1499

The New World, Wano Country.

Beneath the night sky, countless lanterns rose into the air, lighting up the darkness.

The sight marked both the end of Wano Country's Fire Festival and the arrival of a new year.

The Sea Circle Calendar had turned from 1498 to 1499.

In the dark of night, atop Onigashima.

Inside the Japanese-style pavilion atop the giant skull, Kaido, captain of the Beasts Pirates, watched the lanterns with a grave expression. He grabbed the enormous wine gourd beside him, took several huge gulps, then slammed it against the floor with a roar.

"Another year gone. Too slow. It's all too slow..."

He turned his gaze to the five people behind him.

No, more precisely, to three of them.

Two men and one woman, all three were powerfully built.

They were subordinates Kaido had recently promoted, granting them the title of Shinuchi and the three Zoan Devil Fruits he had obtained in his trade with Ye Mu.

Ranked by strength, they were:

Gedla, a hulking man who had eaten the Zoan Hippo-Hippo Fruit.

Ira, a lanky man of the Longarm Tribe who had eaten the Zoan Monkey-Monkey Fruit.

Karami, a beautiful, alluring swordswoman who flicked a forked tongue and had eaten the Zoan Rattlesnake-Rattlesnake Fruit.

So far, the Beasts Pirates had clearly gotten the better end of their deal with the Sky Pirate Crew.

Even for a pirate as powerful as Kaido, obtaining three Zoan Devil Fruits at once was no easy feat.

Few people on the seas even knew Devil Fruits existed, and most who recognized one would eat it themselves. Almost none offered them for trade.

So as soon as Kaido got the three fruits, he picked the three strongest and most trustworthy people among his subordinates and had them eat them.

The benefits were