Chapter 33: Training and Drinking
More than two months later.
On a desolate island, Ayaan, Ace, and Yamato were training and fighting with intensity.
All three of them wore low-purity Seastone handcuffs—acquired by Yamato when she left the Beasts Pirates. These cuffs were typically used for prisoners who had consumed Devil Fruits, especially as labor tools.
Before they left Onigashima, Ayaan had casually remarked to Yamato that these cuffs would be great for training. Taking that seriously, Yamato brought a large supply with her.
Currently, Ayaan and Yamato were locked in fierce combat. Even with the Seastone cuffs suppressing their strength, their battle had left a wide radius of land scarred with craters and rubble.
"Raimei Hakke (Thunder Bagua)!" Yamato roared, slamming her kanabo into Ayaan and sending him flying across the clearing. He crashed into a rocky outcrop, blood trickling from his forehead.
Struggling to his feet, Ayaan wiped the blood away with a wry smile. "I'm done. I lost again. The gap in our Armament Haki is still too wide."
If he hadn't used the Baku Baku no Mi to transform part of his body into steel beforehand, Yamato's attack might have left him concussed.
By now, Yamato had mastered almost all advanced forms of Armament Haki, including internal destruction and outward projection. Her control and volume of Haki far exceeded Ayaan's.
Moreover, she had awakened most of her inherited Oni physiology, giving her immense physical power. Naturally, Ayaan was no match for her.
After all, the Baku Baku no Mi only granted Ayaan potential—not immediate strength. It had only been a little over half a year since his initial transformation. His body and mind were still adjusting.
"You're doing really well. You can fight me for over an hour now," Yamato said, surprisingly encouraging. "In the past two months, your progress is on par with Ace's."
Ayaan chuckled. He didn't expect Yamato to be the comforting type. Still, he wasn't beating himself up—his confidence never wavered.
With so many abilities already under his belt—and more to come—Ayaan firmly believed he'd eventually become the strongest in the world.
While Ayaan and Yamato sparred, not far away, Ace was doing push-ups with a massive boulder strapped to his back. His face was tense, teeth clenched in concentration.
"These two are progressing way too fast. If this continues, I'll lose my spot as captain!" Ace muttered, pushing himself harder.
Indeed, training alongside fellow monsters greatly accelerated growth—especially when one of them was Kaido's daughter. Though Yamato had suffered under her father's brutal regime, she had learned much from it.
The advanced principles of Observation Haki's future sight, Armament Haki's internal destruction, and the enigmatic concept of Conqueror's Haki infusion—all of these had proven invaluable to both Ayaan and Ace.
---
"So, are all Devil Fruit users this monstrous?" one of the Spade Pirates murmured, staring at the trio training and the devastated terrain around them.
"And they're still wearing Seastone cuffs…"
"You could eat a Devil Fruit too. Didn't Ayaan bring back a few?" another crewmate said.
"Forget it. I don't want to lose the ability to swim. Besides, what were they again? A bat, a toad, and… a honey badger?"
"It's not the fruits—it's those three. They're the real freaks."
"Anyway," a third pirate shrugged, "we're not likely to join their battles. More importantly, we're low on ship supplies. The island's food and wildlife are mostly gone thanks to those three. We'll need to sail to a proper island soon…"
---
Meanwhile, on Onigashima, Kaido had just returned from a major expedition.
After Ayaan had defeated Black Maria, the remnants of the Beasts Pirates still on the island had immediately reported the incident to Kaido.
However, at that time, Kaido had been in the middle of an all-out clash—with none other than Whitebeard. Their battle had lasted several days and nights, so by the time Kaido returned, the Spade Pirates had already disappeared.
Kaido didn't return alone—he brought his entire pirate crew with him. But unlike him, the Beasts Pirates were not as fast or agile. Their journey back to Onigashima had taken more than a month.
When he finally heard the full story—his subordinate defeat, his "son" taken, and even his treasury raided—Kaido was livid. He immediately ordered his entire crew and affiliated groups to begin a New World-wide search for the Spade Pirates.
However, tracking them down proved nearly impossible. The trio had spent the entire time on a remote, unmarked island undergoing intense training. In the chaotic sea routes of the New World, where dozens of islands remained uncharted, they were effectively invisible.
Kaido lacked a life card for Yamato and had no reliable way to trace them. As a result, his forces could only search blindly.
After two fruitless months, rumors began to swirl that the Spade Pirates may have sunk into the ocean.
That changed when, at last, the Spade Pirates left their training island and sailed toward Doroland Island, a known waypoint between Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks' territories, to resupply.
---
"Boss Kaido! We have intel on Yamato and the Spade Pirates!"
Queen, rolling in like a cannonball, blurted out the news. "They're at Doroland Island! On the border of the Whitebeard and Red-Hair crews' turf!"
Kaido, who had been drinking heavily, burst into laughter, his face twisted in delight.
"Excellent! Finally tracked them down. I'm going to rip those thieves to pieces!"
Without waiting another second, Kaido morphed into his Azure Dragon form and smashed through the wall, taking off with a thunderous roar.
"Really… the boss is always this impatient…" Queen muttered, brushing rubble off his body.
Jack, standing nearby, scratched his head. "Uh… Did the boss take the recording pointer?"
Quinn froze. "Crap… HE'S DRUNK AGAIN!