The swirling dust gradually settled, and the surroundings returned to calm.
All eyes converged on the figure standing as firm as a mountain—Kaido!
Yet now, his eyes, which should have been filled with authority and dominance, had undergone an unexpected change.
Gone was the intimidating ferocity they once held, replaced instead by an unmistakable trace of fear… Yes, it was fear, unmistakably so.
It had been a long time since Kaido, a powerhouse who had dominated the Four Seas and commanded awe across the lands, had experienced such an emotion.
The last time was over a decade ago.
In this world, only one person could evoke such a strong reaction in Kaido—the legendary figure of Wano Country, Kozuki Oden.
Because in this world, only Oden could injure him.
So, what had caused Kaido to feel fear at this moment?
The answer was quite simple.
The moment that strike had landed on him, he had distinctly felt a sharp, burning pain on his cheek.
More importantly, he now felt a warm liquid slowly trickling down his face.
Even without wiping it away, Kaido knew from his years of life-and-death battles—that devastating slash had indeed wounded him!
"How is this possible?"
Though Kaido had already reached this conclusion in his heart, he still struggled to accept it.
Filled with doubt, he instinctively raised his right hand to gently wipe his cheek, then slowly brought his palm before his eyes.
When he saw the startling crimson liquid, his nerves were jolted violently, as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind!
He was truly injured.
Involuntarily, he lifted his head and looked toward Lancelot, standing in the distance, facing him from afar.
At this moment, the look in his eyes was no longer just wariness as before; it now held a trace of unconcealable terror.
That fear seemed deeply branded into the depths of his pupils, causing his originally resolute face to tremble slightly.
Because this was only the second time in his life he had been injured.
Finally, his gaze slowly fell and fixed upon Shusui tightly gripped in Lancelot's hand.
With just that fleeting glance, his eyes instantly glazed over, and his body stiffened.
It took a long while before he regained his composure, but his face still bore an expression of disbelief as he murmured to himself.
"To think... it's the same Haki as Oden's."
Only now did he suddenly understand why this Marine before him had been able to injure him.
The key to everything lay in this Marine's mastery of the same special Haki as Oden's (Ryou).
He stared intently at Lancelot in the distance, secretly contemplating countermeasures in his heart.
Meanwhile, having reverted to his original form after the previous strike, the power of the Devil Fruit within him surged once again.
His muscles began to swell, bones cracking audibly, as scales gradually covered his entire body.
Before long, he successfully completed his partial transformation, becoming a Dragon-Human form (Hybrid Form).
It must be known that this state was his most powerful combat posture.
With a sudden exertion of his legs, the ground instantly shattered, sending debris flying in all directions.
Then, he shot forward like a cannonball, reaching Lancelot with astonishing speed in the blink of an eye.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Accompanied by Kaido's furious roar, he raised his lightning-wrapped club high and smashed it down toward Lancelot with overwhelming force.
The blue electric currents shimmering on the club intertwined into an electric net, tearing through the surrounding air with crackling sounds that struck fear into the heart.
Seeing this, Lancelot smirked coldly and instantly raised the gleaming Shusui in his hand, meeting Kaido's massive club head-on without hesitation.
"Boom..."
A deafening roar erupted—so loud it seemed to echoed around the world.
The moment the two made contact, Lancelot's expression drastically changed.
Because from Kaido's club came a terrifying, heart-stopping force.
This power, like raging torrents, was unstoppable, directly impacting Lancelot's body.
'Not good... I underestimated him!'
Lancelot inwardly cursed his carelessness, but it was too late.
The club, carrying a mountain-toppling force, slammed hard into Lancelot.
The terrifying impact sent him flying backward like a kite with its string cut.
Lancelot's figure soared through the air for over fifty meters before he barely managed to stabilize himself.
Then, he twisted his waist mid-air, executing a graceful flip, and finally landed steadily on the ground.
At this moment, Lancelot's right hand gripping Shusui trembled slightly, with a trace of blood seeping from the base of his thumb.
Clearly, the previous direct confrontation with Kaido had inflicted significant injury upon him.
Lancelot now deeply understood the terrifying power of Kaido's Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon.
The enhancement this form granted Kaido was nothing short of monstrous.
The very same techniques, when executed in his normal state versus his Dragon-Human form, exhibited a difference in power of more than double!
Yet, faced with such a formidable foe, there was not a trace of fear in Lancelot's eyes.
On the contrary, his gaze grew increasingly resolute, blazing like an inferno.
He knew that retreat meant defeat, and only by pressing forward courageously was there a glimmer of hope!
Moreover, he still had many trump cards yet to play!
However, at this very moment, he also realized that to confront a powerhouse like Kaido head-on, holding back his trump cards was not an option.
In an instant, Lancelot's body began to undergo a startling transformation, so swift it was breathtaking.
In no time at all, under Kaido's stunned and incredulous gaze, Lancelot too transformed into a Dragon-Human.
Although both were in their Dragon-Human states, the differences between them were starkly evident.
Kaido manifested the Azure Dragon form, his entire body taking on a deep, dark bluish-black hue.
In contrast, Lancelot's Dragon-Human form was radiant with a golden glow, dazzling and brilliant.
More importantly, the auras they exuded were vastly different.
Upon transforming into a Dragon-Human, Kaido, already domineering and brutal, saw his imposing presence soar to new heights, his tyrannical force amplified severalfold.
At the same time, an air of noble subtly emanated from him.
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