The island where Wano Country was located resembled a round cake with a bite taken out of it. That missing piece—Onigashima—faced the mainland across a short stretch of sea.

Unlike most islands, Wano sat upon a high plateau, completely surrounded by sheer cliffs and powerful waterfalls hundreds of meters high. It wasn't just difficult to reach—it was nearly impossible. You couldn't simply sail in; you had to climb the sea itself.

After Kaido of the Beasts allied with Kurozumi Orochi and killed Kozuki Oden, the Beast Pirates took control of the nation. From that moment, Wano became Kaido's stronghold—his domain.

In the past, Onigashima was just Kaido's personal territory, but now the entire country bent to his will. Wano was no ordinary island—it was a superpower in the New World. Even the World Government dared not touch it.

Five days after departing, The King, Rhett Vane's enormous flagship, arrived at a coastline near Wano. They'd been able to reach it thanks to a permanent Log Pose. He had worked in the New World for years and knew its key locations well. And Wano—hidden, sealed, and powerful—was one of the most important.

Unlike Dressrosa, Wano wasn't under the rule of the World Government. It remained a feudal, isolationist nation, wary of outsiders. Naval ships were barred entry. Most pirates wouldn't even attempt to reach its shores. The cliffs and cascading waterfalls served as a natural defense, protecting it from the outside world.

"There it is," Vane muttered as he stood on deck, staring up at the massive cliff wall ahead.

The waterfall thundered as it crashed down from hundreds of meters above, a deafening roar even from a distance. The sheer verticality was overwhelming.

"This is why Wano's remained cut off from the world," Gion explained. "No one gets in without knowing how."

Kalifa frowned. "How are we supposed to get up there? There's no updraft like with Sky Island."

The cliff face seemed to go on forever, and the force of the waterfall alone would crush even the sturdiest ship. Even The King, which spanned over sixty meters, looked like a toy compared to it.

"Well," Vane said casually, "we could let some Sea Kings or fish pull us up."

He wasn't joking. Though he wasn't aware, the traditional method to enter Wano was by tying the ship to massive giant carp, native to the waters near Wano. These carp could swim up the cliffs and waterfalls with ease—a natural adaptation, and a closely guarded secret of the region.

"You're serious?" Gion blinked, surprised.

Kalifa nodded. "We actually bought a large bundle of rope in Dressrosa. It was meant for anchoring, but this might be better."

"I'll go down and handle it. Stay put," Vane said, already moving toward the ship's edge.

He dove cleanly into the water, causing a splash below.

"Wait," Gion said, stunned. "Isn't he a Devil Fruit user? How can he touch seawater?"

Kalifa smirked. "He's not."

Gion blinked again. "What? Then what about his abilities?"

Kalifa didn't answer. She liked keeping a little mystery around their captain.

Vane reached the ocean floor quickly, searching the nearby area. The creatures of the One Piece world were massive, and fish were no exception. The giant carp here were as big as small ships.

Vane had initially just guessed, but the moment he saw the carp, he realized it would work. He used Conqueror's Haki, unleashing a subtle but potent wave through the water. Four of the carp immediately froze in place, their massive eyes wide with fear. Perhaps they'd been used for this before—perhaps they recognized their role.

Vane surfaced and signaled Kalifa.

"Throw the rope. Tie it to the bow."

She did, tossing down the line. The carp obediently took their places at the front of the ship. Whether out of fear or familiarity, they knew what to do.

But what none of them knew was that, at that moment, their every move was being watched.

Deep within Onigashima, in a fortified monitoring room of the Beast Pirates, a group of subordinates sat glued to a massive crystal screen. Surveillance snails had picked up the image of The King.

Smoke curled from Queen the Plague's cigar as he lounged in his chair, watching with narrowed eyes.

Behind him stood King the Wildfire, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"That's him," Queen said, exhaling smoke. "Rhett Vane. Kaido sama's been keeping a close eye on him lately."

Even though the surveillance quality was poor, there was no mistaking the legendary ship. The world might not know its name, but the Beast Pirates did.

"I didn't expect him to know the carp method," King muttered. "That's a tightly kept secret."

Queen glanced over. "Should we stop him?"

They turned to Kaido himself, who sat nearby, drinking straight from a massive jug of sake. His presence alone was overwhelming—his mere silence caused tension in the room to spike.

But now, Kaido stood, crushing the flask in his hand with ease.

"So," he growled, "the brat wants to enter my territory."

He looked at the screen, then gave a dark, eager grin.

"King, stop him from coming up. Let's see if this so-called Emperor can survive the climb."

The room fell silent.

Even Queen and King exchanged glances. When Kaido got like this—when he was serious—it meant war.

Rhett Vane was now in Kaido's crosshairs, and this climb to Wano had become much more than just a journey.

It was a test.

A test between the oldest ruling Emperor and the rising new Emperor.

And Vane didn't even know it yet.

---

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