"Finally... he's gone."
Watching that detestable figure shoot into the sky like a jet, tearing through the turbulent air and vanishing into the clouds, the Beasts Pirates collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, utterly spent.
They had to admit it—the pressure that black-haired youth exerted was terrifying beyond belief. He had just clashed head-on with Captain Kaido and split Onigashima itself in two. If he had truly meant to kill them, he could have wiped out the entire Beasts Pirates with ease.
And this terrifying monster had just set his sights on their crew, throwing everyone into a state of panic and dread.
Rumble...
The floating island beneath them shuddered ominously. Flames swirled around the fractured landmass as the two broken halves slowly shifted, the massive fissure closing bit by bit until the island was whole again.
A colossal azure dragon, wreathed in mist, circled the island and blotted out the sun. Then its enormous body rapidly shrank, condensing into a blood-stained, imposing figure that dropped heavily onto the ground.
"Where's Yamato?"
Gripping his kanabo, Kaido swept his gaze across the battlefield until he spotted his "little cotton jacket" in the distance. Fury rolled off him in waves as he strode toward her.
"Calm down, Big Brother Kaido," King said, pursing his lips as he stepped forward to shield Yamato. "She's just a kid. She doesn't know any better."
As he spoke, King's gaze flicked, almost involuntarily, to the black kanabo in Kaido's hand. Crimson arcs of electricity crackled across its surface. The corner of King's mouth twitched ever so slightly.
"I think she knows a little too much!" Kaido snarled through gritted teeth. "King, move it! I'm going to teach her a proper lesson today!"
King said nothing, but he didn't budge an inch.
Behind him, Yamato stretched her neck around his arm, face flushed bright red. "You just can't beat Darren-san, so you're taking it out on me!"
Kaido's temper exploded. Veins bulged on his forehead, throbbing violently. "I'm the 'Strongest Creature on Land, Sea, and Air'!" he roared. "When have I ever lost to that brat Darren?!"
"...But you clearly did lose," Queen muttered under his breath.
"What was that?!" Kaido whipped around, eyes bloodshot.
"I–I said you fought really well!" Queen blurted, his whole body trembling.
Kaido shot him a murderous glare.
Then he turned back to Yamato, who stubbornly met his gaze without the slightest hint of fear. Grinding his teeth, he barked at King, "Take her back and lock her up in shackles!"
His eyes bored into Yamato as he spat out each word. "From today onward..."
"From today onward, you're staying in your room. You're not taking a single step outside. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what? You gonna kill me?" Yamato cut him off, her small head tilted up, defiance burning in her eyes.
Kaido froze, at a loss for words.
How was he supposed to threaten her? Beat his own precious daughter half to death? Besides, Yamato was still just a child. With his strength, one serious swing of his kanabo would crush her, bloodline or not.
His chest heaved with suppressed rage. Dark emotions flickered across his face in rapid succession before he suddenly jabbed a thick finger toward a rotund figure lounging nearby on a stool, munching melon and puffing on a cigar.
"Then I'll kill him!" Kaido roared.
"Nani?!" Queen almost swallowed his cigar. He coughed until his face turned crimson, staring at Kaido in utter disbelief. Hey! You wanna discipline your daughter, fine—but why drag me into it?!
"No way!" Yamato shook her head violently. "You can't kill Uncle Fatty!"
Queen's expression lit up at once. A warm, elder's smile bloomed on his face as he puffed out his belly with pride. Little Yamato, you really do care about Uncle Fatty, huh? Looks like all those times I secretly brought you the latest magazines and comics from overseas weren't for nothing.
"...If Uncle Fatty dies, then who's going to bring me Darren-san's magazines and comics?"
Yamato spoke with solemn seriousness.
Queen went rigid as if struck by lightning, his face draining of all color.
Hiss!
The surrounding pirates collectively sucked in a sharp breath. They scattered away from Queen in an instant, casting him sympathetic glances, as if they were looking at a dead man walking.
Even King quietly shifted half a step to the side.
Silence fell.
The world seemed to hold its breath.
A pin drop could have been heard.
"So, Queen..." Kaido slowly turned his head, his face unreadable. The kanabo in his hand crackled with purple lightning. "All those posters, magazines, and newspapers in Yamato's room—they were all from you, weren't they?"
"C-cough, Boss Kaido, it's not like that..."
Queen's jowls quivered with fear as he forced a smile uglier than crying, stumbling backwards as he stammered, "I–I just thought she might be bored, locked in that room all day... so I brought her some newspapers to read."
"I... I just didn't expect all the papers to be full of news about that guy..."
"Oh? So that's how it is..." Kaido raised an eyebrow—then suddenly burst into laughter.
To everyone else, that laughter sounded like a demon's cackle from the depths of hell.
"So you think you're doing me a favor, huh?"
He took a step forward, his voice rough and hoarse.
"King, take Yamato back."
Without hesitation, King grabbed the rope tied around Yamato's waist and hoisted her up like a puppy. His twin wings snapped open and he shot into the sky, carrying her away at high speed toward the horizon.
"Wait..." Queen reached out weakly, trying to stop them, his face twisted with despair.
Ten seconds later.
Bolts of raging lightning erupted from the rugged valley, spearing into the sky.
The earth shook violently, accompanied by the heart-rending screams of a certain fat man.
---
New World, Pleasure District.
A lone figure streaked across the sky like a jet, unseen by anyone below. Familiar with the terrain, Darren slipped through the shadows and easily infiltrated the top-floor luxury suite of the Central Hotel.
"Seriously, you idiot! This is not a hospital!"
Stussy, dressed in the white uniform of CP0, glared at him. For a moment, worry flickered across her face—but upon seeing him alive and mobile, her shoulders relaxed slightly. "And I'm not a professional doctor," she snapped.
"Well, where else was I supposed to go...?" Darren grinned, shamelessly dropping onto the leather sofa. He casually tore open his tattered shirt, revealing his scarred torso.
The North Blue was too far from the New World. He didn't want to go back to Toki and make her worry about his injuries. As for dragging his battered body to the Donquixote Family's base? That didn't feel like his style either.
After weighing it all, Stussy's place was still the safest and most convenient option.
Stussy, long used to Darren's brazen attitude, could only roll her eyes. She grabbed the medical kit, sat beside him, and began cleaning and bandaging his wounds.
"Where did you disappear to this time, to end up in this state again?" she asked. Realizing her tone sounded a little too concerned, she quickly added coldly, "Don't get the wrong idea—I'm not worried about you."
To be continued...