And yet—this legendary pirate had run straight into El.
…
"Trying to run?" El watched King soar upward and let out a cold sneer.
"Since you've crossed my path, you'd best accept your fate!"
With that, El launched himself into the air, surging after King in his massive pteranodon form!
Flying Devil Fruit users were few and far between across the world—but flight alone would never make one invincible.
King had met his match at last.
When he first set out to seize Caesar, he had never imagined such a foe would stand in his way.
Now, even if he regretted his choices, it was far too late to turn back.
Truth be told, King had never faced an opponent who left him so completely outmatched—not since he joined the Beasts Pirates and roamed the New World at Kaido's side.
That such a young pirate wielded such terrifying power… this news simply had to reach Kaido's ears!
Beyond his role as a top combatant, King also served as Kaido's most trusted advisor.
The Beasts Pirates' elite officers were all multi‑talented; raw strength alone would never carry one to the highest ranks.
Even Jack the Drought, though he seemed simple‑minded, was far sharper than he looked—he knew exactly how to use his demeanor to throw enemies off balance, turning deception into a weapon.
King was much the same: one of Kaido's very first followers, he was far more than just a formidable All‑Star—he was the Emperor's right hand in every sense of the word.
By now, El had openly declared war on Kaido's crew.
There was no turning back, no room for compromise—they were sworn enemies.
Wherever they met, blood would be spilled.
King's fate had been sealed the moment he crossed El's path.
CRASH!
King had barely gained altitude when El struck him out of the sky with a single blow, slamming him straight back down to the ground.
The entire island trembled under the impact.
El showed no mercy. King was the enemy's most senior officer—there was no reason to hold back.
Besides, as an Ancient Zoan user, his physical endurance was among the finest in the world; a fall from such heights would not kill him, only leave him battered.
After all, there was only one man alive who could fall from the clouds and walk away without a scratch: Kaido himself.
For all his strength, King still stood far below the Emperor at the very peak of power.
Huff… huff…
King flared his great black wings, shifting into his hybrid form.
As a Lunarian, he already bore wings—but in this state, those original wings were replaced by the pteranodon's massive pinions.
Here he could draw on the Zoan's overwhelming physical might while retaining human agility and precision.
Shifting between forms was the hallmark of a skilled Zoan user—but against El, no trick would avail him now.
"Damn you…" King snarled at El, who had landed just a short distance away.
"Must you stand against the Beasts Pirates?"
"Must I?" El scoffed with disdain.
"How amusing. If I laid down my arms today—tell me honestly, King—would the Beasts Pirates ever show me mercy?"
This was the New World—the most dangerous sea on earth, the true paradise of pirates.
There were no laws, no honor, no courtesy.
If the Beasts Pirates ever gained the upper hand, they would crush El's crew without a second thought.
That was the iron rule of the pirate world: might made right, and the strongest always held the truth.
Right now, El was undeniably the stronger of the two—and King had no choice but to accept it.
The Beasts Pirates had fallen on hard luck indeed.
Two of their All‑Stars—Jack and Queen—were already El's prisoners, taken when they moved against his crew.
Now King had followed the very same path.
He had once believed his flight would keep him safe even if he crossed El—but he had been wrong.
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