Kaido's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, disbelief plastered across his face.
He must be hallucinating.
Yes — that had to be it.
Either Doflamingo had gone insane…
Or he himself had.
Or maybe I never sobered up at all? Is this all drunken nonsense?
Because from the moment he stepped into this tavern,
everything had defied all logic.
He was one of the Four Emperors —
a top-tier monster in this world.
Yet inside this tiny tavern?
Aside from the wolf, Rayleigh, that traitorous Doflamingo, and that pretty-boy tavern owner…
Everyone else was vastly stronger than him.
It made no sense.
Absolutely no sense.
"Kaido, you're still young,"
Rayleigh sipped his wine, smiling meaningfully.
"Young men ought to suffer a little."
"...Huh?"
Kaido blinked, utterly failing to catch the deeper implication.
Before he could figure it out,
Doflamingo abruptly lunged forward, seized one of Kaido's horns, and dragged him straight out the tavern door.
Kaido snapped out of his daze.
He struggled—
But no matter how violently he thrashed,
he couldn't move Doflamingo even a fraction.
Then—
BOOM!!
Doflamingo hurled him through the air like a sack of garbage.
Kaido smashed through several trees before finally grinding to a stop.
"How's that?"
"Still planning to smash my head with that kanabo of yours?"
Doflamingo tossed Kaido's iron club toward him and grinned.
"Fufufufufu…"
"Kaido, you're a relic of the old era. It's time you stepped off the stage."
"But—since we've cooperated for so many years, I'll give you two choices."
"One— I kill you today."
"Two— you become my subordinate, and together we overturn this rotten world!"
His declaration left his whole body trembling with adrenaline.
All his life,
Kaido had towered over him like an unshakeable mountain.
He'd always tread carefully, cautiously, respectfully.
But today—
He finally got to turn the tables.
It was impossible not to be thrilled.
"Heh… you want me to be your subordinate?"
"Still half-asleep, are you?"
"Doflamingo, in my eyes you've always been a clown."
Kaido laughed coldly as he retrieved his kanabo and rose to his feet.
Yet beneath that facade of mockery—
His heart was rattled.
That brief clash just now—
Doflamingo's power, speed, and physical strength…
they weren't the same as before.
What had happened to him?
Could it be…
this tavern?
The thought made Kaido's wariness spike.
He stopped holding back.
Conqueror's Haki exploded out of him,
and his body expanded as he shifted into hybrid form.
Terrifying pressure rolled outward like a storm.
"Come."
"Show me what the Four Emperors are truly made of."
Doflamingo spread his arms wide,
inviting Kaido's fury with an unguarded stance.
"Let's hope you don't regret saying that."
Kaido leapt skyward,
kanabo raised high as crimson-and-black lightning burst from it.
Under the eyes of everyone watching from the tavern windows—
Thunder crashed downward, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki.
A devastating strike worthy of a Yonko.
"Shōsansei… IN — Niraku!"
Doflamingo didn't flinch.
His aura climbed higher and higher—
until a blood-red glint flashed beneath his sunglasses.
And then—
With nothing but armament haki—
he punched upward to meet Kaido's blow.
BOOM!!
The impact cratered the ground beneath them.
Conqueror's Haki crackled in wild arcs.
The air trembled.
This was the collision of apex predators.
But then—
Kaido's attack froze in mid-air.
He stared in shock.
Doflamingo—
had stopped his full-power strike with one hand.
"My turn, isn't it?"
Doflamingo grinned wide, baring teeth.
"What?!"
Kaido attempted to retreat—
But it was too late.
Doflamingo seized the kanabo and slammed him into the earth.
BOOM!
A deafening impact — the island trembled.
Then came the storm.
Doflamingo's fists rained down like artillery.
Every punch burst a fresh cloud of blood from Kaido's body.
Kaido tried to resist—
But he couldn't.
His strength, his haki, his monstrous durability—
none of it mattered.
He could only defend desperately as he was overwhelmed.
This—
Was the absolute dominance of the Second-Generation God Body.
Minutes later—
The "strongest creature" lay beaten beyond recognition.
Muscles caved in.
Bones shattered.
Breath ragged.
"How… impossible…"
Kaido coughed blood, eyes trembling.
He'd never imagined—
He, Kaido—
battered like this by the man he'd always considered a mere clown.
And Doflamingo hadn't even used his Devil Fruit.
Only his body and haki.
"You shouldn't have come to this tavern."
"The boss's power is beyond imagination—
even for the Queen."
Doflamingo chuckled darkly.
"Now."
"You have two paths."
"Die here—"
"Or become my underling."
Kaido didn't answer.
He uncorked his gourd and gulped liquor down his throat, gasping.
Doflamingo's face twisted.
For a moment he nearly smashed Kaido's skull—
But he held back.
"Or—perhaps we cooperate."
"You want to ignite the greatest war in history, don't you?"
"I can help you."
"But in return—help me topple the World Government."
Ever since his near-death at Akainu's hands,
Doflamingo finally understood—
The Donquixote Family alone could never challenge the world's rulers.
He needed allies.
Strong ones.
And Kaido was the strongest possible stepping stone.
Kaido fell silent.
Live and continue his dream?
Or die pointlessly out of pride?
At last he exhaled.
"…Fine. Cooperation."
"Fufufufufu…"
"Then let's shake the world upside down."
"Come. You owe the boss an apology."
Doflamingo turned toward the tavern.
Kaido's expression darkened.
Once I learn the secret of your power… you're dead, clown.
Back in the tavern—
Kaido bowed to Ron.
"Sorry… boss."
Ron smiled lightly.
"Don't make it a habit."
Then Kaido apologized to everyone present.
His voice shook with humiliation.
If you ignored his face,
and listened only to the trembling tone—
you'd think he was a woman who'd just been ravaged.
Everyone was satisfied.
Especially Grey Wolf, who climbed onto a chair and patted Kaido's shoulder like an elder:
"Young man, no need to carry so much anger."
"Learn from me — be humble."
"Flatter Boss Ron more, and you'll get plenty of benefits."
"Look at me! Unlimited sheep, and I even picked up a little brother."
A blue vein bulged on Kaido's forehead.
Aizen's fists clenched so hard his knuckles cracked.
The two exchanged a glance.
Both saw the same thought:
We are absolutely going to kill this damned wolf someday.
Ron's voice drifted over:
"Remember to fix the lawn outside."
Before Kaido could speak—
Doflamingo stepped forward instantly.
"Boss, it'll be fully restored tomorrow!"
"Tch—"
"That bootlicking face is disgusting," Kaido muttered under his breath.
Doflamingo's smile froze.
Murderous intent leaked out—
But before he could drag Kaido out for round two,
Liang Bing stepped between them.
"Kaido, little sweetheart~"
"I like your stubborn attitude."
"Interested in working under me?"
"I can give you power just like his~"
Kaido: "?!!"
Doflamingo: "??????"
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