Chapter 142: Kaido Joins the Empire!
Many who heard those words had their expressions change drastically.
Yes! Pirate King Gol D. Roger! He was unique!
He possessed immensely powerful Haoshoku Haki, physical strength, and the ability to control wind, lightning, water, fire, earth, and various bizarre abilities beyond ordinary human comprehension.
This power couldn't even be restrained by Seastone, which was key to why he defeated other great pirates, claimed One Piece, and became the acknowledged Pirate King!
If we could have such power, could we also become the Pirate King?
Many couldn't help but think this.
Their eyes gleamed with fervor.
"Hehehe… Hahaha…"
On the platform, Pirate King Gol D. Roger burst into laughter upon hearing this:
"Want my treasure? My power? Then go find them! They're hidden in some corner of the sea! Find them, and you'll be the next Pirate King! Hahaha…"
"Quick! Kill him!"
Sengoku's anxious voice rang out from the high platform.
The two executioners immediately stabbed their blades into Roger's body, but this couldn't stop his roaring laughter.
"Go find them! Set sail! Everything's in the sea—treasure and magical powers alike. Once you find them… you can have it all! Change everything! Become the king of this world! Hahaha…"
"Damn it! Shut up, Roger!"
Sengoku shouted furiously.
Unable to stand by, he leaped from the main platform, striking a palm toward Roger.
Roger sensed the devastating attack.
He gazed longingly at a few people below, then took the blow to his head, slowly closing his eyes.
Below, some wept, some laughed hysterically, and others turned away with blank expressions.
Because of Roger's words, the One Piece world entered a Great Pirate Era fiercer than in the original story!
Whether greedy for treasure or power, people flocked to begin their journeys.
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At the same time, in the Empire.
In a cold, white metallic room, Ryuji, Imperial Orochimaru, and Boruto-era Amado lounged on a sofa, watching a television screen.
It played Roger's execution scene.
Boruto-era Amado said in awe, "I didn't expect this guy to turn himself in…"
"His life was nearing its end, and he wanted to topple that world government. This was a clever way. Only by destroying the world can there be a chance to rebuild it." Imperial Orochimaru licked his lips.
"But with more pirates, many ordinary people will get hurt." Boruto-era Amado said.
"No destruction, no creation. The Celestial Dragons in that world are rotten to the core, disgusting to anyone who sees them. If I hadn't verified it myself, I'd struggle to believe such creatures exist."
"And the World Government… no different from guard dogs for the Celestial Dragons. What a pitiful world." Imperial Orochimaru sighed.
"That's true, but this guy had guts." Boruto-era Amado sighed, then asked, puzzled, "What confuses me is why His Majesty stopped us from restoring Gol D. Roger's body. If he stayed alive, he could've lasted longer."
"Amado, don't forget our goal." Ryuji reminded indifferently.
"Amado… are you getting soft on that lab rat? Though Roger was the best test subject, he's ultimately just a tool for our goals. World Number 3, like a child, is wary of our world, rejecting our entry."
"But World Number 3's people are different—they can freely enter our world and return to theirs. That's why we discovered that when their people enter our world, learn our power system, and return, they can gradually change World Number 3, reducing its rejection of us."
"So our main goal is to get more people to learn our power system. Isn't the current situation exactly what we need?"
"With Roger's final words, in the coming times, more fortunate people will surely arrive in the Empire through the random space-time vortexes we send…" Imperial Orochimaru smiled.
"I understand… but did His Majesty predict this outcome from the start? Is that why he stopped us from saving Roger?" Amado looked at Ryuji seriously.
"Who knows? Maybe just luck." Ryuji said calmly.
"Is that so… By the way, that world is fascinating… Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and Conqueror's Haki… the three Haki training systems greatly benefit our world. Some strong fighters are close to breaking the Hokage and Six Paths limits."
"And those Devil Fruits can alter someone's genetics entirely. If developed perfectly, they could produce unimaginable effects." Amado praised.
"Hehehe… isn't that what makes World Number 3 so intriguing? By any means… we must control it." Imperial Orochimaru grinned eerily.
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Year 1501, Sea Calendar.
Far more people than usual flooded the seas. A few fortunate ones reached the Empire, learning chakra and some of the Empire's martial arts.
But they were stingy, unwilling to share this power, so the Empire's desire for all pirates to learn chakra and True Qi remained unfulfilled for a long time.
Until…
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Year 1518, Sea Calendar, two years before Monkey D. Luffy set sail.
Wano Country.
A crater.
Kaido held a sake bottle in one hand, guzzling greedily, wiping his eyes with the other, crying, "Damn it! Kozuki Oden! It's all because of you, you fool, making my kid as stupid as you… sob sob sob…"
Beside him, Yamato lay unconscious at his feet, head swollen.
(Note: Yamato is female.)
Behind him, King, head covered by a helmet, sighed softly. "Lord Kaido, when raising a child, you should speak gently."
"Sob sob sob… This dumb kid keeps yelling 'Oden, Oden' in my ears. I can't stand it!"
Kaido cried, taking more swigs of sake, then turned unsteadily, preparing to leave.
At that moment, a black vortex appeared out of nowhere.
Seeing it, King's expression tensed, and even Kaido, previously drunk, sobered seventy to eighty percent.
They said in unison, "A space-time vortex!?"
"Worororo… Looks like we're in luck, King! The path said to grant god-like power has finally opened for us! I've waited for this moment for over a decade! Worororo…"
Kaido laughed heartily.
"Lord Kaido, don't get your hopes up. Based on prior intel, many entered space-time vortexes, and while they gained decent power, it's far from the Pirate King's strength… Most of Gol D. Roger's power came from himself." King said.
"Worororo… Of course I know that, King, but Roger became Pirate King after gaining power from a space-time vortex, so I can too!"
Kaido shouted, striding toward the vortex.
Seeing this, King's expression grew serious, and he hurriedly followed.
Their figures quickly vanished, and the vortex spun, shifting from solid to illusory, disappearing rapidly.
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Naruto World.
The Empire.
Five years after contact with the Boruto-era world was lost.
Thunder Province.
Thunder Pool Mountain City.
After five years of development, a giant flat mountain peak was surrounded by mist, with massive floating rock chunks circling it, forming a new ring-shaped city.
On an isolated small rock chunk, a black vortex appeared.
Kaido and King emerged slowly, gazing at the surroundings with shocked expressions.
"So this is the world inside the vortex? Kinda like Skypiea." Kaido commented.
"Based on rumors circulating the seas before… this world has many wondrous places—cities built on water, underground cities, and highly advanced tech cities. Not sure if anyone's been here before." King said.
"Worororo… Who knows if anyone's been here? But what matters now is greeting this world's people properly! Worororo…"
Kaido laughed heartily, standing in place as his aura erupted.
The next second, a storm roared, the sky and earth changed color, and black lightning spread continuously from his center.
Ordinary people in Thunder Pool Mountain City couldn't withstand this terrifying aura, fainting one by one.
Only Kage-level fighters could somewhat resist it.
But their physical strength was almost entirely suppressed, some even pinned to the ground, unable to move.
They all looked toward the aura's source in shock.
"Is this Conqueror's Haki?"
"It should be, but the intensity of this Conqueror's Haki is insane! Has the Third Raikage's Haki improved again?"
"Doesn't seem like him. No matter how bold the Third Raikage is, he wouldn't use Haki near the city—it'd cause big trouble."
"Tch! Could it be a guest from World Number 3?"
"World Number 3!"
Those who heard "World Number 3" instantly perked up.
Some strong fighters who could still move dashed toward the source of the Conqueror's Haki.
*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*
Figures arrived, landing beside Kaido and King.
Among them were Darui, Samui, and others.
Imperial Darui eyed them up and down. "Unusual height, unusual appearance—you're guests from Gol D. Roger's world, right?"
"Oh? Seems Roger's famous in your world too. That'll make negotiations easier." Kaido said, smiling faintly at the group of "short" people around him, barely two meters tall.
"You could say that. After all, he was the first from your side to visit our world." Imperial Darui shrugged. "By the way, can you release your Conqueror's Haki? If this continues, it'll cause trouble for ordinary people."
"Worororo… Your world's people seem strong… So many can withstand my Conqueror's Haki. Not bad, not bad." Kaido laughed, eyeing Imperial Darui and the others.
At the same time, he wisely retracted his Conqueror's Haki.
"Strong? Maybe. But you look pretty strong too." Imperial Darui smiled, noting Kaido's muscular build.
"Worororo… Since we're all strong, let's fight to see who's stronger! You want to know the answer too, right? And… often, only after fighting can we negotiate better, no?" Kaido laughed heartily.
"Seems we're the same kind of people. I've been wanting to test how strong fighters from another world are." Darui said.
His body trembled, his clothes instantly tearing.
Left in only underwear, his tan skin exposed, thick veins bulged on his arms and thighs: "Muscle Release! Armament Haki! Coating!"
*SHUA!*
Darui's tan skin turned black, reflecting glints of light.
"Armament Haki? Looks like Roger's visit brought new power to you too!"
"Worororo… Thunder Eight Trigrams!"
*BOOM!!!*
In an instant, Kaido closed in on Darui at a speed beyond everyone's reaction.
His spiked club, crackling with black lightning, aimed straight for Darui's head.
"So fast!"
Darui's pupils shrank, unable to react, only watching the spiked club approach.
Just as Darui braced to be sent flying, a black lightning bolt suddenly appeared from the air.
*ROAR!!!*
Kaido's spiked club was blocked by the sudden black lightning, triggering a massive explosion, cracking the ground for a thousand meters around, forcing the group to retreat.
Only Darui and a few others behind the black lightning stood firm, not stepping back.
"Third Raikage!"
Darui, seeing the black lightning before him, shouted in surprise.
The black lightning faded, revealing a burly man over two and a half meters tall, with bulging muscles and a long mustache.
"Darui, fall back! This enemy isn't for you to face. Let me handle him!" The man stared at Kaido, his face showing an excited smile.
"Understood, Third Raikage!"
Hearing this, Darui ordered the others to retreat, keeping at least a thousand-meter distance.
Kaido, watching this, silently observed Darui and the others withdraw, then grinned. "You their leader? You look pretty strong."
"Leader? Though I'm not the Thunder Province's leader, I'm his father, so calling me the leader here is fair enough." the Third Raikage nodded.