Aboard the warship en route to Punk Hazard.
Suddenly, a jolt shook the vessel.
Sakazuki pushed open the cabin door and stepped out.
He looked toward Karol, who was supervising the training outside.
"He is awake again, that guy."
Karol replied helplessly,
"Looks like it. He's really full of energy."
"No wonder he's a Mythical Zoan user."
"His recovery rate is off the charts."
Sakazuki said,
"Let him sleep a bit longer."
With that, he walked down to the ship's prison in the lower decks.
...
Inside the prison—
Kaido's body was tightly bound by Seastone chains.
Layer after layer of chains.
Wrapped around him like a massive iron ball.
Several chains, each as thick as an arm, extended from Kaido.
Their ends secured to the surrounding walls, linked directly to the ship's structure.
Kaido thrashed madly on the ground.
His monstrous strength made the entire ship shudder violently.
Suddenly, the sound of a door opening echoed.
Kaido saw Sakazuki enter through the door, a shadow passing through his eyes.
A dark cloud of killing intent flared, followed by a burst of Conqueror's Haki.
Sakazuki remained unmoved.
He calmly walked up to Kaido and let out a faint chuckle.
He took out a sheet of paper.
"Kaido."
"Born on the Grand Line, in the Kingdom of Vodka."
"By the age of ten, you were already the strongest warrior in the kingdom."
"Sixteen years ago."
"The Vodka Kingdom, in its bid to become a member of the World Government—"
"In order to gain voting rights in the council—"
"Sold you out to the Government, for experimentation."
Kaido's eyes turned bloodshot, losing all reason.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
"Shut up!!!!!!!"
His body twisted violently.
The warship swayed along with his outburst.
This was the deepest scar in his heart.
Betrayed by his country, used as a rare specimen in experiments.
He had believed all of this was long buried.
Now it had been laid bare before him.
There was no way Kaido could remain calm.
Seeing this, Sakazuki put the document down.
What followed was already common knowledge on the seas.
Kaido rose to prominence after joining the Rocks Pirates.
Sakazuki's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Truly pitiful."
"You gave everything for your country."
"And in return, they treated you like raw material."
"Sold you to the World Government."
"How…"
"Absurd."
Kaido's veins bulged across his entire body.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
A blast of Conqueror's Haki exploded out.
The soldiers aboard the warship were hit by a wave of dizziness.
The shockwave rippled across everything nearby.
Sakazuki stood firm in place.
The cloak of Justice on his back fluttered in the wind.
He quietly watched Kaido vent.
After a long bout of rage—
Kaido panted heavily.
His bloodshot eyes glared at Sakazuki.
In a hoarse voice, he asked:
"You say all this—"
"What's your point?"
"Pity? Sympathy?"
"Heh…"
Sakazuki glanced at Kaido.
"Not at all."
"I just came to mock you a bit."
"And tell you one more thing."
"As a pirate—"
"You're about to finish something you once failed to do."
"And that is—"
"To become a specimen."
"To make a contribution—"
"To the Navy."
Kaido's killing intent surged as Conqueror's Haki erupted once more.
"SAKAZUKI!!!!!!!"
As Kaido lunged toward him—
Sakazuki formed a kanabo club out of hardened Armament Haki in his right hand.
BOOM!!!!!
A thunderous impact followed as the heavy kanabo smashed into Kaido's head.
Even consumed by hatred, Kaido didn't pass out.
His blood-soaked head stubbornly lifted again.
Blood streamed past his eyes.
The world before him was stained red.
In Kaido's blood-drenched vision—
Sakazuki, cloaked in red, slowly crouched down.
Looking at him with a faint sneer.
A devilish whisper sounded in his ears:
"Sleep well."
"Specimen."
BOOM!!!
Another crushing blow landed.
Kaido was finally knocked unconscious.
Sakazuki, crouching in front of him, rose.
Retracting his Devil Fruit powers.
The magma kanabo melted back into his flesh.
He walked out of the cabin.
Karol looked at him as if he were the devil himself.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, your cruelty—"
"Makes me feel inadequate."
Sakazuki let out a faint scoff.
"Hatred fuels motivation."
"And sometimes—"
"Those who know the most are the easiest to control."
As he spoke—
Sakazuki gazed out toward the sea ahead.
No one knew what he was thinking...
...
Half a day later.
Punk Hazard.
Vegapunk, having been notified in advance, waited early at the port.
A group of elite CP agents, strong in aura, stood nearby.
Even if pirates attacked—
These CP elites could evacuate the island's scientists at once.
Suddenly, Vegapunk's eyes lit up—here they come!
As the warship slowly entered the port—
Sakazuki on board and Vegapunk on land exchanged a knowing smile.
Sakazuki spoke:
"Long time no see, Dr. Vegapunk."
Vegapunk smiled in return.
"Indeed, Vice Admiral Sakazuki."
Sakazuki hoisted the heavy chains binding Kaido.
And leapt directly off the warship.
BOOM!
The weight of Kaido and the massive chains smashed a crater into the ground.
Dragging the still-unconscious Kaido toward Vegapunk—
Seeing Vegapunk's excited expression—
Sakazuki chuckled.
"Need assistance? Most can't control him."
Vegapunk said excitedly:
"That would be very helpful, Sakazuki-san!"
Sakazuki waved it off.
"It's nothing."
"Let's head to the lab."
"With his recovery rate, he'll wake in half a day at most."
Vegapunk nodded.
"Alright!"
He immediately instructed the CP agents nearby to take the chains from Sakazuki.
Then led Sakazuki toward the research facility.
...
Punk Hazard – Research Base.
Vegapunk stared at the data on the scientific monitors.
A glimmer of admiration in his eyes.
"Incredible. The vitality of these cells."
"As expected of a mysterious race from the sea."
"There's definitely something extraordinary here."
"If we can unlock deeper layers—"
"Then it could be…"
BOOM!
A wave of Conqueror's Haki surged from the adjacent chamber.
It left Vegapunk dizzy and disoriented.
The base's alarms blared throughout the facility.
Outside, Sakazuki instantly understood—he's awake...
He immediately released a burst of his own Conqueror's Haki to suppress it.
His body vanished in a blur.
...
Kaido slowly opened his eyes.
A sterile white ceiling and harsh, glaring lights.
It all triggered terrible memories.
He remembered Sakazuki's words before he blacked out.
His eyes suddenly widened.
Conqueror's Haki burst forth, and he tried to rise.
BZZZZT——BZZZZT——BZZZZT——
Alarms sounded, and a crushing wave of Conqueror's Haki slammed down on Kaido.
Sakazuki's indifferent voice rang out:
"Behave. A specimen should act like a specimen."
---
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