"Worororo...!"
Kaido's booming laughter echoed uncontrollably through the great hall, so powerful it seemed to shake the very rafters of the fortress. The members of the Beasts Pirates stared, their expressions a mixture of shock and confusion. What kind of Devil Fruit could possibly make their governor this overwhelmingly happy?
Of course, Kaido had every reason to be ecstatic.
In the long history of Devil Fruits, the strongest was without a doubt the Mythical Zoan, the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika. But below that legendary fruit, there was no clear consensus on which was the most powerful. However, if one were to consider sheer potential, two fruits stood out above all others.
One was the Door-Door Fruit, currently in the possession of CP9. The other was the very Paramecia fruit Kaido now held in his hand: the Time-Time Fruit.
These two fruits represented the highest laws in any universe: space and time. Even in a world like this one, which often defied the normal rules of physics, the power to control space and time was supreme. The Time-Time Fruit, in particular, was so potent that many fans of the original story had considered its existence a plot hole; its abilities were simply too overpowered.
King, standing faithfully by his side, saw the genuine delight on Kaido's face and couldn't help but ask, "Governor Kaido, what is that Devil Fruit?"
Kaido didn't answer him directly. Instead, his gaze fell upon Kozuki Hiyori and the assembled retainers, a nostalgic, almost mocking look on his face.
"Eighteen years ago, I made a deal with that fool, your father," he began, his voice a low rumble that filled the room. "I told him that if he could survive for one hour in a pot of boiling oil, I'd let him and his men live. But... I broke my promise."
Everyone present, including Oden's own retainers, looked at Kaido in stunned disbelief.
"And in our final battle," Kaido continued, his voice laced with a strange sort of reflection, "I achieved victory, but I have to admit, it wasn't a fair one."
The silence in the hall was deafening. The admission hung in the air, shocking everyone who heard it. Then, Kaido's signature grin returned, wider than before.
"So, this time… Worororo! King!"
King, startled for a moment, immediately snapped to attention. "Sir, I'm here!"
"Go find a ship," Kaido commanded. "Send them out of Wano Country. Don't stop any of Oden's men who wish to leave with them. As for prophecies or destiny… in two years, I'm going to make everyone in this world understand that they don't need some 'Joy Boy' or 'Sun God Nika'. With my own two fists, I can change everything!"
As his bold declaration thundered through the hall, a wave of shock washed over the crowd. Kozuki Hiyori and the retainers stared at Kaido, unable to believe that he would actually let them go. Who's-Who, one of the few in the room who knew the legends of the Sun God, wore an expression of pure astonishment.
In contrast, the eyes of Queen, Jack, Black Maria, Sasaki, Page One, and Ulti filled with even greater adoration for their leader.
"Lord Kaido is so cool!" Ulti practically shrieked, her eyes sparkling like stars as she looked ready to jump for joy.
Even Eneru, who had only recently arrived in the Blue Sea and was still unfamiliar with many of its customs and powers, felt a spark of curiosity toward the man who called himself a Yonko.
For King, a great weight was lifted from his shoulders. The worries he had harbored over the past month about the Governor's strange behavior completely vanished. This was the Kaido he knew and followed. With a renewed sense of ease, he replied, "I understand, Governor Kaido. Leave it to me!"
"Hmph. When it comes to getting things done, I trust you the most, King. Worororo!"
The hall once again filled with lighthearted laughter. A surge of confidence, different from their usual arrogance, swelled in the hearts of the Beasts Pirates.
Meanwhile, Oden's retainers, feeling the shift in the atmosphere and replaying Kaido's powerful words in their minds, began to doubt everything they had held onto. Will Lady Toki's prophecy truly come to pass?
Just then, a shrill, grating voice cut through the air.
"Wait! What are you doing, you bastard Kaido?! You can't just let these guys go! I won't allow it! I'll kill them and hang their heads in the Flower Capital to warn anyone who dares to defy my orders!"
It was Orochi.
After the chaos of the night had settled, he had finally mustered the courage to leave the Shogun's Residence. He arrived at Onigashima under the protection of Fukurokuju, the captain of the Oniwabanshu, only to hear Kaido's decision to release the samurai. He couldn't care less about legends of a Sun God or Joy Boy.
Orochi angrily stomped a few steps toward Kaido's throne. When he saw how many of Oden's retainers were still alive, he was first startled, then his face twisted in a furious snarl.
"I can't believe so many of Oden's dogs are still alive!" he roared at Kaido. "Don't you forget, Kaido, I am the Shogun of Wano Country! Hand them over to me! I will torture every last one of them to death!"
The retainers, who had just been given a sliver of hope for survival, turned pale as they listened to Orochi's terrifying threats. Now, their fate rested solely on Kaido's whim.
Unfortunately for Orochi, Kaido, sitting high on his throne, didn't even bother to speak. His eyes darkened.
"Hey! Did you hear me, you bastard?!" Orochi shrieked.
Kaido couldn't be bothered to respond to such a fool. Instead, he simply shifted his gaze to King.
That single glance was all it took. King understood perfectly.
Swish!
In the vast hall, there was a sudden blur of motion and a flash of steel. Before Orochi or his bodyguard Fukurokuju could even react, the Shogun's head was sent flying through the air in a spray of blood.
The Beasts Pirates didn't even flinch. They already knew the Governor had been preparing to take full control of Wano Country for some time.
But Oden's retainers were another story.
At that moment, both Kozuki Hiyori and her loyal samurai stared in disbelief at Orochi's headless body. This… this… Their sworn enemy, Kurozumi Orochi, the man whose flesh they wished to tear and whose blood they wished to drink, was just… dead? More importantly, the one who had killed him was their other great enemy.
The sheer absurdity of the outcome left everyone stunned, unable to accept what had just happened before their very eyes.
Kaido, however, had no time for their shock. He still had many things to do. The war at Marineford was about to begin, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time here.
"King," he said, his voice flat. "See them out, will you?"
"Yes, Governor Kaido!"
King gave the retainers a cold, dismissive glance. "Follow me. Or do you wish to stay here?"
"We… we…"
Kozuki Hiyori's mind was still reeling, struggling to process the rapid turn of events. It was Shimotsuki Yasuie who finally stood up, his expression calm and solemn.
"Princess Hiyori," he said gently, "let's go."
"Yes… yes!"
Looking somewhat dazed, Oden's retainers followed King out of the great hall. From beginning to end, everything that had happened today felt like a bizarre, unbelievable dream.
As he watched them leave, Kaido's gaze swept across his crew and landed squarely on Queen.
Instantly, a river of cold sweat began to stream down the Calamity's face.
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