Moving a Treasure Tree Adam log the size of a small island? Pain in the ass. The shipwrights were sweating buckets, so Kaido, fed up, used his flame clouds to yeet the massive wood to Water 7's top shipyard like a dragon delivery service. Suck it, logistics.
Kaido was pumped, yammering to the shipwrights about his dream ship like a kid designing a pirate treehouse. After 25 years of drifting like a scaly hobo, he was finally getting a home base. His dragon eyes sparkled, tail practically wagging.
Lei Luo, arms crossed, grinned. Young dragon's got spirit. Cute.
Kaido hemmed and hawed over blueprints for half a day, finally picking one like it was his life's masterpiece. They slapped down a deposit, and Lei Luo threw Berries at the shipyard to speed things up—two months shaved to one. Money talks, deadlines walk.
On the way back, Kaido clapped his hands, struck by genius. "Lei Luo, we forgot weapons! A pirate ship needs CANNONS!"
Lei Luo hadn't forgotten—he just figured Kaido's dragon breath outgunned any cannon. But if the big lizard wanted boom-sticks? Fine. "We'll grab some at the black market."
"Nah, nah!" Kaido's face got deadly serious. "No half-assing! I know a scientist who'll hook us up with top-tier gear."
Lei Luo raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"Queen," Kaido said, like it was obvious.
Oh, that goofy fatso. Lei Luo wasn't holding his breath. Canon timeline: Kaido begs Queen to join in 1489, but the guy doesn't ditch his kid and sign up till 1496. Seven years of nagging. Something about One Piece dads—Jesus Burgess, Queen—loving the "abandon family" aesthetic. (No, Queen's not Franky's dad. Fan theories, begone.)
Not wanting to crush Kaido's vibe, Lei Luo shrugged. "Sure, see if he's game."
Kaido's grin split his face. "Bet."
Then Lei Luo had a lightbulb moment. This wasn't canon's broke-ass Beasts Pirates. They were loaded. "Yo, tell Queen we've got cash—piles of it. He can run any crazy experiment he wants."
"Wororororo! On it!" Kaido cackled.
They swaggered back to the ship, laughing like goons. Kaido speed-dialed Queen via Den Den Mushi. Shockingly, Queen was all in, promising to haul ass to Water 7. Money really is the ultimate Devil Fruit.
Even Vegapunk, World Government's golden boy, whined about funding. Queen? No chance he'd say no to a blank check.
Five days later, the Beasts Pirates welcomed their "Plague"—a chubby scientist with a vibe like a disco ball on steroids. But trailing him was a surprise: a pint-sized head peeking out. Buckingham Stussy. AKA Stussy, the human template for CP0's clone bombshell.
Five years post-God Valley, Stussy was still a stunner—drop-dead gorgeous, radiating "steal your wallet and your heart" energy. Lei Luo? Not a fan. Stussy was a gold-digging snake. She cozyed up to Whitebeard in the Rocks days—real cozy—but when he bit it at Marineford, she sicced her dumb son on Whitebeard's crew, chasing a nonexistent inheritance. Lady, you knew Whitebeard wasn't stashing Berries under his cape. Cold-blooded.
Stussy waved, all smiles. "Sasoi buridana, Kaido!" Screw your fake charm.
Kaido wasn't buying it. "I didn't invite you, Stussy."
"Don't be so cold!" she purred, unbothered. "We were shipmates on Rocks' crew, weren't we?"
She'd overheard Kaido's "we're filthy rich" brag on the Den Den Mushi. Miss a gold rush? Not this queen. She'd rather risk a scam than miss a single Berry.
Kaido's face stayed frosty. "Cut the crap. Why're you here?"
"To join your crew, obviously!" Stussy pouted, all damsel-in-distress. "Rocks' crew's gone. A delicate lady like me needs a strong captain like you to survive this big, bad sea."
Kaido didn't believe a word, but his ego was eating it up. Back in the Rocks days, Stussy was a top dog, Whitebeard's maybe-sidepiece, while Kaido was just an intern. Now she wanted his protection? Sweet.
He turned to Lei Luo. "What do you think?"
Hell no. Stussy was a hot mess—fine for a fling, but on the crew? She'd rob them blind and bail. Lei Luo pulled Kaido aside. "You know her deal. I heard all about her in the Navy. You sailed with her—you really think she's ride-or-die?"
Kaido smirked, all smug dragon. "What's she gonna do? With you and me here, she can't stir up trouble."
Lei Luo squinted. "You want her on board?"
"Yup," Kaido nodded.
"Why?" Lei Luo was baffled. "She's useless in a fight."
Kaido's dragon eyes glinted with petty glee. "Back on Rocks' ship, she didn't even call Locks captain. Now she joins my crew and has to call me captain."
…What?
Lei Luo stared, brain short-circuiting. This guy's logic is a drunk Den Den Mushi. But he got it—Kaido's 25, young and cocky. It's like being an intern at a busted company, then starting your own and watching the old manager beg for a job. Ego trip of the century.
Lei Luo sighed. "She won't call you captain. You were a grunt back then—she's got pride."
"Doesn't matter," Kaido said, grinning wider. "Everyone'll know I'm her captain. Call or no call, I win."