Deep within the Totto Land Kingdom, the atmosphere inside the massive castle on Cake Island was thick with tension. Charlotte Linlin, the fearsome Emperor of the Sea, listened to Pudding's report through the Den Den Mushi with a face twisted in displeasure.
"I understand, Pudding," Big Mom barked, her voice echoing through the hall. "From now on, if anything happens with the Beasts Pirates, you report it to me immediately. And Pekoms, don't forget the real reason I sent you there!"
"Yes, I understand, Mama!" Pekoms squeaked from the other end.
With a huff, Linlin hung up the snail and shoved a massive piece of cake into her mouth. Only the rush of sugar could soothe her rising irritation. After a moment, she looked toward her children standing nearby. "Katakuri," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. "When you went to Wano Country, did Kaido put you through that training too?"
Katakuri, the strongest of the Sweet Commanders, stood tall as he recalled his time in Wano. "Yes, Mama. Kaido took me to an Ancient Island where I trained alongside his top cadres."
"Tell me how he did it," Linlin commanded.
"In the mornings, Kaido would force us to wear Sea Stone handcuffs to suppress our Devil Fruit abilities," Katakuri explained, his voice calm yet serious. "We had to rely entirely on pure physical strength to fight. In the afternoons, the restraints were removed, and we fought at full power. My primary opponent was King. In the evenings, Kaido would step in himself. He used his Conqueror's Haki to temper our wills through direct combat."
The members of the Big Mom Pirates present—including Perospero, Daifuku, and Oven—exchanged stunned glances. It was hard to imagine a man of Kaido's status personally training his subordinates like a common drill instructor.
"Why do you think he's doing this?" Linlin asked, genuinely puzzled.
Katakuri paused, choosing his words carefully. "I don't fully understand it, Mama. But while training with them, I felt a strange pressure. It seemed as though Kaido and his officers were being pushed by something... a desperate pursuit of absolute strength."
"Is that so?" Linlin mused. "I heard that King awakened his Conqueror's Haki during a clash with Red-Haired Shanks."
"That is correct," Katakuri confirmed. "Under the pressure of Shanks' Haki and Kaido's guidance, King awakened the ability. A girl named Ulti has also shown signs of it."
"So the Beasts Pirates now have three users of Conqueror's Haki," Linlin muttered, a dark smile spreading across her face. "It seems Kaido wasn't lying. He truly wants to build a nation that can defy the World Government and the Marines. Mamamama! Isn't that exactly what that bastard Rocks tried to do years ago?"
The mention of the legendary Rocks Pirates made the older children stiffen. They remembered the era when that crew ruled the seas with iron fists. For the younger siblings, it was a name of myth and terror.
While Linlin had initially agreed to the alliance for the sake of the Road Poneglyphs, she was now becoming anxious. Intelligence reports confirmed that Kaido had mastered the highest levels of Conqueror's Haki, placing his combat power on par with legends like Roger, Whitebeard, and Garp. Linlin knew that if she remained stagnant, she would never achieve her dream of becoming the Pirate King. Allying with this new, more powerful Kaido was no longer just a benefit—it was a necessity.
About an hour later, Kaido returned to the Flower Capital with Jack and his other followers. A week of hellish training had yielded incredible results. Jack, who could previously only withstand the volcanic heat for half an hour, was now capable of lasting ten hours.
Kaido observed them with a critical eye. He knew that even among masters of Armament Haki, there were tiers of power. He estimated the defensive Haki of the Marine Admirals to be at a level of 20, while his own had previously been around 25. However, after months of secret training with his new cultivation methods, Kaido felt his Armament Haki had surged past 50 and was climbing toward 100. This level of power meant he was virtually immune to any attack that didn't involve top-tier Conqueror's Haki coating.
But he remained cautious. He knew that in the future, he would face the power of the Nika Fruit—the very will of the world. He also thought of the legendary Joy Boy, whose Haki was so potent that its release centuries later could be felt across the entire ocean, even by the secret rulers on the Red Line.
Kaido was no longer impatient. With the power of the Time-Time Fruit at his disposal, he had all the time he needed to surpass any legend. He wouldn't let himself be worn down in a battle of numbers. He would let Jack and the others handle the subordinates; King would face King. His crew was evolving, their Haki breaking through old limits and growing stronger with every passing hour.
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