Onigashima was no longer as majestic as it once was; the entire island was shattered and ravaged.
Broken giant rocks lay skewered in the scorched earth, the former palace was reduced to ruins, and cracks spread across the island like spiderwebs.
Waves poured in through the collapsed gaps, and more than half of the island was on the verge of sinking, teetering precariously.
Anyone who saw it would have to admit that the wisest choice now was to completely abandon this place and seek a new base.
But Kaido looked at the dilapidated land, his brows tightly furrowed, with only one thought in mind: We cannot move!
On this great sea, islands that are rich in resources and possess top strategic value are few and far between.
—Either they are located in remote, isolated places, uninhabited, requiring development from scratch and an incalculable expenditure of manpower and resources;
—Or they are already firmly occupied by other powerful forces, and seizing them would require a bloody war, making the effort not worthwhile.
Wano Country, however, happens to possess both major advantages: "resource abundance" and "easy to defend, difficult to attack," making it the sea's most premium "Treasure Island."
—The Sea Stone produced here is a top-tier rarity used to restrain Devil Fruit users, possessing irreplaceable value whether for crafting weapons or defensive structures;
—The centuries of isolation have allowed Wano Country to form a natural geographical barrier, with rugged mountains and few ports, making it difficult for outsiders to intrude easily, inherently providing excellent defensive conditions.
—More importantly, this place also nurtures a group of Samurai with formidable combat power. They wield famous swords and are proficient in Haki. If they could be utilized, it would undoubtedly elevate the strength of the Beasts Pirates to the next level... these are all things Kaido desperately desires.
To take control of Wano Country, he spared no effort, spending a full twenty years on planning.
From initially helping Orochi usurp the position of Shogun, to later manipulating the government through a puppet, he gradually encroached upon control of this land, meticulously planning every step and investing countless efforts.
Although Onigashima is now destroyed, Wano Country is within arm's reach. How could he possibly abandon this readily available treasure because of one defeat?
But the immediate problem is that he cannot directly lead the entire Beasts Pirates to relocate into Wano Country.
The apparent ruler of Wano Country is still Orochi; this layer of false peace has been maintained for eighteen years.
If the Beasts Pirates were to openly step into Wano Country's core territory and break the existing balance, it would inevitably trigger a series of unpredictable troubles:
The Samurai who are loyal to the Kozuki Family and have endured for many years would certainly seize the opportunity to launch a rebellion;
Domestic nobles and citizens would also become dissatisfied due to the foreign invasion, leading to a severe political crisis;
It might even attract the covetous gaze of the Marine or the other Four Emperors, causing the situation to completely spiral out of control... In this great battle with Luffy, although he unexpectedly awakened the Azure Dragon Fruit, causing his combat power to surge, he gained absolutely no substantial benefit otherwise?!
Not only did he fail to completely eliminate the major threat of Luffy, but his daughter Yamato was also abducted, and Onigashima, which he had managed for years, was reduced to ruins. Now, he cannot even easily lay claim to Wano Country, which is right before his eyes.
This is practically the classic case of "losing both the daughter and the army"!
...However, is that truly the case?
In the center of Onigashima, a bonfire blazed fiercely, the flames licking the night sky and staining half the horizon crimson.
Doctors were frantically busy among the crowd, bandaging wounds and treating injuries... yet many others, despite wearing slings and bandages, were still singing, dancing, and drinking heartily.
Pirates are never as rule-bound as the Marine; seizing the day and enjoying themselves is the creed etched into their very bones.
Even though Onigashima was already devastated and their home nearly destroyed, the boisterous banquet proceeded as scheduled, the unrestrained laughter drowning out the sounds of distant ruins collapsing.
"Worororo—!"
Kaido hooked one arm around King's shoulder and held a sake pot high in the other. Liquor flowed from the spout, but he paid it no mind, roaring with laughter,
"Come on, Abel! Stop pulling that face, drink a few more pots with me!"
King's mouth twitched uncontrollably; his usual cold and aloof demeanor was on the verge of collapsing... Behind Kaido, the blonde beauty Maria wore a figure-hugging dress, outlining her graceful curves.
With both hands, she gently massaged Kaido's shoulders and neck, her fingertips applying just the right amount of pressure. Her eyes were filled with an intense, melting charm... Occasionally, she offered him a piece of fruit, her voice so soft it sounded like dripping water... "Kaido-san."
King took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his helplessness, and regained some composure.
"I have already notified Queen to bring the prisoners from the Quarry to repair Onigashima. It should be mostly restored within half a month."
His eyes were filled with undisguised admiration and reliance.
Ever since learning that the Boss's Devil Fruit had awakened, transforming him into a true Azure Dragon, King had become utterly spirited. He walked with his back straight, his confidence seemingly overflowing... It was less like Kaido had awakened the Devil Fruit, and more like King himself had broken through a bottleneck!
He firmly believed that the Boss, who was once "invincible throughout the world," had truly returned... Even Straw Hat could never be a match for Kaido in his Awakened Azure Dragon form.
—This storm sweeping across the New World would ultimately conclude with the victory of the Beasts Pirates... Meanwhile, across the dark sea, thousands of sails raced, countless ships cutting through the waves and speeding toward Onigashima. The sails obscured half the sky, creating a breathtaking and alarming spectacle.
In the center of the deck, Queen slumped in a chair. His blood-stained overalls were covered in dust and gunpowder smoke, his face was pale as paper, and he lacked his usual arrogance.
He stared intently at the already shattered Onigashima in the distance.
The remaining main body of the island was teetering on the sea surface, and large pieces of debris plunged into the ocean, stirring up towering waves, instantly causing a tumultuous storm of shock in his heart.
"Wha... What is going on?!"
Ignoring his severe injuries, Queen suddenly sprang up from the chair. His already small beady eyes were now bulging, and his face was filled with unbelievable horror.
"Did Boss Kaido get into a fight with that Whitebeard guy?!"
In his understanding, looking across the entire sea, only Whitebeard possessed such world-shattering power.
This is more than half of Onigashima!
—It was forged from countless massive stones and steel, virtually indestructible, yet now it just shattered and sank just like that?!
"B-but isn't that old geezer Whitebeard already dead?!"
Queen blinked hard, wondering if he was hallucinating due to his severe injuries.
"Then who exactly did Boss Kaido fight?!"
He scratched his head, completely baffled, when a ridiculous thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
—Surely Boss Kaido didn't get drunk and tear Onigashima down himself?!