Darkness…
Endless darkness!
The darkness seemed to have existed for an eternity, yet it also felt as if it had just appeared. In this boundless darkness, the concept of time seemed nonexistent.
Suddenly, a speck of white appeared at the distant end of the darkness.
It was a faint glimmer, lively and vivid, slowly blooming within the darkness, gradually transforming into a vivid scene…
In the sky, heavenly lightning ignited earthly fire as a man and a dragon clashed in a fierce battle.
Until a dazzling white light flashed, and the dragon's blood spilled across the sky.
The dragon-slayer stood tall in the sky, slowly turning his head, his crimson eyes piercing and captivating.
"Mr. Kaido… Mr. Kaido!!"
King stared in disbelief at the dragon, reaching out as if to catch him, then suddenly sat up from the bed, realizing he was in an elegant Japanese-style room.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled through the window, warming the bedding.
King looked down at his body, where the wounds inflicted by Caesar were now completely healed, not even a scar remained!
"What happened to me…"
"Oho! You're finally awake!"
With a loud bang, the door was kicked open, and Queen's massive figure appeared in the doorway.
As soon as he saw King, Queen pointed at him and couldn't wait to mock him: "Hahahaha! I heard about it, King! You, this useless fool… actually lost to that brat Caesar!"
His exaggerated laughter was unrestrained, making the entire room buzz.
Although both were part of the Three All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates, their relationship was far from harmonious.
This time, King had suffered a great loss at Caesar's hands, and Queen had been waiting at the door for a long time, just so he could mock King the moment he woke up.
"I'm indeed no longer his match."
In response to Queen's mockery, King only fell silent for a brief moment, showing no sign of anger: "But since you say so, then before he challenges Mr. Kaido, you can be his opponent."
As soon as he finished speaking, Queen's laughter abruptly stopped. A bead of sweat appeared on his forehead, his mouth slightly agape, and the cigar in his mouth silently fell to the ground.
"What kind of joke is that? Why should I have to fight someone like that?!"
"Aren't you Mr. Kaido's right-hand man? Your strength far surpasses mine. You're not lacking confidence in your own abilities, are you?"
"Well… in terms of strength, I'm indeed not as good as you. After all, I'm a researcher."
Queen pinched his chin, analyzing as if it were a serious matter, then nodded firmly as if to affirm some belief: "Yes, that's right!"
King nodded in understanding: "So you're lacking confidence in your skills."
"Grr…"
Queen gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, his teeth grinding audibly: "Fine, fine, just you wait!"
With that, he turned and left, as if he had made some kind of determination.
"Lord King…"
Ayun appeared at the doorway, bowing respectfully to King.
"You're Caesar's maid, right?"
King sat up: "Where is Caesar?"
"Lord Caesar is currently having dinner with General Yamato. I am the steward of the General's residence. If you have any needs, please feel free to let me know."
Ayun's tone was neither humble nor overbearing, but her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
As the saying goes, when one man achieves enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.
In the past, she was just an ordinary geisha under Black Maria, living a life of entertaining others with her beauty.
But ever since she became Caesar's maid, as Caesar's strength grew and his status changed, her position also rose accordingly, eventually landing her the role of steward in the General's mansion.
It was Caesar who changed her life, lifting her from a humble existence akin to an ant.
Who would have thought that in such a short time, even this person would be no match for Caesar...
Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen the face beneath that mask—he's actually quite handsome!
No, I can't let my thoughts wander. I represent the dignity of Caesar and General Yamato. I must stay composed!
"I... am hungry."
King, with his Observation Haki, detected her thoughts and spoke expressionlessly.
His Observation Haki wasn't the mind-reading type, but it wasn't difficult for him to probe the thoughts of an ordinary person like Ayun.
In the past, anyone who saw his face would undoubtedly meet their end.
But this one is Caesar's person...
"Please wait a moment, sir..."
Ayun bowed and retreated to prepare the food.
King remained motionless, simply standing there in silence.
A few minutes later, a sudden roar echoed from the distance!
"Let's settle this, Jin Caesar! If I win, hand over Kozuki Hiyori without a fight!"
A few more minutes passed, and then a massive slash, a hundred meters long, shot past the window at incredible speed, followed by Queen's agonized scream from afar.
"It hurts!! Ahhh, damn it!!!"
"Hmph, fool..."
Having achieved the desired outcome, King finally allowed a satisfied smile to creep onto his lips.
The result was exactly as he had anticipated—that fool was instantly defeated by Caesar the moment they clashed.
It wasn't that Queen was weak; it was just that Caesar's speed was too overwhelming, so fast that even Foresight couldn't react in time, let alone that fatso Queen.
That guy relied too much on technology, and his Haki was rather limited. To Caesar, he was nothing more than a slightly more durable punching bag.
After finishing his meal, King dressed and left the room.
He made his way to the courtyard, where Yamato was crouched by the pond, holding a sparkler in her hand.
The bright light illuminated her beautiful face, and the white-haired girl looked like an elf in the night.
Caesar and Robin sat on the veranda, with a tray of fruit wine and watermelon placed between them. Noticing King's arrival, Caesar shook his small wine cup.
"Feeling rested? Care for a drink?"
"Not my taste."
King shook his head. "What happened to my injuries?"
Caesar chuckled. "Devil Fruit ability. With me around, you'd find it hard to die."
In this battle, King had indeed come close to death.
The clash of two types of Haki, that single slash—when Caesar found him, his intestines were spilling out, the ribs on his right side were completely shattered, and his body was barely held together by his spine. He was just one breath away from death.
If it weren't for his abundant life force, he might have already been locked in a life-or-death struggle with Kaidou...
But this also made Caesar realize something: the Vampire's healing ability wasn't just about recovering from injuries—it could also regenerate organs!
The main reason he was so certain was that while treating King's injuries, he discovered that King had lost a kidney.
And then Caesar watched as that kidney grew back!
If even the Thralls possess such a strong recovery ability, then he, the Vampire himself, is undoubtedly even more formidable.
"Thank you."
King remained silent for a moment, seemingly struggling to find the right words, but eventually spoke honestly.
"When do you plan to challenge Mr. Kaido?"
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/GoddessTL
Thanks!