"Devil Fruit!" Kaido's eyes lit up with anticipation. "If only I could have a Mythical Zoan as powerful as yours one day, Ares-ani… Then I could help you face the strongest enemies."
He, too, had been an orphan, enduring a brutal, unforgiving life before joining the Rocks Pirates. Yet even here, reality proved far crueler than anywhere else. To Big Mom, he was nothing more than a "beast of burden" a plowing ox, without the slightest shred of affection.
But in Tengetsu Ares, he saw sothing different sothing rare among the Rocks Pirates. Beneath the monstrous strength, there was a simple, honest heart.
All Ares lived for was his dream of forging his body into a blade surpassing the Supre Grade swords, training with relentless, inhuman discipline day after day. Now that Kaido had accepted Ares as his elder brother, he felt sothing he hadn't in a long ti sothing like family. It was a warmth no other pirate could give.
Seeing Kaido's sincere expression, Ares was deeply moved. After what had happened, he no longer had any reservations Kaido was his younger brother now.
The pale-faced Ares smiled warmly. "Little brother… don't worry. Even if it costs my life, I'll find you a powerful Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit."
"Then we'll fight together becoming as strong as Newgate and Shiki."
He paused, then added, "You once said you wanted to see fulfill my dream to forge my body beyond even the Supre Grade swords. But what was your original dream?"
Kaido was still basking in the feeling of being called "little brother" for the first ti. Only after hearing it a second ti did he snap back to reality. In this love-starved youth's heart, such words were precious.
Eyes brimming with tears, Kaido thought seriously before answering. "Ares-ani, my dream was to beco strong enough to rule my own fate to live free on this sea without taking orders from anyone. No more being caught by the Marines… and every day, I'd drink my fill and eat as much at as I want."
That was Kaido's dream: to master his own destiny and live in endless feasts of sake and at.
Ares tried to lift his arm to pat Kaido's shoulder, but after several attempts he couldn't raise it. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His body was simply too drained to obey him.
He knew Kaido must have endured a great deal caring for him while he was unconscious a man like him tending to soone's daily needs couldn't have been easy.
"Little brother, that day will co. Once I'm healed, we'll train together, grow stronger, and live freely on this sea."
In his heart, he silently added: No matter who the enemy is, I'll protect you.
Kaido nodded firmly, like a younger sibling taking his elder's words to heart. Then he grinned. "Ares-ani, rest well. Call if you need anything."
"You must be hungry. I'll get you sothing to eat."
At the sound of food, Ares's stomach grumbled loudly. Kaido chuckled and went to work.
In the days Ares had been unconscious, Kaido had cooked for him several tis. But he was still clumsy most kitchen tools seed tiny in his massive hands. He had no choice but to make a fire in the open and roast at, shredding it into pieces before adding it to a pot of rice porridge.
Those little tricks he'd picked up from the townsfolk while helping them with work. Still, for him, cooking was a battle in itself.
Elsewhere.
A few days earlier…
When Shiki the Golden Lion returned to Hachinosu, he was t not with welco, but with Whitebeard's fury.
The mont Shiki stepped onto the port, a thunderous roar shook the air.
"Blond lion! I'll sink you to the bottom of the sea today!!!"
Whitebeard charged through the crowd like a storm, sending pirates tumbling in every direction.
Reaching Shiki, he stamped down hard, shattering the stone beneath his feet, and launched himself high into the air.
Both hands gripped Murakumogiri, one of the twelve Supre Grade blades. Its gleaming edge reflected a murderous light as he brought it down in a savage, mountain-splitting strike aid right at Shiki's head.
Rage twisted his face as he roared, "You bastard! You couldn't even protect Ares!!"
"Why the hell did you co back?!"
The air howled with killing intent.
The onlookers froze, fear spreading through the port. No one could understand why two division commanders of the Rocks Pirates would fight here in broad daylight.
Whitebeard was usually one of the friendliest captains on Hachinosu, beloved by the island's residents. Yet here he was, acting completely out of character.
Was he not afraid of Captain Rocks's wrath?
Faced with the sudden assault, Shiki's eyes widened in shock. Using the powers of his Float-Float Fruit, he swerved left Whitebeard's blade sliced past his right side, the wind of the strike slapping his face and drawing cold sweat.
A mont slower, and he'd have been cleaved in two.
Shiki's shock quickly turned to fury. He drew both sabers at his waist, retreating several dozen ters before snarling, "Damn you, white-haired bastard! Trying to kill ?!"
Whitebeard's single blow split the harbor's waters clean in two, sending twin walls of surging waves crashing outward.
"Run for your lives!!!"
"Whitebeard and the Golden Lion are fighting!!!"
"Sobody stop them! If they keep going, they'll destroy the whole port!!"
"Damn it, we just had a huge battle here not long ago are we really going to have another one?!"
Panic swept the harbor as everyone scrambled to get as far away from the fight as possible.
With a heavy thud, Whitebeard landed back on the port and barked at Shiki, "If you couldn't protect Ares, then why the hell did you co back?!"
"Damn it, you think I didn't want to protect that kid?!" Shiki's face was dark with guilt.
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