Outside Onigashima,
A small boat was slowly approaching over the turbulent black sea.
"What... what kind of monster is that?!"
Law stood dumbfounded at the bow, his pupils slightly dilated with horror, his gaze fixed on the distant sky.
—There, lightning exploded, flames surged, and black-red Conqueror's Haki lightning, like a giant cage, enveloped the entire Onigashima impenetrably. Even the air twisted and trembled under this terrifying pressure.
Above Onigashima,
The two figures in the high sky were as fast as lightning. Each collision erupted with terrifying nuclear-explosion-like energy, yet they showed no intention of defending themselves.
Luffy's fists were infused with black-red Haki and golden flames;
Kaido's kanabo was wrapped in purplish-black lightning and dragon's might;
All their power was unleashed without reservation.
Boom—!!
Luffy's fist slammed hard into Kaido's cheek,
Kaido simultaneously struck Luffy's head with his kanabo.
The air suddenly exploded, and both flew backward simultaneously, large gouts of blood splashing from their heads... yet their movements showed no pause. The next second, they charged at each other like cannonballs, and their fists and kanabo clashed again with a thunderous roar!
This power was enough to instantly incapacitate any strong person below the Admiral level!
They had long since transcended the realm of "humans"; they were entirely two demon gods locked in a frenzied battle. Each collision made heaven and earth tremble, as if the end of the world was about to descend.
Law's expression was completely frozen, his body trembling uncontrollably.
This was the first time he had truly felt the absolute terror of a Four Emperors.
Just watching from afar, his soul resisted him approaching Onigashima, as if it were a forbidden land of certain death.
At this moment, he finally understood the fear of the prisoners in Udon... In the face of such absolute power that could crush everything, no one could help but feel despair.
Inside Onigashima, King also looked up at the hellish battlefield high in the sky, his eyes extremely solemn, his heart continuously sinking.
He had never before imagined that the "invincible boss" would be embroiled in such a stalemate.
Among his peers, Kaido was undoubtedly at the pinnacle. Only Akainu, Big Mom, and Bullet could fight him physically.
But now, Straw Hat had risen like a comet. A seventeen-year-old Four Emperors?!
All bottlenecks seemed non-existent to him; his strength increased at an unimaginable speed.
As time passed, King was even more horrified to discover:
—In a direct confrontation with Kaido, Luffy was actually subtly gaining the upper hand!
Even if his physique wasn't as powerful as Kaido-sensei's, his formidable Haki and strange Devil Fruit ability gave him combat power surpassing Kaido's.
King gritted his teeth, his molars almost shattering, a hint of fierce resolve flashing in his eyes—as if he had made a life-or-death decision!
"Come on, Kaido-sensei!!"
Luffy reached out a hand, his five fingers forming a claw, actually intending to grab the kanabo wrapped in purplish-black lightning with his bare hands!
"Don't get too arrogant, kid!!"
Kaido's veins bulged on his hands, his skin turning reddish from the surge of power. He gripped hassaikai tightly, all his strength concentrated in his arms, and slammed it fiercely towards Luffy's hand!
"Roaring Thunder Bagua!"
Purplish-black lightning exploded like a spiderweb, and the heavy blow, with its power condensed to the extreme, tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound, as if even space itself would be ripped apart by this strike!
"Tsk tsk..."
Luffy clicked his tongue in exasperation, changing his claw into a fist. Black-red Haoshoku and golden flames instantly intertwined and erupted, the fist shining with a world-destroying light!
—Clang!
Before the air could react, two forces capable of destroying mountains and seas, at the moment of their impending collision, tore open the entire sky of Onigashima!
Just then, a black figure shot out from the ground, the wings of a Pteranodon burning with crimson flames, slicing through the void and instantly transforming into a human form.
King suddenly drew his sword. The massive longsword rose in his hand, and roaring crimson flames wrapped around the blade like a raging dragon. With a desperate will, he slashed at Luffy!
As soon as he rushed into the high sky, various violent energies swept over him, almost suffocating him.
Even though he possessed Yonko Commander-level combat power, there was always a risk of falling in such a high-level collision.
But he didn't care.
He wanted to use his life to buy Kaido a chance—
—a chance to defeat Luffy.
King closed his eyes, and various experiences of meeting Kaido surged into his mind like a tide:
It was Kaido who saved him from the despair of his tribe's annihilation,
It was Kaido who helped him find meaning in his existence,
In his heart, Kaido had long been like a father.
'Kaido-sensei... is my Joy Boy.'
'He... must not lose!!'
The sword light roared like a crimson dragon, carrying all of King's belief and life, slashing fiercely at Luffy's back!
However, a figure suddenly ascended, enveloped in purplish-black lightning, rushing straight towards him—it was Yamato!
"Clang—!!"
The ear-piercing clang of metal reverberated through the sky. King's longsword and Yamato's kanabo collided fiercely, sparks flying, and the violent energy disturbed the surrounding airflow.
King looked at the stunning woman blocking his path, his vertical pupils filled with disbelief, his tone urgent and questioning:
"Young Master Yamato, why are you stopping me?!"
Upon hearing this, Yamato's crimson pupils locked onto him, veins bulging in her arm, and black-purple Haoshoku lightning tightly wrapped around her kanabo:
"How can I let you disturb my Captain!!"
Before her words finished, she swung her arm forcefully, and her kanabo, with the momentum of crashing thunder, slammed down:
"Thunder Bagua!!"
Power like a thunderclap instantly erupted. King felt a tremendous force hit him head-on, and he was sent flying horizontally as if struck by a high-speed warship, the air along his path ripped apart with a sharp whistle.
"Damn it!!"
King's black wings, burning with crimson flames on his back, vibrated wildly, forcefully stopping his backward momentum and hovering steadily in the air.
He tightened his grip on his longsword, gazing down at Yamato, who had already landed, with a final hint of persuasion in his tone:
"Young Master Yamato, do you really intend to be our enemy?"
Clearly, he didn't want to fight Yamato—even though she was always rebellious, she was ultimately Boss Kaido's daughter, and he had watched her grow up.
However, Yamato slowly shook her head, her eyes extremely firm: "King-nii, don't say anymore. I've already decided to leave. I want to see with my own eyes the free world described in Oden's diary!!"
As her words fell, she gripped her kanabo tightly with both hands. Purplish-black lightning surged wildly from the weapon, and she, like a primed cannonball, charged towards King with resolute momentum.
"Yamato, you're no match for me! Wake up!"
King held his longsword, and scorching flames instantly engulfed the entire blade. A destructive aura like magma assailed him, even making the air sizzle from the burning.
He swung his arm, and the flames condensed into the form of a raging dragon: "Fire Dragon King!!"
Boom—!!
The sword light, like a meteor striking the earth, slashed out with the might to burn mountains and boil seas. The atmosphere was instantly pierced, forming a pitch-black energy channel.
Yamato's kanabo, wrapped in purplish-black lightning, met it. Lightning and fierce flames collided violently, unleashing endless gales that swept in all directions, blowing away all the surrounding rubble.
Their figures intertwined in mid-air, the booming clashes of sword and kanabo incessant.
Yamato's moves were nimble, always intentionally drawing King towards the edge of the battlefield;
King knew in his heart that the opportunity to stop Luffy had long been missed. Looking at the resolute girl before him, he finally sighed helplessly, his offensive gradually slowing, and he slowly moved away from the core battlefield high in the sky.
At the center of the battlefield, Kaido took it all in—his own daughter was actually using the techniques he personally taught her to attack his most trusted brother?!
He finally couldn't suppress the rage in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he stared at the calm-faced young man before him, his roar making the void hum:
"What kind of bewitching potion did you give my daughter?!"
Kaido was trembling with rage!
Oden, who had bewitched Yamato with just a diary back then, was already baffling enough. He never expected to encounter someone even more outrageous today.
—This Straw Hat and Yamato had clearly just met for the first time, yet with just a few words, he had made her completely devoted, not even listening to her own father!
For a moment, he couldn't tell if his daughter was too foolish, or if this kid's charisma was ridiculously high.
"Don't worry, Kaido-sensei!" Luffy looked at Kaido's ashen face, feeling a little sorry, and kindly reassured him,
"—I'll take good care of Yamato!"
As for giving up Yamato? Sorry, absolutely impossible! A true man says he's going to kidnap her, and he must follow through!
Pfft—!
Kaido suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, glaringly red. Luffy was startled, thinking: How did he get so angry he spat blood? I was clearly being kind!
Evidently, this "reassurance" had the complete opposite effect.
A few seconds later, Kaido's vertical pupils were blood-red, the purplish-black lightning around him surged wildly, and an angry roar that shook the heavens suddenly exploded, stirring up lightning and thunder across thousands of miles of sky:
"You bastard, you still dare to have ideas about my daughter?!"
Violent thunder roared, and the kanabo "hassaikai," wrapped in world-destroying power, slammed fiercely towards Luffy: "Thunder Bagua!!"
—"Huh?!"
Luffy blinked, looking bewildered: Why did he suddenly go crazy? I didn't say anything too out of line!
He sighed slightly, thinking that the temper of strong people was truly unfathomable.
The next second, his expression suddenly turned sharp. His right fist clenched tightly, and a giant red cross starburst suddenly bloomed on his fist, dazzlingly bright!
The air began to vibrate wildly, as if the entire world was trembling with it!
Extremely condensed Haoshoku Haki wrapped around his Iron Fist like a solid entity, pitch-black yet emitting dazzling golden light, accompanied by bursts of thunderous roars, transforming into an invincible, overwhelming divine power!
"Galaxy Impact!!!"
With a punch, the golden-red intertwined shockwave, like a comet striking the sun, carrying the might to tear apart heaven and earth, slammed fiercely into Kaido's kanabo!
In an instant, the entire sky seemed to be gripped and collapsed by an invisible giant hand! Gusts of wind reversed, thunderclouds shattered,
The power in that fist was like the collapse of celestial bodies, the descent of a galaxy, carrying the resolve to destroy everything, crushing towards Kaido's defense!
"Kaido-sensei, it's time to end this!!"
An earth-shattering explosion boomed, echoing across thousands of miles of sky!
Boom—!!!
Kaido's massive body was forcibly pressed into the earth's crust by this invincible power. His internal organs violently vibrated, his throat sweetened, and a large mouthful of black-red blood spurted out.
The purplish-black lightning and Haki around him intertwined chaotically, no longer able to sustain themselves. With a pained groan, he plunged heavily into the deep ground, stirring up a sky full of dust!
The entire Onigashima swayed precariously under this impact, as if it would completely crack and sink into the seabed the next second!
"He's even learned Garp's move?!"
The moment Kaido fell, the roar of God Valley resounded in his mind, and his expression completely lost control.
Even though he was now the strongest creature on land, sea, and air, he would never forget that demon-like figure from back then.
—Garp's "Galaxy Impact" had once made him taste the fear of near-death!
And now, this familiar destructive power was erupting from the fist of a seventeen-year-old boy!