In mid-air, Luffy teleported above Kaido's head, materializing in a flash of blue electricity. Looking down at the massive dragon spinning in futile circles below him, he couldn't help but grin mischievously as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small coin.
Kaido should remember this technique, Luffy thought with satisfaction. Let's see if he appreciates a familiar electromagnetic cannon attack.
With practiced precision, Luffy flicked the coin upward, catching it between his thumb and forefinger. He braced his right arm with his left hand, positioning his fingers in the shape of a gun. Brilliant arcs of lightning began dancing between his digits, building in intensity until a dazzling beam of concentrated electricity burst forth.
"RAILGUN!!"
The electromagnetic projectile shot forward with devastating speed, the coin propelled by magnetic force and supercharged with lightning, streaking directly toward Kaido's serpentine form.
Kaido had spotted Luffy above him, but as the young pirate had so cleverly deduced, the Emperor's massive dragon body was simply too unwieldy to keep pace with Luffy's lightning-fast movements. By the time Kaido registered the attack and attempted to evade, the electromagnetic cannon had already reached him, piercing through his dragon scales and penetrating deep into his flesh.
"GWAAAARRRGH!!!" The dragon's pained roar shook the very air.
While this electromagnetic attack didn't cause catastrophic damage to Kaido's kilometer-long dragon form, it stirred memories of their previous encounter—when Luffy had managed to blow away half of Kaido's shoulder with a similar technique.
In an instant, Kaido's dragon eyes blazed scarlet with rage, the last thread of restraint in his mind threatening to snap.
"Damn you, little brat!" he bellowed, his voice carrying across the devastated landscape. "Is running around like a flea all you can do?! Didn't you want to learn Conqueror's Haki infusion from me? Come closer—I'll teach you properly!!"
As he spoke, flames erupted from Kaido's maw, but instead of shooting directly at Luffy, they swirled and coalesced around the Emperor's body. The fire gathered and intensified, eventually taking the form of an enormous flaming dragon that encased Kaido's true form within.
Luffy recognized this technique immediately. Looking at their respective positions—him above, Kaido below—he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"Hey, hey, this position seems familiar," he muttered with a smirk. "Should I shift into Gear 5 now and let my Gomu Gomu no Kong Gun teach you how to behave?"
Kaido had unleashed his Fire Dragon Torch—one of his most devastating attacks, the same one he had used in their climactic battle atop Onigashima. Luffy was surprised to see him resort to such a powerful technique so early in their fight.
Although this Luffy is not the same Luffy from the Canon with Mythical Zoan, he was well-versed in the art of elemental manipulation and giant formation.
"It's a shame there's no iron around," he lamented with a smile, "otherwise I could show you a real Gundam."
Despite this limitation, Luffy knew he had more than enough power to counter Kaido's attack. With a determined shout, he began condensing lightning around his body.
"But this one move is more than enough to deal with you! ASCEND…. RAIJIN NO KYOJIN!!!"
With his thunderous declaration, the sky darkened instantly as storm clouds gathered overhead. A terrifying electric current—reaching nearly one billion volts—surged around Luffy's form, enveloping him completely.
Using this electrical energy, Luffy transformed himself into a colossal figure reminiscent of a mythical thunder deity. The giant stood thousands of meters tall, wielding a golden staff crackling with lightning, with two great wings of wind and thunder spreading from its back. Its face was blue and fierce, with prominent fangs and beetle-like hair
The Thunder God giant that Luffy had formed matched Kaido's Fire Dragon in size and power, its wingspan stretching across the horizon as lightning arced between its fingertips.
Seeing the enormous thunder entity materialize before him, Kaido's eyes gleamed with excitement rather than fear. The challenge ignited his fighting spirit, his draconic features twisting into what might have been a smile.
"Oh-ho! I find myself liking you more and more," the Emperor rumbled. "Come then! Let's see which is stronger—fire or thunder."
With that challenge issued, Kaido directed his flaming dragon to lunge forward, its massive jaws opening wide to engulf the thunder giant.
Luffy's first move was strategic—he released a protective magnetic field around his Thunder God form. This field not only strengthened his construct's defense but also served to isolate and control energy flow around it.
With these preparations complete, Luffy commanded the thunder giant to swing its mighty weapon—the Golden Lightning Staff—directly at the flaming dragon's approaching head.
Both attacks were infused with Conqueror's Haki, the black lightning of their willpower visible even amidst the elemental chaos.
Before the dragon's jaws and the staff could physically connect, an invisible wave of force erupted between them as their Haki clashed in the space between. The two massive constructs separated momentarily before crashing together once more, their struggle continuing in the void.
This time, however, Luffy was not merely matching Kaido's power with his own. While maintaining the thunder giant, he was simultaneously manipulating the magnetic field around Kaido's Fire Dragon Torch, subtly unraveling its structure.
Soon, Kaido noticed his flaming construct becoming increasingly unstable, showing alarming signs of imminent collapse. Though he couldn't understand precisely what was happening, there was no doubt in his mind about who was responsible.
"Underhanded little devil!" he snarled. "Is trickery all you're capable of?!"
Luffy paid no attention to Kaido's protests. They were engaged in mortal combat, not some friendly exhibition match. Did Kaido truly expect him to fight with one hand tied behind his back out of some misplaced sense of chivalry?
In a life-or-death battle, one used every advantage at their disposal—even the most cunning tactics—to secure victory. Besides, these weren't underhanded tricks; they were Luffy's own hard-earned abilities, and using them was perfectly legitimate.
While Kaido fumed impotently, his Fire Dragon Torch—under the relentless influence of Luffy's magnetic manipulation—suddenly destabilized completely. The flames exploded outward before dissipating entirely, slipping beyond Kaido's control.
With the fire dragon extinguished, Kaido's true form was exposed, vulnerable in the open air.
Faced with the approaching Golden Lightning Staff—now wrapped in the black lightning of Conqueror's Haki—Kaido gritted his teeth and made the split-second decision to meet the attack head-on.
"DIE, BEAST KING!!!" Luffy roared.
With the added force of his magnetic powers, he channeled an enormous electric current into the thunder giant, the energy concentrating at the tip of the Lightning Staff.
The weapon descended with earth-shattering force, striking Kaido's head with a thunderous impact that echoed across the sea.
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