The sunlight in Dressrosa was still bright, but now a suffocating gloom hung over the kingdom's streets.
King Riku walked at the very front of the procession, personally guiding Kaido of the Beasts Pirates. This king, always famed for his benevolence, now walked with his head bowed, each step heavier than the last. Soldiers of the Royal Guard held their spears aloft, clearing the way for these infamous pirates on the king's orders.
The streets on both sides were packed with onlookers, their faces etched with fear and confusion.
In the crowd, the young Carue stared fixedly at the hunched, subservient back of King Riku, fury almost blazing from his eyes. "What kind of king is this?!" he ground out through clenched teeth. Suddenly, he grabbed the arm of Kyros beside him. This usually quiet youth was gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist so tightly his knuckles were white.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Before Kyros could react, Carue pulled him along, and they charged out right in front of Kaido.
A soldier of the Royal Guard immediately raised his spear, shouting harshly, "Bastards! Get back!"
But Carue paid him no mind. He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the mountainous figure. "Lord Kaido! Please, allow us to join the Beasts Pirates!" His voice trembled but was remarkably loud. Feeling Kyros resist, Carue pressed down hard on his friend's back, forcing him to bow as well.
"Wororororo..." Kaido let out his signature laugh, looking down at the two audacious youths with interest. "Why do you want to go to sea?" His voice rumbled like muffled thunder through the street, making the very air seem to tremble.
Standing face-to-face with this legendary pirate, Carue finally realized his own impulsiveness. His legs began to shake, and his speech grew halting. "Be... because in this poor country, we... we can see that our future... every day... will be the same..."
"With just you two?" A childish yet arrogant voice cut in. Enel, standing beside Kaido, looked down at them contemptuously, electric sparks flashing in his golden eyes. "The Beasts Pirates aren't a dump for trash."
Kaido didn't immediately give his verdict. His gaze lingered on Kyros for a moment. Though still very young, Kaido recognized this youth who would become the coliseum hero in the future. As for the other one, he must be that Carue from the original story, the one who died young.
"We... we're strong!" Carue insisted, sweating profusely in his urgency. "I can fight four or five grown men! Kyros can handle over a dozen!"
"Yahahaha!" Enel laughed uproariously, electricity crackling around his golden staff. "Four or five? Over a dozen? Are you telling jokes?" His laughter was full of mockery, turning Carue's face bright red.
"Enough, Enel." Kaido slapped the kid on the head, silencing his jeers. He turned to the two youths. "Though your strength is nothing special, this courage is commendable. You can join as apprentices for now." This decision drew looks of surprise from the surrounding Beasts Pirates crew members, as their captain was famously strict.
Carue was so excited he could barely speak coherently. "Re... really? Thank you so much, Captain!" He eagerly pulled Kyros to stand at the back of the Beasts Pirates' formation. Kyros remained silent the whole time, a complex light flickering in his eyes. He glanced back at King Riku's retreating figure, then at the fearful faces in the surrounding crowd, his heart a tumult of conflicting emotions.
Carue excitedly followed behind the Beasts Pirates, glancing back at Kyros now and then, his eyes full of triumph. "See? I told you this was an opportunity!" he whispered, unable to hide the joy on his face. "Following these great men, we're sure to make a name for ourselves!" His gaze swept over the fierce-looking pirates, already beginning to fantasize about his own future glory.
Kyros, however, remained silent. His eyes were fixed on King Riku's back ahead of them. The king was maintaining a difficult facade of composure, but Kyros could see he was walking on eggshells with every step. "Hey, why aren't you saying anything?" Carue jabbed him with an elbow, a note of dissatisfaction in his voice. "Aren't you happy?"
"I'm just thinking," Kyros finally spoke, his voice so low it was almost inaudible, "why His Majesty King Riku had to do this." His gaze swept over the terrified citizens lining the streets, and a pang of regret rose in his heart.
"Hah?" Carue scoffed, his eyes full of disdain. "Why else? He's scared, of course! Look at those soldiers; they can't even hold their weapons steady. How could they possibly be a match for Kaido?" He patted the short knife at his waist, puffing out his chest proudly. "It's different now. We're part of the Beasts Pirates!"
Kyros didn't argue, but the look in his eyes grew even more complicated. He had admired King Riku's earlier act of standing up to the Beasts Pirates for his country's sake. But now, he himself was a member of that very crew. This shift in identity left him feeling dizzy, as if he were in some absurd dream.
"Let's move!" Kaido's deep voice rumbled through the air, his massive frame casting a shadow that enveloped King Riku. This monster, over seven meters tall, gave off an intangible oppressive force just by standing there. King Riku nodded slightly, but his gaze involuntarily lingered on the two youths who had just joined the Beasts Pirates. Carue and Kyros stood behind Kaido, their faces still a mix of excitement and unease.
"As you wish," King Riku withdrew his gaze, responding respectfully before turning to continue leading the group toward Green Bit.
During this brief pause, a commotion suddenly erupted from the crowd. "Lord Kaido! Please let us join the Beasts Pirates too!" Dozens of Dressrosa's poor shoved their way forward, their eyes shining with desperate longing. Having witnessed Carue and Kyros being accepted, they could no longer suppress the impulse in their hearts.
"Stop them!" King Riku's guards, anticipating this, immediately formed a human wall in front of Kaido. But the frenzied crowd continued to surge forward, creating a chaotic scene. The ragged poor had a glimmer of desperate hope in their eyes; for them, joining a powerful pirate crew might be their only chance to change their fate.
A cold smirk curled Kaido's lips, a flash of disdain passing through his golden, slit-pupiled eyes.
"Wororororo..." His laughter exploded over the square like muffled thunder. "Do you think I take in any piece of trash?!" Before his words faded, an intangible pressure erupted. Haoshoku Haki swept out like a tangible shockwave, instantly knocking all the excited poor unconscious. Even the guards blocking the front collapsed one after another, leaving only King Riku and a few of the stronger guards barely able to remain standing.
"Thi... this is the Captain's power?" Carue's eyes widened, his voice trembling slightly with shock. He had never imagined a person's sheer presence could be so terrifying. The air around them seemed to solidify, making it hard even to breathe.
Kyros was equally awestruck, his hand unconsciously tightening on his sword. Though he knew Kaido, with a bounty over 800 million Berries, possessed extraordinary strength, witnessing this power that subdued foes without a fight still exceeded his imagination. Dozens of people had fallen without warning, without even a chance to resist.
Kaido withdrew his Haki as if nothing had happened. "Keep leading the way, King Riku." His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather. This nonchalant attitude was even more frightening, as if those unconscious people were nothing more than insignificant ants in his eyes.
"As you command," King Riku forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart. As the king of a New World country, he naturally recognized the legendary Haoshoku Haki. He quickly directed the remaining guards to tend to the unconscious civilians, then reformed the procession and continued leading Kaido's group toward Green Bit.
Though brief, this farce left a deep impression on everyone present.
***
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