Queen stood before Kaido, his expression showing a touch of impatience. He had just watched King and Bullet receive missions to set sail, while he was left standing idle. This left him feeling somewhat unbalanced—as one of the four All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates, he certainly didn't want to fall behind the others in terms of bounty.
"Big Brother Kaido," Queen stepped forward, a clear note of anxiety in his voice. "They're both heading out. What about me?" He hadn't suddenly become proactive; he was thinking that after King and Bullet completed their missions, their bounties were sure to skyrocket. If he didn't take action soon, he risked becoming the All-Star with the lowest bounty. That was utterly unacceptable to him, as he firmly believed his strength was on par with the other three.
Kaido laughed upon hearing this. "Wororororo, don't be impatient. Of course you have a mission too." He paused, then continued. "As it happens, Charlotte Linlin called me yesterday. She said a fleet from the Golden Lion Pirates has set its sights on the Caister Kingdom. That country flies the flag of the Big Mom Pirates, so Linlin wants us to send forces in support. You, along with Kuzan, Cedric, and Perick, will go and handle this."
Hearing this assignment, Queen's spirits instantly lifted. He straightened his back and declared loudly, "Don't worry, Big Brother Kaido! I'll make sure the name 'Plague' resounds throughout the entire New World!" Excitement gleamed in his eyes; he was clearly looking forward to this opportunity to prove his strength.
With Kaido's orders issued, the entire Beasts Pirates force in Wano Country entered a state of war readiness.
After long-term recruitment, the Beasts Pirates had now grown to a scale of over eight thousand members. This expedition would mobilize more than three thousand elite pirates. A massive fleet was busily engaged in final preparations for departure. A military mobilization on such a scale sent tremors through the whole of Wano.
"Brother, what's going on? Why are so many people loading supplies onto the ships?" Rosinante stood on the docks of Onigashima, watching the pirates bustling to and fro, his voice curious.
"Idiot, isn't it obvious? The Beasts Pirates are setting off on an expedition," Doflamingo stood beside his younger brother, a hint of disdain in his tone.
"I'm so envious they get to go out to sea and fight! This operation will definitely spread the mighty name of the Beasts Pirates across the entire ocean!" Carue gazed at the distant pirate ships, his eyes shining with longing.
"Hmph! My strength is clearly greater than those Shinuchi. Why won't they let me participate?" Enel grumbled indignantly nearby.
"Can't be helped. Governor-General Kaido's rule is that you have to be an adult to formally set sail," Diamante explained.
"Then why can Big Brother Bullet go? He's not an adult this year either!" Enel retorted defiantly.
Everyone fell silent at that. Though Bullet was indeed not yet an adult, his strength already ranked near the top within the Beasts Pirates. Kaido's appointment of him as an All-Star was proof enough of his recognized capabilities.
"Just you wait. Someday I'll become an All-Star too!" Enel loudly proclaimed his ambition.
Faced with this bold declaration, his young companions didn't laugh. Instead, they all cast envious looks at Enel. After all, the Goro Goro no Mi he had eaten was immensely powerful. Currently, within the Beasts Pirates, besides Kaido himself, only the All-Stars could truly suppress Enel. And even for them, subduing Enel was no easy task, as the Rumble-Rumble Fruit granted him astounding mobility. Within the entire crew, only King could barely keep up with his speed.
"Enel, I'm so jealous of you. I wish I could have an ability like the Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Carue sighed sincerely.
"Yahahaha! Of course! The Rumble-Rumble Fruit is the strongest! It was bestowed upon me by Kaido himself. You lot have no chance of getting something like it," Enel laughed triumphantly.
"Don't even talk about the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. I asked Captain Kaido before. The Beasts Pirates' storage only has a few Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits left now, not even any Mythical Zoans. I wonder if we'll be able to get a Mythical Zoan by the time we come of age," Doflamingo mused thoughtfully.
After two years of experience, with his mother not yet deceased and his personality not having undergone a drastic change, and after more than half a year interacting with peers his age under Kaido's "proper" guidance, Doflamingo, while possessing a strong thirst for power, was overall still a relatively normal child.
"Hey, what are you kids daydreaming about? Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruits are said to be even rarer than Logia types. How could you possibly get one so easily?" Ginny, who had been talking with Kuma nearby, couldn't help but interject upon hearing the children's conversation.
As the Intelligence Captain of the Beasts Pirates, Ginny, skilled in eavesdropping and communications, reported directly to King and Kaido.
Faced with Ginny's words, the children all wore expressions that said, "You're lying."
"Alright, fine. I don't know how that guy Kaido managed to collect so many Mythical Zoans. But it's true that there's a long-standing rumor on the seas that Mythical Zoans are rarer than Logias." Seeing the children's skeptical looks, Ginny's own tone became less certain.
The intelligence she had gathered over the years did show that Logia-type Devil Fruits were indeed few and far between. But Mythical Zoans? The Beasts Pirates alone had five Mythical Zoan users. The Whitebeard Pirates had one half a year ago. And it seemed a Marine Admiral was also a Mythical Zoan user. Ginny wasn't so sure anymore which type of Devil Fruit was actually rarer.
"Don't even talk about Mythical Zoans. I'd be grateful to the heavens if I got an Ancient Zoan," Kyros said.
"As for Ancient Zoans, Kyros, you still have hope. You're 14 this year. You have three years until you come of age. And right now, the Beasts Pirates' storage still has two Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits left. Plus, the Captain is constantly placing high-price bounties for Zoan-type fruits in the Underworld. You might still have a chance by the time you come of age," Ginny said.
"Really? That's wonderful," Kyros said happily upon hearing this.
"Tch—!" Doflamingo, standing to the side, gave a scornful click of his tongue upon seeing Kyros satisfied so easily. As a former Celestial Dragon, his target was the noble Mythical Zoans—though a Logia would be acceptable too. Hmm, Doflamingo suddenly thought of the earth-shattering battle from half a year ago and added mentally that a particularly powerful Paramecia would also be fine.
On the docks, the pirates continued their busy work, loading various supplies. Weapons, ammunition, food, medicine, and other necessities of war were continuously carried onto the warships. On every ship, the Jolly Roger of the Beasts Pirates fluttered and snapped in the wind.
***
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