Minute by minute, time bled away.
After more than two hours of relentless combat, both men were running on fumes—
but the fire in their eyes refused to dim.
They knew the moment had come.
No more holding back.
Their final trump cards would decide everything.
Kaido stomped the ground and launched himself skyward.
His body twisted in midair as he gripped his kanabō, Hassaikai, with both hands.
Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki surged wildly, flooding into the weapon.
"Conqueror of Three Worlds Ragnarok!"
With a thunderous roar, Kaido swung downward.
The kanabō howled through the air, splitting it apart as if it would crush heaven and earth alike.
Shiro's eyes hardened.
This was not an attack he could meet carelessly.
He inhaled once—
Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki wrapped around Tetanus Fang—
and he countered with a single decisive strike:
"Divine Departure!"
Red-black lightning exploded overhead.
The shockwave blasted across Onigashima, knocking out Beast Pirate grunts and rebel soldiers alike—
anyone close enough to be caught in the blast simply crumpled.
BOOOOM!
The collision rocked the island.
Shiro and Kaido were forced back two steps each before regaining their footing.
Once again, the clash of two Conquerors had ended in a deadlock.
But two hours of brutal fighting—
and the strain of unleashing techniques of that caliber—
left both men heaving for breath, sweat streaming down their faces.
Neither retreated.
This was the final stretch.
Whoever fell first would lose everything.
A murderous gleam flashed in Kaido's eye.
He knew he was out of time—
and out of chances.
No more restraint.
He ignited his ultimate form—
"Flame Dragon Torch!"
His entire body erupted in roaring fire.
Heat distorted the air around him.
His speed and strength skyrocketed; his kanabō whirled so fast it left burning afterimages, each swing carrying molten destruction.
Everything the flames touched burned away.
Kaido's body twisted—
then fully transformed into a colossal Fire Dragon, maw gaping wide as he charged Shiro with annihilating force.
Shiro recognized it instantly.
This was the final exchange.
He summoned every last drop of will.
Armament and Conqueror's Haki compressed together, condensed to the absolute limit—
—into the blade of Tetanus Fang.
This was one of his ultimate techniques—
Aramitama.
To empower it further, Shiro gripped his sword and shouted:
"Little Tetanus—your turn! Give me everything you've got!"
A low, rumbling voice echoed from within the blade:
"Got it, Master. Here I go—Lion's Scattering Valley!"
A blinding gold slash burst from the sword.
Its cutting power was tremendous.
Shiro's eyes sharpened.
He wrapped the slash in flowing Ryō (advanced Armament) and Conqueror's Coating—
Gold.
Pink.
Black.
Three forces intertwined, merged, and expanded—
forming an enormous tri-colored energy greatsword radiating pure destruction.
Shiro swung.
The energy blade hurtled toward the Fire Dragon, tearing the air apart.
They collided in the skies above Onigashima.
KRA-KOOOOM!
The impact shook the entire island.
Flames and Haki exploded outward.
Gold, red, black, and pink clashed violently, scattering clouds for miles.
For thirty long seconds, the two forces battled for dominance.
Then—
The tri-colored sword forced its way forward—
piercing straight into the Fire Dragon's throat.
"GRAAAAAAAAH!"
Kaido's roar shook the heavens.
Pain. Rage.
Despair.
Flames spurted wildly from the wound.
His enormous form shuddered.
Moments later, the greatsword burst from the dragon's tail—
then dissolved into drifting motes of light.
Kaido's flaming dragon body flickered—
dimmed—
and collapsed.
He shrank rapidly, flames dying out, until he crashed to the ground in human form.
"—gh—cough—cough!"
Kaido spat two mouthfuls of blood, staining the earth.
His giant frame trembled… then toppled with a thunderous crash.
Inside his body, every organ had been shredded.
He had only a thread of life left—
unable to move so much as a finger.
Shiro, on the other hand, had completely exhausted his strength.
Every muscle failed him.
He collapsed to his knees, then sat heavily on the floor, gasping for breath.
Tetanus Fang dimmed and fell silent in his hand—
its spirit returned to slumber, the blade reverting to a normal, lifeless black sword.
Shiro lifted his head, eyes settling on the fallen Emperor.
His voice carried the weight of judgment:
"Kaido… in Wano, you've committed countless atrocities.
Years under your rule left the people in constant suffering.
Families torn apart. Homes destroyed.
Every day was another tragedy."
He exhaled.
"Today, you face judgment—for everything you've done."
"Judgment…?"
Kaido's lips curled in a bitter sneer.
He pushed weakly at the ground, trying to rise—
but his body refused to obey.
Grinding his teeth, he forced out the last of his breath:
"No one in this world… has the right to judge me…!
My goal was to become Pirate King.
What's wrong with that…?
Why could Roger become Pirate King… but I couldn't…?"
Shiro slowly lifted his gaze, surveying the battlefield.
The fight was ending.
The Beast Pirates were collapsing on all fronts—
defeated, surrendering, or fleeing in panic.
Seeing this, Shiro breathed deeply… and answered Kaido:
"You think becoming Pirate King is something strength alone can achieve?"