Flames soared to the sky, and smoke and dust billowed.
Rocks tumbled down, and Shutenmaru lay sprawled in the rubble, two legs exposed, blood flowing from between the stones, a shocking crimson.
Kozuki Oden's expression changed drastically, and he rushed towards the hill hundreds of meters away.
Kaido calmly watched this scene, a cold sneer on his lips, and followed, carrying his spiked club.
Under Observation Haki, Shutenmaru's aura was weak and he was on his last breath, like a flickering candle in the wind, swaying in the dim light, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
Kozuki Oden pulled away the rubble, revealing Shutenmaru buried beneath.
Shutenmaru's chest was caved in, blood continuously gushing from deep within his mouth, the bones in his upper chest were almost all broken, and several bones had pierced his internal organs, his robes stained red with blood.
"Shutenmaru, hold on! Look at me, you'll definitely be alright!" Kozuki Oden said anxiously.
"Lord Oden…"
Shutenmaru's eyes were unfocused, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips: "This time I was overconfident, Lord Oden… I might not be able to continue governing Kuri with you, but, but I've never regretted following you…"
Shutenmaru kept spitting blood, and fragments of internal organs mixed with blood flowed out.
Shutenmaru thought of his youth, when he dominated the chaotic Kuri, preying on the common people.
Later, Kozuki Oden came to Kuri, defeated Shutenmaru, subdued all the local ruffians, and changed Kuri's impoverished and weak situation.
Shutenmaru believed he had found light, found a direction to move forward, and wanted to follow Kozuki Oden to govern Kuri and take over Wano Country… He never expected that fate would not cooperate; it seemed he could only stop here.
"Lord Oden, do you, do you see it? The cherry blossoms of our hometown have bloomed…"
Shutenmaru had a brief moment of clarity, his complexion suddenly became a little rosier, as if an illusion appeared before him. He reached out as if to grasp something, but his hand stopped halfway and ultimately fell back down.
"Shutenmaru, Shutenmaru!!"
Kozuki Oden cried out hoarsely, continuously shaking Shutenmaru's body, snot and tears streaming down, splashing onto the back of his hands.
Shutenmaru died.
Boom!!
A silver serpent suddenly flashed across the sky, and dark clouds surged like a tide, instantly obscuring the firmament. A heavy rain approached from afar.
"So noisy, Oden…"
The rain drenched Kaido's hair, and the lightning flickering in the sky moved like silver serpents, their pale light illuminating Kaido's cold, merciless face.
"Kai, Kaido!!"
Kozuki Oden let out a roar from his throat. He laid down Shutenmaru's body, picked up Ame no Habakiri and Enma from the ground, his eyes cold and furious.
The torrential rain poured down, extinguishing the fires in the town.
Muddy water mixed with charcoal ash flowed through the streets and gutters. The surviving citizens stared blankly at the rain falling from the sky, then looked at their relatives, now charred remains standing in the street, and cried out in sorrow.
"Worororo!"
Kaido's face showed mockery, and he wantonly provoked Kozuki Oden: "That's the look, Oden, unleash your full power, I've been waiting for this day for a long time!!!"
"Kaido!!"
Kozuki Oden roared in anger, and Conqueror's Haki surged out like a tsunami, pressing towards Kaido. Kaido smiled playfully, also releasing terrifying Conqueror's Haki!!
The earth trembled, and several bolts of chaotic lightning struck the sky!
The intensely colliding Haki made the atmosphere tremble and crack!
Kaido's eyes narrowed, and even more terrifying Haki directly overwhelmed and swallowed Kozuki Oden's Haki, blowing him back several steps. The ground in front of him cracked, and countless scattered stones were blown up and hurled towards Kozuki Oden!
Two sharp sword lights fiercely crisscrossed and swept past, instantly shattering the cluster of rocks before them!
Two slashes tore through the air and fell horizontally. Kaido raised his hand and swung his club, and the streaking Conqueror's Haki directly shattered them!!
"Weak, too weak, Oden! Unleash your full power, surpass yourself, and fully entertain me!"
Kaido laughed heartily, the aura he released seemed to resonate with the firmament. Dozens of chaotic lightning bolts fell, forming a dense net of electric serpents that enveloped Kaido!
The ground was scorched black by the lightning, kicking up hundreds of shattered stones, but in an instant, the shattered stones were instantly evaporated by the dense electric net's energy.
Kaido let out a long roar to the sky, and the huge light and shadow generated by his released killing intent and Conqueror's Haki stripped away the surrounding light. The colors within a several-mile radius became dim and colorless under the light and shadow, as if only black and white remained!
In the distance, Redfield and others, who had encountered the Daimyo Fūgetsu Omusubi, Amatsuki Tenpura, and the crime boss Hana no Hyogoro with nearly ten thousand samurai at the border of Kuri, felt the terrifying aura coming from behind them, and their expressions stiffened.
"Are they ready to go all out?"
Redfield looked into the distance and smiled faintly: "It seems Kaido has become stronger."
"This aura is Boss Kaido! Even though we're so far away, that overbearing aura is almost suffocating… Can Devil Fruit abilities and Haki really be honed to this extent?"
Bullet's eyes were burning, a flash of admiration quickly passing, and he secretly resolved: "One day, I will also reach the peak and see the world's scenery!"
Abel's long sword in his hand burst into fierce flames. He remembered the scene where Kaido rescued him from Punk Hazard, and the words "Let's change this world together" still echoed in his mind.
Abel looked at the sword in Redfield's hand, and his eyes suddenly became resolute.
Redfield, who heard Abel's thoughts, gave Abel a meaningful look, then turned his gaze to the three formidable Wano Country samurai.
"How boring, Bullet, Abel… I'll leave them to you."
...Kuri.
Kaido's body continuously grew taller and expanded amidst the thunder and lightning, instantly transforming into a twelve-meter-tall Human-Beast form.
Kaido opened his mouth and spewed two scorching white streams: "The loser will die!!"
Sizzle!!
Flowing Armament Haki covered his body.
Azure scales covered his entire body like armor, and arcs of Haki electricity coursed over his skin, his fangs ferocious.
The dragon horns on his head and the Oni ox horns were revealed, and streaks of lightning gradually spread from his forehead to his limbs and tail. The blue and white electric arcs on his tail were blazing and crackling.
His pupils spun eerily, then fixed into sharp, terrifying blood-red vertical pupils!!
"No matter how many times, this power is intoxicating…"
Kaido felt the changes in his body. Since stepping back onto this land, he had clearly perceived subtle changes in his body. The power of the Azure Dragon Fruit was gradually resonating with him: "Just as I chose the Devil Fruit, this Devil Fruit also chose me. This is the Devil Fruit most compatible with me. Destroying and then recreating the world, this is precisely the strongest power brought forth for revolution!!"
Kozuki Oden looked at the majestic and powerful man before him. Such a posture was like a world-destroying demon god; just the aura surging towards him felt like it could cut one's skin, making one unwilling to approach.
"A, a monster?!"
Kozuki Oden's heart sank. The opponent's aura was like an abyss, vast and unfathomable. This was the first time he had encountered such a terrifying monster.