Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

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It was precisely because Orochi was so adept at reading the situation that Doflamingo hadn't yet decided to eliminate this unstable element. Simply making him disappear might trigger panic and unrest among the people of Wano.

Instead, Doflamingo chose a different approach: using time to gradually diminish Orochi's influence over Wano and liberate the minds of its people, all while waiting for the right moment.

Kaido, however, saw an opportunity in this.

After ruling Wano for decades, Kaido knew one thing very well:

Wano is a land that values bloodlines above all else.

As long as someone possessed an "orthodox" lineage, even if it were a pig, the people of Wano would still welcome that pig as their shogun.

This is why, upon hearing that a member of the Kozuki family still lived, Kaido spared no effort in deploying his entire fleet to hunt down Momonosuke.

Once Momonosuke was in his grasp and under hypnosis, the Beast Pirates could use his legitimate Kozuki bloodline to rally the remaining samurai and the common people of Wano.

With those forces, and their newly acquired Pokémon power...

Kaido was confident that he could overthrow the Donquixote family and reclaim Wano!

---

"Lord Kaido..."

Just as Kaido was contemplating this plan, Kanjuro—who had just disembarked from the ship—rushed over to him, his face filled with curiosity as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

Kanjuro, originally a spy planted by Orochi within the Kozuki clan, had been sent to the future by Toki. His first instinct was to report Momonosuke's survival to Orochi. 

Along the way, he had encountered the Beast Pirates at sea and used the opportunity to inform Kaido of this crucial information.

What Kanjuro didn't know, however, was that Kaido had been driven out of Wano.

Nor did he know that Kaido's current plan was to use Momonosuke to eliminate Orochi and install the boy as the new shogun of Wano!

Kaido glanced sideways at the goofy-looking Kanjuro.

Suddenly, he realized he had yet to deal with this loose end.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kaido raised his massive kanabo and swung it down at Kanjuro with full force!

"Raimei Hakke!!!"

"Wh-what!? Lord Kaido, why—?!"

Kanjuro never expected the attack.

Before he could process what was happening, Kaido's blow smashed into him, sending his body crashing into the ground, blood spilling from his wounds as he fell unconscious.

Kaido turned to King, who stood beside him, and said coldly:

"Take him with you. Hypnotize him along with the Kozuki kid. His presence will serve as proof of the boy's identity to the Red Scabbards, making it easier to convince the samurai."

"Understood, Governor."

King scooped up the unconscious Kanjuro and followed Kaido as they made their way toward Big Mom's castle.

---

Inside the castle, in a large chamber...

Kaido, carrying Momonosuke, pushed open the door, but just as he was about to step forward, he froze in place.

"Linlin?! Why are you here?!"

Kaido's eyes sharpened as he saw Big Mom lounging on a massive bed, his expression quickly turning cautious.

Although the Big Mom Pirates had graciously granted them half of their territory, Kaido knew there were always strings attached. He had given concessions, but he still hoped to maintain control over Wano.

However...

Now it seemed like that control was slipping from his grasp.

Linlin was just as cunning as ever.

"Mamamamama..." Big Mom let out a sinister laugh. "What? You asked my daughter to assist with the plan, but you're surprised I want to watch?"

Kaido remained silent for a moment, his mind racing. But all he could do was sneer in response.

"It's nothing," he said, his voice cold. "I just didn't expect this to pique your interest."

"Mamamamama."

Big Mom chuckled, her eyes shifting to the boy in Kaido's grip. Her gaze suddenly darkened with twisted delight.

"I never thought I'd get to see a member of the Kozuki clan again in my lifetime..."

"But it seems the heavens couldn't bear to let my world be without the Kozuki family, and have gifted me this boy."

"Kaido, after you're done hypnotizing this brat, lend him to me for a while, won't you?"

Kaido's eyes widened, his mind racing to catch up with her words.

"W-wait, Linlin, you mean—"

Kaido stared at the nearly ten-meter-tall Big Mom in disbelief, then glanced down at the small boy in his hands.

He pointed back and forth between Big Mom and Momonosuke, stammering, "But Linlin... he's just a child!!!"

"Child?" Big Mom sneered. "So what if he's a child?"

"My Totto Land must include all races of the world, and the Kozuki clan from Wano is a bloodline I've coveted for a long time."

"I won't let this one slip through my fingers!"

As she finished speaking, Big Mom licked her lips, her grotesque tongue sweeping across her mouth, as if she were a parched traveler who had just stumbled upon an oasis.

As one of the titans of the previous era, Big Mom fully understood the terrifying power that Kozuki Oden once wielded.

It was a shame...

When she was gathering races to form her Totto Land, Kaido had beaten her to the punch by conquering Wano and driving out the Kozuki clan.

She had long thought she would never have the chance to claim a member of this bloodline.

But now that the opportunity had presented itself, she would not let it pass.

"Alright... fine..." Kaido finally relented, grumbling under his breath.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Kaido had no choice but to agree to Big Mom's request.

Though Kaido felt reluctant, he still tossed Momonosuke over to Big Mom. However, he couldn't help but offer a warning:

"Even though this boy is a descendant of Kozuki Oden, his body and constitution are nothing like Oden's. You might want to be a little careful when dealing with him."

Kaido's eyes scanned Big Mom from head to toe, and after a brief hesitation, he cautiously asked:

"One last thing... Linlin, are you sure you won't... accidentally crush him?"

"..." 

"That's not something you should be worrying about!!!"

With a dismissive wave, Big Mom handed the trembling Momonosuke over to Pudding, who was standing nearby, clearly nervous.

"Take good care of him, Pudding!" she commanded. "He will be my forty-first husband!"

"Leave it to me, Mama," Pudding replied.

She carefully placed Momonosuke onto the soft bed that had already been prepared. Though Big Mom had a habit of discarding her husbands after using them, Pudding had to ensure Momonosuke stayed alive and healthy until his purpose was fulfilled.

Thanks to a few bottles of fresh milk from giant milk cans, Momonosuke's already strong physique began to recover quickly from his injuries.

Following Kaido's instructions, Pudding then began to alter Momonosuke's memory.

Pudding, a member of the three-eyed tribe, had been lucky enough to receive a rare Pokémon from Big Mom—Jirachi, a super-type Pokémon known for its dream-controlling powers.

The adorable Jirachi, always sleepy, could manipulate the dreams of others. Its hypnotic abilities, combined with Pudding's own Memory-Memory Fruit powers, made for a powerful combination.

Together, the dream control, hypnosis, and memory manipulation could easily rewrite someone's mind and perception—unless that person's willpower was overwhelmingly strong. Otherwise, they would be forever bound to Pudding and Big Mom, a terrifying form of mental dominance.

That said, Pudding had no intention of doing anything drastic to Momonosuke while Kaido was watching.

Under his orders, she swiftly modified Momonosuke's memories.

A few hours later, Momonosuke stirred from his slumber.

"Huh? Where am I?" 

He looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling, a sense of vague familiarity washing over him as he sat up in confusion.

Kaido and King, who had been waiting patiently, exchanged glances.

Kaido stepped forward, speaking in a friendly, almost familiar tone.

"Momonosuke, you're finally awake."

"Huh?" Momonosuke turned his head, eyes widening as he saw the towering figure of Kaido.

"And you are...?"

His heart trembled, but before he could fully react, a strange sensation flooded his mind.

Momonosuke clutched his head, murmuring, "You... you're the reinforcements I asked for to liberate Wano—Lord Kaido of the Beast Pirates."

It worked!

Kaido was elated, though his face remained calm. He responded coolly:

"Looks like the shipwreck didn't scramble your memories too much."

"Momonosuke, if you've recovered, start preparing. We'll soon be leading our troops into Wano."

"When the time comes, we'll need your identity as Oden's son to rally the samurai of Wano!"

"The Donquixote family's power is not to be underestimated."

"Lead troops... into Wano? Rally the samurai?" 

Kaido's words echoed in Momonosuke's mind, his eyes growing foggier with each repetition. Then, as if a light bulb suddenly went off, he clapped his hands.

"That's right! My mother sent me twenty years into the future, and I sought your help to reclaim Wano from the tyrant Orochi!"

"It seems your memory is back," Kaido said with a grin, waving his hand. "In that case, rest up for now."

With that, Kaido turned to leave, a sly gleam in his eyes as he walked toward the door.

But just as he was about to exit...

"Wait! Something's not right!"

Hmm?! 

Kaido froze. Had something gone wrong?

He clenched his fist, prepared to knock Momonosuke unconscious and start the hypnosis all over again.

But when he turned around, what he saw was Momonosuke grinning slyly, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at him.

"Hey, Lord Kaido, I remember now... I should have a fiancée, right?"

"What?"

Kaido raised an eyebrow, suspicion flashing in his eyes as he quickly turned toward Pudding.

But Pudding merely shrugged and smiled innocently, her expression clearly saying, 'What could I do? Mother's orders are absolute.'

Seeing this, Kaido cursed inwardly. 'Damn you, Linlin, pulling this kind of trick!'

It seemed impossible to escape her meddling when it came to Wano. He realized now that he might have been better off just agreeing to her conditions from the start.

A thousand thoughts raced through Kaido's mind. Pudding's manipulation left him feeling as though he'd just crafted a perfect victory for someone else.

But with the situation as it was, there was nothing more he could do.

Outwardly, Kaido remained composed, though a slight twitch tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Momonosuke," he asked, "do you remember who your fiancée is?"

"Um... well..." Momonosuke rubbed his head, struggling to recall.

After several moments, he looked apologetically at Kaido. "I'm sorry, Lord Kaido. I think I hit my head a little too hard. I can't remember."

Just then, Pudding interjected with a smile.

"If you can't remember, there's no need to worry! Let me take Momonosuke-sama to meet his fiancée!"

With her third eye hidden behind her bangs and her expression expertly managed, Pudding looked particularly cute.

Momonosuke, completely captivated by her appearance, quickly agreed.

"Meet my fiancée? Yes, yes! Let's go!" 

Eyes gleaming with excitement, Momonosuke let out a lewd smile as he eagerly took Pudding's hand.

'Who cares what the fiancée looks like? I'll take advantage of this for now!'

And just like that, Momonosuke, still not fully recovered, hurried out of the room, led by Pudding.

Kaido and King were left behind, staring blankly at the retreating figure.

After a long silence, Kaido sighed deeply.

"King, I don't know why..."

"But at this moment, I actually feel a little sorry for him."

King nodded solemnly. "Me too, Governor."

  ...

  ...

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

In the country of Wano, within the Flower Capital.

Although Doflamingo had taken control and settled here for over two years, the overall appearance of the Flower Capital remained largely unchanged.

After all, Wano had been closed off from the outside world for so many years. There were many who dreamed of visiting the country and witnessing its splendor for themselves.

But unfortunately...

Wano's remote location, deep in the New World, made it difficult to reach.

As a result, very few people ever made it here.

This isolation meant that Doflamingo's grand plans to turn Wano into a major moneymaking venture had never truly taken off. Only a few underground kingpins, those with strong ties to him, would occasionally visit. But even then, most came just to see the man who had defeated Kaido, not to explore the country itself.

Today, however, this semi-isolated land was about to welcome another group of extraordinary visitors.

In the conference room of the Shogun's Mansion, Doflamingo suddenly spread his arms wide, his signature pink feathered coat fluttering behind him, and with his usual wicked grin, he declared:

"Welcome, everyone!!!"

"Fuh... fufufu…"

"I never would have imagined that the champion of the Pokémon League Tournament would grace my humble abode with his presence."

"This is truly an honor, Mr. Roronoa Zoro."