New World. Totto Land. Cake Island.
This was the headquarters of the Big Mom Pirates, the capital of Charlotte Linlin's vast territory.
At the island's port, a pirate ship bearing a grinning skull figurehead slowly anchored among the vessels flying Big Mom's flag. It stood out awkwardly, clearly not part of the fleet.
Not long after, a towering, muscular figure descended from the ship. He was accompanied by a much younger companion who looked barely fifteen or sixteen years old.
The tall man was Kaido. He went shirtless, wearing only black trousers and a long, plush coat that draped over his massive frame. Two horns jutted from his forehead, giving him a fearsome, domineering appearance.
However, a conspicuous scar marred his muscular chest, running from his shoulder down to his navel.
That scar had been carved by Finn's blade.
As soon as Kaido disembarked, Katakuri, the pillar of the Big Mom Pirates, approached and said quietly, "Lord Kaido, welcome to Cake Island. Mama has been waiting for you."
Kaido didn't respond verbally, merely nodding at Katakuri before turning to his companion. "Jack, let's go."
"Yes, Boss Kaido!" the young boy beside Kaido responded immediately.
This was none other than the infamous shipping king, Jack.
Although Jack looked very young, clearly only fifteen or sixteen, his physique told a different story. The boy was powerfully built, far more so than any normal teenager. He looked more like a full-grown enforcer than an adolescent.
After Kaido had "escaped" the World Government's control, he'd encountered this kid on his way back to the New World.
He'd discovered that Jack was a Devil Fruit user, possessing the Ancient Zoan type Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Model: Mammoth.
Kaido had a strong preference for Zoan-type Devil Fruit users. Since he didn't have many powerful subordinates under his command, with only Queen and King capable of holding down the fort, Jack's appearance had delighted him.
Young, an Ancient Zoan user, and without any messy organizational ties or allegiances. Kaido had taken a liking to this kid at first sight, then brought him back to Wano Country. He'd kept Jack by his side, teaching him personally.
But to be honest, Kaido's teaching ability was truly lacking. He was a monster who relied entirely on natural talent and wasn't qualified to be an instructor.
Therefore, Jack hadn't learned many concrete skills from Kaido. Still, it was better than nothing, and far better than trying to survive on his own.
However, although Jack hadn't learned much of Kaido's technique, he'd absorbed most of Kaido's personality and approach to problem-solving.
By now, he'd completely become a reckless man who feared nothing. Whoever he disliked, he'd attack without hesitation.
It was precisely because of Jack's reckless character that Kaido loved him. When coming to meet Charlotte Linlin this time, Kaido hadn't brought Queen or King, but instead brought young Jack.
Under Katakuri's guidance, Kaido strolled into Cake Island's castle without a care.
Soon, Kaido spotted Charlotte Linlin. At this stage of her life, Linlin's figure had grown even more bloated. She looked significantly heavier, and her once-decent features had begun distorting under the weight.
But it didn't matter. Kaido wasn't here for Charlotte Linlin's looks.
When he saw her, the old woman was eating and drinking voraciously. She'd already devoured most of the desserts on the table. Even so, saliva overflowed from the corners of her mouth, tinged with stomach acid. A drop fell on the table and burned a small hole straight through the wood.
After seeing Kaido, Charlotte Linlin didn't speak. She simply pointed at a large sofa in the distance.
Kaido didn't care about such treatment. He was very familiar with Charlotte Linlin's ways. But Jack couldn't stand it. In his opinion, Kaido was the strongest, completely invincible.
The Boss had come to Cake Island personally to meet this Charlotte Linlin. How dare this old woman act so arrogant?
"You bastard! Who do you think we are!? Show some respect to Boss Kaido, you old hag!" Jack roared furiously.
Kaido and Katakuri both froze. Charlotte Linlin stopped mid-bite.
"Wororororo..." Kaido suddenly burst into laughter.
Charlotte Linlin also laughed loudly. Katakuri suppressed his surprised expression and stepped aside carefully.
In the next moment, Charlotte Linlin reached out toward Jack. A dark green soul energy burst from her arm, transforming into a massive spectral hand that seized Jack and lifted him into the air.
"Kid, who do you think you're talking to?" Charlotte Linlin said with a wicked smile.
Jack struggled several times but found that even with his considerable strength, he couldn't break free from the seemingly invisible restraints. However, he didn't panic. He remained utterly defiant, shouting angrily, "Isn't she just some old woman who lost to the Straw Hat Pirates!?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of genuine rage appeared in Charlotte Linlin's eyes.
It was at this moment that Kaido spoke. "Linlin, you're getting on in years now. Why bother getting angry with a little brat?"
"Hmph!" Charlotte Linlin snorted coldly and swung her hand violently. Jack was hurled through the air, slamming into the castle wall with tremendous force. He spat out a mouthful of blood.
The injury looked neither light nor particularly serious.
Kaido had no intention of intervening on Jack's behalf. Jack had just exposed Charlotte Linlin's sore spot, which was already excessive. That Linlin hadn't killed him outright was her way of showing Kaido respect.
"Jack, shut up and stand aside," Kaido ordered calmly.
This guy Jack, who looked like he respected no one and was ready to fight anyone, showed extreme deference to Kaido alone. The moment Kaido spoke, he deflated slightly, stood up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and moved to the side.
As he did, he also glared fiercely at Katakuri.
This left Katakuri genuinely confused. He couldn't understand this kid's thought process at all. What's going on? Why is he glaring at me?
Stubborn fool, huh?
Kaido was in no rush. He simply sat on the sofa without a word, casually observing Charlotte Linlin's castle.
Charlotte Linlin paid no more attention to that little brat Jack. She quickly cleared away the remaining desserts on the table without the slightest concern for manners.
After she'd finished eating, she looked at Kaido and said, "You came all the way from Wano Country to see me. That means you've given up on your solitary approach, right, Kaido?"
Kaido finally looked directly at Charlotte Linlin, his expression somewhat displeased. "Why do you have to say it like that?"
"Mamamama..." Charlotte Linlin laughed in her signature voice, then said, "It seems I'm correct."
Indeed, Kaido's original plan had been to develop quietly in Wano Country for ten to twenty years, accumulate sufficient strength, and wait for circumstances to change before making his move.
In the original timeline, Kaido had done almost exactly that, accumulating power until the war for pirate supremacy erupted in the New World. Only then had he truly participated, no longer remaining silent, becoming one of the so-called Four Emperors in one breath.
But now, due to Finn's interference, Kaido had been captured and imprisoned for two years. During his absence, the Beasts Pirates had been leaderless. Queen and King had been dissatisfied with each other and engaged in internal conflict. The samurai in Wano Country had grown restless as well, causing considerable trouble.
Destruction came much faster and more fiercely than construction. In just two and a half years, all of Kaido's accumulated wealth had been destroyed. His arms business had been nearly wiped out, and he couldn't find many capable talents among his remaining subordinates.
Basically, he had to start over from scratch.
Kaido had been extremely frustrated these past two years and didn't want to discuss this with anyone.
"I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries with you, Linlin," Kaido said in a low voice.
"I told you long ago that your approach wasn't suitable, and Wano Country isn't a good base, but you refused to listen. If you'd joined forces with me back then, we wouldn't be in this situation now. The Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't have grown to this extent, and Roger might never have become Pirate King. If you and I had combined our strength, we would have killed Shiki, Roger, and Whitebeard long ago!" Charlotte Linlin complained bitterly.
However, Kaido didn't take her words seriously at all. He knew Charlotte Linlin was simply boasting. Even if the two of them had joined forces, they wouldn't have been a match for Roger, Newgate, and Shiki more than ten years ago.
Although he didn't want to admit it, that era had truly belonged to those three.
During that period, whether it was Kaido or Charlotte Linlin, they could only play the role of lesser players.
And now, the reason Charlotte Linlin was saying all this was simply to seize the initiative in this alliance.
Kaido looked like a simple brute on the surface, but he understood this dynamic perfectly well.
If possible, he would certainly prefer to be the leader and boss of this "Pirate Alliance."
But he knew that was currently impossible. Perhaps in terms of personal strength, he wasn't inferior to Charlotte Linlin. Even if the two fought for ten days and nights, it would probably be impossible to determine a clear winner.
But in terms of overall organizational strength, the Big Mom Pirates were undoubtedly superior. Led by Katakuri, the Big Mom Pirates boasted numerous experts, most of whom were Charlotte Linlin's biological children. This family-based pirate crew was inherently formidable, not to mention with Charlotte Linlin commanding everything.
Anyway, judging by overall crew strength, Kaido had to admit his Beasts Pirates were significantly weaker than Charlotte Linlin's Big Mom Pirates.
Charlotte Linlin was already capable of competing with the Whitebeard Pirates. The two sides had clashed many times before. Although Charlotte Linlin had lost more often than she'd won, in the end, hadn't Whitebeard still been unable to finish her off?
The two sides had even nearly signed a peace ceasefire agreement, but then Kaido and Finn had suddenly appeared and ruined it, leading to the current situation.
In short, when he'd come here, Kaido had already resigned himself to reality. He probably couldn't be the leader of this alliance. It would have to be Charlotte Linlin.
But he could endure it. As long as he joined forces with Charlotte Linlin to defeat the Whitebeard Pirates, he'd be able to reap enormous benefits. He might even break through his current limitations and allow the Beasts Pirates to grow rapidly.
After reaching that point, he'd consider whether to turn on Charlotte Linlin...
Thinking this, Kaido glanced at Charlotte Linlin again, and a slightly strange thought occurred to him.
Although Linlin was older now and not as attractive as she'd been in her youth, she was indeed quite valuable. What if he took advantage of this alliance and found a way to "get" her?
If Kaido could "conquer" Linlin, wouldn't it be natural for him to become the father figure of the Big Mom Pirates?
If he managed it properly, maybe he could even take over the entire Big Mom Pirates?
Kaido even thought it through more carefully. If he and Charlotte Linlin had a child together, and it inherited the advantages of both parents... raised properly, wouldn't it be an even more powerful monster in ten or twenty years? It could also reasonably inherit their combined enterprise.
Oh? Thinking about it that way, it actually sounded rather appealing.
But soon, Kaido pushed all these thoughts aside. It was just a fantasy. The most urgent matter was forming an alliance with Charlotte Linlin first.
Still, starting now, he could change his attitude toward Charlotte Linlin slightly.
Thinking this, Kaido smiled gently at Charlotte Linlin and nodded. "Yes, Linlin, you're absolutely right."
Kaido smiling gently was truly an awful sight. Charlotte Linlin was nearly disgusted and said irritably, "Are you insane, Kaido? Why are you smiling so disgustingly?"
"Fuck..." Kaido cursed internally.