Kaido hesitated.
Kai's strength—completely beyond expectations.
Kai made no move to continue attacking. Instead, he looked at Kaido with genuine curiosity.
"I'm wondering..." His tone stayed conversational. "Who gave you the guts to come looking for trouble with me?"
Seriously.
Apart from the inherent Marine-pirate conflict, Kai couldn't recall any personal beef with Kaido. Yet the moment he arrived in the New World, here came Kaido acting like they had some blood feud.
Annoying.
Kaido couldn't actually threaten him. But being hated for no reason left a bad taste.
Need to know why.
"HMPH!"
Kaido's voice came harsh.
"Didn't you recruit the Seven Warlords!? Where's Doflamingo!? Tell him to get his ass out here!"
Ah.
Understanding flickered across Kai's face.
Doflamingo.
Kaido—former Celestial Dragon pet—hadn't forgotten the humiliation. Time hadn't dulled that hatred. Only deepened it.
Every moment spent plotting revenge against the Celestial Dragons.
Then he'd met Doflamingo.
Perfect match.
Both harboring towering hatred for the World Nobles. Doflamingo's pet scientist Caesar Clown had proposed artificial Devil Fruits—fueling their shared ambition.
The plan:
Cultivate tens of thousands of artificial ability users. Then challenge the World Government itself.
But now?
Kai had recruited the Warlords. Forbidden Doflamingo from outside contact.
Plan ruined.
Kai's expression shifted slightly.
Did I just catch a stray bullet while lying down?
Then mockery crept into his smile.
"Oh, right..." His tone stayed light. Casual. "I almost forgot. You used to be a Celestial Dragon's slave."
He tilted his head.
"Where would that 'Hoof of the Soaring Dragon' mark be? Hmm... for pets, it's usually branded on the back, right?"
His gaze swept over Kaido's long hair.
"No wonder you keep all that hair. Covering the slave mark on your body."
Explosive Revelation
Silence.
Then chaos.
The World's Strongest Creature.
One of the Four Emperors.
Barbarossa Kaido.
Had been a Celestial Dragon's PET.
Branded with a SLAVE MARK.
Everyone knew Kaido's true form—ancient black dragon, not human. But this?
No one imagined.
"You've got to be KIDDING!" A pirate's voice cracked. "Boss was a Celestial Dragon's slave!?"
"No way—how's that possible!?"
"AHAHAHAHA!" Another pirate's laughter rang out. "Just learning this makes the whole trip worth it!"
The pirate fleet erupted.
Shock mixed with schadenfreude. These were New World pirates—every one unruly by nature. That they'd answered Kaido's call was remarkable enough.
True submission?
What a joke.
"No way..." A Marine's voice came stunned. "The great pirate Kaido was a Celestial Dragon's pet!?"
"White Dragon Admiral said it—could it be fake!?"
"Kaido's about to EXPLODE!"
The Marine side also erupted in commotion. But being elite soldiers, they restored battle formation within moments.
Kaido's Fury
His past enslavement—Kaido's reverse scale.
Absolutely forbidden topic. Even his three top officers didn't know.
Now exposed before everyone.
Unforgivable.
"ROAAAAAAAAR!"
The roar shook the heavens.
Kaido's form exploded in size—transforming into a colossal black dragon hundreds of meters long.
Wings spread wide. Longer than his body. Blotting out the sun.
Each beat stirred hurricane winds. The ocean surface churned with towering waves.
Ancient Black Dragon.
Natural flight ability meant the Devil Fruit curse didn't weaken his sea combat power at all.
"ONI FLAMES!"
Purple-black fire erupted from his maw.
Dragon fire enhanced by the Oni Fruit—burning and corrosive properties amplified. Could melt through ten meters of seastone.
The flames surged toward Kai.
Disdain flickered across Kai's face.
"Let me show you..." His eyes shifted—pupils transforming into the Rinnegan pattern. "...the power of true eternal flames."
His voice stayed quiet.
"Amaterasu."
Black Flames
The purple-black Oni Flames suddenly ignited.
Black fire materialized—consuming Kaido's technique instantly.
Shock filled Kaido's massive dragon eyes.
Flames that can suppress my Oni Flames!?
Impossible!
He refused to accept it.
Opened his maw wider. Unleashed a continuous stream of Oni Flames.
Every burst met the same fate.
Devoured.
Burned away.
The black flames of Amaterasu consumed everything.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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