Thump!
As Elior spoke those words, the shock among the Beasts Pirates was palpable. Their breathing quickened. Heartbeats thundered. Even Kaido sat up straight.
King, Queen, and the others stared at Elior in disbelief.
Getting rid of Orochi had long been a desire shared by Kaido and his top officers. It was a silent consensus, but until now, no clear plan had been made.
Kaido had coveted full control of Wano Country for years. But the presence of Orochi and his loyalists had made that impossible — even for someone like Kaido.
Despite being a drunkard, Orochi was no pushover. His strength was undeniable — arguably even above King, Kaido's strongest subordinate. Add in his forces and the power of his Mythical Zoan Fruit — the Yamata no Orochi — and even Kaido had to tread carefully.
The Udon region was a goldmine. The Beasts Pirates were developing it around the clock, but the true value of Wano as a whole was beyond measure.
Of course Kaido wanted it all. His goal was to control the entire Wano.
Now Elior had made his move.
He wanted the Road Poneglyph — and in return, he would kill Orochi for Kaido.
"Elior… are you serious?"
Kaido's voice was low, but his tone carried weight. He now addressed Elior by name.
In the grand scheme of things, that single Poneglyph wasn't even the greatest prize anymore. Besides, Elior already had two in his possession. There was no way to take them from him now.
"I don't have time for jokes, Kaido."
"Then… I'll go along with it."
The two Yonko came to an understanding immediately.
"With three Road Poneglyphs, and your ability to read them, you'll be able to reach Laugh Tale, won't you?"
"If not me, then who?" Elior shot back.
Kaido let out a long breath. "Once you get there, you'll become the next Pirate King."
"No, Kaido. The 'Pirate King'... that title is just someone else's leftovers."
Elior smirked.
"One Piece? That treasure's meaningless. It was Roger's hand-me-downs. I'm not interested in picking through scraps — I want to surpass even your former captain, Rocks D. Xebec."
"Rocks?!"
Kaido didn't answer immediately — but King, Queen and every pirate within earshot went pale.
Elior had just spoken the name of Kaido's former captain.
Rocks.
The younger pirates stared wide-eyed. Who was this Rock"? What kind of man could command a crew with the likes of Kaido himself?
"To become king of the world... Elior, I'll admit — you have ambition. And the fact that you even know about Rocks…"
Kaido took another swig from his jug.
"Rocks was too chaotic. The crew hated each other. When the God Valley Incident happened, Whitebeard, Shiki, and the rest betrayed him. Even that old hag Big Mom and I were nothing back then. In the end, Rocks was defeated by Roger and Garp… together."
Kaido spoke through gulps of sake, while murmurs spread like wildfire across the room. The Beasts Pirates were shaken.
Even Cavendish looked rattled. Only Crocodile seemed composed — he had heard bits of this story from Elior before.
Kaido, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, Big Mom — all on the same crew?
The younger Beasts Pirates couldn't fathom it. What kind of monster had once led those legends?
And what kind of monster had it taken to stop him — Roger and Garp, teaming up?
"Elior" Kaido muttered, "becoming king of the world isn't easy. The World Government is not to be underestimated."
Kaido had grown far beyond the apprentice he once was. With decades of experience and strength behind him, he understood why the World Government had ruled for over 800 years, even under the tyranny of the Celestial Dragons.
"I admit, you're stronger than me. But raw power alone won't topple that monster."
Now Kaido was serious. There was no trace of drunkenness in his tone.
Elior smiled coldly.
"Kaido, this is just the beginning. And who says you can't come to Laugh Tale too? Go ahead. See what's there for yourself."
For Elior, Laugh Tale wasn't the goal. He had no interest in becoming Pirate King. His ambition was something far greater.
And now, he intended to draw Kaido into his orbit.
If he could win Kaido over, the Beasts Pirates would become a terrifying force under his influence.
Elior knew his strength would one day far surpass Kaido's.
And Kaido respected strength above all.
"To Laugh Tale, huh?" Kaido smirked. "Alright, brat. I, Kaido of the Beasts, call you my friend. You might be young, but I see you as a real man."
Kaido slammed his bottle down.
"Drink with me!"
Around them, the others sat in stunned silence. For over two hours, they had listened to two Yonko share their visions, their pasts, and their goals.
No one thought for a second that any of it was exaggerated.
These were kings of the sea.
And now they were allies.
That was what terrified everyone the most.
More than two hours later, Elior departed Onigashima with Reiju and the others, heading straight for the Flower Capital.
Kaido, now completely drunk, had passed out at the banquet table.
Elior had barely touched his drink.
Before leaving, he turned to King.
"Tell Kaido: Tomorrow night, meet me in the Flower Capital. It's time for a bloodbath."
King's eyes widened. "Understood!"
The others were just as shocked.
They knew what this meant — tomorrow night, they would move on the Flower Capital. The Beasts Pirates would seize all of Wano.
Wano would become a new Onigashima.
Two Yonko… joining forces.
The world would tremble.
An hour later, Elior's ship reached the harbor outside the Flower Capital. From there, they entered the bustling city.
Elior took Reiju, Sugar, and Baby 5 to find lodging. Together, they occupied two full floors of a large inn.
Elior and Reiju shared a room. Sugar and Baby 5 shared another.
This time, Elior wasn't sparing any expense.
As for Crocodile and Cavendish, they were off on their own, scouting out a place to stay.