Leaving aside the three legendary figures of the old era as they clinked glasses to celebrate the new age outside that secluded little cabin.
Wano Country, Onigashima.
"Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff!"
Heavy breathing thundered through the enormous, hollow room. A horned creature, his entire body wrapped in white bandages, lay asleep.
That tremendous noise was merely his snoring.
Outside the room stood trembling pirates wearing all sorts of bizarre helmets with oddly shaped horns.
"Captain Kaido has been asleep for three days!"
"Yeah, word about Ace, the Flame Emperor and newest of the Four Emperors, has already spread everywhere!"
"That guy killed plenty of our comrades out at sea that day!"
"But River was even more terrifying!"
"That man!!!"
Their hushed conversation abruptly stopped there.
Recalling that day, the pirates still couldn't help trembling in fear. That seemingly ordinary human possessed terrifying power beyond anything they could imagine.
Even their mighty, invincible Captain Kaido, revered as the Strongest Creature, had suffered a crushing defeat and grievous injuries.
They had heard that after their captain returned, the crew's doctor had only pulled him back from the brink of death through repeated emergency treatment and surgery.
That meant that without prompt treatment, the supposedly undying Kaido might truly have died.
Just then, the two suddenly realized they could no longer hear his snoring, and their expressions shifted.
One of them cautiously looked toward the sleeping figure inside the room.
The instant he saw him clearly, fine beads of sweat broke out across the pirate's forehead.
At some point, that towering, bandaged figure had risen and sat cross-legged, rubbing the back of his head with his right hand.
His eyes, however, were fixed squarely on the pirate.
"C-Captain Kaido!"
The pirate called out, trembling all over.
"Did you just mention River?"
Kaido