"Oh? Garp? Did Governor-General Kaido go to fight him this time?"
The pirate reading the newspaper didn't find it strange as he was somewhat used to it. Kaido's actions when he went out had become fairly predictable. No matter what he did, in the end, he would inevitably clash with other forces.
"What is this rubbish article? How could Boss Kaido be as they described? It's obvious this was written by Marine journalists. Why is Morgans so slow this time?"
This wasn't the first time Kaido appeared in the newspaper, but this article was all about the Marines' bravery, which made them, as pirates, quite displeased.
This kind of one-sided propaganda didn't match Morgans' usual reporting style. It was clearly an article deliberately published by the Marines.
"Who knows? Maybe if we wait a bit longer, there will be different news."
In the minds of the Beasts Pirates' members, Kaido is the strongest pirate in the world and destined to become the Pirate King. Moreover, only a few high-ranking officers knew a special secret: out of the legendary four Road Poneglyphs, Kaido possesses two.
In a sense, he is already the closest person to becoming the Pirate King.
Besides them, even those outside who are unaware of the secret have some debate over who is the pirate closest to becoming the Pirate King.
Over a decade ago, Whitebeard was the sole candidate, but now, he is no longer the only one.
Beasts Pirates' Kaido, the "Strongest Creature"—this nickname wasn't earned through a series of victories. Kaido's battle record could be divided into two phases: before and after he met Arceus.
After meeting Arceus and forming the core of the initial Beasts Pirates, he gradually embarked on the path of "invincibility." With his terrifying physique combined with the defense of Protect, his body was almost in a state of absolute defense.
Aside from Whitebeard, who hadn't yet entered his period of decline, most enemies couldn't even break his defense. Only Whitebeard was able to take advantage of the brief gaps in Protect to inflict any meaningful damage.
Before meeting Arceus, Kaido had experienced multiple defeats and captures. Nine massive prison ships had been sunk because of him alone.
According to his life experiences in the original timeline, Kaido was defeated seven times in direct combat, captured 18 times by the Marines or enemy forces, tortured numerous times, and sentenced to death over 40 times.
However, during hangings, the chains would snap. During impalements, the spears would break. During beheadings, the guillotine would shatter. He couldn't be executed, and his physique and vitality made him unbeatable in one-on-one combat, earning him the title of the "Strongest Creature."
As for why the Marines didn't switch to a more effective method, it remains one of the world's great unsolved mysteries.
The current Kaido was different from before. He grew stronger through battles. His reckless ways were a means to break through his limits. Now, he had a better choice—there was nothing that could toughen his body more than taking a small-power Judgment head-on.
Previously, to avoid wasting time, Kaido used to disappear for a long while. But as the Beasts Pirates expanded and more manpower was deployed across the seas to begin the search trips, Kaido's true nature could no longer be suppressed.
He was never someone content with solitude, so he began causing chaos across the seas. He came and went as he pleased, and with his powerful body, almost no one could stop him when he set his mind to leave. His actions brought considerable turmoil to the New World.
While Delia and Isuka were taking part in the competition and Arceus was away, Kaido wasn't idle either.
He wasn't riding around Hydrachton for fun, rather he was searching for new opponents.
...
Some time ago, in the skies of the New World, riding on Hydrachton's back, Kaido began pondering where to flex his strength while getting some exercise and honing his combat skills.
"Red-Haired Shanks... another brat who's grown up, huh? Maybe I'll give him a try next time. For now, let's head here."
Leaning against Hydrachton's back, Kaido looked at the latest news in the newspaper. This year, there had been an unusual amount of reports about Red-Haired Shanks. Since entering the New World, Shanks had started making his own moves and has even claimed a sizable territory.
Kaido was exactly 20 years older than Shanks. When the God Valley Incident ended, Shanks had just been born, so calling him a "brat" wasn't entirely unreasonable.
When it came to Whitebeard and Big Mom, Kaido was considered the young one. Now, there was a pirate who was both strong enough and younger than him, which piqued his interest. However, Shanks wasn't his target this time.
This time, Kaido came out partly because he was itching for a fight and partly to test Hydrachton's destructive power.
He didn't just want a flashy mount—he wanted one with real strength.
Previously, he had subdued Hydrachton through close combat, and recognized its strength. Yet, it wasn't enough.
If a powerful mount remains unknown, it's like a luxury sports car that no one ever hears about after it leaves the factory. Others' reactions are also a way for humans to satisfy their desires.
Whether it's fear or envy, he wanted to see those expressions.
"Hey, big guy, you want to fight too, don't you? I can feel it; the blood running through your body is that of a warrior."
Kaido tossed the newspaper aside and patted the central head of Hydrachyon. At this time, Hydrachton was soaring through the sky, so due to the strong winds, the newspaper flew away far into the distance.
"Roar!"
"Worororo, I knew you'd be just my type. Let's destroy everything to our hearts' content this time!"
Both Hassaikai and Hydrachton had the number eight in their names, and Kaido felt that there had to be some deeper connection. From the moment he saw this giant beast, he knew it was different.
Hydreigon, a Dark/Dragon-type Pokémon, was inherently quite violent.
Yamata no Orochi is an evil yokai from Wano Country's legends.
When the two were combined, the newly created Hydrachton became even more violent. Compared to Tyranitar and Emboar, it is inherently more aggressive and warlike, and Kaido's method of subduing it only activated its inherently warlike traits.
It wasn't that Hydrachton disliked this method; in fact, it believed that only someone who could defeat it this way had the right to tame it.
Some Pokémon could change their nature for their Trainer. If Hydrachton had a different owner, it might have become more restrained. But Kaido clearly wasn't that kind of person—he would only encourage Hydrachton's aggressive nature.
"Alright, we're here. Let the world know of your existence from this moment on!"
"Roar!"
All eight of Hydrachton's heads roared in unison, and then it dove down through the clouds, flapping its six wings. Below, the large letters "G1" were clearly visible on the building complex below.
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