Crackle.
A roaring bonfire surged more than two meters high, lighting up the pitch-black forest.
A massive beast, over ten meters long, was skewered above the flames, fat sizzling and dripping as a rich aroma spread through the air.
"Ah!"
At some point, Rosha suddenly screamed awake.
After being unconscious for most of the day, he shot upright like someone resurrected from a deathbed, his head splitting with pain and his body feeling as though it had been taken apart and poorly reassembled.
His first instinct was to check his backside.
Good.
No pain there.
Dignity intact.
"You're awake."
Kaido casually tossed something over.
"Have a drink. It'll help."
Rosha caught the gourd and took several deep gulps. The fiery liquor burned its way down his throat, and the pain in his body immediately eased.
"Here."
Kaido tossed him a huge slab of meat still clinging to bone.
Rosha did not bother with manners. He grabbed it and started tearing into it like a starving man.
Since Kaido had not killed him while he was unconscious, survival was no longer a concern.
"What's your name?" Kaido asked.
"I'm Kaido."
"Rosha."
"Rosha, you're strong."
Kaido did not hide his approval.
"There aren't many people in this world who can fight me to that extent. Even fewer can survive my Roaring Thunder Bagua. Your physical body is exceptional, and I can feel that your potential isn't even fully awakened yet."
Rosha stayed silent.
This was not exactly something to be proud of.
After all, the end result was still him getting smashed flat with a club.
Just before losing consciousness, he vaguely remembered Kaido asking him what kind of dragon he wanted to slay.
Utter humiliation.
"Staying on this island forever is meaningless," Kaido continued.
"The outside world is where things get interesting. Money. Power. Wine. Food. Women. Whatever you want, I can give it to you."
He looked straight at Rosha.
"So tell me. Do you want to join my crew and change the world with me?"
"Sure."
Rosha answered while chewing on the bone, his words slightly muffled.
"What?"
Kaido froze, wondering if he had misheard.
"I said yes."
Rosha nodded seriously.
"Wororororo!"
This time, Kaido heard him loud and clear.
He had expected to spend a fair amount of effort convincing Rosha. Maybe even resort to force a few more times before subduing such a wild powerhouse.
He never imagined Rosha would agree so easily.
What Kaido did not know was that no persuasion was needed at all.
After ten years alone on this island, Rosha had long since grown tired of living like a savage.
Now that he knew this was not the Fairy Tail world, that there was no Black Dragon and no main cast waiting to appear, there was no reason to stay.
This world did not have Lucy, Erza, or Mirajane.
But it had Nami, Robin, Vivi, Perona, Shirahoshi.
Compared to his old world, this sea was even grander, filled with endless adventure and surprise.
Rosha had wanted to leave this cursed place for a long time.
The problem was that he could not escape on his own.
The massive storm vortex surrounding the island was impossible to break through alone. Flame propulsion worked only over short distances and could not be sustained.
If he wanted to leave, the only option was to hitch a ride on the Azure Dragon.
That alone was reason enough to accept Kaido's invitation without hesitation.
Beyond that, joining the Beasts Pirates was not a bad deal at all.
First, with a powerful organization backing him, there was no need to waste time building his own foundation.
Second, Kaido was widely acknowledged as an excellent teacher.
One hit taught advanced Haki.
Two hits taught Conqueror's coating.
Three hits could beat a Devil Fruit into awakening, or even mutate it after decades of stagnation.
Rosha was genuinely curious about Kaido's so-called club-based education.
He did not ask for much. Achieving a Flame Dragon King state would be enough.
Lastly, as a Dragon Slayer Mage, how could he retreat after a single defeat?
The dragon-slaying career had to continue.
By joining the Beasts Pirates, dragons would come looking for him on their own.
And as a completely unrelated bonus, Kaido's daughter Yamato was really pale.
No.
Really… impressive.
Some people might say that the Beasts Pirates were villains, that a righteous young man should dedicate himself to defeating Kaido.
Rosha might have agreed with that sentiment ten years ago.
But now, he did not.
Ten years on this island had taught him what the law of the jungle truly meant.
The weak had no right to survive.
Only the strong could take everything.
The same applied to this unforgiving pirate world.
Weakness was the original sin.
Strength was the only truth.
"Come on, drink more."
Kaido handed him the gourd again, clearly pleased.
Rosha drank deeply.
"Wororororo. Excellent."
Kaido laughed.
"You're exactly the kind of person I've been looking for."
In recent years, as the era of great pirates surged forward, powerful figures had risen across the seas.
The Beasts Pirates had carved their way to the top, standing alongside the Whitebeard Pirates and Big Mom Pirates as one of the dominant forces on the ocean.
But compared to the other two, Kaido's crew lacked depth.
Strong officers were desperately needed.
Rosha's arrival was a massive boost. One man worth several commanders.
"Oh, right."
Kaido suddenly spoke.
"How about you go by the name Ace from now on?"
King, Queen, and Jack were already taken.
Ace was still vacant.
"I refuse."
Rosha rejected it instantly.
"That name sounds short-lived."
"Then how about Stard? Or All-In? Or Blackjack?"
Kaido offered several more options.
"Why can't I just use my own name?" Rosha asked.
"Wororororo. That works too."
Rosha fell silent.
The next morning.
Dark clouds layered the sky.
Crack!
Lightning split the heavens and struck Kaido directly.
His body transformed as he rose into the air, becoming a colossal Azure Dragon surrounded by violent winds.
Rosha leapt upward and landed firmly on Kaido's head.
Kaido frowned, slightly displeased, but since Rosha had just joined, he decided not to nitpick.
Rosha looked down at the massive creatures in the forest below.
"Snowy. Kong. Godzilla."
His gaze swept across his old companions.
"Goodbye. I'll come back sometime."
"Awooo! Awooo!"
The white giant wolf howled skyward.
"He's leaving. That bastard is finally leaving."
"Ooh ooh ooh!"
The silverback titan pounded its chest in celebration.
"Go. Go. Don't ever come back."
"Moooooh!"
The beasts roared together.
"Ten years. Do you have any idea how we survived those ten years?"
"…Alright, alright."
Rosha patted Kaido's head.
"If they keep begging like this, I might actually feel bad about leaving."
Kaido paused.
Begging?
Impossible.
Without hesitation, the Azure Dragon kicked into full power, riding flame clouds straight into the sky.
…
When you are ready, you can send Chapter 6 directly.
The tone, terminology, and style will remain perfectly consistent.