"Natural Disaster Kai!"
Dalton exclaimed in shock, his right hand instinctively tightening around the massive iron shovel, knuckles whitening.
Was his greatest fear finally coming to pass?
Wapol beside him had no idea what Dalton was thinking—he just found that suddenly appearing man across from them particularly irritating.
Damn it, how dare he be that handsome.
Wapol pointed dismissively at Kai, loudly ordering Dalton. "Dalton, go kill that pretty boy who popped out of nowhere for your king!"
"Huh? Me?"
Dalton looked at his king in disbelief.
"Obviously! Who else would it be? You're the kingdom's Guard Captain!"
Wapol impatiently glared at Dalton, his tone threatening. "Don't tell me you want to disobey my orders? Remember, I'm the king!"
He'd long wanted an opportunity to teach this guy who constantly opposed him a lesson. Dalton relied on his past connections with the former king, constantly speaking up to oppose King Wapol's brilliant policies every few days, acting as if without him, the country would collapse tomorrow.
Ridiculous.
Dalton's face twitched, struggling internally, but ultimately he lowered his head. "As you command, King Wapol."
The next moment, his body began violently twisting and expanding. Both sides of his forehead rapidly protruded, transforming into a pair of thick, sturdy horns. His muscles bulged, covered with dense fur.
Zoan-type: Ushi Ushi Fruit, Model: Bison—Human-Beast Form!
Thud!
Dalton's right foot, now transformed into a bison hoof, powerfully stomped the ground. Snow scattered as his entire body shot forward like a battering ram, charging at Kai with unstoppable momentum!
"Watch out! Dalton's a Devil Fruit user—his charging power can knock away a hundred soldiers!"
Hiriluk's body tensed as he shouted urgently to Kai beside him. "You should run! Tell Chopper I'm sorry!"
Almost simultaneously, Dalton's resonant voice rang out.
"Fiddle Banff!"
That massive iron shovel became a blur in his hands, carving a deadly arc as it viciously slashed toward Kai's chest!
However, Kai seemed completely oblivious to the attack. He even leisurely turned his head toward the panicked Hiriluk behind him, calmly stating, "Save those farewell words to tell that little reindeer yourself. I don't want to be a messenger."
Dude, seriously? You still have time to chat?
Hiriluk's attention was entirely on Dalton's incoming strike. He instinctively reached out, trying to push Kai away. But when he grabbed Kai's clothes and pulled hard, it felt like trying to move a mountain.
The man didn't budge!
Kai simply stood in place, barely changing his posture. He just expressionlessly raised his right hand.
That powerful strike, just as the shovel blade was about to touch Kai's collar, mysteriously stopped in midair!
"How—how is this possible?!"
"Captain Dalton used that move to crush an entire pirate crew!"
Distant soldiers witnessing this incredible scene nearly popped their eyes out, their beliefs shattering.
Two slender fingers steadily clamped the iron shovel.
Dalton's forehead veins bulged as he used all his strength, his face flushing completely red, yet the shovel couldn't advance even a millimeter!
Wapol, watching from behind, panicked and roared. "Dalton! You useless fool! Hurry up and kill him!"
If I weren't currently using all my strength against this monster, I'd turn and curse you to death, Dalton thought bitterly. Easy for you to say when you're not the one facing him.
"Should I call you stubborn? Or loyal?"
Kai sighed lightly, even boredly yawning. "Why protect this kind of king? If you ask me, just rebel."
Rebel against Wapol?
These words exploded like thunder in Hiriluk's mind, his eyes widening in shock. What kind of friends did Chopper make? Even as a former pirate, he couldn't imagine such treasonous things!
"Th-this friend, Wapol's an allied nation's king under the World Government. If something happens to him, it'll definitely attract Marine and World Government attention. Then you'll be in danger!"
Hiriluk swallowed, struggling to organize his words, trying to pull Kai back from this path.
Seemingly seeing a glimmer of peaceful resolution, Dalton interjected. "That's right! Removing Wapol from the throne will only make you offend the World Government. If you're willing to stop, I can authorize letting you and Hiriluk safely leave!"
You're actually quite nice. Unfortunately, I came specifically for Wapol.
Kai smiled without speaking, turning to Hiriluk. "Do you really believe that using your death can heal this nation?"
Hiriluk fell silent. He knew full well that his sacrifice had minimal chance of success.
"Just because hope is slim doesn't mean we shouldn't do what's right."
The man raised his head, gazing at the gray sky, his face showing a martyr-like smile. "Even in endless darkness, I'm willing to become that spark trying to illuminate the path ahead."
This time, it was Kai's turn to fall silent. He saw in Hiriluk the epitome of countless idealists. The ultimate sacrifice for one's beliefs—nothing more than this.
The next second, beyond everyone's expectations, Kai voluntarily released the two fingers clamping the shovel.
Dalton's heart jumped. Before understanding what Kai intended, he felt his vision suddenly darken. A large hand already covered his face, firmly grasping his entire head!
Everyone only saw a flash—they couldn't even see how Kai moved.
Bang!
A muffled sound as snow mixed with frozen earth was violently smashed open! Dalton slammed into the ground, instantly losing consciousness.
Kai slowly straightened, not even glancing at the fallen Dalton, stepping forward at a leisurely pace toward Wapol.
"Want to heal this nation?"
His voice wasn't loud, yet seemed to carry strange penetrating power, following the bitter wind and clearly pouring into every person's ears. "The method is actually simple—you just never dared think it, much less do it."
Soldiers worriedly glanced at their fallen Captain Dalton while fearfully raising guns aimed at the approaching figure. Their trained hands now trembled, barely able to steady their weapons.
"Fire! Fire! Shoot this bastard for your king!"
Wapol, both shocked and furious, hysterically roared like a cat whose tail was stepped on.
Soldiers, driven by instinct, reflexively pulled triggers. Dense bullets poured toward Kai like a storm.
Kai neither dodged nor evaded, maintaining his original pace. Hot lead bullets hitting his body couldn't even penetrate the outermost skin layer—they bounced off futilely, falling to the ground with metallic clinks.
Tap, tap, tap, tap—
Those steady, clear footsteps seemed not to tread on snow but directly on every soldier's and doctor's heart. Their heartbeats involuntarily followed the rhythm, pounding violently.
"Can't—breathe—"
A doctor just had this thought before his vision suddenly darkened, instantly losing all consciousness, limply collapsing.
Thud, thud, thud, thud—
Soldiers and doctors successively rolled their eyes white, collapsing in waves, motionless.
"Wh-what's happening?!"
Wapol rode his hippopotamus, his obese body unnaturally twisting, sweat beads rolling down his forehead. This bizarre scene completely exceeded his understanding.
Under his terrified gaze, that demon-like figure had already walked step by step before him.
"Don't even know about Conqueror's Haki? You're a truly failed king."
Kai shook his head. "Be dignified and surrender yourself."
"Impossible!" Wapol gritted his teeth, then looked at his subordinates. "Jess! Kuromarimo! Come here! Your king is preparing the 'ultimate move'!"
Both subordinates didn't dare delay, immediately positioning themselves between Kai and Wapol.
Then, a magical scene occurred. Wapol suddenly opened his mouth wide, expanding like rubber to over a meter, swallowing both subordinates in one gulp.
Kai didn't intervene, just watching with folded arms.
Shortly after, Wapol's throat undulated before spitting out an oddly-shaped "composite person"—the fusion of Jess and Kuromarimo.
Isn't this just one person riding another's head?
Kai examined them up and down, finding it rather boring. I thought this synthesis resembled fusion magic. That's it?
Thinking Kai was frightened, Wapol immediately laughed proudly. "Scared now! Seeing you've got decent skills, if you surrender now and pledge loyalty to this king, I can promote you to Guard Captain!"
Kai completely ignored his recruitment, turning toward companions just arriving at the mountain edge. Yamato and the others were riding on flame clouds created by Kozuki Hiyori's ability, slowly descending.
"Ace, Zoro, Sanji—any of you interested in some exercise?" Kai casually asked.
This time, even battle-hungry Yamato showed no interest. Too weak.
Ace's trio shared the same opinion. But since Kai was too lazy to act, these subordinates naturally had to handle it.
After rock-paper-scissors, unlucky Ace accepted this task.
The battle was completely one-sided. In the Grand Line's first half where Haki was still rare, Ace as a Mera Mera Fruit user could be called invincible. Just one simple "Fire Fist"—a torrent of scorching flames sent the composite person flying, instantly ending the fight.
Seeing his subordinates so easily dealt with, Wapol's heart tightened. Without hesitation, he abandoned them, scrambling back into the castle depths, only leaving behind a hollow threat.
"You all wait—prepare to die."
"Kai-sama, shouldn't we pursue?"
The freshly landed Kozuki Hiyori walked to Kai's side, softly asking.
"No rush."
Kai's gaze fixed on the castle with probing intent. "I want to see what his fruit ability can truly accomplish."
Soon, under Kai's anticipation, deep, massive mechanical sounds came from inside the castle.
Boom!
The castle's heavy door was forcefully knocked open from inside. Wapol, transformed into a steel war machine over ten meters tall, appeared before everyone.
He'd modified himself into a mobile fortress—hands transformed into dark cannon barrels, chest lined with rifles, legs changed to treaded wheel assemblies.
"Hahaha, prepare to die! This king will slowly torture you all to death!"
Wapol released arrogant laughter. But to his surprise and irritation, except for the sickly Hiriluk, none of the others showed any fear—instead looking curious, like seeing a new toy.
"Wow! What ability is this? So interesting!"
Yamato excitedly pointed at the massive war machine.
Kai calmly explained. "Munch-Munch Fruit—can transform everything eaten into his own flesh and blood."
The Munch-Munch Fruit was absurdly powerful among Paramecia types. Eating things to become part of his body or synthesizing new things was just its simplest application. The most broken aspect: it could acquire other ability users' powers through consumption!
From a comprehensive capability, it surpassed the Jacket-Jacket Fruit and Island-Island Fruit—only its range wasn't as broad.
"A very miraculous ability."
Seeing Kai's omniscient appearance, Robin understood. "Kai-sama, is he the person you're looking for?"
"Correct." Kai nodded. "Beyond crude applications, the Munch-Munch Fruit's true value lies in perfectly fusing two or even multiple metals, creating new alloys that don't exist in nature."
Judge's Raid Suits and future weapons and equipment all needed this ability to break through material science bottlenecks.
In the original timeline, after Luffy drove Wapol from Drum Island, he once fell so low he competed with wild dogs for food. But one day, he coincidentally synthesized eaten minerals into new material, creating shape-memory alloy "Wapometal," instantly becoming wealthy and world-famous.
Later establishing "Wapol Conglomerate," marrying Miss Universe—a true success story.
But this guy was too lazy! After getting rich from Wapometal, he became complacent, completely abandoning new alloy development.
What a waste! Such an incredible Devil Fruit ability, squandered.
No complex manufacturing processes needed—just eat raw materials in the right proportions to create entirely new alloys. A natural-born material science prodigy.
He must make Wapol contribute to Beast Pirates' technological development and the citizens' beautiful lives.