Marine Headquarters, Conference Room
On the conference table sat a mechanical Den Den Mushi, identical to the one Kizaru held.
Its eyes glowed as it projected images onto the conference room wall, displaying the battle between Shin'ya and Kaido.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, can you identify the Devil Fruit ability Shin'ya is using?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku asked the white-haired Vice Admiral.
Tsuru shook her head. "I have no clue. It looks like a Logia-type Mori Mori no Mi, but our investigation shows that the Mori Mori no Mi was consumed by someone from the Taia Kingdom in South Blue, who is currently imprisoned."
"Besides, Shin'ya's recovery ability doesn't seem like a Logia-type. It resembles an awakened Mythical Zoan, but there's no record of a Mythical Zoan that controls trees in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia."
"Alas, these are troubling times. The world situation grows more chaotic. Now that a 17-year-old Emperor-level powerhouse has appeared, the Marines are clearly facing a talent drought, with no one capable of succeeding as an Admiral," Sengoku sighed.
Akainu slammed the table. "I should have been sent to Alabasta back then. There wouldn't be so much trouble. If I had just waited for them to finish fighting and then killed Shin'ya outright, there'd be fewer complications."
"Do you want to be stripped of your Admiral rank? With your temper, if you started fighting there, the entire Alabasta Kingdom would probably report you to the Five Elders," Sengoku said, exasperated.
"Ara, no use talking now. Let's just keep watching their battle and gather intel," Aokiji said lazily.
---
Alabasta, Abandoned City
The thick trees coiling around Kaido's massive body like constrictor snakes were slowly draining his stamina, making it harder to break free.
But just as Kaido was about to be fully restrained, his body suddenly began to expand—growing larger and larger—until he transformed into a colossal 60-meter-tall, thousand-meter-long blue dragon!
Kaido's thunderous roar echoed through the air.
"What terrifying control!" Kaido's voice boomed like thunder. "These trees can actually drain my stamina. "
His gaze burned fiercely at the Deep Forest Emergence before him, anger and disdain flashing in his eyes.
"However, if it were someone lacking physical combat skills, I'm no weakling. Come on—let's have a real fight. Stop with these petty tricks!"
Before his words finished, Kaido shot into the sky like a blue lightning bolt streaking across the expanse.
Mid-air, he opened his mouth and spewed out a scorching flame like a volcanic eruption, sweeping directly toward the Deep Forest Emergence.
"Boro Breath!"
The flame was so powerful it ignited the air instantly, creating a raging sea of fire.
The flame touched the trees, igniting the Wood Release forest instantly. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire forest in an inferno in the blink of an eye.
The raging blaze surged toward Shin'ya, the heat causing his hair to flutter and his clothes to billow.
Just as the flames neared Shin'ya, a shocking sight unfolded! A colossal giant, a thousand meters tall, suddenly rose from beneath him, as if summoned from hell itself, radiating an awe-inspiring aura.
The giant looked lifelike, resembling a Vajra from Buddhism, with wide angry eyes and a fierce aura. It had three heads and two arms—one gripping a wooden shield tightly, the other holding a wooden club, like the world's strongest warrior.
Then Shin'ya's voice thundered from above the giant, echoing through the sky: "Wood Release: Wood Golem!"
At his words, two colossal beings, each a thousand meters tall, engaged in a breathtaking battle! No flashy skills, no dazzling effects—just raw, primitive close-quarters combat. Kaido brawling with the Wood Golem.
Kaido showed no weakness. He swung his thick, steel-like dragon tail like a moving mountain, charging at Shin'ya with overwhelming force.
Shin'ya stayed calm, controlling the Wood Golem skillfully. It raised its wooden shield just in time, blocking Kaido's dragon tail attack. Then its other hand, imbued with powerful Haki, swung the club, raining a barrage of blows on Kaido!
The entire area shook from the fierce collisions, wood chips flying and dust billowing. Neither side yielded, each strike like a collapsing mountain.
---
Half an hour later…
After several more hits, Kaido suddenly spun his entire dragon body.
A massive tornado formed around him. As the spin accelerated, the tornado grew larger.
Streaks of red lightning appeared along the tornado's edge—signaling Kaido had unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
"Tornado!" Kaido roared furiously as the tornado charged straight at Shin'ya like a fierce beast baring its fangs.
Shin'ya showed no fear. Narrowing his eyes, he imbued the club in the Wood Golem's hand with Conqueror's Haki.
The ordinary weapon now seemed alive, crackling with purple-red lightning, clashing dramatically with Kaido's tornado.
"Whoosh whoosh~~ Sizzle~~ Crackle~~"
At impact, space seemed torn apart, trembling and cracking.
Ripples spread outward like waves caused by a stone thrown into a still lake—at incredible speed.
The city ruins, Deep Forest Emergence, even sand and gravel on the ground, were pulverized into dust, scattering into the air.
Red lightning raged overhead as a wave of air, like a raging tide, swept in all directions, destroying everything.
Kizaru grabbed Morgans and quickly retreated like lightning. Shanks disappeared like a phantom, fleeing the danger.
Further away, Marco and others felt a lingering fear. They silently thanked their distance from the battle, knowing many comrades might have perished in that clash.
---
Rahara Street
The distant tremors shattered the previously calm atmosphere.
Usopp, Nami, and Chopper stood in the middle of the street, faces worried.
Townspeople came out, gathering and whispering anxiously.
"Who's fighting over there? I hope they don't come near us," one said.
"It's probably the dragon that showed up earlier fighting someone. I hope they stay away," another added.
"If our town gets destroyed, where will we go?" a third sighed.
Everyone prayed the battle wouldn't reach them.
They watched the distant battlefield, unable to see details except debris flying here and there.
Suddenly, the clash stopped. Neither side gained an advantage.
Then close-quarters combat resumed.
---
As the battle progressed, Kaido noticed an infuriating fact—he was the one taking all the hits!
No matter how fierce his attacks, he couldn't break through the Wood Golem's shield controlled by Shin'ya. At best, he could shatter the shield briefly.
But the shattered shield quickly regenerated, while the Golem's blows landed directly on Kaido's body.
If this continued, only Kaido would be injured; Shin'ya would just lose some stamina.
"This won't do. I can't keep taking hits. If a single tornado can't hit him, I'll use an area-of-effect tornado."
Determined, Kaido disengaged and began spinning again.
This time, countless white wind blades appeared along the tornado's edges, ready to be launched.
"Tornado Bagua!"
During their fierce battle, the white wind blades scattered, attacking relentlessly.
Caught off guard, Shin'ya struggled to block all the blades; the Wood Golem's shield regeneration began to lag.
"Whoosh whoosh~ Swish swish swish~"
Finally, Tornado Bagua broke through the shield, and many wind blades struck Shin'ya.
But Shin'ya was not just anybody . He decisively activated Sage Mode.
"Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands."
"Boom boom boom~~"
With a deafening roar, the Wood Golem beneath Shin'ya grew larger, its form shifting.
Within breaths, a seated Buddha statue, tens of thousands of meters tall with 9,999 arms on its back, appeared before Kaido. Behind it was an impossibly long magazine, filled with arms identical to those on the statue's back.
Kaido halted Tornado Bagua, staring at the colossal Buddha.
Only then did he understand what Shin'ya meant at the battle's start: "I'll let you have two hands when fighting you."
Looking at the endless wooden magazine packed with arms, Kaido broke out in a cold sweat, his face darkening with anxiety.
---
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