The next day, the weather was clear and breezy, with gentle winds rippling across the sea.
Just as Kaidou sat on the deck to start fishing.
"Something's up! Boss Kaidou, a large Navy warship has appeared off the port bow. And it's heading straight for us!"
Suddenly, the lookout shouted directly at Kaidou.
"The Navy?!" Hearing this, Kaidou immediately stood up and looked toward the distant black dot, simultaneously activating his Observation Haki.
"Wororororo... Interesting. I never expected this guy to still have the leisure to wander the seas. It seems that incident hasn't happened yet!" Kaidou laughed heartily.
"Boss Kaidou, large Navy warships are typically only authorized for Vice Admirals and Admirals. Moreover, since they dare to approach us after spotting our ship, they must be formidable! Should we evade them for now?" Queen suggested, walking over to Kaidou.
"Coward!" King retorted directly at Queen.
"What did you say, you brainless brute?!" Queen immediately flared up at King.
"Brother Kaidou, whether we fight or flee, the decision is yours," King said to Kaidou.
Hearing this, Queen fell silent and fixed his gaze on Kaidou.
"Wororororo... Since we've encountered them, how can we just let it slide? Of course, we'll stir up some chaos." Kaidou showed no hesitation whatsoever. "Men, bring the ship closer!"
With his power having recently surged, Kaidou was precisely in need of someone to test his current strength. Retreat was out of the question—if they were to leave, it would only be after a fierce battle.
Even if retreat became necessary eventually, his abilities would allow him to escape with ease.
"Yes, sir!"
The pirate underlings responded in unison.
"Let's start with a greeting!" As soon as Kaidou finished speaking, he transformed into a kilometer-long Azure Dragon. Gazing at the distant warship on the sea, he opened his abyss-like maw, with blazing flames swirling within.
"Boss Kaidou is mighty!" The pirates on the ship looked up at the divine yet demonic Azure Dragon in the sky, their eyes filled with admiration.
"Heat Breath!"
A spiral vortex of flames, several kilometers long, shot directly toward the Navy warship.
This was an improved technique Kaidou had developed after his transmigration—the spiral-impact Heat Breath was thirty percent more powerful than the original version.
The terrifying spiral pillar of flames reached the Navy warship almost instantly, as if it were about to annihilate the vessel in the next moment.
Yet, faced with this fearsome assault, the Navy soldiers on the warship showed no trace of panic. Standing before them was none other than the Navy Admiral, known as the "Non-Killing Admiral"—Zephyr, the "Black Arm."
Zephyr leaped forcefully from the bow of the ship, the powerful recoil causing the front of the large warship to sink several meters into the water.
"These pirates are no ordinary lot!"
Zephyr charged straight toward the pillar of flames, his hands enveloped in Armament Haki as dark as ink, covering his entire wrists. Then—
"Black Arm·Meteor!"
Zephyr's right fist shot out violently, carrying a ferocious force that made the surrounding air hum audibly.
An invisible shockwave collided with the massive pillar of flames.
"BOOM—!"
A deafening roar erupted, and a strange spectacle unfolded on the sea: one side continuously scorched by high-temperature flames, the other blocked by an invisible force, as if an intangible wall and endless flames were locked in a relentless struggle.
The ensuing hurricane formed by the powerful impact was like a category 8 typhoon, instantly stirring up colossal waves that nearly sank the nearby Marine warships. Even the Beasts Pirates Ship several kilometers away was affected.
At this moment, Zephyr in midair paid no attention to the warships—partly because he trusted the Marines aboard, and partly because a dark shadow was rapidly approaching.
Meanwhile, Kaidou grew excited upon seeing his Heat Breath being blocked.
"King, Queen, I leave this place to you," Kaidou said without waiting for their response, transforming into his human form midair and charging swiftly toward the opposite side.
······
"Wororororo... Long time no see, Zephyr!"
Kaidou quickly closed in on Zephyr and greeted him.
"Thunder Bagua!!!"
His Hassaikai club, coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, swung directly at Zephyr's head.
"Kaidou, I don't recall being this familiar with a pirate intern like you. But since we've met, you might as well spend your days in Impel Down!"
As a Marine Admiral and a former intern of the strongest pirate crew in the New World, the two had naturally never fought before, though they had crossed paths a few times.
"Black Arm·Flare!"
Facing Kaidou's attack, Zephyr stood his ground, clenching his fist and striking directly at the spiked club coming at him.
"BOOM——!"
Their attacks collided head-on, producing a deafening roar.
Both were forced back by the tremendous recoil.
"Wororororo... Let's continue! Adamantine·Arrow!"
Kaidou laughed heartily in response to Zephyr's assault, swinging his Hassaikai to release a cylindrical shockwave aimed straight at Zephyr.
This time, Zephyr didn't meet it head-on. Instead, he used Soru to vanish from the attack's range, reappearing right in front of Kaidou.
"Kaidou, you'll spend the rest of your life reflecting on your sins in Impel Down!"
"Black Arm·Meteor!"
With that, he threw a punch directly at Kaidou's head.
"Wororororo... That place isn't for me!"
"Roaring Thunder·Bagua!!!"
Kaidou instantly teleported a short distance backward, then swung his Hassaikai at Zephyr again.
"BOOM——!"
Another powerful explosion echoed through the air. This time, Kaidou didn't resist the recoil but instead used it to propel himself further back.
"Kaidou, for the sake of justice, go to Impel Down and repent for your crimes!" Zephyr declared.
"Wororororo... Crimes? Zephyr, are you joking? Who could be more sinful than those beasts living in Mary Geoise? If it's for justice, why not take action against them?!" Kaidou retorted immediately.
Hearing Kaidou's words, Zephyr fell silent, but his offensive against Kaidou did not weaken in the slightest.
"Wororororo... Zephyr, the justice you carry is weeping!" Kaidou shouted at him.
"Heat Breath!"
Kaidou opened his mouth wide, gathering red energy continuously before unleashing a massive spiral of flame toward Zephyr.
Though the power of his human-form Heat Breath was inferior to that of his beast form, it was still a force to be reckoned with.
"Brat Kaidou, enough talk. Today, you will be imprisoned!"
Zephyr seemed to have anticipated it as he dodged the Heat Breath attack in advance and swiftly flew toward Kaidou.