"Vice Commander, we..."
For the past twenty years, they had grown used to fighting the Beasts Pirates. The Bad Guys, who specialized in group battles and taking on larger forces with fewer numbers, were completely in their element on this battlefield. With perfect coordination, they took down wave after wave of the Beasts Pirates' elite, including many Zoan users. However—
"No matter how many of these small fry we take down, it won't change much. Why don't we focus on the Tobi Roppo and the All-Stars instead...?"
"No."
The one who answered wasn't the bandaged Vice Commander, but a white dove descending from the sky.
"...Commander?"
"It's me."
The white dove, "Roman No.1," spoke in a human voice. Everyone in the Bad Guys knew about Roman's ability to create these doves, so no explanation was needed.
"Right now, you are the only high-level fighters who are free to act. I need you to do me a favor."
The other members of the Straw Hat Crew were already locked in one-on-one duels with the Tobi Roppo, the All-Stars, and the top fighters of the Beasts Pirates. Meanwhile, the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders were busy protecting their crew and holding back Big Mom's children. That left only two groups available: the Red Scabbards and the Bad Guys!
"Commander, just give the order."
Hearing the bandaged Vice Commander's words, the white dove turned its gaze to the massive skull on Onigashima's right side.
"I need you to help take down Kaido."
?!
"Of course, if you'd rather take on Big Mom instead, I can—"
"No need."
The bandaged Vice Commander shook his head.
"This place has been our home too. Fighting the Beasts Pirates has been part of our daily lives for the past twenty years. It's about time we settled the score with Kaido. Let's go!"
With that command, the group immediately rushed toward the battlefield near the giant skull's right side, drawing the attention of the Red Scabbards.
"My Lord..."
On the battlefield, Denjiro, who had been guarding Hiyori closely, watched as the Bad Guys rapidly approached Kaido's location.
Had these mysterious warriors finally reached the moment where they would face Kaido head-on? If so—
"Go."
Hiyori understood the thoughts of her father's former retainers. Outsiders and secret organizations had already stepped up to fight Kaido. If the rightful heirs of Wano Country—the Kozuki clan—did nothing, what would that say about them?
Besides, after twenty years of suffering and oppression, it was finally time to settle the old scores.
"But, my lord, your safety—"
"Leave it to me."
Just as the Bad Guys had been sent to assist Luffy and the others, "Roman No.1" flew over and landed on Hiyori's armored shoulder. If the Red Scabbards were so eager to avenge Oden, then Roman was more than willing to help them see it through.
"My main body is fighting Big Mom, but protecting your 'Admiral' on the side won't be a problem. Besides—"
Besides, with the top fighters of the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates already engaged in their own battles, there were no remaining threats strong enough to endanger Hiyori, who stood as the symbolic figure leading Wano's rebellion.
"I'll leave it to you, Roman."
"My lord, take care!"
Denjiro, Kiku, and Ashura Doji didn't know much about Roman, and Kawamatsu remained neutral. However, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi had fought alongside the Straw Hat Crew and owed them a great debt for helping free their country.
To the Straw Hat Crew, Roman was the definition of reliable! From East Blue all the way to the New World, Roman had never let them down. So—
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi trusted Roman.
And the others trusted Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
As the Six Heroes tore through the battlefield at lightning speed toward Kaido, the battle was about to reach its climax.
"Roman, do you think we will win?"
A voice came from beneath the armor—it was Kozuki Hiyori. The white dove calmly preened its feathers.
"First, I am 'Roman No.1,' not the real Roman. Second, instead of asking whether we will win, you should be thinking about how to divide the spoils after victory."
"...Roman, you sure are confident."
Seeing Kozuki Hiyori in full armor, struggling even to move, Roman No.1 shook his head.
"It's not confidence. It's just that if a plan I've been working on for two years still fails, that would be... *ahem* quite embarrassing."
Only two years of planning to take down a Four Emperor, and he thinks failing would be embarrassing? Then what does that make us, who have spent twenty years preparing only to risk everything in a desperate fight? Hiyori sighed. Maybe this was just how the strong think.
But—
She looked up at the massive skull on the right. Though the high-speed movements of the fighters made it impossible for her to see clearly, she figured that with the help of the Red Scabbards and the Outlaws, they should be able to defeat Kaido soon, right?
However, that wasn't the case—
The reason Roman sent both the Outlaws and the Red Scabbards to Kaido's battlefield wasn't because Luffy, Ace, and Yamato couldn't fight Kaido. It was because the three of them together could only match Kaido evenly.
And that was the problem: Kaido, as the wielder of the Mythical Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon form, could keep fighting for days. If the battle only reached a stalemate, he could last not just ten days and nights, but at least several days without issue. The only way to end the fight was to inflict damage faster than he could recover!
"Damn it! It's the Outlaws!"
"Stop them! Don't let them interfere with Kaido-sama!!"
At the very center of the battlefield, Luffy and Kaido were surrounded by Kaido's elite troops, including over a dozen of his top fighters. As the silent figures of the Outlaws leaped toward them, the Beasts Pirates immediately raised their weapons to intercept them.
Leading the charge was the bandaged vice commander. As the countless bandages on his body unraveled, it was clear he was about to go all out.
"Vice Commander, catch!"
A fellow Outlaw tossed him two weapons—one long, one short. The white cloth wrapped around them unraveled as they landed in his hands.
The sword was deep red and black, elegant and imposing, with a fierce beast's face on the hilt and intricate cloud patterns along the blade. The spear gleamed silver-white, exuding an overwhelming killing intent, its razor-sharp tip shining like frost, and a coiling dragon engraved along its shaft.
"White Night, Black Cry—let's go!"
As the bandages on his face unraveled, revealing a strikingly handsome face, the young vice commander gripped his sword and spear tightly. Without hesitation, he charged toward the Beasts Pirates in front of him.
At the same time, he activated his Devil Fruit power—the "Text-Text Fruit." This time, the effect was:
*"Kill one with every ten steps, leave none alive across a thousand miles!"*
Black and white streaks of light crisscrossed the battlefield. Before the artificial Devil Fruit users and even the elite fighters coated in Haki could react, the vice commander had already passed through them!
His sword and spear pointed skyward, and then—
*Slash, slash, slash, slash—*
The world behind seemed to be split apart by beams of black and white light. Whether it was the thick armor of an animal-type fighter, the Armament Haki covering swords, or even the air itself—everything bore two clear, unmoving streaks of black and white! With a single strike, a path was torn open in the middle of the dense battlefield.
?! "Excellent swordsmanship."
The six samurai of the Red Scabbards all had a glimmer in their eyes. Ashura Doji couldn't help but voice his admiration. Just that one spear and sword strike had already earned their respect—no wonder this man had been able to protect Zhonghua Town despite Kaido's rampage.
"Finishing the deed, brushing off the dust—hiding both body and name."
In a flash, the vice commander vanished from sight. Not even the many powerful warriors on the battlefield, using their Observation Haki, could sense his presence! Though it wasn't at the level of the Clear-Clear Fruit, which could fool even a camera at close range, disappearing for just a moment was more than enough.
With bold and fearless energy, he swung his black-and-red Han sword straight at Kaido! The crimson sword energy streaked through the sky like a meteor, piercing through the clouds like the blazing sun. It cut across a thousand miles in an instant, its momentum unmatched.
No tricks. No excess movements. No hesitation. No detours.
Only a single, decisive slash meant to sever everything—direct, powerful, and unstoppable!
CLANG—!!
A long, ringing clash of metal echoed as the vice commander's sword struck Kaido's waist with full force! Even the so-called strongest creature in the world couldn't help but skid backward from the impact. His feet carved two deep trenches into the solid skull beneath him.
"Not bad."
But Kaido's tone didn't sound like someone who had just been hurt. Meanwhile, the vice commander had already dodged to the side, avoiding Kaido's backhanded swing of his spiked club. With a swift movement, he leaped into the air and quickly sheathed his sword, "Black Night," into his belt. The cloth strips wrapped around it unraveled, forming dancing symbols in midair.
As he soared higher, he gripped his spear and gathered power. Strange crackling sounds filled the air as black lightning danced across the weapon. Both Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki surged onto the spear, distorting the space around him, twisting the very light itself.
"Three cups down, a promise made—"
?! The world around them began to shatter and warp. The attack had yet to be unleashed, yet the sheer force building up threatened to tear apart space itself. Even perception seemed on the verge of collapse.
"Not a chance!"
With a sharp, guttural roar, Kaido could no longer maintain his usual composed demeanor of letting opponents strike him at will. He swung his spiked club fiercely toward the airborne vice commander! His unleashed Armament Haki shot forward in a devastating shockwave, roaring like an earth-shattering storm. The impact was so fierce that the compressed air solidified into a bluish 'arrow' shape, hurtling toward its target.
"Vajra—Arrow!"
Kaido knew all too well—this attack could actually harm him.
At that very moment, the vice commander had finally gathered all his Haki and strength, concentrating everything into his spear. With a sudden downward thrust, he unleashed it, sending a force crashing forward with a sound that seemed to split the world apart.
"—The Five Sacred Mountains crumble like dust!"
The spearhead tore through Kaido's unleashed Haki, striking his spiked club head-on!
CRACK—
First, the sound of shattering glass. Then—everything went white.
For a brief moment, all sound disappeared.
BOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!
The heavens trembled. The earth shook. The entire world quaked violently.
The clash of their full-powered strikes erupted in a cataclysmic explosion—a shockwave of pitch-black destruction and surging Haki. The air itself turned into massive ripples, spreading outward in all directions, threatening to obliterate everything in their path.
"Ahhh~~"
"Damn it, what kind of monster is this...?"
As the terrifying shockwave swept through, everything within a thousand meters was instantly wiped out! Whether it was the members of the Beasts Pirates, the samurai of Wano Country, or the elite of the Whitebeard Pirates, they were all sent flying like paper dolls. Even Roman and Big Mom, who were fighting on the other side of the battlefield, couldn't help but glance in this direction.
That power... After clearing the battlefield with a single attack, those still standing on the right side of Onigashima:
"The bandaged guy is incredible!"
Luffy stared at the terrifying clash before him and had to admit—the vice commander of the Ruffians, who had "stolen" his opponent, was indeed qualified to join this battle.
"Stay sharp, Luffy."
Beside him, Ace faced the overwhelming clash of Haki, his black hair flowing wildly behind him.
"Kaido isn't someone you can take down easily."
"But..."
Yamato, now in her hybrid beast form, sniffed the air.
"Kaido is hurt."
"…A wound… fresh blood… after so long…"
As the smoke cleared, the vice commander of the Ruffians stood with his spear planted in the ground, crimson spreading across its silver-white blade. The blood wasn't just from the enemy—much of it came from his own arms. After all, that last strike had pushed him beyond his limits.
And standing across from him was Kaido—with a gaping hole in his shoulder!
Kaido wiped his shoulder as the muscles wriggled, regenerating, and were soon covered by scales again. Although he seemed to recover in an instant, the new flesh wasn't as tough as the battle-hardened body he had before. There was no denying that his arm's strength had weakened.
"Not bad."
Despite being injured for the first time since the battle began, Kaido remained unfazed. Instead, he stretched his hand toward the spear-wielding man.
"Hand over the 'treasure'!"
"I'll let the Ruffians go, and I'll even make you one of my 'Calamities.'"
"You should know, I admire young warriors like you the most."
(End of chapter)
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