"What terrifying might!"
Queen the Plague gazed upward, his usual arrogance replaced with awe as the air trembled from the violent collision above. The sky itself cracked, a jagged rift tearing through the clouds from the impact of two monsters locked in battle.
Fortunately, their duel still raged far from Onigashima; otherwise, the island might have been reduced to rubble.
"No wonder Kaido's so obsessed with this kid," Queen muttered, wiping cold sweat from his brow. "He actually possesses power on par with Kaido's—and he's fearless enough to face him head-on! You don't think Kaido will lose… do you?"
"Hmph," King the Wildfire snorted, his tone calm yet firm. "Stop spouting nonsense, Queen. The final victor will undoubtedly be the Captain."
"Of course, of course! Just kidding, hahaha…" Queen chuckled awkwardly, his laughter echoing faintly as he looked back up at the magnificent battle raging in the skies.
---
The two colossal figures—Kaido in his Azure Dragon form and Shirogai in his Ox Demon form—emerged unscathed from their latest devastating clash. The tension in the air was almost palpable.
"Excellent! Excellent! Now I'm getting excited!" Kaido roared, his serpentine body twisting through the clouds. With a mighty swing of his tail, his Dragon Claw lashed out, a storm of power tearing through the air.
"Thunder Bagua: Dragon Twister!"
Boom!
The blow landed squarely across the Ox Demon's face, sending Shirogai hurtling backward through the sky, spinning violently before nearly plunging into the sea.
"Moo—ROAR!!!"
A crimson light flared in Shirogai's eyes. His hooves stomped down upon the very air, stabilizing him as the void beneath his feet rippled like water.
"Ox Demon: Stomp!"
With a thunderous bellow, Shirogai's hooves struck the Flame Clouds, igniting bursts of fire that surged outward. The expanding flames carried his immense body forward in a fiery charge straight toward the Azure Dragon above.
Each step rippled with explosive energy, spreading waves of searing fire that consumed the sky itself. The inferno's roar reached Kaido before Shirogai did.
"Hot enough to burn me?! Damn it!"
Kaido flinched as Anaterasu enveloped him. The flames clung to his scales like a curse, refusing to be shaken off.
"Tch! These flames… they won't die!" he growled, slicing through the inferno with his claws—yet the fire merely reignited, wrapping tighter around him.
"Bastard!!!"
Kaido's fury erupted, his massive body radiating deep violet Conqueror's Haki. The air cracked and screamed under the pressure as the flames shattered and his scales flaked away from the force.
"This is really annoying! Guess I'm finally sobering up!"
His slitted eyes gleamed. The beast was awake now.
"Dragon Claw!"
Kaido's talon, engulfed in Conqueror's Haki, struck downward like a bolt of divine punishment. It clashed with the flaming staff that Shirogai swung upward to meet it.
"Kid, where's your Conqueror's Haki?!"
BOOM!
The impact sent shockwaves through the heavens. Shirogai, who had only channeled Armament Haki, was blasted back, flames scattering from his body as he steadied himself midair.
Kaido's mocking roar thundered from above. "Still holding back? Don't test my patience! If you keep this up, you'll die here!"
Shirogai exhaled sharply, gripping his staff tighter. "You're still holding back too, Kaido!"
He roared, flames surging once more around his ox-like body as he charged ahead, his weapon blazing with blackened Armament Haki.
"Ruyi Staff!"
The staff elongated in an instant, growing as large as Kaido's dragon form. With a single swing, Shirogai smashed it downward like a mountain falling from the sky.
"GRAAAHH!"
Caught off guard, Kaido took the full blow. Sparks and flame burst from his mouth as his massive body slammed toward the ocean below.
Dark clouds rolled across the sky as Kaido's enraged roar echoed over the sea.
"Mad Overlord: Drunken Slash!"
He spun his body, gathering Conqueror's Haki once again. A crimson-black slash tore through the air toward Shirogai, splitting the clouds.
"Treading Strike!"
Shirogai roared back, raising his colossal staff with both hands. He met the attack head-on with a mighty downward strike.
The air split.
CRACK!
Kaido's Haki-infused slash cleaved straight through Shirogai's weapon, breaking the flaming staff clean in half before continuing forward.
Shirogai's red eyes flickered as the slash consumed him. His massive Ox Demon form split apart, falling lifelessly from the sky into the raging sea below.
BOOM!
The ocean erupted. Two massive waves surged upward, swallowing the fragments of his body.
"We won! Kaido-sama won!!!"
"That monster's dead! He's been split in half!"
The Beasts Pirates watching from below erupted in cheers.
"The Captain's invincible! Beasts Pirates are the strongest crew in the world!"
"Hahaha! That troublesome fool didn't last long!" Queen howled, clutching his belly in laughter. "He talked big but only survived a few exchanges!"
King's tone remained composed. "To force the Captain to fight seriously in his Azure Dragon form… that alone is impressive. He should rest in peace."
Then Queen frowned. "Wait… why isn't Kaido coming down? What's he staring at?"
King looked up as well. "…"
---
High above, Kaido's eyes narrowed, his Dragon body coiling in irritation.
"Bastard… the one I just killed—was your clone?!"
His voice shook the heavens.
"No wonder it felt off! The power was too weak. Even a trash Admiral wouldn't fall that easily!"
His roar carried across all of Onigashima, silencing every Beasts Pirate below.
"C-clone?!" one of the Headliners gasped. "That monster was just a clone?!"
"No way! Even Kaido wouldn't mistake something like that!" another stammered, wings trembling.
"Are you doubting Kaido-sama?!" a third snarled, punching the doubter across the jaw. "If Kaido says it was a clone, then it was a clone!"
A woman with a massive pink gorilla murmured, "Maybe the real one escaped… realizing the captain was too strong."
King folded his arms, his expression unreadable. "So that explains it. I didn't sense the will of a true King from that creature."
Queen's jaw dropped. "Wait, you're saying that monster—almost as strong as us—was just a clone?!"
---
"Burp. Guess I'm full."
Far away, in a small ramen shop within Wano Country, a young man with short black hair set down his bowl. He wiped his mouth, paid the chef in Berries, and turned his gaze toward the distant sky, where the massive Dragon still raged among the clouds.
His lips curled into a faint smirk.
"This time," he murmured, eyes glinting with confidence, "you should be sober now… Kaido."
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