---
The two arrived at the desolate ruins. Kaido and Shin'ya walked slowly, their figures particularly out of place in this dilapidated city. Yuba—this once prosperous city—was now abandoned, with only crumbling walls, scattered rubble, and fine sand remaining, as if narrating its past glory and present desolation.
Not far away, people who had traveled a long distance to watch the excitement observed the scene from afar. They whispered to each other but had no intention of approaching. These onlookers seemed content to see how this duel would unfold without interference.
Just then, Crocodile, hidden in the crowd, quietly left. His steps were light and swift, as if afraid of being discovered. His target was the kingdom's capital; he intended to forcibly enter the place where the Poneglyphs were stored in the Alabasta Kingdom.
At the same time, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Smoker—who had been keeping a close watch on Crocodile—followed closely behind. Having noticed Crocodile's departure, they decisively pursued him.
In the ruins of the city, Kaido and Shin'ya finally stopped. They faced each other, their gazes locked. Around them, the onlookers gradually fell silent, all attention focused on the two combatants.
Among the crowd, Morgans and his subordinates prepared their cameras, ready to capture this explosive news.
Kaido took out his sake flask and drank half of it in one gulp, his face turning red. He rehung the flask on his waist, then pulled out his kanabo, immediately coating it with Conqueror's Haki.
His figure moved like a hundred-ton truck, charging directly at Shin'ya. He raised his kanabo high and shouted, "Let's see if you'd survive,kid."
"Thunder Bagua!"
Purple-red Haki surged around his kanabo, striking Shin'ya with unparalleled destructive power.
Shin'ya's expression remained calm as he watched the incoming attack. There was no fear—only a strong will to fight.
A faint smile curled the corners of his mouth.
"As expected of Teacher Kaido, a Haki clash right from the start."
No sooner had he spoken than Shin'ya did not retreat. Purple-red Haki wrapped around his arms as his aura steadily rose.
"Haki Clash: Monster Strength Fist!" Shin'ya fiercely attacked Kaido.
"Zzz~ Zzz~ Zzz~"
Fists and kanabo collided, crackling like electricity. A sky-ripping aura erupted outward, knocking out all nearby small fry.
"What a terrifying rookie, as strong as a monster," Kizaru remarked with a strange tone, eyeing the unconscious pirates.
On the battlefield, the two grappling figures separated simultaneously.
"You really do possess Conqueror's Haki. In that case, I won't hold back. Descent to the Underworld: Inferno!" Kaido said, attacking again.
Kaido leaped into the air, spinning his kanabo covered with Haki, and smashed it down with full force towards Shin'ya.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Shockwaves radiated around Shin'ya, the ground cracked, and sand and stones flew everywhere.
Feeling the oncoming shockwaves, Shin'ya counterattacked.
He stretched his right hand back, half-crouched, lightning swirling around his fist. A black-purplish, purple-red orb encased his fist.
From a distance, Shanks, observing, narrowed his eyes at Shin'ya's movement and the Haki orb on his fist.
His gaze was solemn, mixed with disbelief as he murmured, "Elbaf's ultimate technique, Hakoku?"
"Who exactly are you, to even know Hakoku?"
As Kaido's attack neared, Shin'ya punched the condensed Hakoku toward him. A two-meter-wide Hakoku collided mid-air with Kaido's kanabo.
The space of the clash momentarily froze before a black dot rapidly expanded from the collision.
It spread out at incredible speed, peeling off a layer of the ground.
After a brief stalemate, Kaido was sent flying into the sky by the Hakoku.
"Zzz~ Crack~ Zzz~ Boom! Boom!"
The Hakoku orb contracted then expanded rapidly, exploding. Countless lightning bolts of Conqueror's Haki flew everywhere, sending a wave of air rushing toward the onlookers.
Immediately, except for Marco, other commanders, and the Red-Haired Pirates, everyone else was sent sprawling, unconscious.
In the sky after the explosion, Kaido fell to the ground.
"Cough, cough, cough~" Kaido rose, blood at the corner of his mouth, numerous wounds across his body.
The wounds accelerated his blood circulation, spreading the sake through his body.
Kaido swayed, reeking of alcohol, his expression abnormal.
"Wuwuwu~~~ Why won't you join me?" Tears and snot smeared his face.
"Why~~ Why~" He cried, then grew enraged.
He laughed, "Gukukukuku~~ Die~ Brat~~ Drunken Dragon Bagua!"
Kaido's sudden change stunned everyone.
Kaido and Shin'ya were both covered in Armament Haki and clashed again.
As Kaido grew drunk, Shin'ya felt his Haki strength, attack speed, power, and reaction time slowly increasing. Each collision gave Shin'ya a stronger sensation.
Annoyingly, Kaido's attacks mimicked Shin'ya's fighting style. If Kaido didn't lack stamina, he might have been able to use Monster Strength Fist.
As the battle deepened, Shin'ya felt faint pain in his fists. Though uninjured, the pain was clear.
After another mutual attack, Shin'ya grabbed something shaped like a kanabo with his left hand, and a purple-black-red orb appeared on his right fist.
Kaido instantly released his weapon, forming a purple-black-red orb on his right fist. Both attacked simultaneously.
"Hakoku!"
"Hakoku!"
"Om~ Om~ Zzz~ Crackle~ Pop~ Boom!"
The two Hakoku attacks caused a massive explosion five times stronger than a single Hakoku.
A several-hundred-meter-wide crater appeared, pulverizing the ground beneath them. A heavy shockwave spread outwards.
"Holy shit~ Run!" Vista shouted in terror.
"No time, Jozu, it's up to you." Marco shielded Jozu as others hid behind.
Jozu turned his body to diamond and covered himself with Haki, resisting the shockwave charged with Conqueror's Haki.
"Om~ Bang!"
"Uwa~~~ Splurt!"
The shockwave hit Jozu's diamond body.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, trembling, "Marco, quickly take everyone away. If this happens again, I'm done."
"That's scary~ As strong as a monster." Kizaru stepped forward with a perverted grin.
Shanks ordered his crew, "Help too, move the unconscious away and back."
Putting aside the evacuation efforts,
In the deep crater created by Hakoku…
The two combatants jumped out.
They reappeared on the streets of the abandoned city, blood at the corners of their mouths and numerous wounds still bleeding.
The explosion sobered Kaido from his drunken state.
"Shin'ya Kurozawa, a strong person like you shouldn't be playing house with newbie pirates. Join the Beasts Pirates, and together, even the World Government is no match. Join me!" Kaido said, eyeing Shin'ya's rapid wound recovery.
The crowd, once several hundred strong, now was reduced to only Shanks and a human-shaped albatross. Oh—and Kizaru, holding a mechanical Den Den Mushi, observing.
Morgans frantically took photos while Shanks and Kizaru exchanged shocked glances. Shin'ya's wound recovery was abnormal—it didn't seem like a Logia-type Devil Fruit but more like an awakened Mythical Zoan.
Shin'ya shook his head. "I won't join your crew. I just want a carefree sailing adventure."
"Hmph~ If you won't listen, I'll beat you into submission." Kaido bent down, picked up his kanabo, and forcefully leapt, aiming to jump over the hundred-meter pit.
While leaping, he swiftly swung his kanabo at Shin'ya, firing air cannonballs, then spat out numerous wind blades.
"Vajra Gatling!"
"Evil Wind!"
Shin'ya watched Kaido leap and attack. Deciding to avoid direct physical combat, he back-jumped, dodging the air cannonballs and wind blades.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!" Shin'ya clasped his hands, releasing a massive chakra surge.
The ground shook violently; sandy earth cracked, and giant tree roots surged up, twisting and intertwining.
Immediately, tall, thick trees rose over a hundred meters high.
The desert ruins, once entirely sand with no greenery, instantly transformed into an ancient forest.
After Kaido landed, the trees coiled around him, binding him with endless control, causing frustration.
With Shin'ya's control, every root Kaido broke was replaced by three or four more. Kaido couldn't exert full strength and felt stifled.
Most importantly, the trees absorbed his stamina, using it to control him.
---
(＾▽＾) Send Powerstones for additional chapters