"Wah, wah, wah…"
"Roar!!!"
Above a remote island, flocks of seabirds scattered into the sky as the roars of beasts echoed through the dense jungle.
On the sun-baked beach, a massive man lay motionless under the blazing light, his muscular frame casting a long shadow across the sand. His scarred, weathered face was fierce even in slumber.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open—vertical dragon-like pupils narrowing sharply as they swept his surroundings.
Whoosh!
With one swift motion, the giant man flipped to his feet, moving effortlessly on sheer core strength.
"Oh, you're finally awake?"
From the shade nearby, a man tending a small bonfire looked up and smiled. He was roasting meat over the flames, the aroma filling the air.
"Kaido, perfect timing. The food's ready."
"What in the world are you plotting, kid?"
Kaido grunted, running a hand over his abdomen—which had already healed completely. His sharp gaze fell on Shirogai, who stood against the sunlight with a calm smile.
"You even healed your enemy's wounds? Showing mercy, are you? That soft heart will kill you someday."
Kaido's scowl was genuine. A man who tested death daily to challenge his limits had no patience for mercy. Death always circled Kaido, yet it never claimed him. Instead, it became his weapon. He had long accepted death—but death refused him.
"Maybe you're thinking too small," Shirogai said lightly, using a stick to poke at the burning wood. He unearthed several roasted root-like potatoes from the coals. He tossed one up and down between his palms, grimacing at the heat before flinging one toward Kaido.
"Here, catch."
Kaido caught it effortlessly, the heat meaningless against his dragon-tough skin.
"What's your game?"
"Are the Emperors really that powerful?" Shirogai asked, smiling faintly as he bit into his food. "Maybe to others, sure. But to me? In a real fight, are any of you even qualified to be my enemies? I could take on all four of you if I wanted."
Kaido barked a low laugh. "You're arrogant, kid."
He took a few steps forward, towering over Shirogai. The fierce glint in his eyes flickered—then softened. He crouched down beside the fire, grabbing a potato and biting into it with a crunch.
"Still, you've earned the right to be arrogant. That kind of spirit belongs to the strong."
"Of course."
Shirogai smirked as he turned the roasting meat, seemingly expecting that response. The arrogance of the weak was foolish. The arrogance of the strong was instinct. And Shirogai's power surpassed Kaido's.
Kaido studied him in silence before asking, "So, before you came to Onigashima, you fought Linlin?"
"Relax. She's alive," Shirogai replied with a calm grin. "But she'll have to fast for three days. Skin-deep wounds—nothing fatal."
Kaido raised a brow. "Three days without eating? That's life-threatening for Linlin."
He pulled a roasted fish from beside the fire and bit into it.
"You didn't even use sauce, kid."
Shirogai frowned in mock annoyance. "You have no sense of taste, Kaido. At least season it."
Kaido squinted at him suspiciously. "So you're a chef now too? Is there anything you can't do? You manage to handle cooking, fighting, and still refine your Haki to such a height. What kind of monster are you?"
"Genius is just my starting point."
Shirogai grinned, brushing sauce from a wax bowl onto the fish, then reheated it briefly before handing it to Kaido.
"Here. Try it again. Properly this time."
Kaido took a huge bite—and froze. The balance of sweet, spicy, and smoky flavor stunned even him.
"…Not bad. You really can cook."
"Nonsense," Shirogai said proudly. "I'm a professional. Linlin even sang after eating my food."
Kaido's face twisted. "Her singing is terrible."
"That's true," Shirogai chuckled.
The two laughed, eating side by side like old friends. If anyone had seen them then, they would never have believed that these were two of the world's strongest men—sharing roasted fish instead of trading blows.
A few minutes passed.
"Well, I should get going."
Shirogai dusted his hands, stood, and stretched lazily.
"Kid!"
Kaido rose to his full height, his tone suddenly serious.
"What kind of New World are you trying to build? Your ambition… it feels just as grand as mine."
"Kaido, that's your problem," Shirogai said softly, turning to face him.
"You think the world should bend to the will of the strong. But that's arrogance. This world doesn't move because one powerful man says so."
He looked toward the endless ocean.
"Even Roger, the Pirate King, couldn't change the world alone. The strong are few. The weak are countless. You can take lives, but you can't control hearts. To truly change this world, you have to change how people think."
Kaido's brows furrowed.
"So you agree with the Revolutionary Army's ideals? You plan to overthrow the World Government?"
"Of course," Shirogai said plainly. "If we want a new world, the first step is destroying the rotten one that exists."
He rose slowly into the air, six dark wings unfolding from his back.
"Maybe the world I want isn't perfect—but it's one where ordinary people can live without fear, and the strong can clash freely without oppression. A world where both peace and conflict can coexist."
Kaido's eyes softened slightly as he looked up.
"Can such a world really exist…?"
But when he lifted his gaze again, Shirogai was already gone.
"Hmph, rude kid," Kaido muttered, shaking his head. He bent his knees and launched upward, his body twisting as he transformed into a massive azure dragon, spiraling through the clouds.
"…Still, I'd like to see that world with my own eyes."
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