"I thought Lingling's underlings, their Devil Fruits were either eaten or drank, but turns out there's such an interesting ability!"
But that's the extent of it.
Ultimately, power is everything, and the Hundred Beasts Army I'm assembling is much stronger than these flashy things!
"Hey!"
Kaido weighed the wine gourd in his hand, still plenty left, then looked down at Shano, "Want to have some before we start?"
"I never refuse alcohol."
Shano glanced, "But a gourd mouth that a man has sipped on, still lingering with saliva, really doesn't pique my interest."
He's an East Sea person, not from...
"Disgusted by me? Forget it!"
Kaido tilted his head back and drank the wine down, then tightened his grip on the Wolf Fang Club, two white puffs steaming from his nostrils as his imposing aura surged:
"Then, come on, brat! Show me how much you've improved compared to last year, being so arrogant in front of me!!!"
He fought Akainu to a draw and repelled Kizaru?
He's heard about both!
But so what?
He is Hundred Beasts Kaido!
How does a Grand Admiral matter?
Conquering Wano Country for so many years, making his base wide open, do those Navy Grand Admirals dare to wander onto his turf!
Old man Newgate hasn't gone all out for some years, so currently, he's acknowledged as the strongest in single combat on the seas!
A bounty of 4,611,000,000 Belly, truly a man standing at the pinnacle of this world!
No one has been able to kill him, not even himself!!!
Want to defeat him?
This brat isn't qualified yet!
Boom!
The ground was shattered and collapsed underfoot, Kaido's body suddenly soared into the air, his right hand gripping the Wolf Fang Club named "Hassaikai," entwined with black and red lightning, smashing down loudly!
"Thundering Hakken!!!"
Truly nostalgic...
Shano lifted his head, watching the rapidly enlarging Wolf Fang Club approaching, his right leg stepped back half a step, his waist sinking, compressing his muscles like springs to the extreme, readying to strike.
Then he lightly exhaled.
This very strike was what helped him realize Supreme King Entanglement.
And it was also this strike that shattered his spirit, leaving him barely able to stand.
But now.
Almost a year has flown by since.
This level of technique...
"Useless, useless, useless, useless, useless! It's already completely useless now!!!"
Shano's wild laughter echoed through the forest, his right fist clenched tight, launched upward with full force towards the Wolf Fang Club about to smash onto his head!
Boom!!!
Fist and Wolf Fang Club collided fiercely, black and red lightning spread across the sky like bursting fireworks in an instant.
Bang bang bang!
The mere aftershock whipped up a fast circle of airwaves, tearing countless towering ancient trees from their roots, and the ground cracked and collapsed in patches.
"Ura ra ra ra ra! You took that move effortlessly, now that's more like it!"
Kaido cackled as he flipped back, crashing onto the ground more than a hundred meters away, he shook his numbed right hand's tiger mouth and stood up straighter.
Then he watched as Shano took off his shirt, tossed it aside, and began twisting his neck, flexing his joints, emitting a crackling sound like exploding beans...
"What are you doing?"
Kaido was taken aback.
"Ah, don't mind it too much."
Shano glanced at him, continuing to twist his neck, "It's been too long since I've used that form, I need to let my joints adapt a bit... alright, almost ready!"
He grinned nastily.
Crack!
In the next moment, amidst the rough repositioning and restructuring sound of bones, Shano's muscles danced and wriggled like living entities, his body began to expand rapidly.
Boom!
The earth beneath him could not withstand the sudden increase in pressure, collapsing downward by quite a distance.
In just the span of a single breath...
The originally handsome black-haired young man seemed to be swallowed by muscles, transforming into a terrifying giant over five meters tall and weighing more than 1.5 tons!
Compared to the seven-meter-tall Kaido, the difference in size was not as vast as that between an eagle and a chick, yet there was still a noticeable gap!
"Fighting with a body like yours in 'Kami-e Martial Body', it just doesn't feel right."
Shano clenched and unclenched his fists, adapting to this body within an instant. He raised his eyes slightly, his black hair wildly dancing like a demon god, and said indifferently:
"So in a way, you're quite lucky, Kaido, to become the first opponent in the New World to see my true form."
...
Outside, on the top floor of the Cake Castle.
The Endgame group led by Kuina and the Charlotte's Children led by Katakuri were all huddled in front of the opened giant book.
Yet the black hole still existed, now accompanied by a large iron door clanging shut at the entrance, conjured by Mont-d'Or for safety, leaving no view of the inside.
"What do we do now!"
Morgans was anxiously pacing, dissatisfiedly exclaiming, "Lingling! Your son's ability development is quite unreliable, we can't even see the battle, how am I supposed to write my report!"
"Mont-d'Or!"
BIGMOM was equally dissatisfied, eager to see the battle progress between the long unseen Kaido and the famed rising star Shano.
"I've done my best, Mama!"
Mont-d'Or wiped cold sweat, nervously explaining:
"My ability is twofold; for smaller spaces like the 'Library', I can show everyone, but in a vast 'Story World', it's impossible. However, there's a written description beside it, you can read that!"
Text?
Bonney was the first to lean forward, standing on tiptoe curiously staring at the left page.
On the snow-white page, black characters emerged and transformed as if an invisible pen was quickly writing, relaying the real-time battle situation inside the story world.
As for what it currently said...
Hmm... she couldn't read.
"Sister Robin."
Bonney raised her head pitifully, tugging at Robin, who smiled gently, crouched down, and began whispering the description in her ear.
Meanwhile, Morgans gleefully donned a monocle from his pocket and began reading aloud from the top:
"Shano punched out, Kaido also punched back, 'See my strength!' Shano said joyfully, using his full strength all at once, Kaido's massive body flew into the sky like a dandelion blown by the wind..."
"It's not fair! Kaido was angered, stomping on clouds in the sky, even shaking Mr. Sun..."
Morgans grew more bewildered as he read, a black line appearing on his forehead, he turned angrily and said:
"Hey! Is this what you call a description? This is what you let us read? The battle between Sea Emperors is written like what, a kid's play?"
"It's a fairy tale book, fairy tales are written like this! Is it my fault?"
Mont-d'Or retorted just as stubbornly.
If Mama reprimands me, I'll listen obediently, but who are you to act so high and mighty? If you really want to know, why don't you just go in and see!
Considering your old bones, could you withstand the shockwaves of this level of battle?
"..."
Morgans gritted his teeth, knowing he was at a disadvantage and not able to vent his frustration.
He paced restlessly, sometimes glancing at the constantly updating text, and other times at the black hole sealed by the iron door, suddenly taking a deep breath, as if making some kind of resolution.
In the next moment.
Mont-d'Or watched dumbfounded.
Morgans clutched his camera tightly, took a few steps back and dashed forward, crashing through the iron door and charging into the deep, limitless black hole...
——————
"Wahaha! So this is your true form!"
Kaido looked at Shano, whose body had dramatically expanded. After a moment of surprise, he regained his usual calm demeanor.
To his taste! He grinned fiercely, slamming the Wolf Fang Club heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust:
"In that case, you brat, you delight me even more!"
Before the words finished.
Swoosh!
He had already gripped the Wolf Fang Club, his body shooting out like a cannonball!
The Hassaikai once again entwined with Supreme King Haki, with purple-black thunder and black-red lightning intertwining and leaping along the staff, rapidly spinning the whole club.
"Then let's give this move a try..."
Amid the piercing shriek ripping through the air, Kaido's roar resounded throughout the entire forest!
"Descent of Three Worlds·Hiku Naraku!!!"