Pirates live under constant pressure. They are always on the brink of battle, and fear is an emotion that exists in everyone, albeit to varying degrees. As a result, hedonism is highly prevalent among pirates.
The rewards they receive are quickly spent, and only a handful of pirates save their money. Cigarettes and alcohol are popular commodities among pirates, but the high-ranking officers of the Beasts Pirates are a bit different.
Kaido is the main consumer of alcohol. As for tobacco, apart from Queen, who always has a cigar in his mouth, no one else a strong preference for it. Surprisingly, the third item that is consumed the most is snacks.
However, this doesn’t affect ordinary pirates much. Aside from the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol, gambling is a major interest for them.
At least within the Beasts Pirates, gambling is real without any dirty tricks. Kaido is the sole dealer, and the purpose of these bets is simply to provide entertainment for his subordinates.
Compared to the usual dice methods, the Beasts Pirates have two favorite methods. One is the roulette, which is the result of a reward mechanism left by Arceus earlier, with the aim of mastering the game of roulette skillfully.
The other is combat gambling, which excites them even more.
Every time someone acquires a new ability, they engage in their first duel in this gathering.
The arena was cleared, with Holed’em in his humanoid lion form and Daifugo in his humanoid insect form engaging in the most primal form of combat.
Although they belong to the same pirate crew, trash talk between the two has never ceased.
“Come on, little kitten, and be careful to not break your teeth.”
“Tch, what’s there to boast about hiding behind a shell, worm? Come out if you dare!”
But, in the end, Daifugo emerged victorious. He’s not like Maria, who finds the insect form ugly; he’s a pragmatist. His incredibly tough shell and four extra arms gave him a clear advantage in this hand-to-hand fight.
As long as he protected his soft abdomen, Holed’em couldn’t do anything to him. In the end, Daifugo’s six arms captured Holed’em, securing victory in the match.
This match was not the end but the beginning. After them were the Gifters, and eventually, some ordinary pirates joined in as well. Fighting has become a form of entertainment within the Beasts Pirates.
Any disputes must be settled in the arena; using underhanded tricks privately is a severe violation of Beasts Pirates’ rules.
Yamato was initially just watching the fun, but in the end, Kaido also threw her into the arena.
Seeing Yamato suddenly appear in the arena, the pirates were momentarily bewildered.
But then Kaido’s voice echoed.
“Listen up, everyone! Anyone still in the arena can take her down. Defeating her will earn you the reward you’ve been longing for. No need to hold back; give it your all! Don’t think of her as my daughter; she’s your enemy now!”
After that, Kaido also threw Takeru 5.0, which had been placed near Yamato, into the arena. They hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Arceus didn’t intervene and Kaido kept urging them on, someone finally took action.
“Sorry, Miss Yamato, but it’s Boss Kaido’s order!”
Then, he was swiftly knocked down by the kanabo. Under Kaido’s brutal training, fighting back had become Yamato’s instinct.
“You fools, that’s my daughter! I told you to go attack her together!”
Some elite foot soldiers were still ordinary crew members. With no Gifters or Blessed Ones to back them up, challenging Yamato one-on-one was a pipe dream.
At Kaido’s reminder, they engaged in a unique fight. Amid Kaido’s satisfied laughter and Yamato’s somewhat angry and resigned curses, the party on Onigashima continued.
In the days that followed, the Beasts Pirates, with Kozuki Hiyori as a puppet, issued a series of new orders, causing a drastic transformation in Wano Country in just one month.
Just as King said, Hiyori received all the privileges befitting a Shogun, but she lacked freedom. Even if Kawamatsu and others wanted to see her, they needed his permission.
However, King wasn’t too strict about this. Every day, they could see Kozuki Hiyori, but their time together was limited.
But on a certain day, a patient arrived at the Beasts Pirates Pokémon Center.
“Mr. Kojiro? Are you feeling unwell?”
“Oh, it’s just… hair loss, insomnia, and some palpitations. I need a comprehensive check-up.”
Kojiro walked in looking haggard. This month has been quite fulfilling for him. When he initially became the leader of the Shinsengumi, the elderly members of his family were moved to tears. It was the greatest proof of his family’s resurgence.
After all, this meant that a merchant family had re-entered the political arena. But Kojiro soon realized he had been too naive. Under the new policies, his guild rapidly expanded its influence throughout the entire Wano Country, and many matters required his personal decision.
Shinsengumi’s matters were no different; a heap of responsibilities were thrown on him. Meanwhile, Hyogoro also didn’t let him off. Ever since the day he injured Hyogoro with Tsubame-gaeshi, he had been bothering him.
Ever since Kozuki Hiyori took the throne, for some reason, he’d often show up with his sword to spar with Kojiro.
According to Hyogoro, Kojiro’s physique was subpar. How could such a powerful sword technique end up hurting himself? To prevent this technique from being lost, Hyogoro decided to train Kojiro.
It just happens that King had been busy with other matters lately, and as a samurai, Hyogoro’s strength was more than sufficient. So, the Beasts Pirates allowed him to train Kojiro.
Under the dual pressure of work and training, Kojiro felt himself becoming increasingly haggard.
The medical examination was swift, and the doctor concluded, based on his physical condition, that it was due to excessive exhaustion.
“Overwork?”
“Yes, your body has been overworked. You need to rest more, and if possible, start by setting aside a few things.”
So, the next day, armed with his diagnosis report, Kojiro arrived at Onigashima and submitted his resignation as the leader of the Shinsengumi.
“Resigning?”
“Yes, Lord Arceus, I’m just not good at this kind of management. It is very different from business, and I am not sure I have the energy for it. I think it would be better to give this position to someone else who is more capable.”
The matters of the Shinsengumi consumed a lot of his energy, and the results often fell short of expectations, leading him to make this decision.
“In that case, you can keep the position for now. You don’t need to worry about the matters there anymore. There will be a few assistants to take over your duties. Just focus on your own matters.”
“Understood. I’ll do my best in the guild.”
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