After Tame finished the introductions, a heavy silence fell over the spacious hall. The gazes of Ulti, Sasaki, and Page One were all fixed on Vinsmoke Reiju. They studied the woman Kaido had personally chosen to become their comrade, their eyes filled with curiosity. They wanted to see what was so special about her that had caught the Yonko's eye, allowing her to instantly rise to a rank equal to their own within the Beasts Pirates.
Honestly, they had understood when Eneru was made an All-Star. He was the user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, a powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit, and that ability alone was worthy of the position. On top of that, he possessed an unusually potent form of Observation Haki. While everyone found Eneru's arrogant and god-complex attitude strange at first, they eventually realized he was like an overgrown child. As long as you didn't challenge his "divinity" and threw a few compliments his way, he was easy enough to get along with.
But this woman seemed different. Their first impression was that she looked a bit weak. She was undeniably beautiful, but beauty alone wasn't enough to qualify her to stand among them. Sasaki and Page One, being men, hesitated to say anything, but Ulti had no such reservations. She confronted Reiju directly.
"You're Vinsmoke Reiju?" she asked aggressively.
"Yes, I am," Reiju replied, snapping out of her thoughts. She offered a polite, slightly reserved greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I hope we can get along."
Ulti scoffed at the pleasantry. "Get along? Hey, don't get the wrong idea. This is the Beasts Pirates. The only thing we trust here is strength. After this ceremony is over, you and I are having a fight. I want to see for myself what Kaido sees in you."
Reiju was stunned for a moment. Logically, she should have been nervous. Her new comrade was challenging her to a fight within minutes of meeting her, and this was a high-ranking officer of a Yonko's crew. Then again, so was she now.
However, for some reason, she felt a sense of relief. She saw no disgust or rejection in the young woman's face—just a simple, childish desire to prove herself. Perhaps it was because she was so used to the scum around her, like her father and brothers. Compared to them, Ulti's straightforwardness was almost charming.
Thinking this, Reiju replied without a trace of fear. "How direct. In that case, I see no reason to refuse."
"Oh? Looks like we're in for a good show," Sasaki remarked with a grin, eager to watch the spectacle.
As for Page One, who had been quiet the whole time, a closer look would have revealed that his cheeks were slightly flushed beneath his mask.
"Alright, then it's a deal! I won't hold back, you know!" Ulti said, growing excited. She had been taking a beating from Who's-Who in training lately and was itching for a different fight.
Reiju felt a surge of anticipation as well. When it came to fighting, she had no fear. As the daughter of Vinsmoke Judge, she had been trained as a living weapon from birth. While she might not match Ulti in raw power, her genetically modified body gave her a unique advantage.
"I'm ready whenever you are," Reiju said with a charming smile.
Seeing that an agreement had been reached, Tame, who had been standing by, finally saw an opportunity to intervene. "Reiju-sama, please take your seat. Lord Kaido and Lady Tama should be arriving any moment."
The mention of Tama immediately set Ulti off. "What's taking Kaido so long? Damn it, I want to spend time with him, too!"
So, what was Kaido doing?
He was in the Flower Capital's General's Residence, inside the room of the future ruler of Wano: Kurozumi Tama.
Kaido sat cross-legged on the floor, looking down at Tama, who was dressed up like a little adult. He held out his right hand with a satisfied smile. "Have you made your decision?"
In his massive palm rested a pink, scale-patterned Devil Fruit. It was the artificial Azure Dragon Fruit, a Zoan-type fruit created from Kaido's own Lineage Factor. He had offered it to Tama before, but at the time, she had been too conflicted to accept. Kaido had been honest with her about the fruit's origin and the consequences of eating it.
"This is a Devil Fruit made from my own bloodline," he had told her. "It contains my power. If you eat it, you will truly become my daughter, but you will also become an enemy of the Kozuki Clan and your master."
"I..." At the time, Tama couldn't answer. The choice was too much for a six-year-old girl to bear.
Over the past week, she had often returned to her small home in Kuri, accompanied by Komachiyo and Baby 5, to wait for her master, Tenguyama Hitetsu. But seven days had passed, and he never returned. Day after day, she and Komachiyo sat by the shore under the setting sun, waiting in vain.
Back in the warmly decorated room, Tama stood before Kaido, her small body trembling and her eyes welling up with tears. Komachiyo huddled fearfully by her side. Kaido knew at once that she still hadn't made her choice. He wasn't angry, but he couldn't hide his disappointment.
"I understand," he said, closing his hand around the Devil Fruit.
Feeling the sadness in his tone, Tama finally bit her lip and choked back her tears. "I... I'm sorry..."
Kaido shook his head and placed his large hand on her small head, gently ruffling her hair. "There's no need to apologize. I'll admit, I'm a little sad, but my promise still stands. I will keep this Devil Fruit for you until the day you make your decision and are ready to truly become my daughter."
Hearing this, Tama could no longer hold back her emotions. She hugged Kaido's enormous finger and burst into tears. Though she was young, she could feel that Kaido truly loved her like a father. But she couldn't bear the thought of becoming her master's enemy. She didn't care about the Kozuki Clan, but her master was family.
"Alright, don't cry," Kaido said softly, using his finger to wipe the tears from her small cheek. "You'll ruin your face before the ceremony." He then gently scooped her up into his hand. "Come with me. It's time to welcome the moment you become the General of Wano!"
With powerful footsteps, Kaido carried Tama into the main hall. As his towering figure entered, the entire room seemed to shrink. Ulti, Sasaki, and Page One all looked up at him with excitement.
"Kaido!"
Reiju stared with wide eyes. This was her first time seeing Kaido, one of the Four Emperors of the New World, in person. His presence was so overwhelming that when their eyes met for a brief second, she immediately panicked and looked down.
Kaido let out a hearty laugh. With Reiju's arrival, the core members of his new command were complete.
"Worororo! Good. I see you've all met," he boomed, walking past the four and toward his seat at the head of the hall. "From now on, we are a family."
He placed Tama in the smaller chair beside his own and then sat down.
"Now, let's begin."
As Kaido's words echoed through the hall, the massive main doors swung open, flooding the room with bright sunlight. At the same time, the sound of thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd gathered outside.
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