5: The Arrival of Doflamingo

"Observation Haki is surprisingly easy to control!" Kaido thought to himself, smirking in satisfaction. With it activated, the world around him felt like he was using a cheat code, revealing human presences like glowing markers on a map. Guided by these signals, Kaido began moving toward the nearest cluster of people.

As he walked, he reminded himself of Katakuri's advice: staying calm is key to fully mastering Observation Haki. He took a deep breath, focusing on steadying his mind. Soon, not only could he see the presences, but faint sounds began reaching him as well—whispers of conversations, footsteps, and even the rhythmic beats of heartbeats.

"Not bad," Kaido muttered to himself, his grin widening. "This Haki might be stronger than I expected. I wonder how it compares to Katakuri's—can I predict the future, too?"

After navigating the labyrinth-like caves, Kaido finally emerged into a vast open-air plaza. Around him, hundreds of pirates were busy with various tasks. The moment they noticed Kaido's towering figure, they froze, hastily setting aside whatever they were doing to bow respectfully.

"Governor Kaido...!"

"Governor, why didn't you let us know you were coming?"

"Prepare some drinks for the Governor!"

"Quickly! Get the best sake!"

Kaido waved off their frantic reactions, his expression tinged with annoyance. Taking a jug of sake handed to him, he casually pointed at a random pirate and ordered, "You, prepare a ship for me."

"Yes, Governor Kaido!" the chosen pirate shouted, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. He turned to the others, barking orders. "You heard the Governor! Prepare the warship immediately!"

Kaido sighed inwardly but didn't bother correcting them. His only goal was to get out of this damned maze-like stronghold. Relying on his subordinates to guide him out was far less humiliating than wandering around aimlessly.

Just then, a small figure darted through the crowd toward him. It was a young girl with a peculiar mask covering her face, her tiny legs working double-time as she ran up to him.

"Governor! Governor!" she called out in a chipper voice. "Where are you planning to go?"

'Who is this brat?' Kaido thought, his expression betraying a flicker of confusion. He cleared his throat, keeping his tone calm. "Hmm. There's something I want to test."

"Something to test? Got it!" The masked girl saluted playfully. "I'll arrange everything right away, Governor!" With that, she scampered off, her small legs moving with surprising speed.

Kaido let out a long exhale, plopping down onto a nearby stone bench. He tore into a chunk of roasted meat while gulping down sake, his demeanor calm yet imposing. Around him, the pirates worked in tense silence, careful not to disturb their intimidating leader.

Before long, a commotion broke out. Pirates lined up neatly in two rows, shouting in unison: "Attention! The Wildfire King has arrived! The Heavenly Yaksha Donquixote Doflamingo has arrived!"

'Arrived? What is this, a royal procession?' Kaido thought, rolling his eyes. The exaggerated formality was beginning to grate on his nerves. King's presence was understandable—he was one of Kaido's top executives—but why treat Doflamingo, a mere business associate, with such fanfare?

As King and Doflamingo approached, Kaido couldn't help but feel increasingly exasperated. The pirates were practically worshiping the ground they walked on.

"Kaido-sama!" Jack greeted respectfully, his deep voice tinged with surprise. "I didn't expect you to personally come out like this."

Doflamingo, however, was all smiles. His signature laugh echoed across the plaza. "Hahaha! Kaido, it's been a while. I must admit, I didn't expect such a grand reception. To think you'd personally greet me—I'm flattered!"

Kaido glanced at the flamboyant warlord, feeling a pang of irritation. 'Greet you? Who's here to greet you? I just couldn't find my way out, you fool!'

Suppressing his inner frustration, Kaido decided to cut to the chase. "Doflamingo, why are you here? What do you want from me?"

Doflamingo's grin widened, his sunglasses glinting in the sunlight. "Straight to the point, I see. Hahaha. Well, Kaido, I have an interesting proposal that might benefit both of us..."

Doflamingo sneered, his grin twisted into something sinister.

"You really do have a knack for forgetting things, Kaido. Didn't we just talk over the phone a few days ago? Well, no matter. I'm here for an important transaction this time."

"Transaction?" Kaido's brow furrowed as he spoke. Though he sounded merely curious, the faintest trace of killing intent slipped from him, and Doflamingo couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through his body.

But as a seasoned schemer, Doflamingo quickly masked his discomfort, his tone regaining its usual bravado. "You've mentioned your interest in Devil Fruits before, haven't you? Well, I've come across something extraordinary. There's a certain... complication, though, and I'll need the help of the Beasts Pirates to acquire it. If we succeed, we could secure a method to produce an endless supply of Devil Fruits—though they'd all be Zoan types. In return, I'll offer generous terms: any Devil Fruits your crew purchases from me will come at a 20% discount."

"Zoan types?" Kaido's eyes narrowed slightly. A memory from the story of the world he now inhabited sparked to life. "You wouldn't be talking about artificial Devil Fruits, would you?"

Doflamingo froze for a moment, his confident grin faltering briefly. He hadn't expected Kaido to know about such a thing.

"Artificial Devil Fruits?" King, standing nearby, turned his masked face toward the conversation, clearly intrigued. "Are you saying Devil Fruits can be artificially created?"

Kaido smirked at Doflamingo's surprised expression, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Yes. I've heard the World Government has been researching them for some time. But those who consume these artificial fruits face a high risk of death. Even survivors are left with severe side effects. I've also heard rumors about experiments in human gigantification. I suppose your target is one of the scientists involved in these projects, isn't it?"

Doflamingo's eyes widened momentarily. He hadn't expected Kaido to be this well-informed. Did Kaido already know about Caesar? The scientist was the key to his plans. He'd hoped to seize Caesar despite the heavy naval escort guarding him, but now he realized Kaido might have known more all along.

Still, Doflamingo was no ordinary pirate. A man of his caliber didn't falter for long. His signature grin returned as he laughed. "So, you do know about artificial Devil Fruits. That makes things much easier."

Doflamingo's voice lowered slightly, taking on a conspiratorial tone. "The scientist capable of creating these fruits is named Caesar. He's a genius, albeit a mad one, who clashed with Vegapunk over differing ideals. After causing the Punk Hazard explosion, the Navy secretly detained him. Soon, he'll be transported to Impel Down. I've obtained their escort schedule and route. I propose we work together to intercept him. Once we have Caesar, I'll oversee the production of artificial Devil Fruits, and we'll split the profits 50-50. What do you say?"

Initially, Doflamingo had intended to offer King a hefty sum of 10 billion berries to secure Caesar for him. That way, he could monopolize the production and sell the fruits to the Beasts Pirates at a premium, earning a steady fortune while tightening his hold on Kaido's operations. But now that Kaido already knew about the fruits, Doflamingo had no choice but to adjust his approach.

Before Kaido could respond, King stepped forward, his voice cold and sharp. "Hmph. Doflamingo, do you truly believe you have the right to claim half? Now that we know about these fruits, it's only logical they belong entirely to the Beasts Pirates. If you're smart, you'll tell us everything you know and step aside."

Doflamingo stiffened, sensing the killing intent radiating from King. As one of the three All-Stars, King was a fearsome opponent, far beyond Doflamingo's ability to handle alone. Even Jack, the weakest of the trio, was a challenge for him. And with Kaido watching silently nearby, the tension was suffocating.

Still, Doflamingo wasn't without leverage. He let out a strained laugh, masking his unease. "Now, now, King. Let's not rush to conclusions. Artificial Devil Fruits aren't so easily made. Even if you capture Caesar, the most he can do is produce SAD, the raw material for the fruits. Without my connections and expertise, you'll have no way to cultivate the actual fruits."

King's glare intensified as he unsheathed his flaming sword. The air around them grew stifling, the flames licking at the blade reflecting in Doflamingo's sunglasses. "I'll make you spill every last secret you're hiding," King growled.

The pressure was immense, but Doflamingo kept his composure, turning his attention to Kaido. His voice took on a calculated tone. "Come now, Kaido. We're partners, aren't we? Don't forget, Wano is isolated from the outside world. Information, weapons, resources, drugs—I've been a reliable supplier for all of them. If something were to happen to me, wouldn't that make things inconvenient for you?"

Kaido didn't respond immediately, his expression unreadable. A cold smirk played on his lips, sending a shiver down Doflamingo's spine.

Kaido knew the process well: Caesar created the SAD, but it was the Tontatta dwarves under Doflamingo who cultivated the artificial fruits. Without both, the operation would fall apart.

Before Kaido could voice his decision, a soft, childish voice broke through the tense atmosphere.

"Governor! Governor Kaido!" A small figure dashed toward them, interrupting the standoff.