Charlotte Linlin jumped down from Zeus, the thundercloud Homie, landing on a Deserted Island.
Wielding the greatsword Homie, Napoleon, with the thundercloud Homie Zeus and the sun Homie Prometheus floating menacingly in the air on either side.
Before long, Kaido's roar echoed from the sky.
"Nero! How dare you... you bastard!!!"
The crimson giant dragon hooked the body of the azure dragon with its hind claws, and the two behemoths broke through the clouds, descending from the sky.
"Mwah ha ha ha ha! It's my first time making an entrance riding a dragon; this is truly an entrance befitting an Emperor!"
"Damn it!!!"
"Hmm!"
[Underworld Fall!!!]
As soon as he landed, Kaido's impact created a deep crater on the Deserted Island.
Nero flapped her wings twice in front of the pit, then slowly descended to the ground.
"Gah-oh!!!" The enraged dragon roared; even in her giant dragon form, it was clear that Nero was very happy.
"What in the world are these idiots doing?"
Charlotte Linlin's forehead was covered in black lines as she watched the farce, speechless.
Her dragon body slowly contracted, and Nero transformed into a half-dragon human, holding the Primal Fire in her hand, her laughter carrying a blood-like allure.
Nero was very happy; her power had reached a peak, with no further progress since Roger's death.
However, this wasn't her first time hitting a bottleneck; the experienced Nero knew that only by fighting strong opponents and under sufficient pressure could she become stronger.
Hmm, that's the official statement!
In reality, Nero just wanted a good, satisfying fight. The last time she truly let loose was in Marineford, when she teamed up with Shiki to fight Garp and Sengoku.
So many years had passed, and Nero hadn't fought with such abandon since. At her current level, an all-out battle meant that even the terrain would be altered.
Wasn't this battle the very reason Nero was so eager to return to the New World?
A battle with a legitimate reason!
Otherwise, no matter how much they fought, it wouldn't concern her. Would they fight all the way to Nicuss?
Wrong! They'd fight all the way to Nicuss's doorstep!
Even if you bought a bucket of popcorn and a bottle of soda and sat at the border, they wouldn't actually cross over. No faction dared to push the neutral Nicuss Empire into opposition.
After all, Nero had no need for territory or such things. As for money and treasures, at her current level, plenty of people would bring them to her.
So, Nero was very pleased, radiating a sense of relaxation from the moment she arrived at Cake Island.
"Mwah ha ha ha! I am the Emperor! I am a polymath! The most beautiful and powerful golden rose galloping across the land!!!"
[Thunder Bagua!!!]
Just as Nero was proudly boasting, Kaido's figure leaped out of the deep crater. He was no longer in his azure dragon form from earlier, but had also transformed into a half-dragon human, just like Nero.
"Die, you bastard Nero!!!"
Roaring, Kaido's hachisai-kai was wreathed in purple lightning, and he brought it down fiercely towards Nero's head.
The Primal Fire swung upwards, red and white lightning also flashing on it, and Nero still had a happy smile on her face.
[Kamisari!!!]
"Hmm, that's a good move, Kaido!!"
Their weapons did not collide, just like Roger and Whitebeard in the past.
Surging Haki empowered both their weapons, seemingly distorting space itself.
The ground beneath Nero's feet continuously sank and cracked open, extending into the distance.
A fierce wind blew outwards from the two of them, causing Charlotte Linlin's pink hair to fly wildly.
"Mama, Mama! I can't stand it, these kids are always so straightforward!"
Fully armed and ready for battle, she did not join Nero and Kaido's fight.
In the end, everyone else here was an opponent. Nero and Kaido depleting each other was the best possible outcome for her.
The strongest here, of course, was Whitebeard; the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was simply too insurmountable.
The strongest Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. In a one-on-one fight, Charlotte Linlin knew she would most likely lose.
Therefore, teaming up with Kaido became crucial. The only variable was Nero, a person who followed her own whims; no one knew what choice she would make.
This was also an opportunity to observe Nero and Kaido's progress over the past few years, especially Nero, whose speed of becoming stronger was truly astonishing.
Have Nero exhaust Kaido, then together with Kaido eliminate Whitebeard, then together eliminate Nero, and finally eliminate Kaido.
If everything went smoothly, such an outcome was not impossible, so conserving stamina was especially important.
Charlotte Linlin sat cross-legged and popped a small cake, which she had apparently hidden somewhere, into her mouth.
Meanwhile, Nero and Kaido's clash in the distance finally ended. Neither side gained any advantage, and after being repelled, they maintained a certain distance from each other.
"Mwah ha ha! What a beautiful strike!"
Nero swung her blade downwards, creating a circular shockwave that dispersed, carrying thick smoke.
Kaido's face, on the other hand, was not so pleasant; his eyes were filled with solemnity. He had seen this move before.
This was clearly Roger's move! Could it be that Nero was actually Roger's successor? But the move that first slammed him into the ground also gave him a very familiar feeling.
Where had he seen it before?
He slightly flexed his wrist, and a smile also appeared on Kaido's face.
Never mind, no matter what it was, he'd know everything once he knocked her down.
"Try this move, woman!"
[Descent of the Three Worlds: Infernal Draw!!!]
Kaido leaped into the air again, his massive kanabo twirling with fierce momentum, as if attracting the thunder from the sky.
Kaido's demonic figure descended from above with the might of a natural disaster.
"Hmm, Kaido, is it? I like your taste in naming moves!"
Flames covered her body, merging with Haki, and pure flames enveloped Nero's body.
She lightly tapped her toes on the ground, yet it caused destructive power completely contrary to the gentle action, with earth and rocks splitting as if a giant beast had trampled them.
Nero's body, propelled by this power, rapidly soared to meet Kaido in mid-air.
"I bestow upon you the blessing of the rose, and for me, offer a chorus of ten thousand thunders!"
[Laus Saint Claudius!! (The Glorious Empire Sung by the Maiden!)]
Like thunder from the heavens colliding with fierce fire from the earth, a visible shockwave rippled across the sky.
"Gurararararara! Has it already begun?"
Whitebeard's figure also appeared in mid-air, raising his bisento and slashing towards Charlotte Linlin.
"Linlin! Then let me be your opponent!!"
"Newgate!!!"
Charlotte Linlin grabbed the Homie Prometheus with one hand and roared back at Whitebeard.
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