It was now a matter of simply waiting.

Although it was Kaido’s headquarters, the Radiant Eclipse Pirates were being treated like emperors in Wano Country.

Orochi was currying favor and flattering them.

Jack, now reduced to nothing more than a nodding yes-man after taking his share of beatings, obediently followed every command. He dared not refuse, lest he get hit again. Even the other members of the Beast Pirates treated every word from the Radiant Eclipse Pirates as if it were an imperial edict.

All to avoid being killed.

They were also hanging onto the hope that Kaido and the main force would return. There was still a glimmer of belief sustaining them.

After receiving yet another slap from Shakky, Jack forced a smile as he returned to his room. Once the door shut, his smile vanished, replaced by a vicious expression, “Just wait until Boss Kaido returns. You’re all dead.”

Time passed.

Ten days had gone by.

And now, it was time for Hancock’s 18th birthday—her coming-of-age ceremony.

The Beast Pirates offered all their most treasured food, including the finest sake from Kaido’s private stash.

Hearing the laughter and cheers coming from Kaido’s own palace, the pirates outside wore expressions of frustration.

It was humiliating.

Jack’s face, bruised and swollen, twisted into a snarl, his eyes glinting red with fury.

“Jack, please, you have to hold it in!” his subordinates urged him desperately, holding him back from doing anything rash.

Jack glanced at them blankly.

Did they think he was an idiot?

Without Kaido, without his boss backing him, only a madman would pick a fight with them now.

The night grew late, and the banquet eventually ended.

The Beast Pirates bent at the waist, bowing deeply as the Radiant Eclipse Pirates returned to their ship, the Tomorrow. When they finally pushed open the doors of Kaido’s palace, every one of them turned pale.

This was Kaido’s palace. Did they really treat it like a bar? Even Kaido’s throne had been knocked over.

Jack ground his teeth audibly, his crimson eyes growing even redder.

“Boss Kaido, where are you? Please come back…” He felt completely humiliated.

Onboard the Radiant Eclipse…

Kuke looked at the group of drunken women. “Alright, everyone, head to bed.”

It took quite an effort, but he eventually managed to help each of them back to their rooms.

When Kuke was about to enter his own room, he noticed someone approaching from around the corner.

Hancock.

Kuke’s eyes lit up.

Tonight’s main star was the newly-turned adult, Hancock. She was intoxicated, her usual proud gaze now hazy and unfocused.

Her pale cheeks were tinged with a soft blush.

Normally neat and tidy, her hair had fallen loosely around her shoulders.

She was wearing a long, slit crimson qipao.

The aura of the domineering Empress was gone, replaced by a mesmerizing allure.

“Kuke, I’m an adult now,” Hancock whispered, her breath sweet and intoxicating as it escaped her lips.

“To celebrate my 18th birthday, I want to give you a present. And that gift is… me.”

Hancock moved boldly toward him.

Kuke felt a mix of emotions—surprise, temptation, and something deeper. He could see the vulnerability beneath her boldness, a hint of nervousness that she tried to hide behind her confident words.

“Hancock…” he began, his voice soft, almost uncertain.

She closed the distance between them, her gaze locking onto his. Her hands moved to his shoulders, steadying herself. The scent of her perfume mixed with the hint of alcohol was dizzying.

Kuke reached out instinctively, his hands resting on her arms. “Are you sure about this?”

Hancock’s eyes held his, unwavering. “Yes. I want this. I want you, Kuke.”

Her words were like a spark. There was a palpable shift between them, the tension rising as she moved closer, her lips inches away from his. For a moment, Kuke hesitated, the weight of what this meant pressing down on him. But Hancock’s determination, the way her eyes searched his for acceptance, pushed his doubts aside.

Slowly, Kuke leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. The contact was electric, a gentle yet passionate kiss that deepened as Hancock wrapped her arms around his neck. The world around them seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them and the fire that had ignited between them.

Kuke pulled her closer, his arms encircling her waist, feeling her warmth as they kissed. It was as if all the barriers that had been between them crumbled away, leaving only raw emotion. Hancock responded eagerly, her fingers threading through his hair as she pressed herself against him.

Breaking the kiss for a breath, Kuke looked at her, his gaze filled with a mix of affection and desire. “You’re incredible,” he whispered.

Hancock smiled, her eyes softening. “Tonight, I’m all yours,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Meanwhile…

The News King was busy at the printing press, working through the night.

By dawn, the newspaper was flying off the shelves.

There wasn’t much content in it, really.

It mainly informed the world that the Radiant Eclipse Pirates had not left Wano; rather, they had become its temporary rulers.

Naturally, there were photos as well.

The photos showed Jack and the other Beast Pirates acting like slaves, carrying goods, while female pirates looked like maids, standing by and attending the Radiant Eclipse Pirates’ feast.

“The Radiant Eclipse Pirates haven’t left?”

“Are they planning to occupy the Beast Pirates’ base and make it their own?”

“If Kaido doesn’t get back soon, he’ll be left without a home.”

“Is it possible Kaido’s main force actually fled?”

“This is shameful. His own subordinates turned into slaves for the enemy? Weren’t the Beast Pirates supposed to be crazy? Turns out they’re just spineless cowards.”

“I don’t get it. Why didn’t the Radiant Eclipse Pirates just leave? Are they trying to force Kaido into a frenzy?”

“If I were Kuke, I would have looted everything while Kaido wasn’t around and left in style. After all, it was Kaido who broke the agreement. He’d lose face, and Kuke would come out on top without even needing to fight. It’s the best move.”

“That’s why you’ll always be a rookie. The man we’re talking about is an Emperor of the Sea. Do you think he’s as useless as you?”

Early in the morning, the newspaper’s contents sparked heated discussions across the seas.

There was, of course, plenty of mockery directed at Kaido.

At the same time, many felt newfound respect for Kuke. He had chosen not to leave.

He clearly wasn’t intimidated by Kaido and his forces racing back.

“Once Kaido returns, it’ll be a war. Is Kuke really confident he can win?”

“Is he not afraid of defeat?”

The more they thought about it, the more people admired Kuke’s courage.

Most strong individuals felt that the Radiant Eclipse Pirates and the Beast Pirates were evenly matched. When they factored in Kaido’s monstrous physique, even Whitebeard thought…

Kaido would at least maintain a stalemate. If Kaido avoided defeat, then the Radiant Eclipse Pirates would be in big trouble.

“Isn’t Kuke worried about his comrades dying in such a battle?” Whitebeard couldn’t understand it.

Concern over casualties had always been why he refrained from picking a fight with Kaido.

“Mama… Little Brother Kaido’s been underestimated,” Big Mom muttered. She had thought that the Radiant Eclipse Pirates would have long since left Wano, making the confrontation a non-issue.

She could already picture Kaido seething with rage…

Kaido, who was rushing back as fast as possible, stared blankly at the newspaper.

King, Queen, and the other officers remained silent, all of them bowing their heads, not daring to provoke him in his current mood.

“Boss is definitely going to explode,” Queen whispered, his shoulders tensing.

He himself had been unable to hold back his fury when he read the newspaper.

Their home, their subordinates, were occupied and bossed around by the enemy. It was an unprecedented disgrace.

If even he felt this way, Queen could only imagine the anger burning inside Kaido.

Kaido breathed heavily, like a raging bull.

After a few minutes of silence…

Suddenly, Kaido burst into laughter.

“It’s over. Boss has lost his mind,” Queen said, frantically scanning for possible escape routes.

“Not bad. Kuke… that guy isn’t bad at all,” Kaido said, still laughing.

Queen and the others grew even more anxious.

Not only was their boss not angry, but he was also praising the enemy.

He had truly lost his mind.

“Indeed, a worthy opponent,” King nodded, agreeing with Kaido.

Queen’s eyes widened. He was speechless as he stared at King. Are you insane too? Are you seriously going along with him?

This was it—they were all doomed.

“I thought that by the time I got back, Onigashima would be destroyed, and my subordinates would all be dead, with Kuke long gone,” Kaido admitted. What worried him the most wasn’t the prospect of fighting the Radiant Eclipse Pirates.

It was precisely this scenario.

Kaido wasn’t stupid. He knew that was the perfect move: take everything from the Beast Pirates, then leave with both profit and pride.

By the time Kaido returned, he would have been left with nothing but impotent rage.

To launch a counterattack would have been nearly impossible—how would he even begin to track the Radiant Eclipse Pirates across the vast ocean?

“What’s there to be angry about? The guests even notified us. We simply weren’t home. We should be grateful they haven’t left, that they’re giving us a chance to fight back.”

Kaido looked at his subordinates.

Hearing this, many of them suddenly realized it was true.

They found themselves feeling an odd sense of respect toward the Radiant Eclipse Pirates, whom they would soon be fighting.

“The guests have been reasonable, so what do we do now…?” Kaido’s aura flared as his powerful Haki spread across the ship.

“We fight them with everything we have,” King said confidently.

“That’s right—we fight!”

“Defeat them completely!”

The Beast Pirates roared in response, their voices filled with fighting spirit and confidence.

“How much longer until we reach Wano?” Kaido could barely contain the power raging within him.

“Three days!”

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DONT FORGET POWER STONE

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up 40+ chapters at patreon.com/Emik01.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep