Kaido's True Purpose

Boom--!

Before the pebbles even hit the ground, the Hassaikai were already crashing down on them.

Ron gripped Zhenyuan with both hands and charged forward with his sword drawn.

Clang!!

The moment the blade and staff clashed, a dark red Conqueror's Haki surged wildly along their blades and staffs.

The rock beneath his feet cracked and crumbled, sending Ron sliding backward several meters, his shoes carving two deep furrows into the ground.

Kaido was also knocked back half a step, and blood began to seep out of the wound on his shoulder again.

He glanced down and then burst out laughing.

"Hmm! That last strike was pretty good!"

"If you say a few more compliments, I'll feel embarrassed to keep chopping."

A Spatial Door quietly opened beside Ron.

Zhenyuan emerged from the doorway, aiming straight for Kaido's nape!

Kaido turn his head, Hassaikai swept across with a backhand.

Clang!!

The knives and sticks clashed together.

Ron followed closely behind, stepping out of the door and, taking advantage of the moment when the sword and staff clashed, lowered his blade and slashed at Kaido's shoulder.

Kaido raised his arm to block, but the blade grazed his arm and struck the rock at his feet, leaving a deep gash.

"Uro-ro!"

Kaido slung the Hassaikai over his shoulder.

"Kid, I may not be able to catch you at the door, but I can catch you the moment you come out!"

"Next time, it won't be so easy!"

Kaido's feet exploded with a deafening roar, and his massive body lunged straight at Ron.

"Thunder Bagua!"

The Hassaikai tore through the air, almost sealing off Ron's escape route.

The Spatial Door at Ron's feet had just opened when it was distorted by the raging Conqueror's Haki.

He stopped retreating, stepped sideways into the doorway, and Zhenyuan unleashed a swift strike.

"Rift Slash!"

Swish!

A spatial rift sliced through Kaido's side, leaving a bloody gash on his scales.

Kaido didn't even look, using the momentum of his charge to twist his waist and sweep back.

The Hassaikai are coming again!

Ron blocked the attack head-on.

Boom!!

The Hassaikai pressed down on Zhenyuan, slamming him into the mountainside.

Kaido was about to give chase, the space behind him suddenly cracked open.

Ron had already burst out of the door, Zhenyuan aimed straight for his back!

Kaido twisted his waist, and his thick dragon tail swept forward first.

Bang!!

Ron instantly covered his left arm with Armament Haki, taking the hit head-on.

Even so, he was sent flying, crashing into two giant trees before the force dissipated.

Ron shook his numb left arm after landing.

"Its tail even has a sneak attack capability?"

With the Hassaikai blocking his front and the dragon's tail sweeping to his sides and rear, Kaido's attacks left him almost no opening to reposition himself.

What's more troublesome is that this guy has already figured out his rhythm for opening the door.

Kaido rose into the air on a cloud of flames, gripped the Hassaikai tightly in his hands, and suddenly spun around.

"Kundali Longsheng Army!"

Hassaikai, imbued with Conqueror's Haki, transformed into a spinning top, unleashing an attack from the sky!

Ron opened Spatial Door beneath his feet. His first two swings grazed the Spatial Door, but his third strike slammed directly into the frame!

Boom!

The Spatial Door trembled violently.

Ron had just stepped out from the other side when Kaido turned around and the Hassaikai slammed down in his face!

Zhenyuan held horizontally across his chest.

Clang!!

A terrifying impact pressed down on the back of the blade, sending Ron sliding backward and smashing through several protruding rocks along the way.

Kaido threw his head back and laughed loudly.

"What's wrong? Kid, not going to use your door anymore?"

Ron gripped Zhenyuan tightly, a smile playing on his lips.

"Then let's try this."

Dozens of Spatial Door unfolded around Kaido, their frames intersecting to block out almost all directions.

"Thousandfold Door Blades!"

Ron slashed horizontally with his sword.

Swish--!

Zhenyuan's blade pierced through Spatial Door, striking out simultaneously from different directions!

Kaido gripped the Hassaikai tightly and charged forward on a cloud of flames.

"Kyoudai-san-sama: Naraku!"

The Hassaikai were raised high, their staffs wrapped in a dark red and Conqueror's Haki, before crashing down with a thunderous roar!

Boom--!

The Spatial Door closest to Kaido exploded one after another, and the remaining slashes finally collided head-on with the Hassaikai.

The terrifying impact tore through the mountainside, sending rocks tumbling down the slope and shaking the entire ground.

Ron passed through the remaining Spatial Door one after another, using spatial transformation to dissipate the impact, but he was still shaken and slid backward for more than ten meters.

Kaido also landed back on the ground, the rocks beneath his feet crumbling, and the Hassaikai dragged across the ground, kicking up a string of sparks.

Kaido steadied himself when Ron was already upon him.

Clang!!

Zhenyuan and the Hassaikai collided.

With a flick of Zhenyuan wrist, Ron vanished from the front, only to reappear and slash at Kaido's back!

The Hassaikai emerged from behind Kaido's shoulder, perfectly blocking the blade.

"Got you!"

He suddenly released one hand, his five fingers heading straight for Ron's shoulder!

Ron sidestepped into the Spatial Door at his feet, avoiding the grab, but was forced to reappear by the stick that followed.

He raised his sword to block the pursuing Hassaikai, using the recoil to quickly create distance.

Ron steadied himself, his gaze passing over Kaido and landing on the sea to the east.

Jin is still guarding that place.

Luo and Vergo can hold him off for a while, but they can't keep going indefinitely.

He needs to shake off Kaido as soon as possible and get there to provide support.

Kaido did not continue the pursuit. He followed Ron's gaze to the distant sea and suddenly opened his mouth.

"Slicing Wind!"

Several dark blue wind blades shot out from its mouth, heading straight for the Marine warship!

Ron immediately raised his hand, and several Spatial Door simultaneously opened above the sea, diverting most of the wind blades to the other side of the Deserted Island.

Boom! Boom!

The wind blades slashed into the mountainside one after another.

Several blades of wind swept over the warship, instantly snapping the upper half of the mast and tearing the canvas to shreds.

In the instant Ron was distracted, Kaido had already reached him.

"Want to leave?"

Clang!!

The Hassaikai pressed down on Zhenyuan, causing the rock beneath their feet to collapse with a deafening roar.

Ron looked up at Kaido.

"Trying to force me with warships? You certainly know how to pick on my weaknesses."

"Heh heh heh! Keep fighting with me!"

The Hassaikai have struck again!

On the Eastern Route.

Jin spread his wings and swooped down from above the warship, his longsword wreathed in flames as he cleaved the deck.

"ROOM!"

Luo raised his Kikoku.

"Tact!"

The broken mast that had been lying on the side of the deck suddenly rose into the air and crashed horizontally towards Jin!

Jin swung his sword, cleaving the mast in two, and then swept the blade towards Luo.

Vergo charged out from the side, his bamboo staff coated in Armament Haki blocking the attack.

Clang!!

Vergo was jolted back several steps, and Luo took the opportunity to create distance, while Kikoku once again pointed at Jhin.

Vergo gripped the bamboo stick tightly again and stood back beside Luo.

Both men were wounded, yet they still stood in the way of the route to Impel Down.

Marineford, Fleet Admiral's Office.

Snap!

A newly delivered battle report was slammed onto the table by Sengoku.

"Kaido personally intervened, and King blocked the Eastern Route again..."

The staff officer stood to one side, speaking rapidly, "Fleet Admiral, the main ship on the east flank has lost power, and another warship has also been severely damaged!"

"Luo and Vergo are still holding them off, but the situation is dire. Animal Kingdoms' follow-up fleet is still operating on the outskirts!"

The Sengoku's gaze lingered on the battle reports.

Kaido and King attacked simultaneously, and the timing was incredibly precise.

This operation is probably not just aimed at Impel Down.

"Is the reinforcement fleet ready?"

"All personnel have assembled and are ready to depart at any time!"

Sengoku picked up the transfer order from the table.

"Sakazuki can't make it back in time, and Borsalino is still in Punk Hazard."

He looked up at the staff officer.

Where is Kuzan?

"Admiral Aokiji has led his main fleet and is heading towards the outskirts of Impel Down!"

The Sengoku's expression softened slightly.

"I don't need to urge them."

Another sea area.

A Navy Science Unit transport ship is proceeding along its planned route.

Deep inside the ship's hold, Caesar Courland, wearing Seastone Handcuffs, was locked in a cell.

A few days ago, Vegapunk unearthed a batch of experimental files from the MADS era at an old naval base.

Many documents are missing pages, and even the experiment numbers don't match.

Finally, he specifically requested that Caesar personally go and identify it.

The navy naturally wouldn't let this guy move around freely; not only were more guards added to the escort ship, but the detention compartments were also reinforced.

Caesar leaned against the wall and glanced down at the Seastone Handcuffs on his wrists.

"Seriously... I have to clean up Vegapunk's mess for him."

Target spotted to the right front!

The Marine on the lookout tower had only uttered half a sentence.

Boom!!

A giant shell has already come from the sea at an angle, hitting the stern of the transport ship.

The engine compartment exploded instantly, and the communications mast was snapped in half by the shockwave.

"Enemy attack!"

"Starboard! Something's underwater!"

The seawater churned violently as a Modified Submarine broke the surface.

Several speedboats followed closely behind, quickly flanking them from both sides.

Plague Queen

On the foremost speedboat, Queen stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the transport ship.

"This is so annoying!"

He raised the robotic arm and aimed the cannon at the target.

"I wasted a lot of time trying to save that bastard!"

Before the words were even finished, several shells had already been fired in succession!

Boom! Boom!

Several breaches were blown open on the starboard side of the transport ship, and seawater poured into the cabin through the damage.

The naval defense guns quickly turned, and shells pounded into the sea around the speedboat.

The speedboats were forced to keep their distance.

"Hold the detention cells! Don't let them in!"

The captain of the guard drew his weapon and led several Marines toward the cabin entrance.

Queen leaped from the speedboat, his massive body slamming directly onto the deck.

Boom!

The wooden planks beneath their feet collapsed on the spot.

Taking advantage of the chaos, several Beast Pirates threw smoke bombs into the crowd, and gray-green mist quickly spread across the deck.

"It's paralyzing gas! Wear masks!"

The naval escort retreated while taking out a gas mask from his waist.

The captain of the guard was the first to put on his mask and charge out into the poisonous fog, his Seastone pistol aimed straight at Queen's chest.

Queen didn't even turn his head before the mechanical arm grabbed his shoulder and slammed him onto the deck!

Bang!

The wooden plank split open on the spot, and the captain's pistol flew out of his hand.

Queen glanced at the still-operating defensive gun emplacements.

"So noisy!"

The muzzle of the cannon on the robotic arm is turned.

Boom!!

The gun emplacement and its control system were blown to pieces, and the ongoing artillery fire abruptly ceased.

Queen pushed aside the guards blocking his way and crashed into the cabin.

The iron door of the detention cell blocked my way.

He raised his mechanical fist.

Bang!

The entire iron gate caved inward, and the latch shattered on the spot.

Caesar looked up, and upon recognizing the person, he immediately smiled.

"Whoosh! Queen! You've finally arrived!"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Queen grabbed his collar and turned to leave.

Caesar shook the Seastone Handcuffs on his wrists.

"Hey! What do we do with this? You can't expect me to wear it forever!"

"Let's talk outside!"

"You bastard!"

"If you keep making noise, I'll throw you back in!"

When the two rushed out of the cabin, the transport ship was already engulfed in flames.

The speedboat pulled up to the starboard side, Queen shoved Caesar onto it, and then flipped over the gunwale.

As soon as the speedboat sped away, Caesar impatiently asked, "Where are Jack and Hanafuda? Weren't you going to raid Impel Down?"

"Those two guys are under someone's control."

Queen sat down and glanced at him.

"Kaido instructed that you must bring it back."

Caesar paused for a moment.

"Wait... Kaido specifically wants me to go back?"

He glanced down at the Seastone Handcuffs on his wrists.

"Could it be my research?!"

Queen waved his hand impatiently.

"We'll talk about it when we get to Onigashima!"

"Whoosh! As expected, my research did have some value!"

"Shut up!"

The speedboat quickly turned around and disappeared into the sea fog.

The fire on the transport ship grew larger and larger, and a few surviving Marines finally found spare communication equipment.

By the time the distress signal was sent, Queen and his crew had already disappeared into the depths of the sea fog.

On the sea, only one burning transport ship remained.