This story has almost nothing to do with Kaido, aside from the characters’ appearance and ability; the story’s background was entirely far-fetched.
But right now, Wano Country is in such a situation. Kozuki Hiyori is the Shogun, and except for those who have no interest in politics, anyone with even a bit of political awareness can sense the current state of Wano Country.
Militarily, they don’t have the power to resist Kaido. Nominally, Kozuki Hiyori’s position as Shogun is incredibly stable; the situation where Kozuki Sukiyaki was assassinated back then is simply impossible to happen again.
Every year, Kozuki Hiyori even goes on a trip abroad once. As the leader of a puppet regime, she has everything she could want, except real power.
Even ordinary people are now beneficiaries of the Beasts Pirates’ rule. Those who want to overthrow the Beasts Pirates now find it hard to gain the people’s support. Even those old conservatives of the Kozuki family can’t find a suitable reason anymore.
In this situation, the new play that praises the real ruler is a harmless thing.
Moreover, Kaido has always had a certain interest in theater, so this also caters to his tastes. However, due to Kaido’s personality, the actors have had a hard time, as he has very high expectations for fight scenes.
With his new mount, Kaido also didn’t stay in Wano Country but instead rode Hydrachton to cause trouble elsewhere. With such a fierce mount, not going out to make everyone aware of it would be out of character for him.
Hydrachton was transformed from a Devil Fruit, but the Devil Fruit was just a seed. Now it has sprouted and evolved into a brand-new creature. A seed can be roasted and eaten, but when it turns into a big tree, normal people can’t chew on wood.
Even chewing the bark is something most people can’t digest.
In short, it has now become an independent Pokémon and no longer possesses the original characteristics of the Yamata no Orochi’s Devil Fruit.
As for Kaido’s “showing off” behavior while outside, no one in the Beasts Pirates pays attention anymore. Even seeing in the newspaper that Kaido has been captured wouldn’t shock them much. Only Yamato was excited.
As long as Kaido isn’t around, it doesn’t matter what he is doing—it’s all good news to her.
Among everyone, only Queen was an exception. Watching Kaido riding Hydrachton away, he wanted to stop him but was powerless to do so. All he could do was speed up the registration of population data.
He had a premonition that sooner or later, he would suffer because of Kaido.
The days when Kaido is not around bring relief and joy to many, and for Yamato, it’s a rare time of freedom.
“Miss Yamato, is there something you need here?”
On the giant tree above the Flower Capital’s palace, King found Yamato lost in thought. She was sitting with Diancie, gazing at the distant sea horizon.
During the great battle in Wano Country, this tree was toppled during Kaido and Kozuki Oden’s fight. After recovering, it had returned to its former appearance.
“I’m watching the sunrise. I heard the view from here is quite nice. It suddenly hit me—I was always tormented by my father every morning and never had the chance to properly enjoy the sunrise.”
“I understand. Please, take your time. I won’t disturb you.”
He had only come up to check because he sensed someone on the roof. Security here was his responsibility, but since it was Yamato, there was nothing to worry about.
“Wait a minute, Uncle King, why are you up here? Where’s Delia?”
Delia’s ability to see through things makes her an excellent overseer. Walls can’t obstruct her vision. Normally, she only needs to glance to know what’s happening on the roof.
“She went out with Isuka some time ago. Her personality is not that of an ordinary woman; recently, she’s been itching for some action.”
Wano Country is vast. If a few people leave, it won’t attract much attention unless they are people you interact with daily. Even though Delia is the Vice-Captain, she has her own life.
“Is someone attacking our territory again?”
“There is, but it’s not to the point where support is needed. This time, she actually went to a competition.”
…
In the New World, on a certain island, a large number of strong individuals from all over the world had gathered. Although they weren’t the top elites, their average strength far exceeded that of ordinary people. The island was divided into several sections, each area serving as a different arena.
The New World Central Fighting Tournament, being a private civilian event, enjoys immense popularity throughout the entire New World. Even other seas have heard of it.
Every year, it attracts a large number of martial artists, pirates, bounty hunters, civilians, and even some Marines who participate in the battles.
For Kaido and Yamato, such a competition no longer holds any significance, but for others, it is still an excellent way to hone their skills.
“Sister Delia, is this place… really safe?”
“Of course it’s safe. I don’t know exactly who organizes this event, but they have considerable influence. There’s a strict rule against killing here—at least, there won’t be any deaths in the arenas. It’s actually a pretty good place.”
“Do you see that kid over there? Destruction Cannon • Ideo, a newcomer who started participating in this tournament last year. He’s made quite a name for himself.”
“Is he from the Longarm Tribe?”
“Yes, but don’t worry about him. He has nothing to do with us. We’re heading to the semi-unrestricted fighting arena.”
The New World Central Fighting Tournament isn’t divided into different weight classes. Instead, it’s split into several sections based on the type of competition. The semi-unrestricted fighting arena, as the name suggests, has few restrictions. Devil Fruit abilities, Haki, armor, swords, and other weapons are all allowed.
However, firearms and other ranged attack methods, as well as grenades and similar throwable items, are strictly prohibited.
After all, it’s a fighting competition, and long-distance clashes between two people need to be avoided.
Delia is a regular here, and since gaining her ability, she has been the champion of the unrestricted fighting arena for three consecutive years.
In unrestricted combat, the sheer variety of bizarre weapons opponents might bring can affect the outcome of the match. But her ability to see through things eliminates that concern.
She brought Isuka here mainly to experience different kinds of battles and to increase her combat experience.
The semi-unrestricted fighting arena is wild; it starts with a massive brawl to eliminate a large number of contestants. As the reigning champion, Delia attracted a lot of attention, but Isuka noticed a strange person.
“Sister Delia, look at that man over there…”
“Don’t worry. Those guys grouping together aren’t strong… Wait! That thing…”
There’s no restriction on wearing armor here, so you can see many participants dressed like Michelin Tire Man covered in layers of armor. Their goal is the high prize money at the end. However, on the chest of that man’s armor, they noticed a strangely shaped stone.
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