Hearing Cudius's tone of surprise, Sengoku nodded helplessly and said, "As unbelievable as it sounds, there's truth to it. This is precisely why we don't categorize Kaido as simply a human being. We call him the 'stro creature' because we still don't uand what's going on with his body."

  "So, is he a Devil Fruit user? Or, as the rumors suggest, is he actually a dragon?" Cudius asked.

  Sengoku shook his head this time and replied, "It's true that some animals have mistakenly ed Devil Fruits, gaining special abilities and being intelligent, but Kaido is not one of them."

  "So, what you're saying is that he's likely an Eudemons-type Devil Fruit user?" Cudius pressed.

  "Presumably," Sengoku admitted, nodding slightly.

  Cudius felt a twinge of fusion. Why is this still just a presumption? Couldn't they test it by submerging Kaido in water? But figuring there must be some kind of unusual plication, Cudius decided not to dwell oter.

  "So, to sum up, Kaido is incredibly strong, impossible to kill, and impossible to detain for long?" Cudius asked.

  "Precisely," Sengoku affirmed.

  "Seems like you Marines are just letting him run amok," Cudius said with a teasing smile.

  "We're not turning a blind eye," Sengoku said seriously. "Marine's long-term strategy with Kaido has always been to limit his power. No matter how strong his personal abilities are, no matter how unique his body may be, as long as we dismantle his forces, time will take care of the rest."

  "Brilliant," Cudius quipped sarcastically, though there yful smirk on his face.

  Sengoku gave a helpless smile before adding, "So, Yhness, do you have any ideas for how to handle him?"

  Cudius leaned back, pting the question. But even he couldn't think of an immediate solution. "I suppose all we do is wait for time to provide an answer. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow or decades from now, we'll suddenly figure out a way to kill him."

  "Exactly," Sengoku replied with a shrug. "For now, let's leave Kaido alohere's no point stressing over the unkilble."

  "Fine, let's drop it. Talking about him is giving me a headache anyway," Cudius said, waving his hand dismissively.

  Sengoku, however, seemed relut to let the topic of powerful pirates rest. "If we're not talking about Kaido, Yhness, perhaps we could discuss Charlotte Linlin. If you're ied, there's a possibility we could act against her."

  Cudius raised an eyebrow, a sly grin f on his face. "I k. You're itg to make a move, aren't you? After all, it's a new era for you as Fleet Admiral. You o build a legacy."

  Sengoku chuckled. "It's not about making a move for the sake of it. It's more about taking advantage of the opportunities avaible. With Marine's current strength, I feel we might have the leverage to act boldly."

  "I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. Marine has always had a reputation for pying it safe," Cudius remarked, though his tone carried a note of approval.

  "If not for the Calm Belt development pn and the 250 billion Berry reserve we've secured, I wouldn't even sider it," Sengoku admitted.

  "So, I've been the one boosting your fidence, huh?" Cudius said with a ugh.

  "You could say that. Having deeper pockets gives you the ce to act decisively," Sengoku replied without hesitation.

  Cudius went quiet for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sidered the implications. "So... Marine really is thinking about targeting the Big Mom Pirates?"

  Sengoku hesitated briefly before answering, "It's just a preliminary idea. No decisions have been made yet. But if CP-X were willing to colborate..."

  "If it's feasible, we'll cooperate," Cudius said, his grin growing wider.

  For weeks, Cudius had been feeliless. The foundation he had worked so hard to build—money, influence, and a well-oiled anization was firmly in pce. But something was missing. Something vital.

  "The sea has bee too quiet for me. Step by step, I've achieved my goals. On paper, it all sounds great. But when was the st time I felt that thrill? When did I stop being... myself?" Cudius thought to himself, his grin fading momentarily.

  But then something clicked. Sengoku's proposal stirred something inside him. The thought of a, chaos, and shaking the sea once again.

  "This is what I've been missing," Cudius murmured internally. "The sea needs some waves, and I'm just the oo stir them up."

  Sengoku noticed the subtle shift in Cudius's demeanor. Though he couldn't quite pinpoint what had ged, his instincts told him that Cudius's mi had shifted.

  Before Sengoku could say anything, Cudius suddenly leaned forward, his tone brimming with energy. "Sengoku, you have my full support. If you want to take a against the Big Mom Pirates, CP-X will back you all the way. This sea has been pgued by scum like Charlotte Linlin for too long."

  Sengoku was briefly taken aback by Cudius's suddehusiasm but quickly posed himself. "Yhness, I don't mean to rush things. As I said, this is just an idea for now. It's not set in stone."

  Cudius waved him off. "e on now, Sengoku. Don't be so reserved. Tell me arked this idea of yours. What's ged?"

  Sengoku hesitated for a moment, then said, "Well, the idea is partly tied to your man Tesoro."

  "Tesoro? What's he got to do with this?" Cudius asked, his curiosity piqued.

  "Didn't he tell you about the Big Mom Pirates' tea party invitation?" Sengoku asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "No," Cudius replied, genuinely surprised. "He mentioned heading to the New World for business, but he didn't say anything about a tea party."

  "Well, that expins it," Sengoku said thoughtfully. "Tesoro has only been active at sea for about half a year, hasn't he? It's possible he doesn't fully grasp what a tea party invitation from Charlotte Linliails."

  Cudius's eyes narrowed as the pieces began to fall into pce. "So that's it. Tesoro probably thinks it's just a routine business event. He has no idea what he's walking into."

  "That seems likely. Tesoro's rise has been nothing short of remarkable, especially in the dark world. He's demonstrated exceptional business a and built strong es with figures like Crocodile and Dofmingo. Naturally, someone like Charlotte Linlin would take notice," Sengoku expined.

  "And now she wants to recruit him," Cudius cluded.

  "Exactly. Given hoidly the so-called 'Totto nd' is expanding, Charlotte Linlin would undoubtedly see someone like Tesoro as a valuable asset," Sengoku said.

  ***

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