Not far away, the sounds of wild beasts clashing could be faintly heard in the distance.
As Kaito descended onto the island, Bullet and Redfield hovered nearby, watching from afar with calm, testing gazes. To call it "watching" would be too kind—it was a silent evaluation of Kaito's true strength.
ROAR!
A thunderous dragon cry split the sky. The air itself trembled. Fierce gales tore across the island, bending trees and whipping the sea into violent waves.
The animals below immediately dropped low, trembling in fear as Kaido's Dragon Power swept across the land. Even without intent, his aura commanded instinctive submission.
A faint hum echoed above—blue light flashed—and the massive azure dragon spiraled downward. In the blink of an eye, Kaido returned to his human form, landing heavily on the ground with a crash that sent dust billowing like a storm.
Pat! Pat!
As the haze settled, Kaido stepped forward, shaking his head. His feral eyes locked onto Kaito.
"Follow me," he growled. "Do that, and I'll overlook Jack's death."
Kaito's expression didn't change. "And if I refuse?"
"Then die!"
Kaido's voice exploded like thunder. The sheer force of his roar spread outward in a shockwave, shaking the island to its roots.
Even Kaito's ears rang for a moment, but he remained steady. The same couldn't be said for the wildlife around them—birds and small animals dropped lifelessly, blood seeping from their ears.
The power of Kaido's voice alone was enough to kill.
A suffocating aura followed—violent, bloodthirsty, primal. The air seemed to twist under its pressure.
Kaido stood tall, towering over ten meters. His sheer size dwarfed Kaito's, a living mountain of muscle and rage.
"This is your last chance," Kaido rumbled, his beast-like eyes flashing with killing intent. "Do you submit or not?"
Kaito shook his head calmly. "Nah."
In the next instant, Kaido vanished.
A sonic boom tore through the air as the Emperor reappeared directly before Kaito, his enormous fist hurtling downward with the force of a collapsing mountain.
The air cracked from the sheer pressure.
Kaito didn't flinch. Power surged from within him—his chakra-infused aura erupted skyward like a volcano.
Dark red lightning crackled around him, the raw manifestation of Conqueror's Haki bursting forth.
The collision of their auras tore the heavens apart. Clouds shredded into ribbons, and the island shook violently under the weight of two monsters' power.
Then—
BOOM!
Their fists met.
A deafening shockwave erupted, flattening the terrain for hundreds of meters. The ground beneath them caved in, crumbling like paper, forming a vast crater that swallowed trees and stone alike.
"Oh? Not bad," Redfield murmured, eyes sharp. "He's matching Kaido's strength head-on."
"Impressive," Bullet nodded.
High above, golden light shimmered—Kizaru appeared in the sky, his usual lazy grin replaced by rare seriousness.
"Well now… how terrifying," he muttered. He pulled out a Den Den Mushi and made a quick call.
"Staff Officer Tsuru, this is Kizaru. Kaito's left Impel Down."
"Did he destroy it?" came the immediate, anxious response from the other end.
"No, no," Kizaru replied quickly. "He just freed Redfield and Bullet. But bad luck struck—Kaido of the Beasts found him the moment they plan on leaving."
"Kaido?!" Tsuru exclaimed. "Kaito is fighting Kaido?"
"Exactly. Right now, it's evenly matched. But the island's not going to last long under this level of power. I'll stay here and observe."
"Good. As long as they're not fighting near Impel Down, that's enough. Keep watching, and report when it's over."
"Understood."
Kizaru hung up, his golden eyes narrowing as he gazed down at the battlefield.
This wasn't just an Admiral-level clash—it was a collision of monsters.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each strike between Kaito and Kaido sent shockwaves that tore apart the landscape. The island cracked like glass, the ground splitting open as if the world itself rejected their power.
In the heart of the storm, their silhouettes moved faster than the eye could follow, slamming into each other again and again like meteors.
Every impact sent hurricanes roaring outward. Trees shattered, the sky rippled, and even the sea around the island surged into towering waves.
The very earth groaned under the weight of their power.
BOOM!
Another massive explosion shook the air.
Blue energy surged from Kaito's body, mixed with icy chakra that froze the air itself. His bloodline's frost coated the ground, battling against Kaido's infernal aura.
Kaido, covered in scales and rage, released a roar that split the clouds. His monstrous aura felt ancient, primal—like a beast from an age before man.
"Brat!" Kaido bellowed. "You're strong—strong enough to make me feel pain! It's been too long!"
He laughed wildly, eyes gleaming with savage excitement.
"You're good! Very good! But as thanks, I'll send you to the afterlife with Jack!"
His killing intent flared, tangible and suffocating. The island trembled again.
Kaido was finally about to fight at full strength.
And Kaito… was smiling.