The scene descended into chaos.
Kaido was crying while holding Yamato, sobbing like a four-hundred-pound baby — three hundred from him and another hundred from Yamato. Yamato was sniffling pitifully because her club had been flicked away.
Rhett stood off to the side, completely at a loss for words. Enel and Moria were looking at the sky and the ground respectively, pretending they didn't exist.
Weren't they supposed to fight fiercely for three days and three nights, then emerge victorious???
Finally, King couldn't take it anymore.
"Ahem..." He cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Lord Rhett, since you're here, why not... have a meal with us first?"
Rhett raised an eyebrow. "Oh? The Beasts Pirates are in the mood to host a banquet?"
King's expression didn't change. "Lord Kaido is genuinely happy today. Why not... go along with it? Now that you're here and Lord Kaido is like this, we don't really have any way to resist anyway."
Rhett: "..."
But this was interesting. He might as well check it out.
He looked at Kaido and Yamato, still crying, then at King's hopeful expression. Finally, he sighed. "Fine. I'm here anyway."
——And so, a very strange banquet began.
Inside the banquet hall.
King forcibly sat Kaido down in the main seat. Kaido was drunk, hugging a sake barrel, occasionally letting out a sob or two. "Rhett... I'm going to kill you one day..."
Rhett sat across from him, expressionlessly chewing on a piece of grilled meat, completely ignoring his muttering.
Yamato sat next to Kaido, her eyes still red, but she was soon distracted by the meat in Rhett's hand.
Rhett noticed her staring and deliberately waved the meat. "Want some?"
Yamato swallowed hard but stubbornly looked away. "Hmph! I don't accept charity from enemies!"
Rhett: "Oh. Never mind then." He made a move to stuff the meat into his own mouth.
Yamato: "..."
Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.
Rhett laughed and held the meat out to her. "Here, Kaido the Second."
Yamato hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist. She snatched the meat and devoured it. "Mmm... delicious!"
Kaido saw this and was so moved he had tears in his eyes. "My son... you accepted food from the enemy... I'm so proud... This is just temporary endurance on our part..."
Rhett: "..." (What a ridiculous father.)
Just then, the banquet hall doors opened. A few young people walked in. Very young.
Rhett: You're welcome. You have me to thank for this.
"I heard the 'Mist Lord' Rhett is here?" The young man at the front grinned, showing off a set of sharp teeth. "I'm Who's-Who. The leader of the Tobiroppo!"
Rhett glanced at them and realized that all of these faces were familiar — just much younger than he remembered.
Black Maria was still a teenager, dressed in a kimono, holding a pipe, and smiling at him. "We've heard so much about you, Lord Rhett~"
Sasaki was tall, a seasoned veteran, and said nothing.
Ulti and Page One were still children. One stood with her arms crossed, looking tough. The other hid timidly behind his sister.
Rhett looked at them. These two little ones were so young already. Oh, they weren't part of the Tobiroppo yet. Never mind then.
Rhett: "..." (Aside from Drake, how did these people all gather so early?)
King explained, "Lord Kaido has been recruiting new people recently. They... show some promise."
Rhett nodded. He didn't say anything. He just took another piece of meat and handed it to Page One, who had been staring at it longingly. "Here, kid."
Page One froze for a moment, then quietly said, "Thank you." Ulti immediately snatched it. "Idiot! You can't eat food from the enemy!"
Rhett: "..." (These siblings have been like this since they were kids? Old ones, young ones, weak ones — how am I supposed to fight you??)
---
The banquet continued.
Kaido finally drank himself under the table. His head hit the table, and he started snoring like thunder.
Yamato, full and content, started getting sleepy too. Her head bobbed up and down, and she eventually fell asleep on Kaido's arm.
Rhett watched this scene and found it kind of funny.
He stood up and said to King, "Alright. I've eaten your food. I've watched your show. Prepare a room for me. Tomorrow, I'm going to spar with Kaido."
---
"BOOM—!!!"
The morning peace was shattered by a loud crash. The wall of Rhett's guest room was smashed to pieces. Kaido burst in, his eyes bloodshot, his kanabo wrapped in savage Conqueror's Haki as he swung it at the bed. "Rhett!!! Get up!!! How dare you stay overnight on my Onigashima while I was unconscious!!!"
The bed was reduced to dust in an instant. However —
"Morning, Kaido." Rhett's voice came from the ceiling beam. He was sitting cross-legged on the beam, a cup of hot tea in his hand. "Sober now?"
Rhett: This is called elegance. Mastered it perfectly.
Kaido's face cycled through shades of red and white. His dragon whiskers twitched with rage. "Last night's events... forget them!!!"
Rhett took a slow sip of tea. "Forget what? That you cried hugging me? Or that your daughter called me her destined rival?"
Kaido-as-Rhett: You are my lifelong rival.
"SHUT UP!!!" Kaido's Conqueror's Haki exploded. The entire castle trembled. "I'm going to kill you today!!!"
Rhett sighed and set his teacup down gently on the beam. "Fine. I could use some exercise anyway."
The moment the words left his mouth, the blood mist filled the entire room. Kaido leaped back and swung his kanabo, dispersing the mist that came at him. "Enough of this trick!"
"CLANG!"
The Black Tide Greatsword and Hassaikai collided violently. The shockwave completely destroyed what was left of the walls. The two of them fought from the castle all the way to the edge of the cliff. Everywhere they passed, the ground cracked and mountains crumbled.
"Urororo! Now this is more like it!" Kaido laughed wildly, dragon scales covering his entire body. "Let me show you my true strength!"
Rhett struck back without any concern. "You've gone all out several times already."
Kaido's face turned red. "You deserve to die."
——Meanwhile, in another room.
Yamato was woken by the explosion. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. "What's going on..."
King grabbed her. "Quick! Lord Kaido and Rhett are fighting!"
"What?!" Yamato was instantly awake. She waved her little fists excitedly. "I want to watch!"
Queen shouted as he ran, "Watch what? Getting close to those two monsters fighting is asking to die!"
But Yamato had already broken free from King's grip and was running toward the battlefield. "Dad! Go for it! Don't think you're going to become Kaido the First before I do!"