The samurai of Wano Country withdrew from the battlefield, carrying the unconscious Oden with them. The Beasts Pirates made no attempt to pursue.
Just like that, the war came to an end.
The samurai could only return home. Oden had been defeated by Kaido, and if they could not overcome Kaido himself, they certainly had no hope of defeating the Beasts Pirates as a whole. Any dream of victory had vanished.
The Nightfall Pirates had prepared enough food to sustain ten thousand people for an entire month, yet only about one-fifth of those supplies had been consumed.
After exchanging dozens of damaged vessels for ships provided by the Nightfall Pirates, Wano's fleet departed the Sageros Sea and sailed back toward Wano Country.
No matter how one looked at it, this battle would dramatically increase the Beasts Pirates' prestige while bringing them tremendous benefits in the future.
The Nightfall Pirates also made a profit. Although it was not particularly large, they had already achieved their real objective. After suffering such devastating losses, Wano Country would need years to recover and would no longer be capable of aiding the Whitebeard Pirates in any future conflict against the Nightfall Pirates.
Very few people knew about Teach's previous goodwill toward Wano Country. However, during this war, the Nightfall Pirates' assistance was visible for the entire world to see. They had provided supplies, opened a safe passage through the Sageros Sea, and offered logistical support from beginning to end.
Most importantly, they had dispatched medical teams to treat countless wounded and critically injured samurai.
That quiet display of goodwill earned the gratitude of many samurai.
With those relationships established, Oden would no longer oppose the Nightfall Pirates so easily. On the contrary, there was even a possibility that relations between the two sides would continue to improve.
Even if Oden still wished to help the Whitebeard Pirates in the future, he could only do so in a personal capacity. Attempting to mobilize Wano itself might even provoke opposition from the very samurai who had benefited from the Nightfall Pirates' aid. As Shogun, Oden could no longer ignore the interests and wishes of Wano Country.
Meanwhile, inside the Barbarossa Kingdom...
Beast City.
This was the royal capital of the kingdom and its most prosperous metropolis.
Even Pet Island had officially been renamed Beast Island, permanently carrying the mark of the Beasts Pirates.
In truth, however, the old name no longer suited the kingdom.
Relying on the many Beast Islands under its control and its increasingly advanced beast-taming techniques, the Barbarossa Kingdom now bred enormous numbers of ferocious beasts that could be trained and controlled by the Beasts Pirates.
This had also become one of the kingdom's most profitable exports.
Cultivated beasts were sold throughout the world. Wealthy merchants, nobles, and influential figures all desired powerful beasts as exotic pets and status symbols.
Raising these creatures required tremendous investment, so exporting them became a natural source of income.
After years of continuous development, the Barbarossa Kingdom had established a systematic breeding industry that significantly lowered production costs. They had even begun researching selective breeding and beast modification.
As a result, buyers from every corner of the Four Seas and the Grand Line came to purchase their beasts.
Behind the scenes, even the Celestial Dragons had become customers.
Inspired by the arenas scattered throughout the Sageros Sea, while incorporating their own unique style, the Beasts Pirates also established a flourishing chain of gladiatorial arenas.
Unlike traditional coliseums, the combatants here were usually beasts fighting other beasts, or humans challenging ferocious monsters.
Similar arenas gradually spread across different seas, becoming another pillar of the Beasts Pirates' growing business empire and generating enormous profits.
After all, Kaido was no longer merely the captain of a pirate crew.
He ruled a kingdom and governed an entire territory.
Naturally, both his perspective and ambitions had broadened.
This was completely different from the days when everything revolved around Onigashima and Wano Country, where expansion relied solely on brute force and plunder.
Although Kaido himself was hardly an expert administrator, the Barbarossa Kingdom continuously supplied the Beasts Pirates with talented individuals in countless fields beyond simple combat.
That had become one of the greatest foundations supporting the explosive growth of the Beasts Pirates over the past several years.
At the heart of the royal capital stood the headquarters of the Beasts Pirates.
A magnificent palace blazed with lights.
To celebrate their victory over Wano Country, the Beasts Pirates held an enormous banquet.
Citizens throughout the Barbarossa Kingdom celebrated alongside them.
The overwhelming strength displayed by Kaido and the Beasts Pirates filled the people with a deep sense of security.
Over the past several years, the Barbarossa Kingdom had never suffered a foreign invasion. Peace had become the norm, prosperity continued to grow, and many merchants had amassed fortunes under the protection of the Beasts Pirates.
Freed from the exploitation of the former king and nobility, ordinary citizens found their lives steadily improving.
"Wororororo! What a satisfying battle!"
Still wrapped in bandages, Kaido had yet to fully recover from the injuries Oden inflicted upon him.
Superficial wounds had already healed thanks to his astonishing recovery ability.
The deeper internal injuries, however, still required time.
Especially the enormous X-shaped scar across his right abdomen.
Every time he looked at it, a dull ache lingered beneath the skin.
Even so, Kaido's spirits remained incredibly high.
He lifted a huge sake gourd, took several massive gulps, and burst into laughter.
"Kozuki Oden... what a monster! I've wanted to fight him for years. That battle didn't disappoint me one bit!"
No one present questioned Oden's strength.
Although he had ultimately lost, countless people across the world still admired him.
Kaido and Oden belonged to the same generation.
Their strength was extraordinarily close.
Many believed Oden had not lost because he was weaker.
He had simply exhausted himself first.
Kaido possessed the recovery and endurance granted by a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.
Oden did not.
If Kaido had never eaten a Devil Fruit...
Or if Oden had possessed one of similar caliber...
Many believed the outcome might have been completely different.
It was an argument with considerable support throughout the world.
Unfortunately, no matter how convincing it sounded, reality would not change.
Kaido had won.
Today's banquet celebrated the Beasts Pirates' victory over Wano Country.
Gathered inside the grand hall were not only the executives of the Beasts Pirates but also the kingdom's highest-ranking officials responsible for maintaining the stability and prosperity of the Barbarossa Kingdom.
"Wororo... damn it..."
Without any warning, Kaido's booming laughter abruptly transformed into loud sobbing.
Large tears streamed uncontrollably down his face as he wailed miserably while continuing to drink.
"Damn you, Oden! Why couldn't you last a little longer...?!"
"Oh, Kaido-sama's drunk again."
Queen barely looked up.
Everyone had long since grown accustomed to scenes like this.
"It's fine. He'll be back to normal soon enough."
Compared to the past, Kaido was practically civilized now.
"Back then, he'd get drunk for absolutely no reason and start smashing everything in sight. Nowadays, the Governor-General has learned to restrain himself somewhat. If he really lost control inside the royal capital, the damage would be unimaginable."
As one of Kaido's earliest followers, Queen had witnessed those chaotic days firsthand.
Compared to then, life now was paradise.
Research funding was plentiful.
Resources were abundant.
Queen happily scooped another mouthful of his beloved red bean mochi soup into his mouth.
Not long afterward, Kaido's crying stopped just as suddenly as it had begun.
His emotions changed as quickly as the weather.
Setting down his sake gourd, he shifted his attention toward the future.
"Continue preparing for war against the Whitebeard Pirates."
"The Nightfall Pirates want to use Whitebeard as a stepping stone to become an Emperor."
"We'll use that opportunity to seize part of Whitebeard's territory for ourselves."
Just as expected of Kaido.
The moment one war ended, he was already thinking about the next.
Everyone understood Teach's ambitions.
The Dark Emperor already possessed strength worthy of an Emperor of the Sea.
What he lacked was merely a decisive opportunity.
Many influential figures had already predicted that once Whitebeard escaped the quagmire of the Chaos Sea, an inevitable confrontation between him and Teach would determine the birth of a new Emperor.
That day was approaching.
It was only a matter of time.
"Our previous plan remains unchanged," Kaido continued.
"Omen and Lemor will stay in charge."
"Don't pressure the Whitebeard Pirates too much."
"We'll slowly eat away at them."
"The important thing is to keep their attention fixed on the Nightfall Pirates."
The executives nodded.
After the banquet concluded, they would immediately begin making preparations.
Kaido suddenly grinned.
"I just finished fighting Oden..."
"My hands are itching again."
"Who should I go fight next?"
The room instantly fell silent.
Several executives exchanged helpless glances.
Their Governor-General truly could not stay still.
He had only just returned from a major war.
His injuries had not even healed yet.
Fortunately, Kaido had matured somewhat over the years.
Instead of charging off immediately, he actually asked for opinions.
"Go kill yourself somewhere."
Queen answered without looking up from his bowl of red bean mochi soup.
"Or jump into the sea."
Jack spoke with complete seriousness.
"Try climbing back out while the sea suppresses your Devil Fruit powers."
"..."
The room fell silent.
Then several executives exchanged thoughtful looks.
"...Actually..."
"That's... not a bad suggestion."
Their greatest concern was never Kaido dying.
It was Kaido disappearing.
If some major power managed to capture him, the Beasts Pirates would face enormous trouble.
With the Road Poneglyph now in their possession, countless forces were undoubtedly watching them.
Should Kaido somehow be restrained, the Beasts Pirates would descend into chaos.
Wano Country might even seize the opportunity to invade again.
After all, Kozuki Oden possessed strength equal to Kaido's, and nobody else among them could stop him.
Naturally, no one dared reject Kaido outright.
The only option was finding an opponent dangerous enough to satisfy him, yet not so dangerous that he would actually be trapped.
Seeing Kaido's face darken, Crayel quickly stepped forward.
"That's only a last resort."
"The Governor-General wants a worthy battle."
"If that's the case, we should choose the opponent carefully."
"The Nightfall Pirates are certainly an option."
"Unfortunately, Teach, Shadow Dragon, and Ares have all disappeared from public view. We don't even know where they are."
Ares had originally remained stationed at the Battle Pyramid.
Not long afterward, however, he found the assignment unbearably dull and wandered off somewhere unknown.
"The Flying Pirates are another possibility."
"But if you challenge them..."
"...Governor-General, I'm afraid you may not even get the chance to jump into the sea and escape."
Kaido merely snorted.
"Whitebeard is still trapped inside the Chaos Sea."
"We could fight him..."
"...but our strategy right now is to avoid drawing too much attention."
"Considering Whitebeard's relationship with Kozuki Oden, provoking him now could escalate matters far beyond our intentions."
"The Big Mom Pirates are busy preparing for another tea party."
"There is no reason to provoke them."
"The Marines are also out of the question."
One possibility after another was eliminated.
Crayel finally summarized his conclusion.
"Any force possessing a top-tier powerhouse capable of matching the Governor-General is too dangerous to provoke at the moment."
"So..."
"We should look for someone just below that level."
In other words, an opponent strong enough to provide excitement, but weak enough that Kaido could disengage whenever he wished.
That was the safest choice for the Beasts Pirates.
In truth, Crayel simply wanted Kaido to recognize that, given their current situation, every battle required careful consideration.
It was for the good of the entire crew.
Kaido grew visibly impatient.
Too many restrictions.
Still, he restrained himself.
Taking another long drink from his sake gourd, he asked,
"So..."
"Who can I fight?"
Even Kaido understood that he could no longer act purely on impulse.
At the very least, his drinking habits had improved considerably.
Crayel answered without hesitation.
"The overlords of the New World are all candidates."
"You're familiar with several of them."
"The Gecko Pirates are one option."
"Besides Gecko Moria himself, they also possess an enormous zombie army."
"The three resurrected veteran overlords remain especially dangerous. If they fight together, they're still a tremendous threat."
"Ares of the Nightfall Pirates is another excellent opponent."
"If we send Teach a formal challenge requesting a duel with the God of War, there's a good chance they'll accept."
"You've fought him before."
"In recent years, his strength has grown tremendously."
"He once fought Black Arm Zephyr to a standstill."
"His endurance is equally monstrous."
"He'll certainly last longer than Kozuki Oden."
"After all..."
"...he's a genuine monster."
Even Crayel could not help sounding emotional.
Ever since learning Ares' true identity, many people had regarded him as an anomaly.
Not that he had ever seemed normal to begin with.
The Beasts Pirates themselves possessed a similar existence.
"Beast Calamity" Gates.
By now, Gates had already surpassed King in raw physical power after fully adapting to his Human-Human Fruit, Model: Giant.
Of course, actual combat was another matter.
King would never lose so easily.
Gates' enormous body still left him with obvious weaknesses.
Originally a terrifying beast in his own right, the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Giant, had amplified his physical capabilities to another level entirely.
Among the countless Human-Human Fruits known throughout history, the Giant Model was unquestionably one of the most valuable.
Publicly known users of such fruits could almost be counted on one hand.
"There really is a monster like that..."
Kaido's eyes lit up.
Although they had fought years ago, he had personally witnessed Ares' growth throughout the wars of the New World.
"Fine."
"Arrange the challenge."
"After that's settled..."
"We'll go pay Moria a visit."
"He once came knocking on our doorstep."
"It's only fair that I return the favor."
"And while we're there..."
"I want to see just how strong those three old bastards are after coming back from the dead."