The samurai of Wano Country suffered devastating losses. Even with a determined rearguard action during their retreat, they still could not stop more of their comrades from falling after the Beasts Pirates unleashed countless ferocious beasts onto the battlefield.
It was a brutal day.
The war between the Beasts Pirates and Wano Country had unexpectedly come to an end in just a single day.
More than half of Wano Country's samurai had been sacrificed, with the death toll surpassing six thousand. Most of the survivors were wounded.
The Beasts Pirates, meanwhile, had suffered fewer than a thousand casualties.
Such a battle record was almost unimaginable.
The reason was simple. The samurai fought almost exclusively in close combat, yet they had been forced to endure an endless barrage of artillery. On top of that, the battlefield itself favored the Beasts Pirates. The sea was an unfamiliar environment for Wano Country's warriors, and the ships that served as their footing were gradually destroyed under relentless bombardment.
Wano Country no longer had the strength to continue its advance.
"That brat Kaido isn't bad, but compared to my beast army, he's still far behind. Jiehahahahaha!"
Shiki naturally paid close attention to the battle. Watching the Beasts Pirates unleash their beast army made him burst into laughter.
Compared to the monstrous army he had painstakingly cultivated, the Beasts Pirates' beasts, most standing only three to ten meters tall, were worlds apart.
His own beasts measured dozens, even hundreds of meters in size. Their destructive power existed on an entirely different level.
Of course, they also had an obvious weakness.
His beast army was completely uncontrollable, whereas the Beasts Pirates had successfully domesticated theirs.
Each side had its own advantages.
What Shiki truly valued, however, was raw destructive power.
Once the "SIQ" project reached completion, those beasts would undergo another terrifying transformation, becoming even larger, more savage, and vastly more powerful than before.
Meanwhile, the battle between Kaido and Kozuki Oden still had not ended.
It was the duel everyone was waiting to see.
Who would emerge victorious?
A towering figure stood proudly upon the battlefield.
His hair was tied into a distinctive topknot, and his battle-worn overcoat fluttered behind him. Twin swords rested in his hands, while his stern face radiated silent authority.
"Samurai... it seems fortune isn't on your side today."
Dark clouds swirled overhead like a gigantic vortex as thunder rumbled through the heavens. Kaido's booming laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"Kaido!"
Veins bulged across Oden's forehead as the muscles on his face twitched violently. His face flushed crimson with rage.
Only now did he finally witness the true state of Wano Country's army.
During their battle, his vision had been limited. Their battlefield lay some distance away from the Beasts Pirates' fortress, preventing him from seeing the main front.
Now, as the surviving samurai retreated, the horrifying reality became impossible to ignore.
The once-mighty army had been reduced to a fraction of its original size.
Without counting, Oden already knew what that meant.
Thousands had died.
The sight of his fallen countrymen caused the fury within him to erupt completely.
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Paradise Waterfall!"
It was the same technique.
Yet fueled by overwhelming rage, its power rose to an entirely different level.
Oden leaped into the sky.
The muscles in his arms swelled explosively as they expanded beneath skin already coated in Armament Haki until both arms had become pitch-black.
His two legendary swords, Ame no Habakiri and Enma, had long since become permanent black blades, their edges growing even sharper.
Majestic Haki surged around his body as a savage aura burst forth.
The dark night was instantly illuminated.
A gigantic purplish-red slash surged forward like a roaring reverse waterfall, tearing through the heavens as it rushed straight toward Kaido.
"This is exactly what I've been waiting for! Come on, samurai!"
Kaido laughed wildly.
Even he could feel the immense danger contained within that slash.
Taking it head-on was not an option.
"Dragon Twister!"
His thousand-meter dragon body twisted violently through the air before his massive tail, carrying overwhelming force, slammed directly into the incoming slash.
The collision erupted across the heavens.
The explosion illuminated the entire night.
The resulting shockwave transformed into a violent hurricane that swept in every direction, churning the sea until enormous whirlpools formed beneath the two combatants.
Inside the royal palace of the Babarossa Kingdom, Yamato stared at the screen with wide eyes.
"That man is amazing!"
Crayel stood beside her, equally focused on the battle.
To them, a samurai capable of fighting Kaido on equal footing was unbelievably powerful.
Countless spectators watched with shining eyes.
The sea itself was beautiful.
Yet even more breathtaking was the radiance emitted by the heroes standing at the pinnacle of this era.
"Wororororo! Kozuki Oden! Show me the strength that earned the respect of Roger and Newgate!"
Kaido roared with laughter as he circled high above the battlefield.
Opening his enormous jaws, he unleashed another blazing Dragon Breath.
One gigantic fireball after another descended from the heavens, making it appear as though several miniature suns had appeared over the sea.
The blazing spheres crashed into the ocean, blasting open a fiery path across the waves.
Oden burst from the flames, charging directly toward Kaido, who had deliberately lowered his altitude.
The battle resumed in the sky.
Like a nimble monkey, Oden treated Kaido's immense dragon body as a series of footholds, racing across his scales while continuously changing direction.
His twin swords repeatedly clashed against Kaido's flames.
Several strikes even collided directly with Kaido's enormous fangs.
Now that he had stable footing, Oden's combat ability increased dramatically.
Against such an agile monster, Kaido's gigantic dragon form struggled to land decisive blows.
The difference in mobility was simply too great.
The battle continued.
The clash between man and dragon captivated the entire world.
Oden suddenly shot upward.
This time, the Haki wrapped around his arms began to emit a faint glow as black and crimson lightning danced around him.
His next strike carried the power of Conqueror's Haki.
Even Kaido instinctively felt danger.
"Boro Breath!"
Another pillar of blazing fire engulfed Oden completely.
Yet in the very next instant, the inferno split cleanly down the middle.
Oden emerged from the flames.
Kaido's pupils contracted.
"Kaido... die!"
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Paradise Totsuka!"
Oden moved too quickly.
Kaido could not react.
It was like watching a meteor streak across the heavens.
Time itself seemed to freeze.
A brilliant flash illuminated the sky.
Then Oden and Kaido crossed paths.
"AAARGH!"
Kaido cried out in agony.
A massive X-shaped wound exploded across his enormous dragon body as blood gushed into the air.
His colossal form swayed uncontrollably before beginning its descent toward the sea.
"No way!"
Queen's cigar slipped from his mouth.
His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.
"He actually knocked Boss Kaido out of the sky!"
"It shouldn't be possible..."
King still believed in Kaido's strength.
Even so, uncertainty crept into his voice.
That single slash had shaken even him.
This was the sea.
If Kaido fell into the ocean, the Beasts Pirates would effectively lose the battle.
"Father... Father is hurt?"
Yamato stood frozen.
Then panic overtook her.
"What do we do, Crayel? Is Father going to lose?"
She grabbed Crayel's arm and shook it repeatedly.
Crayel himself had yet to recover from the shock.
Cold sweat covered his body.
He had no idea how to answer.
The gap between himself and Kaido was simply too enormous for him to fully understand the battle.
"It'll be fine."
He forced himself to remain calm.
"The Governor-General is 'Immortal.' He won't lose from a single attack."
His instincts also told him that Kaido could not possibly be defeated so easily.
The entire world was equally shocked.
Never before had anyone inflicted such a horrifying wound upon Kaido.
The so-called Immortal had finally bled.
Yet the truly powerful understood something else.
Kaido was still alive.
If he died that easily, then the title of "Immortal" would have been nothing more than a joke.
Unfortunately for him, this was not merely a duel.
It was war.
If Kaido fell into the sea, the balance of the battlefield would instantly swing in Wano Country's favor.
The previously discouraged samurai erupted with renewed hope.
Victory suddenly seemed possible.
The divine dragon continued falling.
He showed no signs of regaining consciousness.
His massive body descended steadily toward the sea.
Then fiery clouds suddenly burst forth beneath him.
They supported the enormous dragon in midair, stopping his fall.
Kaido's body gradually shrank back into his human form.
Although he had yet to fully recover, he no longer faced the danger of sinking into the ocean.
No one had expected Kaido to possess such an ability.
His Flame Clouds could support massive objects, creating solid footing even in midair.
Oden wasted no time. He immediately charged again, refusing to give Kaido even a single moment to recover.
Stepping across the Flame Clouds, he arrived like a whirlwind.
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Paradise Totsuka!"
The Haki surrounding his blades transformed into a terrifying slash that screamed through the air.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Purple lightning erupted skyward.
The explosion churned the ocean into towering waves.
Kaido surged upward and met Oden's twin blades with his lightning-covered kanabo.
The violent collision blasted both men backward.
"Damn... that hurts!"
Standing atop the Flame Clouds, Kaido clutched the enormous wound on the right side of his abdomen as cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
"That scar's going to stay with me forever!"
His terrifying regenerative ability immediately went to work.
The wound rapidly closed.
Yet just as Kaido had predicted, a massive X-shaped scar permanently remained across his body.
Even his monstrous recovery could not completely erase the damage inflicted by that strike.
Then a savage grin spread across his face.
"You did one hell of a job... you bastard!"
Azure scales spread across Kaido's body.
A second pair of coral-like horns emerged from his forehead.
A thick dragon tail extended behind him.
Holding his kanabo in one hand, Kaido entered his strongest combat form.
The necessity of revealing his Flame Clouds had unintentionally created solid ground in the sky.
Neither combatant was restricted any longer.
Now the true battle could begin.
"Come on, Kozuki Oden!"
Kaido laughed as he rested his kanabo across one shoulder before charging forward.
"Give me a real fight!"
Oden answered without a word.
He rushed forward as well.
Kaido's overwhelming fighting spirit ignited his own.
It had been many years since Oden had truly fought without restraint.
He was still Kozuki Oden, the man who loved freedom and battle above all else.
The only difference now was that he also carried Wano Country upon his shoulders.
His own fighting spirit erupted in response.
Crossing the Flame Clouds, Oden charged with both legendary blades infused with his indomitable will.
The Conqueror's Haki of both men exploded simultaneously.
Black and crimson lightning intertwined violently across the heavens.
"Father looks really happy!"
Watching the battle unfold, Yamato's eyes sparkled.
The burning Flame Clouds illuminated the battlefield so brightly that every movement could be seen clearly.
"That's right."
Crayel nodded.
"The Governor-General hasn't faced someone this strong in a very long time. He's been holding himself back for years. Even his trip to Zou wasn't satisfying."
If not for everything happening recently, Kaido might have already gone searching for another place to throw his life away.
The second round of their duel had officially begun.
"It's terrifying..."
"It feels like watching a natural disaster."
That was the shared feeling of countless spectators.
The battle between two world-class monsters completely eclipsed the so-called monsters of the New World.
These two stood at an entirely different level.
Even above the sea, their destructive power was overwhelming.
A casual swing of Oden's swords could split apart a small mountain.
A single strike from Kaido's kanabo could blast a gigantic crater into the earth.
Centered on the two combatants, the surrounding sea churned violently for several kilometers.
Even the shockwaves from their collisions kept the ocean in constant turmoil.
The battle lasted two days and two nights.
Many people remained awake throughout, waiting for the final outcome.
Neither side managed to gain the advantage.
"Hey... the Governor-General isn't actually going to lose, is he?"
A member of the Beasts Pirates spoke nervously.
At first, everyone had been full of confidence.
But as the battle dragged on, uncertainty slowly spread.
"What kind of bullshit are you saying?!"
A towering figure instantly grabbed the pirate by the collar.
It was Jack.
The person he respected most in the world was Kaido.
He would never tolerate anyone doubting him.
Jack tightened his grip until the pirate screamed in agony as the sound of cracking bones echoed through the air.
"Mwahahaha! Don't say stupid things, kid!"
Queen laughed with a cigar hanging from his mouth.
"How could Boss Kaido possibly lose?"
"Even if he's an idiot, he's right this time," King said calmly.
"Kozuki Oden is undeniably powerful."
"But he no longer has any chance of winning."
The two combatants had been evenly matched.
"So that's exactly why the samurai is destined to lose."
Queen spoke confidently.
"Who can possibly compete with Boss Kaido's endurance? He's a Mythical Zoan user with an immortal body. His recovery and stamina are monsters."
"The moment that samurai shows even the slightest opening, Boss Kaido will seize it."
"The scales have already started tipping."
Kaido's Devil Fruit had clearly awakened.
His recovery and stamina ranked among the greatest in the world, worthy of the title of the World's Strongest Creature.
Unless Oden could completely overwhelm him in a short period of time, he would inevitably be dragged into a battle of attrition.
Time continued to pass.
Another two days slipped by.
Their battle had now lasted nearly five full days.
Just as King and Queen predicted, the balance gradually shifted.
The once evenly matched duel now favored Kaido more and more.
Anyone paying close attention could see that Oden's breathing had become much heavier.
His attacks also lacked the explosive force they possessed at the beginning.
His face had turned deathly pale.
Rapid breaths escaped his mouth.
Even his body trembled slightly from exhaustion.
"What's wrong, samurai?!"
Kaido roared.
"Is this all you've got?!"
Compared to Oden, Kaido's condition was noticeably better.
Although covered in wounds, his breathing had only become slightly heavier.
He remained far from his limit.
The difference between them had become painfully obvious.
Oden was about to lose.
No one doubted Oden's strength anymore.
His terrifying power had been fully displayed throughout this battle.
He stood among the greatest warriors in the world.
Yet Kaido was every bit his equal.
Years of endless conquest had forged him into one of the Four Emperors who ruled the seas.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Their battle continued.
After fighting for five consecutive days, Oden had reached his limit.
His stamina was nowhere near Kaido's.
As the battle gradually slipped from his control, every exchange demanded even more of his remaining strength.
His arms ached from continuously wielding his swords.
"Thunder Bagua!"
For the briefest instant, weakness flashed across Oden's eyes.
Kaido caught it immediately.
Black and crimson lightning trailed behind him as he burst forward.
His Haki-covered kanabo descended with unstoppable force.
It slammed directly into Oden.
Oden's eyes widened.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
His body flew backward helplessly for more than a thousand meters, crossing the Flame Clouds before plunging toward the sea.
It was over.
The war had finally come to an end.
The invincible Kozuki Oden had been defeated.
The man who brought him down was Kaido of the Beasts.