"Hahahaha! Cool! So cool!" Luffy's voice echoed from within the crater, filled with unbridled excitement. "Is this the Conqueror's Haki infusion that the strongest warriors use against each other? I've finally learned it!"
Almost the instant he finished speaking, a terrifying wave of pressure erupted from the pit. The aura swept across the battlefield like a physical force, oppressive and overwhelming, making the very air heavy with its power.
Kaido, standing closest to the epicenter, suddenly felt an unprecedented pressure bearing down on him. His eyes widened slightly, brows furrowing as the sensation triggered a distant memory—one of Captain Rocks D. Xebec in his prime. That same overwhelming, suffocating presence that made even the strongest warriors hesitate.
Though the six women observing from the sky weren't the intended targets of this Conqueror's Haki, they nonetheless felt its effects rippling outward. Boa Hancock, Vice Admiral Gion, and Yamato—all formidable warriors in their own right—felt the weight of Luffy's will pressing against them.
Violet and Mansherry, being less battle-hardened, nearly lost their balance in mid-air, their bodies wavering as if struck by a physical blow. Fortunately, Koala, who stood beside them, managed to steady them before they could fall.
"This... this Conqueror's Haki is several times stronger than mine," Hancock whispered, her voice a mixture of awe and something else entirely. Her serious expression suddenly transformed, cheeks flushing crimson as she clasped her hands together. "Luffy... ah~ I find myself falling even deeper in love with this man!"
Everyone around her responded with silent eye-rolls at her sudden romantic outburst amidst such a critical battle.
Yamato, excitement overriding any concern, pumped her fist energetically in the air. "Come on, Luffy!" she cheered at the top of her lungs. "Beat that stubborn old bull to the ground!!!"
Kaido, however, had no interest in acknowledging Yamato's taunts. His eyes remained fixed on the crater below, expression grave as he felt the terrifying power building within it.
"With Conqueror's Haki of this caliber, you're definitely no ordinary pirate!" he called out, his deep voice carrying across the devastated landscape. "What exactly are you planning? What drives you? What ambitions push you forward? What are you pursuing that gives you such strength?!"
His voice rose to a thunderous roar as he swung his kanabo downward. "MONKEY D. LUFFY!!!"
The moment Kaido moved, Luffy burst from the pit in a flash of movement. His right fist, now wrapped in crackling red and black lightning—the visual manifestation of his newly mastered Conqueror's Haki—collided heavily with Kaido's massive club.
But to the keen observer, something remarkable was happening. Luffy's fist didn't actually make physical contact with the iron weapon. Instead, the two forces clashed without touching, their Haki-infused attacks meeting in a contest of pure will and power.
This seemingly simple collision sent shockwaves through the entire island. A terrifying crack formed beneath their feet, running straight across the small landmass, completely splitting the islet in two equal parts.
Luffy laughed—that characteristic "shishishi" that marked his joy even in the most desperate situations—and deliberately jumped back, putting distance between himself and the Emperor. He looked down at his hands in wonderment, watching the red and black lightning dancing across his skin. It was entirely different from Enel's Rumble-Rumble Fruit abilities. This was pure Haki, manifestation of will made visible.
His grin stretched nearly from ear to ear, unbridled excitement evident in every feature.
Witnessing this development, Kaido's expression darkened further.
What the hell is happening today? he thought, bewilderment mingling with frustration. Under my kanabo, two people have successively mastered Advanced Conqueror's Haki.
A peculiar thought struck him then—could it be that he possessed some extraordinary teaching ability he wasn't even aware of? Like that little brat King had once jokingly suggested?
If he'd known this earlier, he should never have left the training of promising youngsters in the Beast Pirates to King. Had he taught them personally, perhaps someone among his crew would have been able to awaken this same power. Maybe then, the Kingdom of Wano wouldn't be under such pressure from the Marines.
The more Kaido contemplated this, the greater his regret grew. Why had he wasted such apparently potent teaching talent on an enemy?
When I gain Onigashima, he resolved, I'll personally train the new generation, including those young onei. I'll make them strong enough to help me reclaim Wano as soon as possible.
It was a fine plan for the future—but would Luffy allow him that future?
Kaido glanced at the Den Den Mushi still faithfully recording their battle. He knew Violet would edit the footage later, so Luffy likely wasn't concerned about revealing his true ambitions.
"Kaido," Luffy called out, his voice carrying across the shattered island, "thank you very much. Now that I've mastered Conqueror's Haki infusion, all I need is your head, and I can petition Fleet Admiral Sengoku for promotion to Admiral."
His eyes gleamed with mischief as he continued, "I wonder if you can help me become Fleet Admiral soon and take control of the world's most powerful organization?"
Kaido narrowed his eyes, but rather than responding with anger to these provocative words, he found himself amused. A smile—genuine, if somewhat predatory—spread across his face.
"Oh, hahaha~" he laughed, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. "You speak of Admirals and Fleet Admirals so casually. You're that eager to become a dog for the Celestial Dragons? Such a waste of potential. You're hardly worthy of being my son-in-law."
"Haha, don't play dumb, Kaido," Luffy replied, his smile unwavering. "You're too smart not to have guessed my true ambitions already. Why don't you share your analysis? Prove that what I've been saying is true."
Luffy extended his hand in invitation, a casual gesture that carried tremendous weight.
Kaido's heart sank as another possibility occurred to him.
Is this mind reading? he wondered. Judging from our fight, he's already mastered future sight with his Observation Haki. Could he truly have developed the ability to read minds as well? This kid is a monster when it comes to Observation Haki.
Kaido had seen much in his long life as a pirate—abilities to read minds, sense emotions, and far stranger powers besides. After his initial surprise, he quickly regained his composure.
"Hey, kid," he growled, hefting his kanabo once more, "I don't care what you're planning. As long as I kill you today, no matter how ambitious your dreams, you'll only realize them in hell!"
Luffy's eyes glinted dangerously, his smile never faltering. "Oh? Brave words indeed. In that case," he shifted into a fighting stance, his body beginning to steam as he prepared to unleash his full power, "let me show you my true strength."
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