Hero Kaido

"I found out that the disappearances of children in the city were connected to the nobles and the royal family." Hope shone in Clarence's eyes. "I didn't tell my wife about it. I only told her that I'd found information about our son. I planned to fake my death and assume a new identity. My wife supported me wholeheartedly. It was the first time she'd smiled since our son disappeared."

He seemed to be thinking of his wife, and a smile spread across his face. Teach and the others didn't interrupt him. They stayed quiet, listening attentively.

"I took on a new identity—the one I have now, that of an animal trainer. By chance, I joined the nobles' project. That was when I realized they were conducting these evil experiments to satisfy their desires. They'd destroyed countless happy families. They were raising all kinds of human pets, taking young children and erasing their humanity, then raising them alongside animals until they developed beastlike instincts." As he spoke, Clarence grew furious.

"The more I learned, the more I realized how wicked these nobles were. This had to be stopped. The people had to know. But my child was still in their hands." His voice was resolute, but then he let out a sigh.

He glanced at the child in his arms. "Maybe Heaven was lending me a hand when it brought Krell and me together again. A noblewoman wanted to raise a human pet who was like a fox. The moment I entered this base, I recognized Krell, but I didn't dare acknowledge him. Krell inherited my looks, and he was adorable even at such a young age. Maybe that was why the noblewoman took an interest in him." Clarence spoke slowly, admiring Krell's cute little face.

Teach and Mobius were speechless. I think he's praising himself. But looking at Clarence, they had to admit that he was handsome—the refined, scholarly sort.

Teach couldn't help touching his own face, feeling a little envious, though not jealous. He'd been born this way, and there was nothing he could do about it. Through hard training, he'd built a strong physique and changed the ugly fate he'd once been destined for. He couldn't say he was handsome, but his face looked heroic and full of masculine energy. With his neat, white teeth and long hair, he was handsome in his own way. He'd never admit he didn't look as good as the other man.

"That's how I watched him grow up, without daring to reveal myself or acknowledge him. Until now." Clarence looked at Teach and the others. "You should leave. I won't tell anyone about you. The nobles treasure the human pets they raise. If you're discovered, you'll die horribly." He was grateful to these strangers for not killing him and for letting him finally say what he'd kept bottled up for years. He didn't want them falling into the nobles' hands.

"This is the last base," Teach said.

"What?" Clarence didn't understand.

"The other bases were just like this one. We dealt with them all, leaving behind only the animals and the human pets they were raising," Mobius said with a smile from behind Teach. "And we've already killed all the nobles and guards."

"Kaido wanted this country's animal-training techniques, so he invaded the Kate Kingdom. King Brady is dead—Kaido killed him—and most of the royal family has been wiped out. We're under the Great Pirate Kaido." Remembering something, Mobius smiled. "Kaido has conquered the country, and he's now fighting Garp of the Navy."

"R-really?" Clarence could hardly believe it. He couldn't even imagine it. "L-Lord Kaido..." Until now, Kaido had meant nothing to him. But in that moment, a glorious image of Kaido rose high in his heart. Kaido was an invader, but to Clarence, he was undoubtedly a savior.

"If you don't believe us, go out and see for yourself," Teach said with a smile. "Then you can put a stop to this battle and tell everyone in the country the truth. This fight has drawn a lot of attention."

Tears filled Clarence's eyes. After hearing such uplifting news, the secret and burden he'd kept buried for years suddenly came pouring out. Holding young Krell in his arms, he fell to his knees and bowed deeply to Teach and the others. "Thank you so much. Thank you for saving this country, and thank Lord Kaido as well. I'll tell the people the truth—for all the families in this country who have lost children over the years."

Clarence wept. He'd watched his child grow up, longing to acknowledge Krell but unable to. Now, at last, he could go home with him.

Mobius's eyes widened. He couldn't understand why Teach had said that. It would make Kaido the hero of the country. Wouldn't all their efforts end up serving Kaido? Still, he knew they couldn't reveal their identities. It was amusing to imagine an evil pirate invader who'd killed the kingdom's king becoming a hero.

"I'll leave the rest to you. There are still some children being raised in the nobles' bases. You can bring them out. We're leaving." Teach turned and started to walk away.

"You two, won't you come with me?" Clarence asked. Teach and Mobius exchanged glances, then Mobius replied, "We'll be away for a long time."

Seeing that the two of them wore masks, Clarence seemed to understand. "You must be Lord Kaido's secret agents, and you can't reveal your identities. Don't worry. I promise I won't tell anyone who you are." Clarence immediately came up with a whole story about their identities.

This was hopeless. The man had been completely fooled.

Teach nodded and said coldly, "Good. You understand."

"Is there anything you'd like me to pass on to Lord Kaido?" Clarence asked. He figured that, since they couldn't reveal their identities, they must need him to help.

Teach and Mobius were at a loss. How could someone so clever have turned out like this?

Still, Teach had something to say. He took out the three Zoan Devil Fruits and handed them to Clarence. "Give these three Devil Fruits to Lord Kaido. We killed all the nobles in the noble district, and there's wealth worth hundreds of billions of beli waiting for him to collect. Add in the kingdom's century-old reserves, and it comes to over a trillion beli. Tell him not to forget us. We'll meet again."

Then Teach turned and left, with Mobius following behind him. Clarence watched Teach's departing figure, tucked the Devil Fruits into a cloth bag, and thought, Don't worry. I'll make sure he gets the message.

As they walked through the wilderness, Mobius looked at Teach with concern. "Boss Teach, why did you do that? Isn't this just helping the enemy? You even gave him three Devil Fruits. Kaido could become our opponent in the future. If things go as planned, Kaido will become this country's hero and gain its powerful resources in one fell swoop, along with its animal-training techniques, passed down for a hundred years. His power will grow rapidly, and he'll expand."

"They're just three ordinary Devil Fruits. I don't care about them. We killed all the nobles, and the princes are almost all dead. This country has practically fallen. Without a powerful force to protect it, Pet Island will be swarmed by greedy pirates. We got rid of the nobles, but that would only lead the people into another abyss. That's not what I want," Teach said slowly.

"This island will become Kaido's territory, perhaps even his base. With Kaido's strength, the island's residents won't have to worry about attacks from other pirates."

"But won't Kaido's growing power and expansion become an obstacle for us in the future?" Mobius asked. He believed Teach would inevitably face Kaido someday.

"What does it matter?" Teach asked with a smile. "With Kaido's strength, it's only a matter of time before he rises, as long as he recruits powerful officers. We've simply brought that about sooner."

"There's one more thing I haven't told you. I planned this attack by Kaido. I used a few methods to lure him to this country." Teach spoke without paying any attention to Mobius's widened eyes. Mobius was stunned that Teach had drawn Kaido here. Kaido's attack had drawn the kingdom's main forces and attention away, allowing them to deal with the wicked nobles. He hadn't realized Teach had planned it all.

"I used Kaido, so giving him a little compensation isn't unreasonable." Teach smiled as he looked into the distance, toward the royal city. Tremors continued to rumble from that direction. The battle was still underway. "Even if Kaido doesn't get these treasures, someone else will. We might as well do him a favor and give them to him."

"It's not as if we got nothing out of it. I took some treasure too. And don't think I didn't notice you secretly stashing some away," Teach said with a smile, shooting Mobius a glance.

Mobius's face reddened. "They were going to be taken anyway. It wasn't unreasonable for me to take a little. We'll need money when we go out to sea." Teach didn't mind.

"We'll definitely meet Kaido again. He'll know we exist, but what makes you think we'll be enemies instead of allies?" Teach burst into laughter, thrilled and unable to describe how he felt. He looked up at the endless sky, spread his arms, and planted one foot on a rock. "The wheels of fate are turning. What an interesting world! Zehahahaha!"

Kaido's rapid rise was inevitable. He wasn't stupid; he'd surely take over this country. He had no fixed territory yet, and this country was like a natural base prepared just for him. How could he refuse such a gift?

Mobius didn't understand what Teach meant, but that didn't stop him from admiring him. Teach's flawless planning and confidence from the inside out stirred Mobius with an invisible charm.

Only a man like him could earn Mobius's wholehearted loyalty.

"Come on. Let's pack up and leave. We've been on this island long enough." Teach headed toward the city and patted his waist. Pito's little head, with its white short hair, poked out from inside Teach's coat. She looked confused, as if she'd just woken up. Her hands had turned into Cat Claws, and she'd been clinging tightly to Teach the entire time without letting go.

Teach smiled and patted Pito's head. "Come out. You'll stay by my side from now on. No one will hurt you again."

Pito's eyes lit up. She jumped down from Teach's back, then imitated him and the others, slowly standing upright. Her body was very flexible, and she managed to stand in a short time, though her back was a little hunched because she wasn't used to it yet.

Meanwhile, the battle continued in the city. As the broadcast went on, more and more people watched the fight, seeing what monsters were truly like.

Kaido had a powerful physique and remarkable regenerative abilities. Garp looked a little worse for wear by comparison, since he'd been the Roger Pirates' main target, but he wasn't the least bit intimidated by their combined attack. He showed the mettle of a Navy hero.

Crater after crater pocked the surrounding ruins, all made by their blows and stomping feet. Cracks spread across the ground, but they held back in their fight. There were still many civilians on the island. If they truly fought with all their might for days on end, the island would split apart.

The battle was spectacular, but after watching for so long, people were growing tired of it. Many couldn't even follow their movements, though they could imagine how fierce the fighting was.

Then someone noticed a man in the distance approaching the battlefield with a child in his arms. "Who's that? Is he looking to die? How dare he get so close to the battlefield?"

Morgans noticed him too, but paid him no mind. The man held a megaphone and shouted, "Please, stop fighting! Don't hurt Lord Kaido. He's our hero!"

Those few words struck everyone like a thunderclap. They were all stunned. What had they just heard? Kaido was a hero?

The viewers watching the broadcast, the people of the Kate Kingdom, and everyone at the scene were all taken aback. The entire battlefield fell silent, and the fighting stopped. The Roger Pirates, Garp, and even Kaido himself all paused.

The Roger Pirates and Garp stared at the man who'd said something so astonishing, then glanced at Kaido with strange looks. Kaido himself was even more baffled. As a Great Pirate, how had he suddenly acquired the title of hero? The people there had sharp eyes and could tell Kaido didn't seem to know what was going on. This was getting interesting.

The fight no longer mattered. Everyone waited to hear what the man would say next.