Chapter 152: Kaido, You’ve Been Recruited
Kaido usually disdained verbally retorting to insults; he’d simply send his detractors to their graves with his fists. But Alucard was different. At the very least, Kaido knew he couldn’t deal with him right now.
After picking up another wine barrel from the ruined bar, Kaido glanced at Alucard. Seeing no sign of him pulling a gun, he finally brought the alcohol to his throat.
Alucard also observed Kaido at this moment; he was soaked from head to toe, indicating he had likely swum here. There was faint blood on the hand holding the wine barrel.
However, in the first half of the Grand Line, there truly weren’t any pirates capable of making Kaido bleed. Only certain other monstrous individuals from Marine Headquarters could achieve that.
But the wound had indeed appeared from that tiny crack. Alucard could confirm it. And Kaido had swum here, meaning the blood hadn’t been washed away by the water, and the wound hadn’t fully healed. This suggested the battle had just concluded.
"Kaido..." Alucard guessed, "When you arrived, did you by any chance sink a warship?"
He recalled the warship he had ridden, led by Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Sid. If it was a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, they might indeed be able to inflict minor injuries on Kaido, who hadn’t yet reached his future peak.
Kaido noticed Alucard’s gaze, glanced at the knife-like wound on the back of his hand, and grunted, "That Marine had some skill, but I still sent him to the bottom of the sea."
Although the wound on Kaido’s hand looked like it was made by a fruit knife, leaving such a mark on Kaido was certainly not something a fruit knife could do. At the very least, it would require a swordsman of "Sword Master" level or higher. Among Vice Admirals, he must have been exceptionally talented. Unfortunately, that Vice Admiral Sid was still slaughtered by Kaido.
"As expected, a mad dog that bites everyone it sees..."
Just as Alucard was murmuring to himself, footsteps even heavier than Kaido’s earlier approach thudded. With each step, the tables and chairs next to Alucard violently shook. After a few more steps, they completely toppled over.
Kaido, who was still chugging wine, also looked in the direction of the vibrations. At this point, the surrounding pirates began to discuss:
"Atlas... it’s Walrus Atlas who’s back!"
"He’s going to be so angry seeing his territory smashed!"
"Should we run?"
"I want to stay and see what happens."
Alucard, having walked out of the now dilapidated tavern, looked to his right. Hearing the name "Atlas," he immediately remembered the information he’d gathered on the warship: Walrus Atlas, Captain of the Titan Pirates, a giant.
Gazing into the distance, under the moonlight, there was indeed a man over forty meters tall, more than twice Kaido’s height, wearing a flat-top helmet, walking toward them. At his feet were various subordinates, all sharing the common trait of being exceptionally tall, the shortest being over three meters.
Atlas also had a habit of recruiting tall subordinates, but giants were already a minority, and most high-combat-power giants were recruited by the Marines. So, he began recruiting non-giants who were still taller than average people.
"Who! Who’s causing trouble on my turf?!" Atlas roared, though he lacked Kaido’s oppressive aura. Only his terrifying height provided some intimidation.
"Captain Atlas, it’s... it’s him." A minion of the Titan Pirates pointed at Kaido. When Atlas saw Kaido’s massive body, a strange light flashed in his eyes. This physique, even within his own pirate crew, would be second only to his own.
He then glanced at the tavern, which was utterly ruined. Atlas extended a hand to Kaido and said, "Hey! Kid, you look strong. How about it? Join my crew? If you do, I’ll overlook you smashing my tavern!"
Kaido didn’t react for a moment. Was he... being recruited?
"Heh heh... Hahahaha!!" Suddenly, Kaido heard Alucard’s rampant laughter from his right. He turned to see Alucard throwing his head back, laughing uncontrollably.
Noticing Kaido’s gaze, Alucard’s crimson eyes shifted slightly to the left, and he chuckled sinisterly, "Did you hear that, Kaido? You’ve been honorably recruited! What are you waiting for? Join him quickly!"
Kaido’s face contorted. He was direct in battle, but not entirely idiotic; he could tell Alucard was mocking him.
At this moment, Atlas looked at Alucard, who had interrupted, and said displeasedly, "What are you talking about, you shorty? Hey, you there, next to him, want to join my crew? If you do, I’ll let your actions slide."
As if to "repay" Alucard, Kaido’s deep voice carried a hint of mockery, "He’s calling you a shorty."
Instantly, the atmosphere between two of the Three Monsters became tense. If pirates from the New World saw this, they would undoubtedly wet their pants, as it signaled the start of a major battle. But the rookie Atlas and his crew, oblivious to the danger, had already begun to clamor.
"Hey, hey! Our Captain’s talking to you!"
"Do you know what an honor it is to be recruited by the Captain!"
"Atlas has a bounty of over 60 million Berries!"
Hearing a swarm of small flies buzzing in his ears, Kaido slammed his fist forward. "Too loud!!"
The sudden burst of power created a pressure wave in the air. Before his fist even connected, it had already pulverized the bodies of some of the weaker thugs.
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