When. When.
The sound of metal colliding rang out sharply.
Through the vision of the Rinnegan, Kaito could clearly see the violent shockwaves crashing relentlessly against his Thunder Spear.
Each impact distorted the air, layers of power slamming forward without restraint.
But this time, those shockwaves were destined to fail.
Several shockwaves struck in succession, and fine cracks finally appeared along the surface of Kaito's Thunder Spear.
Yet that was all they achieved.
In contrast, the white shock barrier coating Whitebeard's fist was now riddled with fractures.
The surface trembled violently, as if it could shatter at any moment.
Once that barrier broke, the lightning would surge straight into Whitebeard's body.
Even if it did not kill him outright, the current alone would be enough to paralyze his movements.
It was a perfect calculation.
Unfortunately, reality rarely unfolded so cleanly.
Just as the white shock barrier finally shattered, a piercing whistling sound tore through the air.
Whitebeard's naginata descended.
Carrying terrifying force, the blade ripped apart the atmosphere itself, wrapped in dense shockwaves as it crashed down like a falling meteor, slashing viciously toward Kaito.
A faint sneer curled at the corner of Kaito's lips.
The last time Whitebeard shattered his Thunder Spear with a single punch, Kaito had formed it casually.
"Troublesome," he muttered.
Kaito leapt back, narrowly evading the strike.
He flipped several times midair and landed lightly on the ground, steady and composed, his gaze fixed on Whitebeard from a distance.
A deafening explosion echoed nearby, accompanied by violent tremors that shook the island.
As the dust settled, a massive, bottomless crater came into view.
That was the result of the fusion between Whitebeard's shockwaves and the force carried by his naginata.
Had Kaito been a moment slower, he would have been caught directly in it.
Feeling the terrifying fluctuations behind him, Kaito remained calm.
"Alright then," he said evenly.
"Looks like I should show a bit more."
His chakra surged.
A vast torrent of chakra filled his body, roaring like an endless river with no visible source or end.
Kaito slammed both hands onto the ground.
"Ice Release, Frozen Throne!"
Hum.
In an instant, the temperature plummeted.
The damp soil beneath Kaito froze rapidly, spreading outward at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Frost raced across the ground, climbing trees and rocks alike.
"This is Aokiji's Ice Fruit ability," Whitebeard muttered, eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"Isn't he supposed to wield lightning?"
Whitebeard kicked off the ground, his massive frame rising into the air.
With several powerful leaps, he stood high above the frozen landscape.
Below him, the ice continued to spread without resistance.
In the blink of an eye, the entire island was encased in silver.
Forests, grasslands, shattered trees, even the wild beasts that once roamed freely were frozen solid, transformed into lifelike ice statues.
"So it really is the Ice Fruit," Whitebeard said, his tone heavy.
"Hidden that well, huh."
"This kid," he continued, eyes sharp, "is a true monster.
Not just overwhelming strength, but terrifying versatility as well."
Suddenly, dark black lightning erupted from below.
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed as he dodged instinctively.
It was not that he could not block it, but the pressure carried by that lightning made his heart pound uncontrollably.
Aside from his former captain Rocks, only Garp had ever given him this kind of feeling.
As Whitebeard evaded, the lightning shot straight into the dark clouds above.
Boom. Boom. Crack. Crack.
The thunder vanished into the clouds like a stone dropped into a still lake, instantly triggering violent reactions.
Lightning roared behind the clouds, blue flashes illuminating the sky.
Whitebeard's expression shifted.
He immediately understood Kaito's intent.
The thunder within the clouds was gathering, brewing something far more dangerous.
Boom.
Just as he prepared to move again, a bolt of lightning crashed down from the clouds, slamming straight toward him.
"A lightning strike," Whitebeard growled.
He swung his naginata upward, unleashing a white shockwave that tore into the descending bolt.
The lightning shattered instantly, but the remaining force continued upward, ripping into the dark clouds themselves.
Whitebeard squinted.
He wanted to see exactly what Kaito was planning.
The shockwave sliced through the clouds, erupting in a blinding flash that scattered them apart and revealed the clear blue sky beyond.
"Am I overthinking it," Whitebeard muttered.
As he descended, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed through the heavens.
It was deep and ancient, like a massive bell tolling across the world.
The sound came from the clouds.
Whitebeard halted mid-descent, his brows furrowing as a sense of unease crept into his chest.
Without hesitation, he dropped straight down.
Boom.
He landed heavily, forming a shallow crater beneath his feet, then stepped out calmly.
Above him, the thunder had fully awakened.
A massive claw formed from lightning burst through the clouds, tearing them apart.
The silhouette of a beast emerged, looming directly over Whitebeard.
Antlers like a deer's, scales covering its body, an ox-like tail, four limbs stepping upon thunderclouds.
Its eyes, formed entirely of lightning, locked onto Whitebeard with terrifying clarity.
A thunder beast.
This was the technique Kaito developed after mastering his lightning abilities, shaping the storm itself into a living form.
Though its voltage was restrained, it still carried overwhelming presence.
Kaito had no intention of killing Whitebeard.
If he truly planned to dominate the Whitebeard Pirates, killing their captain would only fracture the crew beyond repair, even if Whitebeard himself gave the order.
That was not worth the cost.
Nearby, the Whitebeard Pirates stared in stunned silence.
"Is he serious," someone muttered.
"Even from this far away, that pressure makes my heart feel like it will stop," another said hoarsely.
"If you were closer, it would be unbearable."
Many of them turned anxious gazes toward Whitebeard.
"I hope Pops can deal with that," Marco thought grimly.
On the battlefield, Whitebeard looked up at the thunder beast without fear.
Instead, his eyes burned with excitement.
"Gurarararara!"
He roared, gripping his naginata as white light engulfed his weapon.
With two powerful swings, he slashed outward.
One strike targeted the thunder beast above.
The other flew toward the dark lightning column connected to Kaito's arm.
Kaito was closest.
The shockwave-laced blade energy reached him in an instant, crashing directly into the lightning column.
The impact erupted in blinding light.
Sharp blade energy and violent shockwaves tore through the lightning construct mercilessly.
In mere moments, the dark thunder column shattered from the center, severing Kaito's control.
The thunder beast lost its anchor.
"As expected of Whitebeard," Kaito said calmly.
"You found its weakness immediately."
Boom.
A deafening explosion echoed across the sky as the unleashed shockwave collided directly with the thunder beast.
The resulting aftermath swept through the heavens like a storm, scattering the remaining clouds and revealing the clear sky once more.
_____
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