Just as both Kaidos switched forms, landing on the ground and trading hammer blows for club swings, a Flying Guardian equipped with a surveillance Den Den Mushi arrived above them.
"Wow~ The fighting is so intense, meow!"
︺(●ω●)
Suika Meow watched the images projected by the Den Den Mushi, passing the Ibuki Gourd to Seijuro Meow and her other drinking buddies. "Come, come, at a time like this, we definitely need a drink, meow~ Hic!"
On the other side, Huamei Meow pulled out various snacks and drinks, while Haibara Meow took small stools out of her bag one by one, handing them out to everyone.
The Felynes sat down in an orderly row in front of the projection, eating and drinking while watching the battle between the two Kaidos.
Whether they were combat Felynes or logistics Felynes, once seated, they huddled their furry little heads together in groups of twos and threes, chirping and discussing the fight... taking a moment every now and then to remotely cheer for Kaido Meow with a shout of encouragement.
The Mermaid Princess, who originally disliked fighting, was now following her big sister Jinx, waving her fists and cheering for Kaido Meow from afar.
This harmonious scene, full of that lazy Felyne style, left Yamato stunned.
Aren't we currently fighting that bastard father? Shouldn't this be tense and serious?
"Sit down and watch with us, or do you want to go help those samurai?"
Robin pointed to an empty small stool and spoke to the still-dazed Yamato.
"Uh..."
Yamato hesitated for a moment but sat down as told.
Even though she was concerned about the situation with the Wano samurai, after no longer being so obsessed with reclaiming Wano in the name of Kozuki Oden, her focus on the battle on Kaido side and her curiosity toward Kaido Meow took the upper hand.
"Can you tell me what going on here?"
After seeing Kaido Meow on the screen repeatedly using familiar moves like "Vajra Arrow" and "Conqueror of Three Worlds: Ragnarok," Yamato finally couldn't help but ask.
Robin shrugged with a strange expression. "As unbelievable as it is, it really is just a coincidence... However, our Kaido fruit ability is indeed related to your father..."
She briefly explained the matters of Vegapunk and Artificial Devil Fruits to Yamato.
Summoning Felynes from another world was something that couldn't be told to Yamato, but the business of Artificial Devil Fruits didn't matter.
Previously, Sherwin had hidden Kaido Meow ability to give Kaido a "surprise." Now that the goal had been achieved, there was naturally no need to be secretive anymore.
Once Kaido Meow ability was exposed, the World Government would naturally be able to deduce the situation.
Furthermore, Haibara Meow had actually successfully used the remaining Giraffe Fruit to create an Artificial Giraffe Fruit. Moreover, it wasn't a defective product like those made by Caesar in the manga, but a different-colored Zoan fruit just like the one Vegapunk had produced.
However, whether it was due to the limitations of the world rules or some unknown difference between Artificial Devil Fruits and real ones, the created Artificial Devil Fruit could not be imbued into inanimate objects.
In addition, Haibara Meow had tried to use Kaido Meow lineage factor to replicate another Azure Dragon, Sakura Dragon, or any other colored dragon fruit, but that also ended in failure.
This caused Sherwin "Four Sea Dragon Kings Plan" to shatter while it was still in the conceptual stage.
"So that bastard old man actually went through something like that?"
Yamato expression was complicated she felt he deserved it, yet she detested the World Government practice of treating people like lab rats.
Furthermore, she muttered in great confusion, "Since that bastard old man had such an experience, why would he do similar, or even worse, things to Wano?"
Robin shook her head with a wry smile. "Not everyone thinks the way you do... in this world, even just researching ancient history can bring about total destruction."
"You're talking about the Poneglyphs, right? I know about those!" Yamato immediately began sharing her "bible" with Robin in excitement.
"The characters on the Poneglyphs were actually carved by the ancestors of the Kozuki Clan! Oh right, Sherwin once said one of his partners understood the Poneglyphs—he was talking about you, wasn't he?"
Although Sherwin influence had left Robin with little favorable impression of Kozuki Oden, she was extremely interested in that travel journal of his from his voyage with Roger.
And the simple-minded Yamato was clearly no match for the "Devil Child" in terms of "interpersonal skills." Robin only had to insincerely follow her lead and praise Kozuki Oden for a few sentences before Yamato, who had suffered a string of setbacks from Sherwin and the Felynes, proactively brought out that "bible" to share it with Robin.
...
Just as Robin brought up Vegapunk, Kaido also happened to recall the days when he was captured and used as a lab rat.
"I've got it!" Thinking back to those humiliating days, Kaido grit his teeth in hatred. "Your ability—it the work of that big-headed Vegapunk, isn't it?!"
Although he didn't know how Vegapunk managed to copy all of his fighting techniques, he had seen plenty of the black technology Vegapunk came up with back when he was at Punk Hazard. While copying fighting techniques sounded impossible, if it were Vegapunk...
Kaido still believed he could pull it off.
Kaido had even considered the idea of attacking and kidnapping Vegapunk to force him to work for him, but his several attempts to raid Punk Hazard had failed either Vegapunk had hidden in advance and couldn't be found, or he was blocked by the Marines and CP agents later stationed on the island.
That was why he had settled for Queen, who was also a member of MADS.
Kaido Meow could not let these words go unheard this was a major matter regarding the "legitimacy of Kaido"! Of course, Kaido Meow disdained lying, so he directly revealed the source of his Devil Fruit powers.
"Although the Hunter indeed said that the Devil Fruit he gave me to eat was made by Vegapunk using your lineage factor, the name Kaido is something I've been using since the moment I was born, meow!"
(=ↀωↀ=)
"Pah! Damn World Government! They always manage to come up with some strange things!"
Kaido spat resentfully, while also taking note of the artificial Devil Fruit Kaido Meow mentioned.
Having a special destiny with such things in the original timeline, he immediately began plotting when to scout out Vegapunk location and go on a looting spree. Even if he couldn't capture Vegapunk, seizing the relevant data on artificial Devil Fruits would be good enough.
Thinking of this, Kaido suddenly remembered that his Lead Performer and scientist, Queen, had already died at the hands of Sherwin.
"Wuaaaaaah—! Quinn! How could you just die like that?!!!"
Kaido suddenly burst into loud wailing as his emotions surged.
However, Kaido Meow had already experienced these strange emotional swings before, so he ignored him entirely and continued to defend himself:
"As for combat techniques, I honed those through my own hard work. The materials for this weapon were also collected bit by bit by me through constantly hunting Elder Dragons meow!"
To prove that he wasn't lying, Kaido Meow decided to use a few moves that Kaido was incapable of performing...
"While fruit abilities can be used to summon hail, you definitely don't know this move meow!"
As he spoke, he activated the Velkhana power within the Eight Calamities Ring. The originally pitch-black spiked club was instantly covered in a layer of white frost, which also extended the length of the spikes.
Immediately after, Kaido Meow leaped high into the air, raising the Eight Calamities Ring—which was constantly emitting a chilling aura—and smashed it down toward Kaido head...
"Three Realms: Frozen Conquest Meow!"
In the distance, Yamato, who was watching the live broadcast, suddenly stood up.
"Isn't that my move?!"