"So, in order to express my gratitude, I will give you a bargaining chip in the negotiation," Ace said, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked at Kaido.
"Um?!" Kaido's pupils shrank suddenly.
"Boom!!!" Violent Conqueror's Haki exploded from Ace, sending Kaido's massive body flying backwards, uncontrollably in the direction of the Five Elders.
"Hoo! Boom!!!" In the next moment, the eyes of everyone present widened in shock.
The power of the Residual Fire Style burst out in an instant, transforming the entire world into a heated hellscape.
"Residual Fire Style: North - The World Turns to Ash!" Ace declared.
"Boom!" The ground trembled as flames engulfed the battlefield, their intense heat distorting the air and making the very atmosphere feel oppressive. The searing inferno swept across the landscape, creating an apocalyptic vision of a world consumed by fire.
Kaido's roar of surprise was drowned out by the cacophony of flames and destruction. The Five Elders, Shanks, and their respective crews could only watch in awe and horror as the sheer magnitude of Ace's power was revealed. The battlefield was no longer a place of strategy and maneuvering; it had become a crucible of raw, unrelenting power.
"Hoo! Boom!!!"
The power of Ace's Residual Fire burst out in an instant, transforming the environment into a scorching inferno with temperatures far surpassing the Earth's core. The violent flames converged at a single point and then exploded with unparalleled intensity. It was as if the sun itself had erupted within Ace, bathing the entire space in its radiant glow.
At this moment, there was only one color left in the entire space: the blinding brilliance of the sun. Even those who had mastered Observation Haki to the point of foreseeing the future found their abilities rendered useless. The strongest warriors, accustomed to sensing everything around them, were momentarily blinded by the searing light. They instinctively covered their eyes, using Haki to shield their bodies from the overwhelming explosion.
The true destructive power of the flames was not merely their heat but the sheer force of the explosive energy. Like the sun's surface, where continuous explosions release immense energy, Ace's flames generated an explosive force capable of consuming everything and reducing it to nothingness. This was a power that could annihilate worlds.
The temperature within the Residual Fire Style: North - The World Turns to Ash had exceeded an astounding 50,000 degrees Celsius. From a distance, the scene resembled a miniature sun, its brilliant light turning the sky white.
"Fire Torch!" Kaido roared, sensing his Observation Haki falter in the face of Ace's devastating flames. He was temporarily blinded, his powerful instincts as one of the sea's strongest his only guide. Despite the loss of his vision and Haki, Kaido's innate combat instincts remained.
Unleashing the full power of his Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, Kaido summoned a flame armor to encase his body. Enhanced by his dragon form, the temperature of this armor exceeded natural flames. It was ironic that a Zoan-type Devil Fruit could grant control over the elements, rivaling the power of Logia users.
The Azure Dragon form granted Kaido immense durability and control over fire, thunder, and wind. His strongest attack combined Conqueror's Haki with the elemental power of fire, surpassing even the Mera-Mera Fruit in destructive capability. Despite this, Kaido now faced a force that even his dragon form struggled to withstand.
As Ace's flames engulfed him, Kaido felt a searing pain, his dragon scales beginning to melt under the intense heat. The once invincible body of the Azure Dragon, renowned as the world's strongest creature, was now succumbing to the relentless fury of Ace's flames.
"Fire Bagua!!"
Kaido roared, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki with unrestrained ferocity. The fearsome energy enveloped him, forming a purple-black aura that coiled around his body like a menacing fire dragon. This was the full power of Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, and the strongest creature on the sea.
As the Conqueror's Haki intertwined with the abilities of his Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, Kaido's form exuded an overwhelming presence. In his hybrid form, he channeled his rage into a wild, unstoppable assault. Defense was not in his nature; he only knew how to attack.
"Don't underestimate me, Flame Emperor!"
With a thunderous roar, Kaido charged forward, his dragon horns enveloped in Conqueror's Haki, appearing like a raging bull ready to obliterate everything in its path. He launched himself towards the intense flames before him, ignoring the searing heat that surpassed the Earth's core.
"Rising Dragon Flame Bagua!"
The clash was cataclysmic. Ace's Residual Fire Style - North - The World Turns to Ash collided with Kaido's Rising Dragon Flame Eight Trigrams, creating a massive explosion that formed a mushroom cloud. The heat and energy released were akin to a solar flare, turning the sky blinding white and swallowing everything in its vicinity.
"It's unbelievable. Is this the power the Mera-Mera Fruit can exert? This scorching, explosive energy is pure flame, without even a hint of Haki," Yasopp shouted, shielding his eyes from the intense light. His Observation Haki, second only to Shanks, had failed him entirely in the face of Ace's flames.
"Even my Observation Haki can't extend in this environment," Shanks said, his voice tinged with awe. As one of the strongest Haki users in the world, Shanks was astounded that Ace's Devil Fruit power alone had surpassed his Haki.
Beckman, covered in his own powerful Haki, stared at the scene in shock. "Such power defies explanation. Ace has a secret that no one else in this sea possesses."
In the world of the top-tier fighters, Haki and Devil Fruit abilities were essential components of their strength. Admiral-level experts often possessed two or more ultimate powers. For example, Nami, with her Thunder Fruit, had reached Admiral level despite her Haki being relatively weak. Vivi, the 'Desert Princess' with the Sand-Sand Fruit, couldn't participate in Admiral-level battles due to the inherent limitations of her fruit and her weaker Haki.
The Four Emperors were the epitome of this balance. BIG-MOM, Kaido, and Whitebeard combined their Devil Fruit abilities with Conqueror's Haki to devastating effect. Shanks, the only one without a Devil Fruit, combined his unparalleled Haki with swordsmanship, following in the footsteps of Gol D. Roger.
However, Ace's current display defied these conventions. He was utilizing the pure power of his Devil Fruit to achieve feats that surpassed even the combined powers of the Four Emperors. His ability to generate such overwhelming force without any Haki was unprecedented.
"If he combines this with Conqueror's Haki, his potential could be limitless," Beckman mused.
"Fortunately, he is Luffy's brother," Shanks remarked, a hint of relief in his voice.
"Yeah, luckily he's Luffy's brother," Beckman echoed, a slight smile on his face.
As the mushroom cloud began to dissipate, revealing the aftermath of the clash, the sight was staggering. A blackened void marked the spot where the explosion had occurred. The massive roots of the mangroves that formed the Sabaody Archipelago had been completely vaporized, leaving a gaping hole where seawater and tree roots had once been. The sheer destruction was a testament to the terrifying power Ace wielded.
"He is truly a man that makes people fear him from the bottom of their hearts," Hawkeye Mihawk murmured, his gaze fixed on the massive cavity where the explosion had occurred. The sea water, which still couldn't pour back due to the residual power, created a daunting sight. Mihawk's eyes then turned to Doflamingo, whose face was slick with cold sweat. Despite his ever-present sunglasses, they couldn't hide the look of sheer terror etched across his features.
"Isn't that right, Doflamingo?" Mihawk said calmly, his voice carrying an eerie serenity amidst the chaos.
Doflamingo, usually composed and exuding confidence, found himself unable to refute Mihawk's statement. The cold sweat on his face continued to drip, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. For once, the 'Heavenly Yaksha' lowered his head in acknowledgment.
"Portgas D. Ace is truly a man who instills fear from the very depths of one's soul," Doflamingo admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
The sight of the charred crater and the obliterated landscape spoke volumes. The overwhelming power displayed by Ace had left an indelible mark on the battlefield, reminding everyone present of the terrifying potential he held. It was a power that defied the usual limits of Devil Fruits and Haki, one that left even the mightiest warriors in awe and dread.
"Roar!!!"
A pained dragon's roar echoed, tinged with an unexpected hint of pleasure. From the smoldering cavity, a massive figure began to rise, supported by a swirling cloud of flames. Kaido, in his formidable green dragon form, emerged, but he was not unscathed. The unkillable monster, the strongest creature in the world, now bore the marks of a fierce battle.
Burns covered his enormous body, and many of his once-impenetrable dragon scales had been completely evaporated by the terrifying power of Ace's sun-like explosion. The exposed flesh beneath the missing scales oozed blood, which was instantly cauterized by the intense heat, creating a grotesque and shocking sight.
Most notably, one of Kaido's mighty dragon horns, symbols of his immense power, had been obliterated. The right horn was completely destroyed, and burnt blood streaked down his dragon head, making him look more fearsome and battered than ever.
"So happy! Hahaha! It's amazing! Flame Emperor! You've managed to hurt my body to this extent. If you had added Conqueror's Haki, you might have even killed me!" Kaido, despite his grievous injuries, laughed uproariously. His voice was filled with genuine exhilaration. It had been a long time since he had felt this alive, tasted his own blood, or experienced such pain.
Ace, observing Kaido's battered appearance, did not show any mockery. Instead, he was filled with a deep sense of appreciation. "If you didn't use your head, you wouldn't be so seriously injured," Ace remarked, acknowledging Kaido's relentless spirit.
Kaido, faced with Ace's devastating attack, had not retreated. Even without the time to fully transform into his strongest green dragon form, he had charged headlong into the North, launching a direct collision. Most of the force of the explosion had been borne by Kaido, who had used his head to absorb the brunt of the attack, resulting in his current disheveled state.
Ace understood that if Kaido had adopted a defensive stance, utilizing Conqueror's Haki and the full power of his Fish Fruit - Phantasmal Beast Species - Blue Dragon Form, he wouldn't have been so gravely injured or lost a horn. But this was Kaido. Defense was not in his nature; all he knew was how to attack.
"Hmph, but I'm Kaido! Unlike those five old guys who rely on their immortal bodies to resist such attacks, I face them head-on. Born aristocrats, heh," Kaido sneered, his voice dripping with disdain for the Five Elders.
Despite his injuries, Kaido's spirit remained unbroken. His laughter and defiance in the face of near destruction only served to emphasize the unyielding ferocity of the Four Emperors. In this moment, amidst the ruins and flames, two of the sea's greatest titans stood, each recognizing the other's formidable strength and unbreakable will.