The Land of Wano.
At this point, Wano had been completely swallowed up by the Beasts Pirates.
As for Orochi… Kaido had long since grown tired of him.
When news reached him that Rain had killed the shogun, he didn't mourn...he laughed.
"The Kozuki are finished. What use is a snake like you?" Kaido scoffed, a grin tugging at his lips. "An eyesore like that's better off gone."
Not long after, Kaido dragged his daughter Yamato before the stage.
She was about the same age as Hiyori, and under Kaido's manipulation, she was passed off as the heir of Kozuki Oden.
The blinded masses of Wano truly believed it. To them, Yamato was Oden's daughter.
And whenever doubts arose, a few samurai would suddenly appear, swearing,
"I saw Oden-sama as a child! He had horns on his head, but one day, while eating oden soup, he chopped them off himself when the pot ran out of ingredients!"
With such absurd rumors fueling Kaido's scheme, Yamato secured the position of Wano's shogun while still a child.
It was unbelievable—yet effective.
Although a few loyal samurai resisted, their numbers were far too small. Faced with the overwhelming might of the Beasts Pirates, most chose to compromise.
Among the common folk of Wano, one bitter saying spread like wildfire:
"Tell me...how much money would you need to risk your life against monsters like these?"
With Wano firmly under his control, Kaido's military power soared. Quietly, his Beasts Pirates now eclipsed both Big Mom's and even Whitebeard's crews.
But to the outside world, none of this was known. This too was Kaido's way of making a fortune in silence.
"Buru buru buru…"
Just as Kaido was lifting his sake gourd, the Den Den Mushi rang.
"Who dares interrupt me?" he growled, grabbing the receiver with irritation. He hadn't even had a drink yet, and already someone had come to disturb him.
"Kaido, it's me."
The voice on the line was unmistakable.
"…Rain?"
For a moment, Kaido was stunned. Then he burst into booming laughter.
"Worororororo! What's this? Have you come to your senses? Want to work under me? Hah! I'll even make you my second-in-command! Better yet, I'll marry Yamato off to you!"
Rain froze. "…I treat you like a brother, and you actually want to be my father-in-law?!"
His voice darkened with annoyance. Kaido, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, I didn't expect you to be this rotten! So much bad water in that belly of yours…
"Wororororo!" Kaido roared with laughter, utterly unashamed. He hadn't even tried to hide his ploy it was all out in the open.
"I have to say… do you really not think about it? Yamato is very good, not at all worse than that Hiyori next to you. Not to mention—she's a rare Oni, with potential through the roof."
Kaido leaned forward with a wicked grin, suddenly transforming into a shameless matchmaker.
"Go away!"
Rain rolled his eyes angrily.
"Pity."
Kaido sighed dramatically, his face full of regret. Clearly, he had actually been serious.
"Enough nonsense," Rain cut him off, his tone turning deep. "I came here because I have something to ask."
Kaido straightened, matching his seriousness. "Say it."
"I need you to stir up some chaos in the New World. Just enough to catch the Navy's attention. You don't need to go overboard—just make it so an admiral is forced to take a seat in G1."
Rain's expression was calm, but the words he spoke were astonishing. "Well? Can you do it?"
Kaido blinked in surprise, then narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "You're asking me to drag an admiral over? What exactly are you plotting, Rain?"
Even if he didn't know the details, Kaido could tell—it had to be something massive. To deliberately lure away an admiral wasn't child's play.
Rain shook his head. "Sorry, Kaido. I can't tell you the specifics. It's too dangerous."
High EQ translation: It's not that I don't trust you… it's that I care too much about your safety to involve you.
"Rain, who the hell are you looking down on?" Kaido shot back with a scowl.
"Don't you know my strength? And besides... don't forget, I can fly."
The implication was obvious—he wasn't asking to help. He was demanding it. Big risks meant big rewards, and Kaido wasn't one to shy away from danger.
If he'd spent his life avoiding risk, he would've never become one of the Yonko.
Rain sighed inwardly. Of course he'd say that…
"Fine," he admitted at last. "It's possible. But first you'll need to drag an admiral into the New World."
Kaido still looked confused, but Rain had to admit, the man's strength was undeniable. And on top of that, the ability to fly was crucial.
In fact, for Rain's plan, that single factor made Kaido nearly indispensable.
Otherwise? He wouldn't even qualify to join.
(Well… except Whitebeard. But Rain had no connection with him, let alone the ability to recruit him for something this insane.)
"This one is simple."
Kaido agreed without hesitation.
"Good. In that case, once you've successfully lured an admiral into the New World, head to the Sabaody Archipelago in secret. We'll meet there."
"Remember...it has to be discreet. No one can discover you, understand?"
Rain emphasized the words carefully.
"Secret? I see."
A knowing look flashed across Kaido's face, and he let out a satisfied sigh. "It's still you, Rain. You really understand me."
Rain blinked. "…?"
In Kaido's head, Rain's warning had translated perfectly: If anyone sees you, kill them all.
How could he not feel emotional? To meet someone who "understood" him so deeply...it only made Kaido more determined to marry Yamato off to Rain.
"What do you mean, 'you understand me'…?" Rain stared blankly, utterly confused by Kaido's rambling.
Yeah… he's definitely high af right now.
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