Kai remained on Sabaody Archipelago for several days after meeting Rayleigh, using the time wisely. He trained relentlessly among the mangrove roots, refining his Haki control and strengthening his body until even the thick air of the island felt light to him.
He also made frequent visits to Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, partly for information and partly because Shakky's juice was genuinely excellent. Rayleigh occasionally observed him in silence, offering no instruction, only measuring the boy's growth with quiet interest.
Three days later, the ship Shakky mentioned prepared to depart for the New World. Pirates and merchants boarded noisily, unaware that a six-year-old monster stood quietly among them.
Kai boarded without drawing attention. To them, he was just a child wandering too close to danger.
Once the ship sailed and the coastline of Sabaody faded behind them, Kai slipped into a quiet corner and activated his Devil Fruit. His body shrank rapidly until he was no larger than an ant. Golden wings formed silently on his back as he flew through cracks in wood and between cargo crates.
Hidden from sight, he listened.
He gathered information about routes, pirate territories, and rumors of shifting Yonko influence. He memorized faces, alliances, and weaknesses. For several days he remained unseen, observing like a ghost drifting through the hull.
When the ship finally reached Dressrosa, Kai slipped away unnoticed. He returned to full size once far from shore and stretched his arms toward the horizon.
"New World…" he muttered softly. "Let's see how dangerous you really are."
---
He flew toward open waters in search of pirates to "borrow" a ship from, but the New World was nothing like the Grand Line. The presence in the air alone felt heavier.
Soon enough, he spotted a pirate vessel flying a jagged black flag. Without hesitation, Kai drew his sword, Akatsuki.
He did not speak. He attacked.
The battle was fierce. The pirates of the New World were far stronger than those he had encountered before. Their Haki was crude but effective, their experience visible in every strike.
Kai's golden flames flared brightly as he darted across the deck, shrinking and expanding mid-combat to confuse his enemies. His blade sang through the air, cutting steel and flesh alike.
Hours later, the battle ended. Kai stood alone on the deck, breathing heavily. His clothes were torn, his arms trembling slightly from exhaustion.
"Even the weakest pirates here…" he muttered between breaths, "take everything I have."
He sent the defeated pirates' bodies into the sea and turned the ship toward Wano using the Eternal Log Pose Shakky had provided. The needle pointed forward with unwavering certainty.
---
The journey was brutal. Storms in the New World arrived without warning, twisting the ocean into violent spirals. Kai monitored the weather constantly, adjusting sails and course with meticulous care.
Unlike the Grand Line, he couldn't simply overpower every obstacle. Here, arrogance meant death.
He trained constantly aboard the ship. His swordsmanship sharpened daily, and he had already stepped into the realm known as the Breath of All Things—the domain of true swordmasters.
If anyone knew, they would call him a monster. A six-year-old Swordmaster was unheard of.
Kai believed none in history had reached such heights so young. This was the advantage of his existence—his inherited potential, his relentless training, and the mysterious "Take Over" gift that allowed his physique to grow rapidly toward the limits once reached by legends like Roger.
"Talent plus opportunity," Kai murmured. "That's all it takes."
Yet even he was forced to abandon several ships during the journey. Some pirate crews were simply too strong for him to defeat head-on. In those cases, he shrank to ant-size, hid among their cargo, rested, then departed silently when the opportunity came.
Two grueling months passed before the towering waterfalls of Wano Country came into view.
Kai abandoned his final borrowed ship, taking the gold with him before shrinking and flying toward the isolated nation.
---
He entered Wano silently, observing its people and culture with careful interest. After landing, he needed proper clothing to blend in.
Shrinking once more, he slipped into a tailor's shop, selected appropriate garments, and placed gold equal to their worth on the counter.
"I don't steal," he whispered softly. "I compensate."
Once dressed in traditional attire, Kai traveled toward the Flower Capital. He ate local food, listened to rumors, and watched carefully as history unfolded before him.
Then he saw it.
Kozuki Oden dancing foolishly in the streets.
Kai could not stop the disappointment that crept into his chest. He had known this moment would come, yet he had hoped reality would differ from legend.
"I thought…" he murmured, watching Oden smile shamelessly, "you would at least investigate in secret."
He followed Oden and his retainers in ant form for days, keeping distance to avoid detection. He expected hidden meetings, secret rescue plans, quiet preparations.
Instead, Oden genuinely trusted Orochi's promise.
When other samurai attempted to search for the hostages, Oden stopped them.
"We cannot break the agreement!" Oden declared firmly one afternoon. "If we act, innocent lives will be lost!"
Kai watched silently from a rooftop beam. His respect began to erode.
"You're strong," Kai whispered, "but strength without judgment is a curse."
---
After witnessing enough, Kai withdrew to a small, unvisited mountain outside the capital. There, using his abilities and careful excavation, he created a hidden underground dwelling.
From the outside, it appeared untouched. Inside, it was a growing network of tunnels and chambers. For now, it was simple—a cave. Over time, it would become something greater.
He began training intensively.
During the day, he traveled across Wano, studying terrain, observing weapon factories, and learning the flow of the land. At night, wearing an oni mask and altering his size to resemble a man in his twenties, he dueled wandering samurai.
"Who are you?!" one samurai demanded during a moonlit clash.
"Just a traveler," Kai replied calmly, parrying with effortless precision.
Blades rang through the night repeatedly. Kai grew stronger with every duel.
When unseen, he occasionally used purification flames in rivers polluted by weapon factory waste, cleansing small sections quietly. No one noticed.
Months turned into a rhythm of growth.
His Armament Haki evolved into infusion, allowing him to coat his blade with greater force. His Conqueror's Haki matured as well—no longer wild, now controlled, capable of intimidation without chaos.
Two years passed.
---
Eventually, Oden realized he had been deceived. Yet instead of rallying every samurai in Wano, he chose to attack Kaido with only his retainers.
Kai observed from a distant cliff as Oden confronted Kaido.
"You finally came!" Kaido roared, shifting into dragon form.
Oden's voice rang proudly. "I will open Wano's borders!"
The battle was monumental. Oden's strength was undeniable. His blades cut deep into Kaido, leaving scars that would last a lifetime.
For a moment, Kai almost smiled.
But then it happened.
Kurozumi Higurashi, using the powers of the Clone-Clone Fruit, transformed into Momonosuke and distracted Oden.
That single hesitation sealed everything.
Kaido struck decisively.
The battlefield fell silent.
Later, Oden and his retainers were imprisoned, awaiting execution. Kai watched from afar, emotionless.
"He could have ended this sooner," Kai said quietly to himself. "A king must think beyond pride."
When Kozuki Toki visited Oden in prison and left with the children and his two swords, Kai's gaze hardened.
Wano's tragedy had begun.
And Kai would not let himself repeat the same mistakes of blind trust and misplaced honor.