With a thunderous boom, Marco's kick collided with Kaido's spiked club—but not in the way one would expect. There was no direct contact between flesh and steel. Instead, an invisible wall of force detonated in midair, the clash of wills erupting into a violent shockwave.
Kaido, empowered by the dual infusion of Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, unleashed terrifying pressure. Marco, by contrast, relied solely on Armament Haki to defend.
For a brief instant, the two forces locked in place.
Then Marco was forced back.
Driven by Kaido's overwhelming might, he skidded dozens of meters through the air before landing solidly on the ground, sandals digging deep—but his stance never wavered.
Kaido rested the spiked club on his shoulder and sneered.
"This is Conqueror's Haki Infusion. When Haoshoku is tightly fused with Armament Haki, the power it produces multiplies several times over."
He continued coldly,
"You felt it just now, didn't you? Even with Armament Haki defending you, resisting an infused attack is incredibly difficult. That's because Conqueror's Haki strikes the mind as much as the body. Without overwhelming spiritual strength, your defenses crumble from the inside."
Marco nodded, his expression grave.
"I noticed. When your club came down, the Haoshoku inside it surged through my entire body like a tidal wave. Even though I blocked it, my balance nearly collapsed. If my mental resilience were any weaker, I'd have been wide open."
During his brutal battle with Big Mom, Marco had tasted Conqueror's Haki Infusion before—but only briefly. Big Mom had used it sparingly, and clearly lacked Kaido's mastery.
Kaido snorted.
"Hmph. Fodder isn't worth using Haoshoku on. They wouldn't survive even one swing of my club anyway."
Then his gaze sharpened.
"I've taught you the essentials. Now it's your turn."
Marco let out a helpless chuckle.
"You're really casual about this, you know that? But you're right—there's no better teacher than real combat. I was planning to figure it out mid-fight anyway."
Straightening, Marco suddenly adopted the air of a classic hot-blooded anime protagonist and declared,
"The reason my Devil Fruit awakened is simple. I wanted to protect my comrades—and safeguard the legacy Pops left behind. As long as that belief burns strong enough, it becomes power. Power strong enough to defeat any enemy."
The words rang with conviction.
Of course, Marco knew the truth.
A protagonist draws strength from plot armor.
He just happened to draw his strength from a cheat.
In the end, the result wasn't all that different.
"Belief?" Kaido repeated, falling into a rare moment of villainous contemplation.
Then he spat to the side with clear irritation and muttered the most textbook of villain responses,
"Tch. Boring nonsense."
Marco froze for half a second, then sighed.
"Hey, Kaido. You really shouldn't say lines like that."
Kaido shot him a puzzled look. Marco smirked and added,
"That's the kind of thing villains say right before getting slapped in the face in hot-blooded manga."
"I don't read that garbage," Kaido snapped, then crossed his arms and snorted. "Still… belief is a strange thing. Fine. I'll listen for now. Whether it works or not, we'll find out through experience."
With a thunderous bang, Kaido slammed his spiked club into the ground, cracks spiderwebbing outward. His eyes burned with anticipation.
"Alright. I've taught you Conqueror's Haki Infusion, and you've told me your so-called method for Awakening. Whether either of us can truly grasp it depends on ourselves."
A savage grin spread across his face.
"Now—let's enjoy this battle!"
"Bring it on!" Marco replied without hesitation.
Along the shoreline, the Moby Dick and the Beasts Pirates' massive ships loomed at anchor. Even from this distance, the air itself trembled from the clash of titans at the island's heart.
Vista stood atop a tree branch, eyes narrowed as he watched Marco and Kaido facing each other at the center of Nanku Island.
"Two top-tier Mythical Zoan users… This won't be decided quickly."
Nearby, Ace turned his gaze toward King, flames flickering faintly around his shoulders. His grin was sharp, his fighting spirit blazing.
"You're King the Conflagration, right? You look pretty bored. How about we spar?"
Before King could respond, Jack stepped forward with a furious snarl.
"You brat! Who do you think you are, daring to challenge King-san?!"
Ace's eyes flashed.
"You." His voice dropped. "You're the bastard who released poison on Nanku Island last time. If you want to get beaten in his place, I'm more than happy to oblige."
Jack's pupils constricted with rage. He drew the massive scythe-like blades at his sides, veins bulging.
"King-san, let me handle this arrogant little punk!"
Ace cracked his neck, flames licking higher. He was itching for a fight.
"Enough!" Jinbe's deep voice cut through the tension. "Ace, this isn't the time. Captain Marco is dueling Kaido—we must stay alert. Any third party could take advantage of the chaos."
King nodded calmly.
"Jack, stand down. We're not here for a full-scale war. Kaido-sama accepted Marco's challenge—that is all."
Before King could finish, Ace waved a hand dismissively.
"Relax, Jinbe. I just want to trade blows with one of Kaido's All-Stars. You're all watching anyway, right?"
He turned back to Jack, eyes blazing.
"So? You scared?"
King's expression darkened. He had tried to remain restrained—but Ace's provocations had crossed the line.
"Hmph. Youth truly knows no limits."
He glanced at Jack.
"Go. Teach him a lesson."
Jack grinned savagely.
"Leave it to me, King-san."
He locked eyes with Ace, voice dripping with malice.
"Let's see how much Roger's son is really worth."
The moment Roger's name was spoken, Ace exploded.
"Don't you dare say that man's name! My only father is Whitebeard!"
The clash was inevitable.
Moments later, flames and steel collided.
At the heart of Nanku Island raged the duel between Marco and Kaido, titans shaking the heavens themselves—while on the island's outskirts, Fire Fist Ace faced Jack the Drought, their battle igniting a second storm.
Everyone else retreated to the ships, knowing full well—
This island was no longer a battlefield.
It was a crucible.
—
Meanwhile, at Marineford, news of the impending duel between two Four Emperors had naturally reached the highest levels of command.
Fleet Admiral Sakazuki gripped a transponder snail and asked in a deep, steady voice,
"Have we received any concrete intelligence yet?"
From the other end came a swift reply from a Marine intelligence officer.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral. The Phoenix Pirates have completely blockaded the surrounding waters. Our reconnaissance vessels are unable to approach Nanku Island at all."
Sakazuki listened in silence, then nodded once.
"Continue monitoring the situation closely. Report to me immediately if there are any developments."
With that, he decisively cut the call.
At present, the Marines had confirmed one thing beyond doubt: Phoenix Marco and Kaido of the Beasts were locked in a violent confrontation on Nanku Island. However, since the island lay firmly within Phoenix Pirates territory, all information was tightly sealed off. The Marines could do little—any attempt to force their way in would not only disrupt the battle, but likely provoke unified resistance from multiple pirate forces.
Kizaru, standing to the side with his usual lazy posture, spoke lightly,
"Why not just let them fight it out? They're pirates either way. No matter who dies, that's still a net gain for the Marines."
Sakazuki shot him a sharp look, his expression stern.
"That may be true. But the seas have only just regained a fragile sense of order. I don't want that balance shattered so soon—especially now, when stability is more critical than ever."
Just then, the doors to the office opened.
Two tall, imposing figures stepped inside. One of them spoke with a faintly teasing tone,
"Fleet Admiral, sounds like you're dealing with something troublesome. Care to let us shoulder some of that burden?"
Sakazuki turned, a glint flashing in his eyes.
The newcomers were none other than the two monsters who had risen to prominence during the World Military Draft—Issho and Aramaki.
Their strength was extraordinary. They had crushed veteran Vice Admirals with ease, and even Vice Admiral candidates Momousagi and Tokikake had fallen to them. Sakazuki himself had personally tested their power and confirmed one thing beyond doubt—
These two were genuine monsters.
"You're here," Sakazuki said, a rare smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki," Issho replied respectfully, bowing his head slightly.
Sakazuki's expression soon turned serious.
"Based on the strength you've demonstrated, both the World Government and Marine Headquarters have unanimously agreed to grant you the rank of Admiral through exceptional promotion."
He paused, then continued,
"The conferment ceremony will take place in three days. From this point on, your code names will be Fujitora and Ryokugyu. Do either of you have objections?"
Issho answered calmly,
"I have no objections whatsoever."
Aramaki shrugged casually.
"I don't mind either. A code name is just a label, after all." Then his eyes gleamed with interest. "But since we've just joined the Marines and been promoted straight to Admiral… I imagine plenty of people won't be convinced."
A sharp grin spread across his face.
"So why don't we go and take down a Yonko? That should make our strength clear to everyone."
Issho nodded thoughtfully.
"I also share that sentiment. Rising from obscurity to such a high position will inevitably invite resentment. If we don't establish merit early, it may sow discord within the ranks."
The room fell quiet.
Sakazuki listened carefully, the weight of the era pressing down on his shoulders.
The winds of the sea were shifting once again.
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