Chapter 76: Onigashima
Wano Country is one of the most enigmatic nations among the mysterious islands of the New World.
Yet rumors about it spread far and wideâthrough the Grand Line and across the four seasâwhispered as truth. Its samuraiâs strength, the existence of ninja, its unique cultural system, and its status as an isolationist nation unaffiliated with the World Government were all well-known.
And now, there was one more reason why approaching it had become even more impossible.
Wano Country was the stronghold of the Beasts Piratesâone of the feared "Four Emperors."
Merely entering their territory was near suicide, but stepping foot into their base, Wano Country? That was as dangerous as walking straight into a beastâs den.
Thus, at present, the number of outsiders entering Wano had dwindled even further, inadvertently achieving the goal of protecting the country from foreign interference.
"âSister. Weâll be arriving in Wano soon."
"Nue-sama is calling for us. âŠSister? What are you doing?"
"Silence!! âŠHmm, perhaps I should raise the angle of my gaze slightly higher⊠Yes, like thisâŠ?"
And so, three girls were about to set foot in this extraordinary nation of the New World.
They were former slave sisters from the warrior tribe of Kuja, hailing from Amazon Lily, the Island of Women in the Grand Line.
The youngest, with orange hairâBoa Marigold.
The middle sister, with green hair and a slightly larger frameâBoa Sandersonia.
And the eldest, a raven-haired beauty who, for some reason, was in the shipâs hold practicing a domineering poseâBoa Hancock.
Like the other freed slaves who had chosen to follow them, the sisters were now under the care of the Beasts Pirates. These were the ones who had liberated themâtheir benefactors. Though they were ruthless pirates, their act of kindness was enough to sway the hearts of many former slaves.
And so, the sisters had pleaded with the Beasts Pirates' Vice Captain, "The Phantom Beast, Nue," to let them begin a new life as pirates, with the goal of growing stronger.
âŠYet, Hancockâs bizarre behavior left her two younger sisters bewildered. Just what was she doing?
Unfazed, Hancock noticed their arrival and casually sought their opinion.
"Sonia, Mari. I wish to perfect a pose that exudes superiority. What dost thou think?"
"âŠI donât really get it, but⊠isnât that too much? Youâre practically looking up."
"Your way of speaking is also weird now⊠But more importantly, why are you even doing this?"
Sandersonia pressed the question again. Hancock finally dropped her poseâwhich had her staring at the ceilingâand clenched her arm with a grave expression before declaring:
"I⊠shall change. I shall grow stronger. So that never again shall anyone rule over meâŠ!!!"
"SisterâŠ"
"âŠ"
Her face bore the weight of fierce resolve. The slight paling of her complexion suggested she was recalling past suffering.
But she would face forward. She gritted her teeth, swearing to cast aside those loathsome memoriesâher own weakness, her own naivety.
"Sonia, Mari⊠I shall discard all weakness from this moment forth. And that includes⊠showing leniency toward thee. If thou dost not wish to follow this path, I suggest thou distance thyself from me now. If thou desirest to turn back, speak to Nue, and the two of thee may return ahead ofâ"
"âSister."
"!"
Hancock warned that her newfound ruthlessness might hurt themâthe sisters who had always been by her side.
So she told them to leave now, while they still could.
But the two girls only stared back at her, unshaken. And Hancock realizedâtheir eyes burned with determination.
"We⊠are prepared as well."
"Even children in Kuja know thisâin these seas, weakness means death. Thatâs why we arenât allowed into the outside world until we become proper warriors."
"And yet, here we are. Becoming strong, becoming true warriors⊠was always the path we chose. So⊠why would we abandon you now, when youâre striving to reach even greater heights?"
"Strength is beauty⊠So become as beautiful as you wish, Sister. Weâll grow strong enough to stand beside you."
"Sonia, Mari⊠Very well."
Hancock swallowed her words, accepting their resolve with a simple nod. Then, straightening her posture with regal grace, she strode past them and out of the hold.
"Nue summoned us, did she not? Something about meeting this 'Kaido'⊠Let us go."
"Yes."
"Letâs go, Sister."
No thanks were exchanged. Because none were needed.
They were young warriors of the Kuja, the fighting tribe from the hidden island of women in the Grand Line.
They had no fear of vulgar, lust-driven men.
For them, the pinnacle of existence was to be strong, elegant, and beautiful women.
Yet they did not know.
"But, Sister⊠Isnât it dangerous to address Nue-samaâand even Kaidoâso casuallyâŠ?"
"Weâve never seen anyone in Kuja as strong as her⊠And sheâs only the Vice Captain? The second-in-command?"
"âŠIndeed, Nue is⊠a monster. But I refuse to believe there exists another of her caliber. She seems fond of us, and we owe her our gratitude⊠But the rest? Those lecherous weaklings among the crew? They deserve neither fear nor respect."
"âŠRight."
They did not yet understand the New World.
They did not know the Beasts Piratesâthe ones who had conquered Wano, an isolationist country not unlike their own Amazon Lily.
They did not know what lurked on Onigashimaâmonsters far more terrifying than demons.
Still ignorant of the worldâs true horrors, they were about to learn of Wano, the Beasts Pirates⊠and the Four Emperorsâbeings of another dimension entirely.
And so, their fateful day began.
"Tadaaa~âȘ This is our headquarters!! Wano CountryâOnigashimaaaaaa!!!"
"âŠâŠ!!"
"Itâs hugeâŠ!!"
"It really is shaped like an oniâŠ!!"
Hancock and her sisters stepped onto the shores of Onigashimaâs lake aboard Nueâs ship, the Unknown, surrounded by her crew. As Nue leapt forward with a grin, arms spread wide to proudly introduce the island, the three girls couldnât hide their awe at the sight of this New World stronghold. The hopeful recruits who had sailed with them were equally stunnedâthis was the base of one of the Four Emperors.
Meanwhile, the freed slaves who chose not to join the crew were sent to Wanoâs Udon district, where they would work and live. Some might eventually be relocated to other islands in the territory, but for now, Udon was their temporary home.
Even so, Onigashima itself was staggeringly vastâfar larger than the Kuja Empressâ palace in their memories. The entire island was the castle, a fitting fortress for an emperor.
And swarming across it were piratesâwho, the moment the ship arrived, raised their hands and roared in unison.
"NUE-SAMAâS BAAAAAACK!!!"
"NUE-SAMAAAAA~âĄ"
"Nue-sama has arrived!! Inform Captain Kaido!!!"
"Tch⊠Such a raucous welcomeâŠ!!"
"âŠâŠ!! As expected, mostly menâŠ"
The Beasts Piratesâ cheers at Nueâs return left the sisters taken abackâespecially Hancock, who frowned slightly at the overwhelming male presence.
"Yeeeeeaaah!! Iâm hooooome!!! The one and only Nue-chan, live and in person~!!!"
"WOOOOOOOH!!!"
Nue, of course, paid no mind to their discomfort, returning the cheers with equal enthusiasm.
As the ship docked, Nue disembarked, followed by Ulti and Page Oneâand then the three sisters.
A bridge led to a long staircase⊠but before it, in the plaza, loomed a massive shadow. A manâan enormous, rotund giant. The sisters tensed slightly. It wasnât just his appearance or genderâeven in their still-unrefined Haki, they could sense his strength.
"Mmm~â« Finally back, eh, Nue-san!! And you brought a couple of brats tooâ«"
"Oh, if it isnât Queen. Went outta your way to greet us? How sweetâ«"
"BRATS?! Queen, you callinâ my lilâ bro Page One stupid?! You wanna get wrecked?!"
"Knock it off, Sis!!"
The manâapparently named Queenâgreeted them with a rhythmic cadence, arms raised in some kind of pose. Hancock and her sisters had no idea why a man would call himself that, nor did they care. Nue played along, though it was clear Queen outranked Ulti and Page One.
"Heard all about it from Joker, Nue-san!! Raiding the Holy Land, slaughtering Celestial Dragons!! And then freeing slaves like it was nothing!!"
"Pretty awesome, right?! Got tons of loot, and I even recorded the whole thingâIâll show you later!!"
"Man, never thought youâd actually do it⊠Chaos everywhere. Kaido just laughed his ass off⊠Oh, and your bounties shot up! Buncha idiots whininâ about how they shoulda gone too!! Muhaha!!"
"Oho, sounds like a party!! Anyway, is Kaido around? Wanna introduce these new recruits."
"Kaido? Drunk himself into a flight again, probably⊠New recruits, huhâWHOA!!? Damn, theyâre hot!! Names?"
"Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold!! Three sisters!! âNot as gorgeous as me, of course!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠYeah, sure!!"
"âŠâŠThe hell was that pause? You got a death wish? Need me to âadjustâ your brain with a saw?"
"N-N-NO NO NO!!! I meanâitâs just⊠SO OBVIOUS I got flustered!!! Everyone knows Nue-sanâs beauty is the greatest in the world, right?!"
"Aww~⥠Silly me, misunderstanding like that⥠Gosh, itâs just common sense, huh~⥠Kinda embarrassing, but I mean, itâs true, so what can I do~⥠Guess my cuteness is just universally accepted nowâĄ"
"Damn right!! MuhahahaâŠ"
Queen had been stunned by Hancockâs beauty, but his delayed response to Nueâs remark nearly cost him his life. The moment Nueâs smile vanished, her gaze sharpening, he scrambled to recoverâeliciting an immediate, giggly mood swing from her. Everyone present noted the sweat on Queenâs brow and the unspoken rule: Nue was the cutest. No questioning it. To doubt was to invite hell.
"Alrighty then!! Hey, Nue-san!! How âbout we discuss the next tour, huh?! Yâknow, since weâre hittinâ up the territory this year!! Letâs sort it out before Kaido gets back!!"
"Oh, right. Canât introduce these three till heâs here⊠Oh, but we should give âem a tour first."
"Leave that to the two grunts over there, Nue-san!!"
"THE HELL?!"
"Compared to you, weâre ALL grunts, dumbass!!"
"Now now, no fighting. Hmm⊠Well, alright then!! You two handle it!!"
"HuhâŠ?! Wait, Nue-san, weâreâ"
"Ulti, Page One, do your best!! Iâll be back later!! âCâmon, Queen, roll out."
"YeahâWAIT, I DONâT MOVE BY ROLLING!! I WALK!!"
With that, Queen whisked Nue away for "tour planning," leaving behind Ulti, Page One, and the three sisters. Page One sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Why the hell am I stuck babysitting newbiesâŠ"
"No choice, mehh. Queenâs whatever, but we canât ignore Nue-samaâs orders, mehh."
"âŠTrue, but drop the damn sheep talk!! Whatâs with you this time?!"
"Sheep are trendy this year, mehh. No need to be shy, lilâ bro~âĄ"
"Tch⊠Whatever. Just hurry up and show us around, you twoâŠ"
"Iâll let the âbig sisâ comment slide, but call me âlilâ broâ again and Iâll rip your tongue out!! The nameâs PAGE ONE!!"
Hancock exhaled sharply at his outburstâmen really were brutish and crude, even the younger ones.
But right now, she couldnât even beat these two. The humiliation burned, but she clenched her fists, silently vowing to surpass them soon.
And with that, she followed them into the depths of Onigashimaâwhere true monsters awaited.
"ââListen up, rookie. If youâre joining us, thereâs a lot youâll need to learn. I wonât repeat myself twice. No excuses for not paying attention⊠You got that?"
"I get it, so spit it out already. And quit turning your face toward me every damn time. The last thing I want to see is a manâs mug."
"Tch⊠That cocky attitude wonât fly for long. Acting all tough when youâre weak as hellâyou wonât last here if you donât back it up. Better watch your damn stepâŠ!!"
"Pfft, getting worked up over a rookie just makes you look desperate, yâknow? Try chilling out a littleâstop biting everyoneâs head off."
"Shut the hell up, you!!"
"Who you callinâ âyou,â huh?!"
"Sis⊠I get how you feel, but picking fights right off the bat isâ"
"âŠI know."
The interior of Onigashima. The stone corridors, part mansion and part fortress, still felt like walking through the heart of a mountain, though wooden beams and ceilings peeked through in places.
Beast Pirate crewmembers bustled about, hauling cargoâlikely to and from storage. The halls were wide, the ceilings high, built to accommodate carts. But what stood out were the branching paths.
"Quite the mazeâŠ"
"Easy to get lost, Sister."
"Rookies always get lost. Iâll show you the basics, but when you doâask someone."
"Pee-tan got lost just last week, meh."
"Shut it, Sis!"
Following Page One and Ulti, Hancockâs group moved forward, though they barely grasped the route. With no signsâlikely to deter intrudersâmemorization was key. Asking directions was an option, but dealing with men was⊠unpleasant.
Yet another matter nagged at them. Sandersonia voiced it:
"Those strange men with swords weâve been seeing⊠Are theyâ?"
"Yeah, samurai, meh."
"âŠSamurai are part of the Beast Pirates?"
Marigoldâs turn. They knew of Wanoâs samuraiâtheir fearsome strength, how even the World Government dared not interfere. If Onigashima was the crewâs stronghold, did that mean Wano had fallen under their control?
Page One half-dashed that thought:
"Nah. The samurai here serve Kurozumi Orochi, Wanoâs shogun."
"âŠSo Orochiâs your ally?"
"Basically. We helped him steal the country. The samurai are his underlings, but treat âem like crewmates. No disrespect."
"Troublesome. Hard enough keeping track of whoâs who."
"Which is why Iâm explaining. Rules included."
At a crossroads, Page One veered right. Hancockâs trio followed, absorbing every word.
For now, they were just former slave girlsâalbeit with Haki. They prided themselves on being stronger than average grunts, especially since most outsiders couldnât use Haki. In Amazon Lily, even children trained in it. That disparity bred overconfidence⊠but some here clearly had it. Underestimating them would be fatal.
"First, the Beast Piratesâ top dog: Kaido, one of the Four Emperors. You know that much, right?"
"Nue told us. Said theyâre like siblings."
"âŠYeah. Nueâs the Vice Captain. Those two run this place. Cross âem, and youâre dead."
"Kaido-sama and Nue-sama are both drunk, crazy lunatics, meh."
"Donât you dare mouth off like this idiot sis!!"
"Whoâre you callinâ an idiot!?"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
Hancockâs group silently assessed Page Oneâs outburst.
Kaido and Nue. The latter they knew, but Kaido? Another absolute authority. A man, no lessâno loyalty owed, his strength unknown.
Hancockâs thoughts crystallized: Outward obedience, for now. Judgment reserved until we meet.
She moved to ask about othersâwhen a nearby conversation cut in:
"âHah!? Kaidoâs not here? Tch⊠Then Nue. Heard they just got back."
"âNueâs busy with Queenâs dumbass, planning the next âconcert.â Report to me. Iâll pass it along."
"âŠNah. Iâll wait for Nue or Kaido. Youâre just a All-Star, King. Not worth my time."
"Know your place. That titleâs too heavy for you."
"UghâŠ"
"âŠ!! Sister, that manâhis wingsâŠ!"
"And theyâre on fireâŠ!?"
"âŠ!! What bizarre menâŠ"
Page One grimaced at the two figures.
Hancockâs group froze, staring.
One man: over three meters tall, clad in a suit-like garb, a demonic mask hiding his face. A sword at his side, tattoos sprawling across his exposed chest.
The otherâSandersonia, Marigold, even Hancock gaped.
Wings. And flames. A towering giant, nearly ten meters, rivaling the earlier "Queen." His face was obscured by a black gas mask, only sharp, slitted eyes visible. But the black wings and roaring inferno on his back stole all attention. He, too, carried a sword.
Both were swordsmen. Their strength? Unfathomable. But one thing was clear: they outclassed Hancockâs trio entirely.
"âKing and Whoâs-Who? Both back at once? Rare sight, meh."
"! âŠBratlings."
"Ulti, Page One. Whoâre the three behind you?"
"New recruits. Nue put us in charge of âem."
"Ah. The ex-slaves from the reportâŠ"
â...!â
Faced with the gaze of that fiery man, Hancock and the others instinctively stiffened. He exuded a pressureâone even more intense than that of the man called Queen from earlier. This must be King.
âSo, what were you talking about, hmm?â
âIt was about the pro-ducts from the territory I oversee. Iâd wanted to report directly to Kaido or Nue.â
âAh, the or-gans, yeah?â
Without even turning to look, the man casually jerked a thumb over his shoulder, gesturing to the mountain of wooden crates stacked behind him. This was Whoâs-Who. The crates were all marked with the Beast Piratesâ skull insignia. Coupled with what Ulti had said earlier, Hancock and the others felt a chill race down their spines.
âIâll pass the report on to Kaido or Nue for you. You just get back to work, Whoâs-Who. And Ulti, what happened to the shipment you mentioned the other day?â
âOh, you mean the leeeaf? I already handed that over to our middleman.â
âI told you to set a few boxes aside for me. Weâre running out of stock for torture use...â
Leaf...! Hancock and the others shuddered again. They might be sheltered girls, but they werenât so naĂŻve as to not recognize pirate lingo. They huddled together, whispering in hushed voices.
âS-Sister... that conversation just now...â
âItâs exactly what you think...â
âYeah... organ trafficking and drugs... Looks like theyâre involved in even filthier stuff than we imagined...â
Their faces had gone pale. This was the underworld of piracy. Even with their experience as former slaves, the dealings of the Beast Pirates were so extreme that just hearing them made their nerves tighten.
Yet for those around themâespecially the younger ones like Ulti and Page Oneâit was business as usual. That in itself spoke volumes. Just like the Kuja were trained as warriors from birth, these people had clearly been raised as pirates from the moment they could walk.
Being one of the Four Emperors meant ruling vast territories across the New World. Everything within those territories was closely tied to the Beast Piratesâ operations. Hancock and the others were witnessing just one glimpse of that reality.
âCanât spare any for you right nowâIâm in the middle of a job Nue-sama assigned me. Tell my subordinates if itâs urgent.â
âFine, laterâs good enough... prioritize Nueâs assignment.â
â......â
âLetâs go.â
Page One turned to leave the room where King and Whoâs-Who stood, moving onward. Hancock and the others followed, realizing from the fact that their names werenât askedâwerenât even noticedâthat they were regarded as irrelevant.
â...Who were those two just now?â
âYeah. That was King of the Lead Performers, and Whoâs-Who of the Flying Six. Lead Performers are our top-ranking officers. The Flying Six are the six strongest of the Headliners.â
âSo the Headliners are the officers here?â
âPretty much. Thatâs the chain of command. Also, all of our officers are Devil Fruit users... Speaking of which, Nue mentioned you lot are ability users too.â
âOhhh? What kind of powers you got, hmm?â
â...The Mero Mero no Mi.â
âThe Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Anaconda.â
âThe Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: King Cobra.â
â...âMero Mero,â huh? Never heard of it, but sounds like a Paramecia. The Hebi Hebi ones are Zoan types, then. I see... if all of you are users, no wonder Nue-sama treats you special.â
That part they could understand. Nue clearly was giving them special treatment.
They were newcomers, but despite that, they were being personally guided by officers like Page One and Ulti. That much attention could only mean they were highly favored. There were still questions on their mindsâlike the classifications of Devil Fruitsâbut what mattered more than anything was... power. And position.
âIf... we become strong enough to defeat the Flying Six or the Lead Performers... could I become one myself?â
â...Huh?â
âS-Sister!!â
Both Sonia and Marie panicked. That bold, presumptuous remarkâdaring to imagine not just Whoâs-Who, but even King and Queen within her sightsâcould be seen as insulting to the organization itself. No wonder they were alarmed.
âBut unexpectedly, Page One and Ulti simply snorted in response. They werenât even angry.
âHeh... sure. If that happens, then thatâs what youâll be.â
â...Youâre not angry? A rookie just claimed sheâd take over your ranks, you know.â
âNo reason to be mad. Our crew runs on strength. Didnât you see earlier? Whoâs-Whoâs aiming to become a Lead Performer himself. He doesnât give a damn about offending the current ones.â
âItâs a merit-based system. If youâre strong, doesnât matter if youâre new.â
âSheâs right. Even if weâre still kids by age, weâve earned our positions because weâre stronger than the average fighter. That wouldnât fly in most crews. But with Kaido and Nue, all that matters is power...!!â
Page One and Ulti accepted the brazen statement without flinching. The Beast Pirates were a meritocratic crew through and through. Both of them had risen from being trainees.
Even outsiders like Whoâs-Who had climbed to the Flying Six simply through strength. No one objected. His strength spoke for itself.
That fact sent a quiet shiver down Hancockâs spine. The Kuja were a warrior tribe as wellâthose strong enough became pirates, and the strongest of all ruled as Empress.
Because of that, they couldnât fully condemn such a system as barbaric or crude. Strength was beauty. Combat was justice. A structure where the strong stood above the rest... was not unfamiliar. For those born of the Kuja tribe, it felt oddly natural. As it should.
Which is why, even with a light sheen of sweat on her palms, Hancock could still wear a fearless smile as she said:
âThen earning a position should be quite simple, shouldnât it...?â
â...Youâre a cocky one, arenât you? You must think pretty highly of your own power... but donât get too full of yourself. Around here, Devil Fruit users and Haki masters are a dime a dozen. If you go picking fights with the tobiroppo or the Lead Performers, youâll just end up dead.â
"All the Headliners are Devil Fruit users and can use Haki, meh. And thanks to what we stole from the Holy Land this time, weâve got even more new ability users now, meh⊠Oh, speak of the devil."
âHmmâŠ? Someoneâs coming? But from whereâŠ?â
âââAre you the new recruits!?! Then itâs time for a proper greeting!!â
â!!?â
Ulti noticed the presence immediately, but Hancock and the others didnât.
They heard a womanâs voice from extremely close by, and all of them looked aroundâbut there was no one to be seen.
âWhere are you looking, huh!? Up, I said! U-P!! Up!!â
âUpâŠ?â
The three looked up. But all they saw was the ceiling. No shadows, no sign of a person. They tilted their heads in confusion.
ââŠDown.â
âDownâŠ? ââ!!â
â!!? Is thatâŠ?â
âCould it beâŠ?â
Page One muttered âdown,â and when they lookedâthere she was. A tiny person, barely thirty centimeters tall. Dressed in red clothes and a matching hat, with a tail and two small horns, the tiny woman looked up at them, clearly furious.
ăBeast Pirates "Tobiroppo" â Doute â Bounty: 98,000,000 Berriesă
âSo you finally noticed, huh, you blockheads!! Ignoring the great Doute-samaâwhat guts youâve got!!!â
âA dwarfâŠ!?â
âSeems like itâŠâ
âSheâs adorableâŠâ
Hancock, Sonia, and Marigold all reacted the same way, surprised. It wasnât their first time seeing dwarvesâthey had seen dwarf slaves beforeâbut they were still rare enough to draw attention.
And this one, named Doute, wasnât alone. She had brought along several other dwarves. Since Doute was just slightly taller than the rest, it was easy to tell she was their leaderâand apparently a Headliner, too. That was their assumption, and as if to confirm it, the other dwarves immediately began chattering in reaction to Hancock and the others.
âHow could you ignore Doute-sama like that!? Thatâs so mean, newbies!!â
âBut itâs kinda understandable since Doute-samaâs lie went off perfectly again!!â
âDoute-samaâs the most infamous liar in the entire Tontatta Tribe!!â
âThatâs right!! Iâm the wickedest one in the Tontatta Tribe!! Fooled you, didnât I!? It wasnât upâit was down!!! ââOh, and thereâs a hundred berries on the ground over there!!â
âWhat!? Where!?â
âThatâs mine!!â
âNo, itâs mine!!â
âWait⊠I donât see anything!?â
The dwarves all began frantically searching the floor around them at Douteâs sudden declaration. Watching them, Doute broke into a smug smile.
âââIt was a lie!!!â
âEhhhhh!!?â
âNo way⊠it was a lie!?â
âShe tricked us again!!! Thatâs our Doute-sama!!!â
âDoute-samaâs the greatest liar in the world!! Weâll do our best to live up to her example!!â
ââŠA lieâŠ?â
Hancock murmured, not quite sure what to make of their exchange. The moment she did, the dwarves all snapped their heads up to glare at her.
âYou think it was a lie, donât you!?â
âIt wasnât a lie!! Doute-sama is the best liar in the Beasts Pirates!!â
âThatâs right!! And as proof, even her laugh is a lie!! Isnât that right, Doute-sama!?â
âWhaâ!? Uh, y-yeah, thatâs right!! Hah, haâUu-so, uso, uso, usoâŠ!!â
âListen to that!! Thatâs Doute-samaâs laugh!!â
âThatâs our Doute-sama!!â
âU-uso, uso, uuuuso⊠T-This is just how I laugh naturallyâŠ!â
(Thatâs obviously a lieâŠ)
Seeing Doute force an awkward, fake laugh with a twitching smile and a blue face, both Page One and Hancock silently commented in their minds. The dwarves, however, remained completely convinced and continued to praise her. It made one question whether she was really strong or notâbut as a confirmed Devil Fruit user and Haki wielder, there was no denying her actual strength.
âWhat are you doing, Doute, meh?â
â! Oh, r-right!! Thanks for asking!! I was just hauling in lumber from outside, thatâs all!! Are you showing the newbies around over there!?â
âNue-san told me to⊠Kaido-san wants them to be shown around before he returns.â
âI see!! Well then, Iâll be off!!âOr not, I wonât be off!!â
âEhh!? Youâre not leaving!?â
âââThat was a lie!!!â
âEhhhhh!!? Another lie!?â
âShe tricked us againâŠâŠ!!!â
And so, with that same old back-and-forth, Doute and the group of dwarves scurried off beneath Hancock and the othersâ feet, disappearing down the corridor. Unsure of how to even react to what just happened, Hancock paused, then confirmed:
ââŠSheâs a Headliner too, isnât she.â
ââŠShe may not look like it, but sheâs strong. Come on, letâs keep moving.â
âNext stopâs the mansion, meh.â
The air was still a bit light-hearted as they climbed the stairs and emerged into a large, open courtyard. Hancock gave her honest impression.
âSo weâve finally reached something resembling a buildingâŠâ
âThis place is used for banquets and such. Itâs basically a courtyard, but from here, everythingâs pretty accessible. Even the hall where youâll meet Kaido is just aheadâââ
âGyaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!â
â!!?â
"âHuh!? A person!?"
âWhat the hell!? Scared the crap outta me!! Who the hell blasted someone all the way down here!? Iâll beat âem to death!!â
Just as Page One and Ulti were about to cross the plaza, a thunderous crash eruptedâand from above, a man came crashing down through the upper wall, slamming into the ground before them, bloodied and barely conscious. He looked like a pirate. But why he was falling like that, covered in blood, was anyoneâs guess.
Ulti immediately snapped, but Hancock and the others turned their attention to the upper level where the sound had come from. What just happened? They had no way of knowing.
â! âHey, sis! Donât!!â
âHmm? Whatâs got you so panicked, Pe-tan? Youâre acting likeâahh, I see what this is about.â
But the Beasts Pirates present did understand. There were only a handful of people capable of launching someone through the walls of a castle. And only one who would actually do it without hesitation.
All signs pointed to the same individual. A massive shadow loomed over the plaza, growing larger by the second.
â!!!â
â!?â
Thenâwith a thunderous crashâthe figure landed. Hancock and the others could only stare in stunned silence.
Before them stood a giant of a man, holding a spiked kanabo soaked in blood.
Two large horns rose from his headâjust like the ones on the Beasts Piratesâ jolly roger. A tattoo snaked around his left arm. A jagged scar marked his right abdomen. His body radiated raw, brutal strength.
He was nearly ten meters tall. Overflowing with Conquerorâs Haki and an overwhelming presence. They all knew exactly who this was. Page One muttered the name.
â...Kaido-san. What the hell happened? Whoâs this guy...?â
âHuh? Page One, Ulti...â
âKaido-sama!! Welcome back, meh!!â
âYeah... Right, Nue said she came back... after killing those Celestial Dragon bastards... Damn it, I shouldâve gone too...!!!â
âKaido of the Beasts.
One of the Four Emperors, rulers of the sea in this era of piracy. The pirate feared as the Strongest Creature Alive stood right before them.
Everything about him radiated dangerâhe looked more monstrous than any man Hancock had ever seen.
Hancock and the others instinctively froze, faces pale. But they had no reason to be ashamed.
Most who stand before Kaido for the first time react that way. Few ever lay eyes on a true emperor of the sea, but when they do, even the strongest pirates feel their resolve crumbleâor abandon hope entirely.
âWhatâs got you all riled up...?â
âListen to this shit!!! That bastard couldnât even deliver his cut, went off on his own, and then had the gall to lose to one of Linlinâs underlings before crawling back here...!!! Iâm pissed... Losing to one of that old hagâs crew...!! I ainât letting this slideâIâm gonna kill him!!!â
âYeah... looks like heâs from her fleet, alright...â Page One said, glancing down at the pirate passed out and rolling around in the dirt, eyes white.
Hancock and the others still couldnât move. Even Page One, who shouldâve been used to this, looked subtly tense. And those who knew him could tell exactly whyâKaido was drunk.
Within the Beasts Pirates, it was common knowledge. A drunk Kaido was terrifying.
When sober, you could reason with him. But when drunk? He acted on impulse. Sometimes that meant executing his own men, or laying waste to entire territories in a fit of rage.
The fact that heâd gone off alone was already a red flag. The fact that he was still drunk even after coming back was even rarer.
Maybe that pirate had said something that ticked him off furtherâwhatever it was, Page One now seriously resented the poor fool for making things worse. What a damn pain...
Yet amidst all that, one person showed zero fear of the drunken Kaido, and had the nerve to snap back.
âYou drunk, meh? Kaido-sama?â
âYou idiot!! I ainât drunk!! âHic!â
âYouâre totally drunk!!â
ââHey! Sis!!!â
Page One panicked and tried to rein Ulti in. Please donât provoke him, his face screamed.
Hancock and the others jumped instinctively, then gawked at Ulti in shock.
âHuh...? Whoâre they?â
âOh... (Thank god, heâs not mad) Theyâre the newbies.â
âNewbies...?â
â!!â
Kaidoâs eyes snapped toward Hancock and her group, and a chill ran down their spines.
It felt like being stared down by a sea kingâor worse. An instinctual fear tore through them.
They understood. If Kaido decided to kill them right now, they wouldnât even have the chance to resist.
This man was a monster, through and through. Hancock and her sisters had thought Nue was a terror beyond comprehensionâbut Kaido was something else entirely.
Nue was a mysteryâan enigma cloaked in unease. But Kaido was the embodiment of fear itself. Violence and destruction, walking in human form.
And now that was sizing them up. They focused every ounce of their nerves on him, waiting. The silence stretched, long and unbearable, until Kaido finally spoke.
A simple, almost casual comment.
âOh right... Nue mentioned bringing âem in... but where the hell is that damn Nue!?â
ââRight here!!!â
"! Nue-sanâŠ!!"
"Kyaa⥠It's been, like, so long, Nue-sama!!"
At that moment, a small shadow came flying down from above.
The one who landed in front of Kaido was none other than Nue.
Seeing her, Hancock and the others unconsciously let out a breath of relief. It wasn't just because she was someone they knewâsomeone who had helped them. It was also because they understood what it meant to have someone who could speak to Kaido on equal footing. For the first time, they could relate to the crew of the Beasts Pirates.
"Hey, Nue!! What the hellâs with these brats!!?"
"Theyâre new blood!! Itâs the three sistersâMarigold-chan, the youngest, Sandersonia-chan, the middle child, and the eldest, Hancock-chan!! All of them already use Haki at their age, and theyâve got Devil Fruit powers too! I figured Iâd introduce them since theyâve got potential!!"
"! WorororoâŠ!! I see⊠yeah, I thought they had some fire in their eyesâŠ!! Especially that black-haired oneâŠ!!!"
"!! âŠI'm Hancock."
She almost slipped into formal speechâbut swallowed it down. Everyone theyâd met here so far didnât seem like the type to serve or obey anyone. And now Hancock understood why.
But she couldnât back down. If she did, that would be the endâsheâd be dominated.
They had sworn never to be ruled again. Especially not by men.
So, pressing down her trembling hand, Hancock met Kaidoâs gaze head-on and gave her name.
Seeing that, Kaido grinned, lips curling upward.
"Wororo⊠Hancock, huh. Iâll remember that name. If youâre strong, youâre more than welcome."
"Hancock-chanâs gonna be really strong!! Thatâs why Iâm personally training her!! And one day, sheâll lead her own pirate crew and join our ranks!! Isnât that a great plan?âĄ"
"Youâve got a whole country too!? Are you royalty or something!?"
"Amazon Lily!!"
"! Ohh⊠that Amazon Lily, huh⊠not bad!! If thatâs the case, do as you please!! Worororo!!! Youâre welcome here!! Wanna drink!? Letâs throw a party!!"
"âŠI appreciate the offer⊠but Iâm not in the mood for that right nowâŠ"
"Tch, no fun!! Worororo!!! But hey, we got new recruits! Thatâs something to celebrate!! Oi, Nue!! Letâs drink!!"
"Drink, drink~!! Party time, party!! A power-up celebration party!!!"
"Eh!!? Nue-san!! We just had the Golden Kagura feast the other dayâŠ!!"
"Idiot!! Pei-tan!! What kind of pirate doesnât drink when they want to!? Thatâs nonsense!!"
"Ugh, Iâm sorryâŠ!! âHey! Get the banquet ready!! Orders from Kaido-san and Nue-san!!!"
"Yes maâam!! Weâll prepare it right away!!"
"Fufuun!! Tonight weâre watching the footage from my guerilla concert in Mary Geoise and Iâll be debuting my new song~~â«"
"Nue-samaâs new song!! Itâs divineeee!! Too divineee!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
âW-What do we do, SisterâŠ?â
"I-Itâs turning into a party, isnât itâŠ?"
"âŠâŠLooks like thereâs no escaping it."
As Kaido and Nue suddenly fired up the preparations for a banquet, Hancock and her sisters realized that avoiding the drinking was no longer an option. Their faces turned grim.
They had no choice but to treat this as another trial on the path to becoming stronger under the Beasts Pirates. If they were going to be here for a year or two, theyâd have to get used to it. Hancock now understoodâKaido was at least as much of a monster as Nue. Avoiding contact wouldâve been ideal, but that was already off the table. Thanks to Nue introducing them and Kaido remembering her name, there was no turning back.
From now on, Hancock and her sisters would grow stronger here, under the Beasts Pirates. That resolve hadnât wavered. Compared to their time as slaves, this was still a better life. And so, wedged between Kaido and Nue, they took part in the banquet.
ââThough Hancock and the others didnât yet know.
ââThat the true terror of the Beasts Pirates had only just begun.
ââAnd that soon, due to a single comment, an unprecedented disaster would eruptâsomething none of them couldâve foreseen.
And that comment wasâŠ
âNow that I think about it, everyone hereâs siblings, right!? Letâs have the top three drink together!!â
ââEldestââŠ? Oi, Nue, youâre the little sister, arenât you!!? If weâre going by oldest sibling, thatâd make me the top!!â
"âŠâŠâŠâŠHuh?"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠThe hell did you just say?"
ââAnd that was when Hancock and the others learned:
The most terrifying disaster within the Beasts PiratesâŠ
âŠwas a sibling quarrel between the âBeastâ and the âMonster.â
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