The Flower Capital of Wano Country was filled with an air of lethal authority as the upper echelon of the Beasts Pirates assembled. At the head of the gathering stood Kaido of the Beasts, the Governor, who had recently returned from the underworld. Beside him stood three prominent women of the Maiden Knights: Lily, the user of the Time-Time Fruit; Scarlet, who held the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit; and Vortex, the user of the Munch-Munch Fruit.
The hierarchy of the crew was on full display. Below Kaido stood the All-Stars: King the Conflagration, Queen the Plague, Jack the Drought, and Enel the Lightning Disaster. Beneath them were the Tobi Roppo, consisting of Who's-Who, Sasaki, Ulti, Page One, Reiju, and Pudding.
Kaido surveyed the powerful group, his signature laughter echoing through the capital. "Worororo! You've done well, King. You're starting to act like a true patriarch of this crew."
King's initiative had recently paid dividends. After Douglas Bullet shared his plans with Donquixote Doflamingo, the Warlord realized he couldn't keep Bullet's possession of the Eternal Pose to Laugh Tale a secret from the Beasts Pirates—especially with Charlotte Smoothie of the Big Mom Pirates watching closely. Doflamingo had immediately informed King, who saw a golden opportunity.
By encouraging the alliance between Bullet and Doflamingo, King intended to create a massive distraction. This chaos would keep the Marines and the World Government occupied, buying the Beasts Pirates time to finalize their own plans. King bowed his head slightly, a rare, gentle smile on his face. "It seems the sea is favoring us. With Bullet drawing their eyes, the Marines won't be able to focus on our upcoming alliance with Big Mom."
"Good!" Kaido affirmed, his expression turning thoughtful. "So, King, what is our next move?"
King spoke clearly, laying out his strategy without hesitation. "Since the Marines have appointed a new Fleet Admiral, we must announce our alliance with Big Mom to the entire world. Her crew is already pressing us for a formal statement. I propose that tomorrow, we use Big News Morgans to announce our union and the re-establishment of the Woka Kingdom. Furthermore, I suggest hosting Bullet's grand festival in the Woka Kingdom in seven days. It will turn that empty territory into the most vibrant hub in the New World."
"Worororo! Make it happen, King," Kaido replied. "You've thought this through perfectly. I'll leave the details to you."
As the planning concluded, Charlotte Pudding stepped forward, her voice slightly trembling with nerves. "Lord Kaido... my mother wishes to meet with you."
Kaido chuckled, understanding Big Mom's desire for a formal sit-down between equals. "Worororo! Of course. Since we are allies now, the old ways must change. Tell Linlin that in three days, we will hold a celebration for our alliance in the Woka Kingdom. I will personally lead our top executives to attend."
Pudding let out a sigh of relief, bowing low. "I understand, Lord Kaido. I will pass on the message!"
As she stepped back, Queen moved forward with a cunning smirk, holding a small, ornate box. "Elder brother, I've brought the item you requested."
Kaido took the box and opened it, revealing a swirling Zoan-type Devil Fruit. The room grew quiet as the Governor called out a name. "Reiju, step forward!"
Startled but composed, Vinsmoke Reiju walked to the front of the crowd and saluted. "Lord Kaido."
"I've been watching you," Kaido said, nodding in approval. "Your strength has improved rapidly during your time here."
"You trusted me with the rank of Tobi Roppo and made me a General of Kibi," Reiju replied respectfully. "I would never dream of letting you down."
"Worororo! That is the spirit of a true Beasts Pirate," Kaido declared. "You and Pudding have done excellent work rebuilding the Woka Kingdom. Furthermore, your father was quite helpful to me. While I cannot reward him, I can reward his daughter."
He held up the Devil Fruit for all to see. "You all recognize this. It is the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Model: Allosaurus—the power formerly held by X Drake. I've known for a long time that Drake was a Marine mole sent to spy on us. I kept him around to feed the Marines false information and keep them complacent, but he has outlived his usefulness."
While the All-Stars remained calm, many of the Tobi Roppo reacted with shock. "A spy?" Page One muttered angrily. "I always knew there was something off about that guy!"
"The World Government is still playing these pathetic games," Who's-Who added with a scoff.
"Unforgivable!" Ulti snapped. "How dare a Marine worm infiltrate our crew!"
Kaido laughed at their indignation. "Do not be angry. Deceit is how pirates survive on these seas. Regardless, Enel has already dealt with the problem."
"That explains why a few people went missing recently," Sasaki noted, putting the pieces together.
"The spy is gone, but the fruit remains," Kaido continued, his gaze returning to Reiju. "It is a waste to let such power go unused. I had Queen extract the essence of the fruit. Reiju, I am bestowing this power upon you. Combined with your existing abilities, this Ancient Zoan will push your strength to the level of Page One and the others. Do not fail me."
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