'Black wings?'
'White hair?'
'Bronze skin?'
"Wait a minute!"
Gancho's expression shifted slightly, "Did you see a floating ball of fire behind him?"
"Ah…"
Rampo looked at Gancho in surprise, "How did you know? That human did say he was a special race too."
"So it is them. I never expected people of that clan to still be alive in this era!"
Gancho's face kept changing between gloom and sunshine.
The former gods, the Lunarians!
A special race with a huge bounty on their heads, and just reporting information about them to the World Government would net you 100,000,000 Berry!
Unlike the naive Lambo, Gancho was the currently oldest elder of the Tontatta Tribe. The things he knew far surpassed those of the other Tontatta tribesmen. For instance, the former gods and the current gods.
Although he hadn't personally seen a Lunarian, the partial history passed down within the Tontatta Tribe contained records about that clan.
Their described physical characteristics and manipulation of flames perfectly matched what Lambo described.
"If it truly is that race… perhaps this could be a huge gamble…"
It was true that the minds of the small folk were simple, but as the elder of this tribe, Gancho had adapted to thinking about problems from other perspectives.
Nine hundred years ago, the Tontatta Tribe had fought alongside the gods as comrades against an enemy. Nine hundred years later, is history about to repeat itself?
With the future of the Tontatta Tribe at stake, Gancho did not speak lightly. Instead, he walked to the statue of the great hero, Mont Blanc Noland.
Looking up at the man who had saved the Tontatta Tribe 400 years ago and taught them plant cultivation techniques, he said, "If it were you, what choice would you make?"
Rampo, Bomba and the others following behind him all remained silent.
They waited like this for half an hour, until the hesitation on Gancho's face suddenly turned into resolve.
"This Chief has decided!"
"The Tontatta Tribe will relocate collectively! We will join the Beasts Pirates!"
Rampo and others' expressions changed slightly. After all, relocating the entire tribe was no small matter.
"However!"
"I must meet that man personally before finally deciding whether to do this."
Gancho turned to look at his people.
"A matter concerning the whole tribe cannot be decided lightly. This matter involves the future of our Tontatta Tribe. If they can satisfy this Chief, then we will join. Otherwise, we will act as if this matter never happened!"
Rampo's expression was hesitant. He hesitated for a good while before choosing to speak, "But, Chief Gancho, why have you made this decision? Can't our Tontatta Tribe survive here just fine?"
Gancho sighed, using his left hand to pound lightly on his lower back.
"This matter must be spoken of from the history of the past. Although most of the history passed down through our tribe has been lost over the years, some memories have survived."
"The human you mentioned, the one that felt familiar, is from the former clan of gods, the Lunarians. What exactly happened nine hundred years ago, I am not clear about either, but I know that our tribe once fought alongside the gods as comrades."
"That war was lost, and soon after, our ancestors were enslaved and became slaves. But the glory in our bloodline will eventually awaken!!"
Gancho's always stooped posture suddenly straightened, his expression growing increasingly fanatical.
"Nine hundred years later, we will once again follow the fallen gods into battle, to fulfill the dream our ancestors failed to achieve! We…"
Kacha…!
"Ow ow ow!!"
Gancho, who was giving a passionate speech, suddenly fell down.
"My back! My old back gave out! Quick, call the doctor! I absolutely cannot die at a time like this!"
"Chief Gancho!!!"
…
Bazel was unaware of everything happening underground.
At that moment, he was acting as the representative of the Beasts Pirates, meeting the enemy on the coast.
"Hey, Bazel, that bunch's pirate ship looks pretty good!"
Kaido sat under the shade of a tree, excitedly pointing.
"Perfect, we're short on ships... and manpower. If they're willing to join, let them live. Those unwilling to join can just join your undead troops! That form of subordinate is even easier to use than slaves anyway!"
Bazel sighed. As his body gradually grew larger, his human appearance quickly vanished, "You heard him. If you're willing to join the Beasts Pirates, you get to live."
"If not..."
Sssss~~
The Yamata no Orochi, over 50 meters tall, appeared!
The eight serpent heads looked down, the cruelty in their eyes unconcealed.
"...I can only send your souls to the underworld."
The many pirates standing on the coastline all froze for a moment upon seeing the Yamata no Orochi.
Just as Bazel thought they would attack, who would have guessed those pirates suddenly lost their nerve and knelt down on one knee towards him.
Bazel: "???"
"It's you, Eight Headed Monarch!!"
"My name is Babanuki! I've been looking for you ever since I saw the news about the Beasts Pirates in the New World!!"
Babanuki, with his large beard and bronze skin, shouted excitedly, "That one over there must be the legendary great pirate Kaido, right?!"
"Kaido-sama, my name is Babanuki! I came to join the Beasts Pirates!!!"
"Hey, you guys, hurry up and pay your respects to Kaido-sama and Eight Headed Monarch! We're men who are going to become the future pillars of the Beasts Pirates!!!"
"Oh!!!"
"Long live Kaido-sama, long live Eight Headed Monarch!!"
The Yamata no Orochi's swaying heads stiffened, then it slowly transformed back into human form.
Just then, Kaido walked up beside him.
Bazel looked at the still cheering Babanuki, his expression strange.
Babanuki is a cadre of the Beasts Pirates in the original work, the future warden of the Udon Prison Mine in Wano Country.
Bazel originally thought this Artificial Devil Fruit User was from Wano Country, never expecting he was a pirate who came to pledge allegiance voluntarily...
"Babanuki, I don't just take any trash..."
"Of course, of course! Boss, look, this is my bounty poster. Although it's not as high as Eight Headed Monarch..."
Bazel interjected, "I have a name."
"Ah, sorry, Bazel Aniki."
Babanuki gave Bazel an ingratiating smile, pulling a bounty poster from his chest.
'Babanuki, Bounty: 150,000,000 Berry'
Taking the poster, Bazel looked at Kaido, signaling for him to make the decision.
"Why do you want to join under my banner? Even though I fought that bastard Shiki a while back, my reputation shouldn't be that big yet, right?"
"Boss, you must be joking."
Babanuki shook his head, his expression serious and earnest.
"Your reputation has already reached Paradise. I've fought pirates under the Flying Pirates a few times before."
"I heard from them that the great pirate Shiki himself has acknowledged you as a great pirate on equal footing with him."
"Word has also come from the waters around Whole Cake Island, from the Big Mom Pirates, saying that the Pirate Queen, Charlotte Linlin also recognizes your strength."
'Shiki and Linlin?'
Kaido's brow furrowed tightly. He could understand the latter acknowledging him, but what was up with the former?
'Would that arrogant bastard Shiki, with eyes on the top of his head, ever acknowledge me?'
He'd rather believe that Rocks had come back to life than trust a word from Shiki's mouth.
"Here, this is the recent news."
Kaido took the newspaper to check. Bazel lightly jumped onto his captain's shoulder to look at the paper together.
[# BIG NEWS! Great Pirate Golden Lion Shiki Acknowledges: The Hundred Beasts Kaido is a Great Pirate on Par with Whitebeard!]
[# ...]
[# Illegal Scientific Research Team. Peace Institute MADS Disbands! Scientist Dr. Vegapunk Announces Joining the World Government...]
"Wait, Kaido."
Bazel pressed down on Kaido's hand, which was about to turn the page, and flipped to the last page first.
"MADS? You're interested in those scientists?" Kaido asked.
"I've heard some things."
Bazel said truthfully:
"Actually, I don't know their internal structure. I know about them because of this organization's sponsor."
"Lu Feld, the Loan Shark King of the underworld. This organization is a research institution he packaged."
"Publicly claimed to be a charity, but it's actually an illegal scientific organization researching chemical weapons and contraband."
Rustle~
Upon seeing the four familiar faces, Bazel thought to himself, 'Just as I expected.'
Stussy's existence was secretly concealed by Vegapunk.
Only four members were listed in the newspaper, one of whom was the future All-Star of the Beasts Pirates, Queen.
The one who can sing, dance, and rap.
[...Illegal scientist Scien has escaped. Informants are welcome to report to the World Government.] (T/N: Scien is Queen's previous name.)
Seeing this, Bazel thought, 'Indeed.'
'After the MADS quartet was discovered by the World Government for researching the Lineage Factor, Vegapunk and Caesar Clown joined the World Government's Science Unit managed by the Warrior God of Science, Saint Saturn.'
'Because the Germa Kingdom, where Vinsmoke Judge was from, was a member nation of the World Government, they naturally weren't wanted.'
'Only Queen, who had no background whatsoever...'
'Poor singing, dancing, rapping guy.'
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