Next Bonus, 100!!
<><><><><><>
But after a quick glance, he turned back just in time to block Shanks's sword with his kanabo. The force of the Haki-infused blade, however, still sent him stumbling back two steps.
"Don't get distracted in a fight," Shanks said, the glint of his blade flashing as he brought it down.
"Worororo..." Kaido grinned, the muscles in his arms bulging as he swung his kanabo with all his might.
The clash of their weapons sent a shockwave through the air, a torrential downpour of force that washed over the entire island.
Arcs of Conqueror's Haki, black and red lightning, shot out in all directions, a terrifying aura of power erupting from the two men.
The sky roiled, and the sea churned.
The mere aftershocks of their battle were enough to destroy everything around them.
"Divine Departure!" Shanks roared. His sword erupted in a blinding, heavenly light, and a massive wave of Conqueror's Haki shot out, as devastating as a meteor strike.
Jin's eyes narrowed. "Divine Departure"... it was a technique even more advanced than simply coating a blade in Conqueror's Haki. It was the ability to project that Haki as a shockwave, a "cannonball" of pure will.
Garp had used it to get to Hachinosu. Shanks had used it to one-shot Kid and his thirty-billion-Berri bounty.
Kaido clearly knew how dangerous the attack was. His expression turned ferocious, and his body swelled, transforming in an instant into his human-beast form.
A bestial roar, like a thunderclap, ripped from his throat, the rampaging power within him whipping up a fierce wind.
The light of his Haki erupted from his body, and lightning crackled in his mouth, a terrifying sight to behold.
The Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Azure Dragon.
The power of a myth, allowing him to take the form of the legendary dragon, to control fire, wind, lightning, and clouds, to change the very weather with a wave of his hand.
"Vajra Arrow!"
He swung his kanabo, and a column of Haki shot out, shattering the reef as it went.
The two powerful attacks collided, and a brilliant light momentarily illuminated the entire island.
Shanks was sent flying by the force of the blow.
Kaido was struck by the sword wave. He grunted, a gash opening on his chest, blood dripping to the ground.
"Is it... over?"
"Who won??"
Brook, Carina, and the others were all stunned, their mouths agape at the sheer power of the two men.
"Not even close," Jin said, shaking his head. "A fight like this could go on for days."
He could see it clearly.
Kaido's strength in a one-on-one fight wasn't because he was the absolute best in any one area. It was his overall power.
His fruit wasn't awakened. His Armament, his Conqueror's, his Observation... none of them were the absolute strongest. His physical defense wasn't as good as Big Mom's. His strength wasn't as great as a giant king's...
There wasn't a single area where Kaido could be called the best.
On a scale of 1 to 100, all his stats were a 95. Not a single perfect score.
But his overall score was still the highest.
Those with awakened fruits didn't have his stamina, his defense, his Haki.
Those with stronger Haki didn't have his fruit, his stamina.
In short, he was too balanced. A Versatile warrior.
And Shanks? Like most Haki masters, he was a glass cannon. At full power, he could break through Kaido's defense. His attack was a 100, but his defense and stamina were around a 90. His average was lower than Kaido's.
Of course, there were many factors that could decide a battle. Condition, fighting spirit, a lucky break...
And the Emperors kept each other in check. They wouldn't really fight to the death. No matter who won, it would be a loss for both sides.
So, for the most part, they would just spar for a bit and then call it a day.
And their current injuries... they were nothing.
—————————
Ulti and Uta were now facing off.
After learning of Uta's relationship with Shanks, Ulti, though shocked, had quickly recovered and had attacked, declaring that she would kidnap Uta and make her sing for everyone.
She was a fan, yes, but there are many kinds of fans. Ulti was the obsessive kind, the kind that wants to possess their idol.
She transformed into a pachycephalosaurus.
The Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Zoan, Model: Pachycephalosaurus.
After Hanafuda's death, she and her brother, Page One, had been taken in by Kaido.
Ulti was smart. She knew that in the Beasts Pirates, it was survival of the fittest. Her father's relationship with Kaido wasn't enough to keep them safe.
So she had stolen two of Kaido's Devil Fruits, and she and her brother had become ability users, earning their place through combat.
"Ulti-Mortar!"
In her half-dinosaur form, Ulti relentlessly pursued Uta, smashing her head against everything in her path.
The force of her headbutts was comparable to that of a large-caliber cannon, shattering rocks and cratering the ground.
Uta had trained, but she was no match for Ulti, who had been forged in the crucible of the Beasts Pirates.
She was forced to dodge, again and again.
Lucky Roux and the others, wanting Uta to grow, just watched, not interfering.
Uta was cornered, a massive boulder at her back.
Nowhere to run.
With no other choice, she activated her second Devil Fruit ability. A pair of white wings sprouted from her back, and she soared into the air.
The Pegasus fruit allowed her to fly and gave her strength, speed, and stamina far beyond that of a normal Zoan.
Ulti's head, wreathed in Armament Haki, smashed into the multi-ton boulder, and it shattered into dust.
Through the dust, she saw Uta, now with wings, flying. "You're a Devil Fruit user too?" she said, surprised. But she didn't think much of it. Devil Fruits were common enough.
Lucky Roux, Hongo, and the others, however, were a different story.
Their eyes were wide with disbelief.
"What are those? Wings??"
"How is that possible??"
They knew Uta had eaten the Sing-Sing Fruit. So what was this?
A second Devil Fruit?
Impossible. Who could eat two Devil Fruits?
"Is it... an ability of the Sing-Sing Fruit?"
"It must be... I mean, Devil Fruits can have all sorts of strange powers, right?"
With her wings, Uta was faster, more agile. She launched a series of slashes, and the two of them were once again locked in battle.
Ulti, unable to fly, had no way to get to her.
—————————
As everyone was focused on the battle, Jin sensed something. He looked out at the sea.
In the setting sun, a large ship with billowing sails appeared on the horizon.
It was like a white whale, cutting through the waves.
Jin's eyesight was excellent.
He raised an eyebrow.
The Moby Dick.
Then, another ship, this one like a giant, multi-layered cake.
The Queen Mama Chanter.
And then, several Marine warships...
He could faintly hear the sound of cannon fire, the roar of explosions as the sea erupted in a series of waterspouts.
A wave of Haki cut through the air, from the Moby Dick toward the warships.
A powerful shockwave erupted from the Queen Mama Chanter, blasting at both the Moby Dick and the warships.
The warships' cannons were firing at both sides.
Jin was completely bewildered. A three-way battle?
It was chaos. He couldn't even tell who was fighting whom.
And what were the Marines, the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Big Mom Pirates all doing here?
Had the world gone mad?
Counting the Beasts and the Red-Haired... five major powers, all in one small patch of sea?
Shanks and Kaido, after another powerful clash, also sensed the commotion on the sea. They both pulled back, catching their breath.
"What's going on?"
"Is that... the Marines, Whitebeard, and Big Mom??"
Beckman, King, and the others also stopped fighting and looked out at the sea, wary of this third party.
No, not a third party. A fourth, fifth, and sixth.
"Hey, what are they doing here?" Beckman said, confused. He glanced at King, thinking it was some trick of the Beasts Pirates.
"What are you looking at me for?" King growled.
Queen, in his brachiosaurus form, tilted his small head. "What a party! Is this a Yonko summit?"
<><><><><><>
~ 70 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)