Conqueror's Haki transformed into crimson-black lightning, violently tearing through the deck, mast, and stairs, as the mainmast groaned and snapped, and the ship's superstructure collapsed.
The sea seemed startled, churning violently and surging, furiously slamming against the ship's hull, causing the large vessel to tilt and sway, and the keel to emit an unpleasant sound.
Bang!
The brown-black mast, thick enough for two people to embrace, crashed down, and the candle-skull flag detached, covering Kurozumi Higurashi and Kurozumi Semimaru.
Kurozumi Higurashi pulled the skull flag from her head, her wrinkled old face as black as the bottom of a pot.
She had a hooked nose and wide mouth, her face full of deep wrinkles, and her few remaining black old teeth ground together with a clacking sound.
"Conqueror's Haki!?"
Kurozumi Higurashi was shocked; the overwhelming deterrent and the materialized destructive power were far beyond what ordinary Conqueror's Haki could achieve.
If it weren't for the barrier, hailed as the "strongest defense," in front of her, she might have been struck by the materialized Conqueror's Haki in that instant... the consequences would be unimaginable.
Kurozumi Semimaru, however, had fine sweat beading on his forehead, and his crossed middle and index fingers trembled slightly.
Even though he blocked the materialized Conqueror's Haki impact, he was instantly struck by the overflowing electric snakes, feeling sharp pain all over his body.
The Barrier-Barrier Fruit could only create a barrier of limited area, and when Kaido released his Conqueror's Haki, he could only hastily cover the front.
The moment he was hit by the Conqueror's Haki, he almost released the unique hand gesture for the invincible defense barrier.
Kurozumi Higurashi chuckled strangely, "Hehehe, Kaido, with Kurozumi Semimaru here, you won't be able to break through this indestructible barrier. Besides, we haven't had any grievances in the past, so why don't we stop here to avoid any unpleasantness between us?"
Kurozumi Higurashi's laughter was hoarse and unpleasant, like a Crow singing, making people irritable.
Kaido scoffed, a thin cold light flickering in the corner of his eye: "It's just a mere Barrier-Barrier Fruit… Watch me smash your turtle shell!!"
With a whoosh, Kaido leaped high, his powerful force causing the ship's bow to dip half a meter.
In mid-air, Kaido swung his kanabo in a full circle, creating afterimages and a whistling wind, stirring up a gale. Streaks of Conqueror's Haki coiled around the club, and crimson-black electric arcs flashed, crackling loudly!
Sizzle… Crack!!
Crimson-black lightning spread out like a spiderweb, covering an area of several hundred meters, the shocking red light illuminating the faces of the people below in a bloody hue.
Kaido narrowed his eyes, and as his body descended, he forcefully swung his kanabo. The diffused Conqueror's Haki instantly condensed into a streaking lightning bolt that shot into the sky!!
"Great Dragon Twister – Roaring Thunder Bagua!!"
Boom!!
A thunderous force, like a great river pouring down, slammed into the barrier with a tremendous roar!
The terrifying power and sound spread out as a fierce wind. The entire large ship sank several meters into the sea, and the churning waves instantly calmed, then, like water in a boiling oil pot, countless ripples leaped up within a radius of ten-odd miles!!
"Kaido, I was just saying…"
Kurozumi Higurashi was about to laugh triumphantly when she suddenly realized a terrifying force was striking her and Kurozumi Semimaru through the barrier!!
Her smile instantly froze.
Kurozumi Semimaru paled, thinking of cutting the area to block the inside, but this energy happened in a flash…!!
It was as if tens of tons of explosives had been stuffed into a sealed oil drum. The immense energy exploded and violently crashed within the confined barrier, continuously invading their flesh, bones, tearing their internal organs and meridians!!
This invincible defensive barrier had actually become a shackle binding them!
Boom!
The immense energy transformed into dazzling crimson-black light, erupting within the semi-circular barrier, engulfing their bodies… Once the energy dissipated, only a striking pool of blood and a large hole revealing the seawater remained on the deck.
Hanafuda watched the scene before him in astonishment. The moment Kaido's great club struck, that immense energy was enough to tear the entire large ship to shreds!
Yet, due to the barrier's protection, that force only erupted within the barrier, thus not affecting other parts of the ship.
Kaido, carrying his kanabo, his lips slightly curved as if a little proud: "Hanafuda, send people to search this large ship. These old geezers always like to collect things."
"Got it!"
Hanafuda mumbled, calling out, and pointed three or five people to search inside the ship.
Hanafuda's gaze drifted, and finally, unable to suppress his curiosity, he asked: "Kaido… how did you use that just now?"
Kaido's eyes gleamed as he laughed: "Want to learn? The prerequisite is that you must have Conqueror's Haki, Hanafuda… However, if you train your Armament Haki well, you might not necessarily lose to Conqueror's Haki, wororororo!"
Hanafuda, blushing, said: "Stop babbling! Who cares about Conqueror's Haki! Once I master Armament Haki, I'll show you what I can do!!"
"Wororororo! I'm looking forward to it, Hanafuda!"
"Boss Kaido, this is what we found on the ship. It should be a Devil Fruit!"
A long-nosed pirate walked over excitedly, holding an open, gold-rimmed box the size of a jewelry box. Inside was a purplish-red Devil Fruit shaped like a pineapple.
Zoan, Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Yamata no Orochi form.
Yamata no Orochi, in Wano Country mythology, is a powerful demon that brings disaster and chaos.
In his previous life, this Devil Fruit belonged to Orochi, and besides being used to intimidate petty individuals, it seemed to have no other purpose.
Of course, Kaido believed that while Devil Fruits could bestow power upon their eaters, their actual performance depended on the eater's own development and utilization.
A Devil Fruit called a Mythical Zoan must not be simple; it was just that the useless Orochi failed to develop and utilize it.
After putting away the Yamata no Orochi Fruit, in addition to the original Hellhound Devil Fruit, Kaido now possessed two Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits.
Kaido remembered that in his previous life, shortly after Kozuki Oden's death, there was a rebellion in Rasetsu Town, and a samurai named Toraji obtained the power of a Mythical Zoan and escaped.
"Everything is changing. I don't care what the future will become!"
Kaido thought to himself.
After having someone set fire to Kurozumi Higurashi's large ship, Kaido and Hanafuda sailed their warship towards Winter Island… New World, a certain sea area.
Kaido sat on the deck, crudely eating and drinking, but his peripheral vision was fixed on the newspaper.
The headline of the newspaper article clearly read: "Flying Pirates Annihilate a Nation Major Case!!"
The next newspaper headline was: "Marine Heroes Pursue Roger Pirates, Fierce Battle in Model Sea!"
"Whitebeard Appears in Sora Kingdom, Crushes Thousands of Pirates!"
"Shocking! Big Mom Charlotte Linlin Marries Snake-Necked Tribe!"
"Beast Kaido…"
Bang!!
Kaido eyes blazed with fire, and he plunged a knife into the newspaper, slashing and tearing it apart!
"Damn it, all of this should have been mine!"
Ever since his defeat at God Valley, Kaido had been resentful after returning to Hachinosu Island and losing to John.
Over the years, he had continuously amassed power, gathered forces, and occupied an uninhabited island called Proston as his base of operations.
But whether it was the rising Whitebeard, Roger, or the unruly Golden Lion, or even Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and the like, they all seemed to be doing better than him.
Kaido, who had always been arrogant, grew angrier the more he thought about it.
Just then, a subordinate on the lookout tower of the sailing ship suddenly shouted down: "Captain, there's smoke on the island ahead, looks like there are people!"
— — — —
(A few asides: 1. Wano Country is based on Japan, and the power and form of Yamata no Orochi are based on Japanese mythology. Please share some possible abilities.
2. Kaido thought Orochi was dead after he killed him, but later Orochi continued to plan his escape on Onigashima and was killed by Denjiro and others. So I believe Kaido actually didn't know that Yamata no Orochi had eight lives.
3. Yamato's Ooguchi no Makami was found by Kaido overseas, not a product of Wano Country.
4. Wano Country also has another Mythical Zoan, the Oonnyuudou Fruit, eaten by the fox Onimaru. Besides transforming into a monk, its abilities are unknown.)