The warship sailing towards Punk Hazard.
A sudden jolt.
Sakazuki pushed open the cabin door and stepped out.
He looked at Carol, who was supervising training outside:
"He's awake again, that guy."
Carol said helplessly:
"It seems so. He really has a lot of energy."
"As expected of an ability user of the Mythical Zoan type."
"His recovery ability is exceptionally strong."
Sakazuki said:
"Then let him sleep a bit longer."
With that, he walked towards the prison at the bottom of the ship.
Inside the prison.
Kaido was bound by Sea Prism Stone chains.
Layer upon layer of chains.
Enveloping him like a colossal iron ball.
Several arm-thick chains connected to Kaido.
Their ends locked onto the surrounding walls, connecting to the ship's hull.
Kaido thrashed wildly on the ground.
His immense strength made the ship sway.
Suddenly, the sound of a door opening.
Kaido saw Sakazuki push the door open, a flicker of darkness in his eyes.
Hatred erupted along with Conqueror's Haki.
Sakazuki remained unfazed.
He slowly walked in front of Kaido and chuckled softly.
He took out a piece of paper:
"Kaido."
"Hailing from the kingdom of Wano, on the Grand Line."
"At just 10 years old, you became the kingdom's strongest warrior."
"Sixteen years ago."
"To become a member of the World Government."
"To gain the right to participate in discussions."
"The kingdom of Wano betrayed you to the government, for experiments."
Kaido's eyes turned blood red, losing all reason.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
"Shut up!!!!!"
His body twisted violently.
The warship shook intensely with his struggles.
This was the deepest wound in his heart.
Betrayed by his nation, used as rare material for experiments.
He thought he had forgotten all of it.
Yet now, it was brutally exposed.
No matter what, Kaido could not remain calm.
Seeing this, Sakazuki put down the documents in his hand.
What happened next was well-known on the seas.
He rose to prominence after joining the Rocks Pirates.
Sakazuki's lips curled slightly:
"How pitiful."
"You gave everything for your country."
"Only to be treated as material."
"And sold to the World Government."
"Truly... laughable."
Kaido's veins bulged across his entire body:
"Ahhhhhhh!!!!"
Conqueror's Haki erupted outwards.
The soldiers on the warship reeled.
The shockwave blew everything around them.
Sakazuki stood his ground.
His Justice cloak billowed behind him.
He quietly watched Kaido unleash his fury.
After a long bout of rage,
Kaido, panting heavily,
stared at Sakazuki with bloodshot eyes.
His hoarse voice echoed:
"You revealed this information."
"What do you want to express?"
"Pity? Sympathy?"
"Heh..."
Sakazuki glanced at Kaido:
"Not at all."
"I simply came to mock you."
"And to tell you something."
"You, as a pirate,"
"are about to fulfill what you couldn't before."
"That is,"
"to be used as material."
"To contribute to this Navy."
"With your body."
Upon hearing this, Kaido's killing intent and Conqueror's Haki exploded.
"Sakazuki!!!!!!!"
Seeing Kaido lunge at him,
Sakazuki condensed an Armament Haki-infused club in his right hand.
Boom!!!!!
A deafening sound, and immense force swept through the club as it slammed into Kaido's head.
Kaido, driven by hatred, did not faint.
His bloodied head stubbornly lifted.
Blood dripped into his eyes.
The world before him turned red.
In Kaido's blood-red vision,
Sakazuki, clad in red, slowly squatted down.
He smiled faintly.
Demonic whispers brushed against his ear:
"Sleep well now."
"Experimental material."
Boom!!!
Struck heavily once more, Kaido completely lost consciousness.
Sakazuki, who had been kneeling before Kaido, stood up.
He withdrew his Devil Fruit ability.
The magma club melted back into flesh and blood.
He walked out of the cabin.
Carol looked at him as if he were a demon:
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, your depravity."
"This subordinate is ashamed to be inferior."
Sakazuki scoffed:
"Hatred breeds motivation."
"Sometimes,"
"people with a known background are easier to control."
Saying this,
Sakazuki gazed out at the sea ahead.
Lost in thought.
-----------------
Half a day later.
Punk Hazard.
Vegapunk, having received the notification, waited at the port early.
He was accompanied by a group of elite CP agents with considerable presence.
Even if attacked by pirates,
these elite CP members could swiftly evacuate the island's scientists.
Vegapunk's eyes suddenly lit up. They've arrived!
As the warship slowly sailed into the port,
Sakazuki on board and Vegapunk on the ground exchanged knowing smiles.
Sakazuki spoke:
"Long time no see, Mr. Vegapunk."
Vegapunk also smiled:
"Indeed, Vice Admiral Sakazuki."
Sakazuki, carrying the chains binding Kaido,
leapt directly off the warship.
Boom!
The heavy chains binding Kaido, along with Kaido himself,
crashed into the ground, creating a large crater.
He dragged the still unconscious Kaido towards Vegapunk.
Seeing Vegapunk's excited expression,
Sakazuki smiled:
"Do you require assistance? Ordinary people cannot control him."
Vegapunk said excitedly:
"That would be most troublesome for you, Mr. Sakazuki."
Sakazuki waved his hand:
"It's nothing."
"Let's go to the laboratory first."
"With his recovery abilities, he'll wake up in about half a day."
Vegapunk nodded:
"Alright!"
He then instructed the CP members beside him to take over the chains from Sakazuki.
And led Sakazuki towards the research facility.
-----------
Punk Hazard, research facility.
Vegapunk gazed at the data on the scientific equipment.
A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes:
"Truly astonishing, the vitality of these cells."
"As expected of a mysterious race on the sea."
"They indeed possess extraordinary qualities."
"If we can delve deeper,"
"it will be..."
Boom!
A burst of Conqueror's Haki from the next room.
It made Vegapunk dizzy.
The alarms of the entire research facility blared.
Sakazuki outside understood. He's awake...
He then unleashed a wave of Conqueror's Haki, suppressing it.
His figure flickered and disappeared.
----------
The unconscious Kaido slowly opened his eyes.
The white ceiling and glaring lights.
Reminded him of unpleasant memories.
Recalling Sakazuki's words before he lost consciousness.
His eyes snapped wide open.
Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, and he tried to struggle to his feet.
Beeeep— Beeeep— Beeeep—
An alarm sounded, and a torrent of Conqueror's Haki pressed down on Kaido.
Sakazuki's indifferent voice echoed:
"Behave yourself. A material should act like a material."