A flash of golden light struck directly at the dragon's head.
Coated with Haki and moving at the speed of light, Kaido's dragon head shuddered, and his massive body was kicked off course.
But his huge dragon body swung back around, crashing down toward Enel.
Borsalino turned into golden light particles, condensing beside Enel. One hand grabbed Enel's shoulder.
The other hand flickered with a rotating cross of light.
Whoosh—
The gathered laser beam instantly pierced through the lightning chains linking Enel and Kaido, followed by a violent explosion.
The internal blast severed the lightning chain.
The massive dragon body swept across the ground, crushing it, sending stones flying into their faces.
But it no longer mattered.
A flash of golden and electric light—
The two of them vanished from the spot in an instant.
They reappeared above Onigashima.
Borsalino glanced at Enel.
"Scary~"
"That was close~"
Enel, still shaken, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Ah—"
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
"But why are you here?"
Borsalino scratched his chin.
"Well, I..."
...
On the other side.
Kaido's face was dark and grim.
He returned to human form, carrying the Kanabo as he walked over.
There was nothing he could do now. Enel had already broken free of the chains—catching him was impossible. And to make matters worse, the island's entire weapons factory had been destroyed...
Kaido narrowed his eyes at Enel and Borsalino.
"What an eyesore..."
Buru buru~ buru buru~
The Den Den Mushi rang. Kaido picked it up, and immediately, King's voice came through.
"Kaido!"
"Admiral Borsalino found out about our plan!"
"Terro—"
Kaido cut him off impatiently.
"I know."
Click—
He hung up.
...
On top of the Skull Dome.
They could clearly hear the voice coming from Kaido's Den Den Mushi.
Borsalino spoke lazily.
"Looks like I was a little faster~"
Flying at the speed of light to Onigashima and King flapping his wings to the next island to find a Den Den Mushi...
Seems like the speed of light wins.
Enel let out a dry laugh.
"So that's how it is..."
"I guess I was really lucky."
Borsalino shrugged.
Enel chuckled lightly, slumping onto the ground and looking down at Kaido.
"Still wanna fight?"
Kaido snorted coldly.
"What a waste of time..."
He waved a hand and turned away.
"Cooperation continues."
Roar——
As Kaido departed, his head elongated endlessly, transforming back into a massive azure dragon.
Carrying flame clouds and thunderclouds, he soared into the distance...
His heading—straight toward Knock's territory...
Since he hadn't succeeded in cutting off Sakazuki's wings, there was no point in continuing the fight.
And besides, they couldn't catch them anyway...
As for the weapons factories in Wano that were just destroyed—it didn't matter. The slaves of Wano were still very useful...
Seizing Knock's business was the true goal...
After flying a long distance, Kaido narrowed his eyes.
He turned back into human form and stopped midair. Thinking for a moment, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed.
Buru buru~ buru buru~
A woman's voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
"Hey! Kaido!!!"
The corners of Kaido's mouth curled upward.
"Linlin..."
His cooperation with Sakazuki was already over.
Everyone knew what kind of guy Sakazuki was... that guy had probably already begun retreating with his troops by now...
But he wasn't about to waste this chance—Knock had gone all in.
Knock had once controlled all the underground business in the New World.
But after today... that might change.
...
On top of the Skull Dome.
Enel finally let himself relax.
"Haa—"
He fell back and stretched lazily.
When he moved, pain made him grimace.
Borsalino let out a soft sigh too.
"He's finally gone~"
"What terrifying pressure~"
Enel, lying down, shot him a look.
Borsalino spoke.
"I say~"
"This happened a little too suddenly~"
"What exactly was going on~"
Enel clicked his tongue.
"Nothing special."
"Sakazuki-san and Kaido teamed up."
"They were planning to set up Knock."
"To throw the New World into chaos."
"Of course... partnerships like that always involve betrayal."
"It's obvious."
"I tried to stab him in the back, but Kaido turned it around and stabbed me instead."
As Borsalino listened to Enel, he understood well enough, but...
"How troublesome~"
Enel chuckled and sat up.
A golden and a blue flash shot out from Onigashima.
Then vanished without a trace.
...
New World, Whole Cake Island.
Charlotte Linlin laughed into the Den Den Mushi.
"mamamama~"
"So you're actually working with that bastard Sakazuki, huh."
"You've really outdone yourself, Kaido..."
"Very well."
"I'll be there immediately."
Crack—
Her massive body jumped straight down from the throne.
"Someone!"
"Summon all the ministers! Prepare to march!"
"Wait..."
Just after giving the order, a flicker of unease crossed her face.
"Call Brûlée here first."
That damn Sakazuki... he would never be that obedient.
Better be cautious...
...
A ship with a crimson dragon's head, gleaming in gold and red, floated on the surface of the sea.
In the New World, almost no one could fail to recognize this ship.
The Red Force.
The vessel of the fastest-rising Emperor of the Sea—Red-Haired Shanks.
But now, this Emperor who no one in the New World dared to challenge seemed to have run into something...
Above, the sky rumbled violently.
White smoke from constant explosions spread across the air.
The clash of Conqueror's Haki churned the clouds.
In the sky—
A blue afterimage flashed back and forth, colliding with attacks coming from all directions.
That blue afterimage was none other than Bullet, intercepting the Red-Haired Pirates.
And those countless attacks came from the members of the Red-Haired Pirates themselves.
With the boost from the More-More Fruit, their speed had doubled, but even so, their attacks barely grazed Bullet.
The Red-Haired Pirates' Haki was extraordinarily strong, even able to predict Bullet's movements in advance. They surrounded him from every direction, leaving Bullet unable to counterattack.
Because the moment he paused, a rain of attacks would crash down on him.
A real headache...
The standoff between both sides had dragged on for quite a while... If it weren't for Bullet's monstrous endurance and the Red-Haired Pirates' strength, they wouldn't have lasted this long.
Buru buru~ buru buru~
The Den Den Mushi rang.
In the midst of evading, Bullet pulled it out and answered.
Sakazuki's voice came through from the other end.
"Retreat."
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg. 414 chapters in total