The Strong

"Uh, a Devil Fruit User?"

Kurozumi Higurashi, transformed into a little brat, stared in surprise at Sirius as he strolled out of the burning forest. Her large eyes brimmed with malice. "So we've been discovered. That's not good!"

"Be careful, Lord Orochi. He might be one of Oden's men."

Another old man behind Orochi spoke up. At the same time, he stepped in front of Orochi and crossed his hands over his chest. In that instant, a translucent barrier formed into a hemisphere, enveloping both him and Orochi.

Sirius took a closer look at the translucent green barrier. A Paramecia—the Barrier-Barrier Fruit. It could create barriers of unimaginable strength. It did not look particularly sturdy, but even someone as strong as Oden had been helpless against it.

"Fukurokuju! Take him down!"

As the barrier protected Orochi, Kurozumi Higurashi gave the order. The ninjas surrounding Orochi sprang into action, moving with extraordinary agility as they leaped like shadows and surrounded Sirius.

"Oh!!"

Yamato, who had been lying on Sirius's back, suddenly sat up. Her eyes sparkled as she excitedly grabbed the fur on his back. "Sirius!! Ninjas! They're ninjas!!"

Yamato excitedly looked at the long-eared, bald ninja blocking their path. "Hey, hey, are you ninjas from Konoha? Where's Naruto?" She crossed her hands before her chest in a hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu! Can you do that?"

Was something wrong with this little girl's head?

Fukurokuju, who had once served Kozuki Sukiyaki before defecting to Orochi and becoming the current leader of the Oniwabanshu, tilted his head slightly as he watched Yamato flail about. She seemed to have no idea what was going on.

But Fukurokuju did not care. He waved a hand, and the ninjas closed in on Sirius.

Unlike Yamato, Sirius was not so carefree. He casually humored her. "Can't you tell, Yamato? They're all Ninja Academy dropouts. They don't know advanced ninjutsu like the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

"Eh? Narutos who can't use the Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

"They're at Konohamaru's level."

"Wow, so weak."

Though he sounded unconcerned, Sirius was actually very nervous as he watched the approaching ninjas.

These ninjas under Orochi were no good people. In his previous life, they would have been professional assassins!

They approached without expression, putting Sirius under considerable pressure.

Honestly, Sirius was a little scared.

But soon, Sirius's gaze hardened once more.

King had said before that he could only become strong!

Sirius felt that King was right. In this world, if he wanted to control his own fate and fulfill his dreams, then he could only become strong!

To do what one wanted, and have the ability to make it happen—that was the freedom of the strong!

"Capture them."

At Fukurokuju's command, the ninjas pounced from every direction.

Whoosh—

Flames flickered from Sirius's nostrils. He exhaled lightly, and fire drifted out like flowing water, directly separating him from the ninjas.

Legend had it that when Fenrir broke free of his restraints and rushed to the battlefield, blazing flames erupted from his mouth, nose, and eyes!

The ninjas immediately retreated warily.

"Don't misunderstand, ninjas." Sirius could feel the fear in his heart fading away. He smiled as flames gushed from his mouth. With a casual sweep, the ninjas in front of him recoiled in terror.

"Fire! It's fire!"

Kurozumi Orochi turned pale with fright and immediately hid behind the old man maintaining the barrier. "Semimaru, protect me!"

"This guy!!"

Kurozumi Higurashi said in astonishment, "A Mythical Zoan? Like Lord Orochi?"

Two ninjas leaped toward Sirius from behind, trying to pin him down.

But at that moment, Yamato sprang up. "Now it's my turn to protect Sirius!"

She drew the Spiked Club from her back. "Thunder Bagua!"

There was neither thunder nor anything remotely resembling a bagua—at best, it was only a fraction of one.

But caught off guard, the two ninjas were sent flying by Yamato.

Sirius felt even more at ease. He was no longer weak, and he could remain calm. "We are not enemies. We are members of the Beasts Pirates."

"Lord Kaido's subordinates?"

Fukurokuju looked suspiciously at Sirius, then at Yamato on his back. However, the expression on his face had already softened considerably.

He had never met Yamato.

But he knew that Thunder Bagua was Kaido's technique.

"Oh! Oh! Isn't this Kaido's precious daughter? Fukurokuju, behave yourself in front of Oni-Hime!"

Having finally recognized Yamato, Orochi waved for the old man beside him to dismiss the barrier. Grinning, he came forward, loudly ordering the ninjas to stand down before smiling at Yamato.

"As expected of Kaido. He actually sent such a young daughter onto the battlefield?"

"Do you know my father, creepy uncle?"

Yamato looked at Orochi in surprise, then said thoughtfully, "I think I kind of remember you."

"C-Creepy uncle?"

Orochi's smile froze, but he immediately turned to Sirius as though nothing had happened. "Found another new monster, have you? It seems Lord Myo-o's forces are growing stronger by the day! But, guhuhuhuhu—"

"Why are you stopping us? We're helping Kaido! Can't you see? Kaido is in grave danger!"

"Grave danger?"

Sirius turned and looked toward the distant battlefield where Kaido and Oden were fighting. "I think he looks like he's having a lot of fun."

Time rewound to a little earlier, roughly the moment Sirius had appeared.

Having been slashed from the sky by Oden, Kaido had returned to human form and had not yet risen from the ground when the furious Kozuki Oden closed in.

"Get out of this country, Kaido! Never come back!"

The samurai shattered the earth beneath his feet and swept in on a raging gale. "Oden Two-Blade Style—Peach Blossom White Waterfall!!"

The Haki coiling around his blades turned into slashes that tore through the air, making the very atmosphere scream in agony.

"Thunder Bagua!!"

Black lightning suddenly shot into the heavens. The explosive force cracked and shattered the ground.

Kaido surged upward, using his lightning-wreathed Spiked Club to meet Oden's twin swords.

Boom!

The earth shook violently, wild winds howled, rocks shattered, and soil flew everywhere.

"That hurt like hell!"

From within the smoke, Kaido's roar became a gale that scattered the dust. He clutched the wound on his right abdomen, cold sweat covering his forehead. "That's definitely going to leave a scar I'll never get rid of! But—"

The monster's lips curled upward, and a savage, unrestrained grin bloomed across his face. "That was fucking beautiful, bastard!"

Azure scales began to spread over his body. Another pair of sharp, soaring coral-like horns extended from his forehead, while a thick dragon tail grew from his waist and lashed the ground, leaving crack after crack.

He tilted his head and glanced into the distance, toward where Kurozumi Orochi was. With a soft laugh, he said, "The brat did pretty well too!"

Then Kaido rested his Spiked Club on his shoulder and looked down at the grim-faced Kozuki Oden. Suddenly, he let out a wild roar. "These five years weren't spent waiting for nothing!!"

"Come on, Kozuki Oden! Let's kill each other! Make sure you give me a good time!"

The monster opened his mouth, and his roar became a breath attack.

Lightning, fire, and wind—three catastrophic elements converged into one, becoming a dragon's breath of destruction!

Kozuki Oden said nothing. He simply charged straight at it.

"Father is really happy!" From afar, Yamato watched Kaido and Oden's battle, then happily turned to Orochi. "He doesn't need your help! Father won't lose!"

"Yamato's right. Don't interfere with Uncle Kaido's battle."

As Sirius spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Kaido and Kozuki Oden's second exchange.

Kurozumi Orochi pursed his lips, his eyes burning with anger.

Two little brats were actually telling him what to do right in front of him!

But in the end, he did nothing.

One of these brats was Kaido's daughter, while the other was a Mythical Zoan. They were clearly people Kaido valued greatly, so there was no need to create conflict with them.

Completely unaware of what Orochi was thinking, Sirius focused all his attention on the battlefield.

Kaido was a schemer. There was no doubt about that.

But the Kaido from the original story must have regretted his decisive battle with Kozuki Oden too, right?

After all, even twenty years later, Kaido still could not forget Kozuki Oden. He placed Oden alongside Roger, Whitebeard, Rocks, Red-Haired, and the others, viewing him as one of the five people capable of matching him!

This had only been Sirius's guess, but now it had been proven.

The proof was the uninhibited smile on Kaido's face at that moment.

He really was happy.

Let me take a good look, then. A battle between the strong!