Chapter 522: The Experiment Begins
In the pitch-black deep sea, a spherical bubble silently supported itself here, and inside the bubble was imprisoned an extremely vicious monster.
Kaido sometimes wondered if he was actually still alive.
Though he could feel the blood surging through his body, though someone came to deliver food at intervals.
But staying long-term in this silent deep sea, the sense of being alive was fading bit by bit.
No light, no sound, nothing at all. As though only void remained.
But on this day, something different appeared.
"It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Kaido? How have you been lately?"
Accompanied by an interested greeting, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
"Brett, is it?"
Kaido hadn't even heard his own voice in so long that only now did he realize with surprise how hoarse and dry it had become, even how unfamiliar.
Brett looked down at this man lying on the ground, feeling somewhat reflective. That once domineering Kaido of the Beasts had now become like this.
His originally robust, tall body was now weak as skin and bones. His thick hair and beard had become incredibly disheveled from long neglect.
His entire body had nearly merged with the seafloor silt.
If he couldn't still speak, at first glance many people would probably mistake him for an ocean floor corpse.
"So, what did you come looking for me for, boy?"
However, his attitude was still as terrible as ever.
"Orororororo, could it be you've finally decided to finish me off?"
"Quite the contrary. I need your help again, Kaido."
Brett released cloud, directly wrapping Kaido up.
"Help?"
Kaido laughed coldly and weakly. "The only way I can help you is by sending you to the afterlife for free."
"Haha, no need to refuse so hastily," Brett smiled, lifting him and beginning to move through the deep sea. "You can't refuse anyway, can you?"
Kaido fell silent.
"Oh right, I should confirm first, though I'm already pretty certain," Brett lowered his head. "Kaido, you've indeed already mastered the technique called awakening, right?"
"What business is it of yours, bastard!" Kaido sneered.
Brett smiled. That settled it.
Teacher Kaido, who'd earnestly instructed Straw Hat about awakening, had indeed already mastered the technique called awakening.
Then there was no problem.
Brett brought him all the way back to Vegapunk's laboratory. The old man had already been waiting here.
His other clones were all currently busy with Pluton's construction and Seraphim cultivation work. Only he himself had freed up time to help.
The instant Brett placed Kaido on the ground, the old man had already excitedly rushed over.
"Hahaha, we meet again! Kaido!"
"Vegapunk!!"
Kaido nearly ground his teeth.
He'd already been dragged over once before when cultivating the Seraphim.
That time, Kaido had once again humiliatingly accepted Vegapunk's blood collection. Tracing back even further, that was already decades ago.
"Hahaha, this research needs your help again, Kaido! We really are fated!"
The old man cheerfully pulled out a syringe. "But don't worry, this time likewise won't cause you any harm. I just need you to provide a little blood again!"
"Bastard!!"
Kaido struggled with all his might, but long-term imprisonment plus the seastone shackles he wore made him incredibly weak. His body could only twitch slightly in protest.
Physically weak and powerless, he could only vent his anger through his mouth. "Bastards! Vegapunk! Brett! I'll never forgive you!!"
"Don't get so excited, Kaido. Look, isn't it already done?"
The old man held up a syringe that had somehow already drawn a full tube of fresh blood, grinning. "Please continue taking care of your health going forward. After all, who knows when we might need your help again!"
"..."
Kaido simply couldn't be bothered to speak anymore, just glaring at Vegapunk through gritted teeth.
"Hahaha, then Brett, leave the rest to me!"
The old man excitedly began running toward his laboratory.
Brett watched his retreating back. This would probably take a few days.
After all, back then, Vegapunk hadn't taken many days to create those fruits used to supplement abilities either.
He just needed to wait patiently for a few days.
Brett breathed a slight sigh of relief, then looked down at Teacher Kaido, still lying on the ground in indignation.
He thought for a moment. "Kaido, there's going to be a very interesting war soon. Are you interested?"
"Hmph, you bastard, finally preparing to go to war with the World Government?" Kaido sneered.
This wasn't beyond his expectations at all.
"That's inevitable."
Brett said calmly. "So? Interested?"
"If I gain freedom, the first thing I'll do is kill you, bastard!"
Kaido sneered. "You don't think the grudge between us ends here, do you?"
"I thought compared to me, you'd rather fight that guy who's ruled the world for eight hundred years, the truly world's strongest in every sense?"
"Ruled the world for eight hundred years?"
Kaido frowned. "Brett, what the hell do you mean, boy?"
"Exactly what I said."
Brett smiled. "In any case, let's leave it here for today, Kaido. Think it over carefully. When the war begins, I'll reconsider whether to release you."
He sent Kaido back to the seafloor prison holding him. Now wasn't the time to release him yet.
To truly give him freedom, that would have to wait for the final battlefield. And beforehand, he'd have to put a collar on him first.
After sending Kaido back to prison, news of the artificial sun had also spread throughout Fish-Man Island. Fish-Man Island's residents had no choice but to accept the fact they now possessed an artificially created sun.
"Worthy of Lord Brett! He's already solved this difficult problem so quickly!"
Fish-Man Island's citizens didn't hide their praise for Brett.
"This way we can go to deeper seas and open up new homes!"
The citizens also realized this.
In any case, time slowly passed.