"Kaido! From this day forward, Wano belongs to me. Go back to Onigashima!"

Rhett Vane's voice rang out as he slammed another heavy punch into the dragon's massive form.

The battle had shifted from the air above the Flower Capital to the skies over a vast quarry—one of Kaido's key weapon factories. This place served as a critical stronghold for the Beasts Pirates, where arms were forged and soldiers trained.

"Kaido, are you even sober yet?" Vane asked, eyeing the Emperor warily.

He could tell Kaido was still somewhat drunk. Hitting him was like punching through a wall of steel wrapped in dragon scales. Only someone like Kozuki Oden—an exceptional swordsman—had once wounded him. But even that had been decades ago. Since then, Kaido's defenses had only grown stronger.

"I'm wide awake now!" Kaido bellowed.

His roar shook the skies, and a surge of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward like a shockwave. Black lightning crackled across the heavens, clouds churned, and thunder shattered the silence.

The pressure in the air was suffocating. But the burst of Conqueror's Haki didn't last long—barely twenty seconds.

Kaido wasn't one to rely on flashy displays. His true power was found in raw, overwhelming strength.

"You're hurt? Really? Your hide's so thick, I think my fists are going to break first!" Vane taunted, rocketing forward once more.

His punch slammed into Kaido's scales again, though the Emperor barely flinched. Kaido's dragon body was monstrous, each scale tougher than steel. In Vane's mind, there were no tougher creatures alive than dragons.

"What even are you?" Vane muttered. "Are you a human that became a dragon, or a dragon who learned to walk like a man?"

Kaido snorted, baring his fangs.

"I am Kaido of the Beasts!"

Their bodies collided like titans. The impact sent a shockwave tearing through the clouds. Vane was flung back over thirty meters before he could steady himself midair.

"That strength… No wonder they call you the strongest."

But Vane wasn't backing down. He flew forward again, fist charged with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, his Armament Haki reinforcing his strike.

Kaido's massive dragon head lunged at him.

"Kaido, try this one on for size!"

BOOM!

Vane's punch connected just above the Emperor's snout. The air itself cracked from the pressure. But Kaido's head didn't. It merely shuddered as the force dispersed.

Kaido didn't even blink.

"Now I get it," Vane muttered. "No wonder you keep trying to kill yourself—you can't feel a damn thing."

Kaido slowly began descending. "Let's finish this on the ground."

The dragon's colossal form spiraled downward, shrinking as he returned to human form mid-fall. From high above, Kaido dropped like a meteorite, crashing into the quarry below.

BOOOOM!

The explosion from his landing shattered stone and steel alike. A deep crater formed where the Emperor hit, sending dust clouds billowing into the air. The weapon factory was completely destroyed.

Vane descended slowly after him, hovering eight meters above the broken ground. From the crater's center, Kaido emerged, gripping his signature black spiked kanabo mace, looking more demon than man.

With dark skin, rippling muscles, and standing over ten meters tall, he towered over Vane like a living mountain.

Kaido didn't waste time with words. Once he locked eyes on Vane, he charged and swung his mace.

Vane met it head-on.

His fists, wrapped in [Armament Haki] and powered by the [Tremor-Tremor Fruit], collided with Kaido's weapon.

The air shattered.

A wave of pressure tore through the surroundings. The smoke from Kaido's landing was instantly swept away, revealing fractured earth and a shockwave that cracked the quarry floor.

Kaido stumbled slightly from the force, his foot slipping before he caught himself and stomped the ground, steadying his massive frame.

"Impressive," Kaido growled. "But can you kill me?"

"You tell me," Vane replied, closing the distance with another powerful punch to Kaido's chest. The impact forced Kaido back three meters.

Kaido laughed—a low, guttural sound.

"Again! That one actually hurt!"

"What are you, a masochist now?"

"As you wish!"

Vane didn't hesitate. He brought both fists together, hammering down on Kaido's chest with a devastating double strike.

BOOM!

Kaido's chest caved slightly from the impact, and his enormous body bent forward before being launched backward like a missile.

He soared through the air like a cannonball—directly toward the Three Calamities.

"Kaido Sama!"

Queen, King, and Jack had just arrived. The sight of their Emperor flying toward them at full speed was terrifying.

Queen tried to brace for impact, arms wide—but Kaido's momentum overwhelmed him. They collided violently, sending both crashing into a nearby mountain wall.

The rock shattered on impact, collapsing part of the ridge.

"Kaido Sama!" Jack shouted again, running toward the wreckage. His voice trembled.

But the dust hadn't even cleared yet—and Vane was already in motion.

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