"Tch, turns out to be all show and no substance," Bullet curled his lip in disappointment, clearly finding the overly easy fight dull. He dusted off his hands and turned to leave.
"Boss Kaidou, it seems there's nothing worth noting on this island anymore. Should we start taking on jobs?" King also lost interest, turning to Kaidou for instructions. His gaze swept over the fallen giant serpent, a flicker of disdain in his eyes.
Kaidou didn't respond immediately. He thoughtfully examined the motionless giant serpent and suddenly said, "Sebastian, Gavin, although this snake is weak, it's a good practice target for you two. Stay here and train properly."
As an experienced powerhouse, Kaidou instantly saw through Nola's true strength—roughly between Marine Commodore and Rear Admiral level, perfect for serving as sparring partners for the two newcomers. This arrangement could both train his subordinates and avoid significant risks, killing two birds with one stone.
Sebastian and Gavin exchanged glances, seeing eagerness in each other's eyes. Although they had just witnessed Bullet easily handling Nola, they clearly understood that with their current abilities, dealing with such an opponent was no simple matter.
"As you command, Lord Kaidou!" they responded in unison, immediately assuming fighting stances, ready for this long-anticipated practical test.
Nola shook its massive head and rose again, crimson serpent eyes burning with furious flames. It hissed, venom dripping from its fangs and corroding small pits in the ground. Sebastian held an iron hammer in each hand, the hammerheads gleaming with metallic cold light; Gavin drew twin blades, the edges shimmering with a deadly glint in the sunlight.
"Watch out for its fangs!" Gavin warned, his figure flashing as blade lights streaked like meteors across Nola's scales, sparking a shower of sparks. His movements were light and swift, twin blades carving elegant arcs through the air.
Sebastian seized the opportunity, darting forward and slamming his hammer hard against the serpent's vital spot.
With a dull thud, Nola let out a pained hiss, its thick tail sweeping toward them and forcing both back several steps. Sebastian landed steadily, spinning the hammer in his hand, preparing for the next assault.
"Good coordination!" Kaidou nodded approvingly from a distance, observing the battle. His eyes shifted between the two newcomers, seemingly assessing their progress. King and Bullet also watched with crossed arms, observing the fight with interest. Bullet even began commenting on their techniques, occasionally offering suggestions.
The battle continued. Though massive in size, Nola gradually fell at a disadvantage against the two pirates' seamless coordination. Gavin's twin blades left numerous wounds on the giant serpent, while Sebastian's heavy hammer struck vital points with precision again and again. Surrounding trees continuously fell during the fight, the ground pitted with deep craters.
"It seems they've improved quite a bit," King murmured softly, a trace of admiration in his eyes. Kaidou didn't respond, but the slight upturn of his lips showed clear satisfaction with the two newcomers' performance.
After the battle, Kaidou and the others brought Gan Fall back to the palace of Skypiea. With their overwhelming strength, they easily conquered the entire Sky Island.
Queen hurried over to Kaidou with a few subordinates, his face unable to conceal his excitement. "Boss Kaidou, I have good news!" He rubbed his hands together, his voice tinged with pride.
Kaidou, who was sitting on a rock drinking, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What could possibly be valuable on this island?" He set down his gourd, his thick fingers tapping the surface of the rock. From what he remembered, aside from mountains of gold and practical Dials, the island seemed to have only one Poneglyph left.
"What is it?" Kaidou asked directly, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
Mysteriously, Queen pulled a peculiarly shaped fruit from his chest and carefully presented it to Kaidou. Under the sunlight, the strange patterns on the fruit's surface shimmered with an eerie glow. "Look at this!"
Kaidou's pupils contracted slightly. "A Devil Fruit?"
"Exactly!" Queen nodded excitedly, the fat on his face trembling. "I saw the Devil Fruit encyclopedia when I worked at MADS. If I remember correctly, this should be the Zoan-type, Common, Horse-Horse Fruit."
Kaidou extended his massive hand to take the fruit, weighing it gently in his palm. Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes as if recalling something—in the original storyline, there was a bird on Sky Island that ate the Horse-Horse Fruit and turned into a flying horse. It seemed that, at this point in time, the fruit had not yet been consumed.
Kaidou nodded in satisfaction, a faint, meaningful smile curling at the corners of his mouth. His sharp eyes gleamed with excitement as his gaze shifted from Queen to the skinny pirate standing behind him.
"This is indeed an unexpected gain," Kaidou's voice was deep and powerful.
The pirate was nervously twisting the hem of his clothes, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Did you find this?" Kaidou leaned forward slightly, his enormous shadow enveloping the trembling pirate.
"Y-yes, Boss Kaidou," the pirate stammered, his voice so shaky it was almost inaudible. His legs trembled uncontrollably, his knees knocking together as if he might collapse at any moment.
Kaidou suddenly grinned, revealing his stark white teeth. "Well done." He turned to King, who stood in the shadows, his tone carrying a note of approval. "Make a note of his contribution."
In truth, Kaidou was quite pleased with this pirate's actions.
In the survival-of-the-fittest New World, the first instinct of an ordinary person upon obtaining a Devil Fruit was often to secretly consume it—even the most common Devil Fruit could grant an ordinary person considerable power. Yet, this fellow had chosen to hand it over. Such loyalty was truly rare.
Kaidou narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the pirate carefully. He was already considering whether to nurture this individual. If his potential was decent, he might reward him with this Devil Fruit after some time; even if his aptitude was average, he would still grant him a suitable reward. After all, in a world where subordinates were always scheming to overthrow their leaders, loyalty was indeed a scarce quality.
"Thank you, Boss Kaidou!" The pirate immediately straightened his back upon hearing this, his eyes sparkling with excitement. His voice trembled slightly from emotion but no longer stuttered as before. He felt a surge of warmth in his heart, as if he had received the highest honor.
Kaidou casually waved his hand, signaling them to withdraw.