Mangaka in the StrawHats

Logan contemplated for a moment, deciding it would be better to send this formidable beast back to its original dimension...

Just as he was about to reverse the summoning process, Logan suddenly paused, his fingers hovering in the air.

They're about to reach Wano Country, and Kaido... Logan grimaced internally. That guy will definitely be a tough nut to crack.

His eyes flickered with a sly idea. Since there was a ready-made beast here, why not let it cause some havoc before sending it back? Might as well make the most of this muscle...

With that thought, Logan made up his mind to store Heracles away for now.

Wano Country, nestled somewhere in the vast seas of the New World, loomed in the distance. Its rugged terrain rose high, towering above the waves, reaching into the clouds like a colossal pillar of earth and stone. Unlike the wandering island of Zou, Wano remained steadfast, unmoving.

The Going Merry faithfully followed the Log Pose, guiding the Straw Hat Pirates straight toward their destination.

"No way! How is this island just like Zou, towering all the way to the clouds?" Sanji stood at the bow, his brows furrowed as he gazed upward in disbelief.

Usopp, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, joined in, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Are we gonna have to use Little Merry's Mist Mist Fruit again to get up there?"

"Look! There's a waterfall right in the middle of the cliff!" Kaya's voice chimed in from the deck. Her delicate hand pointed excitedly toward the peculiar sight ahead.

"Yes!" Little Merry giggled, her eyes alight with excitement as she prepared to activate the power of the Mist Mist Fruit.

As she summoned its power, misty thrusters manifested around the hull of the Going Merry. A moment later, several thrusters fired in unison, and the ship rocketed upward with a surge of force, lifting them off the sea.

"Is this okay?" Sanji asked, gripping the railing as the ship began its ascent.

"Hey, hey, hey! This is so fun!!" Usopp exclaimed, the thrill of the ride evident on his face.

"Haha! It's just like that time on Sky Island!" Luffy beamed as the ship ascended, shouting out in joy.

"Little Merry is awesome!" the crew cheered.

Under the Mist Mist Fruit's influence, the Going Merry sailed up the waterfall without a hitch, as if the impossible climb was a mere formality.

Crash!!

The ship burst out from the waterfall and splashed into a serene lake above, the water shimmering beneath the late afternoon sun.

"It's incredible!!! The entrance to this country is above the waterfall!!!" Luffy jumped down from his makeshift seat, his face glowing with excitement.

For him, the adventure was just about to kick off!

Phew~~

Suddenly, the sound of wings flapping broke the tranquil air. Everyone's heads snapped upward, their eyes locking onto a figure soaring above them.

"Pirates from the outer sea? What a bunch of idiots~~" the flying figure sneered as it prepared to fire. Without warning, the figure let loose an arrow from its bow.

Whoosh!!——

A surge of spiritual power radiated from below, and the arrow was obliterated mid-air, followed by the figure being struck by a counter-attack. A split second later, the man plummeted to the ground, blood spraying through the air as he crashed by the lake with a sickening thud.

Usopp casually lowered his bow, adjusting the brim of his hat as he stepped forward.

Franky leapt onto the shore, his metal arms flexing as he grabbed hold of the fallen man. "Who sent you to attack us?" Franky demanded, shaking the dazed figure.

The man, resembling a Zoan user of the bat variant, burst into a defiant laugh, despite the pain. "You kidding me? You guys just invaded Governor Kaido's territory, and you're asking me why I attacked you?"

Franky's expression darkened, his brow furrowing. "Isn't this Wano Country? Since when did it become pirate territory?"

The bat-man chuckled derisively. "Of course Wano is Governor Kaido's domain! You sea rats have no idea how doomed you are, do you?"

Despite being restrained, the bat-man wasn't scared—his arrogance stemmed from the knowledge that Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, had his back. With Kaido's protection, those like him roamed Wano freely, unchecked and untouchable.

Logan couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the bat-man's misplaced confidence.

In the original story, this guy had been nicknamed the Bat King… but now the Straw Hats were far more notorious than their former selves, far more powerful. However, this gatekeeper of the Beasts Pirates had no clue, cut off from the outside world.

It was no surprise he didn't recognize any of the Straw Hats.

"Why?" Luffy asked, genuinely curious.

Batman gave Luffy a condescending look. "Didn't you hear me? This is Kaido's territory!"

Luffy blinked, then nodded with sudden understanding. "Oh~~~ I get it. You mean Kaido's gonna try and kill us?"

"Haha, bingo!" Batman sneered, his lips curling in amusement.

SMACK!

Before he could finish his mocking laugh, Logan slapped him across the face.

"Since you know where Kaido is, then things just got easier for us. Take us to him," Logan ordered, his tone deadly serious.

Their goal was clear: find Kaido, secure the Poneglyph. And if Kaido's men were going to show up, then why not use them to their advantage?

"You… you still dare to hit me?" The bat-man, stunned by Logan's audacity, gaped in disbelief. How could anyone hit him after hearing Kaido's name?

Bang!

SMACK! SMACK!

Logan slapped the bat-man several more times in quick succession, leaving him dazed and humiliated.

"Any more questions?" Logan asked, his hand still raised.

"No… no more," the bat-man stammered, fear overtaking his earlier bravado.

"Good. Lead the way. We're going to find Kaido," Logan instructed coolly.

"Y-Yes! Right away!" The bat-man scrambled to comply, his defiance now gone.

With the bat-man leading them, the Going Merry sailed once again, propelled effortlessly by the Mist Mist Fruit. They passed through a misty sea, their surroundings growing eerier by the moment. Soon, an ominous island appeared on the horizon, its centerpiece a giant skeleton that loomed menacingly over the landscape.

"My Lords, Governor Kaido's headquarters is just ahead..." The bat-man, now bound by Hell Chains and forced to fly, bowed and nodded frantically as he spoke.

"Perfect! I'm gonna clobber Kaido!" Luffy shouted, already gearing up to rush ahead.

"Wait a minute," Logan interjected, reaching into his pocket. From within, he pulled out a miniature figure. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the tiny figure into the air, and as the wind caught it, the figure expanded, growing into the mighty form of Heracles, towering over ten meters tall.

"Go... Find Kaido~~~"