The power Dimon gained from devouring Sea Kings dwarfed what he had taken from the amputee Monroe.
He could feel his muscles burning, his strength skyrocketing at a pace that almost frightened him.
Too good.
The flood of life force pushed him to the brink of awakening Armament Haki. That newborn Haki leaked out of him, wild and untrained, and he followed instinct, trying to pack it into his right fist.
He glanced ahead. Kaido had already plunged into a herd of Sea Kings, one man against ten.
In truth there were more than ten, and more kept heaving up from the depths. Each one was colossal. Against that living forest of meat and scale, Kaido looked like an ant.
Blood roaring, Dimon grinned.
I will back you up.
He bellowed, vaulted skyward, and the recoil alone raised walls of water.
An instant later he shot forward like a cannonball, closing on a Sea King's head. He swung. The crude Armament he had managed to gather hammered home.
Bang.
On wrist strength alone, the punch knocked the giant beast cold. It toppled backward and slammed into another Sea King with a crash.
Kaido glanced back and blinked.
Didn't you say you were just a regular guy?
What regular person decks a Sea King without leaning on advanced Haki, on pure physical torque alone? It was monstrous, the kind of brute power you saw in Charlotte Linlin.
Do not sweat the details.
Dimon laughed, drunk on the feel of strength. He had eaten a pirate last night and a Sea King this morning. He was full to bursting and needed to vent.
Ohohoho, then let us make it a contest, Dimon.
Kaido clenched his fist and planted his feet on a Sea King's spine. His Armament surged like a crimson bonfire.
They split the field between them and charged back in.
Dimon had no time for Kaido now. He could tell he still had room to devour more.
In the chaos, he stunned a Sea King with a single blow, injected a dose of the elixir of immortality, and consumed it.
Number two.
Another tide of raw life poured into him. He felt like he might explode.
Not enough. Not yet. I can eat more.
One hour later.
A dinghy skimmed the waves. Kaido's arms were a blur on the oars.
Faster. Row, they are gaining.
Even Kaido was drenched and panting.
Why do you not row.
I am covering our rear.
Dimon spread his hands, helpless. They could not possibly kill them all. There were too many Sea Kings here, and the more they fought, the more gathered.
There had been barely a dozen at first. Somewhere during the brawl dozens had become a swarm.
After swallowing three Sea Kings he truly could not take another bite. This time he needed time to digest this surge properly.
He risked a look back. A churning wall of leviathans churned after them, eager to gulp down boat and men alike.
Only Kaido's furious rowing kept them skimming fast enough to stay outside the kill zone.
Faster. Faster. You do not want to be eaten, do you. We may be undying, but a stomach is still a bad place to spend an afternoon.
Stop pushing me. Why do you not do it yourself.
Fine. You watch our backs.
They swapped without missing a beat and got back to work.
Another hour passed and at last the shadows fell behind.
Dimon exhaled, wiping away imaginary sweat. Times like this make me envy the Golden Lion. Flight would be nice.
Ohohohoho. I have wanted to ask. If an arm is eaten, will it grow back.
Yes. The severed limb breaks down and the stump regrows it. Dimon smirked. Unless certain conditions apply.
What conditions.
When you are drained of stamina and energy and pass out, regeneration crawls.
More trouble than a Logia user's elemental body, Kaido mused.
Dimon scanned the horizon and lifted a damp finger to test the air. Having devoured the amputee Monroe, he owned all the man's seamanship. A bit of sailing sense barely counted as effort.
We have wind again. We are out of the Calm Belt. He frowned. The question is where.
This was not their route in. The Hell Pirates' ship was nowhere to be seen.
I do not have a Log Pose. What now.
No Log Pose means we trust to luck. Maybe we meet a kind stranger.
Dimon splayed his fingers. Black lightning crackled and a bottle of the elixir popped into the air. Not a full bottle though. Half gone.
It was the remainder he had drawn into syringes last night. No more immortality in this batch, just superb liquor.
What power is that. Are you a Devil Fruit user.
My secret weapon.
He poured. Two cups, exactly.
Kaido did not press. The elixir alone was enough to lift his spirits. He tossed his back and sighed from the soul.
What a drink.
With good liquor in their hands, the rest could wait. They drifted, sipped, and waited for fate to send them a meeting.
Days later.
Kaido snored in the bow. Dimon lounged in the stern, bored, eyes on the blue.
Hm.
His ear twitched. Observation Haki tingled. A presence off the starboard bow.
Wake up, Kaizi. Company.
At the same time, about a kilometer away, a warship under the World Government flag slid along at an easy pace.
Up in the nest, a lookout rubbed his eyes. For a heartbeat he thought he saw a tiny boat ahead with figures aboard. Then it was gone.
Must be seeing things. What dinghy would be out here.
The next watch clambered up the shrouds.
Noon change. Go eat.
Finally.
He handed off his station and called back over his shoulder. Oh, I thought I saw a little boat. Two o'clock.
Got it. I will keep an eye out.
Relieved, the young sailor clambered down, showered, and headed for the mess with a spring in his step.
Only two men sat there. One was huge with horns. The other looked oddly familiar.
Who are you two.
He came closer. With each step his face drained of color.
Rocks. Rocks.
Thwack.
Dimon palmed the sailor's jaw and dropped him cold.
Why so loud. We are trying to eat. Keep it down.
He sat like he owned the place and tucked into the meal he had been dreaming about.