Immortality?
The observing members of the Rocks Pirates were stunned.
Kaido had recovered from such devastating injuries in the blink of an eye.
“What kind of Devil Fruit grants an ability like that?” Shiki narrowed his eyes.
“It doesn’t look like a Logia.” Logia-type Devil Fruits allowed their users to transform into natural elements.
Ordinary physical attacks would simply pass through their bodies, making them nearly untouchable.
However, attacks infused with Armament Haki could still injure them.
“I’ve heard of a Mythical Zoan called the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Phoenix,” Streusen said, stroking his chin.
“Its regenerative ability sounds somewhat similar.” “Does it?” Stussy crossed one arm beneath her chest and rested her chin on her other hand, tilting her head thoughtfully.
“Kaido’s recovery looked more like time being reversed.
His body returned to exactly how it was before he was injured.
Perhaps it’s a Paramecia ability.” Everyone had a different theory.
As they debated among themselves, the battle inside the crater resumed.
Kaido’s kanabo had been knocked somewhere into the ruins, leaving him to fight with his bare fists.
Whitebeard chose not to take advantage of him.
He planted his naginata in the ground and raised his fists.
The two pirates charged at each other.
Boom!
Their fists collided as their Armament Haki clashed.
Black lightning erupted from the point of impact, spreading through the air like a gigantic spiderweb.
“GURARARARA!” Whitebeard grinned at his younger opponent.
“What kind of Devil Fruit did you eat?
Aside from healing, don’t you have any other abilities?” His grin widened.
“Not being afraid of injury doesn’t make you invincible, brat.” “Hmph!
Immortality is more than enough!” The moment Kaido finished speaking, the two exchanged more than a dozen blows.
Kaido’s fists moved so quickly that they left countless afterimages, making it appear as though he had grown several additional arms.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
A relentless barrage of punches struck Whitebeard’s chest.
Yet despite receiving every blow head-on, Whitebeard moved back by only half a step.
“Enough!” Whitebeard roared.
Conqueror’s Haki crackled around his right fist.
He shattered Kaido’s guard and launched a devastating uppercut toward his chin.
The fist did not physically touch Kaido.
It did not need to.
Boom!
Advanced Conqueror’s Haki exploded against Kaido’s jaw.
The terrifying force made his eyes bulge as his entire body shot into the sky like a cannonball.
“That was quite a heavy blow.” Gloriosa tilted her head upward, following Kaido with her gaze as he soared higher and higher.
“He’s still only an apprentice, Newgate.
Aren’t you afraid you’ll kill him by using Conqueror’s Haki against him?” “Jihahaha!” Shiki laughed.
“Didn’t that brat claim to be immortal?
A little punch shouldn’t kill him.” “He can’t even coat his attacks with Conqueror’s Haki yet.” Streusen shook his head.
“I have no idea where he found the courage to challenge Newgate.” Everyone kept their eyes fixed on Kaido.
The young pirate flew nearly six hundred meters into the sky.
After more than ten seconds of free fall, he plummeted back into the crater.
Boom!
The earth trembled as dust and debris erupted into the air.
“He’s unconscious,” Whitebeard remarked.
Kaido lay at the bottom of the crater, completely motionless.
His injuries were already healing, although the process was noticeably slower than before.
At that moment, another figure appeared at the crater’s edge.
The newcomer was a tall and imposing man whose very presence radiated authority.
His wild black-and-white hair swept backward from his rugged face like a thick mane.
Rocks D.
Xebec had arrived.
“This looks interesting.” Rocks gazed down at the unconscious Kaido.
“Is he truly immortal?” “Don’t ask me,” Whitebeard said, glancing at his captain.
“I don’t know what happened to him either.” Rocks lightly leaped into the crater.
The other members of his crew followed, gathering around Kaido’s motionless body.
They examined him from head to toe as though he were some strange specimen.
Stussy crouched beside Kaido and checked his breathing.
“He’s perfectly fine.
I can’t find a single injury on his body.” “Wake him up,” Rocks ordered.
“I’ll handle it.” Charlotte Linlin grabbed Kaido by the collar and lifted him from the ground with one hand.
Slap!
Slap!
Slap!
She repeatedly struck him across the face.
“Wake up, Kaido!
You have some explaining to do!” Kaido’s eyelids twitched.
After several more slaps, he finally regained consciousness.
When he opened his eyes, he found the most powerful members of the Rocks Pirates surrounding him and staring down at him intensely.
Rocks laughed.
“It’s still too early for you to challenge Newgate, Kaido.
For now, tell us what happened to your body.” Kaido remained silent.
“…” Stussy covered her mouth and chuckled.
“Did Newgate knock the poor boy senseless?” “It was only a minor injury.” Kaido snorted and turned his head away in embarrassment.
“I drank a glass of wine.
After drinking it, I gained an immortal body.” “Wine?” Everyone exchanged astonished glances.
His immortality had not come from a Devil Fruit?
Rocks immediately became interested.
“What kind of wine possesses such power?” Stussy’s eyes gleamed.
“Does it also prevent aging?” “The Wine of Beauty?” Gloriosa murmured, equally intrigued.
Charlotte Linlin looked at the two women with disdain.
“Didn’t you hear him?
It grants immortality!
Who cares about aging when the important part is never dying?” “You pop out children one after another.
How could you possibly understand a woman’s desire to preserve her youth?” Gloriosa rolled her eyes.
Stussy had no interest in joining their argument.
She leaned closer to Kaido and pressed him for answers.
“Where can we find this wine?” “It’s called the Elixir of Immortality,” Kaido explained.
“A newly opened tavern on the island sells it.” The mere mention of the wine made him crave another glass.
Unfortunately, its price was outrageously high.
“Take me there,” Rocks ordered.
“I would like to meet the person capable of brewing such a miraculous drink.” “No.” Kaido’s refusal came without hesitation.
He still owed the Boss a Devil Fruit.
Returning to the tavern empty-handed would mean facing his creditor, and Kaido had no desire to do that.
“Each glass costs one Devil Fruit,” he explained with a grin.
“Even if I take you there, you won’t get to drink any without one.” Then an excellent idea occurred to him.
“I’ll lead you there—but first, one of you has to give me a Devil Fruit.” “You shameless brat…” Stussy’s eyes turned cold.
“You’re merely an apprentice…” Gloriosa narrowed her eyes.
“Kaido!” Linlin’s fist slammed into the back of his head.
A brutal beating followed.
Before long, Shiki and the others joined the brawl.
Since Kaido could no longer be killed and would recover from any injuries, there was no longer any reason for them to hold back.
…
Inside the Immortal Tavern, Alfie busied herself wiping the tables and chairs.
There were no customers to serve, but the young princess felt uncomfortable whenever she had nothing to do.
Cleaning helped occupy her mind.
Dæmon sat behind the counter with a newspaper spread open before him, reading through reports of past events.
He had naturally heard the enormous commotion elsewhere on the island.
Judging by the scale of the destruction, Kaido had most likely grown arrogant after obtaining immortality and challenged someone powerful.
“Worororo!
Boss, I’m back!” Familiar laughter rang through the tavern as Kaido pushed open the swinging saloon doors.
“K-Kaido!” Startled, Alfie hurriedly stepped out of his path.
Dæmon did not even raise his eyes from the newspaper.
“Have you brought my Devil Fruit already?
That was quick.” Kaido’s smile immediately stiffened.
Devil Fruits were exceedingly rare.
Obtaining one was far from easy.
“Sorry, Boss.
We don’t have any Devil Fruits with us at the moment.” The voice did not belong to Kaido.
Dæmon finally lowered his newspaper and looked toward the entrance.
The moment he saw the imposing man standing there, a name surfaced in his mind.
Rocks D.
Xebec.
The captain of the Rocks Pirates—and the ruler of Hachinosu.
Six more people entered behind him.
Edward Newgate, the man who would one day become known as Whitebeard.
Shiki the Golden Lion.
Streusen, the Gourmet Knight.
Gloriosa, a former Empress of Amazon Lily.
Charlotte Linlin, the future Big Mom.
And Buckingham Stussy, better known as Miss Buckin.
Every one of them was a legendary figure whose name would shake the seas.
What an impressive collection of familiar faces.
A faint chuckle escaped Dæmon’s lips.
“Welcome to the Immortal Tavern.” Rocks kept his eyes fixed on Dæmon as he approached the counter and sat down.
He wasted no time on pleasantries.
“Boss, are you interested in joining the Rocks Pirates?” “Sure.”