In the end, King couldn't defy Kaido's will and tossed a jar of fine liquor to him.
Kaido broke the clay seal, sat cross-legged on the ground, and gulped down the liquor in large mouthfuls, heedless of the wine spilling onto his chest.
After finishing the entire jar, he exhaled a breath of liquor.
"I never expected that a mere apprentice kid from the Roger Pirates back then has grown so strong now. It's only been a few years, and he's already reached this level. Although I could withstand his attacks and kill him, he never gives me that chance. Moreover, that kid is cunning. He's not a fool like Oden. He embodies all the traits of a pirate—bold, generous, deceitful, and ruthless—just like Roger, making him a troublesome opponent."
It was rare for Kaido to speak so highly of an enemy.
In his view, although Shanks was young, his strength already placed him among the top-tier powerhouses of the New World.
With his talent and the special ability to conceal Observation Haki, Kaido was certain that Shanks would secure a place for himself in the future New World.
"It's truly infuriating that a brat has caught up to us old-timers in such a short time. King, if you ever encounter this red-haired man, do not try to face him alone. I cannot afford to lose a brother like you."
Though heavily intoxicated, Kaido still cared deeply for King's safety. King's face showed profound emotion.
"Kaido-san, I—"
Kaido then revealed a twisted grin. "But what does this have to do with us? Our Beasts Pirates' territory is easy to defend and hard to attack. Even Charlotte Linlin has repeatedly tried to target us without success. A single Red-Haired Pirates crew is not enough to tie our hands. Let them stir up as much trouble as they want in the New World. The more chaotic it gets, the faster our weapons will sell. Let the headaches fall to Charlotte Linlin. After all, her territory is the largest in the New World."
...
In the Drum Kingdom of the Grand Line, deep in the night, a burly and mysterious figure suddenly appeared within the royal palace.
His face was covered by a metal mask resembling a demonic visage, like that of an asura.
He seeped silently through the walls, avoiding all guards, as well as the Drum Kingdom's king, Wapol, who lay snoring loudly in bed.
He carefully observed the round-faced, big-eared Wapol. After confirming the target, he took out a glass vial.
Gently opening the vial, he dripped a single drop of a mysterious liquid into Wapol's mouth.
In his sleep, Wapol seemed to sense something and smacked his lips.
However, since the liquid Bullett used was colorless, odorless, and administered in a small dose, it did not wake Wapol.
Nevertheless, Wapol's body soon began to change. Originally sleeping comfortably, Wapol suddenly struggled to breathe as if drowning, appearing to suffocate. The perilous situation forced him to muster all his strength to open his eyes.
Everything was pitch black.
In his dazed state, he saw a tall figure standing beside his bed.
Wapol was terrified. He wanted to scream for the guards, but his throat produced no sound.
He tried to shake the woman sleeping beside him awake, but he couldn't even move a single finger.
Bullett said nothing.
The new poison developed by Dr. Vegapunk contained an anesthetic component.
A single drop of this anesthetic could knock out an elephant.
In fact, if not for Wapol's abnormal constitution due to frequently eating random things, he might never have awakened from his sleep.
But now, it made no difference—it only allowed him to witness his own death firsthand.
Bullett retrieved the Devil Fruit collector given to him by Vegapunk.
Incorporating Raleigh's insights and numerous experiments, Vegapunk had combined a fruit with a syringe.
By inserting the Devil Fruit collector into the target's body before death, the Devil Fruit within them would be captured upon their demise.
Without a word, Bullett raised his hand and plunged the collector into Wapol's body, then stood quietly watching.
Wapol wanted to struggle, to scream, but it was futile. He could only feel his life force draining away, bit by bit.
Until his final moment, Wapol's greatest regret was not having brought the pair of sisters he had taken a fancy to the day before into his bed.
The instant Wapol breathed his last, Bullett sensed a peculiar energy emerging from within Wapol's body.
Just as it was about to slip away, the Devil Fruit collector suddenly generated a powerful attraction.
Using Wapol's blood as a medium, it began frantically drawing this energy into the collector.
A few minutes later, Bullett nodded as he looked at the fruit inside the collector, which had now transformed into a Devil Fruit.
After confirming the collection was complete, Bullett gently withdrew the needle.
The top-tier healing fluid attached to the needle remained at the puncture site on Wapol's body, and soon, that already inconspicuous hole healed.
Even members of Cipher Pol skilled in inspection would find no trace.
Bullett looked at the Devil Fruit in his hand, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
Then, his body merged into the castle, and he silently left the palace.
...
The next morning, the woman who had noticed the absence of snoring woke up.
Then, a scream shattered the tranquility of the Drum Kingdom.
News of what happened quickly spread throughout the nation, as various ministers and nobles successively examined Wapol's body.
However, because Wapol had previously ordered the execution of doctors in the Drum Kingdom, the physicians around him lacked the capability to determine the cause of his death and could only attribute it to the end of his natural lifespan.
Seeing that the situation was irreversible, the ministers and nobles had no choice but to send a message to King Kilauea of the Land of Fire, requesting him to send back Musshuru to inherit the throne.
Upon seeing this message, the King Kilauea wore an expression of helplessness.
Old friend, in the end, I could not fulfill your request.
In truth, over all these years in the Land of Fire, Musshuru had not changed in the slightest; his temperament remained as vile as when he first arrived.
Moreover, upon hearing that Wapol had inherited the kingdom of Drum, his behavior had grown even worse.
If such a Musshuru were to be sent back to the Drum Kingdom, there was no doubt that the kingdom would welcome another tyrant.
But at this moment, King Kilauea had no grounds to stop it.
After all, with Wapol dead, the only legitimate heir to the Drum Kingdom was Musshuru.
Under these circumstances, King Kilauea did not obstruct the matter.
He called his guards and instructed them to find Musshuru. Upon receiving the news, Musshuru rushed to the palace without delay.
After obtaining the letter from the Drum Kingdom's ministers, he laughed wildly.
"Hahahahaha. I knew it, I knew that fool couldn't be king. Even if he became one, he would die early. Excellent! Now the throne of the Drum Kingdom is mine."
In his elated mood, Musshuru paid no attention to Kilauea's attitude.
After all, he was about to inherit the throne, and he decided to magnanimously overlook Kilauea's past discipline.
"Hurry, prepare a ship! I must return to my kingdom immediately. Drum Kingdom, here I come!!"
With a piercing laugh, Musshuru left the palace and boarded a large ship, heading for the Drum Kingdom at full speed.