One Piece: I, the Strongest Intern of the Roger Pirates

"Kaido! I've got high hopes for you, kid. What do you say? I'm starting my pirate crew—want to join me?"

At the edge of the coast, Charlotte Linlin called out to Kaido, a fellow intern of the Rocks Pirates, her tone unusually friendly. Beside her stood Streusen, arms filled with treasure.

"No thanks. I'll be forming my crew," replied Kaido, his muscular frame towering as he rested a massive spiked club on his shoulder. He didn't hesitate for a second.

This was exactly why, despite Kaido's rapid growth in strength, he remained an intern under the Rocks Pirates—he wasn't someone who would simply follow others.

"Ma mamama"

Linlin laughed it off, unfazed by the rejection. She grabbed a Devil Fruit from Streusen and tossed it toward Kaido.

"Take this. Consider it a gift from me!"

"What's this? A Devil Fruit?" Kaido asked as he caught it.

"That's right. It's the Fish-Fish Fruit. I've always seen you as a little brother. Don't go dying out there, alright?" Linlin said with a grin.

"Ma mamamamama"

"You're leaving now? At this moment? Captain Rocks won't agree to this," Kaido said with a frown.

"Mamamama~ He's a little busy right now. Besides, if I don't leave now, I might not get the chance."

Linlin didn't elaborate further.

After chatting a bit more, Charlotte Linlin and Streusen set sail and left, leaving behind a confused Kaido.

Once Fang Yi was sure they were gone, he finally let out a sigh of relief from his nearby hiding spot.

"Hey, your name's Kaido, right?"

With Linlin gone, Fang Yi stepped out and called over to him.

"Who are you?" Kaido glanced at him with a bored expression. Just a kid—nothing worth his attention.

"I'm Fang Yi, an intern of the Roger Pirates. You're Kaido, intern of the Rocks Pirates, right?"

Fang Yi smiled slightly.

"Your captain's in serious trouble. Shouldn't you be helping him?"

As he spoke, Fang Yi casually approached.

Linlin had been too strong for him to face head-on.

But Kaido—still just an intern—shouldn't be as terrifying… right?

And since Kaido was a future Emperor, Fang Yi figured he might be able to log him with the system.

Kaido put away the Devil Fruit before turning to Fang Yi.

"I see. Thanks for the intel. But if you're thinking of messing with me, you picked the wrong target. I'm not like other interns."

"No, no, no, don't get me wrong—I'm not here to fight. And I'm not after that Devil Fruit either," Fang Yi replied with a chuckle as he moved closer.

"I just want to cooperate with you."

"Cooperate?"

Kaido smirked.

"A brat like you thinks you're qualified to team up with me?"

"That's so? What a shame."

Fang Yi glanced toward the horizon where Linlin had vanished.

"Aren't you curious why she left so suddenly?"

Kaido's brow furrowed.

"You know something?"

"Oh, I know plenty. The question is—do you want to know? Maybe now you think I am worth talking to?"

Fang Yi gently patted Kaido on the arm with a smirk.

"What's your goal?" Kaido asked.

"Two senior officers with Rocks have already fallen. Charlotte Linlin tried and failed to assassinate Rocks and had to flee. I want you to spread that news to the rest of the crew."

Fang Yi's eyes sparkled as he saw the "Checkpoint registered: Kaido" system prompt.

"Ah… So you're trying to spread panic, break morale, and stop anyone from rescuing Rocks."

Kaido immediately grasped the plan.

"Exactly. So, how about it? You got the intel—how about running this one errand for me?"

Fang Yi asked with a grin.

"But… now I already know the info. I never agreed to help you. So why should I do anything for you?"

Kaido laughed.

"Hahaha! You're still just a brat!"

"Tsk tsk… Everyone says the Rocks Pirates are fearsome, but I didn't expect them to have a blockhead like you onboard."

Fang Yi shook his head mockingly.

"You little punk! What did you say?!"

Kaido's eyes flared with fury as he swung his spiked club down at Fang Yi.

"That ticked you off already?"

Fang Yi dodged easily, laughing.

"We're both interns. No reason I can't take you on!"

"You'll pay for that arrogance, brat!"

Kaido charged at him.

In truth, Fang Yi hadn't wanted to fight.

He had hoped Kaido would agree to help spread misinformation and sabotage Rocks' reinforcements.

But since Kaido not only saw through his plan but also refused, Fang Yi deliberately provoked him, just to test his strength.

If Kaido turned out to be too powerful, Fang Yi planned to immediately play the "talk-no-jutsu" card and smooth things over.

But after Kaido's attack, Fang Yi was pleasantly surprised—Kaido was strong, but slower than him. That gave Fang Yi an edge.

BOOM!

"You think that'll work on me? Don't underestimate me!"

Fang Yi dodged Kaido's strike and shot an arrow in return.

Bang!

The arrow hit Kaido, but it was like hitting solid iron. It didn't hurt him, but it did interrupt his momentum.

Kaido glanced at where the arrow struck his body, then looked up at Fang Yi.

"That stung a bit, brat."

"Damn it… they are monsters."

Fang Yi was on the verge of collapsing emotionally.

How could they take hits like that and just brush them off?

"Now it's my turn!"

Kaido charged again, anger rising.

But the moment he entered the forest, he realized something:

Fang Yi's speed and mobility far outclassed his opponents in this terrain.

Kaido couldn't land a hit—he was a sitting duck in the woods.

Though Fang Yi's arrows couldn't pierce Kaido's defense, they still hurt. That pain only fueled Kaido's rage.

"Get out here, brat! If I catch you, you're dead meat!"

Kaido roared through the forest, searching.

But Fang Yi ignored him.

Hidden in a thicket, he began charging up his strongest shot.

If this didn't work, then he'd bail.

SWISH—!

A high-speed arrow was launched from the side.

Kaido's beast-like instincts kicked in—he sensed danger, but could only turn slightly before the arrow slammed into his shoulder.

"Urgh—!"

The sheer force knocked Kaido several meters back.

"Damn! Is this guy even human?!"

Fang Yi cursed out loud.

That arrow had been his strongest—yet it had only barely embedded into Kaido's muscle.

No special skill triggered, but Fang Yi could tell—that was his peak power in base state. And it still wasn't enough.

Rather than risk wasting time, he made a decision.

"Big guy, your skin's way too thick. Let's call it a draw!"

Fang Yi put away his bow and retreated quickly toward the city.

Kaido, despite taking a hit, realized he had no real advantage in the forest.

He stopped chasing and turned toward the coastline, deep in thought.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the city, the battle raged on.

Rocks vs. Roger and Garp.

One vs. Two.

Rocks was outnumbered, but all three were injured and battered.

"Huff… Rocks, give it up! You've got nowhere left to run!"

Garp was bloodied, his face covered in wounds.

"Gahahaha! Garp, you're talking nonsense. I haven't even played my ace yet! The World Government's reinforcements must be arriving soon, right? You may not care about the Celestial Dragons—but they certainly do!"

Rocks laughed wildly.

Garp and Roger's expressions darkened.

If those bureaucratic idiots showed up now, they might ruin everything.

"Rocks! What's your goal?! Do you think taking some Celestial Dragons hostage is enough to rule the world? That's naive!"

"You're Gol D. Roger, right? I've heard a lot about you. I didn't expect you to be this strong."

Rocks grinned.

"Join us. You can have anything you want."

"Spare me. I'm nothing like you."

Roger refused without hesitation.

"Gahahaha! What a firm resolve. Fine. Garp—pull your forces back now, and I'll release half of the Celestial Dragons. Sound good?"

Rocks was growing concerned. The tide was turning.

Most of God Valley was in ruins—except for the Celestial Dragons' palace, which had been left intact, a mutual unspoken agreement between the three powerhouses.

They all knew:

If the Celestial Dragons were killed, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Even though Rocks had left minimal guards at the palace, neither Garp nor Roger had tried to storm it, afraid that it might push Rocks over the edge.

But Fang Yi, trying to sneak into the palace to find Shanks, realized something:

He couldn't get in.

Standing atop the palace gate was Silver Axe, one of the senior officers of the Rocks Pirates—the same man who had fought Roger earlier.

Anyone who approached the entrance… would alert him immediately.