Chapter 541: Volume 4 – Chapter 60: Playing House

"Damn that brat Daren..."

Kaidou gritted his teeth and growled, his face flushing red with rage as hot breath spewed from his nostrils, turning into two streams of white smoke.

This was a secret he had never shared with anyone.

Aside from Arber, whom he trusted most, not even Queen knew about this hidden cave.

And it wasn't for any complicated reason... it was simply too humiliating!

His own flesh and blood, Yamato—who should have grown into a powerful, free pirate—actually said that the man she admired most wasn't her old man... but a damn Marine!

The worst part was, if Yamato admired some other Marine, Kaidou could still stomach it.

Garp, Zephyr—those men had ruled the seas in their prime and earned the title of "legends." If Yamato looked up to them, Kaidou could accept it.

Garp, hailed as the "Strongest Marine," had once joined forces with Roger to end Captain Rocks' ambitions.

Though they were enemies, Kaidou still respected Garp's strength and spirit.

As for "Black Arm" Zephyr, who had fought across the seas with Armament Haki rivaling Garp's, there was no questioning his strength.

On top of that, the countless elites and monsters Zephyr had trained over the years made Kaidou begrudgingly respectful, even if he didn't show it on the surface.

Sengoku, though his battle record was somewhat mediocre and his strength not as dazzling as Garp's or Zephyr's, was still a Marine Admiral from the same era, and the likely next Fleet Admiral...

That, Kaidou could barely accept.

But Yamato—his own daughter—of all people…

She chose to idolize that cunning, despicable brat Daren!

Kaidou's fury exploded instantly!

What a joke!

That little bastard had ruined his plans again and again, forced the Beasts Pirates' original base into destruction, and even had the audacity to "visit" Wano Country from time to time...

Fine!

But now he was rallying others to stir up trouble and challenge him?!

What the hell was this?!

This was Wano Country!

This was Kaidou of the Beasts' territory, not Rogers Daren's backyard or private training ground!!

"No! I can't let Yamato continue like this!"

Kaidou glared at the walls plastered with newspapers, canvases, and photos, his fists clenching tighter as he stormed deeper into the cave.

After winding through several corridors, Kaidou finally arrived at the back of the cave under the terrified, respectful gazes of a dozen Beasts Pirates members.

He stopped in front of a "cell" secured by iron bars.

The oil lamps hanging on the walls cast a dim, flickering light, barely keeping the darkness at bay.

Before Kaidou could even get close, a childish voice, trying its best to sound deep and mature, rang out from the depths of the cell.

"Evil pirates, you are all under arrest!"

"What? You don't even know my name? How ridiculous... Listen up, you stupid pirate! I am a Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters—the world-renowned 'King of the North Blue'!"

"That's right!! I'm the handsome, mighty, and famed monster of the Marine Headquarters, the Legend Slayer, the heir to the Three Pillars, the uncrowned King of the North Blue, and the future Flying Admiral!"

"Power is my ladder, and beautiful women are my passion... I am Rogers Daren!!"

Listening to that "fierce" yet "adorably fierce" voice, Kaidou's face darkened until it was as black as the bottom of a pot.

His features twisted further with sheer rage.

The two Beasts Pirates members standing guard beside him didn't dare to breathe, heads bowed low, trembling against the wall without making a sound.

They didn't even need to look—they knew Kaidou-sama's expression was absolutely terrifying at that moment.

"How's Yamato been these past few days?"

Kaidou suppressed his anger and asked.

The two pirates exchanged glances and said tremblingly,

"Reporting to Kaidou-sama, the young master has been in good health these past few days, but she gets bored sometimes, so she asks us to play games with her."

"Play games?"

Kaidou narrowed his eyes, a sudden bad premonition flashing through his mind, and asked coldly,

"What kind of games?"

At that moment, one of the pirates who looked a little sharper quickly spoke up,

"Actually, it's just a simple game of house. Begou is inside playing with the young master right now."

Kaidou pondered for a moment.

"Open the door."

The two dared not refuse and hurriedly opened the cell door.

Kaidou lowered his head and strode inside.

That childish voice came again, growing clearer as he approached.

"Hahahaha! So this is Wano Country!"

Kaidou's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously quickened his pace.

He turned a corner, and the scene before him suddenly opened up.

However, what greeted his eyes nearly made him pass out, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

There stood a tiny figure, her delicate white feet standing on top of a pirate, hands on her hips, laughing triumphantly:

"Have you seen my power?!"

It was a little girl who looked about three years old, with short, gradient-colored hair that shifted from white at the roots to green, then to blue at the tips.

Two crimson devil horns poked out from her white hair, making her look incredibly adorable.

At that moment, the little girl, dressed in a white kimono, a red long skirt, and a rope tied around her waist, was pointing at the pirate under her feet and laughing gleefully.

She wore a paper mask cut out from a newspaper, and the face on the mask was unmistakably that of Daren—handsome with sharp features.

The pirate being stepped on was pretending to cry out in pain and beg for mercy.

He also wore a crude mask.

The mask's face... was none other than Kaidou himself.

Kaidou's face turned bright red in an instant, as red as pig's liver, veins bulging on his forehead as if they were about to burst.

His rough hands unconsciously gripped the kanabō tightly, trembling uncontrollably.

"Hahahaha!"

At that moment, "Daren" looked down at "Kaidou" under her feet and said cheerfully,

"Well, that's all for today!

I'll come visit you again next time, Kaidou-sensei."

Kaidou: ...

The world fell dead silent for a moment.

Then—

"What the hell are you doing!!!"

Kaidou's furious roar echoed throughout the entire cave, the terrifying sound shaking the mountain itself.

Boom!

The mountaintop suddenly exploded open, and a pirate wearing the "Kaidou" mask was sent flying, disappearing into the distant sky as a tiny black dot.