The sea breeze gently ruffled the Beasts Pirates' flag. Kaido's tall figure stood on the deck, his bell-like eyes fixed on the distant horizon. After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, this future Emperor sank into prolonged contemplation, his thick fingers unconsciously tapping the ship's rail, producing dull thuds.
"King," Kaido suddenly spoke, his voice rumbling like thunder across the deck. "Feel like coming ashore for a walk with me?"
King, perched atop the mast, gave a slight nod in response, his black wings gleaming with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. He leaped down gracefully, the airflow from his wings swirling up a few fallen leaves. "Hm." With that brief reply, he landed steadily beside Kaido.
The two of them stepped onto the island, their heavy footfalls startling birds by the roadside. The island, which had been trembling with fear earlier, had now regained its vitality. Shopkeepers cautiously opened their stores, eyeing these uninvited guests with a mixture of greed and terror.
The air was thick with the smell of grilled meat and cheap rum. A few drunken pirates were haggling with vendors. Kaido cast a casual glance over the street, his gaze lingering for a moment on the cowering civilians before moving on. To him, these ant-like beings weren't worth his attention.
"Hey! Are you Kaido? The great pirate with an 850 million Berry bounty?!"
A sudden voice called out from a side street. Kaido turned to see a blond-haired young man standing with a sword in hand. The youth appeared to be in his early twenties. The standard rapier in his grip trembled slightly, whether from nervousness or excitement was unclear. He wore a faded, white shirt, his trousers stained with mud, but his eyes burned with the flames of ambition.
"Wororororo!" Kaido let out his signature laugh, shaking the nearby signs. "That's right, it's me!"
"My name is Nour Morris," the young man straightened his back, his voice slightly hoarse with emotion. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time! Let me join your pirate crew!"
Kaido narrowed his eyes, sizing up this brash young man who didn't know his own limits. He noticed Morris's sword stance was textbook, but the power in his wrist was clearly lacking—obviously, he lacked real combat experience. "You want to board my ship?" he asked gruffly, a note of amusement in his tone.
"Yes!" Morris tightened his grip on the hilt, his knuckles turning white. "I'm sick of living an unknown life on this tiny island! Following you, my name will echo across the entire sea!"
The surrounding vendors backed away, a few of the more timid ones hiding inside their shops. Kaido, however, suddenly burst into laughter so loud it made the ground tremble faintly. It had been a long time since he'd seen such an audacious brat. It reminded him of himself, many years ago.
"Kid," Kaido stopped laughing, his bell-like eyes boring into Morris. "Being a pirate isn't some game for you to make a name. On these seas, everyone is ready to meet their maker at any moment."
"So what?" Morris didn't back down. "I only want one thing—for the name Nour Morris to be known across the world!"
Kaido fell silent for a moment, turning to look at King beside him. The latter remained expressionless, but a flicker of interest passed through his eyes. King usually had little fondness for this type of overconfident rookie, but this time, he surprisingly didn't show any disgust.
"Wororororo! Fine!" Kaido suddenly declared. "I'll give you a chance. If you can last ten minutes against King, you're on the ship!" He turned to King. "Take him to the shore and test him."
King gave a slight nod, his black wings fluttering gently. "Follow me." He spoke briefly, then turned and walked towards the coastline without even glancing back at Morris.
The young man gritted his teeth, took one last look at Kaido, and hurried after the black figure. His silhouette looked especially frail in the evening sun, yet it radiated a stubborn determination. Kaido noticed Morris walked with a slight limp in his right leg, perhaps from an old, unhealed injury.
Kaido remained where he was, watching the two depart. The sea wind tousled his long hair. A thoughtful glint flashed in his bell-like eyes. On these seas, countless people chased their dreams every day. But how many of them ultimately survived?
When King found Kaido again, Kaido was already inside a tavern, devouring meat in large mouthfuls.
The tavern owner stood trembling nearby, terrified of angering the infamous pirate. A dozen or so empty bottles lay before Kaido; he'd clearly had quite a bit to drink.
"King, how did the guy do?" Kaido asked offhandedly, tearing off a large chunk of roast meat and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Receiving treatment from the ship's doctor. He's a bit stronger than the average pirate, but nowhere near officer level," King reported truthfully, accepting a mug of ale handed to him by the owner. He noticed Kaido's gaze seemed somewhat distant, as if thinking about something.
"Doesn't matter," Kaido downed his mug in one gulp. "We set sail for the New World tomorrow. For a long time to come, we'll be living amidst war. Anyone, no matter who, has the potential to grow stronger if they can survive the battles ahead," Kaido stated.
"Big Brother Kaido, we depart tomorrow?" King asked, his eyes sweeping over the darkening sky outside the tavern.
"That's right." Kaido nodded, pouring the last of his drink down his throat. "War is coming. We need to be ready." His voice was low and powerful, a dangerous light gleaming in his eyes.
Outside the tavern, the sun had completely sunk below the sea's horizon. In the distance, on the water, the flag of the Beasts Pirates flapped noisily in the twilight, as if foretelling the storm of bloodshed to come.
Morning sunlight bathed the port, gilding the moored ships with a layer of gold. Members of the Beasts Pirates returned from various parts of the town one after another. After a day of rest, the crew gathered on the main ship's deck, full of vigor. Kaido's tall figure stood at the edge of the dock, his sharp gaze sweeping over each of his subordinates.
"Is everyone present?" Kaido's low voice echoed in the sea breeze.
"Reporting, Big Brother Kaido," King stepped forward quickly, bowing respectfully. "All three hundred and twelve crew members are present and accounted for."
Kaido gave a slight nod, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Good. Prepare to set sail." With that, he took the lead in boarding the massive pirate ship. The hull swayed slightly with his steps, as if welcoming its master's return.
Queen waddled his portly frame closer. "Captain Kaido, which island are we heading to this time?"
"Not any island," Kaido replied decisively, his gaze fixed on the distance. "We're crossing the Calm Belt."
Hearing this, a flash of excitement crossed Bullet's eyes. "Captain, are we returning to the New World?"
"Captain, the previous plan changed suddenly. Did something come up?" Queen also asked.
"Correct," Kaido looked around at everyone, his voice steady and firm. "The original plan was to let you all gain more experience on the outer seas, but the situation in the New World is changing too fast. An excellent opportunity has presented itself. We need to return to the New World immediately to join the fight." His gaze swept over King, Queen, Bullet, Urouge, Moria, Sebastian, Gavin, and finally rested on the seven-year-old Enel. "Are all of you ready?"
The sea breeze grew stronger, the sails snapping loudly as if in answer to the captain's question. The crew responded in unison, their voices echoing over the port. The massive anchor slowly rose, heralding the beginning of a new voyage.
***
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