Chapter 327 - 166

Chapter 166: Kaido: Am I Really a Great Teacher?!The shattered Onigashima still bore the scars of the great battle.However, amidst the wreckage, a bonfire blazed in the central clearing, its flames licking at the prey roasting on thick logs, crackling merrily.The savory juices permeated the sea salt and herbs beneath, and the domineering aroma swept across the entire island, leaving even the sea breeze with an unyielding sweetness.Among the ruins not far away, hundreds of prisoners were hunched over, working.Most were clad in rags, their exposed skin covered in a mix of old and new scars, their rough hands gripping heavy iron hammers and ropes, dragging broken stone to designated locations.What sustained them were merely the few cold, hard mochi balls distributed at dusk.—That was the only "grace" granted to prisoners under Kaido's command.But at this moment, the island-wide aroma of meat and alcohol acted like invisible hooks, fiercely catching their internal organs.Their stomachs rumbled one after another, as if countless small insects were wriggling inside, and hunger surged like a tide, threatening to drown their sanity.Some instinctively stopped their work, their throats bobbing, their eyes fixed on the bonfire, saliva uncontrollably secreting from the corners of their mouths;Others pursed their chapped lips tightly, trying to dispel the tempting aroma from their nostrils.But the more they resisted, the clearer the scent of meat became, as if it had already seeped into their intestines with their breath.However, just a moment of distraction was instantly pulled back to reality by a bone-deep fear.They shivered violently, the longing in their eyes quickly replaced by terror, hastily lowering their heads, their movements becoming more frantic, even carrying a hint of panic.The figure of Kaido, the Bright King, loomed like a giant shadow over the hearts of every prisoner.His deafening roars, his world-destroying Conqueror's Haki, and his god-like combat power had long etched the word "fear" deep into their souls.Even if the hunger was so intense it made them dizzy;Even if the aroma of meat was almost driving them mad.Not a single person dared to slack off, nor did anyone dare to harbor any covetous thoughts.They could only grit their teeth, letting sweat mix with tears as it streamed down, fiercely suppressing the cravings and desires in their bellies.Under the dual backdrop of ruins and bonfire, they continued their zombie-like labor.The joyful laughter by the bonfire stood in stark contrast to the silent oppression in the ruins. To them, the tempting aroma of meat was merely the beginning of another torment... "Hahahahaha—down this barrel!""Cheers—!!"The clamor in Onigashima's main hall made the beams vibrate, and the bonfire cast fluctuating shadows of the pirates.On the golden throne at the head, Kaido sat like a mountain, gripping a massive sake jug in one hand, tilting it down to chug the mellow, strong liquor into his belly.The flush of alcohol crept up his chiseled cheeks, and his usually fierce eyes gained a drunken haze, yet still exuded an air of looking down upon the world."Worororo—"On a high platform not far away, King stood solitary in his black feathered cloak, his black wings folded like ink, completely out of place with the surrounding revelry.He held a cup of sake between his fingers, but rarely drank from it.His golden eyes, sharp as an eagle's, swept over the celebrating crowd, past the patrolling guards outside the hall, and finally locked firmly onto the prisoners toiling in the distant ruins.Those hunched figures were like ants in the lingering glow of the bonfire, yet his vigilance remained undiminished; he was always Kaido's most reliable shield.On the stage on the other side of the main hall, Queen was wiggling his rotund body, microphone in one hand, embracing two dancing girls as he sang, danced, and rapped.His crazy and flamboyant antics made the pirates below burst into laughter, with whistles and cheers rising one after another.Jack was not present at this banquet.As a Mammoth Devil Fruit user with Fishmanblood, he was the only member of the pirate crew besides Kaido who wasn't afraid of seawater.This unique advantage led to his appointment as "Minister of Foreign Affairs."At this moment, he was on a tropical island in Dressrosa, firmly controlling the monopoly of artificial Devil Fruits... "Worororo—!"The sake jug was violently flung, whistling through the air before smashing against a stone pillar beside the golden throne, sending ceramic shards flying and residual liquor spraying in a glittering arc.The next second, the clamor of the entire hall abruptly ceased.Kaido's massive body slumped on the throne, his crimson cape slipping from his shoulders, his usually domineering eyes now bloodshot and swollen.Large tears rolled down his chiseled cheeks, splattering onto his wine-stained clothes, spreading dark marks.Like a giant baby who had been wronged, he let out a whimpering roar, his voice thick with drunkenness and resentment:"Why?! I'm clearly so strong—!""But why... why can't I unify the New World?!"He suddenly looked up at King, his eyes fierce yet with a hint of childish accusation, tears mixing with liquor flowing even more intensely:"It's all of you! You're all too weak!! A bunch of good-for-nothings! You can't even handle such a small matter!"King's heart gave a sudden 'thump,' and his golden eyes instantly sharpened like blades.He knew this signal all too well.—A strict rule, bought with the blood of countless individuals, circulated within the Beasts Pirates:Kaido's drunkenness isn't scary; what's scary is when he cries while drunk!That wasn't weakness, but a prelude to world-shattering fury!Almost the instant Kaido roared, the previously reveling pirates scattered like birds startled by thunder, fleeing madly out of the hall.Tables and chairs were overturned, sake barrels rolled everywhere, roasted meat scraps littered the floor, and cries of alarm and screams echoed through the hall:"Run! Boss Kaido's gone berserk from drinking!!""Damn it, who stepped on my foot! Wait for me!""Don't block the way! Get out of the way if you don't want to die!"The usually arrogant pirates now disregarded all decorum, pushing and shoving, wishing they had wings to escape this troubled place.Some even transformed directly into their beast forms, trampling over their comrades' shoulders to rush out, leaving the hall in instant disarray.King remained standing, his black wings quietly unfurling halfway, ready to brace for impact at any moment.He coldly watched Kaido throwing a tantrum and roaring incessantly on the throne, not a ripple in his eyes.He was already accustomed to this scene.It was just that every time Kaido cried while drunk, Onigashima had to endure a catastrophe... The scent of alcohol swirled in the hall, and a sudden haze clouded Kaido's bloodshot eyes.Luffy's grinning face unexpectedly popped into his mind.The boy, covered in wounds, still laughed widely, and that teasing remark."Thank you, Kaido-sensei"Echoed repeatedly like a demonic sound in his drunken, muddled consciousness."That's right!"Kaido slapped his thigh, and the throne cracked in several places. The grievance in his eyes was instantly replaced by fanaticism. He turned to look at King, not far away, a grim and excited smile curling his lips."I'm a great teacher! Didn't that Straw Hat brat grow stronger precisely because he took a few hits from me?"He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking, his gaze fixed on King like a predator on its prey:"Abel, just take one hit from me! You can also become stronger, like that brat, and stand at the pinnacle!"King's mouth under his mask twitched violently, and a subtle hint of helplessness and vigilance flickered in his golden eyes.He knew all too well the true value of Kaido's "master teaching."It was simply chaotic, world-destroying mayhem!Almost the instant Kaido's words fell, his fiery wings behind him violently unfurled, and raging flames swept up.He transformed into a crimson afterimage, shooting straight into the sky like an arrow released from a bowstring, leaving only a burning trail."Huh?"Kaido scratched his messy hair, his drunken eyes full of confusion; the alcohol had slowed his reactions by half a beat.At this moment, though still fierce, he was significantly weaker than when sober, unable even to keep up with King's movements."He ran away..."He mumbled, a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone, then his gaze shifted, falling upon the trembling Queen in the corner of the hall.The fat man was already slumped on the ground in terror, his suspenders half-slipped, his corpulent body curled into a ball, his face paint smudged, all his usual arrogance gone.Kaido's lips slowly curved into a cruel smile, his eyes glinting with a desire for battle."N-No, Boss!!""Worororo,"Queen wailed, scrambling backward on all fours, his voice full of despair, "I don't want to die! If you want to teach, teach King! I'm already strong enough!"Kaido let out a deafening roar of laughter, completely ignoring Queen's pleas.He suddenly gripped his spiked club, and a blazing storm of Haki instantly erupted around his body.Black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning crackled and crisscrossed in the air like a spiderweb, distorting and boiling the surrounding atmosphere.Stomping hard on the empty air, Kaido's massive body transformed into a beam of purplish-black electricity.Carrying a world-destroying aura, he charged directly at the trembling fat man in suspenders, seemingly ignoring the spatial distance."Thunder Bagua!!"