Three days later, in the Waters of Wasteman in the New World.
The azure sea shimmered with sparkling waves under the sunlight, and the massive pirate ship Kaidou resembled a moving island floating on the water. At this moment, the idle Kaidou sat cross-legged in the center of the deck, his burly figure casting a shadow under the sun. The sea breeze brushed through his steel-needle-like black hair, and the Hassaikai hanging at his waist swayed gently with the ship's motion.
"Worororo..." Kaidou let out his signature laugh, his gaze sweeping over King and Queen training on the deck. As the captain of the Beasts Pirates, he understood well the importance of nurturing capable subordinates. After all, the title "Master Kaidou" was not undeserved—the entire pirate world knew the severity of his training methods.
King and Queen were each lifting giant dumbbells three times larger than themselves, their clothes already soaked with sweat. These custom-made dumbbells, each weighing five tons, had been specially crafted by the shipwright under Kaidou's orders. They were performing squat exercises, but their conditions were starkly different.
King meticulously followed Kaidou's commands. Though his black feathers were damp with sweat and his breathing had grown labored, he maintained perfect form with mechanical precision—every squat executed at an exact knee angle. His golden eyes remained fixed ahead, revealing astonishing willpower.
In contrast, Queen—the already portly man—proved much more cunning. Though he dared not slack off too obviously under Kaidou's watchful eye, his movements were clearly half-hearted. His hips never fully descended during squats, and he consistently relied on his waist to stand up. His round face frequently twisted in pain, and he muttered under his breath, "This training is going to kill me..."
"Endure!" Kaidou's voice thundered across the deck like roaring waves. "True strength is forged by pushing past your limits!"
An hour later, Kaidou finally nodded in satisfaction. "Enough. Fifteen minutes rest!"
Thud—!
Thud—!
Two heavy sounds echoed as the exhausted duo collapsed onto the deck. Queen gasped for air like a stranded fish, sweat pooling beneath him. Though equally exhausted, King retained his final shred of dignity, lying on his back while steadying his breathing.
"Huff... Huff... Boss Kaidou..." Queen wriggled his obese body like an earthworm crawling to Kaidou's feet. "I think... I've truly reached my limit today... If we continue... I might drop dead on the spot..."
"Worthless!" King struggled to prop up his upper body, his golden pupils filled with disdain. "Brother Kaidou, a slacker like him should be thrown into the sea to feed the Sea Kings!"
"Bullshit!" Queen suddenly sprang up like a cat with its tail stepped on. "You think everyone's a freak like you? I'm taking the science route!"
Kaidou watched the two arguing and let out a low chuckle: "Urorororo... Shut up." He stood up, his over-six-meter height forcing them to look up at him. "King, Queen, listen well. In this world, there are only a few paths to enhance your strength: physical combat, swordsmanship, Devil Fruits, technology, and the Three Colors of Haki."
He paced to the ship's railing, gazing at the boundless sea as he continued: "But no matter which path you choose, physical fitness is the most fundamental foundation. It determines your lower limit, while other abilities determine your upper limit." Kaidou turned around, his eyes blazing like torches. "You two have a decent foundation, but it's far from enough."
"In the future..." Kaidou's voice suddenly turned serious as he grabbed the Hassaikai embedded in the deck. The spiked club left a dent in the floorboards. "Our enemies will grow stronger. By then, even I may not be able to protect you."
Queen stared at the Hassaikai mere inches away, cold sweat instantly soaking through his back. Kaidou leaned down, his dragon-like vertical pupils fixed on him: "Rather than letting you die by someone else's hand..." His voice suddenly turned dangerous. "I might as well send you off myself, so you don't embarrass me!"
"K-Kaidou boss!" Queen scrambled backward in panic. "I understand! I'll continue training right away! King! Stop playing dead and get up!"
King snorted coldly as he stood up: "Coward." But he still assumed a training stance.
"Urorororo... Good." Kaidou nodded in satisfaction. "Next is combat training. The two of you attack me together. Of course..." He revealed a ferocious grin. "I'll fight back too."
"W-what?!" Queen's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Kaidou boss, you must be joking? How could we possibly..."
"Enough nonsense!" Kaidou suddenly roared. "If you want to hit others, first learn to take a hit! Are you ready?"
Queen's eyes darted around before suddenly putting on an obsequious smile: "Kaidou boss, I... I don't know how to fight..." Before he finished speaking, he suddenly threw a punch at Kaidou's abdomen!
"Bam!"
Kaidou casually swatted him away, sending Queen flying like a rubber ball. He rolled several times across the deck before stopping.
"King!" Kaidou looked toward his other subordinate.
"Understood!" King's black wings suddenly spread from his back, powerful air currents whipping up dust from the deck. He soared into the air, tracing an elegant arc before his right leg shot toward Kaidou's head with a sonic boom.
Kaidou merely raised his hand slightly to block the fierce kick. Just then, Queen—who had been pretending to be dead on the ground—pulled out a rocket launcher from somewhere and pulled the trigger without hesitation!
"Whoosh—"
The rocket shot toward Kaidou's back trailing flames. Without even turning his head, Kaidou backhanded the rocket away while simultaneously grabbing King's ankle. He swung him like a hammer throw toward Queen.
"Boom!"
"Crash!"
As the rocket exploded mid-air, King and Queen collided heavily, creating a large crater in the deck.
Kaidou walked over to the two: "King, your attacks are too straightforward. When your strength is insufficient, you must learn to adapt." He then looked at the dust-covered Queen. "Technology can indeed quickly enhance combat power, but without a solid foundation, even the best weapons cannot reach their full potential."Yes, Brother Kaidou!""
"Yes, Boss Kaidou!"
The two struggled to their feet, their eyes gleaming with newfound understanding.
"Continue!" Kaidou roared with laughter. "From today onward, besides basic training, you'll engage in combat practice every day. Don't worry..." He revealed a devilish grin. "I absolutely won't go easy on you! Wororororo..."
Thus, over the next ten days, explosions, impacts, and screams continuously echoed from the Kaidou's ship. The crew members progressed from trembling with fear to calmly navigating around the training area to continue their work.
Ten days later, when the silhouette of Shells Town appeared on the horizon, the entire ship erupted in cheers. Even the typically cold King showed an expectant expression, let alone Queen who was nearly driven mad by the training.
"Finally... finally we can go ashore..." Queen leaned against the ship's railing, tearfully gazing at the approaching island.
Kaidou stood at the bow, the sea breeze sweeping across his powerful physique. He turned and ordered Queen: "Give everyone 100,000 Berry spending money, arrange for Coating and supplies replenishment."
"Awooo—! Long live Boss Kaidou!" The crew's cheers resounded to the skies.
Queen wiped away nonexistent tears: "Don't worry Boss, leave it to me."
Kaidou's sharp gaze swept over every crew member: "Remember, anyone who dares to cause trouble on the island..." He left the sentence unfinished, but everyone felt a chill.
When Kaidou's massive frame was the first to step onto Shells Town's dock, the entire port instantly fell silent. The over six-meter-tall monster made the wooden dock groan under his weight with every step. Passersby fearfully cleared a path, while merchants instinctively protected their goods.
Kaidou took a deep breath of the island air mingled with the scent of alcohol and sea salt, revealing a satisfied smile: "Wororororo... Finally, I can properly relax."