New World, Totto Land.
"Mom, it's terrible!"
Totto Land wasn't as grand and vast as it would be 30 years later. Both the islands and the so-called multi-race concept were still under construction.
Charlotte Linlin wasn't as 'massive' as she would be 30 years later either.
She still held the title of the most beautiful pirate on the sea, with a tall and sexy figure, and a personality that was bold and fiery.
"You're so noisy, Perospero! I was just about to have some sweets!"
Putting down the cake in her hand, Linlin looked at her eldest son who was stumbling toward her.
Charlotte Perospero, though only 20 years old, had already become the face of the Big Mom Pirates to the outside world.
Unlike Katakuri, who focused on combat and was fiercely protective of his family, Perospero's emotional intelligence allowed him to thrive in the underworld.
"Kaido and Golden Lion are fighting again! Mom, didn't you say before that if there's any news about Kaido, I should tell you immediately?"
"Kaido?"
Linlin took the newspaper and frowned as she read the news.
"That guy Shiki is really petty, going to bother Kaido again... Hmm?"
"Perospero, I want you to do something."
Seeing his mother's gaze shift to him, Perospero immediately straightened up.
"Please tell me, Mom!"
"This man… I'm very curious about him. The newspaper says he's a special race with a unique bloodline. Investigate him."
'Special race?'
Perospero's eyes instinctively scanned the newspaper, landing on Bazel.
"Understood, Mom. I'll find out the truth as soon as possible."
"Go."
After Perospero left, Linlin's eyes shifted thoughtfully, and she suddenly took out a Den Den Mushi.
Buru Buru Buru~~
Buru Buru Buru~~
Kacha…
"I'm drinking right now. Spit it out if you have something to say. Boo hoo, damn it, I lost again."
Den Den Mushi: o(╥﹏╥)
"Kaido, you're still the same as before. You love to act like a spoiled kid and cry when you're drunk."
The Den Den Mushi's crying expression froze.
"Back then, when you were drunk, you loved hugging me and acting like a spoiled kid the most..."
"Shut up, Linlin!!"
The Den Den Mushi's face suddenly turned bright red.
"Hanafuda, Bazel, King, you three keep drinking."
The sound of hurried movement and collisions came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"Linlin, are you calling to form an alliance now?"
Linlin leaned back, her tone lazy, "I'm not planning to set sail right now. Let's talk about an alliance another time. By the way, Kaido."
"That guy Shiki is bothering you again, right? Do you want me to teach him a lesson for you?"
The Den Den Mushi frowned deeply, "If you have something to say, say it quickly! I'm in the middle of a banquet here!"
"Then I'll be direct…"
Linlin suddenly sat up straight, her eyes shining as she stared at the Den Den Mushi.
"You have two special races on your ship, right? Lend them to me. I'll return them after I've had sons."
"...Are you joking, Linlin?"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Kaido's angry expression on the other end.
"King and Bazel are my brothers! How could I possibly do something like that!"
Linlin showed no surprise. She knew Kaido's personality better than anyone.
It would be normal for Kaido to refuse.
"What a shame. I really like King… that's his name, right?"
Without waiting for Kaido's response, Linlin continued talking to herself.
"That skin color and appearance, and that ability to control flames... There's only one race on these seas with those characteristics."
"The former gods…"
"Enough, Linlin!" All expression vanished from the Den Den Mushi's face, "King is King. I won't hand them over to anyone unless I'm dead."
"That's it. I need to get back to drinking."
Kacha!
The Den Den Mushi was hung up, but Linlin wasn't angry.
"The Lunaria Tribe, and that unknown mysterious bloodline... Tsk, it's really tempting."
"Kai~do..."
…
New World, North of Dressrosa, Green Bit Island.
Unlike other islands in the New World, Green Bit is a primitive island far from human civilization.
Even though this small island is so close to the prosperous Dressrosa.
If it's not a matter of life and death, it's better not to go to Green Bit.
This is common knowledge every resident of Dressrosa knows.
Those giant plants far beyond their understanding aren't all harmless.
Some man-eating flowers and blood-sucking vines even grow as tall as giants!
At night.
The dark, deep waves rushed towards the beach, leaving piles of broken wood behind before retreating back to their 'kin'.
Tattered pirate flags occasionally appeared too, draped like boneless skins over the rusted, abandoned ends of cannons.
By the shore, just outside the forest.
A massive bonfire several meters tall crackled and popped. The grilled seafood, seasoned with a few spices, gave off an enticing aroma.
Rustling sounds came from the nearby jungle, with occasional flashes of green light representing the greed and longing of the beasts.
"Olga, could you score that grilled octopus over there a few times and then sprinkle the seasoning on it?"
"Got it, Toki-nee~" Olga, trailed by her faithful sea lizard, headed towards the target grill.
On the other side of the bonfire, Bazel, Hanafuda, and King were huddled together, looking tense, their hands covering their playing cards.
"Hey, Arber, no cheating this time!"
Bazel glared at King, "I definitely won the last round, you bastard! You totally said it didn't count the moment Kaido went to answer the Den Den Mushi!"
King's expression remained calm, "Of course. I'm the most honorable one here."
"Then show your cards!"
Hanafuda licked his lips, his expression extremely excited.
"I've got a solid 19 points this hand, you scoundrels! Get ready to drink!"
King revealed his hand, "Sorry, I have 20 points."
"Time to drink, gentlemen. It seems tonight is yet another one of my invincible streaks."
Bazel silently flipped his cards over. The Ace and King of Spades were extremely conspicuous.
"Blackjack, wahahaha! Drink up, you two scoundrels!"
"Which one of you was just shouting about double or nothing? That means four cups this time!!"
"Tch."
Hanafuda threw down his cards. Before he could say anything, King, who was beside him, suddenly 'accidentally' stumbled. The flames burning on his back 'just happened' to brush past the cards in Bazel's hand.
Bazel was dumbfounded: "???"
"Sorry, I lost my footing for a moment."
King said this with his usual expressionless face.
"Hey, King."
Bazel, his eyes dead-fish flat, slowly stood up and rolled up his sleeves.
"Looks like I need to teach you a lesson before Brother Kaido gets back."
"Are you taking me for an idiot, you bastard?"
King also stood up, narrowing his eyes at the man.
"It was an accident, Bazel. A real man should be more magnanimous."
"Heh heh heh…"
Bazel lowered his head with a cold laugh. His body swelled several sizes, and deep purple scales rapidly appeared.
"Venom Body!"
"Prepare to die, you sore-losing trash!!"
"Venom Injection!!"
Seeing Bazel activate his Venom Body, King didn't dare take him lightly. He quickly extinguished the flames on his back, activating his high-speed trait.
As a member of the Lunaria Tribe, he could generate and flexibly use flames.
When flames were present, his defense was greatly enhanced, and he could use them for attack.
When the flames disappeared, his speed increased significantly, but his defense dropped accordingly.
Facing the bizarrely fast Bazel, King didn't dare use his defense mode.
One had to remember, serpent venom was insidious and could penetrate anywhere, especially the venom of a Yamata no Orochi!
During their previous voyages, King had learned this lesson the hard way.
Originally, he thought that with his racial traits plus Armament Haki, he could resist the serpent venom. So, he had engaged in a true man's fistfight with Bazel in his Venom Form.
The result was obvious...
After trading blows for over ten minutes, King collapsed powerless, his whole body unbearably itchy while his muscles convulsed wildly.
Forget fighting back, he couldn't even run properly.
"Andon!"
After putting some distance between them, flames appeared on King's back, and countless fireballs shot out from them.
"Yamata's Phantom: Poison Flame!!"
Fireballs collided with waves of flame, and the roar of the explosion echoed across the wilderness.
"Fight me like a real man! Stop hiding and dodging like a woman!!"
"Enough with the nonsense, Bazel! How about you don't use your venom if you have the guts!"
"Bullshit! I'm a serpent, why wouldn't I use venom? How about you don't use your flames if you have the guts!"
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