eyes. "Hah! Don't worry, I never expected you to have that qualification anyway."
His tone carried a note of teasing.
"Hey, hey, hey, Boss Kaido, are you looking down on me?!" Queen retorted, hearing the dismissal in Kaido's words. His face was full of indignation, as if he'd been greatly insulted.
"Oh? So you think you do have the qualification?" Kaido shot back, a faint smile on his lips.
"Th-that..." At this, Queen was rendered speechless, his expression instantly deflating. He scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Kaido shook his head and continued, "Queen, for you, I hope you'll intensify your physical training. Even King and Bullet, who are younger than you, have awakened two types of Haki. You're the only one who hasn't awakened any yet. You need to train harder." His tone held a note of sternness, but more than that, concern. "Besides that, I agree with incorporating scientific technology into your combat style. However, that will have to wait until we return to the New World, after you've eaten the Devil Fruit I have prepared for you, before you start modifying your own body. Otherwise, I'm afraid you might just get yourself killed."
"Boss Kaido, you can rest easy. I can feel it—it won't be long before I awaken Haki," Queen declared, patting his chest with conviction. A confident smile reappeared on his face, as if he could already see his own future strength.
"Urouge, what you lack most right now is physical training and combat experience," Kaido said, turning to Urouge, the young man he had forcibly recruited. Urouge was a taciturn fellow, but his eyes always held a steely resolve. "Physical training can be done gradually. As for combat experience, you can spar regularly with Bullet and the others. Bullet grew up on battlefields; his experience is rich. You can learn a lot from him."
"I understand, Captain," Urouge nodded, his voice low but firm. After spending some time together, he had begun to accept Kaido as his leader. A flicker of gratitude passed through his eyes, as if he greatly valued Kaido's guidance.
"Sebastian, Gavin, for both of you at this stage, the focus is also on tempering your bodies and awakening two types of Haki as soon as possible. Once we return to the New World, the enemies we face won't be the small fry you've encountered so far," Kaido addressed Sebastian and Gavin.
"Yes, Captain! We will work hard," Sebastian and Gavin responded simultaneously. Their voices were filled with determination, as if they were already prepared to meet future challenges.
"Alright, that's it. We'll continue sailing now. Once we find a small island and confirm our position, we'll prepare to return to the New World," Kaido said to the group. His gaze swept over each one of them, as if assessing their condition.
"Captain, what about me? You haven't given me any instructions yet." A young, childish voice piped up. It was Enel, the youngest crew member, his face still bearing the innocence of a child.
"You, little Enel? You should drink more milk and grow up first! Mmmahahaha!" Queen looked at Enel and burst into laughter. His laughter was full of teasing, as if poking fun at a little kid.
"Hmph, you big fatty! Just you wait! When I grow up, I'll beat you until you're picking your teeth up off the floor!" Enel said indignantly, his small face etched with defiance.
"Brat, let me say it again. This isn't fat, it's voluptuous," Queen retorted to Enel, then promptly gave him a flick on the forehead.
Enel clutched his head, a glimmer of tears in his eyes, but stubbornly refused to cry.
"Hmph, big fatty," Enel repeated stubbornly, as if this was his ultimate counterattack against Queen.
"Alright, that's enough. Enel, you're still too young right now. Just do some basic training on your own for now. When you're a bit older, I'll assign you proper training tasks," Kaido said to Enel, his tone carrying a note of gentleness.
"Yes, Captain!" Enel quickly responded, a smile returning to his face. His eyes were full of anticipation for the future, as if he could already see the powerful person he would become.
A sea breeze whispered past, filling the sails. The ship continued onward across the vast, blue sea.
Kaido stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon as if contemplating future plans. The crew members busied themselves with various tasks—some training, some repairing ship gear, some preparing food. The entire ship brimmed with vitality and energy, like a vessel carrying dreams, sailing toward an unknown horizon.