Chapter 529: The Expansion of Kaido's Power
"I refuse," Katakuri said flatly. "Kaido of the Beasts, if you want to recruit me, go talk to Mama!"
His blunt words made Kaido's mouth twitch slightly.
"Worararara! Such a cold guy." Kaido said with a grin. "Maybe King can relate to you. But there's no need to rush your refusal. When Linlin submits to me in the future, then…"
Kaido's face lit up with a confident smile. His power had grown rapidly this time. Not only had he obtained the Azure Dragon Fruit, but his subordinate, Higuma, had acquired a Mythical Beast Fruit called the Eight-Armed Ape. Additionally, Hughes from the Andre Pirate Group, under Kaido's command, secured the Golden Chanko Mythical Beast Fruit.
The potential of these fruits could elevate Higuma and Hughes to absolute warriors. Kaido was confident in his ability to keep them in check, as their foundations were weaker than his. Even with the fruits, they might reach the level of three-star gem hunters at best, with Hughes likely falling short. With these two bolstering his crew, Kaido envisioned annexing the Big Mom Pirates. He believed Linlin might even welcome the revival of the Rocks Pirates—or so he hoped.
Seeing Kaido's calculating gaze, Katakuri felt a flicker of unease but refocused on the immediate threat: the Sun Golden Crow.
Katakuri had a reason for joining this fight. Earlier, while exploring Mythical Beast Island, Big Mom had ordered him, demanding a God Killer Equipment or a Mythical Beast Fruit. Both were hard to obtain, requiring luck and strength. Tasked with protecting his family, Katakuri couldn't search freely and only secured a Sky-Bound Crystal.
Now, Big Mom had issued a new order: capture a powerful Mythical beast for her use. The target was clear—the Sun Golden Crow, the strongest beast certified by the Yamata God Orochimaru.
Big Mom, watching the live broadcast, coveted it intensely. However, using the Sky-Bound Crystal required the beast to be incapacitated, a daunting task. Katakuri held little hope but fought to appease his Mama's sensitive disposition.
Gulu! Gulu!
Countless mochi strips, infused with Armament Haki, surged toward the Golden Crow. Kaido complemented this with a barrage of trees encircling the beast. Meanwhile, Kizaru casually unleashed his Yasakani no Magatama, restraining the Golden Crow from a distance.
Among the attackers, Kizaru was the most relaxed. He was only present because of Akainu. His Phoenix Fruit made him resistant to the Golden Crow's flames—at least for now. If danger escalated, Kizaru would be the first to flee.
Rumble!
Faced with the onslaught, the Sun Golden Crow refused to yield. Its golden flames condensed, forming a sun several meters wide that erupted outward, unleashing a torrent of fire. The temperature, previously a few thousand degrees, spiked to over 100,000 degrees. Everything in its path was incinerated, and the fiery wave swept toward the attackers.
Though the temperature lessened as it spread, it remained more intense than before. Scorching shockwaves turned a hundred-meter radius into a furnace.
Sensing the rising heat, Kizaru's eyes widened.
"Yasakani no Magatama!" he shouted, launching countless golden, flame-like projectiles at the fiery torrent, resembling golden raindrops.
Rumble!
Sparks exploded, but the torrent barely slowed. The brief delay gave the group time to retreat.
"Hey, hey! That was terrifying!" Kizaru said, curling his lips as he observed the evaporated ground and steaming magma ahead. "If that hit me, my skin would've peeled off."
Even with his Phoenix Fruit's flame-resistant revival ability, the Golden Crow's attack was dangerous. Kizaru hadn't yet unlocked the fruit's full potential, making the move too risky.
"Sakazuki, why don't we pull back?" Kizaru suggested. "There's no point in continuing like this!"
Akainu's face darkened, but he refused to retreat. The danger fueled his desire to stay. Only in such crises could he deepen his resonance with the Purgatory Cage Hand, unlocking greater power. Purgatory had told him this, and Akainu, dissatisfied with his current strength, yearned to grow stronger and claim the final treasure.
Seeing Akainu's resolute expression, Kizaru shrugged. He'd already decided to hang back and contribute minimally. It wasn't disloyalty—he'd tried his best and had no desire to be a phoenix burned to ash.
As the group hesitated to reengage, a figure in an armored knight's uniform approached, drawing many eyes. Concealed entirely by armor and helmet, this figure had stayed aboard the Holy Wings' ship, often seen with the Flower Queen Nozomi of the Holy Wings. Likely a member of the Holy Wings, possibly from the Kingdom of Miracles, the knight seemed to hold high status.
What intrigued onlookers most was the Pegasus Mythical Beast Fruit. Live broadcast viewers had seen it handed to the knight before it vanished, sparking curiosity about its fate. The knight's peculiar behavior, followed by legendary unicorns on Mythical Beast Island, led many to speculate she was a female knight. Why else would unicorns trail her?
Her prominence grew, and now, as she marched toward the Sun Golden Crow, astonishment spread. Was this female knight so powerful that she dared confront such a terrifying Mythical beast?
(End of this chapter)