When Kaido issued his threat, Yoruha surprisingly felt relieved. After all, this was a product of the system. As long as someone tested it, the value would prove itself!
Once they saw how powerful the Susanoo Fruit was, the Beast Pirates would treat Yoruha like a treasure.
As Yoruha was lost in thought, Kaido transformed into his massive Azure Dragon form. Without a word, he grabbed Yoruha, placing him atop his head, and flew toward Wano Country.
On Onigashima, the three Calamities, the Tobi Roppo, and thousands of elite Beast Pirates were in the middle of a grand banquet.
At the massive banquet table, Jack the Drought looked a bit uneasy.
"Kaido-sama has been gone for so long… Could something have happened?"
After all, during the last banquet, Kaido had gotten drunk, transformed into his dragon form, and flown off. The next news they'd received was three days later—Kaido had been captured by the Marines.
Hearing this, Queen put down his wine cup, his cheerful mood dampened.
"Jack, don't say things like that! You'll jinx Kaido-sama!"
King stood from his chair, narrowing his eyes as he looked toward the sky. After a moment of hesitation, he voiced his concern.
"Should we go and look for Kaido-sama?"
While Kaido could escape even if he were captured again, why go through unnecessary suffering?
Before they could decide, Jack's expression suddenly brightened.
"He's back! Kaido-sama is back!"
From the sky, a massive Azure Dragon spiraled downward, rapidly approaching Onigashima.
As Kaido landed, the pirates finally noticed something shocking—a small figure perched on Kaido's head.
What?!
Who was this kid, and how dare he act so brazenly?
Even Yamato-san hadn't been given such a privilege when he was younger!
The three Calamities and the Tobi Roppo all rubbed their eyes, certain they must be hallucinating. But no matter how hard they blinked, the scene remained unchanged.
Everyone turned their hostile gazes on Yoruha.
Of course. It's the Beast Pirates, Yoruha thought grimly. He could feel the waves of jealousy and malice directed at him, as if they might drown him at any moment.
Jack, the most straightforward among them, finally broke the tense silence. He stomped forward, glaring at Yoruha with fury.
"Kaido-sama, who is this brat?!" Jack demanded, pointing at Yoruha.
Kaido waved a massive hand and plucked Yoruha from his head, setting him on the ground.
"This kid is someone I picked up on Taikyu Island," Kaido said casually. "He's a scientist. He offered me one of his inventions—a man-made Devil Fruit."
"This fruit, he claims, can be eaten even by someone with a Devil Fruit power without causing death!"
As Kaido spoke, he placed the Susanoo Fruit, which resembled a fiery dragon fruit, on the table for all to see.
The surrounding pirates stared at the fruit, first in confusion, then in disbelief.
"What? Did I hear that right? A synthetic Devil Fruit that won't kill someone with powers?"
"Kaido-sama must've been tricked while he was drunk…"
"Definitely a scam! Unless you've got some crazy unique body, eating two Devil Fruits is certain death. That's an unbreakable rule of the sea!"
"Shh! Don't let Kaido-sama hear you, or we're finished!"
It was clear none of them believed Yoruha's claim.
Even Kaido, despite being drunk, harbored some doubts. After all, the ironclad law of the sea wasn't something that could easily be overturned.
Kaido gestured to Queen, handing him the fruit.
"Queen, check this out. See if what this kid says is true," Kaido ordered.
Queen, the Beast Pirates' scientist, had been itching to examine the fruit since it appeared. With Kaido's command, he eagerly pulled out a specialized magnifying glass and began analyzing it on the spot.
Meanwhile, Jack approached Yoruha with a menacing expression.
"Lying to Kaido-sama? You've got guts, brat!" Jack snarled.
King, gripping the hilt of his sword, moved closer to Yoruha, a mocking grin on his face.
"Trying to use two Devil Fruits to kill Kaido-sama? Brat, have you ever been interrogated before? You'll wish for death when I'm done with you."
As the tension mounted, Queen's sharp intake of breath cut through the air.
Staring at the fruit through his magnifying glass, Queen's small eyes behind his sunglasses widened in shock. After repeatedly confirming his findings, he finally exclaimed:
"Kaido-sama, it's true!"
"I've never seen such intricate craftsmanship in a synthetic Devil Fruit. It really won't clash with other Devil Fruit powers!"
What?!
It was real?
King loosened his grip on his sword, his smug grin replaced with astonishment. He looked at Yoruha with newfound respect.
"Could this kid be… a genius?"
Jack swallowed hard, his expression shifting from fury to awe. Even though he didn't understand the science behind it, he grasped the implications of bypassing the deadly law of two Devil Fruits.
"Ahahahahaha!" Kaido roared with laughter, his hand slapping Yoruha's shoulder.
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!" Kaido was overjoyed. Just this one innovation—overcoming the fatal side effects of two Devil Fruits—was groundbreaking.
The pirates, who had been skeptical moments earlier, now looked at Yoruha with admiration. Gone was the scorn; in its place was a deep respect.
This young scientist was no ordinary man. His research might even surpass that of Vegapunk!
Kaido grinned widely and picked up the Susanoo Fruit.
"Let me try it myself! The kid said it'll make my body a hundred times bigger and give me armor that's both offense and defense in one!"
Without hesitation, Kaido swallowed the fruit in one gulp.
If the fruit's abilities were as described, Kaido's dream of waging a world-shaking war and becoming the Pirate King would be within reach!