Chapter 26: Shukaku's Conditions

"Let's get one thing straight: I'm not going to help your underlings for free. I have conditions," Shukaku said coldly, his tone unwavering.

"Conditions? What kind of conditions?" Kaido asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shukaku took a moment to think, then spoke, "Every time you summon me, you must provide 100 sacrifices."

"What? You too need sacrifices?" Kaido's exasperation was evident. He recalled Orochimaru's giant snake, Manda, which always struck a deal every time it was summoned.

"Wait a second, who else is demanding sacrifices?" Shukaku asked, caught off guard by the comment.

Kaido waved it off. "Nothing. Let's focus. Your sacrifices wouldn't happen to involve humans, right?"

Shukaku, unexpectedly accommodating, replied, "Not necessarily humans. Livestock like cows or sheep would work just fine. But it must be 100 of them. Consider it my payment for being summoned. That's my bottom line."

"Alright, no problem," Kaido agreed without hesitation. After all, he could only summon three of the tailed beasts for now. The remaining six were essentially idle, and he needed to find a way to utilize their power effectively.

"Enough of that. I want to test my strength..." Kaido declared, standing up. Clapping his hands together, he roared, "Summoning Jutsu: Two-Tails Matatabi!"

With a resounding puff of white smoke, Matatabi, the Two-Tails, appeared, its form imposing and its energy palpable.

"Shukaku, you're here too?" Matatabi said nonchalantly upon noticing Shukaku nearby. "What's the reason for summoning us today?"

Kaido stared at Matatabi. His recent fight with Shukaku had given him a clearer understanding of his strength. He was confident that he was stronger than Shukaku.

"Nothing much. I just want to train with you," Kaido replied with a smirk.

"Train?" Matatabi tilted its head, confused. Its gaze shifted to Shukaku, and it noticed Shukaku's injured arm. Sand particles swirled around, slowly mending the damage.

"Ah, I see now. You got yourself beaten up, huh? Hahaha! How embarrassing!" Matatabi burst into laughter, its voice ringing with mockery.

Shukaku's expression darkened as rage overtook him. "Shut up! You wouldn't fare any better!" he roared. Then, turning to Kaido, he added, "I'm leaving. You two enjoy yourselves!" With that, Shukaku's form dissipated into smoke, vanishing entirely.

Matatabi chuckled, its grin sharp and playful. "Geez, it was just a joke. No need to get so worked up. No wonder the Nine-Tails doesn't get along with him."

"So, Kaido, kid, how do you want me to help you train?" Matatabi asked, baring its sharp teeth in a mischievous grin.

…

Half a month passed in a blur of intense training and strategizing. One day, Kaido's Den Den Mushi rang, its familiar tone breaking the quiet.

The royal faction had a habit of calling every three days to check on Kaido's status. They also reported updates on the pirate crew's affairs, though these were rarely of any significance.

"Kaido-sama..."

"King..." Kaido raised a brow as he heard the voice on the other end of the Den Den Mushi. "It's you today, huh? That's unusual."

"Kaido-sama, I have a matter that requires your attention," King began without delay. "Just yesterday, Doflamingo informed us of the timing for Caesar's transportation. He has requested that we send someone to intercept him as soon as possible. I wanted to consult with you regarding who we should dispatch for this operation."

"We'll deal with that later," Kaido replied, brushing off the topic. "First, let's talk about the other matter. Didn't I instruct that all members of the Beasts Pirates temporarily return to Onigashima? It's been a while now. How's that coming along?"

"Yes, Kaido-sama. As of two days ago, all overseas divisions of the Beasts Pirates have returned to Onigashima. The assets from our overseas territories have also been fully recovered," King reported efficiently.

"Good," Kaido said, clearly satisfied.

However, King hesitated before voicing his concern. "But Kaido-sama, are we certain this is the right move? By calling everyone back to Onigashima, we've left our overseas territories undefended. If other pirates target them, it could lead to significant losses."

Kaido let out a low chuckle. "Tell me, do you think Big Mom or Whitebeard would attack our territories?"

King paused, considering the question carefully. "Whitebeard has the largest territories among the Four Emperors, and that old man doesn't seem too interested in expansion. But his sons... they can't be underestimated. As for Big Mom, she only cares about her sweets—cakes, to be specific. She wouldn't risk a confrontation with us over something trivial."

"Exactly!" Kaido smirked, his tone mocking. "So why worry? Apart from the Four Emperors, the rest of the pirates in the New World are just trash. Even if they temporarily seize our territories, what of it? They won't be able to hold onto them for long."

Kaido leaned back, a confident grin spreading across his face. "King, our crew's strength has increased drastically."

"That's true, Kaido-sama. After all, with your ability to summon the nine tailed beasts from another world, the Beasts Pirates are now undeniably the strongest pirate crew," King said with admiration.

Kaido laughed but shook his head. "Not quite. I may have formed contracts with all nine tailed beasts, but I can only summon three at a time. However, I've recently reached an agreement with Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, and Son Goku. I've granted you and the others the ability to summon them as well. This way, it's not just me—our entire crew's strength will rise exponentially."

"We can summon the tailed beasts too?" King was stunned. He had witnessed their devastating power firsthand—their sheer destructive capability was akin to that of the ancient weapons.

"Yes," Kaido confirmed calmly. "However, your arrangement with them will be different from mine. You'll need to prepare sacrifices to summon them. Think of it as a transactional relationship: they'll assist you in battle, but in return, you must pay the appropriate price."

"Understood," King said, his respect for Kaido deepening. "Even if it's a transactional relationship, it's more than worth it. The power of the tailed beasts is unparalleled."

"Exactly," Kaido said, nodding. "It's no different from the World Government's arrangement with the Seven Warlords of the Sea. It's all about mutual benefit."

"Understood, Kaido-sama." King's tone was filled with determination, fully embracing the potential of this new arrangement.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll hang up now," Kaido said, preparing to end the call.

"Actually, there's one more thing," King interjected quickly. "Kaido-sama, your birthday is coming up soon. Orochi suggested holding a grand celebration across the country. Should we invite some distinguished guests as well?"

"My birthday, huh?" Kaido paused, his expression contemplative. After a moment, a grin spread across his face. "Why not? Go ahead and make the arrangements."

"Understood," King replied promptly.

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