Vane gripped the crimson spear tightly and plunged it straight into Kaido's belly. The so-called "toughest body in the world" was pierced cleanly.

Kaido's defense wasn't just physical—it was legendary. For years, none had broken through it. Not even Whitebeard, not even Akainu, not even the Navy Headquarters. Only Kozuki Oden had ever managed to wound him before. But now, another man had joined that list.

The spear wasn't ordinary—it was the [Spear of Death-Piercing Thorns], a weapon born from the [Investment System]. Its true power was unlocked only when its incantation was spoken, releasing terrifying energy far beyond what Vane had anticipated.

Blood-red energy surged through the spear like a flood, piercing Kaido's gut and driving deeper into his massive body.

"GRAAAHHH! My belly!" Kaido roared in agony.

With a burst of force from mid-air, Vane pushed down on the spear, slamming Kaido into the earth. The ground erupted like a battlefield—nearly three hundred meters of land crumbled beneath the impact. Dust and smoke billowed high into the sky, the kind of destruction that mirrored a bombing raid.

"Kaido-sama!"

King and the others were stunned. Through their binoculars, they had just witnessed the impossible—Vane's weapon piercing Kaido's body.

"No way… Kaido-sama's defense?" King muttered.

They had fought beside Kaido for years, seen him take blows that would level cities without a scratch. He was immune to cannon fire, sword slashes, Devil Fruit abilities—even the Navy's strongest attacks.

Red-Haired Shanks couldn't do it. Whitebeard couldn't do it. And yet, right before their eyes…

"It can't be true!"

Even the stoic King had lost his composure. Queen's cigar slipped from his lips, unnoticed.

"Is this… really Kaido-sama?" Queen asked, his voice shaking.

"How could anyone break his defense?" King whispered.

Meanwhile, at a distant outpost, Gion and the others were watching with telescopes.

"I can't believe it," Gion murmured. "Even the Navy Headquarters couldn't land a fatal blow on Kaido. He was always too resilient… unkillable."

But Vane had done the unthinkable.

"He's still just a kid," Gion added, eyes narrowing. "What kind of monster is he becoming?"

"There's no need for us to interfere," Kalifa said calmly. "The Beasts Pirates aren't targeting us."

Esdeath grinned. "They wouldn't dare. If they did, we'd wipe them out."

"You're always so bloodthirsty," Gion snapped. "Can't you teach Vane anything other than how to kill?!"

The three had been together for a while now. Though Gion had started off separate from the group, she'd grown close—partly due to their shared gender, and partly due to the chaos that always followed Vane.

Esdeath smirked as she leaned in toward her. "You've got some nerve calling yourself old, Rabbit."

"What was that?" Gion barked. "I'm mature, not old!"

Esdeath's smile widened. "Then quit acting like a stuck-up Navy officer. You're not just a Marine anymore."

Gion glared but didn't respond, turning back to her telescope instead.

Back at the crater, the dust was suddenly swept away—not by the wind, but by an overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki. At that level, Haki became tangible, able to push and destroy physical matter itself.

Kaido lay at the bottom of a massive pit. His abdomen was bleeding heavily, a fist-sized hole in the center—gruesome and surreal.

Vane landed beside him.

"You're strong," Kaido admitted, eyes dazed.

"We haven't finished yet," Vane replied coldly.

Kaido turned his head. "That weapon… it broke through my belly. Back in the day, only Kozuki Oden did that—and my defense wasn't as strong then."

"It's a spear," Vane replied simply. "You don't need to understand it. Just know that I'm the one wielding it. So, do you still want to fight?"

Kaido sat up, pressing a massive hand over the wound. The bleeding had already begun to slow. His regeneration was monstrous—by tonight, it would likely close entirely. That's what made him so terrifying.

"Fight?" Kaido smirked. "Of course I'll fight."

He moved again. Lifting his spiked kanabo mace, he brought it crashing down toward Vane. Even while sitting, Kaido's towering body dwarfed him.

Vane met the strike head-on with his spear. The ground quaked under the force, and he slid back slightly, though unscathed.

"I knew you wouldn't give up," Vane said, tightening his grip. "Looks like I'll have to beat you down until you stay down!"

This time, he poured everything into the weapon. If Kaido still had fight left, then so did he.

Kaido rose to his full height. The wound on his stomach still bled, but he didn't care.

Vane surged forward with a burst of speed, using the spear like a club. The sky lit up with thunder and a white dragon shadow danced through the clouds. Purple lightning fell from the heavens.

"[Thunder Bagua]!"

Kaido hurled the mace again with his most devastating technique.

BOOM!

The mace and spear clashed with explosive force. The crater collapsed even deeper, sending another massive wave of dust into the air.

Both fighters staggered from the shockwave. Vane's hands went numb.

"You… you can actually kill me, can't you?" Kaido muttered, his voice low and grating. "I've tried so many times. Nothing ever worked."

He charged again, raising the kanabo with both hands and slamming it down with primal rage.

Vane hurled his spear in response.

CRACK!

The weapons collided mid-air in another eruption of destruction.

The battle had resumed once more. A brief pause, then chaos again.

King, Queen, and the others watched from afar, stunned.

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