Linlin felt a sharp, searing pain in her nose. It was clear that Claudius's heavy punch had broken the bridge of her nose. Blood flowed back into her mouth, carrying a metallic tang she couldn't ignore.
Unable to hold it in, Linlin spat out a mouthful of blood.
As she struggled to pull her head from the ground and rise, a powerful golden laser shot toward her at blinding speed. Polusalino's precision attack was about to strike.
Just then, Charlotte Brûlée appeared out of nowhere, throwing a mirror into the laser's path.
"Reflection!" Brûlée called out sharply.
The laser, which should have caused a massive explosion, was reflected back by the mirror. However, the angle wasn't perfect, and the beam shot skyward instead of returning directly to Polusalino.
Not that it would have mattered much—his Glint-Glint Fruit powers meant he could likely shrug off his own attack.
The reflected laser streaked into the sky, piercing the thick clouds and vanishing into the distance.
Meanwhile, far out at sea near Cake Island, dark storm clouds gathered ominously. A massive figure twisted through the air, its serpentine body coiling between the clouds.
Suddenly, the reflected laser struck the enormous figure square on the head, causing a violent explosion that dispersed the surrounding storm.
The revealed creature's head was unmistakable—an enormous dragon with wicked, fearsome eyes.
"What the hell was that?" the dragon muttered irritably. Though the attack left him slightly shaken, it hadn't caused any real harm.
"Boss, I think it was a laser. Probably from Marine's new Admiral, Kizaru—Borsalino," said a stocky, broad man perched on the dragon's back. It was Kaido's subordinate, Plague Queen.
Indeed, this monstrous dragon was none other than Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors.
Kaido grunted in annoyance, his deep voice rumbling. "Borsalino? Impossible. Why would a Marine Admiral be near Cake Island? You think that old hag Linlin's letting Marines stroll into her territory for free?"
Queen chuckled nervously. "Fair point, boss. Doesn't really add up."
The two had not come to Cake Island for a leisurely visit. Kaido, in his dragon form, had flown to Totto Land with Queen riding on his back. Their mission was simple: sabotage Linlin's infamous tea party.
Thanks to the surveillance Den Den Mushi scattered across Totto Land's perimeter, approaching by ship would have been impossible. But flying undetected was a different story.
Kaido's motivations for causing chaos at the tea party were personal. When news broke that Linlin planned to make Tezolo her son-in-law, Kaido had been infuriated.
Though both Kaido and Linlin were once members of the Rocks Pirates, their current relationship was far from friendly. Rivals in the New World, both sought to cement their place as the top pirate in the world.
Linlin's Totto Land had grown rapidly, and if she gained control of Tezolo—a financial juggernaut—her influence would skyrocket.
Kaido couldn't allow that. He couldn't stand the thought of being outpaced by Linlin, nor the possibility of her ridiculing him for being left behind.
Additionally, Kaido's operations in Wano required significant funding. Tesoro's resources would be just as valuable to him.
And so, Kaido had decided to disrupt the tea party and snatch Tesoro away for himself.
However, before they even reached Cake Island, they were unexpectedly struck by a laser—one that had nothing to do with their plans.
"Damn it," Kaido growled, shaking his massive head. "What kind of omen is this? I didn't sign up to get blasted out of the sky."
As they drew closer to Cake Island, the scene that unfolded before them left both Kaido and Queen stunned.
The island was in utter chaos.
Volcanic eruptions sent streams of lava soaring through the sky. Golden lasers streaked across the clouds, and part of the eastern sea had frozen into a solid glacier. Lightning bolts rained down incessantly, accompanied by whirling gusts of wind.
From a distance, the destruction resembled a cataclysmic natural disaster.
"What the hell's going on over there?" Kaido muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Queen, equally baffled, scratched his head. "Is this some sort of Logia user party? Looks like five different elemental powers tearing up the place at once."
Kaido snorted. "Don't be stupid. What are the chances five Logia users are all fighting on Cake Island at the same time? It's probably some trick of Linlin's. Her powers are weird enough to pull off something like this."
Indeed, given enough time, Linlin's Soul-Soul Fruit could create Homies that mimicked such destructive capabilities.
"Boss, what about that slash?" Queen asked, pointing toward a faint green arc cutting through the sky.
Kaido's eyes followed the trajectory, and just as he registered it, the slash veered dangerously close to him.
"Damn it!" Kaido cursed, swiping at the slash with his massive claw. The strike missed him by inches, but the close call left him fuming.
"What the hell is that old hag doing?!" Kaido roared, his deep voice shaking the air.
Queen, meanwhile, began piecing things together. "Boss… frozen seas, lava, lasers… isn't this the power of Marine's new Admirals? Could Cake Island really be under attack by the Marines?"
Kaido paused, his dragon head furrowing into a scowl. "Marine Admirals… here? Damn it, maybe you're right."
His demeanor shifted as he considered the implications. Though Kaido had come to Cake Island to pick a fight with Linlin, things changed if the Marines were involved.
Pirate rivalries were one thing. But if the Marines managed to take down Linlin and her crew, the balance of power in the New World would collapse.
Linlin's downfall would leave a gaping power vacuum, one that the Marines could exploit to tighten their grip on the seas. And after Linlin, Kaido knew he would be their next target.
Grumbling in frustration, Kaido muttered, "Damn it. If the Marines are here, I can't just sit back. Looks like I'll have to give that old hag a hand, whether I like it or not."
As Kaido approached Cake Island, his massive dragon form emerged from the clouds. Below, he spotted Linlin being overwhelmed by a group of attackers led by Claudius.
Taking a deep breath, Kaido unleashed a stream of superheated air from his mouth. The Heat Breath attack engulfed Linlin and her opponents in a fiery explosion, reducing much of the surrounding area to rubble.
Borsalino reacted instantly, using his light-speed mobility to escape the blast zone. Gion also used her agility to leap away, narrowly avoiding the flames.
Claudius, on the other hand, made no attempt to dodge. Dragging Linlin with him, he allowed the flames to engulf them both. The resulting explosion rocked the island, leaving a massive crater where they had stood.
Hovering above the carnage, Kaido's enormous head emerged from the smoke.
"You still alive, Linlin?" Kaido called out mockingly, his voice booming across the battlefield.
The fighting on Cake Island ground to a halt as combatants on all sides turned to face the imposing figure of the strongest creature in the world.
"Damn it… why is he here?" Kuzan muttered from atop the frozen seas, frowning as he glanced at the towering dragon.
Kuzan had thoroughly suppressed Katakuri in their fight and was confident in his ability to capture the Sweet Commander alive. But Kaido's sudden appearance had thrown a wrench into his plans.
"Of all times, why now?" Kuzan grumbled, his irritation plain.
****
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