"If you can do it, then come and try!"
Beckman roared hoarsely, his voice roughened by days of fierce combat.
After three days and nights of non-stop, high-intensity battle, Beckman had long lost his initial elegant composure. His meticulously groomed gray hair had become a tangled mess, covered in dust and blood. His clothes were torn and tattered, with exposed skin covered with wounds of varying depths.
Now he looked less like the Red Hair Pirates' spirited vice-captain and more like a refugee living day to day.
Kai didn't respond with words.
He took a deep look at the battle-ready Beckman and stopped engaging him directly. Kai leaped up, soaring skyward in flight.
During his ascent, his emerald dragon body further elongated and expanded, the majestic divine dragon form appearing once more.
Soon.
High above, a dragon's roar suddenly rang out as Kai's massive dragon body began emanating incredibly brilliant pure white light.
Simultaneously, black-red Haki coiled around him like raging dragons, interweaving with the white light and releasing heart-stopping destructive aura.
"Ultimate Impact!"
The giant divine dragon began its final dive.
A meteor tore through layers of air, carrying tail flames that would incinerate everything, at speeds exceeding visual capture limits, charging directly at Beckman's position.
Within mere seconds, the deity from high heaven had descended to the mortal realm!
Kai compressed his massive dragon body to the extreme, condensing all kinetic energy, Haki, and power into a single point, striking directly at Beckman's location.
"This is really bad."
Beckman looked up at the attack occupying his entire field of vision like the sky collapsing, his pupils contracting to pinpoints.
He decisively crossed both arms defensively, squeezing out the last remnants of Armament Haki within his body. Desperately pushing it to its limits like burning his life force, covering his entire body.
"Armament: Steel Guard!"
BOOM!
The terrifying explosion capable of rupturing eardrums instantly echoed throughout Chagos Island, even spreading across surrounding waters!
Ultimate speed brought ultimate impact force. Like an asteroid striking Earth, Beckman's position erupted in a massive mushroom cloud shooting skyward!
Rumble rumble rumble—
The entire Chagos Island shook like being frantically shaken by an invisible giant hand, as if experiencing a magnitude 8 earthquake. Everyone standing on it swayed unsteadily.
Crack Crack Crack
The earth couldn't bear this world-destroying force and shattered thunderously. Countless bottomless chasms dozens of meters wide spread frantically in all directions from the impact point. Frigid seawater immediately flooded in madly.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"That monster Kai—is he trying to completely destroy this island?!"
In that instant, all pirates still fighting on the battlefield, whether Beast or Red Hair crews, were forced to stop. They stared dumbfounded and trembling at this apocalyptic scene.
Fear gripped everyone's heart. The impact-generated tsunami spread frantically outward, even affecting distant Charlotte family fleets and Marine flagships with violent shaking.
"That bastard can actually do something like this?"
Aboard Queen Mama Chanter, Oven stared at the scene of destruction, speechless for a long time.
At this moment, he completely understood—no matter how much he trained, he could never catch up to Kai.
The brothers and sisters who'd once followed Oven in challenging Kai all felt chills down their spines, secretly grateful for Perospero's restraint.
"Good thing Perospero-nii-san held them back, otherwise..."
Thinking this, they all shuddered simultaneously.
"Mama Mama, that boy Kaido really picked up an incredible subordinate!"
Charlotte Linlin extended her long tongue to lick her lips, drool dripping onto the deck and immediately releasing corrosive white smoke.
"I want him more and more!"
That man named Kai already possessed strength rivaling the Four Emperors. If she could marry Kai, with their combined strength, she wouldn't need to cooperate with other Pirate Emperors.
Wouldn't the entire New World be within their grasp as husband and wife?
Katakuri stood silently aside, constantly simulating how he might counter this technique.
But no matter how he calculated, the result was always the same—dodge, dodge far away! Absolutely can't take this head-on!
Marine flagship.
The entire deck fell silent.
"Upgrade the Beast Pirates threat level to just below the Revolutionary Army."
Sengoku gazed at Chagos Island, nearly split by a single strike, slowly issuing orders.
"Yes! Sengoku-san!"
No one objected. Everyone clearly understood that Natural Disaster Kai's displayed strength had surpassed the so-called Emperor's right-hand status.
If he still appeared to have energy remaining, calling him a new Pirate Emperor wouldn't be unreasonable.
And the Beast Pirates possessing such combat power would undoubtedly become the New World's strongest force!
After a long while, the aftershocks from Kai's island impact finally gradually subsided.
But.
Chagos Island.
Had completely split apart.
From now on, Chagos Island would be renamed—Chagos Archipelago.
"Not good! Beckman!"
Lucky Roux, Hongo and others with remaining strength snapped out of their shock, releasing desperate shouts as they frantically tried to rush over for rescue.
But their opponents also immediately awakened from their amazement, blocking them and refusing to let them advance a single step.
"Damn! Get out of my way! Let me through!"
Lucky Roux and others had to forcibly muster strength, wanting to quickly end their battles.
But Queen, Jack and others also understood this was the final battle, stubbornly entangling their opponents.
As long as Kai defeated Beckman, completely breaking battlefield balance, they would definitely win!
On another battlefield belonging to Emperors.
"Beckman!"
Shanks' eyes filled with tears of rage.
"Wororororo, that boy Kai did well."
Kaido's mood was unprecedentedly cheerful.
Even he, if hit head-on by such an attack, would definitely not escape unscathed—possibly even facing defeat!
He'd truly found an incredible companion and rival.
"Get out of my way!"
The enraged Red Hair roared furiously, his surging anger and Haki making the three scars on his face seem to tremble. His magnificent aura was substantial enough to make his black cloak billow and dance wildly.
Long sword Gryphon seemed to sense its master's towering rage as the powerful Conqueror's Haki coiling around it became unprecedentedly agitated.
"Get out of my way!"
Shanks swung his sword backhanded.
A massive, supremely condensed dark red sword energy, carrying momentum to cut through everything, charged straight at Kaido.
"Wororororo! Come on, Shanks! Rage just like that!"
Kaido showed no hesitation. Also mastering future sight, he directly transformed into a massive blue dragon.
As Shanks swung his sword, scorching flames thick as magma poured frantically from his dragon mouth, quickly enveloping his entire body!
The amazing heat merely unconsciously spreading caused the ground beneath the fire dragon to instantly melt. Trees spontaneously combusted to ash; surrounding seawater boiled and evaporated madly, filling the air with white mist; even hard rocks, merely swept by that massive flame dragon tail, directly became flowing red-hot lava!
"Flaming Dragon Torch!"
Kaido released his strongest roar.
The massive flame dragon head wrapped in dual-colored Haki collided with Shanks' terrifying slash!
BOOM!
Violent shockwaves instantly swept the entire battlefield.
At the collision center, black-red Haki lightning crackled madly as light consumed everything.
Centered on their battle position, the ground seemed devoured by an invisible giant mouth, continuously vanishing and collapsing!
In the blink of an eye, a U-shaped crater half the island's diameter and bottomlessly deep appeared.
At the U-shaped gap's end, endless seawater poured in like waterfalls.
"Hm? Did he still escape?"
As aftershocks faded, Kaido stared at the crater's bottom, where only churning seawater remained—Shanks had vanished.
Shanks had used the impact's momentum to dive straight to the seabed.
The battlefield fell into an eerily strange silence. Everyone waited for Shanks' whereabouts.
Meanwhile.
At the center of Kai's impact with Beckman, from a human-shaped crater, a hand covered in dust and blood suddenly emerged from rubble, desperately gripping the crater's edge!
The next second, Kai leveraged himself up, somewhat disheveledly leaping from the deep human-shaped pit.
He staggered a few steps, still swaying as he collapsed to the ground, gasping heavily while seizing every moment to recover strength.
Kai tilted his head slightly, looking at the completely transformed Chagos Island around him, his lips curving slightly.
Worthy of a 150-power ultimate technique—if not for the post-use body stiffness side effect, it would be nearly perfect.
"Kai-san!" A steady but urgent voice called.
Kuma's tall figure had already arrived.
Without waiting for Kai's response, his right palm directly touched Kai's body.
Hum—
Strange fluctuations spread.
The next moment, a massive, jaw-droppingly enormous pale red bear paw-shaped bubble dozens of meters high separated from Kai's body.
"This big?!"
Even the usually composed Kuma showed surprise at this unprecedented giant pain bubble.
Even as a Buccaneer, he probably couldn't handle such massive pain and fatigue.
As the person involved, Kai felt unprecedented relief. All bodily pain and exhaustion disappeared.
"Fuhahaha!"
Kai laughed as he stood straight, vigorously moving his shoulders. "Kuma, recruiting you aboard was definitely one of my wisest decisions!"
Though Kuma couldn't eject injuries, requiring Kai's own gradual recovery.
But this was enough to let him begin the next battle! Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit was truly heaven-defying—worthy of a fruit even Celestial Dragons considered treasure.
"Being able to help you couldn't be better." Kuma smiled gently.
Then, with a guilty expression, he patted that massive red bubble.
The bubble floated out lightly but at shocking speed.
"Please be careful!"
During the process, Kuma still reminded the unlucky pirate he'd selected.
As soon as he finished speaking, the massive bubble carrying all of Kai's pain and exhaustion had already entered a Red Hair pirate who'd just sensed danger and tried to dodge.
"Ahh!"
The Red Hair pirate only managed one scream before being completely consumed by indescribably massive pain.
In just an instant, he lost all consciousness, collapsing without another sound.
"Damn! We should've dealt with that big guy first!"
Lucky Roux stared at the seemingly refreshed Kai, glancing at silent Kuma beside him, his expression extremely ugly.
An enemy of such strength recovering fighting ability was the worst possible news for them.
At this suffocating standoff moment, the sea surface thunderously broke open.
A red figure burst through the surface, landing before Lucky Roux and others.
"Shanks!"
Hongo shouted joyfully, but the next second his gaze froze on the motionless person in Shanks' arms—Beckman!
His heart sank as he immediately rushed forward.
"Take care of him." Shanks' voice was terrifyingly low as he carefully laid Beckman on the ground.
Beckman, once spirited, was now miserable beyond belief.
Covered in wounds everywhere, soaked in seawater until his injuries were pale and swollen, breathing so weak it was barely detectable.
But his most serious injury was his upper body—his right arm was gone.
The moment Hongo's fingers touched his chest, his heart went cold.
Multiple broken ribs, extremely severe injuries.
If not for Beckman's truly amazing strength and not being a Devil Fruit user, he never would've survived until Shanks rescued him.
"Save him." Shanks looked at his ship doctor with utmost solemnity.
"Definitely!" Hongo nodded heavily, unhesitatingly dragging Beckman as he charged full speed toward the Red Force.
Only by returning to their ship was there a chance to save Beckman.
Seeing this, Queen took a step forward to intercept.
Swish!
Shanks was already blocking his path.
That ice-cold gaze underneath with ultimate fury made Queen's entire body stiffen.
"From now on, I'll be your opponent!"
Facing the seemingly about-to-explode Shanks, Queen unconsciously swallowed.
He seemed to be, possibly, probably completely outmatched.
But if he didn't step up, wouldn't that seem too weak? How could he remain Beast Pirates' star afterward?
Just as he struggled internally in this dilemma, a relaxed, laughing voice rang out beside him:
"Let me handle this, Queen-san."
It was Kai!
Queen immediately felt reprieved, his eyes nearly glowing with gratitude.
Kai boy, good brother! I'll never cause you trouble again!
"Ahem."
Queen cleared his throat, saying seriously: "Since you put it that way, as your senior, I'll give you this rare good opportunity."
Kai didn't care about Queen's attitude, only staring intently at Shanks.
His injuries weren't light, but Shanks' great battle with Kaido definitely couldn't have left him unharmed either.
With this back-and-forth, he might not lack chances to defeat Shanks.
Facing Kai, the culprit who'd caused Beckman to lose his arm, Shanks wasted no words, directly launching a zero-frame attack.
"Divine Departure!"