"Requesting authorization to deploy Raigō against Kaido! Requesting authorization to deploy Raigō against Kaido!" Enel's body crackled with electricity as the signal surged toward Bins and Rosinante.
Although Raigō Cannon was only a miniature version of the full Raigō, its destructive power was nothing to scoff at. Each orb, infused with lightning and turbulent air currents, shot forth at the speed of light—capable of obliterating a warship in an instant. Yet against Kaido, it did absolutely nothing.
Enel's expression hardened. At this point, he felt that only the true Raigō might be able to harm Kaido.
But Rosinante had strictly forbidden the use of such power near the Sabaody Archipelago—unleashing the Raigō here could annihilate the entire area. So Enel sent a formal request for permission.
In his mind, eliminating Kaido quickly was the only option. If that meant destroying Sabaody in the process, so be it.
"Alright then, this game's gone on long enough… it's time to get serious." Rosinante's calm voice drifted from Area 1.
As he spoke, his hand was wrapped tightly around someone's neck—lifting the man off the ground with ease.
It was Dark Thorn. His entire body was covered in blood, arms hanging limp, his eyes wide with pure terror as he stared at Rosinante.
"Rayleigh, I'm leaving these people to you," Rosinante said casually, dropping the nearly lifeless man. "Just make sure they stay alive. They might still be useful one day."
Rayleigh chuckled. "Heh, don't worry. Keeping a few people breathing is something I can manage."
"Then I'll leave it to you." Rosinante nodded slightly before turning toward Kaido's direction.
"You're not going to kill me?" Dark Thorn croaked weakly.
"If you've got no reason left to live, then come to the Gray Nation," Rosinante said without looking back. "Maybe there, you'll find a goal worth living for. Compared to the darkness of your world, gray might just be… far more colorful."
With that, he pulled his violet blade, Ziming, from the ground, sheathed it at his waist, and strode forward.
In the skies above, Enel's relentless storm continued. The Raigō Cannon shells rained down, engulfing Kaido in constant explosions—each one strong enough to level mountains.
But suddenly, a massive hand shot out from the blazing chaos, moving faster than the eye could follow, reaching straight for Enel.
Enel's face changed instantly. His body flashed into lightning, disappearing just as the giant hand closed on empty air.
Kaido's arm swung horizontally, the mere motion scattering the lingering lightning and explosions, revealing his unscathed body.
"This kind of weak tickle is getting annoying," Kaido said indifferently. Then he bent down, grabbed a massive boulder, and hurled it toward the sky.
The rock shot upward like a cannonball, piercing through the thunderclouds above. In an instant, the entire storm shattered—the dark, dense clouds scattered as if Kaido had punched a hole through the heavens themselves.
Even Enel, god of lightning, froze in shock.
That wasn't just a show of strength. Clouds were intangible, untouchable—no ordinary attack could disperse them like that. Yet Kaido's casual throw had torn apart the sky itself. The raw power behind it was monstrous beyond comprehension.
While Enel stood stunned, Kaido leaped into the air, closing the distance in a blink. His colossal fist, surrounded by crushing air pressure, came crashing down toward Enel.
The force alone nearly suffocated him before the punch even landed.
By the time Enel realized what was happening, it was too late—the pressure had already pinned him in place.
At Kaido's strength, one hit could easily end him. Logia intangibility meant nothing against someone like Kaido—it was a joke to him.
But before that monstrous fist could strike, a blazing streak of light flashed between them.
BOOM!
A violent shockwave tore through the air as two powers collided. The explosion sent a fierce gust surging outward, blasting Enel away from the clash.
"He—he blocked it!" someone gasped from below.
"Rosinante!" Kaido grinned, his sharp teeth glinting as he looked down.
There he was—Rosinante stood before him, one leg raised, having just intercepted Kaido's strike head-on.
"Seriously, Enel… what were you thinking, spacing out in the middle of a fight? Trying to get yourself killed?" Rosinante scolded without even glancing at Kaido.
Enel looked utterly embarrassed. Despite his considerable power, he was still young—his combat experience couldn't compare to veterans like Kaido. Against an opponent of that caliber, a moment's hesitation was fatal.
"Rosinante's appeared… so he's really going to fight Kaido to the death," Doflamingo muttered with a dark smile.
"Daring to ignore me… you're getting arrogant, Rosinante!" Kaido roared. His muscles bulged, and the force behind his arm multiplied as he sent Rosinante flying.
Rosinante twisted midair, flipping gracefully before landing firmly on the ground.
"My bad, my bad. I didn't mean to ignore you," he said with an almost teasing calmness. "But seeing one of my men lose focus in a fight like this… I just couldn't let it slide."
Then his tone hardened. "Enel—when we're done here, you're on a one-day confinement. For now, retreat. This battlefield's beyond your level."
Enel winced, but he didn't dare argue. He bowed slightly before retreating from the area.
"Enough talk! Let's finish the fight we started!" Kaido bellowed.
"Continue, huh?" Rosinante smirked faintly. "I'm afraid this time… you're in for a real shock."
His expression turned ice-cold, and a terrifying pressure began to surge from his body—an aura so intense that even seasoned warriors watching from afar felt their breath catch.
"He's finally getting serious…" Akainu said grimly.
"Rosinante versus Kaido of the Beasts… who knows how this will end," Kizaru muttered.
"No matter what happens, our mission is clear," Tsuru reminded. "We protect Sabaody at all costs."
Kizaru sighed. "What a bore. If we could capture either of them, though… that'd be quite the promotion."
"Don't be ridiculous," Tsuru shot back. "Neither of them is someone you 'capture.' Even if they destroy each other, they won't go down easily. And don't forget—they both have trump cards."
Akainu's jaw tightened. She was right. Rosinante had a space-warping subordinate who could extract him at any time, while Kaido… even if caught, couldn't be killed. Capturing either of them was a nightmare.
And striking at Rosinante now would mean war—a full-scale conflict between the World Government and the Gray Nation. Something the Government wasn't ready for.
"A shock, huh?" Kaido sneered, pulling his colossal iron club from his back. "Let's see what could possibly surprise me!"
"Body Restriction—Silent Mode," Rosinante exhaled softly. He hated resorting to this technique, but against a monster like Kaido, holding back meant death.
As the technique activated, Rosinante's aura exploded outward like a storm—then, in the same instant, his blade flashed.