Newly Added Tasks: Open the Eight Gates!

In the New World, in a certain sea.

Aboard the Red Hair Pirates' flagship, the Red Force.

A banquet was underway aboard the ship. As always, Shanks held a bottle of liquor and drank heartily with his crew.

"Captain! Captain! Look at this!"

Usopp waved a newspaper as he ran over, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Oh? What has you so excited, Usopp?"

Shanks grinned and took the newspaper.

When his gaze fell upon the words "Demon Child Lynn, one billion Beli bounty," the smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by a trace of surprise.

"Ho... a baby worth one billion Beli?"

He stroked his chin, his eyes turning thoughtful.

"That Kaido actually had something like this hidden away?"

Lucky Roux gnawed on a drumstick and said indistinctly, "This brat... sounds even scarier than Kaido!"

Benn Beckman puffed on his cigar and calmly analyzed the situation.

"A baby important enough for Marine Headquarters to place a one-billion-Beli bounty on him... he is certainly no ordinary child."

"His appearance could very well shatter the current balance of the New World."

Shanks nodded, a thoughtful glint flashing through his eyes.

"Yeah... these seas are getting more turbulent by the day."

He set down the newspaper, picked up his bottle, and took another swig.

"A baby is already this threatening... this era really is about to run wild."

He looked at Benn Beckman.

"Looks like we need to move faster."

"That child's situation has only strengthened my resolve."

Shanks's gaze sharpened.

"Benn, how is the letter to old man Whitebeard coming along?"

"We need to meet him as soon as possible."

"The appearance of this 'Demon Child' is only the beginning."

"What's next may bring even more shocking changes to these seas."

Benn Beckman nodded, his expression grave.

"Understood, Captain. I'll arrange for Rockstar to deliver it tomorrow."

"One billion! One billion Beli, wororororo!!!"

"My son Kaido's very first bounty has already crushed the whole world!!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha..."

Kaido's rough, deafening voice exploded beside his ears.

"A bounty... one billion?!"

Lynn opened his eyes and immediately saw the mountain-sized Kaido beside him, waving a bounty poster in his hand.

It bore his portrait, along with that eye-searing string of numbers... a genuine one billion Beli!

"Wororororo! He's awake! The brat's awake!"

The moment Kaido noticed Lynn had awakened, his enormous dragon-like face nearly pressed against him. His bell-sized eyes brimmed with undisguised excitement and pride, while the hot breath from his mouth nearly blasted Lynn in the face.

"Young Master Lynn!"

"Young Master is awake!"

Around them, King, Queen, Jack, and the Tobi Roppo such as Who's-Who and Black Maria all crowded over, their faces filled with uncontrollable fervor and reverence.

The way they looked at Lynn was no longer the way one looked at a baby in need of protection, but at a true future overlord of the seas, one destined to stir the world!

"How do you feel, brat?"

Kaido grinned broadly. His fan-sized hand carefully reached out to touch Lynn, though his movements seemed clumsy, as if he feared accidentally hurting this precious adopted son.

Lynn blinked his large, clear black-and-white eyes, and his tiny body shifted slightly.

He still remembered what had happened before: forcing himself to break through to the Eighth Gate, failing, and then blacking out completely.

[Ding! The host has awakened. Bodily functions have basically recovered.]

[New tasks have now been added:]

[1. Open and use the Eighth Gate: Gate of Death. Task reward: one random ability from the myriad worlds.]

[2. Intercept Rockstar's letter. Task reward: Massive Stamina Cap.]

[3. Before turning three years old (current age: one year and three months), defeat head-on a person with strength at the Shichibukai level or above. Task reward: one random ability from the myriad worlds.]

The cold system notification sounded in his mind right on cue.

Lynn looked at the newly displayed tasks, his little brows knitting slightly.

Intercept Rockstar's letter?

Wasn't that the letter the Red Hair Pirates were sending to Whitebeard?

To carry out this task meant he would likely have direct or indirect contact with two Emperors, Whitebeard and Red Hair!

This was no joke!

Then there was defeating someone at the Shichibukai level before he turned three...

He was only a little over one year old. Although the Eight Gates allowed him to unleash astonishing strength, which Shichibukai was not a battle-hardened veteran with vast experience?

Still.

There was a huge gap in strength among the Shichibukai.

He could pick some softer targets.

But if he did that.

Wouldn't that mean offending the World Government behind the Shichibukai as well?

With the previous task, he had already completely offended the Marines.

He had ended up with a one-billion-Beli bounty on his head.

If Kaido of the Beasts Pirates had not been shielding him, he probably would not even have lived long enough to wake up!

And now the next two tasks wanted him to keep offending two Emperors and the World Government?

Was the system sick of him living too long and trying to send him to the underworld early?

"Brat, Sasaki kept bragging to me, saying you used some move called the 'Gate of Opening,' and then blood-red steam burst out of you?"

Kaido's booming voice interrupted Lynn's thoughts. He stared at Lynn with blazing eyes full of anticipation. "Show it to me again! I want to see with my own eyes what kind of power that really is!"

"Worororo, Mr. Kaido, Young Master Lynn has only just woken up. His body probably hasn't fully recovered yet, right?"

Queen cut in from the side with a greasy grin squeezed onto his fat face, though his eyes were also filled with curiosity and desire he could barely suppress.

"That's right, Governor Kaido. A burst of power at that level must have cost Young Master Lynn dearly. It would be better to let him rest longer."

King spoke up as well, which was rare for him. There was a trace of concern in his tone, but his flame-burning eyes remained fixed tightly on Lynn, clearly showing that he wanted to see it for himself too.

They had all heard Sasaki's near-mythical account: Conqueror's Haki clearing the field, fists striking down vice admirals, blood-red steam.

But hearsay could never compare to witnessing it firsthand.

Especially the world-destroying "Eighth Gate" Sasaki had spoken of. Just hearing about it was enough to make their blood boil and their hearts race.

Lynn looked at Kaido's eager face, as though Kaido could not wait for him to perform immediately, then swept his gaze over the longing eyes of the Beasts Pirates officers around him.

He actually wanted to try again too.

Although his previous attempt to force open the Eighth Gate had failed and severely overdrawn his body, the system's third old task, "Limit Breakthrough"—open and use the Eighth Gate: Gate of Death—offered a chance to draw a new ability from the myriad worlds.

He desperately wanted that reward.

If he could gain a new ability this time, no matter what it was, it would be a massive boost to his strength!

With that thought, Lynn nodded solemnly.

His small body sat upright on the cushion Kaido had specially prepared for him, padded with the softest pelts of giant beasts.

"Yah yah! (I'll give it a try!)"

"Oh?"

Kaido's eyes instantly lit up. His fan-sized hands rubbed together excitedly, producing a series of crackling pops from his knuckles.

"Is it coming? Boys, open your damn eyes and watch carefully! This is my son, Kaido's son!"

The Beasts Pirates officers, including the All-Stars, all held their breaths and fixed their blazing gazes on the small figure in the center, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.