Chapter 212: Deadlock, a Shocking Turn of Events
Because this world was far more complex than the last, Mont-d'Or's Book-Book Fruit could only render it in low detail.
"Worororo! You noticed too, huh? All these fake-looking phantoms... there are thousands of them. It's annoying just looking at them!" Kaido's voice boomed.
Shane looked up to see his opponent's body begin to swell, blue scales appearing on his skin, horns sprouting from his head... In an instant, he had transformed into a massive, azure dragon that blotted out the sun. A blue dragon, in a modern city setting...
"It's like I've been transported to the world of Dragon Ball!" Shane laughed. "Hey, Kaido! Once I've gathered all seven, can I come to you to make a wish?!"
Dragon Balls? What the hell are those?
Kaido frowned, then dismissed the thought. He coiled his massive body in the sky and began to spin like a top. "Stop talking nonsense I don't understand, kid! Now, you and this fake world can witness the power of this attack!!"
As he spun faster and faster, a terrifying tornado began to form. With a mighty roar, he unleashed it in all directions.
"TATSUMAKI KAIFU!!!"
In an instant, the surrounding skyscrapers were sliced in half like paper. The world around them—buildings, roads, cars, and people—was erased. Shane, caught in the direct path of the gale, was forced to cross his arms in front of his face to block.
"This is getting annoying!" he roared, unleashing a massive wave of Conqueror's Haki that instantly dispersed the winds. He clenched his fists and glared at the dragon. "Hey! Brawling is way more fun, Kaido! Why'd you have to go and switch from a berserker to a mage?!"
With another roar, he shot into the sky like a rocket, his Haki-wreathed fist aimed straight for the dragon's head. "First, I'm going to knock you out of that stupid dragon form!"
Outside, at the Whole Cake Chateau, a day and a night had passed. Every few hours, a dozen more pages of the book would burst into flames. Mont-d'Or, who was struggling to maintain the story world, was growing paler by the minute.
"Mama, I can't hold on much longer..." he pleaded.
"You'll hold on until I say so!" Big Mom snapped, shoving a giant cake into his mouth. "It's just hunger! Eat up, and you'll get your strength back!"
And so, another night passed. On the morning of the third day, the Tea Party officially concluded. The lesser guests, who had spent the last two days in a state of terror, quickly made their excuses and fled. The Charlotte children also began to disperse, until only the top officers and the emperors of the underworld remained, waiting with Big Mom for the battle to end...
On the fourth day, the battlefield had shifted to a peaceful, Wano-style village. It, too, was quickly reduced to a scorched wasteland.
"Huff... huff..." Shane was on one knee, his chest heaving, sweat and blood dripping from his chin. His body was a twisted wreck of broken bones and torn muscle. But his eyes... his eyes still burned with an unquenchable fighting spirit.
Not far away, a half-beast Kaido was in a similar state, his blue scales stained a dark red with blood. "Worororo... Still standing, kid?" his voice was rough with exhaustion, but laced with an ever-growing excitement. This arrogant little punk... he was strong. Really strong. A hundred times stronger than he had been at Enies Lobby.
"Of course," Shane staggered to his feet, a bloody grin on his face. "Not only can I stand, I can beat you until your own mother wouldn't recognize you."
"Jokes on you, I don't even know who my mother is!" Kaido roared, charging forward, his dragon claws crackling with black-and-red lightning.
Shane met him head-on, his own fist clenched. "COME ON!!!"
BOOM!
The impact of their clash shattered the already-broken world, and they both fell into the void.
"Are you having fun, Kaido?!" Shane laughed, his voice hoarse. "Because ever since I knocked you out of that dragon form two nights ago, I've been having a blast!" This was the kind of fight he lived for. A pure, head-on brawl of strength and will. But... it was also exhausting. He had been fighting for days without food, water, or sleep. His stamina was almost gone. Kaido, with his Mythical Zoan regeneration, was probably doing a little better, but not by much...
Wait, supplies? Shane suddenly remembered the Senzu Bean in his inventory. He looked at it, then at Kaido... and sighed, crushing it in his hand. This is pathetic. Both of us...
Akainu and Aokiji fought for ten days and ten nights on Punk Hazard... he thought with a new appreciation. Those damn Logia bastards...
"Worororo..." Kaido struggled to his feet, his half-beast form flickering as he reverted back to his human shape. "Kid... you're even tougher than I thought. A little bit stronger, and you might have actually been able to beat me!" he snarled, his bloody teeth bared. "But as you are now... it's not enough! Not nearly enough! I am... KAIDO, THE BEAST KING!!!"
He charged again. Shane met him with a roar. Their fists collided, then their heads.
"Dammit, Kaido!" Shane yelled. "Who the hell has two horns on their head?! They're stabbing me!"
"Didn't you know?! I'm an Oni!"
BOOM! The world shattered again...
Another day and night passed. On the morning of the fifth day, the giant book in front of Mont-d'Or, now burned down to its last few pages, finally disintegrated into ash.
Two figures were thrown from the portal, crashing onto the rooftop.
"Mama!" Mont-d'Or cried out, then collapsed, unconscious.
Big Mom ignored him, her eyes fixed on the two figures.
"Captain!"
"Brother!"
The Curtain Call crew rushed forward, but were stopped by a raised hand. It was Shane. He was back in his "Paper Arts" form, covered in so much blood he was unrecognizable, barely able to hold himself up on one knee.
And Kaido... was sprawled out on the ground, his chest heaving. "Worororo... what a fight! But... I'm really out of stamina now!" he gasped, holding up five fingers. "Five minutes! A five-minute truce, then we continue! What do you say, Shane!"
"You cheat," Shane spat. "Give me your Mythical Zoan fruit, and then we'll talk!"
"Then no truce! We fight!" Kaido staggered to his feet. "But... can you still fight, kid...?"
"Don't underestimate me!" Shane snarled. He could still fight. His body was at its limit, but he still had a secret weapon... but he wasn't going to waste it here.
"That's enough!" Big Mom's voice boomed. "It's clear neither of you can beat the other! This has gone on long enough! It's not a fight to the death, is it?!"
"Stay out of this, you old hag!" Kaido roared. "Are you worried about your stupid chateau?!"
"Kaido!" Big Mom gritted her teeth. "Are you going to defy me?! Don't forget, you owe me a life debt!"
A life debt? The others stared, stunned.
"..." Kaido fell silent, the rage in his eyes slowly fading. "Hmph. You always know just when to bring that up, Linlin," he grumbled. "Fine. We'll stop here. But not because of you. It's because of this kid... A fight like this... if I killed him... life would be too boring!"
"Keep telling yourself that," Shane sneered. He was about to say more when he saw Katakuri's face change, his eyes wide as he stared at the sky. This looks familiar... Another Kaido?
Shane looked up... and so did everyone else. They didn't need Observation Haki to see it. The sky had suddenly grown dark, a massive shadow completely engulfing Whole Cake Island.
"It's an island! A flying island!!" Bonney screamed.
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