New World — The Sea of Wano
Onigashima.
"Purr... bring me more wine."
In the depths of a shadowy cave, a booming voice roared like a thunderclap — deep, guttural, and dragon-like, shaking the stone walls with sheer force.
Outside the cave, a group of pirates wearing horned helmets shivered the moment they heard the call. Panic flickered in their eyes, mingled with an almost religious fervor.
"Yes, Kaido-sama!"
Exchanging uneasy glances, they quickly hoisted several large barrels of sake and cautiously made their way inside.
As their eyes adjusted to the dim light, a monstrous figure emerged from the gloom — massive, horned, and imposing, seated atop a jagged stone throne like a demon god.
His eyes were bloodshot, his breath reeking of alcohol. He was clearly drunk.
This was none other than Kaido of the Beasts — one of the Four Emperors ruling the New World, captain of the Beasts Pirates.
"Kaido-sama, we brought the sake."
The pirates approached with trembling hands, speaking with utmost reverence. One wrong move could cost them their lives.
Hiccup.
Kaido opened his glazed eyes and let out a heavy belch, the stench of liquor thickening the cave air.
"Purr... Whitebeard's gone, and that bastard Blackbeard too!"
Grabbing a barrel, he gulped several mouthfuls, then suddenly burst into tears, his voice cracked and unstable.
The pirates froze.
Every time Kaido got like this — drunk and emotional — people got hurt. Often fatally.
While downing drink after drink, he muttered to himself:
"That red-haired brat... I'm gonna crush him. And that damned old hag too!"
"Ugh... life's so boring. That damn Akainu's the Fleet Admiral now. Should I go wreck Marineford again?"
The pirates winced.
Kaido, more than ten feet tall, was already drunk after a few sips. With a loud crash, the empty barrel shattered against the wall.
As unstable as he was terrifying, Kaido was revered as a god of destruction by his crew — a beast that refused to die, no matter how many times he tried.
"Purr... it's all so dull. How should I kill myself next?"
He slurred as he spoke, staring blankly ahead. To outsiders, Kaido's obsession with suicide seemed insane. But to him, living had become a burden — and violence, his only release.
He'd once leaped from Sky Island just to see if it'd kill him.
And now, in his drunken daze, he'd do anything to feel something.
Suddenly, Kaido's eyes lit up.
Boom!
His massive fist struck the stone beside him with force that shook the entire mountain.
"That brat... Kaelen Tsukishiro. He's the one who killed Blackbeard, right?"
"Maybe he can kill me. Time to find out. Purr..."
Without another word, Kaido stood up.
His body began to twist and grow — first his head elongated into a snarling dragon's maw, and then his massive frame uncoiled.
In moments, a colossal azure dragon soared out of the cave, vanishing into the sky above Onigashima.
---
Elsewhere — Aboard a ship drifting in the New World
Kaelen and the others had already parted ways with the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates.
After acquiring Marco's ability, Kaelen had acted on impulse and stealthily knocked out both Diamond Joz and Vista as well.
Then, before the Whitebeard Pirates could even react, he vanished — taking Aokiji and Robin with him.
Soon enough, rumors would swirl across the Grand Line: tales of a rogue named Kaelen Tsukishiro with a bad habit of knocking people out before fleeing.
There'd be wild gossip too — some even claiming a mysterious young woman had been "put to sleep" by Kaelen and was now carrying his child.
---
On the ship's deck, Kaelen and Aokiji lay side by side on lounge chairs like two lifeless fish, soaking up the afternoon sun in peace.
Robin was multitasking in the kitchen, cooking while a doppelgänger created with her Flower-Flower Fruit gave Kaelen a massage.
Under Kaelen's tutelage, Robin had grown impressively fast. She could now split off full doppelgängers — and she was progressing in her Armament and Observation Haki as well.
She still had a long way to go, but her talent was undeniable.
With her hands kneading Kaelen's shoulders, Robin spoke softly, teasingly:
"The next time we meet, Joz and the others might try to kill you."
Her voice was laced with mockery and just a hint of pity.
"Heh. You're overthinking it."
Kaelen replied lazily, eyes still closed. "Marco's fine, Bista's a gentleman — praise him twice and he'll let it slide."
"Joz is hot-tempered, sure, but I gave him a new arm. He ought to be thanking me."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "You replaced Joz's arm?"
"Yeah. Took it off that guy — Jesus Burgess."
"Ah." Robin nodded. "That makes sense."
After Blackbeard was killed, chaos broke out.
Katarina Devon, wielder of the Nine-Tailed Fox Fruit, was slain by Kaelen on the spot.
Jesus Burgess had been captured — Marco had dealt with him personally.
The others, like Shiryu of the Rain, had managed to escape during the confusion. Kaelen didn't bother chasing them.
Their next destination?
Dressrosa.
Kaelen had unfinished business there — he'd already taken payment from Law, and it was time to deliver.
---
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