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ROAR—!
Kaido howled as a massive amount of blood sprayed from his body, instantly dyeing the sea below a deep crimson!
A gigantic gash appeared on his dragon form, nearly running through his entire torso. It cut across his original 'X'-shaped scar, and was even larger!
"This is..."
"What the hell!!"
Kaido's body swayed, his previously glazed-over eyes snapping wide open as he was forced out of his [Drunken Dragon] state.
He stared in disbelief at the wound on his abdomen, an unsettling sense of familiarity washing over him.
"BASTARD!!!"
A furious roar erupted. Kaido's form shifted rapidly, transforming back into his dragon-human hybrid form, and the Hassaikai reappeared in his hand.
A bloody gash ran from the middle of his chest to his navel, the flesh torn and rolled back.
Even with Kaido's vigorous life force, the wound was difficult to heal quickly, as if a powerful will was actively preventing the flesh from regenerating.
"Gundari..."
"Ryuseigun!!!"
In his fury, the tip of Kaido's kanabo suddenly swelled to a massive size. Pitch-black Armament Haki coated it, and Conqueror's Haki followed suit!
"I... am going to kill you!!!"
BOOM!!
If Kaido's [Horai Hakkei] was a move that excelled in speed, then [Gundari: Ryuseigun] was a move that combined both power and speed!
It was so fast that Atlas had no time to bring his sword around. The massive kanabo slammed squarely into his chest. In that instant, his once-full chest caved in completely. Atlas could clearly feel it...
His sternum was shattered!
PTOO—!!
A large mouthful of blood sprayed out, and Atlas's entire body was smashed into the sea below like a cannonball!
BOOM-CRASH!!
With a final thud, a vacuum formed on the surface of the sea. Atlas's body was spread-eagled, sinking to the seabed!
SWISH!!
But the very next second, an afterimage appeared in the air. As if teleporting, Atlas returned to the sky, facing Kaido with a cold stare.
"That really hurt, Kaido!!" Atlas said, offering no shortage of praise as he looked at the still-bleeding Kaido before him.
His own condition was no better. His entire chest was caved in, almost touching his back.
Glistening white ribs were exposed, and the crimson flesh was open to the air. He no longer looked human!
"Have you finally realised the gap between us, brat?!" Kaido bared his fanged maw, the Hassaikai in his hand twitching restlessly.
His eyes were filled with the contempt of an Emperor of the Sea. "No matter how strong your recovery is, taking a—huh!!?"
Before Kaido could finish, the horrific wound on Atlas's chest began to repair itself at an astonishing rate.
Organs healed, bones reconnected, and flesh grew back with frantic speed. In the time it took to speak, the wound that would have been fatal to anyone else had healed in an instant.
"What were you saying? I couldn't hear you very clearly," Atlas said, slightly rolling his shoulder blades and touching his fully restored chest with a feigned look of confusion, all under Kaido's incredulous gaze.
"..."
Kaido fell silent. He subconsciously looked down at the massive gash on his own chest, and even the Hassaikai in his hand stopped moving.
What a troublesome brat...
A savage look appeared in Kaido's eyes, and his expression gradually darkened. He was an Emperor of the Sea, yet today he was being stymied by a little Marine brat.
If this fight dragged on, not only would he not gain any advantage, but he would only serve to boost this Marine's prestige!
And besides, this guy... had now fully matured!
"Huh!!?"
Suddenly, Kaido's expression changed. A powerful life force had appeared within the range of his Observation Haki.
At Kaido's level, his mastery of Observation Haki was not much inferior to Atlas's.
Even in the heat of battle, he could still accurately sense any disturbance in his surroundings. And this meant that the owner of that life force was not far away!
"Damn it!"
Kaido looked down at the still-unhealed wound on his chest, a hint of unwillingness in his heart, but he made his decision immediately.
ROAR—!
With a low growl, Kaido transformed into his Azure Dragon form. Flame clouds billowed from his claws, and he turned to flee.
Trying to run!
Atlas's eyes narrowed. The power of the Chicken and Rabbit Talismans activated instantly, and his speed became even faster than Kaido's, instantly blocking his path.
"It's not that easy to leave!"
Atlas also knew that Marine reinforcements had arrived, and it was ten to one that it was that old geezer Garp. There was no time to let Kaido escape so easily.
"Get out of my way!"
Kaido roared in fury, opening his mouth and spitting out countless wind blades.
[Demolition Wind!]
The terrifying storm hit Atlas head-on. The sharp wind blades scraped against his dense Armament Haki, creating a shower of sparks.
Although Atlas's physique was strong enough to withstand it completely, it gave him no opportunity to stop Kaido.
Unfortunately...
Just as Kaido thought he was about to escape the battlefield, a booming laugh came from behind him.
"Hahaha, Kaido! Since you're here, why don't you stay!"
............
The next day, a piece of news that shocked countless people spread across the seas.
Atlas's name once again echoed across the world. First the Golden Lion, now Kaido of the Beasts.
What kind of terrifying monster was this rising star of the Marines who had debuted so recently! Were the Marines launching an all-out assault on the pirates?
New World, on the Moby Dick.
"Gurarara, that fellow Kaido has been sentenced to death by the Marines again," Whitebeard said, throwing his head back and downing a large gulp of sake.
Savouring the spicy taste, he laughed heartily. "What a willful brat!!"
"It's not the first time, anyway. That guy's life force is like a monster's," Marco replied nonchalantly.
He couldn't remember how many times Kaido had been reported captured by the Marines and sentenced to death, only for him to turn up safe and sound some time later.
"However, that fellow in the Marines can already go toe-to-toe with Kaido. He's also an unimaginably powerful monster," Whitebeard said, downing another bowl of sake and tossing the newspaper beside him.
"He's indeed an impressive brat. The only other person I've seen with that kind of talent is that old hag Linlin. Gurarara!"
"But this is just one corner of the Great Pirate Era! Sons, let's have a banquet!"
"A banquet, a banquet!"
"That's right! Pops is the World's Strongest Man! No matter how strong that Marine brat is, he can't be stronger than Pops!"
The year 1513 of the Sea Calendar was drawing to a close.
The New World battle that had captured the world's attention had come to an end, with Kaido being arrested by the Marines. And so, Kaido successfully marked his 9th capture.
On the front page of the World Economy News Paper was a blurry photograph.
The sky was filled with dark clouds, and the figures of Atlas and Kaido could be vaguely discerned.
A sword wound that nearly ran through his entire body was visible on Kaido's chest. Atlas, draped in his "Justice" coat, still had Kaido's blood on his Futsunomitama.
From every angle, the photo highlighted the heroic image of the Marines.
Morgans was filled with regret. Even though he had cautiously approached the battlefield, the scale of their battle was too immense.
This photo was the clearest he could get from a safe distance, but for a perfectionist like him, it was clearly unacceptable.
And with the publication of this newspaper, Atlas, who had recently been promoted to a new Admiral Candidate, saw his fame skyrocket once again!
From the Four Blues to the New World, whether pirate or Marine, everyone was discussing this matter. The Marines of Loguetown were especially proud.
After all, this monstrous Marine, who was at the height of his fame, had come from their base.
--East Blue, Foosha Village--
Makino's bar, which was usually only sparsely populated, was now bustling with noise.
The sounds of men laughing, cursing, and clinking glasses filled the air, and at a glance, almost all the faces were unfamiliar.
The villagers of Foosha Village knew that a group of pirates had recently arrived in the village and were now drinking in Makino's bar, so they all subconsciously avoided the area to prevent any conflict that might bring disaster upon the town.
"Hey! Captain! Today's paper is fresh off the press! Want to take a look?" a man with a rapier hilt at his waist and two missing front teeth said with a grin, holding up the newspaper to show off to the red-haired man at the bar.
"I'm too lazy to look. Just read it to me," the red-haired man said, waving his hand without turning his head, his voice listless.
He had been staying in the East Blue for a long time based on a prophecy his former captain had left him, but he hadn't seen the person he was supposed to be waiting for.
He couldn't help but feel a little dejected, even starting to have doubts. Did the captain remember it wrong? Oh well, I'll stay in the East Blue for a little longer.
"Well, what's wrong, Captain? You were so excited when we came here," the gap-toothed man said, puzzled.
It had been his captain's idea to wander around this area, but after whispering a few words to the green-haired proprietress, he seemed a bit down.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just tell me what's written in the paper," the red-haired man said, realising his mood was off and quickly changing the subject with a smile.
"It's that Marine who's always in the papers. What a terrifying monster."
"Hey, what earth-shattering thing did he do this time?" a fat man in a green and white striped shirt and a green hat asked curiously, gnawing on a chicken leg in his hand.
He certainly remembered the Marine the gap-toothed pirate was talking about.
Especially after he had killed one of the three legendary pirates of the old era, the Golden Lion, the Marines had spared no effort in promoting the news.
Even they, who were in the Four Blues at the time, had a deep impression of the rising star.
"It's nothing much. He just fought Kaido for three days and three nights, then captured him with the help of Garp."
"PFFFT—!!"
"What did you say!!?"
"Hey, hey, hey! Are you kidding me?"
The crew was in a state of chaos. Some even spat the drink in their mouths onto their crewmates' faces, but even that was not enough to express their shock.
If it were the Golden Lion, a pirate of the old era, even if he was a legend, he was just a memory to them.
But Kaido was different.
As an Emperor who dominated the New World, although they had never been there, the legends that occasionally circulated in the first half of the Grand Line had given them a clear understanding of the terror of the Emperors.
"Hahaha! Kanos Atlas, you say? What an absolute monster." The red-haired man was also filled with emotion. He was very familiar with the Golden Lion.
Ever since the news broke that a young Marine had defeated the old geezer, he had been paying more attention to Atlas.
But to learn that the guy was several years younger than him... the red-haired man was filled with emotion.
Having grown up on Roger's ship, apart from a few individuals, he had never seen such a monster!
Clap!
Suddenly, a man in black, standing in the corner, calmly lit a cigarette and spoke slowly.
"It's not that surprising. To be able to defeat a pirate like the Golden Lion head-on, it's only natural that he possesses this kind of strength."
"Little Atlas? Is he the Marine you're talking about?" Makino, from behind the bar, couldn't help but ask, having overheard the pirates' undisguised conversation.
"Eh? You know him?" The red-haired man adjusted the straw hat on his head, a little surprised.
"Mhm, little Atlas has been to Foosha Village twice. He's a very upstanding Marine," Makino said with a gentle smile, then went back to her work.
The two impressions Atlas had left on Makino were very good. Whether it was intimidating the mountain bandits or tricking Luffy, it was enough to show Atlas's upstanding and strong character.
"Is that so?" The red-haired man also grinned. His curiosity about the young Marine grew even more.
But as for actively seeking him out, he had no such thoughts for the time being.
He had heard that the guy really hated pirates, and he had no desire to look for trouble right now.
"Is the captain getting jealous? Hahaha!"
"Don't be afraid, Captain! We'll take care of that Marine together, and Miss Makino will be yours!"
"Yeah, yeah, Captain, you've been single for so many years! Hahaha!"
The pirates, never ones to shy away from a good time, began to hoot and holler.
Just then.
CRASH—!
"Excuse me!"
A skinny figure walked into the bar. The mountain bandit Higuma, who roamed the area around Foosha Village, had been feeling very frustrated lately.
Although all the nearby mountain bandits were under his jurisdiction, he had never been able to extend his reach into Mt. Colubo.
That so-called Dadan family, who didn't act like pirates at all, had been constantly obstructing him.
"Eh?" Higuma raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips. "Heheheh, so these are pirates. This is the first time I've seen any of these. They look pretty stupid!"
"Huh!!?"
The pirates, who had been joking around, fell silent, watching quietly as Higuma approached their captain.
"We're mountain bandits. We're not here to cause trouble or rob you today. Just sell us ten barrels of sake!"
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach the top 100)
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