Chapter 31 — Next Time
The sky was divided in two by the wills of two Supreme Kings. The sea and stormy winds fell silent as the world lost its colour.
The Beast Pirates and Whitebeard Pirates were all unconscious, leaving behind only the elite fighters with stronger wills.
Hiyori struggled to stand straight with the help of Ame-no-Habakiri. Beads of sweat rolled down her temple. "The gap… Huff… It's—" she muttered with a heavy heart.
It was her first time experiencing a Yonko's Conqueror's Haki without restraint.
Even she, who had fought Kaido alongside Ragnar and Yamato, now realised just how much Kaido had been holding back when training them.
Behind her, everyone, including Toto and Coco, had fainted. The despair of standing before two Conquerors washed over Hiyori.
Opposite them, on the Moby Dick's deck, Marco and Jozu looked at Kaido with serious expressions.
"That guy…" Jozu muttered.
"He is far stronger than before!" Marco said, his eyes fixed on the azure dragon in the sky, his expression weary.
Thatch and Izo, meanwhile, were breathing heavily. Izo looked up at the sky with hatred and bloodlust.
"Kaido! That bastard really came here?"
"Izo, don't do anything stupid." Jozu looked at Izo as he spoke in a grave tone.
"Yeah, that guy is a complete psycho," Thatch said, looking up.
"Worororororo! Not bad, right?" Kaido's booming voice echoed through the sky. His eyes were fixed on Newgate; as for the others, they weren't worth his attention.
"Seems you haven't been slacking off all these years. But you're still far from being my match," Newgate said, his voice carrying the confidence of the Strongest Man in the World.
"Why don't we settle that, then? We'll see whether I'm your match or not!" Kaido said, his draconic eyes staring down at the ship.
High in the sky, Ragnar's emerald-green body floated in the air. Yamato sat atop his draconic head, breathing heavily.
"Hey… You okay?" Yamato asked in a low voice. There was no cheerfulness or her usual confidence in her voice.
"Yeah…" Ragnar replied in the same low tone. His golden draconic eyes moved towards Kaido and Newgate, who were busy bickering, before turning towards Yamato atop his head.
Yamato met his eyes. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then finally asked, "Not enough?"
"Not even close!"
"So, was it all fake? All the damage we were proud of… Was it all just an act?"
Ragnar thought for a while before answering. "I don't think so!"
Yamato narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "But that Haki just now?" Her eyes turned towards the two Yonko, uncertainty visible in them.
"Those are Devil Fruit powers," Ragnar replied. "Your ice has a strong effect against dragon-type physiques, and my special attacks—"
He paused briefly before continuing, "It was most likely because we had a type advantage with your ice and Dragon Slayer attribute. So your attacks had more effect on the old man."
"Our Haki still isn't strong enough, nor are our physiques. We still have a long way to go."
"A long way, huh?" Yamato looked at Takeru in her hand.
A brief silence fell between them.
Then, a huge grin began appearing on both their faces.
Their eyes met. No words were needed between them.
Meanwhile, the bickering between Kaido and Newgate came to an end as Kaido opened his jaws, crimson-red flames gathering inside his mouth.
FWOOSSH!
Below him, Newgate also prepared his left fist as the Gura Gura no Mi activated. A transparent white halo of quake energy materialised around his fist.
CRACK!
Both launched their attacks as a massive pillar of flame fell from the sky, while the space before Newgate's fist cracked like glass.
White, spiderweb-like cracks spread through the air, as if reality and space themselves had been shattered.
Invisible quake vibrations spread outward from the cracks, travelling through the air as though moving through space itself.
The pillar of flame met the invisible quake attack.
BOOOOOOM!
The scorching-hot flames scattered in every direction as the quake vibrations rushed forward towards Kaido.
"Hmph…" Kaido snorted in displeasure.
He swung his draconic claw. Armament Haki flowed through his claws like a flowing river.
In no time, an invisible barrier of Haki formed and resisted the quake attack. The Azure Dragon remained in the sky, unharmed.
"Hey, you brats!" Kaido shouted as he looked at Ragnar, Yamato, and Hiyori.
"You've caused enough trouble. Now go back to Wano and make sure the goods are delivered safely, or else…"
He left the threat hanging.
His draconic eyes scanned the three of them.
Yamato rolled her eyes. "Or what? Gonna beat us up? You think we're afraid of that?" she retorted, glaring back at Kaido.
Ragnar chuckled and flew back towards the ship.
"Tsk… You tsundere old geezer."
Ragnar said this as his body began to shrink, and he turned back into his human form. Yamato jumped down beside Hiyori as Ragnar landed between the two of them.
"What did you say? You two brats want some special training?" Kaido asked in a threatening tone, glaring at them.
Hiyori, now standing straight, looked at him and snorted without saying anything. After all, she still didn't like the man who had killed her clown of a father and ruined Wano for years.
If Ragnar hadn't taken over Wano, Hiyori shuddered to imagine the dark future that would have awaited the country.
Yamato, on the other hand, placed both hands on her waist.
"Who's afraid of some stupid training?"
Ragnar giggled, but when he saw Kaido's expression darkening, he grabbed Yamato and Hiyori and bolted straight inside the cabin.
WHOOSH!
"Gurararara! I like that girl. She has spirit!" Newgate laughed, looking at the trio.
"What did you expect? She's my daughter, of course she has spirit!" Kaido said in a matter-of-fact tone before turning towards Whitebeard.
Tsk… Just you wait till I come back, you stinky brats, he thought.
The azure dragon's body descended towards the Moby Dick's deck.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you like I do with them!" Newgate grumbled as he slammed his naginata onto the deck and stepped forward.
THUD!
Meanwhile, Ragnar used his weather manipulation as the Beast Pirates' ship began sailing away from the Moby Dick.
"Hey, next time, we aren't running away!" Yamato said as she looked back.
"I… I won't be a burden like this time, either," Hiyori said, clenching Ame-no-Habakiri in her hand.
"Of course, we won't be the same next time," Ragnar said, looking at both of them.
He grinned.
"Next time, we'll be stronger!"