Chapter 132: Beasts Pirates Reinforcement Plan 2
About six months had passed since the Summit Warâand people had slowly begun to adapt to the change.
âAnother major incident today⌠Eustass âCaptainâ KidâŚ!!â
âApparently, he sank three of the âJester of a Billionâsâ battleships and took over one of his territoriesâŚ!!â
âWith things like this happening every day, you start going numb⌠Yesterday it was Hawkins⌠before that, LawâŚ!!â
âEven the Supernovas under the Yonko are stirring up incident after incidentâŚ!!â
âThey say the âNew Governmentâ is starting to move in full force with the new trio of Admirals taking the lead⌠At this rate, maybe even this islandââ
âDonât be stupid!! You think we can rely on the government anymore!? Youâre better off siding with the pirates if you want any hope of staying safe!!â
âThereâs no one left to protect us but ourselves⌠Iâm heading out to sea!! If we stay here, my whole familyâs going to starve!!â
âDonât be ridiculousâŚ!!â
So many changes had shaken the world⌠With order shattered, it had become an age where pirates reigned. Every day was filled with bloodshed and turmoil.
The newspaper was a constant stream of violent incidents from across the world, nearly all of them bringing fearâand evoking the specter of death.
In times like these, even those whoâd lived in peace were forced to resort to violence. To protect themselves and those they held dear, they stained their hands with blood. They turned to shady businesses. They stepped over others to claim their own survival.
Thatâs how the world works now. The law of the jungle. Survival of the fittest. The strong take everything.
ââŚSo, where the hell is this place?â
âIn the midst of it all⌠just how far have I managed to climb?
âHell if I know⌠I should be asking you that. âHey, brat. Got any clue?â
âHaa!? Whoâre you calling a brat!!? Like Iâd know, dumbass!!!â
âSheâs changed her sentence ending again since the last time we metâŚ!? Another one of your weird trends, sisâŚ!!â
âPey-tan, do you know anything?â
âNo clue. And stop calling me Pey-tan.â
One girl questions herself.
Back in that war that revealed the worldâs summit, she saw just how terrifying the hell she was destined to challenge truly was.
ââŚLooks like thereâs no one else around, and I donât see a ship either.â
âCould this be a trap!?â
âIf it is, itâs real odd weâre still in one piece.â
âNot a scratch on any of us either. If some group was behind this, theyâre awfully soft.â
Whitebeard. Marine Headquarters. The Yonko. The Revolutionary Army. Sheâd caught a glimpse of battles fought at the very top.
And though sheâd entered the fray herself and even clashed with familiar foes⌠she failed to defeat them. She couldnât take down anyone above her.
âYeah⌠More importantly, what do we do with this one?â
âHaa? âŚTch, still out coldâŚ?â
âThis wonât do.
If I want to fulfill my long-cherished ambition, I canât be satisfied with this level of strength.
Stronger, stronger⌠I must become stronger.
If Iâm to sink my fangs even a little into the summitâ
ââHey, brat!! Get up already!!!â
â!! âKoff!! Koff!! NghâŚ!!â
âAnd with that, I awaken from the impact.
Pain in my abdomen. A blow. Someone hit me in the stomach. I immediately stood up, blinking against the glare as I brought my senses into focusâand spotted five others around me. Including the one whoâd hit me. All familiar faces.
ââŚWhy are all of you hereâŚ?â
âFinally awake.â
âTook you long enough, Komurasaki-chanâĄâ
âFor someone like Komurasaki, waking up so late is pretty lame, de gozansu.â
âIsnât it weird for someone as tough as you to be the last up?â
âMaking me waste my time⌠What a burdenâŚ!!â
ââŚI donât quite understand, but⌠I apologize.â
Awake now, I was greeted by the five of themâmy fellow Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates. The brightness came from a clear sky, and the heat came from a beachâclearly a summer island. I apologized because, presumably⌠I was the last to wake. Out of the six of us. With my awakening, the strongest six headliners of the Beasts Piratesâthe Tobi Roppoâwere finally all present.
âKomurasaki, Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates â Bounty: 529,100,000 berriesâ
ââŚFirst things first⌠where are we?â
âPage One, Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates â Bounty: 660,000,000 berriesâ
âYouâre starting with thatâŚ? Weâre trying to figure that out right now.â
âUlti, Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates â Bounty: 699,000,000 berriesâ
âSand and ocean as far as the eye can see⌠Looks like a summer island, de gozansu!!â
âBlack Maria, Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates â Bounty: 712,000,000 berriesâ
âStill⌠it doesnât seem like a normal summer islandâŚâ
âSasaki, Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates â Bounty: 744,000,000 berriesâ
âDonât see any subordinates either. Could be an uninhabited island.â
âWhoâs Who, Tobi Roppo of the Beasts Pirates â Bounty: 828,000,000 berriesâ
âNever heard of an island like this in our territory⌠but if weâre here, odds are itâs part of our turf.â
Each of the six scanned the island, sharing their impressions. Everyone felt something off about the place.
All we could figure was that this was probably a summer island in the New World and likely part of our territory. It didnât feel like enemy actionâespecially since everyone remembered what came before.
ââŚSo this is that personâs doing after allâŚ?â
âGoes without saying⌠If I remember right, before waking up here, we were all summoned to the VIP room at Gran TesoroâŚâ
âAh!! Thatâs right, we were called for some big announcement, de gozansu!!â
âWell, if itâs that person, then this whole situation makes sense.â
"Ah... and... no, I mean, should we even mention that...?"
"âŚâŚâŚ"
The six of them all glanced toward the beach, thinking of the same person. Before waking up, they had been with that very individual. If anyone were to pull off something this outrageous, it would be them. No doubt about it.
Above all else... the pier on the beach and the cottage built over the water stood as undeniable proof. The six looked at it with unreadable expressions. A sign adorned the buildingâon it, a chibi-style mascot drawing of that person. Upon seeing it, all of them thought the same thing.
"⥠Nue-chanâs Seaside Shack âĄ"
(Itâs definitely themââ!!)
Who's Who, Sasaki, Page One, and Komurasaki all began sweating, unsure whether to even bring it up. Black Maria remained composed. Ulti, meanwhile, had stars in her eyes as she stared at the place. And before anyone else could act, it was Ulti who made the first move.
"Of course weâre going there!! I can hear the Voice, too!! Nue-samaď˝ď˝ď˝ď˝âĄ"
"Ah!! Hey, wait up, Sis!!!"
"My, my... Ulti-chan has no self-control, does she?"
"The kids just ran off without a second thought... so what do we do?"
"...Well, I guess it means weâre supposed to come too. The Voice is coming from that house."
"Then letâs go.ââHey, Komurasaki. You better keep up."
"...You didnât need to tell me."
Komurasaki watched Ulti, already ahead, with Page One chasing after her. She also glanced at Black Maria, now following at a more relaxed pace. Then, at the command of Who's Who and Sasaki, who had stayed back to assess the situation, she began to move. It wasnât like she was obligated to obey, but realistically, nothing would start unless she came along. They all understood that much.
And so, the Tobi Roppo stepped into the cottage... and just as expected, there stood the one they'd all imaginedâdressed in a black swimsuit.
"Welcooome⥠Welcome to Nue-chanâs Seaside Shackď˝ď˝ď˝!!!"
"Kyahââ⥠I knew it was Nue-samaď˝ď˝âĄ And a swimsuit with an apron!! So cute!!"
"...What the hell are you doing, Nue-san?"
Ulti let out a high-pitched squeal, while Page One voiced what they were all thinking. There was no need to say it aloud. Standing before them was one of the two people to whom the Tobi Roppo had pledged allegiance. The Vice-Governor of the Beasts PiratesââFĹŤjĹŤ Nue.
One of the top two who command the worldâs strongest military force. A fearsome creature on par with the strongest beast. And yet no one questioned why she was doing something like this. Nue was known for her eccentric antics. This was par for the course.
Still, they did want to know what she was doing. Following Page Oneâs comment, Who's Who and the others began to voice their own questions.
"...Also... where exactly are we?"
"Your outrageous behavior is nothing new, but... whatâs the reason this time?"
"Now, now!! Weâll get to that part later, so for now, sit down, sit down!!ââYes, a party of six, right this wayâĄ"
But Nue didnât budge from her usual rhythm. Wearing a swimsuit and apron, she guided all six Tobi Roppo members to a nearby table as if she were a waitress, then whipped out a menu and a notepad with a pen from who-knows-where.
"Alright!! Letâs get your orders!! Itâs hot out, and I bet youâre all hungry!! Weâve got drinks, booze, a full food menu!! Yakisoba, shaved iceâclassic seaside shack fare!!"
"Iâll have the assorted twisted potatoes and nachos!! And for drinks, Iâll take whatever Nue-sama recommends!!"
"Why are you ordering for me tooâŚ? Whatever, I donât care."
"Then Iâll take Mitarashi dango and... shiratama zenzai, pleaseâĄ"
"Ahh⌠asparagus and bacon peperoncino. White wine."
"Crab paella and red wine."
("...Everyoneâs just ordering normally...") "...Zaru soba for me..."
"Okayyy!! One moment, pleaseď˝ď˝ď˝âĄââOrderâs in!!"
After taking their orders, Nue cheerfully skipped off to what looked like the kitchen area. Komurasaki quietly marveled at how easily the rest of the Tobi Roppo skimmed the menu and placed their orders like it was just another day. Even she, inwardly, had to admit sheâd grown used to Nueâs antics. So they all played alongâand even picked their favorite dishes. Komurasaki was no exception.
"Still, this is a lovely place... is it Nue-samaâs private villa or something?"
"Hehe, nice, right? Itâs both a villa and a seaside shack!!"
"I didnât know there was an island like this in our territory."
"Well, of course you didnât!! I only found it recently and claimed it as part of our turf!! Itâs one of my favorites!!"
"I see... that explains it..."
While waiting for their food, the Tobi Roppo continued to question Nue. And for now, her answers made sense. It was within their territory, they figuredâbut none of them remembered this island. That had been bothering them. But if it had only recently been added, that would explain it. Who's Who and Sasaki nodded, and the others felt similarly. Given Nueâs tastes, it also made sense.
After spending enough time in the Beasts Pirates, theyâd come to understand what Kaido and Nue preferred. Simply put, Kaido leaned toward winter islands, while Nue favored summer ones. Their preferences were somewhat opposite. Though Nue was fickle and her likes could shift depending on mood, generally, she gravitated toward warm, lively places. Still, questions remainedâand Ulti voiced one.
"But for a place in our territory, there sure arenât any subordinates or crew around."
"Ah, well... If theyâre not strong enough, they might get taken out. And if the islandâs not dangerous enough, it wouldnât be worth making it part of our turf. This is an uninhabited island, after all."
"...Then most of the 'voices' weâre hearing from the island are animals, huh..."
"Thatâs right. The creatures here are a little... special⥠Actually, the whole islandâs special. Itâs perfect for a certain thing weâre going to do."
"Special�"
"A certain thing�"
Again, their curiosity deepened. Everyone could hear the voices from the island. Those among the Tobi Roppo capable of using Observation Haki had already guessedâthe presences were mostly animals. But now, with Nue calling the island âspecialâ and saying it was ideal for something, their intrigue only grew.
Then someone more perceptive caught on. Who's Who raised one arm slightly and said:
"...So whatever weâre supposed to do hereâthatâs the reason you called us?"
"Exactlyâ"
"What is it you want us to do?"
"That is... eheheď˝âĄ Should I tell you nowď˝? Maybe Iâll make you wait a liiittle longerď˝?"
"Ugh, youâre such a pain!! Just spit it out already!!"
"Hey!!!"
As Nue grinned mischievously, covering her mouth with her hand, Ulti snapped at her with her usual bluntness. Page One immediately tried to stop her. This was nothing new. Ultiâs outbursts always made the others uneasy, especially Page One, her younger brother. But Nue didnât change her expression or get angry. It wasnât like Ulti had crossed any major line. Her personality, strength, and loyalty were all well knownâNue wouldnât get upset over something like that. Even Kaido wouldnât.
"Well, sorry for teasing you, but itâs not like weâre in a rush. Letâs take it slow and chat over a meal. The food should be coming out soon, anywayâŞ"
"...Wait, come to think of itâwhoâs even cooking?"
"âIt was me...!!"
"!?"
The Flying Six were startled by the voice. It came from the kitchenâright after Nue had just spoken, and Page One had casually wondered aloud who had prepared the food. At that very moment, dishes were being brought out by the UFO under Nueâs control. Following behind them was a man they all recognized: a towering figure with flames on his back and dark wingsâone of the All-Stars.
"Beasts Pirates All-Star 'King the Wildfire'âBounty: 1.39 billion berries."
"Took a bit of effort, but it's finally done... This good enough for you, Nue-san?"
"Yep! Thanks a bunch, King!!"
"KingâŚ!! So it really was your cookingâŚ!!"
From the kitchen emerged one of the Beasts Pirates' top brassâKing, reputed to be the foremost among the four All-Stars. Seeing him, the competitive sparks flew immediately in Whoâs-Who and Sasaki, both members of the Flying Six. Theyâd already found it strange that no underlings were in sight, but this explained it: King, though publicly a top fighter, was known in their crew as a secret chef. That he had cooked wasnât exactly shocking.
But it was usually only for Kaido or Nue, so they were understandably surprised to see him preparing food for them. King snorted at their reactions.
"Hmph⌠I only made this because Nue-san asked. Normally, I wouldnât waste my time cooking for you lot. So be grateful I bothered."
"Tch⌠What a loudmouth. Who do you think supplies the ingredients for all that food you make for Kaido-san and Nue-san? You should be thanking us."
"Exactly. Weâre the ones who get you the best booze every year."
"Wait, then this food's made from our vegetables!?"
"Nah, doesnât look like it, sis⌠Probably stuff from this island."
"Now that you mention it⌠Iâve never seen this kind of wood before either."
"âŚâŚâŚâŚActually, Iâve been feeling something was off. Even the sand on the beach seems strangeâŚ"
That exchange between King and the two former pirate captains set off a realization: the ingredients and materials came from this island. Even Komurasaki had felt something odd about the local minerals. Maybe it was her bloodline as a stonemason, but she had some knowledge of miningâthough not nearly as tainted as the other Flying Six.
Still, her instinct had been right. As Nue popped a bite into her mouth, she smiled with delight.
"Oooh, sharp eyes as always!! Thatâs right! The food, the houses, everything here came from this island!!"
"Of course. The meatâs tougher than what our beasts usually provide⌠Local produce is a bit firm."
"Chewy, but tasty for sure."
(They're already eating itâŚ)
Under her helmet, Komurasaki made a strained face. Just seconds ago, theyâd been hurling complaints at Kingâyet here they were, happily stuffing their faces. No one even tried to hide it. King said nothing either. This had always been the case: everyone had a weird artisan streak. Komurasaki always felt left out. âA deep, gnawing helplessness at standing shoulder to shoulder with people like these. An unresolved frustration toward her own inability to break free from the group. She quietly bit back her feelings.
Meanwhile, the conversation pressed on. Everyone else's attention had already moved on to the next topic.
"By the way, Nue-san. While Iâve got the chanceârecently that brat 'Hawkins' started a ruckus in our territorial waters. One of our Headliners got taken out⌠and a ship was sunk."
"Ahhh, yeah. Thatâs been happening a lot lately. Pirates from the 'Worst Generation'... Kid went wild the other day. Before that it was Urouge. Linlinâs boy Bege is doing well too. Even our three are making the papers a lot⌠Especially Drakeâhe completed that mission I gave him just the other day."
"The one you mentioned earlier� You mean wiping out the rebel remnants on 'New Onigashima'?"
"Thatâs the one!! He did great!! Killed the samurai, razed the village, and even brought me a cute girl and her family as souvenirs âĄ"
Whoâs-Who was giving a damage report, but Nue casually changed the topic, still in a chipper mood, to the recent buzz surrounding the "Worst Generation." Half a year agoâright before the "Summit War"âthey were eleven rookie pirates with bounties over 100 million berries. Now, they were famous under that collective name. Morgan had coined it, calling them wild rookies who were shaking up the world for better or worse.
But for the Beasts Pirates, they werenât entirely unwelcome. Three of those captains had joined their ranks, taking on missions and proving useful. Naturally, Nue was pleased. And while the Flying Six didnât exactly object, they couldnât help but view these rising stars as future rivals. They werenât threats yet, but their growth was concerning. If nothing else, their cocky attitudes needed adjusting. The Worst Generation was full of unruly typesâjust like Whoâs-Who and Sasaki.
"Oh, but 'Kyoshiro' apparently failed. Shutenmaru managed to escape."
"! âŚI see."
Among the new recruits after the war were also samurai and ninja from Wano, formerly under Orochiâs regimeâgroups like the Patrol Corps and the Oniwabanshu. Some had become "Warriors" in the Beasts Pirates; others joined the "Marys."
Kyoshiro was one of Orochiâs most powerful vassals. Known for loyalty, skill, and leadership, heâd failed. That caught the attention of SasakiâKyoshiroâs longtime friend. Heâd even recommended him for the job, so he felt mildly embarrassed. More than that, though, he was shaken by the implication: Shutenmaru was skilled enough to elude Kyoshiro.
âŚAlthough anyone who knew Kyoshiroâs true identity wouldnât be surprised. Komurasaki gave a derisive snort at the report and Sasakiâs faintly disappointed reaction.
"A man whoâs only good at sucking up to his lordâno wonder he failed. âŚThough I hear someone here is quite friendly with that useless man."
"Hah? You littleâKomurasaki, you sayinâ that to me?"
"I only meant to insult Kyoshiro. But the fact that you took offense says a lot about how highly you think of himâŚ"
"Tch⌠Mouthy little bratâŚ!! You should be more worried about your demotion. Donât go sticking your nose in other peopleâs business."
"Ooh! A fight? Go for it, go for it!! No oneâs gonna get in the way now!!"
"Nue-san, donât instigate them."
Komurasaki and Sasaki locked eyes over the table, her sharp tongue and his pride in his friend setting the mood ablaze. Nue, delighted, egged them on. King, stone-faced, told her to stop. Not that he cared about infighting among the Flying Six. Honestly, he wouldnât mind joining in if it meant getting rid of Komurasaki. But right now, he had to interveneâbecause the timing was too delicate. They had other things planned. King stepped in to explain.
"If youâre gonna kill each other, do it at the 'Beast Cup' during the 'Golden Kagura' half a year from now. Itâs fine to go a little overboard there. You all know this, but the 'New Government,' the 'Red-Haired,' and 'Clown of a Thousand Gold' alliance have all been building their forces. We just lost a batch of new recruits recently. We canât afford to lose any more manpowerâŚ!!"
"âŚYeah, I know. Donât need you reminding me."
"âŚâŚâŚâŚOf course."
King was deeply troubled by the recent shifts. The "New Government"âan evolution of the Revolutionary Army combined with Navy remnantsâhad appointed a new set of "Three Admirals" and declared all-out war on pirate tyranny. Theyâd even called out the Beasts and Big Mom Pirates by name.
To make matters worse, the Red-Haired Pirates had strengthened their alliance with the Buggy Pirates, whoâd risen to fame in the war. Red-Hairâs elite crew now had Buggyâs numbers and scientific tech.
Even if the Beasts and Big Mom Pirates had superior strength overall, it was risky to rush into war without a plan. Minor skirmishes had already taken their toll. King, responsible for managing the Beasts Pirates, understood this and insisted any internal strife be settled laterâat the Golden Kagura, where Kaido and Nue had both approved an event.
The "Beast Cup"âwhere members fought for promotions and challenge rights. It wasnât just a show for the lower ranks. Even King, as an All-Star, wasnât safe. Whoâs-Who grinned and spoke up in place of the now-silent Komurasaki and Sasaki.
"âSo that means itâs fine if you or Queen get taken down during that event?"
"Yeahâif you think you can manage it."
Even with that provocation, King didnât flinch.
The Flying Six and the Headliners made no secret of their ambitions. Whoâs-Who was at the top of that list. But King wasnât rattled. If they challenged him, heâd crush them. He knew their strengthâand knew he was stronger. His confidence showed in every word and movement.
But the Flying Six werenât the kind to back off. They knew the All-Stars werenât easy targetsâbut also knew their own fangs were sharp. They werenât chasing ghosts.
That mindsetâshared by the All-Stars, the Flying Six, and nearly everyone in the Beasts Piratesâwas rooted in one simple truth. There were only two people in the world truly beyond reach. Truly impossible to kill.
"Yep yep!! Love the energy!! âWhich brings me to the reason I gathered all you 'Flying Six' here on this island~~~!!!"
"!"
One of the twoâknown as the most fearsome beastâlet out a cheerful shout, a bright smile on their face that didnât suit their reputation at all. Yet it was precisely that incongruous appearance that instilled fear. The enigmatic great pirate had finally revealed to the Tobi Roppo why they had been summoned to this island. That reason wasâ
"A present from me to the six of you!! From this moment onâon this island!!! Youâll be living a survival life combined with training!!!"
"!!?"
Nue exclaimed with the same high tension they usually showed during events, and the Tobi Roppo were shocked.
Training and survival. The latter made sense if the island was uninhabited, and whether it was necessary or not, they could at least understand the idea. But the former was more puzzling. As Ulti reeled from the announcement, Page One voiced the question that had crossed all their minds.
"Training, you say!?"
"Training, huh⌠I donât mind that, but Nue-san. Why this island...? Wouldnât New Onigashima be just as good!?"
"Nah, this place seemed more intereâuh, I mean efficient!! You know what they sayâseeing is believing. So take a look at this!!"
"! Thatâs⌠a rock?"
Kozuki muttered as she looked at the fist-sized rock that Nue had produced from who-knows-where. To the eye, it looked like an ordinary stone.
But Nue casually tossed it to Ulti and, as if to prove how perfect it was for training, gave her a command.
"Ulti-chan, try breaking that rock."
"Leave it to me!! Hmph!!!"
Ulti put her strength into her slender arm. Though she appeared to be a young girl, no one mistook her for an ordinary brat. She was one of the strongest sixâone of the Tobi Roppo. Having eaten a Zoan-type Ancient Beast Devil Fruit, Ulti's strength could easily crush a rock like that as if it were tofu. Everyone here could do the same. That much was obvious.
So all six of them assumed it would be an easy task. They wondered what the point was. Butâ
"âŚHey, whatâs wrong, Sis?"
"Huh!? Thatâs weird⌠HmphâŚ!!! Nnnnnnggggghhh!!!"
"âŚDonât tell me you canât break itâŚ!?"
"Hah⌠Hah⌠Damn it!! This is pissing me off~~~!!! Iâm gonna smash this stupid rock to bits!!! âUl-Headbuttââ"
"Wait, wait, you idiot sis!! Youâll wreck the building!!"
"But Pe-tan!! This rock is acting way too cocky for just being a rock!!!"
"âŚHey, hand it over for a sec."
She couldnât break it. Couldnât crush it. Even as Ulti poured her strength into it, it didnât give. She was clearly shocked.
Frustrated, Ulti tried to use a Haki-infused headbutt, but before she could, her little brother Page One stopped her. As Ulti grumbled in protest, Whoâs-Who stepped forward and held out his hand for the stone. Ulti reluctantly handed it over and muttered bitterly.
"Itâs not gonna break anyway!! Go on and fail!!"
"Shut it, brat. âNue-san. Mind if I draw my sword?"
"Go right aheadâĄ"
"Then Iâll give it a sliceâŚ!!!"
"!!"
This time, with Nueâs permission, Whoâs-Who drew his sword. He was a swordsman. Naturally, he could cut through not just stone, but even iron with ease. Especially when using Haki.
"!!? It wonât cutâŚ!?"
"! Whoa, whoa⌠You seriousâŚ!?"
"âŚâŚ!!"
Even Whoâs-Whoâs sword couldnât fully slice through the rock.
His blade stopped just short of the stoneâs center. It had cut, yesâbut not enough to call it a clean slice. Not as a swordsman.
But more than that, it was unnatural. A Haki-infused blade should be able to cut through stone. And someone of Whoâs-Whoâs caliber should have no problem doing so. All six of them were dumbfounded by the impossible result.
There had to be something special about this stone. Just as that thought crossed their minds, Nue giggled mischievously like a prankster whose trick had just succeeded.
"Ahahaha!! Surprised? Everything on this island is ridiculously tough!!!"
"The stones on this islandâŚ? Nue-san, does that meanâŚ"
"Well, itâs not like they canât be broken. âLike this, for example!!!"
"!!?"
The six of them still hadnât fully grasped what was going on, so Nue picked up the stone and demonstrated. She curled her middle finger, hooked it against her thumb, and took a moment to build tensionâthen flicked the stone with her finger. A simple childish motion that anyone in the world would recognize as a playful gesture.
But when Nue did itâit had enough force to kill. No longer something done in play.
"A⌠finger flickâŚ!?"
"Well, I mean, if itâs me, I couldâve shattered it even without doing this⌠but I went easy this time. âŚThough I did use HakiâĄ"
Nue held out the pulverized remnants of the stone and explained. She claimed not to have used much power, and it might even be true. There had been no shockwave. Just a simple flickâyet it broke the stone.
It was still far beyond the reach of an ordinary humanâs strength. But if she could do it that easily, there was no way the Tobi Roppo shouldnât be able to.
Having made her point, Nue continued, now with a light layer of high-level Haki coating her hand.
"In shortâI want you all to evolve your Armament Haki to the next levelâĄ"
"âŚâŚ!! ThatâsâŚ"
"Yeah, those who know will know. Master Armament Haki properly⌠and you can channel the unnecessary flow of Haki in your body to a specific pointâturning it into an armor that repels and pierces through anything."
Nue demonstrated and explained this high-level technique, used by only a handful of the world's elite.
Whoâs-Who, and perhaps even Kozuki, had heard of it. There were samurai in the now-destroyed Wano Country, which they once conquered, who specialized in that art. But they had never mastered it themselves. Nue had.
That much, they could believe of her. And now, she explained her philosophy behind the training while casually picking up food with the same fingers and eating, proud as could be.
"You know, this techniqueâs pretty strong. If someone really masters it, even I or Kaido can take damage from it⌠And I got to thinking⌠Back in the day, âRoger,â âWhitebeardâ⌠even âOdenââall the strong ones had insanely powerful Haki."
Nue reminisced. Pirate King Roger. His rival Whitebeard. And Oden, the samurai of Wano who sailed with them both. She didnât name them, but she also meant her former captain Rocks, and Garp from the navy. All monsters in human formâmade so by their Haki. Different from herself, Kaido, and Big Mom. Warriors whose mastery of their craft made them legends.
Nowadays she could use it too, but back then, she couldnât even understand their strength. They had been stronger than even herâdespite her near-immortal body. And that hadnât changed.
"Take âRed-Hair,â for example. Physically, heâs nowhere near as tough as me or Kaidoâbut he still fights us on equal footingâŚ!! The reason why is obviousâitâs HakiâŚ!!!"
Now Nue turned to recent events. The Red-Hair Pirates, led by Shanks, were a small but elite group of top-tier Haki users.
During the Paramount War, despite their sideâs advantage, they had been outmaneuvered by Red-Hair. The Revolutionary Army, led by Dragon, had also proven a nuisance. Reflecting on why they failed to wipe them out, the number one reason was Red-Hair Shanks. Then Dragon. Then the worldâs greatest swordsman, Hawk-Eye Mihawk.
They couldnât press through a purely defensive fight. Dragonâs powers made pursuit difficult. To make matters worse, Shiki, who handled island levitation, was vulnerable to Dragonâs wind abilities, and they didnât have the flexibility to take over or land the island.
And when she thought about it all, the answer was clearâtheir power was lacking. That was the root of everything. And the âpowerâ they lackedâwas Haki. The sum total of their fighting strength was still not enough.
"Observation Haki, Armament Haki... and Conqueror's Haki. Of course, Haki isnât everything in battle, but the stronger your Haki is, the stronger you areâthereâs no denying that those with âpowerâ hold real weight."
"...So you're saying... we should train to strengthen our Haki?"
"Well, in shortâyeah, thatâs the idea."
And so, the Haki training began. Nue nodded in agreement with Whoâs Whoâs words.
They had spent years enhancing their forcesâworking to build the worldâs strongest military. Increasing manpower. Developing weapons and armaments. Trading in Devil Fruits. Of course, becoming stronger themselves was part of that. Theyâd done it all.
Now, the next step. Nue had been thinking it was time to do whatever else they could. Something they'd already been focusing onâenhancing the combat strength of their top officers. Thatâs what they would now resume in earnest.
"Weâre the worldâs strongest pirate crew now. Kaido and I are the strongest there is. Including you Tobi Roppo and the Lead Performers... if itâs a head-on battle, I don't think there's anyone who can beat us. When it comes to sheer power and toughness, thereâs no one who can match us. âBut honestly, in things like Haki proficiency and versatility of abilities, weâre still lacking."
She wasnât just criticizing othersâthis included herself. Both Nue and Kaido had climbed their way to the top through relentless training. Objectively, they werenât that far off from the likes of Shanks in Haki strength... but if they couldnât fully win, they were still "weak." Accepting that was the first step. Naturally, it made sense to cover their weaknesses where possible.
"Well, weâre packed full of Zoan-type users, so we canât match Linlinâs crew when it comes to diverse abilities... but we can make up for it with stronger Haki, right~~âĄ"
Due to the nature of their powers, Zoan-type users typically didn't possess powers beyond the traits of the animals they became.
However, the advantage lay in raw physical enhancementâtheir bodies became stronger. Mythical Zoans were exceptions, but most Zoans relied on brute force. Their winning pattern was simple: beat down the opponent with power, toughness, and speed.
But because of that, it was harder for them to pull off giant-killer upsets. They were generally poor at unorthodox tactics compared to Paramecia users.
Of course, with talent, creativity, and effort, even that could be overcome... Still, as a Zoan-type user herself, Nue knew that the Beasts Piratesâ ideology under Kaido was centered around strength. Those with power were the strong. Crushing enemies head-on with power was their way. Anyone who didnât win through sheer strength tended to be looked down on.
And that was fine. Nue wasnât here to correct ideology or values. That didnât matter. This was just about identifying a flaw they had no intention of changingâand simply strengthening themselves. Making the crew stronger. Thatâs all that mattered.
"So I was thinking about training methods, and I talked it over with Kaido. We ended up getting into a fight... and we figured wrecking New Onigashima or one of our territories again would be bad, so we picked a random island instead... and thatâs when I found this island!!"
"Oh yeah... there was a report about a fight breaking out around two months ago..."
"Ohâyeah, I heard about that and ran the hell away."
"I didnât go back to New Onigashima either."
"I was on another island with my sister, so I felt safe..."
"No one from the Tobi Roppo was on New Onigashima. It was ridiculous."
"You guys fight too much!! What are you, idiots?!"
"Youâre the idiot!! Donât go biting into dangerous stuff!!"
"HUH!!? Who are you calling an idiot!!!"
As Nue spread her arms to introduce the island, it became clear that the reason theyâd found it was due to the Tobi Roppoâs still-fresh memory of that recent fight. Koshiro was stunned as the others openly admitted theyâd fled the scene. But everyone snapped back in sync when Ulti started biting again. As always, she was fearless. It was only thanks to Nueâs calm demeanor that it didnât escalateâbut there was always the risk of her snapping. Fortunately, this time, she just nodded without a fuss.
"But this island's a real hidden gem!! It might look like a regular summer island or deserted rock, but everything here is super tough and durable!! The rocks, the trees, even the soil and plants are all ridiculously hard! And the animals, birds, and fish here eat that stuff, so theyâre super tough too!! You saw earlierâregular rocks donât even break when you hit them lightly!!!"
"...So we can use this islandâs environment for training, huh?"
"Exactly!! A normal survival camp would be too easy for you all, right? But on this island, just living here becomes training!! Even the beasts are pretty strong! Though... they're all too scared of me to come near right nowâĄ"
"You mean weâre supposed to live here and train our Haki..."
Finally, the Tobi Roppo began to understand why theyâd been brought here. Page One voiced it aloud and noddedâif they lived here, theyâd grow stronger. Nue also nodded, adding cheerfully:
"But hey, itâs not mandatory!! If you donât wanna do it, you can head back... But just so you knowâall the food here was made by King using only ingredients from this islandâŞ"
"...!! That means..."
That final note made all six of them widen their eyes. It was trueâKing had said he cooked using only local ingredients. And since he was the only cook here (even if he wouldnât admit it), that meant heâd prepared all those tough ingredients using Haki.
Which meant... at the very least, King had mastered advanced-level Armament Haki.
That realization lit a fire under the Tobi Roppoâespecially those aiming for the Lead Performersâ positions. Their frustration and ambition surged.
"...Got it. So all we gotta do is live here?"
"If thisâll make us stronger, I couldnât ask for more...!!"
"If itâs for Lord Kaido and Lady Nue, then weâve got no choice."
"For me and Pei-tan, thisâll be a piece of cakeâĄ"
"Donât call me Pei-tan!! ...But fine, Iâm in!!"
"...If itâll make me stronger, I donât care about the method."
"Then itâs decided!! âAlright, do your best in this Survival Training Camp on âSprint Islandâ!!! Iâll be vacationing here with King for about a week, but youâre free to leave if youâve got missions or business to handle!! Iâll leave some Den Den Mushi for communication and a boat for transport!! Just make sure to come back when youâre done!! And donât approach this house unless you need toâitâs off-limits!! Even the beasts wonât come near here!!! Also, you can cooperate if you want, or notâbut no killing each other, got it?! Thatâs all!!!"
With Nueâs closing statement, the Tobi Roppo all nodded in agreement. Theyâd been wondering how to handle important missions or communicating with subordinates during training, but it seemed even that had been considered.
And soâthus began the Tobi Roppoâs survival training arc.
"...Alright, so what should we start with...?"
"ââWhy donât we start by building a house⥠Letâs chop some trees and draw up a blueprint..."
"Hey Black Maria. Iâll go hunt some beastsâjust throw up a simple hut in the meantime. And build a livestock shed. Ulti, go prep some fields. Weâll need feed if weâre raising animals."
"Hah!? You canât just start without testing the soil first!!! We gotta find soil thatâs good for crops and till that area first!!!"
"Hold up, Sis!! We canât do anything without tools. I need to make a fishing rod and catch dinner first!! Letâs go chop some wood!!"
"Fine... Iâll help. Gotta grow the crops if I wanna brew good booze... Kukuku... Just wait... my delicious booze...!!"
"âŚThis is⌠supposed to be training⌠right?"
"Haa!!? What the hell are you saying, Kosushi!? Quit yapping and get moving already!! Iâll beat you to death!!!"
"Shut up, amateur⌠you useless waste⌠Just follow our orders and stick to grunt work."
"âŚAh⌠yes."
Under her mask, Kosushi nodded with dead eyes. She was fine with it if it meant training, but the thought of having to live with these five for days⌠that part was soul-crushing.
ââAnd then, after the âTobi Roppoâ had left, back on the beach. Nueâs villa.
âTheyâre gone. Hopefully theyâll finish their training in like, half a year⌠What do you think, King?â
âAs long as theyâre useful in combat, I donât care.â
âYouâre so cold~. But well, itâs the Tobi Roppo weâre talking about. I doubt theyâll end up like those kids we picked up the other day.â
âYou mean the jailer beasts from Impel DownâŚ? Theyâre tough and handy thanks to their awakened powers, but their basic combat skills are shaky. Then again, theyâre good enough as gruntsâŚâ
âI actually think theyâre kinda cute. They obeyed right away once I gave them a little scare. Or maybe theyâve finally given up on that heartless Magellan who left them behind? Honestly, I wouldâve preferred to just kill them and make them submit properly~âŞâ
âMagellanâs one of the admirals of the New Government now. I donât think youâd lose, but if you go off acting alone againâŚâ
âNo no no, I wonât do that!! You still donât trust me, huh⌠Geez⌠Oh, call coming in. âHello? Whatâs up?â
âB-b-b-big trouble, Miss Nue!!!â
Nue, who had still been enjoying food and drinks at the beach house, picked up the Den Den Mushi that had suddenly started ringing and listened to the message. It was a subordinate calling from New Onigashima. They sounded completely flustered, clearly an emergency, but Nue responded with her usual calm.
âHm~? What happened?â
âW-well⌠um⌠itâs kind of⌠really hard to say, butâŚâ
âYouâre dragging it out. Just spit it out already.â
âY-y-yes maâam!! The thing is, just nowââ
Prompted by Nueâs slightly sharper tone when she grew impatient with his hesitant buildup, the subordinate panicked and forced himself to speak. He had clearly drawn the short straw. With great difficulty, he told Nue something incredibly awkward.
âIt⌠itâs been bornâŚâ
ââŚHUHHH!!?â
An unexpectedly early report. Nueâs expression changed completely at the news.
ââNew Onigashima.
âWhat the hellâs going on!!? Itâs way earlier than scheduled!!â
âS-sorry!! But itâs just⌠the child seems more unstable than normal, or rather, developing fasterâŚâ
âWho cares!! Just take me to where it is!!! Is it in the room!?â
âY-yes!! It was all so sudden, weâve laid them down to rest in bed for now!!â
The base of the strongest pirate crew ruling the New WorldâBeasts Piratesâ headquarters, once known as Wano Country, now New Onigashimaâwas in chaos.
Subordinates ran back and forth, drenched in sweat, each one now aware of the situation. Kaidoâs voice thundered through the estate like lightning, and the scolded medical team scrambled to follow his next orders.
Everyone on New Onigashima understood the reason behind the commotion. In the seemingly smooth sailing of the Beasts Piratesâ activities, the only thing that could spark this kind of problem wasâ
ââŚLooks like Father will be coming here.â
âYes. Iâve already had someone report to Lady Nue as well. Heâll likely return within a few days⌠HaaahâŚâ
âW-will everything be alright, Lord MusashiâŚ?â
âFuhaha⌠Donât worry, Otama. Honestly, I kinda wanted to hear Nueâs shocked scream myself. I wonder what kind of face Father will make when he sees that child⌠sees you⌠HeyâO-WA-RI.â
ââA family matter⌠no, a new family matter had just begun.
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