A high-pitched, thunderous roar split the heavens apart.
A colossal green dragon, stretching over a thousand meters long, suddenly emerged from the storm of chaos.
Fiery breath erupted from the jaws of Kaido, the Azure Dragon Emperor.
In an instant, the blazing inferno consumed his body, cloaking him entirely in flame.
Within moments, the Azure Dragon had transformed—becoming a Fire Dragon, his scales shimmering in molten gold and red.
That enormous, blazing dragon loomed across the skies, its massive body straddling heaven and earth.
The air itself trembled beneath its power, and the sheer pressure it unleashed felt as if the world itself might shatter.
The intense heat radiating from Kaido's flames melted the surface of Onigashima, turning the once-mighty island into a landscape of flowing magma.
"What the hell is that!?"
Even battle-hardened titans like Sabo and Ace, both with the might of the Shichibukai, couldn't hide their horror as they watched the inferno take shape.
But Kaido's monstrous transformation did not stop there.
Beyond the searing heat capable of reducing land to molten rock, a more dreadful sight surrounded him—
black and red lightning, pulsing like veins of chaos, wrapping around his body.
It was the pure manifestation of Conqueror's Haki, bursting violently in every direction.
"Fire Dragon Torch…"
Yamato inhaled sharply, recognizing the terrifying technique.
"That bastard old man's Kanabo was already destroyed… if he's using this, it means he's been pushed to his absolute limit!"
Her fists clenched tightly, a mixture of anger and worry flashing in her eyes.
Meanwhile, aboard the Fairy Tail ship, the guild members were watching the battle unfold from afar.
"Kaido's weapon was shattered by the Guild Master… and yet he still has a move like that?"
Nami frowned deeply.
"This is the Sea Emperor—one of the rulers who stand at the very peak of this world,"
Mirajane said solemnly.
"But the Guild Master…" Juvia's eyes shone with conviction. "He's not someone who'll ever lose."
"That's right!"
Vivi, Wendy, Perona, and the others nodded in unison.
"No matter who the opponent is—our president will never fall!"
Their voices carried faith and defiance, even in the face of that apocalyptic sight.
Back on the battlefield of Onigashima,
Kaido's laughter rumbled like thunder.
"Hahaha… I've been defeating strong foes all my life. When I finally looked around, I realized—there was no one left. Everyone called me the strongest, but what I saw before me was only boredom… the loneliness of a man who has no equal!"
The Fire Dragon's voice echoed through the burning sky.
"Unlike me, you're lucky, boy—you've never felt this kind of loneliness!"
Sugisawa Yuuto grinned faintly.
"Then don't worry. I'll end that loneliness right here… I'll move ahead of you, so you can see what my back looks like!"
Kaido's laughter deepened, a low growl vibrating through the flames.
"No, you can't do it. It's impressive that you've forced me this far—among all my battles, you'd rank in the top five easily. But…"
His eyes narrowed.
"You still can't defeat me. In this world, the only man who can beat me—is Joy Boy!"
Yuuto's expression didn't change.
"Then stop talking and prove it."
He raised his hand, and the world went dark.
A sea of black lightning erupted outward from his body, swallowing everything in its reach.
The thunder spread endlessly, consuming Onigashima until the entire island looked like an ocean of raging storms.
Kaido's eyes gleamed.
"Your power truly is remarkable. In some ways, your ability even surpasses mine—me, a Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon. But listen, brat: the Devil Fruit alone can't rule this world."
He paused, voice low and heavy.
"Remember Roger, the Pirate King of the last era? He conquered the seas without any fruit power—just with Haki! On this ocean, Haki is everything!"
Yuuto smirked.
"You talk too much, old man. You keep saying Haki is everything—but that move you're using right now? That's your Devil Fruit ability. If you really believe in Haki so much, drop the flames first. Let's see if your Haki can withstand my thunder."
The sea of lightning roared in response.
Waves of black energy surged like living creatures, forming a mountain-like vortex.
Gwaaaaah!
A titanic Thunder Dragon rose from the storm, its body woven from bolts of jet-black lightning.
Its roar split the heavens as it faced off against Kaido's blazing Fire Dragon.
The sight was unforgettable—two dragons, one of thunder and one of flame, filling the sky with light and destruction.
The heat scorched the land into molten magma, while stray arcs of lightning tore craters into the island's surface.
Kaido's gaze hardened. He could no longer mock his opponent—Yuuto's power demanded respect.
And deep down, Kaido had already realized something terrifying.
Sugisawa Yuuto… didn't even know Haki.
Not Armament. Not Observation. Not Conqueror's.
Nothing.
The man who had driven him—the world's strongest creature—to his limit… had relied solely on his Devil Fruit ability.
He'd countered Kaido's Haki-based perception with speed, his monstrous defense with thunder-born resilience.
And despite that disadvantage… Yuuto stood firm.
Kaido clenched his jaws.
"You… damn you. You keep mocking Haki, yet you fight with that cursed fruit instead of meeting me as a man! If I stop using it now, I'll die!"
Yuuto's voice was calm, unwavering.
"Haki, abilities—they're just tools. In the end, only strength decides everything."
Kaido chuckled, eyes blazing.
"Well said, brat. Let's settle this!"
The Fire Dragon Emperor soared upward.
"Fire Dragon Torch—Rising Dragon—Flame Eight Trigrams!!!"
"Come on then!" Yuuto roared back.
He thrust both hands skyward.
"The Thunder Dragon King—Mystic Art: Crimson Lightning Roar!!!"
BOOM!!!
The two ultimate forces collided.
The heavens split apart, the seas reversed, and Onigashima itself began to crumble under their power.
The very air screamed as flame and thunder merged, creating a cataclysm that resembled the end of the world.
The island cracked in two.
Then again—and again—until it broke into countless fragments.
Beneath the collapsing land, the buried powder magazines of Kaido's fortress were suddenly exposed.
The raging thunder and fire ignited them in a chain reaction.
BOOOOOM!!!
A blinding explosion consumed the island.
On the Fairy Tail's deck, chaos erupted.
"Sabo! Ace! Yamato! Hurry!"
Koala shouted, her voice trembling.
"I can't! Ace, Sabo—go without me!"
Yamato tried to pull away, her hands still bound with explosive cuffs.
"Don't talk nonsense!" Ace barked. "Better to lose a hand than your life!"
Together, Ace and Sabo grabbed Yamato and leapt aboard the ship.
A shimmering magical barrier enveloped the Fairy Tail, shielding it from the storm of thunder and flame—but even that defense couldn't hold completely.
The blast forced the ship back, tumbling through the sky.
RUMBLE!!!
Onigashima—the stronghold of the Beasts Pirates—was obliterated in an instant.
Tick… tick…
On the ship's deck, the explosive cuffs on Yamato's wrists began to beep rapidly.
The timer hit its final seconds.
Then—
Crackle!
Black lightning flashed.
A figure appeared beside her in the blink of an eye.
With one hand, Sugisawa Yuuto grabbed Yamato's arm; with the other, he seized the cuffs—and hurled them away at blinding speed.
BOOM!!!
The cuffs detonated midair, far from the ship, vanishing into the storm.