Luffy's voice was low, almost drowned by the roaring wind. "I've been waiting for a long time."
His fingers flexed slightly, as if itching for the coming clash.
"Now just don't disappear on me…"
The air grew heavier, and then, something moved within the clouds.
Luffy's eyes narrowed instantly, and amidst the swirling darkness, he caught a glint of scales. His gaze sharpened like a blade as he focused on the shifting mass within the sky.
The clouds trembled, and then slowly, they parted for something.
What emerged from within them was not merely a creature, but a force of nature.
A colossal serpentine form descended from the heavens, its immense body stretching across the sky like a living storm.
It was Kaido in his dragon form.
An enormous azure dragon, nearly spanning a kilometer in length, coiled through the clouds with terrifying majesty. His thick blue scales gleamed faintly under the flashes of lightning, each one as hard as steel. A long, flowing mane trailed behind his massive head, dancing wildly in the storm.
His sharp, gray-white horns curved menacingly from his skull, framing his elongated snout, while his piercing eyes glowed with fury.
Flame clouds swirled beneath his body, holding him aloft in the sky.
Four powerful limbs extended from his serpentine form, each tipped with claws sharp enough to rend steel, while his long tail lashed behind him, slicing through the air like a whip.
The sheer presence of the dragon distorted the atmosphere as even the storm seemed to obey him.
Kaido's gaze fell upon the capital below, and his expression twisted with rage. His voice thundered across the land, louder than the storm itself. "WHO?! WHO DARED TO ATTACK MY PEOPLE?!"
The roar shook the ground.
"I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!"
The declaration echoed like a sentence of death.
But before the fear could spread, a figure moved.
Luffy stood up from the gate as the building beneath his feet creaked slightly as he shifted his weight. His grin widened, and then without hesitation, he jumped.
The air cracked beneath him as he launched himself forward, his body cutting through the storm like a bullet.
His fist clenched tightly, and dark Armament Haki surged around it, coating his arm in a deep, obsidian sheen.
At the same time, a far more terrifying power emerged from his heart.
It was invisible to the naked eye yet undeniable.
Conqueror's Haki!
It wrapped around his fist like a crown of dominance, crackling faintly in the air as sparks of dark red lightning danced around him.
The sky itself seemed to split in response.
Luffy's eyes locked onto Kaido, unflinching and unyielding at the same time, as if he were staring down not a Yonko, but just any regular prey.
'Celestial Breaker!'
The words echoed silently within his mind.
In the next instant, he struck his fist.
His fist didn't even fully make contact, and yet, the space between them shattered.
A violent burst of force exploded outward, dark red lightning erupting as the sheer power of the blow slammed into Kaido's face.
The impact was catastrophic.
Kaido's massive head snapped sideways, and his colossal body trembled before he fell.
The enormous dragon was driven downward from the sky like a falling meteor, crashing violently into the ground below.
BOOOMM!!
The earth shook below him, and even the buildings in the capital trembled because of the impact.
Dust and debris erupted into the air as the impact sent shockwaves rippling across the capital.
For a moment, the entire place was filled with silence. Then, through the settling dust, a figure descended lightly from the sky.
Luffy landed effortlessly, his posture relaxed despite the destruction around him. His grin had only grown wider, looking wilder, more excited, and more alive.
He lifted his head and looked toward the massive crater where Kaido had fallen.
Then, drawing in a deep breath, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"I did it, you bastard!" His voice rang with unrestrained challenge. "Just come at me!!"
------
The dust had not fully settled even after a few seconds.
The fragments of shattered earth still rolled down into the massive crater, and the air remained thick with the lingering force of Luffy's attack.
The storm above roared louder, lightning tearing across the sky as if responding to the clash that had just taken place.
Yet, there was no movement from Kaido.
The colossal dragon form of Kaido lay within the crater, partially obscured by smoke and debris.
To anyone else, that silence might have seemed like victory.
But Luffy did not dare to relax. His grin remained on his face, but his eyes were sharp, focused, and completely alert. His body stood loose, yet ready to move at any moment.
He knew better than to think his punch had landed clean.
It had both the power and intent.
But against Kaido, it was not enough.
The wind howled across the broken ground, carrying with it the faint scent of blood and burning earth.
Whoosh!
The sharp sound of air being cut apart echoed beside him.
Three figures appeared almost simultaneously, landing lightly on the fractured ground.
Luffy tilted his head slightly, and then he grinned. "Finally decided to show up, huh?"
Standing beside him were Roronoa Zoro, Kuina, and Yamato.
Each of them carried a presence that was anything but ordinary.
Yamato stepped forward slightly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the massive crater. She muttered, unable to hide the admiration in her voice. "Luffy… That was an insane punch…"
Her gaze shifted toward him, filled with excitement. "You were really holding back when you fought me in Onigashima, huh?"
"Well…" Luffy let out a soft laugh, scratching the side of his face as if embarrassed.
He didn't answer directly, because the truth was simple.
If he had truly gone all out back then, Yamato wouldn't have been standing here right now.
Zoro, however, wasn't paying attention to their exchange. His gaze was fixed entirely on the dragon as a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. Slowly, he reached for his swords.
Shing!
The sound of steel sliding free echoed sharply as Roronoa Zoro unsheathed his blades one by one. The faint gleam of the edges reflected the flashes of lightning above.
His stance shifted, and his grip tightened.
Zoro spoke, his voice calm but filled with anticipation. "Captain… How about letting me have a go too?"
A grin spread across his face.
"I also want to see how strong the skin of the world's strongest creature really is."
Beside him, Kuina lifted her sword slightly, her expression composed yet clearly excited.
"You're not the only one," She added quietly, and her eyes remained locked on Kaido's unmoving form. "I've been waiting for this too."
Yamato spun her kanabō lightly over her shoulder, her lips curling into a fierce smile.
"That bastard owes me a lot," She said coldly as her grip tightened. "I'm not letting him off easy."
Luffy looked at the three of them, and his grin widened.
"Go ahead," He said simply. His tone carried absolute confidence. "Just don't get in my way."
The statement wasn't arrogant, but a fact.
The three of them smirked almost simultaneously.
Then, a low rumble echoed from the crater, making the ground tremble.
The air grew heavier, and a massive shadow shifted beneath the dust.
The crackles of black lightning flickered faintly through the smoke.
And then a deep, rumbling laugh began to rise.
"Wororororo…"
The dust exploded outward as a massive form rose from within the crater.
Kaido's enormous dragon body lifted once more into the sky, his scales barely scratched, his eyes now glowing with excitement.
His gaze locked onto Luffy, and then slowly shifted to the others.
"Well, well…" His voice rumbled like thunder as a wide, savage grin stretched across his draconic face. "It seems… I've got quite the welcome party."
The storm above howled violently as the lightning split the sky.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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