6: Testing the Ability

When the girl reached Kaido, she bowed respectfully to him and then to King and Doflamingo. "So Lord King and Mr. Doflamingo are here as well," she said politely.

King glanced at her, his voice cold as ever. "Bao Huang, what's the matter?"

So her name is Bao huang, Kaido thought as he studied the masked girl standing before him. He couldn't help but feel puzzled. What's with these strange names?

Bao huang bowed slightly toward Kaido and replied, "Governor Kaido, you mentioned you had something urgent to attend to and instructed us to prepare the ship."

Then, turning toward Kaido, she added, "The ship is ready, Governor. We can depart at any time."

Kaido stood up, nodding with satisfaction. "Alright, let's move. King, Doflamingo, you're coming too."

However, as Kaido started walking, neither King nor Doflamingo followed him. Kaido stopped in his tracks, frowning as he turned back. "What's the matter?"

"Um, Governor, you're heading the wrong way. The dock is this way," Baohuang said softly, pointing in the opposite direction.

Kaido froze in place, his massive frame stiffening. A moment of awkward silence followed before he burst out, clearly annoyed. "Then why were you coming from that direction earlier?"

"I was on my way back from the command room to inform them," Baohuang explained, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance as she tried to sound as innocent as possible.

King, observing the scene, let out a nearly imperceptible sigh. What is going on today? He hasn't even had much to drink, and he's already so disoriented that he doesn't even know his own shipyard's layout.

Still, to spare Kaido further embarrassment, King barked sharply, "Baohuang, stop wasting time and lead us—and our esteemed guest—to the dock."

"Yes, Governor. Lord King, Mr. Doflamingo, this way, please." Baohuang bowed once more and began leading the group.

Around them, the pirates tried their best to stifle their laughter. Not a single sound of amusement escaped—not because they didn't find it funny, but because they valued their lives too much. Even Doflamingo struggled to keep his trademark grin from widening into outright laughter. Kaido, a landlocked fool? How ridiculous. If word got out that the Governor of the Beasts Pirates can't navigate his own base, it would be the joke of the century!

Kaido, however, managed to suppress his irritation, pretending as though nothing had happened. He followed Baohuang as though his earlier misstep was completely intentional.

When they arrived at the dock, Kaido scanned the massive collection of ships. His eyes flicked over hundreds of vessels, ranging from small to colossal. He feigned a surprised expression and said, "Why are there so many ships here today?"

Both King and Baohuang turned to Kaido, their eyes filled with a mix of astonishment and exasperation. King finally answered, his tone slightly stiff, "Governor Kaido, this is actually a relatively small number. A few days ago, we deployed around a hundred large slave ships."

"Slave ships?" Kaido repeated, his brows furrowing deeply.

King and Baohuang exchanged glances, their frustration evident. He truly doesn't concern himself with anything, does he?

King stepped forward, explaining patiently, "The factories in Udon and the weapons workshops require a constant influx of labor. The slaves from Wano alone are far from sufficient to maintain operations. That's why we need regular raids to capture more slaves and replenish the workforce."

Baohuang nodded in agreement. "Without those reinforcements, the production in Udon and the weapons factories would grind to a halt, Governor."

Kaido listened, his expression unreadable as his sharp gaze swept across the bustling dock. The massive operation, the sprawling machinery of his empire, relied on this relentless cycle of human misery—a reality that even Kaido, with his overwhelming strength, could not ignore.

Baohuang quickly stepped forward to ease the tension, her voice cheerful and respectful. "Perhaps it's because Governor Kaido usually flies wherever he goes, so he might not be familiar with how many ships we have in the dock!"

I can fly? Kaido thought, utterly speechless. So I can fly, huh? Well, that's new. Seems like I have a lot more abilities than I realized. Maybe I should sit down one day and figure out how to actually use all of them.

Doflamingo couldn't help but notice the odd expression on Kaido's face. Something about him felt… different. The Kaido standing before him seemed unlike the one he had imagined in his plans.

King, too, felt a slight unease but quickly dismissed it. After all, he had been by Kaido's side for over two decades. He knew Kaido's aura better than anyone, and if this was an impostor, King would have spotted it immediately.

"Alright, let's move!" Kaido declared abruptly, not wanting to drag out the conversation. The more he spoke, the more he felt like he was digging a hole for himself. Better to keep quiet and focus on testing his new ideas.

Once aboard the ship, Baohuang turned to Kaido and asked, "Governor Kaido, where should we head next?"

Kaido replied casually, "Find an uninhabited island, somewhere secluded. I want to test out one of my abilities."

"An ability?" Both King and Doflamingo furrowed their brows at the unexpected statement.

King stepped forward, his voice curious yet cautious. "Have you gained a new power, Governor?"

Kaido grinned confidently, his gaze sharp. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Doflamingo, meanwhile, decided it was best to remain silent about the artificial Devil Fruits for now. Without the Beasts Pirates' support, retrieving Caesar would be nearly impossible, so he chose to observe quietly and bide his time.

…

It wasn't long before the ship approached a group of islands near Onigashima. The landmass was vast, a cluster of lush, densely forested islands with towering trees visible even from a distance.

Baohuang pointed ahead. "Governor Kaido, would Beast Archipelago suffice?"

"Beast Archipelago?" Kaido's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Interesting name. Let's see if the island lives up to it."

Baohuang seized the chance to flatter him. "Of course, Governor Kaido! After all, it was you who named this island. And the name is fitting—the island is home to many ferocious beasts. Even though I've become a full-fledged combatant, surviving here would still be impossible for me."

She paused dramatically before adding, "But for someone like you, Governor Kaido, this place is nothing more than your backyard!"

Kaido didn't bother responding to the flattery. When the ship docked, he leapt down without hesitation. "Stay here," he instructed King and the others. "I'll handle this alone."

King nodded. "Understood."

…

Once on the Beast Archipelago, Kaido took a deep breath, calming his mind. His Observation Haki quickly picked up the presence of numerous strong lifeforms scattered across the island. The wild beasts were certainly impressive, but Kaido wasn't here for them.

He was here to test something else entirely.

Now, how did they do it in Naruto again? Something about hand signs… Kaido mused, trying to recall the intricate techniques from the series. Though his memory was foggy, he was determined to figure it out through trial and error.

He bit down hard on his finger, attempting to draw blood for the ritual. However, much to his chagrin, his teeth barely dented his own skin. His near-indestructible body was proving to be an unexpected obstacle.

Well, this is awkward…