Chapter 332: You've Been Stepped On
"My god. This guy's insane."
"That's crazy, stepping on Kaido!"
In the distance, many people exclaimed in shock.
Shanks and the other members of the Red Hair Pirates all twitched at the corners of their mouths, unable to remain composed.
Sengoku spat out a mouthful of hot tea, looking like he wanted to complain but couldn't find the words.
Gion, who'd been secretly searching for the hidden operative, was stunned speechless.
"Being a dragon rider isn't so easy after all."
Rhodes felt some tightness in his chest—clearly his internal organs had been injured by Kaido's strange high-frequency vibrations. He smiled wryly, then used the special energy derived from his physical evolution to repair the damage.
After a moment, with a tingling and itchy sensation spreading through his body, he recovered.
This ability was indeed powerful!
Rhodes was very satisfied.
RUMBLE!
Azure Dragon Kaido pursued in fury. For the first time in his life, he'd been stepped on by someone else—it was unbearable.
Though the actual damage was negligible, it was a complete humiliation.
Kaido went berserk, causing even heaven and earth to tremble. His massive dragon body crushed the ground, shattering it as if the world itself was collapsing.
In his rage, he unleashed terrifying power, his body becoming an unstoppable force, destroying anything it touched.
CRASH!
A small hill several meters high on the island was smashed through and flattened completely.
Rhodes paid the price for his dragon rider stunt, fleeing in disarray, constantly dodging Kaido's attacks. It wasn't that he couldn't fight back, but it was unnecessary—going berserk consumed tremendous energy.
Besides, once something happened once, it could happen again. Kaido would get used to it and wouldn't rage so easily next time.
In the distance, Shanks, witnessing this scene, was speechless. Kaido and Rhodes were truly natural enemies—Rhodes had provoked him into a frenzy twice in such a short time.
Watching, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Now you'll have some ammunition when you encounter Kaido again."
Shanks found the thought of future encounters quite amusing.
"I'm the World's Strongest Creature!"
"You've been stepped on."
"In a one-on-one fight, always bet on Kaido!"
"You've been stepped on."
"I'm immortal!"
"You've been stepped on."
Beckman and the others couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere became quite jovial for a moment.
Shanks and his crew, as a Yonko pirate crew, could still laugh and joke in this situation, but the others were different.
Seeing the berserk Kaido destroying everything in his path—whether it was new generation pirates like Hawkins or veteran powerhouses—they all showed fear.
It was simply too violent.
It was as if a world-destroying demon god had descended, intent on obliterating everything.
"I feel like the island is sinking slightly..."
Someone wondered aloud, while others noticed the waves were becoming too violent. Some unstable ships were already showing signs of capsizing, forcing them to move farther away.
"It's said the Thunder God Swordsman nearly sank Punk Hazard in his battle with the Fleet Admiral, but that was because Punk Hazard was already somewhat unstable from previous conflicts. This Chesterton Island is very stable."
A veteran pirate exclaimed.
This decisive battle was incredibly intense—the island was already showing signs of sinking in such a short time. It was truly astonishing.
In the Battlefield
Kaido's berserk state didn't last long.
Kaido's combat instincts remained sharp. He knew that continuing his rampage would only waste energy and wouldn't pose a real threat to Rhodes.
He stopped, restrained his power, hovered in the sky, and coldly regarded Rhodes, his deep, thunderous voice echoing through the air:
"Your tenacity is beyond my imagination."
Rhodes stopped as well, looking at Kaido without showing any weakness, and laughed loudly: "I just happen to need a mount, and you're perfect!"
He was deliberately provoking, trying to anger Kaido into continuing his rampage and exhausting his stamina.
Even the strongest recovery and endurance had their limits. Otherwise, Kaido wouldn't just be "strongest in a one-on-one fight," but invincible throughout the universe.
After all, if his stamina was truly unlimited, combined with his invincible vitality, he could single-handedly destroy Marine Headquarters and the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
In Rhodes's estimation, Kaido's physical capabilities might be stronger than an average peak-level fighter's, but not by an insurmountable margin.
"You want to die? I'll grant your wish!"
With a deafening roar, the battle erupted anew.
Azure Dragon Kaido hovered in the air, unleashing the characteristics of his Mythical Zoan. In an instant, the world filled with swirling winds and billowing clouds. Lightning flashed and thunder roared—a terrifying spectacle unfolding.
Rhodes was astonished. This ability was truly formidable. He sensed that if they were fighting over the ocean, Kaido might even be able to control the water itself to some extent.
As the strongest creature in mythology, the Azure Dragon's abilities were bound to be powerful.
"Controlling wind, rain, and thunder... is this the power of the Azure Dragon?"
In the distance, people gasped in astonishment. The mere thought of a human manipulating the forces of nature was deeply unsettling.
"It's this technique..."
Sengoku's eyes turned cold, a chilling glint appearing.
In the last clash between the Navy and the Beasts Pirates, Azure Dragon Kaido had manipulated wind, rain, and thunder, nearly destroying three Navy warships instantly—a terrifying feat.
"What is Rhodes doing?"
Gion couldn't help but mutter softly. Kaido's move was clearly a charged technique—the longer he prepared, the more devastating it would become.
The dark clouds in the sky were clearly gathering increasingly powerful energy, and the terrifying silver serpents of lightning flashing within them made her heart tremble.
"Too inexperienced, lacking deep understanding of various abilities."
Vice Admiral Tsuru shook her head. No matter how strong Rhodes was, his combat experience was ultimately inferior to seasoned veterans.
If Sengoku or other powerful figures were in Rhodes's position, they would likely have intervened long ago, interrupting Kaido's charge.
At this moment, Shanks and the others of the Red Hair Pirates all had the same thought flash through their minds.
Too young.
Remaining still to observe changes was a valid fighting style, but it depended on the situation. In this case, it clearly wasn't applicable.
"He's probably going to suffer greatly."
Beckman shook his head, exhaled a smoke ring, and said: "The speed of natural lightning is beyond imagination. Almost no one can react in time."
"Moreover, Kaido has already released his Observation Haki to its limit, which will interfere with prediction. Even Observation Haki capable of seeing the future will probably be ineffective."
"Once struck by lightning of that magnitude, even Kaido of the Beasts wouldn't emerge unscathed. And with Rhodes's defense, this decisive battle is probably over."
"What a shame for such a battle."
Lucky Roux and the others nodded. It was such a waste.
Such an intense battle shouldn't end so anticlimactically.
But they were spectators and couldn't—wouldn't—warn Rhodes in the arena.
Azure Dragon Kaido, releasing his power in the sky, was also somewhat surprised.
He glanced at the motionless Rhodes, a strange feeling creeping over him, though he couldn't quite identify it. So he stopped overthinking, pushing his power to its absolute limit, gathering boundless dark clouds and accumulating terrifying lightning.
He was going to obliterate Rhodes in one strike and wash away his previous humiliation!
On the ground, Rhodes stood with sword in hand, wind whipping his black hair and white robes, exuding the aura of a peerless swordsman.
His face was expressionless, even somewhat stiff. Upon closer inspection, his facial muscles seemed to twitch slightly.
No, I have to hold it in. I'm a professional.
(End of Chapter)
[Community Goals Ongoing]
500 PS = +1 Extra Chapter
10 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter
Reviews are always appreciated.
P1treon Soulforger (30+advance chapters)