"Worororo, are these the prisoners you caught? They don't look very strong."
"Roar."
The pirates from the On Air Pirates were thrown in front of Kaido by Hydrachton. It was only then that some people began to recall deeply buried memories.
"Mr. Apoo, I think I remember what that monster is now. It's Kaido's mount, Hydra the Evil Dragon with a bounty of 500 million Berries."
Human memory is limited. Some things, even if remembered, stay dormant in the depths of the mind and only resurface when triggered by something related.
First, they were chased by wild boars, then mysteriously ended up running through the sky, and finally encountered Hydrachton. In the panic, they didn't realize what the monster in front of them truly was.
But once they were brought before Kaido, everything changed.
The Summit War had cemented Kaido's reputation as second to none. Most pirates believed he was already the strongest monster in the New World. Even in a world where people often mix up faces, Kaido's was unmistakably iconic.
"Thanks a lot for remembering that now…"
If Apoo had known earlier that this strange dragon was connected to Kaido, he would've rather jumped off the cliff than choose to attack the ice chunk with a sonic blast.
"Mr. Apoo, what do we do now? Should we try to run? They don't seem to care about us."
After Hydrachton flew them here, it simply dumped the group on one side of the ice mountain created by Yamato, then curled up beside Kaido like a pet cat. Meanwhile, Yamato was also talking to Kaido, seemingly ignoring them completely.
"Forget it. That monster can fly. Even if we jump into the sea, we won't get far. Let's just leave it to fate.
I'm still a Super Rookie, should be worth something, right?"
"Mr. Apoo, your bounty is only 198 million Berries, but his mount alone is worth 500 million."
"Shut up."
They couldn't hear what Kaido and Yamato were saying. But if they could, it would probably sting even more.
"Who are these people again?"
"Roar."
"I don't know. Father, wait a second, I'll go check the data."
Hydrachton captured them and brought them here only because it was annoyed. As for Kaido, he simply couldn't remember small fry like them. To him, whether someone had a bounty of 100 million or 500 million, as long as they weren't an exceptional talent, a single swing of his kanabo was enough to take them down.
Yamato wasn't much different, though Kaido just didn't care to remember meaningless stuff, while Yamato had probably seen the info but didn't remember it. If Robin were here, she could've given an accurate answer.
Fortunately, Rotom wasn't damaged yet, allowing Yamato to quickly find the relevant info on Apoo.
"Father, he's one of this year's Super Rookies. The captain's name is Apoo, he is from the Longarm Tribe."
"A Super Rookie, huh. Then just take him along to the mines. Babanuki's been complaining lately that after those Wano Country prisoners were released, they've been short on manpower. This will help make up for it."
Being a Super Rookie has its "privileges". There's a decent chance you'll be sent straight to the Udon Quarry, which is basically a backdoor entry into the Beasts Pirates' core.
Super Rookies usually have some skill. As long as they're well-fed, their mining efficiency is worth dozens of others, practically human excavators.
After the Summit War, the seas grew increasingly chaotic, and global demand for weapons rose. As the largest supplier of top-tier weapons, the Beasts Pirates had orders lined up months in advance. Accordingly, they needed more raw materials.
Both Seastone and Drunken Iron Ore required greater output. When regular prisoners were released, captured pirates had to bear the heavier labor. Morality was reserved for their own people, these pirates, caught after invading Beasts Pirates' territory and brought to Onigashima, had long since lost any human rights.
With such intense labor, casualties started to appear, which is why Babanuki had been complaining about the lack of manpower.
"You're heading to the Kingdom of Giants with that girl next, right?"
"This... actually, the Kingdom of Giants wasn't part of the original plan."
"Fine, do as you please. I'm heading back to Wano Country first. Hacchan, bring these guys along, we're going home!"
As he spoke, Kaido transformed into an azure dragon and soared into the sky. After Hydrachton followed with the prisoners in tow, only Yamato was left standing there alone.
"That b*stard father really isn't going to care anymore?"
Yamato didn't relax. She felt like there was some sort of scheme at play. Even after most of the day had passed, and Kaido truly seemed gone, she still remained in disbelief.
"Whatever, forget it. Let me think about where I should go next...
Best case scenario, I find all of Dad's plates, and make a deal with him to stop strengthening father. I really am a genius."
Rubbing her face, Yamato finally decided that catching up with Robin was the best move. A trip to the Kingdom of Giants didn't sound bad either.
As for when Kaido might come after her again, she didn't even bother to consider it. Even if he had made another breakthrough, that was a problem for later.
A few days later, Kaido returned to Wano Country. Since he could fly freely through the skies, he was much faster than ordinary pirates who had to rely on ships. Meanwhile, the Udon Wuarry also welcomed some new guests.
"Babanuki, these guys are yours now. I don't need to tell you the rest, right?"
"Please rest assured, Lord Kaido. We already have a well-practiced process in place. Are there any among them you're looking to recruit?"
"Those two Super Rookies are kind of interesting. But wear down their temper a bit first."
"Understood, sir."
After watching Kaido leave, Babanuki flipped through the new prisoner list and began assigning tasks.
"The cells have all been cleaned, right? Bring a few more pairs of Seastone cuffs. Our new guests don't seem very happy, we need to prepare them some accessories!"
Impel Down has its own unique welcoming ceremony, and so does the Udon's Quarry. But instead of bathing newcomers in boiling water, they greet them with a punch. Based on the impact of that punch, they gauge the prisoner's strength and assign them a cell accordingly.
"Hey, is this really necessary? Can I just surrender?"
Apoo raised both his hands high. He had no interest in getting hit for no reason. Joining a major force was already part of his plan, it's just that on the way here, Hydrachton never gave him a chance to speak. The moment he opened his mouth, he'd get a face full of wind.
"Rules are rules. If you're not convinced, you can hit back later when you get the chance."
As he spoke, Babanuki slammed a fist into Apoo's gut. Watching his reaction, he assigned him to a specific prison cell.
"Next up, 'D…Drake'? What kind of name is that? Bring me the Red Flag!"
Looking at the name on the list, Babanuki ultimately chose to call out his codename. After all, there was another person in the Flower Capital with the same pronunciation, Delia. Calling the name directly always felt awkward to Babanuki, and it sparked some peculiar thoughts in his mind.
"If I remember the order correctly, she's supposed to ask me for money again this month…"
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