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"Momonosuke, the enemy's strength has far surpassed our expectations. Our plan to seize Wano Country has failed!"
"Your fiancée... Linlin…"
As Kaido glanced at the fleeing Momonosuke, who had caught up to him in the sky, a look of sorrow spread across Kaido's face.
"This…"
Momonosuke's expression became dull, his eyes vacant, completely devoid of any strength or resolve.
He had always believed that with the overwhelming power of Kaido and Big Mom, reclaiming Wano Country would be a simple task.
In his mind, he was only there to observe the process.
At first, everything had gone smoothly.
He even began to imagine how he would rid himself of his "fiancé" once he became the Shogun of Wano. After all, his frail body wouldn't be able to handle his "fiancè" for long.
But then, out of nowhere, an overwhelmingly powerful figure appeared and nearly defeated Big Mom, leaving Kaido terrified and retreating.
In this moment, panic was no longer present in Momonosuke's mind.
"But…"
"What will happen to the samurai?"
Looking down at the bewildered warriors in the Flower Capital, who were overwhelmed by the spectacle in the sky, Momonosuke hesitated.
These were the people who had placed their trust in him, pursuing him in hopes of change. Abandoning them now felt wrong, and guilt began to surface.
Kaido's voice, however, remained cold.
"Samurai?"
"When we can't even protect our own lives, you think we still have time to worry about the samurai?!"
In truth, Kaido felt even more frustrated than Momonosuke at that moment.
Not only were Wano's samurai in the Flower Capital below, but so were members of both the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates!!
But now, Kaido could only hope that his subordinates would manage to escape while Doflamingo and Zoro's attention was fixed on him and Big Mom.
However, there was one more pressing issue...
"Fuffufufu…"
"Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, running away? How surprising!"
A pink figure zipped through the air.
It was Doflamingo, surfing on waves of white threads, swiftly closing in on Kaido.
"Doflamingo, you…"
Kaido didn't waste words.
Victory belongs to the strong, and defeat to the weak.
But to be humiliated by his former "ally" was infuriating.
Kaido's movements faltered for a brief moment, and in that instant, a massive fist made of white threads crashed into his dragon form.
"Agh… ROAARR!!!"
Kaido roared in pain but used the force of the blow to push himself forward, gaining some distance.
Taking advantage of the brief respite, Kaido shouted urgently to Momonosuke:
"Momonosuke, I can't hold on much longer!"
"I need your help!"
"What?"
Seeing Kaido wounded and in distress, panic gripped Momonosuke once again.
If Kaido fell now, he would truly be alone!
"I… what should I do?" Momonosuke asked, his voice trembling with fear.
A sly gleam appeared in Kaido's eyes as he glanced at the Poké Ball strapped to Momonosuke's waist.
"Do you remember the Pokémon Linlin gave you?"
"That's the secret weapon she left for you!"
"Secret weapon?"
Momonosuke reached for his waist.
This Pokémon was entrusted to him by Big Mom to ensure he wouldn't meet an untimely end during their expedition.
It was an Electrode, a level 60 Pokémon whose potential had long been exhausted.
It was a shared Pokémon among the Big Mom Pirates—whenever a high-ranking member needed to undertake an overseas mission, they could request it as a companion.
What made this particular Pokémon special was its powerful ability…
Although only at level 60, it could unleash an attack comparable to a level 80 Pokémon!
This was thanks to its most devastating move—the 'Explosion'!
No further explanation was needed. 'Explosion' sacrificed Electrode's health entirely, putting it into a near-death state, and unleashed an unparalleled explosion of immense power.
By sheer luck, Doflamingo had left his two Pokémon behind when he gave chase, pursuing Kaido alone.
If Electrode successfully unleashed 'Explosion', it could severely injure Doflamingo, creating an opportunity for Kaido to escape.
The only problem now was...
Since Momonosuke was currently the trainer, only he could command Electrode to execute this devastating move!
With a flash of red light—
A large red and white Pokémon, nearly two-thirds the size of Momonosuke, appeared on Prometheus's back.
Kaido's heart skipped a beat.
He had witnessed the sheer destructive power of Electrode's 'Explosion' before. Seeing it so close to Prometheus, his mind froze in terror.
Luckily, Prometheus could control his flames, much like a Pokémon, and didn't accidentally trigger the bomb.
Kaido sighed in relief before quickly barking orders to Momonosuke:
"Momonosuke, the Pokémon Linlin gave you has a powerful move!"
"If we're going to escape, it's up to you to command Electrode to use 'Explosion'!"
"Is… is that so?"
Momonosuke was still confused.
Kaido pressed on urgently:
"Trust me! Linlin is your fiancée, after all—do you think she'd give you a useless Pokémon?"
"If you defeat the pursuers, we'll be able to escape Wano!"
"Don't forget, you're destined to become the Shogun of Wano! You can't fall here!"
"I…"
Momonosuke hesitated. Though fear still lingered in his eyes, the mention of becoming Wano's Shogun stirred something inside him.
He suddenly nodded with determination.
"I understand… I'll do it!"
Prometheus: !!!
Upon hearing the conversation between Kaido and Momonosuke, Prometheus—who had been silent up until this moment—suddenly wore an expression of shock.
Momonosuke may be foolish, but that doesn't mean it is as well!
Even though it had never witnessed an Electrode's explosion firsthand, it could more or less guess what Kaido was plotting.
A giant mental image of the word 'DANGER' flashed in its mind.
And at that moment…
Momonosuke had already given the command:
"Electrode, use Explosion'!"
"Thunder~"
The Electrode let out a weary sigh. It knew that nothing good would come of this.
However, as a Pokémon, it followed its trainer's instructions faithfully. It leaped into the sky, charging toward Doflamingo, who was hot on their tail.
Simultaneously, a wild surge of immense energy erupted from its body, radiating a bright white light.
"What?! This is…"
Doflamingo, a veteran trainer himself, immediately recognized the imminent threat as soon as he saw Electrode.
The threads beneath his feet wavered.
In the next second, a searing heat blasted from Electrode's body, and the air around it boiled. The force of the explosion created a storm-like shockwave that spread in every direction.
A wave of scorching flames followed swiftly behind.
"What… what is this?!"
Momonosuke's eyes went wide, and he froze in shock as the devastating shockwave approached him in an instant.
But before it reached him…
His footing gave way, and he suddenly plummeted downwards.
Prometheus, who had been ready for such an outcome, quickly dropped Momonosuke at the moment of the explosion and transformed into a streak of fire, fleeing at breakneck speed.
It was only then that Momonosuke realized Kaido—who had urged him to trigger the 'Explosion'—was fleeing even faster and farther than Prometheus!
"Why?"
Momonosuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
Why had they abandoned him and run away?
Weren't they supposed to help him reclaim Wano?
Wasn't Linlin his fiancée?
Why… why had it come to this…?
Momonosuke didn't understand.
But the Electrode's explosion was now upon him.
While Electrode acknowledged Momonosuke as its trainer, 'Explosion' was a move that could not be controlled once initiated.
Even its own trainer was not immune—without sufficient strength, it could only end in destruction.
The explosion lit up the skies above Wano.
Though not as catastrophic as Zoro's earlier attack, it was still powerful enough to shake the entire land of Wano.
Under the force of the 'Explosion', all of Doflamingo's threads were instantly consumed by the flames and turned to ash.
The battlefield was left in complete disarray.
Luckily, since the explosion took place in the air, the damage to Wano itself wasn't as severe.
Half a minute later…
"Cough…"
From beneath the ashes, a ball of silk threads, reinforced with Haki, emerged from the debris.
The sphere unraveled, and a slightly singed Doflamingo stepped out.
His body was charred, his sunglasses shattered, and his iconic flamingo cape was in tatters.
Unlike Zoro, who had undergone a life-altering transformation, Doflamingo's strength had not seen much growth in recent years.
His power still largely stemmed from his two Pokémon.
Even with bond evolution, the majority of his abilities came from the extra attack techniques it granted him.
Thus, the explosion could have dealt him a devastating blow if he hadn't prepared in advance.
Fortunately…
He had recognized Electrode in time and made the necessary preparations.
Otherwise, he might have suffered a humiliating defeat.
Taking off what remained of his sunglasses, Doflamingo surveyed the chaotic scene around him.
It wasn't long before he spotted the nearly unconscious Electrode, eyes spinning in circles, on the verge of collapse.
A dark laugh rumbled from his throat.
"Fufufufu…"
"Kaido, you've really outdone yourself!"
As he glanced up at the dragon disappearing into the horizon, he realized his pursuit had failed.
If that was the case…
He had to switch strategies immediately, focusing all his efforts on preventing the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates from escaping the island.
If he could trap them here, cut off from Kaido and the others, eventually he would be able to hunt them down and eliminate these two threats once and for all.
A dangerous gleam flashed in Doflamingo's eyes.
In the next instant, he soared high into the air.
"BIRDCAGE!!!"
Swish, swish, swish—
Countless strands of thread shot out from Doflamingo's body, spreading to the edges of the island like waves.
Within moments, the entire island was enveloped by a cage of thin yet deadly threads.
And to make matters worse…
Doflamingo, using his bond evolution, enhanced the threads with special effects—lightning and poison.
Now, anyone who touched the cage while trying to escape Wano would be paralyzed by the electricity and poisoned by the toxins.
"And now… the familiar game of cat and mouse begins."
A terrifying grin crept across Doflamingo's face.
The last explosion had ignited his fury.
Now, he planned to slaughter every last enemy in Wano.
"Huh?"
Doflamingo's attention shifted as he landed back on the ground.
Looking down, he saw the charred remains of a child at his feet.
He quickly recognized who it was…
The child who had been following Big Mom earlier—Momonosuke Kozuki, the last heir of the Kozuki clan!
But now, Momonosuke's body was completely scorched… and beyond saving.
But as Doflamingo thought about how this brat was responsible for the chaos that had befallen Wano Country, which he had controlled for years, a wave of fury surged through him.
"Damn bastard!"
'Shing!'
Several cold flashes of light streaked through the air.
In an instant, Momonosuke's body was sliced into several pieces by Doflamingo's silk threads.
Fuming with anger, Doflamingo glared at the dismembered body of Momonosuke, and then turned to deal with the remaining enemies in Wano.
Not long after, a soft breeze swept across the scene.
Ashes began to drift, slowly covering Momonosuke's remains.
'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.'
The last heir of the Kozuki clan, who had only recently returned from the past, was now buried in the very land of Wano, making his final contribution.
...
...
"Kaido-sama, look at Wano... What... what is that?"
Out at sea, Prometheus, who was carrying Big Mom, suddenly shouted in alarm.
"Huh?"
Hearing the panic in Prometheus's voice, Kaido slowed his flight and turned to look back.
In an instant—
His eyes widened as he saw a massive purple birdcage, encapsulating all of Wano.
Above the birdcage, bolts of lightning flickered, crackling with energy.
"Damn it… That's Doflamingo's doing!"
At that moment, Kaido recalled Doflamingo's formidable technique.
Staring at the threads, now infused with the power of Pokémon, Kaido realized that his allies—those left behind—were in grave danger.
Tears began to stream down from the dragon's enormous eyes.
Though the Beasts Pirates weren't like Whitebeard's crew, who shared a close family bond, many of his subordinates had fought alongside him for decades, battling across the world.
Even a beast feels sorrow after long companionship.
The thought of their impending fate left Kaido frozen.
For a brief moment, he considered rushing back to create an escape route for his crew.
But he knew…
If he returned now, the entire Beasts Pirates would likely be wiped out alongside him.
'Where there is life, there is hope.'
He remembered the dimensional merchant, who had the power to resurrect the dead. With that thought, Kaido's urge to return suddenly diminished.
"King, Queen, Jack… I will bring you back!"
With his resolve firm, Kaido turned sharply, fleeing farther away with Big Mom in tow.