"Quick, closer! Turn the camera to that man, get closer to him!" Morgans barked, flapping his wings as he directed the reporter bird. His instincts screamed that this was another earth-shattering story. He even had tomorrow's headline already: "Kaido, the Great Pirate, Becomes a Hero?"
The image zoomed in. A very handsome man in a white coat appeared, holding a child in his arms. In the commoners' quarter outside the royal city, all the residents watched the giant projection screen. Suddenly, a young woman gasped and covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
"Clarence! And Creel!" she cried, unable to believe her eyes.
The crowd turned. Maria, who had lived quietly in sorrow for nearly a decade, trembled with emotion. Her husband, Clarence, had vanished long ago while searching for their missing son. Everyone thought he had died. They had even attended his funeral. Yet here he was, alive, holding their child.
Neighbors whispered in shock. "But Maria, wasn't Clarence supposed to have died in an accident?"
Maria no longer hid the truth. "To find Creel, Clarence faked his death and changed his identity. I haven't heard from him in nine years… I thought he was gone forever. But he lived, and he found our son!"
Gasps spread through the crowd. Dozens of families who had lost children leaned forward in dread and hope.
Clarence, still holding Creel, began to speak. His voice carried both grief and conviction:
"A century-long evil festers in this kingdom. The nobles and royals of the Pet Kingdom steal children too young to remember their parents. They erase their humanity, raise them alongside animals, feed them like beasts, and turn them into human pets. These children are not even regarded as slaves, they are considered less than human, toys for the nobles' amusement. That is the truth behind the countless missing children!"
Murmurs of rage and disbelief swept across the city.
Creel slipped from Clarence's arms, falling to the ground. The boy instinctively landed on all fours like a fox, sniffing the air curiously. Clarence quickly picked him up, his voice breaking. "As you can see, Creel has been raised as a fox. He cannot even speak. There are countless other children like him."
The reporter bird's lens panned back. Behind Clarence, hundreds of children ran about on all fours, rolling and yipping like animals. The sight was both heartbreaking and horrifying.
Clarence turned toward Kaido. "Lord Kaido, thank you for saving this country, thank you for eliminating the nobles and freeing these children. You are the hero of this land!"
The battlefield fell silent. Roger's crew, Garp, the Marines watching the live broadcast, even Kaido himself...all froze.
Kaido's brows furrowed. Hero? He had come here only to fight and kill. Yet somehow, he was being painted as the liberator of the kingdom.
He crossed his arms and growled, "How do you know it was me who did it?"
"Your subordinates told me," Clarence answered innocently.
Kaido's eyes narrowed. He summoned his men. "Are there any of our people elsewhere on this island?"
The Beast Pirates shook their heads. "No, everyone's here."
A faint realization dawned. He had been played. Someone had lured him to this kingdom with false intelligence about the king's ability to control Zoan Devil Fruit users. That ability had never manifested, because it was a lie.
He clenched his teeth. "Damn it… I was used."
But Clarence, oblivious to Kaido's fury, continued. "Your men also said you were interested in this kingdom's beast-taming techniques. We beg you, as the hero who liberated us, to protect our country. Without you, we are defenseless."
Kaido's scowl eased. Beast-taming techniques could indeed be useful. Yet before he could respond, Clarence suddenly remembered something. He reached into a cloth bag and pulled out three Devil Fruits.
"They told me to give you these. They said all the nobles in the capital have been wiped out. Their wealth, worth tens of billions, is yours, along with the century-old reserves of the kingdom. In total, it is hundreds of billions of Berries. They said you would meet again in the future."
Kaido's eyes gleamed. His anger vanished, replaced by booming laughter. "Wororororo! Then hear me, all of you! From this day forward, this island is my territory. I, Kaido of the Beasts, will plant my flag here and protect this land. No one will invade it again!"
Cheers erupted.
"Hero Kaido!" Clarence cried.
"Hero Kaido!" echoed the residents.
The chant spread like wildfire through the capital and across the kingdom. The same people who had once feared Kaido now revered him as their savior.
Kaido threw back his head, reveling in the adoration. He had been tricked, yes, but the spoils were worth it. A rich kingdom, a vast treasury, a loyal population, and a new base of operations… his rise was assured.
In Marine Headquarters, Sengoku scowled. "So Kaido walks away with everything. A fortune in Berries, an island fortress, and the people's loyalty."
Tsuru folded her arms. "It was too perfect. Someone used Kaido as a pawn, and he still profited. Whoever planned this is dangerous."
On the battlefield, Roger sheathed his sword and laughed. "No more fighting today. The world has shifted enough."
Garp dusted off his coat and turned to leave. "Hmph. Next time, Roger, I won't let you off so easily."
As the Marines and pirates departed, Kaido rallied his crew. "Gather everything. We return to the island!"
Meanwhile, in the ruined noble district, two young apprentices of Roger's crew, Shanks and Buggy, stuffed treasure into sacks. Buggy trembled. "Shanks, this is Kaido's treasure! If he catches us..."
Shanks cut him off, his eyes narrowing as four masked figures passed by. Among them was Teach, who locked eyes with Shanks for a moment before continuing on.
Buggy shivered. "Who were those people?"
Shanks shook his head. "I don't know. But I have a feeling we'll see them again."
On the other side, Mobius asked Teach, "Boss, why the interest in those two kids?"
Teach smirked. "They're Roger's apprentices. Don't underestimate them. They may become great figures one day."
He spread his arms, staring at the sky with a gleam in his eyes. The gears of destiny are turning. Kaido rises, the world trembles, and soon it will be my time.
That day would be remembered for generations.
Kaido had come as an invader, yet left as a hero, wealthy, powerful, and with a new kingdom at his feet. The Beast Pirates were about to rise, and the world would never be the same.