Aboard the warship bound for Punk Hazard, a sudden jolt shook the vessel.
Sakazuki pushed open the cabin door and stepped out, spotting Karol overseeing training on deck.
"That guy's awake again, huh?" he remarked.
Karol gave a helpless shrug. "Looks like it. The guy's got ridiculous stamina. Guess that's what you get with a Mythical Zoan—his recovery's unreal."
Sakazuki snorted. "Let him sleep a bit longer."
With that, he made his way below deck to the brig.
Inside, Kaido was bound in layer after layer of Seastone chains, wrapped so tightly he looked like a giant iron boulder. Several arm-thick chains stretched from his body, anchoring him to the walls and hull of the ship. Even so, Kaido thrashed violently, his immense strength making the whole vessel shudder.
The heavy door swung open with a clang.
Kaido glared at the entering Sakazuki, a shadow flickering in his eyes. Hatred surged, bursting out with a wave of Conqueror's Haki.
Unfazed, Sakazuki strode forward, lips curling in a cold smile. He produced a sheet of paper and began to read:
"Kaido. Born in the Grand Line, Vodka Kingdom. At just ten years old, you became the kingdom's strongest warrior. Sixteen years ago, the Vodka Kingdom—desperate to become a member of the World Government, to gain a seat at the table—sold you to the government for experimentation."
Kaido's eyes went bloodshot, reason slipping away.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!"
"SHUT UP!!!"
He writhed with all his might, the warship rocking beneath his fury.
This was the deepest scar in his soul—betrayed by his homeland, reduced to nothing more than a rare specimen for human experiments. He'd thought he'd buried it long ago, but now Sakazuki had ripped the wound open for all to see.
No matter what, Kaido couldn't keep his cool.
Seeing this, Sakazuki set the documents aside. "What happened next is common knowledge on the seas. You joined the Rocks Pirates and made your name."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
"Tragic, isn't it? You gave everything for your country. And in return, they sold you off as raw material to the World Government. Pathetic, really… laughable."
Veins bulged across Kaido's body.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, sending waves of pressure across the ship. Marines staggered, dizzy, as the shockwave whipped at everything in its path.
Sakazuki stood firm, his Justice cape billowing behind him, watching Kaido vent with icy detachment.
After a while, Kaido, panting hard, glared at Sakazuki with bloodshot eyes. His voice was rough and hoarse:
"You say all this… what are you trying to prove? Pity? Sympathy? Heh…"
Sakazuki shot him a sidelong glance.
"Not at all. I'm just here to mock you—and to tell you something."
"You, a pirate, are about to finish what you never could before. You'll be used as material, making your own special 'contribution'... to the Marines."
Upon hearing this, a surge of murderous intent and Conqueror's Haki erupted from Kaido.
"SAKAZUKI!!!"
As Kaido lunged, Sakazuki conjured a spiked club coated in Armament Haki in his right hand.
BOOM!!!
The club came crashing down on Kaido's head with monstrous force. But hate kept Kaido conscious—he stubbornly lifted his blood-soaked head, crimson streaming over his eyes, painting the world red.
In that blood-hued vision, Sakazuki, wreathed in red, crouched down, a devilish smirk on his lips. He whispered, voice low and chilling:
"Get some sleep, experimental material."
BOOM!
The second blow finally knocked Kaido out cold.
Sakazuki stood, the magma club melting back into flesh. He exited the brig.
Outside, Karol eyed him like he'd just seen a demon.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, your cruelty… I could never hope to match it."
Sakazuki gave a dry chuckle. "Hatred breeds motivation. Sometimes, the people you know best are the easiest to control."
He turned his gaze to the endless sea, lost in thought…
———
Half a day later, Punk Hazard.
Vegapunk was already waiting at the docks, surrounded by a squad of CP elites—agents tough enough to evacuate the island's scientists at the first sign of trouble.
Suddenly, Vegapunk's eyes lit up. The warship was approaching.
As it docked, Sakazuki and Vegapunk exchanged a knowing smile.
"Long time no see, Dr. Vegapunk," Sakazuki called.
"Indeed, Vice Admiral Sakazuki," Vegapunk replied with a grin.
Hauling the massive iron chains binding Kaido, Sakazuki leapt straight from the ship.
BOOM!
The chained-up Kaido landed with a crash, gouging a deep pit in the ground.
Dragging the unconscious beast toward Vegapunk, Sakazuki caught the scientist's excited gaze and smiled.
"Need a hand? Ordinary folks can't keep this one under control."
Vegapunk beamed. "That would be a great help, Mr. Sakazuki!"
Sakazuki waved it off. "It's nothing. Let's get him to the lab. With his recovery rate, he'll be up again in half a day."
Vegapunk nodded. "Right!"
He ordered the CP agents to take the chains from Sakazuki, then led the way to the research base.
———
Inside Punk Hazard's research facility, Vegapunk pored over the data from his instruments, awe flickering in his eyes.
"Incredible… the vitality of these cells. No wonder the sea's mysterious races are so legendary. There's something extraordinary here. If we can dig even deeper, then—"
BOOM!
A surge of Conqueror's Haki blasted from the next room, leaving Vegapunk dizzy. Alarms shrieked throughout the base.
Outside, Sakazuki immediately understood—Kaido was awake.
He unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki, crushing the outburst, and vanished in a blur.
———
Kaido slowly opened his eyes. A white ceiling, harsh lights—memories he'd rather forget. He remembered Sakazuki's words before blacking out. His eyes flew wide, Conqueror's Haki erupting as he tried to rise.
BZZT—BZZT—BZZT—
Alarms blared. At that moment, an overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki pressed down on him.
Sakazuki's cold voice echoed in the sterile room:
"Settle down. Materials should act like materials."
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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