Chapter 27: The Fusion Fruit! Kaido Descends from the Heavens! (Please keep reading!)

Inside the manor.

The pirates Roa had brought from Beehive Island were busy packing. After all, having lived here for six years, there was quite a lot of luggage to manage. Roa, meanwhile, was inspecting his legion.

"Truly magnificent!"

In the courtyard, which had yet to be repaired, rows of expressionless figures stood in perfect formation. Roa stood with his arms crossed, nodding repeatedly as he surveyed them. "I’ve accumulated quite a fortune without even realizing it."

They were all Roa's thralls.

The total number exceeded one hundred, every single one a pirate with a bounty over fifty million berries. There were several Devil Fruit users among them, and those who had mastered Haki numbered in the double digits. This was his greatest gain over the past six years, aside from his own growth and Bullet.

Actually, Roa hadn't expected to have so many. This country was quite remote, poor, and chaotic, yet strangely full of martial spirit; rarely did pirates come here looking for trouble. It was just that pirates happened to be cursed with immense curiosity. Once many pirates went missing and rumors of ghosts began to spread, even more pirates flocked to the island, eager to see what all the fuss was about.

Did the Rocks Pirates in their prime have this many powerful mid-level fighters? Could Captain Rocks have achieved this? Without boasting, just by relying on these men—who didn't even possess their own sanity—Roa could easily flatten this country.

"Lord Roa, are we leaving this country now?"

Bullet stood behind Roa, still as rigid as a javelin. He had made some progress, at least; he no longer felt the need to shout "Reporting!" before every sentence.

"What’s wrong, Bullet?" Roa glanced back. "Don't want to leave?"

"Of course not!" Bullet shook his head decisively. "It’s just... are we not going to do anything?"

Were they just going to leave like this?

"Do what? I can no longer make this country any better," Roa sighed. "Damn, I’m truly useless!"

The country was already doing well enough. They couldn't exactly go around acting like the Celestial Dragons at God Valley, could they? After all, the black energy came from people; without people, there would be no feast.

"Lord Roa!"

Dylan hurried over, his expression somewhat strange as he handed a fruit to Roa. "The soldiers really found a Devil Fruit."

"Oh? They actually found one?" Roa raised an eyebrow, taking the fruit.

It was a fruit with a very mechanical style; on its blue skin were various protrusions—triangles, circles, and squares—along with the inevitable swirl patterns.

"The Union-Union Fruit, no doubt." Roa nodded with satisfaction.

They had actually found it?

For years, he had been having soldiers from the two local factions help him search for a Devil Fruit near the front lines. As for why he could command them, let’s just say there were far too many people fawning over him. The leaders of the two factions kneeling before him like dogs, begging for his help, was no joke. That was also how he knew exactly what those leaders were up to.

Dylan’s eyes showed a hint of wonder—truly, Lord Roa was something else!

"Want to eat it? This is the Paramecia-type Union-Union Fruit; it grants the ability to combine any objects one touches." Roa handed the fruit to Dylan.

It was just an average Paramecia fruit, so giving it to Dylan wouldn't be a waste.

"Apologies, Lord Roa, but I don't think I’m suited for this fruit." Dylan shook his head. "If I had to choose, I’d prefer a Zoan-type."

"Very well."

Roa didn't waste any more words. As a master of physical combat, Dylan was indeed better suited for a Zoan ability. He would just keep this fruit for now.

"By the way, Dylan," Roa said, "what do you think about us starting a company?"

"A company?" Dylan pondered for a moment, then asked, "What kind?"

"War!" Roa said with a smile. "A company that exists for the sake of war itself—not for conquest, not for plunder, and certainly not for profit."

"Eh?"

Even someone as weathered as Dylan was momentarily bewildered.

"It would surely be interesting! A company that provides arms, soldiers, war consulting, and even participates in wars directly!" Roa spread his arms as if to embrace the world. "Wherever there is war, there we shall be! And wherever we are, there shall be war!"

His six years in this country had taught Roa that war was a wonderful thing! Strictly speaking, at this stage, having a country like this one, trapped in endless war, was enough for him to grow. After all, the black energy was a renewable resource; as long as people continued to suffer, the black energy would flow incessantly. But he couldn't stay on one island forever, could he? Roa wanted to see the world properly.

He certainly wanted to ignite a war that would sweep across the globe, but until he possessed power that surpassed the World Government, it was better to play it safe.

"I understand." Dylan nodded slightly. "Then we first need sufficient arms and soldiers. Do you have any ideas?"

Actually, this country was quite suitable. But Roa didn't have the heart to break their simple, kindly traditions. So, were there other places in the world with enough arms and sufficiently powerful soldiers?

Were there?

As it turned out, there were.

There was a country in the world called Germa. Calculating the time, that fellow Judge’s clone soldiers must already be in production, right? It seemed he would have to make a trip to the North Blue.

Before that, time to get going.

Once the luggage was packed, Roa prepared to head to the coast to board a ship. The warring factions had complex feelings about his departure. This "Lord Roa" had indeed forcibly maintained the balance of the war, ensuring the country remained mired in conflict, yes—but when their side was in crisis, he really would step in to help.

Was eternal war a living hell for the country itself? Perhaps. But for the high-ranking officials in their armies? Was it really? They didn't have to go to the front lines, and they hadn't missed out on any of their comforts. Alas, those two leaders just couldn't grasp that; they only felt that Roa’s presence prevented them from seizing absolute authority over the country.

Regardless, they couldn't stop Roa from leaving, so they offered parting gifts—gold, jewelry, and the like. Roa was quite moved; the people of this country weren't all ingrates, after all. He hadn't put in his efforts for nothing.

Large carts rolled out of the fortress. They weren't pulled by beasts, but by Roa’s thralls; they were simply faster, and the fortress was still a distance from the coast.

Roa poked his head out of a carriage, looking back at the receding fortress.

"I will be back!"

Hmm?

Roa suddenly looked up.

That wasn't right. The clouds in the sky were moving abnormally. There was no wind, yet the clouds were churning violently. It was as if some monster were approaching within them.

"Roa!"

Sure enough, the next instant, a roar like a thunderclap descended from the sky. "I knew you were still alive, you brat!"

"Huh?" Roa paused. The voice was so familiar.

"This voice is..."

Inside the carriage, Dylan’s expression shifted instantly. "Lord Roa, they’ve come too fast!"

"Whoa! Truly magnificent!"

After a brief shock, Roa let out a sigh of admiration. In the sky, the clouds had formed a massive vortex, and within it, a colossal entity was slowly descending.

Green scales, flowing mane, long whiskers, and sharp horns.

A massive azure dragon lowered its head from the clouds. "Worororo! Long time no see, kid!!"

"Big Brother Kaido..."