At the center of Onigashima, a massive bonfire blazed fiercely.
The flames crackled and roared, licking the air with a whooshing sound as they shot skyward, illuminating the pitch-black night as if it were broad daylight.
The searing light spread outward, lighting up every dark corner of Onigashima.
Kaido tilted his head back and downed an entire barrel of strong liquor. The amber liquid dripped down his beard as he suddenly stood up.
His enormous shadow engulfed the entire stage. Even the livestream camera shook with the force of his movement.
"Wororororo… My little ones!" Kaido's booming voice echoed through the night sky. The crowd fell silent, hanging on his words.
Then, Kaido slowly pulled out three bizarrely-shaped Devil Fruits from his coat.
The fruits radiated an uncanny aura in his hands, drawing the gaze of everyone present.
Covered in swirling patterns, their strange shapes shimmered under the firelight, appearing even more eerie and mystical.
"I'm in a good mood today! I'll choose three lucky viewers! Eat these, and you'll become interns of the Beast Pirates!" Kaido roared into the livestream.
That single sentence hit the livestream like a bomb, instantly sending the entire stream into chaos.
The once-calm comment feed exploded into a tidal wave of bullet comments.
Millions of viewers lost their minds, furiously slamming out messages across the screen:
>"OH MY GOD! DEVIL FRUITS!!"
>"Kaido-sama! Look at me! I'm in Wano!"
>"Pick me! I'll risk my life for the Beast Pirates!"
Right then, Queen's bulky frame waddled into the shot, squeezing himself into the camera view.
"Listen up, friends! Like+ Follow + Share + Comment 'Beast Pirates Strongest' to enter the draw!"
As soon as he finished, it was like opening Pandora's box.
The viewership count skyrocketed in real-time, the number climbing like a rocket, without any signs of stopping.
The entire chat was now completely overrun by the phrase "Beast Pirates Strongest," bullet comments raining down like a blizzard, covering the entire screen.
After all, these were Devil Fruits.
Legendary items that could grant mystical powers to their users!
Owning one meant rewriting your destiny.
For those desperate for power or dreaming of a comeback, this was a once-in-a-lifetime shot.
And it was right in front of them. Who wouldn't go insane for it?
Soon.
The lottery began!
The world seemed to freeze. Everyone stared at their screens. For a moment, time stood still, the only thing left was the breathless anticipation of the first winner being revealed.
"The first lucky winner—Richards!" Queen called out the ID.
Instantly, it was as if lightning struck the entire stream.
Far away in the North Blue, a deafening scream erupted from a luxurious courtyard.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
There, a nobleman named Richards stood surrounded by opulent decor—carved marble, silken curtains, velvet drapes—everything radiating wealth.
But right now, none of it mattered. His eyes were locked onto the glowing screen of his phone, his face a mess of disbelief, joy, and pure euphoria.
Seeing the "Winner" notification on screen, his hands began trembling uncontrollably, almost dropping the phone.
He could hardly believe it. He never imagined such outrageous luck would actually strike him!
"I won! I really won!"
Meanwhile, the livestream had swelled with millions of viewers.
People from every island gathered in this shared virtual space. Some clutched their phones in prayer, hoping to be chosen. Others stared with envy at the scrolling winner list.
Everyone wanted a Devil Fruit. With one, they could flip their lives upside down.
Richards' luck felt like divine intervention.
He stared blankly at the green, pineapple-patterned fruit displayed on his screen. It glowed with a faint mysterious light, as if waving at him.
Then, the wheel of fate kept spinning.
Queen announced the next two names:
"Carlos!"
"Swordsman Ed!"
Each name stirred up another frenzy in the chat.
When Swordsman Ed's name was called, the wild, thrilling lottery finally reached its end.
The Devil Fruits would be delivered to the lucky winners via Shopping Cart links.
For those who didn't win, the stream became a sea of sighs.
Countless people clutched their heads in despair.
Some vented their rotten luck in the comments. Others quietly vowed to grind harder next time for another shot at changing their fate.
The entire chat filled with howls of regret.
Kaido leaned into the camera, laughing heartily. The alcohol on his breath fogged up the lens in a white haze.
"You brats who didn't win! I'll do this monthly! Just follow my TikTok account and you can join next time!"
The livestream went wild again.
As the banquet neared its end, Queen's follower count shot past five million.
He didn't forget to yell:
"Remember to follow, friends! Devil Fruits will be raffled off irregularly! Win, and you join the Beast Pirates!"
His voice was pure temptation, and the fans' hearts burned again with desire.
The final image on the stream froze on Kaido's drunken, laughing face as he raised another barrel.
Though the livestream ended, across the New World, countless eyes were still fixed on the now-black phone screens.
All thinking the same thing:
Next time, it's gonna be me.
That thought ignited a wildfire in their hearts.
...
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
The atmosphere was heavy, like the calm before a storm.
Sengoku's face was dark, his presence flooding the room with icy pressure.
"That lunatic Kaido…" Sengoku ground the words out from between clenched teeth.
"I knew this livestream wasn't just about a banquet… So this was their real purpose!"
(To be continued.)
***
For every 100 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on P/treon to read 30+ advanced chapters: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves
(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)