Onigashima.
Moria was tied up like a rice dumpling, completely immobilized by thick Kairoseki (Seastone) chains, unable to use any of the powers of his Kage Kage no Mi.
In front of him stood three imposing figures from the Beasts Pirates:
Queen, Black Maria, and X Drake.
The atmosphere in the hall was heavy.
"In other words… Captain Kaido has been defeated?"
Upon hearing the report transmitted by Bao Huang, Queen's face twisted in complete shock.
Bao Huang, speaking through a Den Den Mushi, sighed before continuing:
"Not just Captain Kaido… several officers have also been captured! The information coming from the Flower Capital confirms it! Master Kaido is… sealed inside a massive block of ice!"
"Straw Hat Luffy actually managed to defeat Kaido?!"
Queen's eyes widened even further, disbelief written all over his face, as if he refused to accept such an absurd reality.
Without wasting time, he grabbed Moria by the collar and yanked him forward, bringing his grotesque face close to his.
"What's your objective here, huh?!"
Even while restrained, Moria showed a dark grin.
"Kishishishishi… want to know?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Then let me go first… before Captain Luffy comes to rescue me."
Even at a complete disadvantage, he continued mocking them.
His voice was pure provocation.
"By the way…" he continued, a strange glint in his eyes, "you'd better arrest that 'infiltrated marine' standing right beside you first."
"Disguised…?"
Black Maria's gaze shifted instantly.
Drake's heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his expression firm.
"What are you talking about?" he replied coldly. "Trying to sow discord? You're not going to fall for something that obvious, are you?"
But Queen had already slowly turned toward him.
"Sorry, rookie…" he said with a dangerous smile. "But that Straw Hat guy seems to care quite a bit about you."
He snapped his fingers.
"So, just to be safe… we'll lock you up first!"
Without warning, Queen attacked.
Drake's eyes widened.
In the next instant, he leapt backward, crashing through a wall and fleeing at full speed out of the castle.
With his current strength, it was impossible to face Queen head-on.
Even less so with Black Maria backing him up.
"Damn it…!"
He ran with everything he had, his mind in chaos.
How did they find out?!
He was an undercover Marine agent.
That was an absolute secret.
Something only the upper ranks of Headquarters knew.
Vice Admirals… Admirals…
"…Garp?!"
"Why are you running?" Queen roared as he gave chase. "Feeling guilty?!"
Without hesitation, he rushed after Drake.
Behind them, still bound, Moria let out a dark laugh.
"Kishishishi… I warned you…"
BOOM!
Black Maria slammed the ground in irritation.
"What an annoying man…"
She crossed her arms and looked at Bao Huang.
"How many soldiers do we still have on the island?"
"About twenty thousand!" came the reply.
Maria narrowed her eyes.
"You're going to rescue Captain Kaido?"
A slow smile spread across her face.
"No…"
"I'll deal with the Straw Hats personally."
—
The next day…
On the outskirts of the Flower Capital—
The massive sphere of ice still floated in the sky.
Two days had already passed…
And even under the intense sunlight, there was no sign of it melting.
Inside, Kaido remained sealed.
Luffy appeared before the block of ice, floating in the air, staring directly at the imprisoned Emperor.
With a simple movement of his finger…
The massive chunk of ice began to move.
Sliding across the sky.
Leaving the Flower Capital…
And crossing the skies of old Wano.
Then, with another light gesture—
CRACK!
The ice shattered.
Kaido was freed.
But after two days sealed inside, his body was visibly weakened.
Even so, he immediately created flame clouds beneath his feet and steadied himself in the air with his claws.
"Straw Hat…!"
His voice came out deep and filled with anger.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Luffy smiled.
"You finally woke up."
He tilted his head.
"But you still can't beat me, Kaido."
Kaido gritted his teeth.
"Hmph… that brat… if it weren't for her…"
Even in defeat, he still refused to accept it.
Suddenly, his body rose even higher into the sky.
Flames began to engulf his entire form.
"This fight isn't over yet!"
His voice thundered across the heavens.
"Straw Hat!!"
His body transformed once again into the colossal blue dragon.
Gigantic flames wrapped around every scale.
The temperature skyrocketed.
The air trembled as if inside a volcano.
Even the sea of clouds in the sky began to evaporate under the extreme heat.
Luffy watched calmly.
"I already have Pluton."
He spoke as if it were nothing.
"Sooner or later, I'm going to declare war on the World Government."
His eyes locked onto Kaido.
"You're strong, Kaido. Want to join me?"
Kaido showed a fierce grin.
"A war against the World Government…?"
His eyes gleamed.
"That interests me a lot!"
But then—
His expression changed.
"But listen well, Straw Hat! Only someone who can truly defeat me… deserves to stand by my side!"
Luffy laughed.
"Hahaha… you're really stubborn."
He rotated his arm—
And entered his Nika form instantly.
His fist began to grow, expanding until it rivaled the size of Onigashima.
He coated it with Armament Haki, advanced Conqueror's Haki, and the power of the Gura Gura no Mi combined.
All concentrated into a single strike.
"You know the rules of pirates, right?!"
Kaido roared, burning through all his remaining energy.
"If I win… you join the Beasts Pirates!"
He laughed loudly.
"I'll make you my vice-captain!"
And then—
"I'll even give you Yamato as your wife! Become my son-in-law, Straw Hat!!"
Luffy froze for a second.
Big Mom wanted to marry him.
Now Kaido too?!
"Did I turn into a prize or something…?" he muttered.
But soon, he smiled.
"That your strongest attack? You're just a dragon. I'm the Sun God."
BOOM!!!
Their attacks collided, and in just a few seconds, Kaido was already at his limit.
He lasted only moments—
And then he was crushed.
The punch struck his head directly.
A deafening roar echoed across all of Wano.
Louder than any thunder.
"Damn… my consciousness…"
Kaido couldn't endure it.
His body was launched upward.
Higher—
And higher still.
He returned to his human form as he was hurled through the sky, breaking through the clouds, rising beyond ten thousand meters.
And then his mind began to fade.
"Even at just 10 years old… he was already the strongest in the Vodka Kingdom!"
—
"The Government demands recruitment! You will become a soldier! This is the king's order!"
"What? Run away?! This country can't afford the tribute!"
—
"Boy… I am Edward Newgate… want to become a pirate?"
"Come with us… to the Rocks Pirates!"
—
"Kaido! Something big has happened! Let's go to God Valley!"
—
"The God Valley Incident…!"
—
"Ten years have passed… and you've already become the embodiment of strength, Kaido!"
—
"We took Wano…"
"Do you still believe it, King?"
"That I'm this so-called 'Joy Boy'?"
—
"You want me to be the strongest…?"
—
"Why open the country… waiting for Joy Boy?"
"What a ridiculous prophecy…"
—
"…That Straw Hat boy…"
"…he is Joy Boy."
—
In the end…
One final image appeared.
Gol D. Roger.
Smiling on the execution platform.
Opening the Great Pirate Era with a single phrase.
"So…"
Kaido's consciousness faded away.
"Was it you… the one I was waiting for…?"
And then—darkness.
(End of Chapter)