13: The Artificial Devil Fruit Deal

Back aboard the Beasts Pirates' ship, Kaido sat in his chair, lost in thought. King, while curious, didn't ask any further questions since Kaido hadn't shared any details. With his arms crossed, he leaned against the ship's railing, keeping silent.

Kaido, on the other hand, was deep in thought, weighing the strength of the top-tier powers in the One Piece world against that of the Tailed Beasts. Among the Nine-Tails, Shukaku was considered one of the weakest. Even the Fourth Kazekage, who was mysteriously killed by Orochimaru, seemed to be able to suppress Shukaku.

As for the strongest of the Nine-Tails, the Nine-Tails itself, its power was somewhat weaker than Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, but still, its strength might be comparable to Pain's. After all, in the original story, Pain was able to suppress the Nine-Tails with the Chibaku Tensei, mainly because the Nine-Tails only had Yang chakra and lacked Yin chakra, meaning it was only half of its full potential. However, Pain's chakra was severely depleted from his battle with Naruto and the destruction of Konoha, so it was unclear how strong the Nine-Tails truly was.

Kaido found himself curious about how the strength of the One Piece world's Admirals and the Four Emperors would compare to that of the Tailed Beasts. While it was hard to say definitively, he speculated that they might be even stronger than Pain. Regardless, Kaido knew that the Tailed Beasts' true power lay in their destructive abilities. If harnessed properly, they could significantly boost the Beasts Pirates' strength.

Reflecting on his observations from the fight between the One-Tail and his subordinates, Kaido had a clear understanding. Even though Shukaku faced two opponents, Kaido could tell that, in a one-on-one situation, Shukaku would likely still lose to Doflamingo. After all, the battle between King, Doflamingo, and Shukaku seemed like child's play.

"Ah, in the end, they're still just beasts," Kaido muttered, a sigh escaping his lips. "I guess I overestimated the Tailed Beasts at first. Sure, they have massive chakra and incredible recovery, but they're still beasts at heart. Their destructive power is immense, but their fighting style is too straightforward."

At that moment, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. "Governor, governor, should we return to Onigashima or head to Wano?" Bao Huang trotted over, her short legs moving quickly.

Kaido, who had been wondering what Bao Huang looked like under her mask, glanced at her and replied, "Onigashima."

"Understood," Bao Huang said, nodding before running off again.

Kaido then turned to King and asked, "By the way, what do you think of Shukaku's strength?"

King didn't hesitate to answer honestly, "The destructive power of the Tailed Beast Balls is unparalleled. In terms of pure destruction, I think only your Dragon's Breath, Kaido-sama, could rival it on Onigashima. And its physical defense and regeneration are incredibly strong—almost on par with our top-tier members. In fact, its regenerative abilities may even surpass the awakening of Zoan-type Devil Fruits."

"I see," Kaido said, nodding slightly. He was keen on hearing his subordinate's opinions. While Doflamingo had the perfect counter with his String-String Fruit, Kaido was interested to see what King thought of facing Shukaku without that advantage.

Kaido then asked, "So, if it were a one-on-one battle, how confident are you in defeating Shukaku?"

King, filled with confidence, replied, "I can't guarantee 100%, but I'd say there's at least an 80% chance I could defeat him."

"Really?" Kaido raised an eyebrow. "But the Tailed Beasts are much more physically resilient than humans."

King was undeterred. "I know. If it turned into a battle of endurance, I might not be able to match Shukaku. But while Shukaku's destructive power is impressive, it has plenty of weaknesses. Its speed is slow, and while its defense and recovery are strong, I'm confident I can break through its sand armor."

"I see," Kaido mused, not pressing the matter further.

However, King, noticing that Kaido hadn't mentioned anything about the deal with Doflamingo, grew anxious. He had been eager to capture Doflamingo and extract the truth about the artificial Devil Fruits. At that moment, King's gaze darkened as he looked at Doflamingo, a flicker of murderous intent in his eyes.

Though Doflamingo was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, King didn't regard him highly. In his eyes, Doflamingo was just a shrewd businessman, no different from someone like Jack. In fact, King even believed that in a few years, Jack would be strong enough to defeat Doflamingo. After all, Jack had only just turned twenty-something and had already become one of the Beasts Pirates' top-tier members.

At this moment, Doflamingo noticed King's gaze and felt a surge of unease. While Doflamingo had a decent relationship with Jack among the Three Disasters, he knew full well that King was the most dangerous of the trio. King was not only the most intelligent but also the strongest. This made Doflamingo feel greatly apprehensive.

Having seen the power of the Tailed Beasts firsthand, Doflamingo couldn't help but covet their destructive capabilities. But with the ongoing matter of the artificial Devil Fruits, he knew he needed to secure an agreement with Kaido as soon as possible. Doflamingo also understood that as long as Kaido was present, King wouldn't dare to act recklessly. However, once Kaido left, who knew what King might do? After all, Onigashima was the Beasts Pirates' stronghold, and if things escalated, Doflamingo might not even have a chance to escape.

"Kaido-sama," Doflamingo said, approaching Kaido with a wicked grin, "perhaps now is a good time to discuss our previous deal." He paused before continuing, "Here's my proposal: once we obtain Caesar, I'll take charge of producing the artificial Devil Fruits, and we'll split the profits 60-40. How about that?"

"60-40?"

At hearing this, King immediately spoke up, sensing Kaido's displeasure, "If we take you down, wouldn't the artificial Devil Fruits fall into our hands entirely? As for the weapons and intelligence... You should know, Doflamingo, that you're not the only underground emperor in the New World. Do you really think you've gained such power simply by relying on your strength alone?"

Doflamingo chuckled darkly, his confidence unwavering. "Heh, I'm fully aware. Without the Beasts Pirates' support, even with my title as a Warlord, I would hardly be able to stand my ground in the New World," he said smoothly. "Of course, the Beasts Pirates could support someone else to replace me as the new underground emperor. But that would be a foolish move, a case of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. As a Warlord, I also have access to many pieces of intelligence that other underground emperors can't get. I'm sure Kaido-sama, with his wisdom, wouldn't make such a short-sighted decision, would he?"

Kaido fell into thought for a moment before responding coldly, "60-40? Doflamingo, do you really have the appetite to swallow that much?"

Doflamingo flashed a toothy grin. "Heh heh, there's a saying: 'The timid die of hunger, the bold die of excess.' I think I can stomach it, Kaido-sama," he said, before his tone shifted slightly, "But since you've said that, I suppose one must be reasonable. After all, we are long-term partners. So let me take a step back... How about a 70-30 split? I'll still take responsibility for producing the artificial Devil Fruits, with 70% going to the Beasts Pirates and 30% to the Donquixote Pirates. How does that sound?"

The tension in the air hung heavy as Kaido listened, weighing his options carefully.