The New World had become a place of tension once again. After two years of relative quiet, the shores of Wano Country were teeming with life. Every member of the Beasts Pirates had received orders to return home within the last week. The two-year agreement with Red-Haired Shanks had officially ended, and the world held its breath.
However, no one—not even the most seasoned sailors—expected the sheer scale of the force that the Beasts Pirates had amassed during their period of "restrained development". Looking out across the sea surrounding Wano, one could see a massive fleet of pirate ships that looked like a swarm of ants covering the horizon. There were over two hundred vessels, each one custom-built, heavily armed, and flying the black flag of the Beasts Pirates.
The Might of the Beasts
The sheer numbers were staggering. Based on the fleet size, the Beasts Pirates' forces reached at least 200,000 soldiers. In Kaido's hierarchy, a Captain must hold the rank of a Shinuchi cadre, which entitles them to lead 1,000 subordinates. Beneath them, a new rank had been established over the last two years: the Gifters.
These new cadres were created due to the surge in Artificial Devil Fruit users. Each Shinuchi was assigned at least two Gifters to help manage the rank-and-file soldiers. On the surface alone, the crew boasted at least 600 Artificial Devil Fruit users, each possessing combat power comparable to a Marine Rear Admiral. This meant Kaido's military strength was now nearly equal to that of the entire Marine force.
Terrors from the Sky and Sea
As the pirates on the ships marveled at their own numbers, a whistling sound filled the air. Black dots appeared in the distance, growing larger until they were revealed to be giant dragons.
"Dragons! They're real dragons!" someone screamed, faces turning pale at the sight of the legendary creatures.
A Shinuchi cadre laughed at the newcomers' fear. "Don't be a coward! That's the Skyborne Corps of the Beasts Pirates!".
The dragons flew overhead, their massive wings casting shadows that blocked out the sun. Each dragon carried a specialized saddle, similar to a hot air balloon basket, holding dozens of armed warriors.
Before the shock could fade, the very ocean began to tremble. Massive Sea Kings, as large as the warships themselves, breached the surface between the vessels. Seawater crashed onto the decks like a torrential rainstorm as the mountain-sized beasts loomed over the fleet.
"Stay calm! This is our Sea Beast Regiment!" the cadres shouted.
The fear in the air quickly turned into fanatical excitement. The pirates realized they were part of the most powerful organization in history. "This is incredible! With this power, I'd follow Lord Kaido to attack even Mary Geoise!".
The Shadow of the World Government
Among the cheering crowds were spies from the Marines and the World Government, but their faces were white with terror. For two years, Kaido had allowed his lower-ranking crews and the Oni Squad Captains to develop freely across the Grand Line. The spies had used this chance to infiltrate, but Kaido's screening process was foolproof.
To become a Gifter or a Shinuchi, one had to pass a specific test: they had to publicly insult the Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders, and the World Government while being recorded on video. While the World Government had promised immunity to any spy who did this, the spies knew better than to trust their masters' mercy over Kaido's wrath. Consequently, no spy had reached a high enough rank to learn about the secret special forces or attend high-level meetings.
Now, as the Beasts Pirates revealed their hidden strength, the spies realized the truth: Kaido was no longer hiding because he no longer needed to.
The Arrival of the Leaders
Suddenly, a group of colored dragons flew in from Wano. On the fourteen lead dragons sat the mid-level cadres: the thirteen Captains of the Oni Squad and the High Priest, Urouge. Following them were six more dragons carrying the high-level Tobi Roppo.
The excitement reached a fever pitch as a cloud of burning flames drifted over the fleet. Within seconds, the ancient, monstrous form of the dragon Kaido appeared in the sky, flanked by his Four Headliners. The final war was about to begin.
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