Without paying any attention to the guards, Kaito moved forward, his presence alone forcing Kurumi to follow as if dragged by an invisible pull. After several twists through the corridors, they reached a palace. Kaito pushed the doors open.
The interior was bare. No decorations, no furniture, only empty space and cold silence.
"Down," Kaito murmured as he walked toward the left pillar.
He stomped lightly.
The ground cracked open, stone collapsing inward to reveal a dark pit.
"He really knows how to hide," Bullet muttered with a sharp grin.
"Kurozumi Orochi, are you coming out on your own, or am I dragging you out?" Kaito called into the darkness.
Deep below, the snake-faced tyrant holding a wine gourd stiffened.
"That brat's voice! I hid so well, how did he find this place?" Orochi hissed.
"Wait… If he's here, that means Kaido… Kaido must have been defeated!"
For a moment, Orochi's expression twisted.
Then rage, pride and panic distorted his features as he transformed into his eight-headed serpent form. His massive body launched upward, breaking through the floor. Debris scattered as all eight heads glared at Kaito.
Running was impossible. If Kaito dared walk in here, he was confident he could end him. Fighting was all that remained.
One of the central snake heads, wearing a crown, hissed, "Boy, we have nothing to do with each other. Why involve me?"
Before he could speak further, shock flashed across his face. His eyes widened as he spotted Kaido behind Kaito.
"Kaido? You're alive?"
"No, I lost," Kaido replied, irritated. "The Beast Pirates are under Kaito now."
"What!" Orochi recoiled.
"Then what… what are you even here for?"
Kaito stepped forward.
"Wano has suffered for many years. It needs a scapegoat. Kaido now serves me, so the only fitting one left is you. And when you die, this entire country falls into my hands. Two problems solved with one swing."
As he spoke, Kaito gave a small signal behind him.
A blade flickered. A single stroke cut cleanly through Orochi's gigantic body.
Smoker's bamboo blade had already been drawn, its sword aura slicing the serpent in half. Strangely, no blood spilled. The severed body shone with bright violet light, glowing like a full purple moon. Before their eyes, the pieces pulled themselves together as though stitched by invisible threads.
When the radiance faded, Orochi stood whole again, his seven remaining heads regaining clarity.
One of them suddenly dropped to the floor.
"Tsk. So the rumor is real," Redfield commented.
"Each head is a life. Eight heads mean eight lives. Quite the enviable ability," Queen said greedily, then sighed. "But what a pity."
"You dare attack me?" Orochi roared. His body wrapped in Armament Haki, he lunged at them.
A flash of grey lightning burst from Kaito's fingertip. It streaked across the palace, striking Orochi before he could react. Electricity crawled through his enormous form, twisting him into a living lightning rod.
Crackling filled the air until he fell charred and lifeless.
Violet light surged again. Orochi resurrected, now with only five heads.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
In front of Kaito's overwhelming power, immortality meant nothing. It only delayed the inevitable.
Ten minutes later, Orochi had died six times. His purple glow flickered weakly like a dying sunset. He reappeared trembling, now with only a single head remaining. His last life.
The final serpent head.
"If I die, I'll curse every one of you!" he screamed hoarsely. Rage and despair twisted his voice.
Every time he tried to flee, he was kicked back. Every time he tried to fight, he died faster.
Hopeless.
Helpless.
A beast waiting for slaughter.
"Just end it," he muttered. His voice was numb, resigned.
Kaito did not waste words. Lightning surrounded his arm as a blade of thunder formed in his hand. He swung downward.
The final serpent head flew.
No blood spilled. The electricity had burned the wound shut instantly.
With Orochi's true death, his form reverted to normal. The head hit the ground with a soft thud.
Kaito ignored it. Instead, he immediately pulled a large fruit basket from his storage, quickly covering the fruits with black cloth.
"I hope this works," he murmured internally.
"Captain… what are you doing?" Bullet asked, stunned.
"Is that legend true?" Redfield asked, intrigued.
"What legend?" Bullet pressed.
King answered calmly.
"It's said that when a Devil Fruit user dies, placing ordinary fruits nearby before the ability leaves the body can sometimes create a new Devil Fruit. We've tested this rumor though. It doesn't always work."
Bullet's eyes widened.
"So if this succeeds, we get an Animal-type Devil Fruit?"
Kaito shrugged. "Maybe. If it works, good. If not, nothing lost. Might as well try."
"If it really becomes a Zoan-type Fruit, who will eat it? All of us already have Devil Fruits," Issho said.
"You're thinking too far ahead," Kaito replied with a small smile.
The group fell silent, waiting. Only Kaido's drinking echoed through the hall.
An hour passed.
Kaito finally stepped forward and pulled away the cloth.
Every fruit inside remained ordinary.
Ulti sighed heavily. "Looks like it failed, Kaito-san."
---
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