Kairos Flint's strength was, without a doubt, extraordinarily powerful.
But in the end, it all came down to his strange Devil Fruit ability.
Mysterious stone tablets would emerge from his body, each one brimming with various mystical powers—powers that felt utterly bizarre. Under normal circumstances, a Devil Fruit user could only wield a single ability. No one had ever heard of someone possessing more than a dozen different powers. It was like a chaotic mix, an anomaly even among anomalies.
Kaido had never heard of a Devil Fruit like this.
But as Katakuri had said, Devil Fruit users always had two key weaknesses: seawater and seastone.
Once exposed to these, they became completely powerless. And while certain types of special training could help mitigate the effects, the original power of the Devil Fruit would still be significantly weakened. This meant their overall strength would drop dramatically.
Kaido was completely certain: if Kairos Flint lost access to his strange Devil Fruit abilities, the battlefield would instantly become his domain.
When it came to physical prowess alone, Kaido believed himself to be the strongest in the world—unmatched by anyone.
If Kairos Flint couldn't rely on his Devil Fruit, he'd be reduced to nothing. He would be left begging for mercy, and Kaido could finally exact his long-awaited revenge.
As for whether Kairos would actually agree to be Charlotte Linlin's husband... well, Kaido couldn't care less.
And so, after hearing Katakuri's analysis and the proposed plan, Charlotte Linlin immediately broke into a broad smile.
"What a brilliant idea, what a brilliant idea!" she exclaimed. "I'll have someone forge a pair of seastone handcuffs right away. Once I lure Kairos Flint close enough, I'll slap those cuffs on him and demand he marry me."
Charlotte was delighted.
Kaido also grinned. At long last, Charlotte Linlin had finally come around. She was ready to work together.
"Then it's settled—we officially form an alliance now," Kaido said, already dreaming of the wine he'd drink once Kairos was defeated. "Once we finalize the plan, we go straight to him and settle the score."
Charlotte nodded in agreement.
If Katakuri's plan was to work, it required both Kaido and Linlin's full cooperation. Together, they could overpower Kairos. With that settled, the Big Mom Pirates and the Beast Pirates formally allied.
Meanwhile, outside Charlotte Linlin's castle, a tiny fly perched on a windowpane, listening to every word.
In a nearby room, the original residents of the house had been slaughtered, their corpses tossed aside.
The man controlling the fly smiled wickedly.
"Looks like something interesting is about to happen," he muttered before pulling out a Den Den Mushi and placing a call.
Holy Land Mariejois – Five Elders' Conference Room
Zambalong V. Nashou Lang Sheng took a slow sip of tea.
Suddenly, the phone in his pocket buzzed loudly.
He picked it up quickly.
"Lord Five Elders," came the voice from the other side. "I've infiltrated Totto Land and obtained critical intelligence."
"Oh? Let's hear it," said Saint Shepard Ten Peter, lifting his head with curiosity.
The Five Elders were well aware of the rumors surrounding Morgans' latest report. Supposedly, Kaido had been defeated by Charlotte Linlin. That alone was enough to raise their eyebrows.
Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were on equal footing at best. How could she possibly defeat him?
Moreover, both were known subordinates of the legendary pirate Cross. It made no sense for them to be fighting, let alone trying to kill each other. Up until now, they'd coexisted peacefully in their respective territories.
This sudden upheaval reeked of conspiracy.
That's why the Five Elders had dispatched agents from CP to investigate the truth behind the incident in Totto Land.
Ever since Kairos Flint emerged, the world had shifted into a state of delicate instability. Everything seemed to be spiraling beyond the World Government's control.
Now more than ever, they needed to track the movements of Kairos Flint and the Four Emperors.
The voice from the phone bug spoke again.
"Reporting in: Kaido was not defeated by Charlotte Linlin—he was defeated by Kairos Flint. One of his arms was severed in the process."
"Kairos again?!" exclaimed Saint Markasmus, his brow furrowing sharply.
Saint Jegarcia Saturn leaned forward, his voice calm but tense. "Explain. What exactly happened?"
"Kaido tried to commit suicide," the agent reported. "But in doing so, he accidentally landed on Kairos Flint's ship. The encounter quickly escalated into battle, and it wasn't even close—Kairos dominated him."
"In the end, Kaido fled for his life and drifted aimlessly until he washed up here."
Topman Warcury crossed his arms and said gravely, "That Kairos Flint... first he defeated Whitebeard, now Kaido. The speed at which his power has grown is astonishing."
"And it's all thanks to that strange Devil Fruit of his."
Warcury rubbed his forehead in frustration.
In the eight hundred years of the World Government's rule, they had cataloged countless Devil Fruits.
Yet not one of their records mentioned a fruit like the one Kairos possessed—a fruit capable of using stone tablets and granting such a wide variety of powers.
Could this be a newly born Devil Fruit?
Worse, even the female Devil Fruit users surrounding Kairos exhibited abilities that were completely unrecorded. The Five Elders had no idea what they were dealing with.
This revelation made them realize a terrifying truth: the information they had gathered over centuries had gaping holes.
Everyone in the room nodded grimly.
They had no choice but to attribute Kairos Flint's meteoric rise to the mysterious Devil Fruit he had consumed.
"It seems that in addition to the Nika Fruit, another terrifying fruit has emerged in this world," said Saint Markasmus coldly. "This Kairos Flint is like a cancer. We must find a way to eliminate him."
The wounds left by Kairos' victories had humiliated the World Government. They wouldn't sit idly by any longer.