Chapter 313: Kaido Invades the Red Blossom Empire

Because Karl has been causing waves throughout the New World, he’s changed the course of history in a big way.

As a result, Kaido was never captured by the World Government.

Now he’s leading his Beasts Pirates deeper into the first half of the New World, pushing further in.

Barreling straight ahead, Kaido didn’t hesitate to crash through the boundary between Karl and Whitebeard’s territories, heading right for the Red Blossom Empire.

“Wororororo!”

“Boys, who are we?”

Kaido stood in the center of the deck, his kanabo slung over his shoulder, his long legs braced wide as he roared.

Below him, hundreds of pirates garbed in animal pelts, horns on their hats and weapons in hand, snapped to attention.

“We are the Beasts Pirates!”

“That’s right, we are the Beasts Pirates—the future kings of the seas!”

“Up ahead is the Red Blossom Empire. Grab whatever you can!”

“Awooo!”

“Charge!”

“Treasure, berries, gold—here I come!”

With his kanabo resting on his shoulder, Kaido took the lead as thousands of pirates sailed toward the Red Blossom Empire.

As luck would have it, Oven was currently visiting the Red Blossom Empire as a guest.

Every so often, one of the brothers would take a ship to patrol the borders.

They made the rounds to keep petty troublemakers from stirring up problems for their allied forces.

Bang!

Oven and Carven Hendy were deep in conversation inside one of the royal palace’s side halls when a sudden crash of the doors broke their focus.

“What happened?”

The guard who burst in looked terrified and pointed outside. “Pirates! We’re under attack!”

“What? How could there be pirates here?”

“Could it be the Whitebeard Pirates?”

The news left them stunned. Since the Red Blossom Empire had allied itself with Karl’s Pirate Crew, no pirates had dared set foot here.

Regular pirates knew this place was under Karl’s protection and wouldn’t dream of causing trouble.

But if it was the Whitebeard Pirates, things could get serious.

Oven stood up at once. “Sorry, Carven Hendy.”

“Looks like we’ll have to cut our talk short.”

“No problem. I’m actually curious—what kind of pirate would dare invade the Red Blossom Empire?”

Carven Hendy had become the Red Blossom Empire’s king by now.

This meeting had been about discussing the empire’s specialties, but it got interrupted by this sudden turn.

“It might just be some small-time crew that doesn’t fear the Karl Family yet. Let me go take care of it.”

“I’ll leave it to you then.”

Oven cupped his hands in a polite gesture, then left the main hall with his attendants in tow.

Boom!

“Run for your lives!”

“We’re being invaded!”

Oven hadn’t even reached the harbor when he saw crowds of civilians fleeing toward the island’s interior.

“Move faster!”

“Judging by the panic, these pirates aren’t weak—otherwise, they wouldn’t have broken through the empire’s guards so easily.”

The Red Blossom Empire’s guards were all elite soldiers. Ordinary pirates couldn’t even set foot on the coastline.

Pushing the pace, Oven and his men soon caught sight of Kaido making a scene at the harbor.

With a swing of his kanabo, Kaido sent several, sometimes dozens, of soldiers flying through the air.

“Wororororo!”

“Is the Red Blossom Empire really this weak?”

Oven’s expression changed. He immediately ordered his men, “Call Cake Island and report that Kaido is attacking the Red Blossom Empire!”

The subordinate in the back wasted no time pulling out a Den Den Mushi and dialing up the communications center on Cake Island.

Only then did Oven turn his attention fully to Kaido. He knew who Kaido was.

Even though Kaido had only been an apprentice on the Rocks Pirates, that crew back then was far stronger than today’s Karl’s Pirate Crew.

Even as just an apprentice, and with all the years of growth since, Oven wasn’t sure if he could win against him.

Seeing the flames of battle already spreading from the harbor into the nearby town, Oven gritted his teeth. “We can’t let him keep destroying things. With me!”

Flames erupted along his skin.

Fire on his back surged into a barrel shape, like a massive booster, hurling Oven straight toward Kaido.

Kaido sensed the powerful presence shooting out from the town, brandished his kanabo and braced for battle.

“That’s more like it!”

Clang!

Eschewing any fancy tricks, Oven punched straight out, his fist meeting Kaido’s kanabo head-on.

Intense heat flared from Oven’s right hand as the corners of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

He sent powerful flames spiraling up along the kanabo.

The deadly heat made Kaido pull his weapon back on instinct.

He swung the kanabo hard, shaking the fire off onto the ground, where the flames fizzled without burning.

“Tch, who are you supposed to be?”

You couldn’t blame Kaido—after the Rocks Pirates disbanded, he’d wandered the Four Seas recruiting new crew for years.

Only recently had he started carving his way into the New World again.

Kaido was a brute by nature; even when carrier pigeons brought news to his ship, he ate several of them.

No wonder most carrier pigeons avoided him now—so Kaido only caught bits and pieces of what’s happening in the New World.

Still, he knew for a fact there wasn’t supposed to be anyone like this in the Red Blossom Empire.

“You don’t even know who I am, or who protects this land, and you still dare attack me? You must be crazy.”

Standing tall, his whole body blazing, Oven said, “Since you asked, I’ll graciously tell you—I’m Rooks D. Oven.”

With that, he planted his feet and launched forward like an arrow shot from a drawn bow.

Hearing the name Rooks, Kaido thought it sounded familiar, but seeing the attack rushing in, he clutched his kanabo tight.

“Doesn’t matter who you are. Let’s fight first!”

Their battle raged through the town, the two clashing back and forth as a quarter of the place was obliterated in moments.

Luckily, the townspeople had already escaped inland, so there weren’t mass casualties. Meanwhile, their crews had also started fighting each other throughout the area.

Back on Cake Island, word quickly reached them—Kaido was invading the Red Blossom Empire.

Charlotte Linlin set out at once, bringing Perospero and Katakuri along as they sailed straight for the Red Blossom Empire.

“Mamamamama!”

“That Kaido, disappearing all these years…”

“Now he shows up out of nowhere and sets his sights on my territory? Who gave him the guts?”

“Mama, if Kaido really knew we were protecting the Red Blossom Empire, I doubt he’d have the nerve to attack.”

“Feels to me like someone’s using him as a pawn.”

Perospero’s analysis was spot on—after all, Linlin’s attitude toward Kaido back then made it clear.

Kaido had no reason to attack Charlotte Linlin’s turf.

Plus, Kaido just arrived in the New World. Out of all the islands, why pick the Red Blossom Empire?

It’s hard not to be suspicious.

Could the Whitebeard Pirates be behind this?

Tensions between them and the Whitebeard Pirates have been rising lately.

Though they still don’t know what changed, something has made the Whitebeard Pirates behave out of character.

“Mamamamama!”

“Doesn’t matter. We’ll get answers straight from Kaido.”

“Honestly, I’d almost prefer Whitebeard put him up to this—then Karl would have nothing to say about it.”

Karl and Whitebeard have a deep bond.

Unless things get out of hand, Charlotte Linlin usually cuts the Whitebeard Pirates some slack.

But if it turns out the Whitebeard Pirates really did this, then even if war breaks out, Karl can’t complain.