Vlad watched the man's retreating figure with a broad smile, finding him a genuinely intriguing character, unlike anyone else he had met in this country. Although a samurai by status, he lacked the obstinacy and narrow-minded pride often associated with samurai.
Despite his usually stern expression, Vlad could see a flame burning within him—a desire for a life unlike his present, entirely of fervour. This man had not fully realised it, but Vlad could tell he was yearning for something different.
This piqued Vlad's interest, and he hoped the man would join his crew, especially since this swordsman had already mastered all that Kozuki Oden could teach. Vlad had specifically asked Oden about Sakata, who was already as proficient in swordsmanship as his teacher. However, he had not yet been granted the title of master.
Vlad's crew needed a swordsman. While not a necessary position, it seemed lacking compared to other pirate crews that boasted sworders; with one, the Fire Dragon Pirates felt somewhat more prestigious.
Now that Vlad had found a suitable candidate, he would take advantage of the opportunity to bolster his crew's strength. He would face numerous enemies in the future, and he could never be too cautious.
"Ah, what a pity, rejected again!" Vlad scratched his head in frustration.
"It seems it's not yet time," Kozuki Oden said with a laugh. "That young man Sakata isn't quite ready to set out to sea yet."
"Eh? You don't mind?" Vlad asked. "You don't mind that I want to take away your most accomplished disciple?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha, Mr. Vlad, don't joke," Kozuki Oden laughed heartily. "The reason is quite simple, isn't it? What reason would there be to stop a man ready to take to the sea?"
"Wow!" Vlad grinned.
"But unfortunately," Oden sighed, "that young man isn't quite prepared yet. It won't be easy to convince him to set out to sea now."
"Alright, Mr. Vlad, our break is over; let's continue our lesson," Oden said with a smile reminiscent of a bespectacled class teacher from Vlad's high school days.
"Bring it on!" Vlad responded.
…
Meanwhile, far from Wano on the open sea, a large fleet was speeding across the water.
"Really, can't this go any faster?" a tall man aboard the central ship complained irritably. "At this rate, when will we ever reach Wano?"
"This, this…" A relatively thinner but still robust man nervously laughed behind him. "Lord King, this is already the fastest our ships can go. Apart from the navy's new warships, our speed is unmatched by any other."
"But, but…" King, the man known, turned his head abruptly, his eyes red with rage. "At this speed, by the time we reach Wano, the battle will already be over!"
"The boss will have finished all the fighting by himself, so what use are we?"
"Uh…" The subordinate looked awkward. "Lord King, isn't it always like this?"
"What?" King frowned.
"The subordinate hesitantly replied, "Lord Kaido always prefers to fight alone. Whenever Kaido joins a battle, aren't we always there to clean up after?"
"Bang!" King clenched his fist and swung a massive punch, knocking the subordinate off his feet and into the sea.
"Damn it, I know that! That's why I wanted to get there faster! I'm here to fight, not to clean up after battles!"
King turned abruptly, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he roared, "Lord Kaido!!!"
"This time, at least leave some enemies for us!!!"
As the fleet, marked by a flag bearing a skull with large horns and crossed bones—a symbol known across the New World as belonging to one of the Four Emperors, Kaido of the Beasts—continued its voyage, the resolve among its crew was as fierce as ever. The Beast Pirates, the true world powerhouses, were speeding their way toward conflict.