Chapter 497 The Other Side of Momonosuke!
Three days later, Ryuunosuke left as well.
He stood on Kun's back, letting the great beast cut through the waves as they sped toward the Dragon Hunter Pirates' direction.
Not far from where they had separated, on a small island tucked into the sea, three figures gathered in uneasy silence.
"Lord Momonosuke, what do we do next?"
Kin'emon asked, his arm wrapped in fresh bandages. His face was still pale from the beating.
"Mr. Luffy and the others clearly don't trust us like before. Are we really going back on our own?"
If they relied only on their own strength, taking down Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi was a dream. Under the current circumstances, they had to decide what came next, and quickly.
Momonosuke did not answer right away. His expression shifted, and he turned his gaze toward the trees at the edge of the island.
"Don't worry. They'll come eventually."
Then his eyes narrowed, a sharpness that did not match his childlike body.
"Besides, Mr. Blackbeard… you don't need to hide anymore, do you?"
"Zi… hehehehahaha…"
A low, hoarse laugh rolled out from the shadows. Darkness thickened for a heartbeat, then split apart.
Blackbeard stepped out as if the night itself had spat him onto the sand.
"As expected of Kozuki Oden's son. You've got nerve, and you've got eyes."
He grinned, showing far too many teeth.
"So how about it? Want to work with me?"
"All I want is Kaido's Devil Fruit, the Fish Fish Fruit mythical Zoan Model Azure Dragon."
"And what you want is Wano."
"Our interests don't clash, right?"
Blackbeard was not dead.
The special Hellhound Devil Fruit he possessed had granted him three extra lives. Along with his original one, that meant he could die four times before he stayed down for good.
He had once thought that kind of ability made him untouchable.
But after being killed again and again by Ryuunosuke and his people, the fear had sunk into his bones.
Now he had no intention of charging at the Dragon Hunter Pirates alone. Doing that again would be no different from throwing himself into the sea with chains on his ankles.
So he searched for a partner instead.
And Momonosuke was a perfect candidate.
Blackbeard knew better than most that anyone who had been touched by the power of the Time Fruit was never simple.
Momonosuke was Kozuki Oden's son, and he carried Devil Fruit power of his own. If Blackbeard did not know that fruit's drawbacks, he might have tried to seize it right then and there.
After all, Momonosuke was tied to the Time Fruit, and that connection meant his fruit might have changed into something special around him. If Blackbeard took it, there was no guarantee it would work the same way.
"Cooperate?"
Momonosuke's lips curled into a mocking smile. The look belonged on a man, not a boy.
"You, Blackbeard, have been killed by the Dragon Hunter Pirates more times than I can count."
"What right do you have to bargain with me?"
Blackbeard was not surprised in the slightest. He had expected that bite.
"Because you need strength."
"And if you move alone, you'll fail."
"My Blackbeard Pirates might not be at the level of those top monsters on the sea…"
"But with you, we're more than enough."
He spoke like the outcome was already decided.
He was not afraid of rejection. Momonosuke had no real choices left.
Momonosuke fell silent for a moment, weighing something behind those narrowed eyes.
Then he spoke flatly.
"Go wait for me in Wano."
"When I return, I'll start the operation."
"You follow my lead."
"As for taking Kaido's fruit…"
"You'll have to do that yourself."
"Zehahhaha…"
Blackbeard's grin widened.
"A wise choice."
"I'll be waiting in Wano."
"Zehahaha…"
His laughter sank into the air as his body dissolved into darkness, and he vanished.
Kin'emon stared at Momonosuke, baffled.
"Lord Momonosuke… why would you do this?"
To him, teaming up with Blackbeard was like borrowing a tiger's claws.
Even if Kaido was driven out, Blackbeard could easily turn around and become a new disaster, and his nature was far harder to control than Kaido's brute rule.
Momonosuke did not even blink.
"Kin'emon, what makes you think he can stir trouble once I hold Wano in my hands?"
He waved it off like a fly.
"Enough. We stick to the original plan."
"Go back first and find Shinobu."
Kin'emon swallowed the rest of his doubts. As a retainer, his job was obedience, not debate.
He bowed.
"Yes, my lord."
Momonosuke watched the sea, his face twisting into raw anger and hatred.
"Ryuunosuke… Dragon Hunter Pirates…"
"Just wait."
"I, Momonosuke, will stand before you again."
"And when I do, I'll show you what real power looks like."
Kanjuro stood beside him, silent. A strange glint flickered through his eyes, then vanished just as quickly.
…
Some time later, on the Eternal Ship.
"So weak?"
Kaido's booming voice shook the deck.
"And you still call yourself a proper punching bag?"
"That's embarrassing. You can't even set an example for the newcomers!"
In the ring, Uvogin was battling Sevian.
But Sevian's performance had clearly slipped.
It was only noon, and he had already fought four different opponents.
Every one of them was a combat member of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, and every one of them fought like a lunatic beast.
Anyone would be worn down after that.
"If you think you can do better, get in here!"
Sevian snapped, still refusing to be humiliated.
Kaido spread his arms, about to laugh and step forward.
"Really? Fine, I…"
"Beru Beru…"
The Den Den Mushi in Kaido's pocket suddenly rang.
Kaido froze, then grabbed it without hesitation.
The face on the shell made his brow lift.
"What is it?"
He asked bluntly.
He still wanted to give Sevian a lesson, and he did not plan to waste time.
From the other end came Kanjuro's careful voice, their "lovely spy" reporting in.
"Momonosuke has decided to move."
"And it looks like he has something unusual in his hands."
"Also… he has teamed up with Blackbeard."
"Blackbeard?"
Kaido frowned.
"Wasn't that brat killed already?"
"No idea."
"But I saw him myself."
"And his target is your Devil Fruit, Governor."
Kanjuro's tone carried real caution now.
"My fruit?"
Kaido's mouth twisted into a grin that was half rage, half amusement.
"That bastard… Wororororo."
"Then let him come take it if he can."
"I'm with the Dragon Hunter Pirates right now."
"Hahaha."
He snapped the call off.
"I'm done talking."
"I'm going to teach this guy a proper lesson."
Kaido took a long swig of wine, tossed the gourd aside, and strode toward the ring as his laughter echoed across the boat.
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