One Piece: The Legend of Beasts

When that familiar voice that had given him countless headaches rang in his ears, Kaido's whole body trembled violently, and he turned towards the source of the sound little by little. Every time he moved his heartbeat accelerated violently, as if the whole world was beginning to turn upside down.

Not to mention Katakuri who turned around immediately, the frivolous expression on Stussy's face had also disappeared, replaced by seriousness and solemnity. His gaze gradually moved to the bed along the source of the sound.

What came into view was a white-haired girl who was awakened by the continuous noise beside her and opened her eyes with difficulty. Her two beautiful light red pupils seemed to be slightly dim because she had just regained consciousness. There was no trace of life on her pale face. Her lips soaked by the potion slowly opened and closed, and she squeezed out a few words weakly from her throat: "I... where am I... I remember before that I was..."

Seeing her trying to twist her body to look around, Kaido quickly recovered from his trance and hurriedly stepped forward to support the sick girl, his tone subconsciously becoming much more excited: "Don't move! Do you want the wound to open again?!"

"Um......?"

Suddenly hearing that unreasonable but caring shout, Setsu was stunned for a moment, turned her head slightly to the outside, and barely raised her heavy eyelids. She vaguely saw a burly young man looking at her anxiously, with a pair of iron tower-like horns on his head swaying in front of her. These obvious features quickly allowed her to recognize the other party's identity. She forced a smile on her face soaked with cold sweat, "It's you... Cardo... I'm so happy to see that you are safe... By the way... Miss Lingling and the others didn't come with you...?"

The girl's breathing was still not coordinated when she spoke, which made Kaido sweat in his hands. He was worried that her injuries would continue to worsen, and he couldn't help but said in a lost voice: "This is not the time to talk about this. Anyway, you first..."

"Don't worry, since you can speak now, it means that your injuries are beginning to improve."

He was interrupted by Stussy beside him before he could finish his words. The girl looked down at the blood on her wound that was no longer spreading. Her beautiful eyes as calm as water seemed to say that she had expected all this. She answered the girl's question lightly, "Although we encountered some setbacks during this voyage, fortunately everyone survived~ However, the others were unable to come for the time being due to something, and it would be bad to let those little ghosts who were clamoring to see you rush into the room, so there are only three of us here."

Katakuri glanced at her with some displeasure: "You didn't seem to mention Sister Compert."

Stussy said lazily, "Haha, even if I don't tell her, she will know it soon."

Everything they said was clearly heard by Setsu. She put her trembling right hand on her still cold forehead and breathed a long sigh of relief, "That's great... Everyone is fine..."

Looking at her innocent childlike smile, Kaido felt much more relieved. He gently pinched the blood-stained bandages on her body, tore them off bit by bit, and threw them into the basin at his feet. Without thinking, he grabbed the clean white belt from the tray beside him and carefully wrapped it around her wound and tied it tightly. His movements were done in one go without any pause.

Stussy, who had never seen him so focused, was stunned and smiled with her lips pursed: "Oh my, our little brother Kaido also has such a caring side~"

Seeing that Seto's injuries had basically stabilized, Katakuri snorted lightly, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth in his slightly opened mouth, and turned around and walked out the door, saying without even looking back: "I'm worried about my brothers and sisters being left without anyone to take care of them, so I'm leaving now."

Listening to the footsteps gradually fading away, Stussy's mouth curled up inadvertently, "What a child who knows how to read people's expressions. No wonder Lingling is so confident in leaving them to look after the house."

Her gaze fell back on Kaido, she put her hands behind her back, bent her slender waist and smiled at him softly: "I will go back to tidy up the laboratory first, remember to ask me to pay for the medicine later.

"Finally, I'll leave the lovely Miss Setoori to you~"

Seeing that Kaido continued with his actions without saying a word and never paid any attention to her, Stussy didn't want to make herself bored anymore and walked out of the door with a pout.

As the door slammed shut, only Kaido and Setsu were left in the huge room.

The atmosphere at this time was unusually quiet, and the breathing of the two people became clearly audible. Their eyes were cast to different places, and they remained silent without any communication. The atmosphere in the whole room gradually became solemn, and even the air was about to be still.

Especially Seorizu, her eyes had lost their former vitality at this moment, and her haggard face held a listless look, as if she was deliberately avoiding the other person's sight. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her heart filled with confusion and loss that could not be described in words.

Kaido seemed not to notice her unusual condition. He continued to change the dirty bandage with his head down. He picked up a wet towel and gently wiped off the blood stains on his skin. He was concentrating on the hideous scar. His face was as calm as a pool of autumn water without the slightest ripple. It was unclear whether it was out of indifference or calmness. It was impossible to figure out what he was thinking.

Time passed by minute by minute, as if a century had passed. Finally, after countless inner struggles, Seto took a deep breath, and his eyes moved little by little to the young man who was bandaging his wounds. His lips moved slightly, and his teeth bit his lower lip lightly. He tried to lower his voice as much as possible with a little hoarseness: "I... I have countless things to say to you... You should not find me annoying..."

As if he had guessed that she would say that, Kaido said "hmm" without even raising his head, and then he didn't say anything extra, his hands never stopping moving for a moment.

Although his reply was so brief that it seemed like he was just responding casually, Setsu was already very satisfied, so she tried her best to continue speaking in a voice that the other party could hear clearly: "Yesterday, the enemy launched a large-scale attack... I thought I could help... But in front of that pirate named Roger... I had no power to resist... I was easily defeated... I couldn't even hurt him... No... It couldn't even be called a battle..."

Kaido listened to her complaints silently, his expression remained unchanged, but his heart was filled with mixed emotions that even an expert in observation Haki would find difficult to detect.

Not only that... Kabotaro... Pitjiro... stayed behind to save me... and chose to die with the enemy... And Green Saburo was also killed by them..."

As he spoke, Seto's voice gradually choked up, "Even Uno and Chloe... I couldn't save them... I couldn't feel their voices at all..."

Although he had prepared himself mentally, when Kaido heard these words from her mouth, he felt as if he had been electrocuted. He froze in place and his mind went blank.

"In the end... I couldn't protect anyone... I couldn't do anything... My dignity was trampled on at will..."

Recalling Roger's cold words and ridicule that day, as well as her companions who died one after another, Setsu could no longer suppress her emotions. Crystal tears flowed unrestrainedly from her eyes, like a flood that broke through the dam, sliding down her pale cheeks. Her throat rolled up and down, and she sobbed intermittently, appearing extremely helpless and desperate. "I'm sorry... I'm really sorry... It was all because of my weakness that I couldn't save everyone... Only I have survived to this day... I am no longer qualified to be a samurai..."

Setsu's wailing, like pearls falling from a string, pulled Kaido back from the trance caused by the sudden bad news. He rubbed his chest and tried to keep himself calm. His eyes slowly moved to the girl's tear-soaked cheek. There was no expression on her angular face. She never said a word, just letting her vent her pain endlessly.

Even a man like him who only thinks about fighting knows very well when girls cannot be disturbed.

After a long time, when the girl's crying gradually subsided, Kaido coughed twice and spoke slowly, his tone unusually calm, like the calm before a storm: "This self-destructive look is different from the you I know."

"...Perhaps this is the true face hidden deep in my heart."

Setsu blinked her red and swollen eyes, put on a frustrated expression, and murmured weakly, "Isn't it said that everyone has two sides...?"

"Don't make that kind of excuse to avoid your failure!"

The sudden roar made the girl stunned. Before she could react, she could only hear the young man's loud voice like a bell ringing in her ears, "If you don't want to be weak, work hard to become stronger. If you don't want more people to sacrifice, use the increased strength to defeat the enemy! Think about it carefully, what are the reasons for those who desperately want you to live? Do they want you to spend the rest of your life like a stray dog?!"

Kaido's merciless warning left a deep impression on Setsu's confused heart. The young woman's expression became extremely distorted due to anger and looked particularly scary, but she had no time to pay attention to these. The words that Pete had said to her that day echoed in her mind again.

In short, we must try our best to survive and avenge our enemies!

In an instant, in her vision blurred by tears, the two honest and lovely faces of Capona and Pete seemed to emerge, looking at her with smiles, their eyes full of encouragement and care for her, as if telling her not to give up hope easily.

However, when she tried to reach out her arms to touch them, she found that their figures gradually became blurred and finally disappeared.

Staring at the palm as smooth as white jade, Seorizu pursed her lips tightly, as if she was thinking about something.

——It is through everyone's unremitting efforts that I can successfully return here. In this case, I should not let them down for their trust in me!

——How can you become the general of Wano Country if you give up easily just because of a small setback!

Thinking of this, Seto no longer had any confusion. His originally dim eyes gradually regained their former firmness. He slowly propped up his upper body, clenched his five fingers into a fist and placed it in front of his chest. He said in his usual bright and clear voice: "...The idea you wanted to express has been conveyed to my heart. Thank you, Shiki!"

Seeing her regain her spirit, Kaido's stern face also showed a relieved smile again, and he tied the last circle of bandage tightly, "Oh ha ha ha! The Setoori Tsutomu I know is not the kind of person who will be easily tripped by failure and lose heart..."

Suddenly, the triumphant laughter stopped abruptly. Kaido suddenly noticed something and his eyeballs popped out of his sockets: "Not only did he call the wrong name this time, he even got the person wrong!"

"Ahaha, I got it mixed up again! Who told you guys to have such similar temperaments..."

Seto scratched her head in embarrassment, and the next second, her stomach started to growl. The girl covered her stomach with embarrassment, looking at Kaido who seemed to be angry, "I haven't eaten for a day and my stomach is so hungry again... Can you ask Kitaro to help me get some food downstairs..."

"I'll go when you call the right name!"

"But I'm really not good at remembering names!"

"I'm really impressed by you...Wait here, I'll get you some from the refrigerator."

"That's great! I will never forget your kindness in filling my stomach!"

"Then give me all your treasure chests."

"Eh?! No way! I need to keep it for travel expenses!"

The setting sun gradually fell into the sea level, leaving behind a gradually darkening sky, as if telling people that night was about to fall.

Rocky Harbor, the most frequent port in Beehive Island, was now in ruins due to the bombardment of enemy ships. The flagship, the symbol of the Rocks Pirates, was quietly docked on the ruins. A figure was sitting cross-legged on the tip of the mast, with a head of golden frizzy hair that was particularly eye-catching. He had a cigar in his mouth that seemed to never leave. His constant mumbling was carried by the breeze to the crowd below. At first glance, it sounded like he was talking to himself.

"I need some high-quality wood here. Can you deliver it to me within a week?" The senior officer of the Rocks Pirates, "Golden Lion" Shiki, said in a gruff voice, staring at the Den Den Mushi in his palm.

"Kale Kale Kale! Leave everything to this genius!"

An uncomfortable and unusually sharp laugh came from the Den Den Mushi, and Indigo's iconic afro and clown-like makeup appeared on the Den Den Mushi. "Use the 'floating speedboat' developed through your ability, and guarantee that it will be transported to the destination within three days!"

"Hahahaha! You are worthy of being me!"

After the usual self-praise, Shiqi continued to order in a blunt tone, "Also bring the little ones here as well!"

"What?"

The Den Den Mushi showed a puzzled expression and said without thinking, "It's not impossible, but it might be a bit crowded."

"That's great! What about food and weapons? They also need to be delivered within three days!"

"Ha?! You don't want to kill me, do you?! Then we need to prepare an extra large ship!"

A scream that sounded almost like a wail sounded in Shiki's ears, "What's the use of all this? Are you planning to start a mutiny on Beehive Island?"

"What are you thinking? I don't have that plan for now."

Shiki couldn't help but complain. Looking at the face of the Den Den Mushi that was sweating from being too frightened, a crazy smile bloomed on his face, and he uttered a few words word by word, "The battle between the 'Rocks Pirates' and the 'Roger Pirates', don't you want to witness it with your own eyes?"