Chapter 252: Nami Captured, Zoro Critically Wounded, Straw Hat Pirates in Dire Straits!

Kaido's massive dragon body seemed to be shackled,

The next second.

A vicious crack tore open the dragon scales on his abdomen, stretching several meters long, fresh blood spraying out.

The tornado was sliced apart,

Kaido belatedly stopped his movements, his massive dragon body rapidly shrinking, transforming into the dragon-human form.

He reached out and touched the faint new wound on his chest.

His face was full of disbelief.

"You actually injured me?"

Kaido stared at the fresh blood staining his fingers, unable to come to his senses for a long time.

Since being cut by Kozuki Oden back in the day, he had never been wounded again—especially in his Azure Dragon form, which was his strongest defensive state.

"My apologies, I was careless with you lot earlier."

Kaido gripped his spiked iron club, turned his head, and looked at Zoro, whose entire body was corroded by Ghost Qi and unable to move, saying: "What a ferocious blade! Tell me your name!"

"Roronoa Zoro!"

Zoro barely turned around, staring fixedly at Kaido.

"You've got guts!"

"I'll remember you. Let me end you with the world's strongest body!"

Kaido raised his spiked iron club, and the strike wrapped in Haki slammed into Zoro.

Thunder Bagua!

Zoro barely managed to raise his blades, but was sent flying by the tremendous force, the whistling of wind in his ears, and plunged straight into the sea.

Kaido let out a wild laugh: "Don't be in such a hurry to die, brat. My name is Kaido, Governor of the Beasts Pirates!"

"See your own weakness, then submit to me. I'll be waiting for you at Ghost Island above Wano Country!"

An utterly exhausted green-haired head floated on the sea surface.

He was at his absolute limit, barely pulling out a bottle of Life Recovery Potion to keep himself alive, but didn't even have the strength to stand up again.

He could only let the waves wash him back to shore, then have shackles put on him by Kaido.

"Next, it's your turn!"

Kaido turned his head, staring intently at Nami and Sanji, their faces full of grief and rage.

Although it had nothing to do with a Zoan Fruit, Kaido was equally very interested in Nami's ability—taking her back to Ghost Island as a collectible.

Magic Acid Rain!

Lava Potion!

The earth transformed into a sea of magma-like fire, boiling with scorching lava bubbles.

The sky was covered by dark clouds, constantly raining down highly corrosive acid rain, blocking Kaido's path.

After releasing two large-scale crowd-control skills,

Nami hurriedly picked up the unconscious Luffy, stuffed him into Sanji's arms, and whispered: "From what Kaido said, he won't kill me and Zoro for now. You take Luffy and run, find a chance to rescue us!"

"But, Nami-san, you—"

Sanji was about to refuse, but seeing Nami's resolute gaze, he carried Luffy on his back. Only when Nami's figure grew farther and farther away did he furiously punch the tree trunk, growling low: "I can't even protect the woman I love—what kind of chef am I?!"

After Sanji had gone far away, Nami forced a smile onto her face and said: "Boss Kaido, I am willing to submit."

"Not bad."

Seeing Nami's obedience, Kaido nodded in satisfaction, similarly putting special shackles on her, and said: "You two, take me to find the Game Merchant!"

He hadn't forgotten his original purpose for coming to East Blue.

Zoro's face was dark, unwilling to pay Kaido any attention, but was quietly kicked by Nami.

Nami fawned with a smile: "Boss Kaido, we also don't know where the Game Merchant is. He only appears after each hunt where a Pollution Lord is killed."

"I want to become a player of the Samsara Game too. What should I do?"

Nami said very obediently: "Eat a Contract Fruit, and after completing the quest you can become a player."

Anyway, these were things everyone in East Blue knew.

Even if she didn't say it, Kaido could quickly find out. Better to say it herself, show submission, and lower the other's guard.

To seize a chance to escape.

Kaido asked: "Do you have Contract Fruit?" Nami hurriedly shook her head: "The Game Merchant keeps spreading Contract Fruit. Just like Devil Fruit, you need luck to get one."

"Then take me to a relatively large town nearby to have a look."

Kaido flipped himself onto Going Merry, sitting on the deck.

The two were dragged onto the ship by their shackles. Although unwilling, they could only silently steer the ship.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh. Soon, Kaido began to fall into a deep sleep.

The two wanted to break free from their shackles, but found it completely impossible—any slight movement would wake Kaido.

Throughout the voyage, Kaido wantonly destroyed every Pirate ship and Navy Warship he saw, capturing everyone onto Going Merry.

Among them were both players and ordinary people.

"You are all my collectibles. Fight to your heart's content, then compete for the true strong ones. Even the All-Stars positions can be changed!"

Kaido was just this kind of crazy guy. He didn't care about loyalty at all—pure survival of the fittest. As long as he was there to hold things down, there were countless ways to make newly joined Pirates become loyal.

Explosive Collars were put around Zoro and Nami's necks,

It was hard to imagine that Kaido even brought these things when going out.

He revealed a cruel smile, sitting at the highest point of the deck, looking down at the imprisoned fellows, and said: "As for the losers?"

He casually tossed out an Explosive Collar.

Boom.

The sea surface was cratered by the blast; if it had gone off directly on someone's neck, no one could have survived.

"You two are the brats I have the highest hopes for. Pair up — every round you must fight and hold off attacks from all of them!"

Kaido laughed, full of malice,

Though he was burly, he was no brainless fool — the two's plan to escape could not be hidden from him at all.

Since they refused to join Kaido's ranks, they could only accept his punishment.

This move was something he had learned from that kid Queen; he had heard Queen often played this sort of game with the slaves in the mining site, and most of the slaves, after a few rounds, would submit completely.

Let's see how many rounds those two can last.

"You've got to be kidding, Boss Kaido — how could we possibly beat that many people?"

Nami looked around and swallowed.

Among them were many Players, as well as Pirates worth tens of millions who had come from the Grand Line seeking the Contract Fruit as well.

If it were one-on-one, it would be fine,

She believed in her own and Zoro's strength, but if it was a group attack — and with the rule that they couldn't be knocked off the stage —

At that level of difficulty, they simply couldn't hold out for long.

"Win, and you become Headliners of the Beasts Pirates; lose, and…"

Kaido did not continue — the collar that had just exploded had already spelled out the result.

Elsewhere, Usopp and Luffy slowly came to inside Syrup Village; Sanji, guarding at their side, still wore an anxious expression that had not improved in the slightest.

Upon learning that Zoro and Nami had both been captured by Kaido, Luffy forced his battered body to stand and said, "I'm going to find Kaido and bring Nami and Zoro back!"

"We can't beat Kaido."

"I don't care — I'm going to defeat Kaido and rescue Nami and Zoro!"

Bam! A fist slammed hard into Luffy's cheek.

Sanji clenched his fist, brows tightly furrowed as he stared at Luffy, and said, "What the hell is going on, Luffy? Don't tell me you haven't noticed — you've become really strange!"

The old Luffy, though he looked just as silly as he did now, was actually very sharp on the inside.

Or rather, rough on the surface but careful within?

He loved adventure, yearned for freedom, had the courage and confidence to chase his dream, disliked listening to stories, disliked lecturing others, and was never swayed by outside influences.

When he ran into a large number of Navy soldiers, he would run; when he faced an enemy too strong to beat, he would back down; at the very least, he would think of a plan rather than charging in recklessly.

That was why they were willing to follow Luffy and become members of the Straw Hat Pirates.

"I — I don't know!"

Luffy, having been punched, shook his head with a blank look in his eyes.

(End of chapter)