Producing a single Tiger-class Mutant Cell cost roughly 100,000 berries.
But when Luo Xing reported the numbers to Kaido, he'd bumped it up to three hundred thousand.
A little creative markup — call it a "research fee."
"Father-in-law, as long as the funds keep coming, I can produce as many Mutant Cells as you want."
Kaido's huge eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Really? Excellent!"
He rubbed his hands together like a kid about to open presents. With these cells, his soldiers' strength would skyrocket overnight. The Beasts Pirates could double—no, triple—their power!
That meant his dream of becoming Pirate King and ruling the world had just taken a massive step forward.
"Jin, hand over all our funds to Luo Xing!" Kaido barked impatiently.
The Flame Disaster hesitated, his usually composed face tightening.
Queen snickered.
"What's the matter, birdman? Don't tell me you've turned stingy!"
Jin ignored him, addressing Kaido directly.
"Boss, it's not that I'm reluctant… It's that we don't have much money left."
"What?!"
Kaido blinked, genuinely surprised. He never managed the crew's finances himself; that had always been Jin's job. He had no clue how poor they really were.
Jin sighed.
"Wano is closed off from the world. We have no trade, no imports, no exports — the people are dirt-poor. We can't squeeze money from starving peasants."
"And we still have to buy artificial Devil Fruits from Joker, maintain weapon sales on the black market, and feed tens of thousands of men. Our coffers are always tight."
For all his power, Kaido's empire wasn't rich. The Navy and World Government dwarfed him in wealth and resources.
And compared to the other Yonko? He was practically broke.
Big Mom's Totto Land had dozens of tribute nations bringing her sweets and gold.
Whitebeard had the largest territory in the seas.
Even Shanks, with his small crew, barely needed money at all.
But Kaido — holed up in isolated Wano — had little more than factories and slaves.
Kaido's expression darkened. The air grew heavy; even Jin felt sweat bead on his forehead. When the Beast King got quiet like that, it was dangerous.
Then Kaido roared, voice booming like thunder.
"No money? Then take it from Orochi — or rob someone!"
"We're pirates! If we can't steal, what are we even doing?!"
Jin bowed his head.
"Yes, Boss."
And so it began.
The Beasts Pirates, who'd lain dormant in Wano for years, suddenly launched a massive campaign of plunder across the New World.
Even among pirates, few dared provoke Kaido. The result was chaos.
Countless pirate crews and Marine strongholds were wiped clean, their treasuries emptied by Kaido's raiders.
Within weeks, the entire New World trembled.
Those who once flaunted their riches suddenly fell silent, terrified of attracting the Beasts Pirates' gaze.
Naturally, word spread fast — all the way to the other Emperors.
Moby Dick, aboard the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship
The old giant sat surrounded by IV drips and medical tubes, yet his eyes snapped open in disbelief.
"What did you just say? Kaido's crew is robbing the New World blind?!"
"Yes, Pops!" the trembling crewmate reported. "One of our ships got hit!"
Whitebeard's nostrils flared.
"That damned Kaido!"
With a snarl, he ripped the tubes from his arms and rose to his full height.
"Is he trying to start a war with me?!"
Even aged and frail, the Strongest Man in the World still exuded the same terrifying presence as ever.
"Pops, calm down," Marco the Phoenix urged, stepping in. "They've stayed clear of our territory — it's just one ship. We'll warn our men not to stray too far."
Marco, as the crew's doctor, knew too well how fragile Whitebeard's health had become. Picking a fight with Kaido now would be suicide.
Totto Land, Big Mom's Castle
As she devoured another mountain of cake, Charlotte Linlin received her own report.
"That old Kaido again, scheming something nasty, I'll bet…"
She cackled, crumbs flying.
The two had known each other since their days under Rocks D. Xebec. The Azure Dragon fruit Kaido now wielded? She'd been the one to give it to him at God Valley.
"Katakuri!" she barked. "Send someone to Wano. Find out what that fool's really after."
"Yes, Mama," Katakuri answered crisply.
Red-Haired Pirates
On the deck of the Red Force, Shanks and Benn Beckman reviewed reports in silence.
"Kaido's men are raiding the New World?" Beckman muttered. "That's not random greed. He's building toward something."
"Agreed," Shanks said, his calm eyes serious for once. "Keep tabs on every move the Beasts Pirates make."
On Onigashima
Back in the heart of Kaido's domain, with money flowing in from every raid, Luo Xing locked himself in his lab.
He worked without rest.
One cell.
Then another.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Before long, he'd created ten thousand Tiger-class Mutant Cells.
On his system panel, the points counter surged upward like a flood. His small fortune grew fatter by the hour. Luo Xing couldn't stop smiling.
Ten thousand cells should've netted him a million points—but there was a catch.
The side effects were too severe.
Only Zoan users and those with exceptional bodies could survive the transformation. Normal humans? Instant failure.
Out of all his test subjects, only five hundred Gifters successfully assimilated the cells.
Even so, that alone had boosted the Beasts Pirates' combat strength dramatically. Kaido's grin nearly split his face in half.
"Five hundred Gifters… fifty thousand points. That'll do nicely," Luo Xing murmured, licking his lips.
He tapped open the glowing interface hovering before him.
[Points: 50,000]
[Available Upgrade: System Lv3 – 10,000 Points Required]
"Heh. Time to level up."
With a flick of his finger, Luo Xing spent the points — and the System surged.
A new light dawned in his eyes.
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