"Urororo!!!" Kaido let out a deafening roar. His dragon body twisted wildly in the air. "I'll tear you apart, you pretentious bastard!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
Rhett simply lifted his finger slightly.
The nine blood dragons suddenly shot toward Kaido. They wrapped around his body. Kaido didn't even have time to react. He tried to go into full beast form, but transforming into his azure dragon only made them wrap around him even tighter.
Rhett: Hehehe. Rhett, Kaido's strict godfather. Hehehe.
"Save your strength." Rhett walked forward leisurely. Each step landed on thin air. The blood mist automatically condensed into steps beneath his feet. "I am the Mist Lord. The undisputed Emperor of the Seas."
Yamato was completely mesmerized. She looked up at the man strolling casually through the blood mist and flames. Every movement he made was elegant and effortless. Yet he had rendered her father, the so-called "Strongest Creature," completely helpless.
"Th-This..." Yamato whispered.
Kaido heard this. His dragon whiskers trembled with rage. "Bullshit! I am the —"
"Shh." Rhett suddenly appeared in front of the dragon's head. He spoke softly. "Get in my way, and I'll destroy you."
This simple action made Kaido freeze. He felt a cold mist seeping through his nose and into his body, instantly freezing his vocal cords.
Rhett's right hand held his sword. His left hand was behind his back. The nine blood dragons raised their heads simultaneously and let out a silent roar.
"Mist God Style: Thousand Needles."
The blood mist suddenly transformed into countless tiny needles, stabbing toward Kaido like a rainstorm. The needles clashed against Kaido's scales, throwing off dense sparks. Kaido writhed in pain but couldn't make a sound.
"Mist God Style: Dragon's Swim."
Rhett's figure suddenly blurred. A moment later, he appeared in nine places at once. Each afterimage performed a different sword technique, attacking Kaido from all directions.
"Mist God Style: Heaven Cleaver."
The Black Tide Greatsword suddenly grew to over a hundred meters long. It swung down with world-ending force. Wherever the blade passed, it left a vacuum in its wake.
"BOOM—!!!"
When the dust settled, Kaido had reverted to human form. He knelt on one knee, covered in blood. Rhett's sword tip rested lightly against his forehead.
King, Queen, Jack, and the others managed to hold themselves back. But they were about to enter the fight.
The moment King started to charge toward the battlefield, a golden bolt of lightning struck in front of him. A giant blue lightning figure hundreds of meters tall and a massive shadow general rose from the ground, standing firmly between the battlefield and the group.
"Who gave you permission to interrupt our captain's fight?" Enel sat on the giant's shoulder, looking down at them. "You're not worthy."
"Kishishishi... Everyone from the Beasts Pirates, I suggest you just sit back and watch~"
King and the others were not about to just stand by.
"Gourmet Fire Dragon King!"
"Brachio Bomber!"
"Great Mammoth!"
The five of them clashed. Neither side could quickly finish the other. But Enel and Moria had achieved their goal. As long as no one interrupted Rhett's fight, the five of them could fight for three days and three nights.
"Give up?" Rhett asked.
Kaido stared at the man in front of him. Then he grinned. "Urororo... Give up? That word isn't in my dictionary!"
He suddenly lunged forward, his dragon claws aimed straight at Rhett's heart. But—
"Snap."
Rhett simply snapped his fingers.
Kaido's movement froze instantly. His pupils contracted violently. He realized that his entire body had been infiltrated by blood mist. Every muscle refused to obey him.
"You..." Kaido forced the words out through clenched teeth. "What... did you do..."
"Nothing." Rhett sheathed his sword. "You're still useful. I just reminded you to fear me."
Rhett: Little romance. Have you forgotten? Wano.
"Don't bully my father!!!"
A small figure suddenly burst through the blood mist, charging at Rhett with a spiked club raised.
Moria and Enel did not stop her this time. They let Yamato through.
Little Yamato's eyes were full of tears, but they also burned with stubborn light.
Rhett: You're clearly terrified. Your legs are shaking. But you're attacking the "Strongest in the World" to protect your father? Little one, I recognize your will.
Rhett raised his left hand without turning around. The blood mist gently caught Yamato, suspending her in mid-air.
Yamato swung her club in the air, but her arms were too short. She just couldn't reach.
"Kid, I admire your courage." Rhett finally turned around. "But courage alone isn't enough. I'm much stronger than you can imagine."
He flicked his hand. Yamato was thrown more than ten meters away. She rolled several times before finally stopping.
Rhett: Time to play the villain. Hehehe.
"Ugh..." Yamato gritted her teeth and got up. She picked up her fallen club and charged again. "Let my father go! I am Kaido the Second!"
This time, Rhett waved his hand. The blood mist condensed.
"Whoosh~ THUD."
Yamato was sent flying again. She landed hard right in front of Kaido.
"My son! Stay back!" Kaido's eyes were about to burst. But he couldn't move. "You're no match for him right now! Run! Get revenge for your father!!! Son!!! Run!!!"
Yamato's face was scraped. Her knees were bleeding. But she stood up again. Her trembling legs held her straight.
"I... I won't give up!" She raised her club and struck a clumsy fighting stance. "Come on! My lifelong rival!"
Rhett raised an eyebrow. A glint of approval flickered in his eyes. He sheathed his sword and crouched down to look Yamato in the eye. "Why are you trying so hard?"
"Because..." Yamato panted heavily. "He's my father!"
Kaido: Just lying there, watching Yamato.
Rhett: You're just lying there cosplaying as a "helpless father"? So a Yamato who hasn't been poisoned is still a good kid. How touching. Heheh. I'm faking it.
Rhett was silent for a moment. Then he smiled. "Fine. I'll give you a chance."
Yamato wiped the blood from her face. "I will not yield to an enemy! I am Kaido the Second!!"
The next second, Yamato's voice immediately changed. "Tell me."
Rhett's blood mist blade was hovering less than a millimeter from Kaido's neck.
Rhett: Little Yamato, you wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your father, would you~~~~~
He stood up. The blood mist in his palm condensed into a small bell. "Little Kaido. One day in the future, when you think your strength has surpassed mine, come challenge me. I will accept your challenge. If you win, I'll acknowledge you as Kaido. For now, you're just Little Kaido."
"If you lose, you have to call me 'Grandpa, I really can't beat you. You win.'"
Rhett: Hehehe. Hahahaha.
Yamato took the bell and clutched it tightly in her hand. "It's a deal! My lifelong rival! I will definitely defeat you!"
"But..." Rhett glanced meaningfully at Kaido. "If your father does anything out of line during this time..."
He snapped his fingers. Kaido suddenly convulsed violently. Blood mist seeped out between his scales.
"Father!" Yamato hugged Kaido in panic.
"Don't worry. He won't die." Rhett turned and walked toward the sea. "I'm just reminding him to keep his word."
The blood mist formed a red carpet beneath his feet. The nine blood dragons circled around him like guards. Halfway there, Rhett suddenly turned back.
"Oh, one more thing, kid."