[~1200 Words] / Sorry for the long delay friends, had much going on IRL.
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Realizing there was no longer a worthy target, James gradually reined in his power.
Black lightning rolled from his jaws as he exhaled slowly. With casual movements of his claws, hurricanes were born and dispersed at will.
Clouds gathered, twisted, and scattered, responding to his every thought. Mist churned across the battlefield as if the world itself were breathing under his command.
Those who witnessed the scene felt their souls tremble.
It was as though a true Divine Dragon had descended upon the mortal realm.
Elemental attacks—fire, wind, lightning, storms—were unleashed effortlessly, each one executed with frightening ease. Punk Hazard was reduced to a ravaged wasteland, its land scarred with craters and fractures, resembling the aftermath of an apocalypse.
The lower limit of the Azure Dragon Devil Fruit was terrifyingly high.
James hadn't even begun true development of the Fruit, yet his attack power, defense, resistance, and stamina had already risen dramatically. He could feel it clearly—his body had entered an entirely new tier.
Even if powerhouses like Nami or Robin were to unleash every strange ability at their disposal against him now, he felt no fear.
This was the strongest Devil Fruit for a reason.
One Devil Fruit performing the functions of many.
Ignoring raw combat power for a moment, its utility alone was absurd.
Flame control rivaling the Mera Mera no Mi.
Lightning manipulation surpassing the Goro Goro no Mi.
Wind blades sharper than the Supa Supa no Mi.
Cloud creation and control comparable to the Kumo Kumo no Mi and Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, even capable of lifting islands through flame clouds.
And this was only what Kaido himself had demonstrated.
The Fruit's true potential was undoubtedly far greater.
There was also one especially terrifying detail—
Its full name was the Fish-Fish Devil Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Seiryu Form.
Meaning…
The user could probably survive underwater.
That alone explained why Kaido never drowned, no matter how many times he fell into the sea.
It was even possible that dragons possessed innate control over water itself, granting them unrestricted movement beneath the waves.
Just like "Drought" Jack, a Fish-Man who could breathe freely underwater, Kaido's Devil Fruit fundamentally broke the ocean's greatest weakness.
James finally withdrew his immense pressure.
With a flash of light, his colossal dragon form vanished, and he returned to human shape, standing calmly in midair.
Below him, the Divine Soldiers and Divine Enforcers stared with burning devotion.
They had always believed their God was powerful.
But now, they understood something deeper.
That terrifying Divine Dragon…
was James-sama himself.
Their faith hardened into absolute conviction.
"Shura," James said calmly.
"Yes! God!" Shura roared, as if invigorated by divine blessing.
"Kill."
The command was cold, absolute.
The Divine Soldiers surged forward instantly, storming into the shattered laboratory. Those who still screamed were silenced. Those stunned by James's Haoshoku Haki were slaughtered like lambs.
James nodded once, then vanished in a bolt of lightning, descending deeper into the facility.
…
Deep within the laboratory, inside a high-security observation room, chaos reigned.
Caesar Clown screamed hysterically, blaming his subordinates, his voice filled with terror and confusion.
"Why—why aren't the Den Den Mushi working?! Even the power system is dead! If this continues, we won't even be able to escape through the secret passage!"
"Why is that idiot Kaido attacking this place!? Is he drunk again?! If this facility is destroyed, how will I build an invincible Devil Fruit army for him?"
"He's not Kaido."
The calm but grave voice cut through the panic.
The usually refined and gentle Monet displayed a rare solemnity.
At this point in time, she still possessed her human body. Law had not yet altered her form.
"Kaido's dragon is blue," she said quietly. "The one outside is pink."
"What!?" Caesar froze.
A horrifying thought struck him.
"The artificial Devil Fruit… Vegapunk's… No, impossible! That Fruit was a failure!"
He spun toward the researchers.
"Check the storage room surveillance! See if the artificial Devil Fruit is still there!"
A trembling researcher replied, "C-Caesar-sama… all Den Den Mushi are down… and there's no power…"
Caesar felt his blood turn cold.
"Then… then what do we do?" he stammered. "Are we just waiting to die? Monet! Why haven't you contacted Doflamingo yet!?"
Monet glanced at him with faint disdain.
"My Den Den Mushi is destroyed as well."
Her job was to protect Caesar and the research data, but given the circumstances, it was a lost cause.
No one could escape.
…
A cheerful, unfamiliar voice suddenly echoed through the room.
"It's lively in here… I wonder what you're all talking about. May I join in?"
Everyone turned.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
The heavy metal door—locked, reinforced, pressurized—was being gently pushed open.
James stepped inside.
Caesar's world shattered.
"I locked that door personally with gas pressure! How could anyone open it without destroying it?"
James smiled faintly.
"Who are you!?" Monet shouted, instantly transforming into swirling snow, placing herself between James and the others.
"You don't recognize me?" James chuckled. "That's fair. A bounty of only three hundred million… I suppose I still look 'weak.'"
He shook his head lightly.
"Caesar Clown," he continued calmly, "if you want to live, kneel and beg like a dog. You might be spared some pain."
"Shurororo~ Let's talk peacefully~" Caesar forced a grin. Despite being a Logia user, he was a researcher, not a fighter.
"We have no grudges—"
Before he could finish—
James vanished.
"So fast!" Monet gasped.
James reappeared behind Caesar instantly, already transformed into his Dragon-Human form. His tail lashed out, coiling around Caesar's body and crushing him mercilessly.
"AAAAH!!"
Caesar screamed.
Some of the imprisoned researchers felt a twisted satisfaction. Others were paralyzed with terror.
"Let him go!" Monet shouted, unleashing a blizzard of razor-sharp snow blades.
They struck.
Explosions filled the room.
And then—
Silence.
When the snow mist cleared, James stood completely unharmed.
Every attack had vanished without effect.
Monet stared in disbelief.
"How… is this possible…?"
Lacking both Armament Haki and Observation Haki, she was oblivious to how the intruder hit Caesar despite being a Logia fruit user.
Character Note — Monet
Long, wavy grass-green hair.
Golden eyes, one often hidden behind her bangs.
Tall, strikingly beautiful.
Gentle in demeanor.
Distinctive laugh: "Uhohoho~"
And most importantly—
Her combat power was strong enough to rival Nami.
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