A series of explosive booms resounded in the skies over Onigashima, golden light piercing through the dark, oppressive clouds.
When the thick smoke finally cleared, Kaido, now back in his hybrid form, was left bloodied and battered, his body riddled with wounds.
"To throw around weapons that would cause an uproar anywhere else as if they were mere stones... Truly extravagant," Kaido murmured, his chest rising and falling, a feral smile tugging at his lips.
Despite the full force of the barrage from the King's Treasury, Kaido's resilient physique seemed barely affected. With his Mythical Zoan abilities combined with his Oni heritage, his defensive and regenerative capabilities had reached terrifying heights.
"If that's not enough, I have plenty more where those came from," Zyhark said calmly, unfazed by Kaido's resilience. He'd anticipated as much; defeating Kaido with just that wouldn't be nearly enough.
And so...
He raised his arm, summoning an even denser array of golden rings behind him.
An overwhelming number of divine weapons filled the sky, their radiant glow even surpassing the sunset beyond the horizon.
"How many more hidden tricks do you have, you monster?!" Kaido growled with a wicked grin as he shifted back into his Azure Dragon form, his body engulfed in Haki and lightning as he charged toward Zyhark.
The monstrous energy storm that erupted signaled the shift of their battlefield to the skies, a thousand meters above ground!
On the rooftop of Onigashima...
"Looks like those two won't be coming down anytime soon, so…" Ishtar leapt down from her bow-like weapon, landing gracefully on the shattered ground below.
Cracking her knuckles, she gazed at Big Mom and her crew, a fierce battle spirit lighting her eyes. "I suppose it's time to clear out the extra baggage for my Master!"
Truthfully, it was more about her own itching urge to fight…
"And who's this little brat calling 'extra'?" Big Mom's eyes flashed with a murderous gleam. "You must have a death wish, kid."
"Fat hag! Just now noticing me, huh?" Ishtar shot back, her face full of defiant annoyance.
So much for her carefully crafted entrance—it had been a complete waste!
The word "fat" instantly struck a nerve. Big Mom's pupils narrowed as veins throbbed visibly on her forehead.
That single remark shattered the renowned "iron balloon's" mental defense.
"You rude little brat! I'm going to tear that mouth off your face!"
With a hum, red lightning crackled around Big Mom as her Conqueror's Haki lashed out indiscriminately, knocking out several resilient pirates on the spot.
"Oh, don't like fancy compliments? Then allow this goddess to graciously provide a physical weight-loss session~" Ishtar's black hair billowed wildly under Big Mom's aura, but the intense soul pressure radiating from Big Mom didn't faze her one bit.
Seeing this, Big Mom couldn't contain her rage any longer. She grabbed Zeus and Prometheus, her fists clenched as she advanced.
"Mom, be careful. That woman is no ordinary opponent," Katakuri warned, his eyes flashing with red as he sensed the formidable aura from the seemingly delicate young woman.
The Vice Captain of the Big Mom Pirates felt a pang of helplessness as he recalled his own defeat at the hands of that prideful man from before. The elites of the Demon King's ranks were beyond the reach of even the highest-ranking generals and calamities.
"Shut up, Katakuri! Are you trying to tell me what to do?" Big Mom barked back, fury in her voice. She stomped forward, her thunderous steps shaking the ground as she confronted Ishtar.
"You little brat, I am Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors! Now, state your name."
With a hand on her hip, Ishtar arrogantly brushed her hair aside, smirking, "Well, since you've so earnestly asked, this goddess will generously enlighten you."
"I am the Goddess of Beauty who rules over Venus, as well as the goddess of prosperity, war, and destruction. You should feel hon—"
Before Ishtar could finish her introduction, Big Mom interrupted with a scorching burst of flame, silencing her in mid-sentence.
"Hey! Sneak attacks aren't fair!"
Ishtar, skilled in combat, gracefully leapt from the blazing inferno, landing safely before shouting a stream of curses at Big Mom.
"If you're just going to die anyway, why waste time with all that nonsense?" Big Mom replied coldly, gripping her Emperor's Sword as her Haki surged.
"Elbaf Spear: Ikoku!"
A colossal blast of sword energy surged forward, lifting chunks of debris as it slashed toward the freshly landed Ishtar.
"Fancy attacks, huh? Let this goddess blast you away with the power of Venus!"
Ishtar met the incoming Ikoku with a finger gun gesture, golden energy gathering wildly at her fingertips.
But just as she prepared to launch her counter, a flash of white shot across the battlefield, intercepting the attack before her.
"Ice Fang!"
The icy beam shot from the canine's fangs collided with Big Mom's attack, resulting in a massive explosion!
Long white hair and crimson and fiery ribbons caught Ishtar's attention as the figure stood before her.
"You hag, I won't allow you to bully Zyhark's ally!"
Yamato had stepped forward, shouting at Big Mom as she ceased her attack.
Isn't that… Kaido's daughter?
Before Big Mom could fully process what was happening, Yamato received a hard smack to the back of her head.
"Where did this big white dog come from?! How dare you interrupt this goddess's grand debut!"
Ishtar, brandishing her giant bow, glared menacingly at Yamato.
"Oh, goddess! Allow me to assist you!" Yamato's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Witnessing the climactic battle between Zyhark and her detestable father Kaido had only intensified her desire to stand as a hero and fight alongside Zyhark's allies.
"Huh?"
Ishtar eyed Yamato with a mix of disdain and curiosity. "And who might you be?"
"I'm Zyhark!" Yamato declared, patting her chest proudly with borrowed bravado.
"Oh-ho! So you're Zyhark, eh? Managed to take down that blue-scaled worm, did ya? Just what I'd expect from the great Master of this goddess!" Ishtar's wariness melted into a proud smile as she patted Yamato's shoulder.
For a moment, an awkward silence hung over the battlefield. After ten seconds, Ishtar finally noticed something odd in Yamato's demeanor.
"Wait! There's no way you're Zyhark!"
Laughing, Yamato scratched her head and explained, "Actually, I'm Kaido's daughter. But Lord Zyhark is who I strive to be!"
The simple declaration, laden with immense conviction, nearly fried Ishtar's mental circuits.
"So Kaido is that little blue worm up there, huh? You're her daughter, but you call yourself Zyhark. Don't tell me…"
"Hahahaha! No wonder those two fought so fiercely the moment they met!" Ishtar's gaze flickered between Yamato and the sky where Zyhark and Kaido clashed, her mind running wild with imaginative connections.
"In any case, please allow me to fight by your side!" Yamato, oblivious to Ishtar's confusion, earnestly requested.
"Well, since you're Zyhark's daughter, just stay behind me and let big sis handle this. I can knock that fat hag out in no time!"
Clearly misunderstanding, Ishtar confidently strode ahead of Yamato.
Across from them, Big Mom's expression turned crazed with rage at the repeated insult. Her three homies fused, unleashing a torrent of raw power.
It didn't matter who Yamato was; all Big Mom wanted was to pulverize that insolent brat.
"Meigou Cannon!"
The combined attack of lightning, flame, and sword energy roared toward Ishtar as she charged.
"Too slow!"
With swift agility, Ishtar sidestepped the Meigou Cannon and dashed to Big Mom's face, raising her leg for a powerful kick.
Big Mom's eyes glinted with red as she raised her Haki-coated arm to block.
BAM!
The sound of impact reverberated as Big Mom's thick, blackened arm withstood Ishtar's blow.
'This… her body's hardness…' Ishtar's eyes widened slightly. Big Mom's physicality alone, on top of her so-called Haki, seemed harder than steel.
Big Mom grabbed Prometheus, her lips curling into a sinister grin.
"I am one of the Four Emperors!!"
"Heavenly Fire!"
The high-temperature flame shot down toward Ishtar, who reacted immediately.
Channeling her battle instinct, Ishtar shifted her weight, planting her foot on Big Mom's arm as a pivot to flip backward, narrowly dodging the fiery blast.
BOOM!
A column of fire struck the ground, scattering debris everywhere.
Onigashima's rooftop HP -10,000.
"Divine Step: White Serpent Strike!"
At the same time, Yamato charged toward Big Mom, her club radiating with red lightning.
"Wave: Spiced Pretzel!"
"Giant Juice Slash!"
"Chop Mochi!"
With Katakuri leading, the Sweet Commanders leapt into action, intercepting Yamato's charge.
Though it might incur Big Mom's wrath, they had no choice in the chaos of the battle.
Thus began the epic rooftop showdown between Ishtar, Yamato, Big Mom, and the Sweet Commanders of the Four Emperors!
(End of Chapter)
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