On the azure sea, a massive three-masted sailing ship was slowly making its way toward the bustling port in the distance.
Sunlight shimmered across the rippling waves, casting the ship's majestic silhouette against the water. The port was alive with noise—vendors hawking their goods, the air thick with the scent of fish and spices.
"Boss, we've arrived," Queen stood on the deck, squinting at the approaching dock. "This is the Flower Country, reputed to be one of the strongest nations in the West Sea."
Kaidou stood at the bow, the sea breeze tousling his wild hair. He grinned, baring his white teeth. "Urorororo, interesting. Let's see what this country is really made of!"
The sailing ship eased into the port, its shadow falling over a corner of the dock.
Surprisingly, when the people on the dock saw the pirate ship flying the flag of the Beasts Pirates, they didn't panic and flee as usual. Instead, they stopped to watch.
Though this wasn't Kaidou's personal vessel, as a pirate ship returning from the New World, it had already made a name for itself across the seas.
Logically, among so many people at the dock, someone should have recognized it as a ship of the Beasts Pirates. Yet, at this moment, they merely observed the colossal ship with curiosity, even a hint of anticipation on their faces.
Kaidou watched the scene with interest, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. It seemed this Flower Country was indeed a bit different.
The ship docked steadily, and Kaidou's massive frame was the first to step ashore, his heavy footsteps echoing on the wooden planks. He scanned the surroundings and found the port orderly—vendors still calling out their wares, workers continuing to move cargo, as if his arrival hadn't caused much of a stir.
"Respected Mr. Kaidou, welcome to the Flower Country."
No sooner had Kaidou set foot on land than a squad of fully armed soldiers rushed over. They wore uniform attire, standard-issue weapons at their waists, moving in perfect sync.
The leader addressed Kaidou with neither subservience nor arrogance, "Within the territory of the Flower Country, you are free to roam and shop as you please. However, there is one rule we ask you to abide by: do not use force on the island, or we will have no choice but to take necessary measures."
"Interesting," Kaidou narrowed his eyes, looking down at the soldier leader who dared to confront him directly. "Are you warning me?"
The leader straightened his back, meeting Kaidou's gaze. "If you insist on interpreting it that way, yes. Although you are a renowned great pirate of the New World, our Flower Country is not to be trifled with."
"Urorororo," Kaidou let out a low chuckle. "What gives you the courage to speak to me like this? Is it the 'Conical Head' Qingjiao who made a big stir not long ago?"
A flicker of surprise crossed the leader's face, but he quickly regained his composure. "You know Leader Qingjiao? But even Leader Qingjiao, with his 400 million Berry bounty, is just one of the many marine forces in our Flower Country." His tone carried clear pride. "Our Flower Country boasts eight marine forces, each capable of dominating a stretch of the sea."
"Wororororo, you've got one thing wrong—I don't know any 'Conical Head' Qingjiao, but even if that guy stood before me, he wouldn't dare speak to me like this," Kaidou said directly to the leader before him.
Upon hearing this, the leader immediately broke out in a fine sweat on his forehead. His face turned pale with tension, and his hands clenched involuntarily.
The surrounding crowd sensed the shift in atmosphere and stepped back several paces, afraid of being caught up in the conflict.
The air was thick with suffocating tension.
Just then, a booming voice came from the distance: "Is that so, Kaidou? Who gave you the courage to cause trouble in my Flower Country?"
Everyone turned to look and saw a burly man, five meters tall, with a distinctive conical head and a full beard, striding toward them. This was none other than the "Conical Head" Qingjiao, with a bounty of 400 million Berry.
At this time, his conical head had not yet been dented by Garp, and he was at the peak of both his strength and mindset.
Qingjiao walked up close, locking eyes with Kaidou.
Both were renowned great pirates of the New World, and now, meeting at the port of Flower Country, sparks seemed to fly in the air.
"Chief Qingjiao!" the soldier leader exclaimed in relief.
Qingjiao waved a hand, signaling the soldiers to step back. He looked Kaidou up and down and sneered, "King of Beast Kaidou, what are you doing here in our Flower Country?"
Kaidou crossed his arms, refusing to yield. "I go wherever I please. Do I need to report to you?"
"Hmph, on Flower Country's turf, you follow Flower Country's rules," Qingjiao said sternly. "This is no place for you to run wild."
"Wororororo," Kaidou let out a low laugh. "Rules? I am the rules!"
The standoff between the two intensified the tension. The crowd on the dock had retreated to a safe distance, but many still craned their necks, eager to witness the clash between these powerhouses.
Qingjiao snorted coldly. "Seems you're here looking for a fight. Don't think escaping from that guy Zephyr makes you invincible."
Under the blazing sun, the conical head on Qingjiao's crown gleamed with a cold light. He stood like an unsheathed sword, sharp and imposing.
Kaidou gripped his Spiked Club, exuding a violent aura as the two faced off in the open space.
After a brief silence, they attacked almost simultaneously.
"Eight Impact Fist Secret Art: Conical Nail!" Qingjiao concentrated all his power into the conical head, charging at Kaidou like an arrow released from its bow.
"Thunder Bagua!Kaidou swung his Spiked Club, unleashing his signature move, the weapon wreathed in raging lightning energy.
Two immense forces collided mid-air with a deafening roar.
The shockwave from the impact spread outward from the epicenter, stirring up fierce winds. The ground cracked and splintered under the tremendous force, sending shattered stones flying.
The two powers held each other at a stalemate, making the very air tremble as if time itself had frozen.
A moment later, both were forced back several steps.
"Wororororo, the Eight Impact Fist, interesting," Kaidou laughed in his trademark manner, feeling the force transmitted through his Spiked Club. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes—he clearly hadn't expected Qingjiao to match him head-on.
Chinjao gazed intently at Kaidou, his heart secretly astonished. He had originally been confident that with the unique power delivery technique of the Eight Impact Fist, concentrating all his strength into a single point, he could easily crush his opponent. Yet after this clash, both sides were evenly matched, and he could sense that Kaidou seemed to have yet to exert his full strength.
"Dammit, this guy really is extraordinary," Chinjao muttered under his breath, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
He knew full well that the King of Beast before him, with a bounty of 540 million Berry, was by no means undeserving of his reputation. This battle was likely to be far more difficult than he had anticipated.
Just as the two were about to engage again, a loud shout suddenly came from the distance: "Stop!"
Kaidou turned to look and saw the King of Flower Country leading a group of people rushing toward them.
The King's expression was grave, followed by dozens of elite soldiers, clearly alarmed by the commotion of the battle.
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