When Kaido transformed into his dragon form, the atmosphere of the entire island and even the surrounding sea changed in an instant. The sky darkened abruptly, as if even the sun had retreated fearfully into the clouds. The sea was no longer calm, with waves beginning to churn restlessly. A suffocating sense of oppression permeated the air.
His colossal Azure Dragon body coiled high in the sky. His heaven-covering, earth-shading dragon wings cast a gigantic shadow, causing Moria and the others below to instinctively hold their breath. His dragon scales gleamed with a metallic luster under the dim light, each one like meticulously forged armor. His dragon whiskers danced in the wind, and his golden, slit-pupiled eyes flickered with a dangerous light.
Moria stared wide-eyed, gazing in disbelief at this legendary creature. This was the first time he had witnessed Kaido's transformation firsthand, and the sense of awe made him tremble all over. He felt as if an invisible hand were tightly gripping his heart, making even breathing difficult.
It wasn't just Moria. Even those who had seen Kaido transform before—Bullet, Urouge, and Sebastian—couldn't help but show expressions of terror now. Although this wasn't their first time seeing this spectacle, every time Kaido revealed his beastly form, that overwhelming, oppressive majesty still struck fear into their hearts.
Bullet clenched his fists, his knuckles white from the force, excitement glittering in his eyes. Urouge subconsciously took half a step back, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. Sebastian adjusted his glasses, trying to mask the shock within, but the slightly trembling eyes behind the lenses betrayed him.
On the distant sea, similar commotion arose on the naval vessels and the ships of the Kingdom of Flowers.
Soldiers swarmed onto the decks, staring dumbfounded at the coiling Azure Dragon in the sky. Some even felt their legs go weak, nearly collapsing to their knees.
"This... this is the legendary Fierce Beast, Kaido?" a Marine soldier stammered, his voice filled with unconcealed fear.
His comrades also had pale faces, their hands gripping their weapons trembling unconsciously.
"Wororororo..." After transforming into the Azure Dragon, Kaido looked down with satisfaction at the terrified reactions of the crowd. A hint of mockery flashed in his golden dragon eyes, but it was soon replaced by coldness. His dragon maw opened slightly, revealing rows of gleaming white fangs. Deep within his throat, the flicker of scorching flames could faintly be seen.
Kaido opened his massive dragon maw. Blazing energy continuously gathered within it, the air around distorting from the intense heat.
Moisture on the sea surface evaporated, forming a hazy mist.
"Boro Breath—!"
With a roar that shook heaven and earth, an ultra-high-temperature fire vortex, several kilometers long, shot from Kaido's maw. Like a fiery dragon, it hurtled straight towards Garp's dog-head warship. Wherever the flames passed, the sea instantly boiled, sending up vast plumes of steam.
This devastating attack carried an overwhelming, annihilating force, as if intent on incinerating the entire sea area.
The light from the flames dyed half the sky crimson, coloring even the distant clouds a bloody red.
"Puhahaha! Is this how you say hello?!"
Garp watched the oncoming fire vortex. The ease vanished from his face, but there wasn't a trace of fear to be seen.
Standing at the prow of the dog-head warship, Garp leaped with immense force. The powerful recoil instantly caused the prow of the large warship to sink over a dozen meters. The Marines on board were thrown off balance by the sudden motion but quickly regained their footing.
"Gunkotsu Impact!" Garp's figure instantly appeared in front of the colossal pillar of fire at a speed difficult for the naked eye to follow. Then, his fist, shrouded in scarlet Haoshoku Haki, collided directly with the fire pillar.
In that moment, time seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the scene.
"BOOM—!" Amidst the deafening explosion, the fire pillar was directly shattered by Garp's fist.
Scorching fragments of flame scattered in all directions, falling into the sea with a fierce hissing sound. Countless plumes of white steam immediately rose from the sea surface, forming a hazy wall of fog.
"What!"
"Is this the power of the Marine Hero?" Onlookers like King, Bullet, and Queen all revealed looks of shock.
King's pupils contracted violently as he stared incredulously at the scene. Bullet licked his lips excitedly, a blazing fighting spirit igniting in his eyes. Queen subconsciously took a step back, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"Well done, Vice Admiral Garp!"
"Long live Vice Admiral Garp!"
The Marines on the warship cheered jubilantly. They had witnessed with their own eyes how the legendary Marine Hero, with the might of a single punch, had neutralized a terrifying attack capable of destroying an entire warship.
A sea breeze swept through, dispersing the lingering steam. Garp's figure appeared exceptionally tall under the sunlight.
Before the shattered fire pillar had completely dissipated, Garp had already crossed a distance of several kilometers, appearing directly in front of Kaido. His speed was astonishing, leaving an afterimage in the air.
The soldiers on the sea surface didn't even have time to clearly see his movement; they only felt a gale-force wind sweep past.
"Wororororo, Garp, you kept me waiting! Kaifu!" Kaido laughed loudly at the charging Garp, then opened his maw again. Instantly, a massive barrage of wind blades shot from his mouth straight towards Garp. These wind blades were incredibly sharp, slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound. They spun as they flew towards Garp, the space around them warping slightly in their wake.
Facing the overwhelming barrage of wind blades, Garp remained unperturbed. He stamped his feet in mid-air, and his figure vanished without a trace.
"Soru!"
This masterful technique from the Rokushiki was employed by him with consummate skill, as if he had already predicted the trajectory of Kaido's attack.
In an instant, Garp appeared directly above Kaido.
"Gunkotsu Impact!"
Garp's fist shone with a scarlet light as he struck directly downwards at Kaido below. This punch concentrated all his power, Haoshoku Haki coiled around it, causing even the surrounding air to tremble. Before the fist even arrived, the powerful wind pressure made Kaido's dragon scales quiver slightly.
The watching executives of the Beasts Pirates, the Marine soldiers, and the pillars of the Kingdom of Flowers all held their breath, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on this earth-shattering moment.
At this critical juncture, a flash of alertness passed through Kaido's dragon eyes. His massive body suddenly twisted, attempting to evade this fatal blow.
However, Garp's speed was simply too fast. His fist was already within reach. Everyone held their breath, waiting for this world-shaking blow to land.
BOOM—!
Kaido was struck directly by Garp's attack. Under Garp's terrifying power, his nearly kilometer-long dragon body was instantly slammed into the ground. Mountains on the island cracked, the earth trembled, and the dust cloud raised was at least several dozen meters high.
A shockwave radiated outwards from the impact point. The sea surged with towering waves, and the distant warships rocked violently, forcing soldiers to cling to railings to stay upright.
As the dust gradually settled, a brief silence fell over the battlefield. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see the outcome of this monumental clash.
***
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