The sea breeze at the port carried a salty, fishy smell.
Kaizer stood on the dock, watching the shared vision transmitted back by the IBMs — on the ruins of Onigashima, the sails of the Roger Pirates were gradually shrinking into black dots on the horizon.
Kozuki Oden stood at the stern, taking one last look at Wano's coastline. The unwillingness and hatred in his eyes almost overflowed from the image.
In a small courtyard in Wano, the young Hiyori was swearing to her father's retainers that she would become strong and take revenge.
The little girl clenched her tender fists. Her tears hadn't dried yet, but her eyes had already been tempered by fire.
Kaizer closed the shared vision. The corner of his mouth curved into a smile without warmth.
Good that they left.
He turned and walked toward the healing area behind the castle. Kaido was lying on a specially made giant bed — though calling it a bed was generous; it was actually more than a dozen normal beds pushed together and covered with thick animal skins. Zeus and Prometheus took turns releasing healing energy, allowing the King of Beasts' injuries to recover at an astonishing speed.
"How do you feel?" Kaizer stopped beside the bed.
Kaido opened one eye — the other was still swollen — and his crimson pupil stared at him. "I won't die."
"Want revenge?" Kaizer went straight to the point.
Kaido was silent for a few seconds, then let out a low growl from deep in his throat: "Stupid question. That bastard Roger… I'm going to tear him apart."
"You can't beat him right now." Kaizer stated the truth bluntly.
Kaido didn't refute it. He simply clenched his fist until it cracked.
"What if he's not there?" Kaizer asked again.
Kaido suddenly opened both eyes: "What do you mean?"
Kaizer didn't answer directly. Instead, he turned to look at Linlin, who had just walked in. She was holding Perospero — the little guy had grown a bit more and could already toddle around. At the moment, he was grabbing his mother's hair and playing with it.
"Are you two crazy?!" Linlin exploded the moment she heard Kaizer's proposal. "Roger just left, and you want to go right after? What if he turns around and comes back—"
"He won't." Kaizer interrupted her. "Roger and Oden have already set sail to find Laugh Tale. The One Piece isn't that easy to find. They won't be back for three to five years at least."
He paused and looked at Kaido: "Last time, Linlin and I helped you take Wano, but not long after, Roger took your base. You owe us one. This time we go again — you can't expect us to do it for free, right?"
Kaido stared at Kaizer. His single eye flickered with calculation. His wounds still throbbed faintly — the humiliating brand left by Roger.
"How do you know they really left?" Kaido asked.
"I have my own sources of information." Kaizer pointed at his own eyes. "You just need to answer — are you going or not?"
A long silence. The air in the healing area seemed to freeze. Only the sound of Perospero babbling broke the quiet.
"Go." Kaido finally spat out the word, his voice hoarse but firm. "But this time… I want Wano to have no future troubles."
"Mamama! Now that's more like it!" Linlin laughed.
Kaizer, however, shook his head: "Completely eliminating future troubles is impossible. The Kozuki clan has taken root too deeply in Wano — you can't kill them all. But we can do something else—"
He walked to the wall where the map hung and pointed at the terrain map of Wano: "Control. Not occupation — control. Let Kurozumi Orochi continue as the puppet shogun. You and I will control the Seastone mines and weapon factories from behind the scenes. Even if the Roger Pirates come back, they will face a Wano that is completely under our control, not Kozuki Oden's homeland."
Kaido's eyes lit up: "Keep talking."
"The samurai of Wano are loyal to the Kozuki, but the common people only want stable lives. If we provide food, work, and safety, they will slowly accept the new reality." Kaizer's finger traced across the map. "A few years from now, when Oden returns, he will find that there is no longer a place for him here."
Linlin tilted her head as she listened, then suddenly interrupted: "What about the Seastone?"
"Fifty-fifty split." Kaizer looked at Kaido. "You handle mining and processing. Totto Land handles sales. Profits split evenly."
Kaido stared at Kaizer for a long time, then suddenly grinned — though the smile looked twisted because of his swollen face: "Kid, you're smarter than Linlin."
"Mamama! What did you say?!" Linlin glared.
"I said you found yourself a good husband." Kaido unusually didn't retort. "Deal. Once my injuries heal, we set out."
"Injuries need time to heal, but we can start planning now." Kaizer took out a scroll he had prepared long ago. "This is the preliminary plan that Longbread and I drafted…"
In the following days, Totto Land entered a strange rhythm.
During the day, Kaizer and Linlin handled government affairs, trained, and played with Perospero. At night, Kaizer would slip into Kaido's healing room, and the two would pore over maps and scrolls until late into the night.
Linlin had been enthusiastic about joining at first, but she quickly grew bored with all the roundabout scheming.
"Mamama! Just tell me the result once you've decided!" She waved her hand and went to the kitchen with her son to ask Longbread for sweets.
Thus, the secret meetings became a private session between Kaizer and Kaido.
"Kurozumi Orochi cannot be trusted." Kaido poked the map at the location of the shogun's residence with a bandaged finger. "That guy is a fence-sitter. He knelt the moment Roger arrived."
"That's why we need a bargaining chip he has no choice but to rely on." Kaizer drew a circle on "Flower Capital." "For example… food."
"Wano is a closed country. They are self-sufficient in food."
"That was before." Kaizer smiled. "I had the IBMs scout it out. This year's rice harvest in Wano is very poor. To please Roger, Kurozumi Orochi took out all the grain reserves from the national treasury to reward the troops. The price of rice in Flower Capital has already tripled."
Kaido was stunned. His single eye stared at Kaizer: "When did you…"
"Before you went to Wano, I already sent IBMs to infiltrate." Kaizer said lightly. "Originally just for gathering intelligence. I didn't expect it to come in handy."
Kaido was silent for a long time. Finally, he spat out one sentence: "You kid… are really sinister."
"This is called planning ahead." Kaizer rolled up the map. "When we reach Wano, the first thing we do isn't to attack — it's to open the granaries and distribute food. Using Totto Land's grain. Once the common people are fed, they won't care who the shogun is."
Kaido stared at him and suddenly asked: "Were you really a Marine before?"
"Genuine."
"The Marines couldn't have trained someone like you." Kaido said. "You're more like a pirate than a pirate."
Kaizer smiled and didn't reply.
What could he say? That he was a transmigrator with a system who had read the script? That he knew the next twenty years of Wano's trajectory and the fate of every person?
He couldn't say it, and there was no need to.
A few days later, at night, Kaizer walked out of Kaido's room and ran straight into Linlin.
She wasn't holding Perospero. Instead, she was carrying a large plate of chocolate cake and leaning against the corridor wall. She had clearly been waiting for a while.
"Finished discussing?" Linlin poked the cake with a fork, her tone a little sulky.
"Yes." Kaizer walked to her side. "The basic plan is set. We'll set out once Kaido's injuries are fully healed."
Linlin didn't speak. She just ate the cake in big bites. Cream smeared all over her face, but she didn't laugh loudly like usual.
"What's wrong?" Kaizer asked.
Linlin stopped her fork and turned to look at him. The candlelight in the corridor flickered in her huge pupils.
"Kaizer." She rarely used his full name. "Lately… have you been avoiding me?"
Kaizer was stunned.
"Before, you came to find me every night." Linlin's voice lowered. "Now you go to Kaido instead. Mamama! I'm jealous!"
Kaizer chuckled. He reached out and wiped the cream off her face — though he could only reach her chin.
"I'm not avoiding you." he said softly. "I'm just making preparations. This trip to Wano must be foolproof."
Linlin stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly bent down, bringing her enormous face close to his.
"Then stay with me tonight." she said, her tone leaving no room for refusal. "Let Longbread take care of Perospero. Just you and me."
Kaizer looked into her eyes. Those eyes that were always filled with appetite and madness now reflected the candlelight — and his own face.
"Okay." he said.
That night, the bedroom on the top floor of the castle was brightly lit with candles.
Linlin's energy was terrifyingly vigorous — perhaps because she had mostly recovered from childbirth, or perhaps because she had held back for too long. Kaizer had to keep the Ox Talisman active the entire time just to keep up with her rhythm.
But the results were obvious.
The next morning, the system prompt arrived as expected:
[Pregnancy Detected Successfully] [Mother: Charlotte Linlin] [Estimated Gestation Period: 5 months] [Offspring Potential Estimate: S] [Rewards Pending]
Kaizer lay on the bed, feeling the warm current surging inside his body — every time Linlin got pregnant, the system would feed back a portion of power. This time it was [Ox Talisman Fusion Increased to 25%], and his strength had risen once again.
Linlin lay on her side, her massive hand resting on his stomach — though given their size difference, the action looked a bit comical.
"Mamama! Another one!" She grinned. "Is this one a boy or a girl?"
"I don't know yet." Kaizer told the truth. "The system only confirmed the pregnancy. It didn't say the gender."
"System?" Linlin tilted her head.
Kaizer paused. He had never explained the system to Linlin in detail. He had only said that his abilities would grow stronger with each child's birth.
"It's… part of my ability." he said vaguely. "It can sense whether the child is healthy and track my own growth."
Linlin didn't press further. She just rubbed her cheek against the pillow in satisfaction: "Mamama! Let's have more! We'll birth an entire army!"
Kaizer chuckled, but something inside him softened.
Birth an army… maybe it really was possible.
He had the system. Linlin had the Steel Balloon body and the Soul-Soul Fruit. Their children were born powerful. If raised properly, Totto Land could truly have a family legion capable of sweeping the New World.
A few more days passed. Kaido's injuries had basically healed.
The life force of the Azure Dragon form was indeed monstrous. Such severe injuries would have kept an ordinary person bedridden for half a year, yet he could get up and fight after just half a month.
"We can set out." Kaido flexed his newly healed left arm, bones cracking loudly. "If I stay any longer, my bones will rust."
Kaizer was playing with Perospero — the little guy could already run and jump, and his strength was frightening. He was tossing an iron ball around like a toy.
"Tomorrow." Kaizer said without looking up. "Tonight we'll do one final confirmation of the plan."
"Plan my ass." Kaido grinned. "We go straight in, drag Kurozumi Orochi out and beat him up. Then he'll agree to anything."
"That's your way." Kaizer picked up Perospero — the little guy struggled in his arms like a lively fish. "My way is to try courtesy first, then force."
"Mamama! Either way is fine!" Linlin walked out of the kitchen carrying a large pot of freshly stewed meat. "Eat your fill before fighting!"
Dinner was sumptuous. Longbread had gone all out — whole roasted pig, stewed sea beasts, giant clan-style meat ribs… the long table was completely covered. Kaido ate until grease dripped from his mouth. Linlin devoured everything like a storm.
Only Kaizer ate lightly. He kept observing Kaido — this future Emperor was still young and hadn't yet gone through the setbacks and transformations of later years. But the arrogance and ambition in his bones were already clearly visible.
"Kaido." Kaizer suddenly spoke. "You always go alone. Have you never thought about forming your own pirate crew?"
Kaido tore off a large piece of meat and mumbled: "I had enough of that on Rocks' ship. A bunch of noisy people — annoying."
"But one person always has limits." Kaizer said. "Look at Totto Land. There's Linlin, me, Longbread, residents of all races… clear division of labor, everyone doing their part. If you want to control Wano, going solo won't work."
Kaido stopped chewing. His single eye stared at Kaizer: "Kid… what are you trying to say?"
"Once you stabilize Wano, it's time to recruit some crew members." Kaizer poured him a cup of wine — a specially made large wooden barrel cup. "Find strong, loyal, ambitious people. How about the name 'Beasts Pirates'?"
Kaido stared at the cup of wine for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Beasts Pirates! Good name!" He downed it in one gulp. "Once I take Wano, I'll do as you said!"
Linlin clapped beside them: "Mamama! Then we'll come drink! Whoever drinks more wins!"
The atmosphere grew lively. But Kaizer knew that Kaido had taken his words to heart.
The future Beasts Pirates — the All-Stars, the Flying Six, the Numbers… those names, those powerhouses, would appear one after another.
What he needed to do was ensure that these forces, at the very least, would not become enemies of Totto Land.
The next morning, at the port.
Linlin came to see them off while holding Perospero. The little guy still didn't understand that his father was leaving for a long trip. He simply reached out babbling, wanting Kaizer to hold him.
"Mamama! Come back soon!" Linlin pulled Kaizer into her arms — nearly suffocating him. "If you get hurt, I'll go to Wano and turn everyone into sweets!"
"Don't worry." Kaizer struggled free and took a breath. "Kaido is with me, and Roger and the others really aren't there."
He looked at Kaido. The latter had already reverted to a pseudo-Azure Dragon form — human-shaped but still tall and burly, though his face was still somewhat pale.
"Let's go." Kaido jumped onto the ship — this time it wasn't a stolen merchant vessel, but a fast ship built by Totto Land itself, faster and better equipped.
Kaizer gave Perospero one last hug, nodded to Linlin, and boarded the ship.
Longbread waved from the dock: "The barrel of wine in the cellar is waiting for you to open when you return!"
The sails rose. The sea wind blew.
The fast ship left Totto Land's port and sped toward Wano Country.
Linlin held her child and stood there until the ship became a tiny black dot on the horizon.
"Mamama…" she murmured. "Come back safely."
In a small courtyard deep in the mountains of Wano, Kozuki Hiyori had just finished her morning training.
She gripped the short blade her father had left behind — still too long and heavy for her — and practiced basic slashes over and over. Sweat soaked her kimono. Blisters had formed on her small hands, but she gritted her teeth and continued.
"Hiyori-sama, please rest for a while." An old retainer said with concern.
"No." Hiyori shook her head. Her green hair was stuck to her forehead with sweat. "I want to become strong. Strong enough to take revenge for Mommy with my own hands."
She looked into the distance, toward Flower Capital — the direction her father had left.
"Kaizer… Charlotte Linlin… Kaido…" She recited those names, each word squeezed out through gritted teeth. "When I become strong…"
What she didn't know was that the owners of those names she was reciting were, at this very moment, sailing toward her homeland once again.
And the "revenge" she spoke of might never have a chance to be realized.
Because some people were destined from birth.
The ship cut through the waves at sea.
Kaizer stood at the bow, watching the coastline of Wano growing closer.
This time, there was no Roger, no Oden.
Only the useless Kurozumi Orochi and a group of leaderless samurai.
"Kaido." he spoke.
"Hm?"
"Remember our agreement. Control, not destruction."
Kaido grinned, showing his snow-white teeth: "I know. I'm not that madman Rocks."
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