The passenger ship's whistle faded into the blue horizon.
Gentle sea breeze.
Warm sunlight.
Soft waves brushing white sand.
KING stood on the beach of an uninhabited island and inhaled slowly.
Perfect.
Because time was limited, he had selected a deserted island not far from Marine territory — remote enough for peace, close enough to escape trouble.
He opened his backpack.
Inside: professional slacking equipment.
Click.
A folding lounge chair unfolded.
He adjusted it to exactly 145 degrees.
Optimal spinal relaxation.
Thump.
A large parasol sank into the sand.
Its shadow perfectly covered his upper body.
Click.
A portable mini-fridge opened.
Two neat rows of chilled cola.
He pulled a can.
Hiss—
Bubbles erupted.
KING dropped into the chair and exhaled.
This…
was life.
He drank deeply. The icy cola washed away the last residue of stress.
No Marines.
No pirates.
No Celestial Dragons.
Only him and Tokimeki Memorial.
He removed his handheld console with ceremonial care, wiped the screen, and pressed power.
Pink logo.
Limited-edition cartridge.
Completing it unlocked the hidden heroine routes.
"Right…"
Play until tired.
Sleep.
Wake.
Drink cola.
Repeat.
Waves lapped gently.
Seagulls cried faintly in the distance.
His consciousness sank like a stone into warm water.
Vacation time remaining: 23 hours, 50 minutes.
He was going to sleep forever.
He didn't know how much time passed.
Just as sleep fully claimed him—
a massive shadow swallowed the beach.
The sunlight vanished.
Temperature dropped instantly.
"…mm."
KING frowned and rolled over.
Cloud cover?
The weather forecast was useless.
He pulled his eye mask tighter.
Sleep.
BOOOOOOM—!!!!!!
The sky tore apart.
The entire island convulsed.
It felt like a giant had kicked the earth.
KING was thrown from the chair.
The parasol shredded.
The lounge chair frame twisted into modern art.
And worst of all—
the cola can overturned.
Its mouth pointed directly at the handheld console.
Szzzzz—
Brown liquid flooded the screen.
Bubbles popped cheerfully.
The display flickered twice.
Then went black.
Time stopped.
KING slowly sat up.
He stared.
At the soda-soaked console.
At the shredded parasol.
At the destroyed chair.
At the fridge lying open, its contents scattered across the sand.
Silence.
The sea breeze still blew.
But the world had gone quiet.
His vacation.
His limited edition cartridge.
His hidden heroine routes.
His first sip of cola.
Gone.
All gone.
The whites of his eyes turned crimson.
Thump.
His heart struck his ribs.
Thump. Thump.
Then faster.
Faster.
Faster.
Grief and rage forced his pulse beyond human limits.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP—!!!!!!
The air itself trembled.
A deep groan emerged from the impact crater.
A massive hand gripped the rim.
Rock crumbled like tofu beneath its fingers.
A colossal figure rose.
Over seven meters tall.
Massive horns.
Wild black hair.
Muscles like forged iron.
A spiked kanabo resting on his shoulder.
Kaido.
He staggered upright and belched, sulfurous breath drifting.
"Where… am I…?"
He frowned.
"Still not dead…?"
He slammed the club down.
BOOM
The island shook again.
"How boring… this world…"
He tilted his head back, preparing another drunken lament.
Then he froze.
He heard it.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP
A heartbeat like war drums before annihilation.
Kaido slowly turned.
Through drifting dust he saw—
a man.
Ordinary hoodie.
Head lowered.
Body trembling.
Hands clutching something tightly.
Air thickened around him.
Kaido's pupils narrowed.
"That heartbeat…"
"Heavier than the war drums before a decisive battle… is he preparing an attack to slay a god?"
His sluggish mind processed.
Then a savage grin spread across his face.
Anyone else might hesitate.
Kaido did not.
He lived for battle.
"Hehehehehe!!"
His laughter shook the island.
He rested the kanabo on his shoulder and strode forward.
With each step, black lightning crackled around him.
The overwhelming presence of a Yonko pressed outward like a storm front.
"I didn't expect to meet someone with such spirit in a place like this."
He grinned.
"That sound… is that your battle cry?"
"Are you angry because I disturbed your rest?"
"Or…"
"do you want to kill me?"
KING did not answer.
Kaido's grin widened.
Words were unnecessary.
The heartbeat alone was provocation.
"Then come!!"
His muscles surged.
Conqueror's lightning split the air.
He swung the kanabo downward.
"Thunder Bagua!!!"
Wind pressure sealed all escape.
KING slowly straightened.
He raised his head.
Crimson fury burned in his eyes.
The kanabo descended.
Under death's shadow, he finally spoke.
"You…"
His voice trembled with unbearable rage.
"…give me back my game console!!"