King the Conflagration's Edge
The ship's doctor's voice was filled with undisguised exhaustion, yet also held a hint of relief. "If it were anyone else, they would have been reduced to ashes by that blow. It was only thanks to the extraordinary physique of the Mythical Zoan that they managed to stay alive. However... we have no way of knowing when they will wake up."
Jin lowered his gaze to the closed hatch, his voice low and cold. "Will there be any lasting effects?"
The ship's doctor hesitated for a long time before speaking, his tone heavy with unspoken sorrow. "Physical injuries can heal slowly, and physical functions will eventually recover. But your mental state, sir, may not be."
"Kaido has traversed the seas for half his life, conquering countless battles and always being invincible. He has never experienced such a complete and devastating defeat. His mental state has been severely damaged, and no one can predict what changes will occur afterward."
The sea breeze outside the cabin howled incessantly, carrying salty, watery vapor into the corridor.
Jin stood there for a long time, silence overwhelming all his emotions.
A moment later, he raised his eyes and gave a deep, authoritative order, "Block all news."
"Kaido's injuries, condition, and progress in awakening are all classified as top secret. No one is allowed to disclose this information. Anyone who leaks this information will be executed without mercy."
"Simultaneously cut off all external communications from Onigashima. Before my return, the Onigashima is under lockdown; no one is allowed to enter, leave, or make any unauthorized moves."
Military orders were relayed down through the ranks, and the entire warship instantly entered a state of high alert, the atmosphere becoming extremely tense.
The captain's cabin was eerily silent. Only Kaido's even but faint breathing echoed repeatedly in the empty room, making the surrounding stillness all the more palpable.
Jin leaned against the cold cabin wall, slowly sliding down, quietly gazing at the lifeless man on the hospital bed, his body wrapped in bandages.
The breathtaking scene at Coral Port remains vividly etched in my mind, impossible to forget.
The towering, sky-blue, Complete Susanoo; the figure clad in scarlet Sengoku Clan Uniform, with an indifferent expression between his brows; the unparalleled power that cleaved mountains and seas with a single sword strike and crushed the Azure Dragon's dominance... every scene was enough to overturn his decades of understanding.
His throat tightened slightly, and he muttered to himself, a hint of melancholy and bewilderment in his voice. "Boss Kaido, just what kind of terrifying being have you provoked?"
But this feeling only lingered for a moment before he forcibly suppressed it.
Dwelling on the past is pointless. Regardless of the origins or strength of that man named Madara Uchiha, the most important thing right now is that their leader is still alive.
As long as Kaido remains standing, the Beasts Pirates ' flag will not fall, and their foundation in the New World will not crumble.
The sea breeze seeped into the room through the cracks in the window, ruffling the curtains around the hospital bed.
While unconscious, Kaido's fingertips twitched extremely slightly, so subtly that no one noticed.
Jin was completely unaware of this; he simply closed his eyes and leaned against the bulkhead, slowly relaxing his body.
The three days and nights of tireless searching across the sea had completely exhausted him. He was too tired and desperately needed a moment to catch his breath.
The storm sweeping across the New World has only just begun; chaos reigns and undercurrents surge.
The Beasts Pirates ' path forward is fraught with peril.
And he, Jin, must steadily support this crumbling world.
The turmoil on the border of Wano Country began with a wanted poster flying everywhere.
1.73 billion Beli, Barossa the Shipbreaker.
This veteran pirate, who has been entrenched in the New World for many years, has a deep-rooted base, commanding a fleet of over two thousand men and wielding influence across several islands. He has always acted with impunity.
Ever since the news of Kaido being cleaved into the deep sea by Madara Uchiha spread throughout the Four Blues, everyone felt that the Beasts Pirates ' sky had fallen.
Barossa was the first to openly seize the opportunity to launch an attack.
Taking advantage of Kaido's serious injury and unconsciousness, leaving the group leaderless, he quickly assembled his entire main fleet and headed straight for the border of Wano Country. He boasted that he would flatten the defenses, empty the armory that Onigashima had accumulated over the years, and take advantage of the chaos to destroy the foundation of the Beasts Pirates and expand his own power in one fell swoop.
When the urgent report reached Onigashima, Jin was sitting by the bedside in the infirmary.
The sealed room was so quiet that Kaido's faint, even breathing could be heard.
He held the border war report between his fingers; the few lines of text were filled with the arrogance of taking advantage of the chaos.
Jin stared at the paper silently for several breaths, his expression completely calm, showing neither anger nor anxiety.
He slowly rose and gently placed the battle report on the low wooden table beside Kaido's pillow, his tone calm and even, as if he were recounting a trivial matter.
"Queen will stay on Onigashima; I'm going to the border."
None of the officials present dared to utter a word of objection.
Everyone on Onigashima knew that King's true rage was far more terrifying than Kaido's fury.
When Kaido angry, he roars, smashes palaces, and crushes enemies head-on with his spiked club. All his ferocity is on full display, and he can be seen through at a glance.
But Jin is different.
When he was angry, he was as calm as completely frozen deep water, his breathing was extremely shallow, and his whole body was deathly silent.
But just by standing beside him, one can clearly feel the piercing pressure—as if an invisible blade is already at one's throat, and life or death is only a thought away.
This time, he neither mobilized a large fleet nor brought any officers with him.
Above the vast blue sea and sky, only Jin spread his wings and sped alone toward the border island where the enemy forces were gathered.
A lone figure streaks across the sky, heading towards a crackdown to make an example of someone.
As Dusk fell, the setting sun painted the entire sea surface red.
Barossa sat calmly in the captain's cabin of the flagship, repeatedly sketching the landing route on the nautical chart under the influence of alcohol, his eyes filled with greed for what was within easy reach.
The cabin reeked of alcohol. Half-drunk and half-awake, he boasted wildly to his crew, his tone extremely arrogant.
" With Kaido down, the Beasts Pirates are like headless flies! Without their overlord, Onigashima's territory will inevitably change hands sooner or later. The spoils of this chaotic world should be ours!"
Before his triumphant words could even finish, a series of piercing screams suddenly erupted outside the deck, shattering the evening's tranquility.
Screams, Kakkō, and deafening explosions followed in quick succession, plunging the entire fleet into chaos within seconds.
Barossa's heart skipped a beat. He grabbed the giant axe beside him and rushed out of the captain's cabin.
What came into view was a terrifying scene that I will never forget.
Kakkō rained down from the sky, and a pair of enormous wings burning with raging flames obscured the setting sun, as if a fire god had descended to earth.
The scorching flames swept in all directions, crashing down with unparalleled force, instantly engulfing his flagship and taking with it more than a dozen other main warships into the raging inferno.
Flames engulfed the ship, a sea of fire swallowed the tide, and the entire sea instantly boiled.