Inside Iron Shield City, the general had no choice but to dispatch his sword masters and martial arts elites. Guns and cannons were useless against this monstrous soldier. Their only hope lay in powerful fighters.
Kaido kept pounding at the city gate with his bare hands, ignoring the rain of bullets and cannon shells. His body, like a living fortress, withstood it all. The more he was shot, the angrier and more feral he became. Veins bulged across his arms, and with a thunderous crack, the city gate finally shattered.
The Vodka Kingdom soldiers surged forward, unleashing a brutal assault. All they needed was to rush into the city, pillage every bit of treasure, and send it to the gods as tribute. Once that was done, the war would end, and they'd get a year of peace—until it started all over again next year.
Suddenly, the battlefield was cast into shadow. Even Kaido paused and glanced skyward.
Floating above them was a sight that could silence any war—the legendary Golden Island had appeared in the sky.
"Hahahaha~! Brook, is this what passes for war these days? None of these guys even knows how to use Haki! What a damn joke!"
Golden Lion Shiki burst into laughter, looking down on the battlefield like ants scrambling in the dirt.
"You're one to talk, Shiki. Back before you entered the New World, you didn't know Haki either!"
Brook smirked, eyes focused on the demon-like youth below.
"Still, that Oni kid's got potential. He might be on par with you four!"
Brook's eyes gleamed. That beastly youth—Kaido—was exactly what he was looking for to complete his Four Emperors card collection. If he could one day recruit Red-Haired Shanks, even the World Government would think twice before picking a fight with him.
The battlefield fell silent at the sudden appearance of Golden Island. The Vodka Kingdom soldiers were practically shaking from excitement. If they could seize this floating treasure trove, their nation would never again worry about paying tribute to the Celestial Dragons.
But the generals felt nothing but dread.
That floating island belonged to the Hell Pirates, one of the Four Overlords of the New World.
What the hell were such monsters doing here?
Panic set in instantly.
"Retreat! Sound the horns! Get everyone out of here now!"
Even though Kaido had just smashed the city gate, the general wasn't willing to risk staying—not with Hell Pirates looming above.
If they stayed too long, those monsters might start slaughtering both sides—and nobody would survive.
Kaido's face twisted in fury when he heard the retreat signal.
"I just risked my life and smashed open the damn gates! The hell do you mean, retreat?!"
Unwilling to let the opportunity go to waste, Kaido charged into Iron Shield City alone, swinging his mace and crushing the enemy soldiers. If the cowardly general was going to abandon the loot, then Kaido would claim it all for himself.
Most of the Vodka warriors pulled back quickly upon hearing the horn. Some rookies hesitated, torn between orders and fear.
Meanwhile, the defenders of Iron Shield City realized the horned demon hadn't left with the others. He was still wrecking everything in sight, ignoring the golden island floating above.
They surrounded him at once.
Back at Vodka HQ, the officers were furious.
"General, Kaido is ignoring direct orders and charging in solo. That's a capital offense!"
One of the adjutants was fuming. The army had zero tolerance for disobedience—especially during battle.
"Such a shame," the general sighed, watching Kaido go berserk.
"He could've been one of our strongest assets. But no one survives after offending the Hell Pirates... we must prioritize the army."
On the Golden Island, Brook watched the scene unfold with surprise.
He hadn't expected their appearance alone to make Vodka's army retreat.
"Looks like we underestimated our own reputation."
"Gurarara~ That kid's reckless, but damn, he's got balls," Whitebeard Newgate grinned.
"He reminds me of myself in my younger days."
Redfield watched Kaido closely. The boy was still holding his ground, mace in hand, surrounded by masters of both sword and martial arts.
Even with bullets flying, Kaido showed no signs of backing down.
But it was only a matter of time—he'd either run out of stamina or get overwhelmed.
Inside Iron Shield City, panic was spreading. The Vodka army had left, but the real threat—the Hell Pirates—was still watching.
Count Iron Shield, one of Valoran Kingdom's strongest ministers, was sweating bullets.
Even with military strength on par with a Rear Admiral, he had no intention of picking a fight with these demons.
"Quick! Find out immediately—has anyone in our city offended the Hell Pirates?!"
His heart was pounding. He didn't know what they wanted, but if he had accidentally pissed them off, the entire city could be wiped out.
"My Lord, none of our people have ever seen anyone from the Hell Pirates, let alone offended them,"
the adjutant reported quickly.
But another officer stepped forward, looking nervous.
"Sir, Master Nas mentioned seeing the Hell Pirates at Sabaody Archipelago—the same day they killed those Celestial Dragons. Not long after, those two rich men became our military suppliers… through your personal recommendation. And I heard they even gifted you a mermaid."
He pulled out bounty posters—Fishman Tom: 180 million berries. Fisher Tiger: 20 million berries.
"Wait... are you saying this mermaid might be related to them?!"
Count Iron Shield's face twitched in horror.
Could it really be? Had they kidnapped a relative of the Hell Pirates?
If so, his idiot son was about to drag their entire house into the Underworld.
"NOW! Get that bastard Nas to bring the mermaid here—return her to them immediately! We must beg for forgiveness before it's too late!"
Count Iron Shield was losing it. The Golden Island hadn't moved. The longer it stayed, the more it felt like a death sentence.
Back above, Brook and the others were still fixated on Kaido.
His brutal strength and insane endurance were nothing short of monstrous.
"Brother Brook, Kaido's a beast. No one else has a body like that, not even Linlin."
Shiki the Golden Lion nodded seriously.
"He's got the blood of a rare race. He's a born warrior just like Tiger ."
Just then, the young Fisher Tiger—who had just turned nine—heard the big shots he respected praising Kaido.
A fire lit up in his chest.
He clenched his fists. No one had ever praised him like that.
---------------------
The residence of Earl Ironshield.
Viscount Nass stood in front of a massive transparent fish tank, admiring the beautiful mermaid inside. He tossed in a few small fish to feed her, but the mermaid just cowered in the corner, clearly terrified, with no intention of eating.
Seeing this, Viscount Nass ordered his subordinates to bring him the mermaid care manual provided by the auction house. After flipping through it, he realized—mermaids don't eat fish.
Mermaids don't eat meat or fish. At most, they consume shellfish like clams. Their diet mainly consists of seabed fruits, kelp dishes, and various cakes and desserts.
Frustrated, Nass turned around and chucked the desserts from his table into the tank. They floated on the water's surface, making the clear water murky. That only irritated Nass more.
"This isn't fun at all. It's nothing like I imagined. Mermaids can't even entertain themselves!"
Suddenly, his butler burst in, panicked.
"Master Nass, bad news! The count called—he's demanding you send the mermaid to the battlefield immediately, or he swears he'll kill you himself when he returns!"
The butler was pale with fear. The Count of Ironshield was fuming. His voice over the Den Den Mushi carried terrifying intent, and just hearing it nearly gave the butler a heart attack.
"What?? Father wants to kill me? No way! I'm his only son—he couldn't possibly do that!"
Nass refused to believe it. He snatched the Den Den Mushi and called back. The line connected instantly, and before he could speak, the furious voice of Count Ironshield roared through.
"You idiot! Get that damn mermaid over here NOW or I'll kill you myself! You sent me this cursed thing—what the hell were you thinking?! I don't need a son like you. GET LOST!"
Nass had been ready to argue, but his father's explosive rage froze him in place. His face turned pale, panic creeping in.
"F-Father… what's happening? I-I know I messed up… can't I make it right? Don't be mad…"
He trembled as he spoke. If his father disowned him, he'd be worthless—easy prey for the many enemies he'd made by abusing his power, stealing women, and lording his status around.
"I'm warning you—if that mermaid isn't here within the hour, I'll kill you myself!"
The Count hung up, not wasting another second. He could only pray the terrifying pirates of the Hell Pirates wouldn't act just yet.
Nass nearly collapsed on the spot but snapped into action. He shouted at the butler to bring a large barrel, fill it with water, and shove the mermaid inside.
Then he summoned every thug and guard in the estate. With a horse-drawn carriage hauling the water-filled barrel, they charged toward the city wall at full speed—plowing through the streets and causing chaos along the way. Nass didn't care how many people got hurt. All that mattered was obeying his father before it was too late.
---
Atop Ironshield City's wall
The Count of Ironshield, after his outburst, stood staring at Golden Island floating ominously in the sky. Fear and regret churned inside him.
"Please… just give me a little more time… let me atone…"
But the Hell Pirates weren't concerned with his worries. All eyes were on the fierce battle raging below, led by the demon youth—Kaido.
With his terrifying brute strength, Kaido swung his spiked club with reckless power. Not even the elite warriors of Ironshield City could get close. As a member of the Oni race, Kaido's natural durability made him practically immune to bullets and cannons. Combined with his monstrous physique, he could fight nonstop without tiring.
Surrounded by enemies, Kaido didn't flinch. In fact, he got more fired up. The scent of blood drove him wild. Beating stronger opponents would only make him stronger—and he wasn't about to miss a chance to grab some treasure.
Even in the barracks, I barely eat enough to survive. That's not nearly enough for me to grow stronger. I need more food and more money—gotta feed myself!
"RAAAH!! DIE!!"
With a ferocious roar, Kaido smashed his club down. A swordsman tried to block—but the blow shattered the blade into pieces and sent the fragments straight into the man's chest. The poor soul flew back, crashed into a building, and lay there, dying.
The soldiers witnessing the scene were terrified. Even a martial artist, geared with elbow pads and decent strength, hesitated after watching his fellow warrior get annihilated in one hit.
He gulped. His strength wasn't much different from the swordsman's… meaning if he got hit, he'd die too. This beastly soldier was a monster.
Even more shocking—he noticed the cuts left on Kaido earlier had already healed. How the hell was he supposed to fight something like that?
Why hasn't the Count stepped in yet? The strongest man in Ironshield City… what's he waiting for?! Are we just going to let this horned freak butcher everyone?!
Without someone to pin Kaido down, the martial artist didn't dare go on the offensive. That hesitation gave Kaido total freedom.
He bulldozed into the city, smashing enemies and looting as he went. He raided shops, devouring any food he could find and stuffing any berries or treasure into his pockets.
"Gurarara~… This kid's just like me back in the day. Always scared of being broke and starving."
Whitebeard chuckled as he watched Kaido's rampage, a bittersweet smile on his face. He saw himself in the boy—a desperate youth just trying to survive.
The others stayed quiet.
Shakky, who'd grown up around Sabaody, had never suffered true hunger. Fisher Tiger, raised in the slums of Fishman District, understood all too well—fighting and stealing were daily life.
Redfield had noble blood. Shiki was powerful from the start. Big Mom had Sister Carmel and Streusen —food and safety had never been issues. Most of them lived better lives and never knew what starvation felt like.
Count Ironshield, seeing the horned warrior recklessly wrecking his city, clenched his fists. If Golden Island hadn't been hovering overhead as a threat, he would've already stormed down to kill the bastard himself!
"Get the iron nets and anesthetics! Take him down!"
This guy was a problem—swords didn't work, bullets bounced off him. The Count gave the order to his adjutant: catch the beast alive.
He was already deep in enemy territory. As far as the Count was concerned, Kaido was a turtle in a jar—easy to trap with the right plan.
Kaido kept rampaging, looting everything in sight. When he finally felt full and his pockets were heavy with stolen berries, he turned and prepared to retreat to the barracks.
He was more than satisfied with his little adventure. He'd crushed a strong enemy, eaten his fill, and scored enough loot to live comfortably for a while.
But the city had other plans.
"Think you can just walk outta here? Not a chance!"
The Count adjutant and his team arrived, launching a massive iron net over Kaido while pelting him with tranquilizer darts and smoke bombs.
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