The island was a landscape of perpetual white—snow-capped peaks and endless drifts. In the distance, shrouded in a thick, freezing mist, the capital town sat like a ghost enveloped in a pale haze.
Winter Island was a medium-sized kingdom, roughly half the size of Wano Country. Because of the relentless blizzards and the harsh environment, only about 30,000 residents called this place home, with young adults making up roughly one-third of the population. The standing Kingdom Army was small, totaling only two thousand soldiers.
Kaido gave a slight nod as he looked over the internal documents presented by Henry XI. He knew this terrain well. In his previous life, Winter Island had been one of his many territories, serving primarily as a source for raw minerals.
Back then, those resources were shipped to nearby deserted islands to be smelted into weapons for sale in the Underworld. He vaguely recalled that after he became one of the Four Emperors, he'd left some weakling in charge here—a guy named Scratchmen something-or-other. He couldn't quite remember; the man hadn't been worth the memory.
Kaido glanced at the trembling Henry XI and sneered. "Winter Island is rich in resources, Henry XI. I want the young adults on this island mining minerals in batches every month. Your Kingdom Army will supervise the work. If they hit their quotas on time, they get food. But if they try to slack off or just pretend to work... well, ha ha ha! You know what happens next, right?"
Henry XI didn't dare refuse. Though he'd been sheltered from the world and had slowly withdrawn from politics, he knew exactly who was standing in front of him: a monster of a pirate with a bounty over 700 million Berries.
The King immediately summoned his two sons to delegate the work. One was tasked with mobilizing the youth and "motivating" them, while the other went to the Kingdom Army to pick out the most experienced soldiers to act as overseers. Henry XI knew Kaido intended to ruthlessly exploit the land for profit to build his private army, but he'd initially worried about how they'd move the goods.
That concern vanished as a booming voice echoed through the hall.
"Kaido! It's just like you said! There's a deserted island not far from here that's perfect for a factory," Wald shouted, his joyful laughter preceding him. "There were only a few dozen locals living there in poverty. I already subdued them, and they're more than willing to join us!"
Everyone turned to look at Wald as he strode in.
"Start cutting down trees to build ships," Kaido commanded, his tone dripping with confidence. "Clear the shipping lanes and sink any unfamiliar vessels that get too close."
He uncorked his flask and took several long gulps of alcohol, his Adam's apple bobbing with every swallow.
Wald patted his chest, giving a thumbs-up. "Don't you worry. My brother Byojack has already been in touch with weapon dumpers in the Underworld. They're sending representatives to meet us in about five days."
Kaido's eyes lit up. After spending the last few months with Wald's crew, he'd started to appreciate their specific talents. Byojack, in particular, had a real gift for intelligence. Thinking back, Kaido realized he'd never really had his own intelligence network in his previous life, which had always left him a step behind. It wasn't until he recruited Scratchmen Apoo that he'd filled that gap.
The battle on Onigashima had ended in his defeat; he assumed Apoo had lost too.
"I'll leave the negotiations to you, Wald," Kaido said. "I only have one rule: don't let us get ripped off."
"You'll be satisfied!" Wald boomed.
Since gaining power, Wald had become much more arrogant and flashy, moving with an ostentatious flair. Now that they had a base and a factory under construction, all they needed was a reliable dumper to ensure a steady stream of income and power. Everything was falling into place—and much faster than it had the first time around.
'I don't care if you're Joy Boy or Straw Hat! In this life, I'm going to destroy you!!'
Dark, ominous lines appeared on Kaido's forehead. He thought of the failure of the New Onigashima project, Yamato's betrayal, and the look of relief on Kozuki Oden's face before his execution.
Kaido stood up, his massive frame casting a long, terrifying shadow over Henry XI, who slumped to the ground in a cold sweat.
'It's time to train. In this life, I'm going to be even stronger. Roger, Whitebeard, Oden, Red Hair, Straw Hat... hope you're ready,' Kaido thought. He turned to Wald. "Henry XI will handle the island's politics. I'm counting on you for everything else."
Wald nodded.
Kaido grabbed his kanabo, transformed into a massive Azure Dragon, and soared out of the royal city on a bed of clouds. He moved with incredible speed, the heavy snow failing to slow him down. Below, the town's buildings blurred into the distance as the wind howled against his scales.
The Rise of MADS
While Kaido was settling into Winter Island, a world-shaking event took place overseas. The MADS research team, funded by the "Godfather of the Underworld" Du Feld, officially announced its roster.
The lineup was a "who's who" of scientific genius: Vegapunk, Caesar Clown, Vinsmoke Judge, Queen, and Buckingham Stussy.
These five top-tier scientists, experts in various fields, had gathered to collaborate under the name of the Peace Research Institute.
On the surface, the group claimed to be researching ways to advance humanity. Vegapunk focused on manufacturing and improving daily life. However, the others had much darker intentions. They pushed Du Feld to fund the purchase of slaves and the capture of various races to study their biology and develop weapons of mass destruction.
It was an incredibly expensive undertaking, but Feld was happy to pay. Not only did he have the money, but Vegapunk had already secured several patents that were making Feld a fortune. Naturally, this "illegal" team quickly caught the attention of both the Marines and the World Government.
The Underworld Deal
"Peace Research Institute?" Wald muttered, looking at the newspaper in his hand. "An illegal team made of the five smartest people on the planet? Sounds interesting."
At that moment, Gairam walked in. "Captain, the representatives from the Underworld arms dealers are here."
"They're here already?" Wald's eyes lit up. He slammed the paper onto the table and stood up with a heavy clang of his boots.
Byojack, perched on Wald's shoulder, looked worried. "From what I've gathered, most Underworld weapons are moved through the Ibis Family's shipping network. The ones coming today are the Ibis brothers, Fulo and Wmyt."
Wald waved a hand dismissively. "Never heard of 'em. Brother, you're the smart one, so you handle the pricing. Kaido just wants to make sure we don't lose money."
"I've got it," Byojack said seriously.
They met the two representatives in the palace reception room.
"This backwater place is our new partner?" Fulo said, looking around the palace architecture with a look of pure disdain. "Poor. This place is just pathetic."
Wmyt, however, was looking at the bigger picture. "We're here for the money, brother. My research says Snow Country is loaded with minerals. If they can smelt their own weapons, they might be our biggest partners this year."
"Them? Biggest partners?" Fulo shook his head, unconvinced.
Just then, Wald walked in with a wide grin. "Gentlemen! Glad you made the trip all the way to Winter Island. So, what's the plan? Should we eat first, or do you want to go see the goods?"