Chapter 30: Kaido has a 200 Billon Debt!

"Killing you will do me no good."

Azure Dragon Edie sighed, his mind briefly wandering to the thought of defeating Kaido like a boss in a game, earning hundreds of billions of Baileys as a reward. If only it were that simple, he might have done it without hesitation.

"Let's do this instead—two hundred billion!"

Edie raised two massive claws in the air. "I know you can't come up with that much in one go. So here's the deal: from now on, you'll sponsor 20 billion Baileys annually for my research institute in the name of the Beasts Pirates. For ten years."

Kaido narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze from Chenlong to Zishu, and finally up to the dragon looming in the sky. There was a time when others had to look up at him like this, but now the roles were reversed.

"You win, I agree."

The rules among pirates were simple, even if Edie wasn't a true pirate himself. When two pirate groups clashed, it was common for the victor to take everything—supplies, money, even the lives of the losers. Annexation was often the next step.

But Edie's demand was staggering—200 billion Baileys. Kaido didn't have that kind of money readily available, especially with thousands of subordinates relying on him. The installment plan over ten years, with 20 billion annually, was a practical compromise, one Edie had calculated after considering the Beasts Pirates' revenue.

"Good, good, I like a man who knows how to be agreeable," Edie said with a satisfied smile. "Since you're being so cooperative, little Guy, we'll continue our partnership. The research on artificial Devil Fruits is on the verge of a breakthrough, and your involvement will be crucial."

The price of an artificial Zoan Devil Fruit would depend on the production costs, but Edie's words suggested that success was near.

Kaido remained silent, his mind troubled by the recent events. What did Edie mean by "success is near"? Hadn't the three-headed blue dragon from last night been proof enough? Yet, given the shift in their power dynamic, Kaido knew better than to argue.

"This year's 20 billion research funds need to be raised as soon as possible, little Guy. Don't disappoint me."

Edie began to move away, but paused mid-air as if remembering something. He turned back, his voice carrying a hint of mockery. "By the way, little Guy, I think your method of raising your children is a bit too extreme."

Kaido clenched his fists, feeling a mix of anger and humiliation. But he knew there was nothing he could do—at least, not now.

After speaking, Edie finally departed, the massive form of his azure dragon quickly vanishing into the suburbs of the Flower Capital. His exit was swift, and within moments, he was nothing more than a distant memory in the sky.

Seeing this, Chenlong immediately unfurled the wings on his back, quickly following in the footsteps of his Heavenly Father without sparing Kaido a single glance. His thoughts weren't on Kaido—his only concern was the mission's failure and how it might affect his standing in Edie's eyes.

"Why bother..." Zishu sighed, turning his gaze toward Kaido. "There's no need to continue this fight. Save your energy. Kaido, if you're short on funds, I'd suggest robbing the World Government's bank in Mariejois. That should cover your debt."

"Your proposal is a bit... extreme," Kaido muttered, half in disbelief.

Robbing the World Government's banks? The audacity of these Earthly Branches was staggering. Each one seemed more insane than the last. Even Chenlong had fought with a reckless abandon, as if he were willing to die just to take Kaido down.

Kaido watched as Zishu opened his black wings and took to the sky, flying away with ease. His thoughts were heavy.

The Lunarian clan... He had a feeling that this Zishu might be even stronger than Chenlong. It was a sense only the strong could perceive.

"Kaido-sama!" a voice called out.

Kaido turned to see King staggering towards him, too weak to fly and barely able to walk.

"Are you okay?" Kaido asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"King, this world has become interesting," Kaido said with a grin. He touched the wound on his chest and looked at his bloodied palms. "I can still get stronger. Stronger!"

It was true. This was 19 years before Kaido would face Luffy in the original story. There was still time to grow, to evolve.

Shaking the blood from his hands, Kaido transformed into his blue dragon form and flew toward Onigashima. As he ascended into the sky, his voice echoed down:

"King, clean up the Flower City. Tell Yamato to train well. I won't force her anymore. If you want to thank someone, thank her Uncle Edie!"

Kaido knew he had to give Edie—now more than ever—a measure of respect. Once, it had been for the scientists under his command; now, it was directly for Edie himself.

The battle had left large areas of the Flower City in ruins. Hundreds of houses were destroyed, but miraculously, there were no casualties. Even Kaido's mansion had suffered severe damage.

Under Kaido's orders, Queen and King immediately began organizing manpower to repair the streets.

"You seem distracted," Queen noted, glancing at King's troubled expression.

"I'm too weak. I couldn't help Kaido-sama. That pureblood treated me like a child during our fight," King admitted, frustration evident in his voice.

He was seriously injured, but it was clear that his opponent had held back, sparing him from fatal harm. Edie had forbidden Zishu from killing him, likely out of respect for his mixed Lunarian blood.

Queen patted King's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "Think of the bright side! Three Earthly Branches showed up last night."

But King remained silent. Of those three, only Chenlong had fought fiercely against Kaido, while the other two had merely observed, as if it were all a spectacle. If those three had joined forces, Kaido-sama might have been in serious trouble.

Queen, however, tried to maintain a positive outlook. "Besides, Edie didn't really do anything, did he? If he'd wanted to destroy the Beasts Pirates, we wouldn't be standing here right now. So, hey, last night was all just a misunderstanding!"

King had no response. He knew Queen was right, but the weight of his own shortcomings was still heavy on his mind.

Flower City, Research Institute

Despite the chaos that engulfed the Flower City during the previous night's battle, the research institute remained unscathed. Chenlong had wisely steered clear of the area, ensuring that the institute, situated far from Kaido's Mansion and tucked away in a remote corner of the capital, was spared from the destruction. As a result, the institute stood untouched, a quiet haven amid the turmoil.

When Edie returned to the institute, he was greeted by the sight of Hancock and her sisters bustling about, having already prepared breakfast.

"Master Edie, we've prepared your meal!" Hancock announced proudly.

"Very capable, Hancock," Edie replied with a slight smile, reaching out to gently touch Hancock's head in a rare gesture of affection.

Hancock beamed with pride, puffing out her chest. "From now on, Master Edie, you can leave everything to us—your clothes, the cleaning of the institute, and all your meals! Right, Mary, Sonia? We are warriors of Nine Snakes, and we've learned to fend for ourselves since we were young!"

"Yes!" the two sisters echoed, nodding enthusiastically.

"That's admirable," Edie said with a chuckle, "but don't neglect your training. If you ever encounter human traffickers again, you'll need your strength to deal with them."

With that, Edie led the trio upstairs for breakfast. After a simple meal, he made his way to the laboratory, where he found Chenlong kneeling in front of him.

"I'm sorry, Lord Heavenly Father," Chenlong began, his voice filled with remorse. "It was my failure that caused the mission to falter."

"Stand up, Chenlong. You did your best; there's no need to apologize," Edie said, shaking his head.

Chenlong possessed the bloodline factor of Kaido, the talents of the Lunarian clan, and the perfect Blue Dragon Fruit ability. On paper, he should have been stronger than Kaido. However, theory and reality often diverge, and in their battle, Chenlong and Kaido had proven to be nearly equal in strength, with Kaido's experience giving him a slight edge.

"Besides," Edie continued, "the mission wasn't a failure. You performed admirably. I never intended to kill Kaido."

He placed a hand on Chenlong's shoulder and praised him, "As the first born among the twelve Earthly Branches, you are exceptional. And, importantly, you're not as mischievous as Zishu."

After a brief pause, Edie sighed and added, "Chenlong, you are my favorite Earthly Branch."

"Lord Heavenly Father!" Chenlong was deeply moved, relieved that he wasn't blamed. As expected, Heavenly Father was the most understanding and compassionate being.

"Our next goal," Edie instructed, "is to take control of Beehive Island. Go and urge Du Feld to transport the equipment I need as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir!" Chenlong responded, immediately departing to carry out the order.

Once Chenlong had left, Edie walked deeper into the laboratory, pondering the future.

"As the Pirate Emperor, Kaido's annual contribution of 20 billion beli for research funding shouldn't be an issue," Edie mused aloud. "If Kaido can manage it, then why not Big Mom? Or Whitebeard?"

These pirate emperors collected protection fees across the New World. It was only fair that he, Edie, should impose his own version of protection fees. Though, perhaps a more diplomatic term would be 'sponsorship fees.'

"The Pirate Emperors are, after all, generous benefactors," Edie thought with a smirk. "They can see that I'm in need of research funds, so they'll willingly sponsor my endeavors."

As he wrote down his new phase objectives in his future plans, Edie's mind was already strategizing. "Once we secure Beehive Island, it'll be time to have a good chat with the other two emperors."

New World, Somewhere in the Sky

In the lofty heights of the New World, far above the turbulent seas, lay the headquarters of the World Economic News—an enormous, floating island home to its enigmatic president, Morgans. Within his luxurious office, Morgans sat at his ornate desk, a Den Den Mushi perched before him, its receiver pressed to his ear.

Morgans' beady eyes gleamed with interest as he spoke into the phone. "Thank you for the tip-off earlier. What happened at the Sabaody Archipelago was originally swept under the rug by the Marines. If it weren't for you, I would never have known that such a significant incident had occurred."

A deep, almost amused chuckle resonated from the other end of the line. "I'm just curious about this [Zishu]. If you find out anything, make sure to let me know. I'd like to meet him."

Morgans grinned, his beak-like mouth curving in satisfaction. "Of course! Consider it your well-earned reward for providing such valuable information."

As the conversation continued, Morgans' tone shifted subtly, becoming more probing. His curiosity was piqued, and he leaned forward, lowering his voice as if the very walls might eavesdrop. "But tell me, I've been wondering... In the five years since the death of Pirate King Roger, you—his famous first mate—disappeared from the world stage. Why have you reemerged now?"

He paused, letting the question hang in the air before speaking the name of the legendary figure on the other end.

"Silvers Rayleigh!"