G-5 Base Ruins, New World.
"Vice Admiral William! Commodore Sephiroth!"
A panicked shout broke the silence among the ruins. The voice was so loud that Kaido, who was staring at the corpse lying in front of him, glanced towards the source of the sound.
Not far away, Frank—a soldier with a torn and dust-covered Marine coat—stood with a heavy bazooka on his shoulder. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Sephiroth, who was motionless on the ground, then shifted to Vice Admiral William, who was lying helplessly prone.
Frank had come to this battlefield with a heart full of determination, digging up the bazooka from the collapsed armory to protect his commodore. But he never expected that before he could even fire a single shot, the person he was protecting had already fallen.
"Damn you, Kaido!"
Remembering Sephiroth's kindness and support over the years, Frank's chest felt tight. His anger burned, overcoming fear and logical calculation. Without a second thought, he lifted the bazooka, aimed at Kaido, and pulled the trigger.
Buzzzz!
The armor-piercing warhead shot out, leaving a thick trail of smoke. This weapon was one of the most lethal supplied by a mysterious company—even a frigate-class warship could be shattered into pieces.
BOOM!
A loud explosion shook the air. Orange-red flames soared high from the point of impact, creating a small mushroom cloud that erupted in the sky. A wave of heat hit, forcing Frank to close his eyes and shield his face.
When the smoke and dust gradually cleared, Frank slowly opened his eyes. His gaze instantly froze. In the middle of the blackened explosion site, Kaido still stood tall. There wasn't a single wound on his body, and his cold gaze was now directed straight at Frank.
Gulp!
Frank swallowed. Cold sweat soaked his temples. A strange question popped into his mind: Is this person really human?
"Hmph! You're looking for death!" Kaido snorted with disgust. With unimaginable speed, he was right in front of Frank.
His trusty club, now wrapped in Busoshoku Haki, was raised high. Without hesitation, Kaido swung the club, intending to flatten Frank into meat paste.
Ugh!
However, a long sword that radiated a dark red thunderous flash suddenly appeared in the air, cutting off the path of Kaido's club and holding it firmly.
Boooooom!
The two weapons, coated in Haoshoku Haki, clashed. The tremendous vibration tore the ground around them, creating a large crater. Frank, who was caught between the clash of power, felt like he had been hit by a meteor. He spat out blood and was thrown back, rolling helplessly for several meters.
"Oh, advanced Haoshoku Haki, huh?" Kaido jumped back, his eyes shifting with full interest to the floating sword.
The movement of the sword reminded him of Sephiroth. But the aura emitted by this sword felt completely different—more savage, more ferocious. This was a demon sword.
Kaido's curiosity soared. He no longer cared about Frank. His eyes were fixed on the mysterious sword that had just appeared.
Slaash!
The black sword moved, splitting the air with a gentle slash. A dimensional crack opened, and from within, Sephiroth walked out, complete with his black suit and a sword in his hand.
At the same time, the bat clone lying in the ruins reverted to hundreds of black bats. They shot out, entering Sephiroth's body, recovering some of his energy. When all the bats returned, only the shattered bloody bat remained on the ground.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh! So, you tricked me? Interesting! Very interesting!" Kaido laughed loudly.
Sephiroth shook his head, his calm expression a stark contrast to the chaos around him. "You could say you defeated me once."
"Cough… Cough! Thank goodness, Commodore Sephiroth! You're okay!" Frank struggled to get up, covering his aching chest.
Sephiroth's face hardened. His gaze now turned sharply toward Frank. "Since when did you have the right to interfere in my fight?"
If it weren't for Frank, his plan to feign death would have been completely successful. But a small part of him couldn't bear to let the subordinate who had been with him for six years die a foolish death.
Humans are such strange creatures. They know it's irrational, but they still do it… Sephiroth thought, mocking himself.
"Stand aside and do your job. Don't get in my way here!" he snapped.
Frank just nodded obediently, turned around, and ran away.
Kaido re-weighed the club in his hand, a wild grin returning to his face. "In that case… this time, I'll make sure you really die!"
Kaido's body began to change. Bluish-green scales appeared, a tail grew, and in a matter of seconds, he transformed into a human-dragon hybrid. The combination of Busoshoku Haki, Haoshoku Haki, and Sephiroth's demon sword was enough to make him have to fight seriously.
"It's not certain who will die!"
Sephiroth's eyes lit up. His left hand drew the Ming Yan sword from his waist, while his body crackled, releasing his hidden internal power.
In his mind, he wondered how close he was to the rulers of the world.
"Two-Sword Style: Thunder Dragon Flash!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
Both of them shot forward. Their weapons clashed, creating a storm of thunder and lightning that collided with each other. A large crack spread on the ground, turning the base's ruins into an even deeper chasm.
BOOOM!
The two immense powers ascended into the sky, splitting the thick clouds. The full moon and stars became clearly visible, their light falling to the earth, illuminating the silhouettes of Sephiroth and Kaido facing each other.
Fushia Village, East Blue.
Far away in an old bar called "Rum's Bar," two men sat casually near the window. One had a thick beard and a face full of scars, while the other wore a unique hat.
The bearded man asked casually, "Photo-King, what are you doing in the East Blue?"
"Hey, Yorke, don't you know? I'm here to take care of some Marine wanted posters," the man replied proudly.
"I see… Aren't you afraid? Constantly scouting dangerous pirates, one day you could become a target for revenge."
"Don't worry, man! I, Photo-King, am a professional war journalist! I've seen countless major battles! Even the wanted posters for Kaido, Big Mom, and Whitebeard were taken by me!" he said, patting his chest.
Photo-King was indeed a brave figure. He often infiltrated the most dangerous places to get the best photos. It was no wonder he was nicknamed the "Calamity Photographer" in the world of journalism. Because of his skills, the Marines recruited him to be the head of the wanted poster photography department.
Yorke was about to comment again, but his eyes caught something in the sky. He pointed out the window, "Good heavens, Photo-King! Look at that sky!"
Photo-King immediately turned his head. Seeing the split sky, he quickly raised the camera around his neck and shouted, "Perfect!"
"You idiot! Your camera lens is still covered!" Yorke laughed, mocking his friend's naivety.
"Oh, right!" Photo-King slapped his forehead, hurriedly removed the lens cap, and took a new picture.
His instinct as a senior journalist told him something very big was happening out there! For him, a big scoop meant money and fame. Although he had to abandon fame for his safety, money was still money.
He knew exactly who would appreciate this information. Morgans, the bird from the World Economic Journal. If he could bring this exclusive news, Morgans wouldn't be stingy and would pay handsomely for his information.
Gulp!
With sparkling eyes, Photo-King jumped from his chair, "Sorry, Yorke! Another drink next time!" He ran out of the bar, heading toward the center of the commotion.
"That guy. He hasn't changed at all," Yorke muttered, a little annoyed at being left behind.
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