"Boss, are you just letting them go? What if that guy, Kaido, was lying to you?"
Watching the massive azure dragon carrying King, the Blazing Calamity, fade into the horizon, Tesoro couldn't help but ask. He had never trusted the integrity of pirates, let alone a Yonko like Kaido, whose reputation for brutality and betrayal was legendary.
Takero, however, remained completely unconcerned.
"Don't worry," he said, clapping a hand on Tesoro's shoulder with a playful smile. "He wouldn't dare lie to me. And besides..." He paused, letting the thought hang in the air. "We already know his base of operations is in a place called Wano Country, right? If he dares to double-cross me, I'll just fly straight to his lair and tear down the whole of Onigashima."
Tesoro thought about it for a moment and had to concede the point. Given his boss's ridiculous flight speed, once a destination was set, it wouldn't take him long to descend directly on an enemy's stronghold. No one in their right mind would enjoy repeatedly provoking a man who could bring the fight to their front door at a moment's notice.
"But Boss..." Tesoro shifted to his second concern. "Is it really a good idea to absorb the entire Beasts Pirates? Their reputation on the seas isn't exactly stellar."
"Of course, it is. I have two good reasons," Takero replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "First, his forces are massive. This ocean is huge, with too many places to hide. If I want to find all the Poneglyphs that record the history of the Void Century, I'll need as many people as possible. More hands mean we find them faster."
He then broke into a grin that sent a shiver down Tesoro's spine. "As for the second reason... a guy like Kaido makes for a pretty suitable punching bag. The next time I feel like stretching my legs, I'll just go find him and get a proper workout in." He shrugged. "And as for our reputation... you think ours is any good?"
"Uh..." Tesoro was at a loss for words. He could only offer a silent prayer for the "World's Strongest Creature," who was now far away in the New World. He quickly changed the subject to official business.
"Oh, right, Boss! The Germa scientific team has been working day and night on the Omni-Capsule and they've made a major breakthrough! I estimate the first batch of finished products will be ready to hit the market within this month!"
"Oh? That fast?" Takero asked, a hint of genuine surprise in his voice.
Tesoro puffed his chest out with pride. "It's all thanks to you, Boss! The technical data and design blueprints you provided were so comprehensive that, according to the lead scientist, 'even a monkey could manufacture this thing just by following the procedures.'"
"Is that so?" Takero nodded with satisfaction, accepting the explanation.
Tesoro's excitement grew. "Once the Omni-Capsule officially launches, we'll acquire an unimaginable amount of liquid capital! At that point, we can immediately begin preparations for the 'World Martial Arts Tournament' you mentioned! And my entire series of business expansion plans can finally be put into action!"
"Alright, alright, just discuss that stuff with Robin and the others and get it done," Takero said, waving his hand dismissively. "Listening to all that just gives me a headache."
"Yes, Boss!" Tesoro immediately stood at attention, as if he'd been injected with adrenaline. "I will complete the mission perfectly! I promise I won't let you down!" He then remembered one last detail. "Also... Charlotte Katakuri is still being held in the prison. What are your orders for him?"
"Release him as soon as the ransom arrives," Takero stated simply. "After all, we have to keep our word."
"Yes!" Tesoro responded again.
Meanwhile, inside the prison, circumstances had improved for Katakuri. Since the ransom had been agreed upon, his "supervision" had been significantly relaxed. The Sea Prism Stone chains were gone, and his iconic clothing and equipment had been returned.
As for the possibility of him escaping? It was a laughable thought. After personally witnessing Kaido of the Beasts—the "Strongest Creature in the World"—beaten and humiliated like a common thug, Katakuri wouldn't dare entertain such a notion, even if he were a hundred times braver. If he were caught again, he knew that not even his mother coming in person could save him. And so, he waited obediently in his cell for his family to send the money.
"...That's the situation, Mama. Kaido of the Beasts has... become a subordinate of the man named Takero."
Katakuri spoke into a Den Den Mushi, giving a detailed and dispassionate report to Charlotte Linlin, who was far away in Totto Land. He meticulously recounted the entire affair: how Kaido was beaten into submission, how he was "physically persuaded," and how he ultimately swore his allegiance. When he finished, a long, deathly silence fell over the connection.
After waiting for a moment with no response, Katakuri cautiously prompted, "...Mama?"
Finally, Charlotte Linlin's voice returned, but it carried an unprecedented and incredibly solemn tone that made him go rigid.
"Katakuri," she began. "I have a... very important mission for you. This mission concerns the future survival of our entire Charlotte Family!"
"Yes, Mama! Please tell me!" Katakuri immediately became serious. He could clearly hear the gravity in her voice, and anything concerning the safety of his family was his highest priority.
"You've had contact with this boy named Takero," Mama's voice sounded almost ethereal. "What do you think... of his character?"
Katakuri considered the question for a moment before answering truthfully. "He's powerful, direct, and overbearing... but he doesn't seem to be bloodthirsty, and... he keeps his word."
"Very good," Mama said, sounding as if she had just made a world-altering decision. "Katakuri, after you return, I want you to immediately choose one of your sisters... the prettiest, smartest, and most sensible one. And then..."
She paused, and with an undeniable tone of command that shocked even Katakuri, she gave her order.
"...Find a way to make her marry that boy named Takero!" She even emphasized repeatedly, "Listen carefully! This is not for him to 'marry into the family'! Everything will be according to his wishes! As long as he is willing to marry, our Charlotte Family can pay any price!"
Katakuri was completely stunned. He clearly detected something in his mother's tone that he had never heard before... fear.
Yes, she was afraid. He guessed correctly. And who could blame her? A monster capable of hanging and pounding an immortal creature like Kaido was a more unreasonable monster than anyone she had ever known. He was even more terrifying than Rocks had been in his day. While she still aimed to be the "Pirate Queen," she had no desire to follow in Kaido's footsteps and become someone else's dog.
At that same moment, high in the sky, Kaido and King flew at high speed through the clouds in their dragon and pteranodon forms.
"Lord Kaido..." King finally spoke after a long hesitation. "Are we... really going to surrender to that brat named Takero?"
"What?" Kaido's voice boomed like rolling thunder. "If you don't want to surrender, how about... you go back and eliminate him?"
King immediately shut his mouth and dared not say another word.
Kaido then continued to speak slowly, his tone filled with a profound meaning. "King, do you still remember? What did the World Government do to your race? To you?"
King certainly remembered. The humiliation and hatred of being treated as an experimental subject and branded as a slave had long been ingrained in his bones. He gritted his teeth in silent rage.
"I have a premonition," Kaido's voice became incredibly deep. "That brat named Takero... he will definitely stand at the very top of this world in the future! Getting on his ship early... is the only way we'll get to see that true New World, the one created by the strong!"
On this same day, two of the great pirates who had dominated the seas for decades, by sheer coincidence, began an unprecedented gamble on the rookie named Takero.
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