In the dim cabin, Sirius sat atop a crate, munching on several apples.
Yamato darted around the cabin curiously, opening this crate to look inside, then prying open that one for a peek, like she had hyperactivity.
"It's so dark. I can't see anything."
Yamato pouted and turned back toward Sirius. "Sirius, can't you breathe fire? Breathe out some flames so we can see!"
Sirius nearly choked on his apple. He rolled his eyes. "Are you serious? There's gunpowder everywhere in this cabin. If it catches fire, we'll all get blasted into the sky!"
"Oh, I see."
Yamato hopped lightly over and sat beside Sirius, swinging her short little legs. "This feels really boring."
Sirius set down his apple and smiled. "How about I tell you a story?"
"Oh! Yes!"
Yamato placed both hands on her knees, looking very well-behaved.
Even in the darkness, Sirius could still see the sparkle in her eyes. "What kind of story is it?"
"Um, it's a story that happened in a village far, far away, called Konoha..."
Well, telling a Naruto story in the world of pirates was kind of fun too, wasn't it?
This time, the Beasts Pirates had deployed several warships, with thousands of pirates sailing alongside them.
The final battle was about to begin. Even Kaido did not dare underestimate a man named Kozuki Oden, so the Beasts Pirates had to go all out as well!
The fleet sailed onward and finally reached the coast of Wano Country, stopping at a port called Jinbu Port.
Kaido disembarked with King and Queen, where people had long been waiting to receive them.
"Guhahahaha! You're here, you're here! You've finally arrived, Kaido!!"
A tall yet remarkably squat and stocky man with an ugly face, a chonmage hairstyle, and a crown tilted on his head came forward with a broad smile. He was Kurozumi Orochi, the shogun of Wano Country.
"I've waited a full five years! This moment has finally come!"
An old man and an old woman followed behind him. The moment they saw Kaido, both wore fawning smiles.
"Hmph."
Kaido snorted, lifted his enormous sake gourd, and took a swig. "Where's Oden? Where has he gotten to?"
"Guhahahaha! That guy finally realized he'd been tricked!"
Kurozumi Orochi said mockingly, "He finally made up his mind to come and punish you. He plans to launch a surprise attack at dusk, while you're drunk, and take your head in one stroke."
"But he has no idea that the moment he spoke of his plan, it was already exposed before our eyes!"
"Right now, he should be gradually approaching this place with several of his samurai."
"Good."
The corners of Kaido's mouth curled up, a savage grin blooming across his face. "I've been waiting for a long time!"
"Lead the way, Orochi. He wants to give me a surprise, so I'll give him one first!"
"Worororororo!"
The Beasts Pirates abandoned their ships here. Aside from a small number of pirates left behind to guard them, everyone else disembarked to take part in the coming battle against the Kozuki Clan.
As they disembarked, the pirates began moving supplies.
Sirius and Yamato had already hidden back inside a crate before then, holding their breaths to avoid being discovered.
The crates full of supplies were loaded onto large carts. Once every crate had been moved, the Beasts Pirates set off again.
The carts were pulled by Wano Country's native beasts—dinosaurs, wild boars, tigers, hungry wolves, and all sorts of others.
The beasts were tremendously strong, pulling the carts forward with a rumbling roar.
Inside the crate, using the rumbling outside to cover her voice, Yamato asked eagerly, "And then, Sirius? What happened after that? Did Kakashi let them pass the test?"
The story had just reached the point where Team 7 had been formed. Kakashi tested Naruto and the other two, and Sasuke and Sakura had disobeyed Kakashi's orders by letting Naruto eat, only to be caught.
It was obvious that Yamato really liked this story.
Sirius cleared his throat and said, "Naruto and the others had their hearts in their throats, because Kakashi's expression had become as dark as storm clouds before a downpour!"
"But the next second, just when Naruto thought he would have to return to the Ninja Academy, he heard Kakashi say, 'Congratulations. You passed the test.'"
"Huh! They passed?"
Yamato said excitedly, "What the heck, Kakashi really is a good guy!"
"Naruto found it strange too. Then he saw Kakashi say with a smile, 'Those who break the rules of the ninja world are called trash. But those who don't know how to value their comrades are worse than trash,'" Sirius said.
"That's so cool!! Kakashi is so cool!"
Tears welled in Yamato's eyes. She threw her arms around Sirius and declared solemnly, "Sirius, we'll definitely be the best partners, right? If it were me, I'd definitely give you my food too!"
"I get it, idiot! You got snot all over me!"
While Sirius continued telling Yamato the story, the Beasts Pirates marched onward. It was only roughly a day later, when they reached a hilly region, that they finally stopped.
"We'll choose this place."
Kaido transformed into an Azure Dragon and rose into the sky, surveying the surrounding terrain before making his decision. "Worororororo! We'll wait for them here!"
"Light the fires, cook, rest up, and wait for the coming battle, you bastards!!!"
The Beasts Pirates got busy again, unloading the crates from the carts, taking out the food inside, then starting fires and preparing a meal.
An enticing aroma soon drifted through the mountain forest.
Sirius and Yamato were fairly lucky. The crate they had hidden in was piled together with the weapon crates, so they had not yet been exposed.
When the pirates began eating, Sirius and Yamato slipped out of their crate and hid in the nearby woods. All the crates would definitely be opened soon, and if they did not get out now, they would surely be discovered.
Time passed bit by bit. The pirates finished eating, took weapons from the crates, cleaned up the traces they had left behind, then scattered into the surrounding forest at Kaido's command.
Sirius and Yamato nearly got discovered. Fortunately, both were quick enough to scramble straight up into the trees, allowing them to remain hidden.
The forest suddenly fell quiet, with only the mountain wind blowing through it.
Neither Sirius nor Yamato dared to speak. They could only stare wide-eyed at each other and wait alongside the pirates.
No one knew how much time had passed. The sky had long since darkened, and the moon hung high overhead. Just as Yamato was beginning to feel sleepy, the pirates' deliberately hushed voices suddenly echoed nearby.
"They're here! They're finally here!"
"Prepare for battle! Boss Kaido has given the order—prepare for battle!"
Sirius and Yamato instantly perked up.
Sirius looked around excitedly. At last, he saw several figures standing atop a distant cliff.
Kozuki Oden had finally arrived!
Please, everyone, leave a comment or vote or something. It really feels like I'm playing a single-player game.
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