Big Mom's gaze lingered on the newspaper for a moment longer, her eyes narrowed as she mulled over the mention of King. She had asked Kaido for King many times, even clashing with him in several fierce battles, but Kaido had never relented. Each time, her attempts to take the elusive right-hand man of the Beasts Pirates had failed, leaving her seething with frustration.
Quietly, she muttered a few curses under her breath, resenting Kaido for his stubborn refusal. But Big Mom didn't dwell on the thought for long; she preferred not to let anything spoil her enjoyment of the exquisite spread of pastries and sweets laid before her. With a greedy lick of her lips, she began devouring the treats, stuffing one in each hand, her eyes gleaming with delight as she lost herself in her snack.
Watching his mother with slight dismay, her eldest son, Perospero, had the fleeting urge to remind her to maintain a bit more composure in front of her children. As the eldest, he often felt responsible for setting an example, a role that his younger brother Katakuri had managed to fulfill effortlessly. However, as Big Mom continued eating, Perospero's resolve faltered. He couldn't quite summon the courage to interrupt her feast. He sighed inwardly, his competitiveness with Katakuri simmering beneath the surface.
Katakuri, seated a few places away, observed Perospero's dilemma but said nothing. He understood his brother's conflicted feelings; there was no animosity between them, only a desire to prove themselves to their powerful mother. He respected Perospero's loyalty and knew that, while his brother harbored a competitive spirit, it wasn't malicious. After a moment, Katakuri's gaze shifted back to the newspaper, specifically to the story of Luffy, the young Marine who had taken down Jack.
The kid is only thirteen, Katakuri thought, genuinely impressed. A Marine with such talent is bound to become a problem one day. I'd better warn my siblings.
Without hesitation, he called over his brothers Daifuku and Oven, along with the other Sweet Commanders, Cracker, Smoothie, and the rest of his siblings. They listened attentively as he cautioned them, his tone serious.
"If you ever encounter this boy, Luffy, don't underestimate him. He may be young, but he's already done things that many veteran Marines would struggle with. Treat him as a serious threat," he warned, his usually calm gaze holding a note of intensity.
His siblings exchanged glances, a few of them appearing skeptical, but most nodded, trusting Katakuri's judgment. Even those who initially dismissed the idea took his warning seriously; Katakuri's word carried weight, and his ability to foresee the future had rarely been wrong. Luffy's name was added to a growing list of enemies they knew better than to provoke without careful consideration.
Meanwhile, the Red-Haired Pirates, led by Shanks, might have commented on the news, but their ship was strangely silent. The entire crew was still passed out from a night of revelry, the remnants of their raucous celebration scattered across the deck. When the news bird arrived with the morning paper, it spotted the exact change lying in wait—a few crumpled coins—and flew off after leaving the paper behind, knowing the Red-Haired Pirates wouldn't wake anytime soon.
Back in the lair of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido's reaction to the news was anything but calm. As soon as he read the report, he erupted, his booming voice echoing through the fortress.
"The Marines! They dared to take out Jack!" he roared, his hands tightening around the newspaper, nearly shredding it in his grasp. "And Jack, that fool! I sent him for the Devil Fruit, not to go looking for a fight with the Marines! He had it coming!"
Kaido's fury showed no signs of abating as he slammed his fist onto the table, causing it to shatter under the force of his blow. His lieutenant, King, watched the outburst with his usual stoic expression, stepping forward to report on what he'd learned.
"Kaido-sama," King began, his voice steady and calm, "I confirmed with Doflamingo that Jack's altercation with the Marines was indeed instigated by him. Doflamingo provoked Jack into challenging them."
At this, Kaido's eyes blazed with a renewed anger. "That snake, Joker!" he snarled. "I haven't even seen the promised Devil Fruit, and now I've lost one of my most trusted men because of him!"
He clenched his fists, his tiger-like eyes fixated on King. "What's he got to say for himself? How does he plan to make this right?"
King remained unperturbed, meeting Kaido's intense gaze. "He expressed his deepest apologies and has offered to take full responsibility. He's willing to compensate with twenty artificial Devil Fruits."
Kaido let out a low, menacing growl. "Twenty? Does he really think Jack's life is worth a handful of defective fruits?" Rising from his seat, he grabbed his massive mace, its iron spikes glinting ominously. His eyes narrowed as he continued, his voice dangerously calm.
"Tell him I want twenty genuine Devil Fruits. And on top of that, one hundred of those artificial fruits. I'll be there in three days to collect them myself. If he can't deliver, he'd better prepare to face my wrath!"
King nodded solemnly, bowing slightly before stepping back. He quickly set about organizing the crew, instructing them to prepare the ships. Before leaving, he personally called Doflamingo, conveying Kaido's message word-for-word. The tension was thick as everyone scrambled to comply, not wanting to be the target of Kaido's fury.
Watching King leave, Queen took a long drag of his cigar, blowing the smoke out as he regarded Kaido thoughtfully. After a moment, he asked, "So, Kaido-sama, what about the Marines? What about the kid who took down Jack?"
Queen's question barely hung in the air before Kaido's massive club swung in his direction. With reflexes that belied his large frame, Queen dodged the blow, but the stone chair he'd been sitting on was instantly reduced to rubble. He wiped the sweat from his brow, the close call leaving him shaken as Kaido's piercing gaze landed on him.
"Don't worry, Queen. I'll settle the score with that Marine brat myself!" Kaido's voice was a dangerous whisper, filled with dark intent. "Once I get what I want from Joker, I'm heading to the G-2 Branch. I'll crush that kid who dared to cross me!"
Queen swallowed nervously, his eyes darting to the remnants of his shattered chair. Despite his fear, he couldn't help but voice a concern that had been nagging at him.
"Kaido-sama… the G-2 Branch is guarded by old man Garp. You know he's no ordinary Marine…"
==============================================
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
==============================================