books44 Chapter 502 - 502: Charles and Kaido
Chapter 502 - 502: Charles and Kaido
Charles had long known that people in this world generally lacked any control over their facial expressions, but he hadn't expected someone's happiness to show so plainly on their face.Otama gnawing on a drumstick was exactly like that; the happiness on her face was contagious, making Charles and Stella smile in spite of themselves.
Precisely because of that, the tears at Otama's eyes made Charles even angrier. Such a simple happiness, and yet someone had cold-bloodedly taken it from her.
Charles knew everything about Wano Country, and to be honest, he had little interest in saving this nation.
As he had said in the Dungeon world, he wasn't a hero and had no intention of becoming one.
Charles is very self-directed; he won't cross his own bottom line to harm the innocent, and he helps those he deems worth helping according to his interests—that has always been his code.
Frankly, the three men of the Kozuki family—grandfather, father, and grandson—made Charles want to turn around and leave.
Although Charles agreed the "Momonosuke must die" line was just a meme, early-stage Momonosuke was indeed hard to like.
He had little courage to shoulder his own responsibilities, but plenty of nerve when it came to lechery; it was only thanks to Luffy that anyone was willing to help him.
Only later, under Luffy's influence, did Momonosuke start acting like a man.
As for Kozuki Oden and Kozuki Sukiyaki, Charles felt that merely trying to understand their way of thinking would lower his IQ.
The same went for those samurai—gullibly trusting Oden's prophecy while failing to act proactively themselves.
The one who contributed most to preparing for war over those twenty years turned out to be a fox that had eaten a Devil Fruit; it left him at a loss for what to say.
Even so, this country also had people like Otama and Shimotsuki Yasuie, which gave Charles some motivation to fight.
Looking at Otama leaning against Stella, a smile still on her face even in sleep, Charles decided to pay Kaido a visit.
The next day, as soon as Otama opened her eyes, she smelled a sweet fragrance and saw a steaming pot.
It was the smell of rice—something she only allowed herself on her birthday.
Strangely, she saw only Stella feeding the firewood under the pot; Charles was nowhere to be seen.
"Sister Stella, where did Brother Charles go?"
Stella smiled. "Don't worry, he went to solve the problem that keeps you from having full bellies."
And just as Charles had said, he was already on his way to deal with the one who had created those problems.
Although Wano's present state was largely due to Kozuki Sukiyaki's evasion and Kozuki Oden's foolishness, the true culprits were Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido.
Of the two, Kaido was unquestionably the key. Orochi was, bluntly, just Kaido's puppet.
So after getting up, Charles headed for Kaido's base, Onigashima.
From afar, he saw the unusually shaped island.
It was as if someone had severed a demon's head and set it upon an island, creating an aesthetic with a very pirate flair.
For some reason, it made Charles think of that demon god skull in the Black Clover world.
As he approached the island, a powerful reek of alcohol hit him. The quiet over Onigashima was plainly because everyone was still asleep after an all-night revel.
He also noted the checkpoints and dense artillery around the perimeter.
After so many years, the Beasts Pirates had long since turned Onigashima into a war fortress. Even other Four Emperors' crews would have to pay a price to break through such defenses.
But Charles came in from the sky and slipped onto the island without alerting the guards.
He didn't know whether the skull on Onigashima had always been hollow or had been dug out later by the Beasts Pirates, but most of Kaido's base was inside the skull.
The layout of the buildings was even arranged according to the structure of a brain.
Swaggering in through the main gate at the skull's mouth, he found the gate guards already passed out drunk.
After a long corridor and a massive torii, Charles reached a plaza ringed by towering island-style buildings. This was also the venue where the Beasts Pirates held their banquets.
The place was a mess of dishes. He could see half-eaten roasts tossed onto the floor.
Fruits and pastries had been trampled, the scraps mixing with spilled liquor to produce a strange stench.
Nearby sat a heap of rice balls; no one had taken a bite. Someone had knocked over the tray and scattered them all over.
Charles recalled many details from the original story: most villagers in Hat Village, including Otama, usually had nothing to eat and survived on millet.
But that "millet" wasn't really a grain there—it was a weed, surviving in the polluted environment only thanks to a weed's tenacity.
And it had almost no nutrition, barely keeping people alive.
That's why Otama could only taste rice on her birthday, while the food the Beasts Pirates wasted in a single banquet was beyond anything she could imagine.
Charles clenched his fists, a lick of flame flickering in his eyes.
His anger didn't cloud his reason. He crossed the wide plaza and saw the Beasts Pirates' officers on the raised dais.
With that man there, it was hard to notice anyone else.
The man sat on the floor, long black hair hanging loose, the massive twin horns on his head radiating a ferocious presence.
A purple fur cloak hung from his shoulders; his front was open, exposing corded muscles and a swath of dragon-scale tattoo.
Even seated, he towered over everyone else, and even the sake gourd in his hand was nearly half a person tall.
Governor-General of the Beasts Pirates, the strongest creature on land, sea, and air, the strongest in single combat, the guardian deva king of Wano—those were the titles crowning that man.
But he was best known as one of the Four Emperors… Kaido of the Beasts!
Charles moved, and the next second he was crouched on the railing of the dais, locking eyes with a bleary Kaido.
Kaido hiccuped and said, "Unfamiliar face. You new? Didn't you enjoy the banquet? That's really sad!"
As he spoke, he suddenly burst into tears, the streams running down the contours of his face as if a faucet had been turned on.
Charles, who had planned to say hello, fell silent. He really hadn't seen a situation like this before.
Kaido might be muddled, but someone was very clear-headed.
Among pirate crews in this world, most captains had one issue or another, but their first mates were usually dependable.
Take Katakuri, Beckman, and the retired Rayleigh, for example.
The Beasts Pirates were the same. Kaido's moods were mercurial; he'd go on drunken rampages and, on occasion, go mad and try to kill himself.
When Kaido was "offline," the one who reliably handled everything was the chief of the Beasts Pirates' three All-Stars, King the Wildfire.
King drew the long blade at his waist and leveled it at Charles. "Boss Kaido, this guy isn't one of us. He's an intruder!"
Kaido tried to force his eyes open, but he could only see multiple overlapping figures. He tried to stand and his legs went weak, dumping him back down.
The commotion roused the fat one at the side. He was about to complain when he saw King staring solemnly at someone he didn't recognize.
King fixed on Charles, bloodlust filling the eyes beneath his black mask.
"Who are you? What are you doing sneaking into Onigashima?"
Charles showed no sign of feeling surrounded. "I'm Charles. Someone had something stolen by you, and I'm here to take it back for her."
The fat man snorted. "What kind of joke is that? Do you know who we are? We're—"
Before he could finish, Charles flashed from the railing to right in front of him and planted a fist in his head, smashing him straight back into the room behind.
"Sorry. I'm running a little hot right now, and I couldn't tolerate that weird laugh."
Queen the Plague, one of the three All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates, had been felled by a single punch.
King's pupils contracted; he had barely caught Charles's movement. Whatever Charles's identity, he was now an enemy of the Beasts Pirates—and one to take very seriously.
Flames burst from King's back as he invoked the innate ability of his Lunarian race.
"Fire Dragon Emperor!"
His long blade wreathed in flame, King slashed hard at Charles.
But the blade that could cleave stone halted at Charles's throat and went no farther. King hadn't expected Charles to catch the edge in his palm.
Tilting his head, Charles opened his mouth and inhaled the flames coating the blade.
"Thanks for the meal!"
King, apparently used to the bizarre array of powerhouses on these seas, wasn't overly surprised and moved to transform with his Devil Fruit power.
But Charles had already kicked him, sending him crashing down onto the plaza.
Only King and Queen were sitting with Kaido on the dais; the other All-Star had likely gone out, leaving Kaido alone now.
Kaido raised a hand to his eyes, tears seeping between his fingers.
"Damn it, why are my underlings so useless!"
Crying, Kaido's body began to change; blue-green scales spread over him, and his entire body elongated.
In the blink of an eye he had become a massive azure dragon, his bulk collapsing the entire dais beneath him.
Charles reached out and caught the oncoming dragon head, but the airborne Kaido still barreled him through several walls and out of the skull.
Charles hadn't done a thing yet, and Kaido had already blown a huge hole in his own lair—perfectly in character.
Charles flew straight out, steadying himself only when fiery wings spread from his back. Kaido lunged, jaws yawning.
He felt power surge within him—the [Dragon Slayer] skill had kicked in.
Flames roared to life as Charles twisted and charged.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!"
"Let this one sober you up!"
As he spoke, his foot crashed into the dragon's head, caving in a massive dent and nearly popping Kaido's eyes.
Kaido's body went limp and he crashed down, a cloud of dust billowing up.
Before long, Kaido's voice drifted out of the dust.
"Hurts like hell!"
As the smoke cleared, Kaido stood revealed in human form again.
Just then the Beasts Pirates all sobered up and swarmed over.
Kaido turned and roared, "Stay out of this, you lots of fools—that's my opponent!"
Every pirate froze, then backed away. They knew their Governor-General; anyone who rushed in now would probably taste his Thunder Bagua first.
"Master Kaido!"
King, now in pteranodon form, swooped out and released his claws, tossing down Kaido's kanabo, the Hassaikai.
Kaido raised a hand and caught his weapon neatly, slinging it over his shoulder. He glanced back at Charles. "Brat, I don't know what you're here for, but you've got no other path now!"
Charles flexed a fist. "I knew that already. I came here to beat you up!"
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