How Many Abilities Do You Have, Kid?!

With the Island-Island Fruit, Mobius could assimilate every object on an island.

Having discovered that Kaido's base attributes completely outclassed his own, Mobius changed his strategy and prepared to make full use of the mechanics.

Using Suanni's smoke to obscure perception, Mobius slipped down to the ground, released the Poneglyphs from within his body, and then used the Island-Island Fruit's assimilation ability.

He assimilated his body into the golden dragon atop Ryugu Palace, then assimilated the Poneglyphs, merging the golden dragon statue and the Poneglyph slabs into one.

Poneglyphs were difficult to destroy. That was written into the rules of the pirate world.

Though in theory, it was simply a matter of not having encountered an overwhelming enough force, just as Kozuki Oden could not cut through the Barrier-Barrier Fruit's barrier, the Poneglyphs' durability was probably about the same.

Under this combined defense, Kaido found himself in the same situation Kozuki Oden had once faced.

Looking at the tough opponent before him, Kaido felt a wave of disbelief.

"Mythical beast? Mythical beast?"

After muttering it twice, Kaido still could not figure it out, so he stopped thinking about it.

"Whatever the hell you are, I'll smash you to pieces first!"

Kaido's body compressed once more. Since "Bad Wind" was useless, then "Thunder Roar" and "Heat Breath" would be useless too. In the end, this was what he could still rely on!

His dragon-man form reappeared. Kaido drew out Hassaikai again, gripping it firmly as Haki spread outward.

Kundali: Dragon Army!

The spiked club whirled, blackish-purple radiance flashing without end. At this moment, it was not only Kaido's movement speed; even his hands had almost become afterimages.

A single Hassaikai seemed to transform into countless shadows, covering the golden dragon's entire body as it crashed in like a wall.

"Drink!"

Kaido roared, swinging blow after blow. Terrifying crackling impacts erupted continuously across the golden dragon's body.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dust and smoke rose without end. Ryugu Palace trembled as though an undersea earthquake had erupted.

Yet the golden dragon remained unmoving, like Sun Tree Eve above, merely radiating light and heat in silence.

Mobius had assimilated with the golden dragon. Its eyes were his eyes.

Through the assimilation, Mobius personally experienced the heavy impacts striking every part of the golden dragon's body. The force was nearly destructive.

But it did not hurt at all.

The Poneglyphs' defense blocked everything outside. Since nothing had been damaged, there was no injury.

Too weak. Had you eaten?

After the thorough barrage of heavy blows, Kaido paused to catch his breath. Yet the golden dragon still did not tremble, and even his breathing stalled slightly.

In that case...

His Haki rose. Kaido frantically squeezed out every last bit of Haki, gathering it all into Hassaikai.

A mere Devil Fruit ability—Haki was what stood above all else!

Kaido's aura became increasingly violent, and Mobius narrowed his eyes slightly.

Smoke! Fire!

Whoosh—

Smoke spewed from the golden dragon's huge mouth, but this time, it did not spread into the surroundings at all. Instead, as though automatically tracking him, it completely wrapped around Kaido.

Mark-Mark Fruit: Self-Tracking.

During that earlier strike, Mobius's palm had landed squarely on Kaido.

The white smoke continuously gathered and compressed, forming an increasingly dense suit of armor around Kaido.

Even his features were entirely covered. Kaido froze for a moment, then instinctively inhaled. A burning pain surged through his nostrils, throat, and lungs.

Mobius watched darkly as a tiny flame drifted over, locking onto its target with perfect precision.

In less than a second, the white-covered Kaido was instantly swallowed by blazing flames as searing heat erupted.

A sensation like he was melting spread through him. Even with dragon scales covering his body, he was barely holding on, because this attack had come from another dragon.

Kaido only felt hotter and hotter. Even his hair caught fire, erupting with crackling pops.

It didn't matter.

Mahavairocana: Thunder Bagua!

His charge-up was complete. The impact unique to Conqueror's Haki filled Hassaikai, and Kaido burst forward, smashing through all the flames in one stroke.

Lightning compressed to the extreme also erupted, twisting wildly through the air like dancing golden serpents.

In an instant, Kaido arrived before the golden dragon. Both hands gripped Hassaikai tightly, his eyes filled with destruction.

He raised it, then brought it down.

Boom!

The impact of Conqueror's Haki Coating spread from the golden dragon's head to its tail. External defenses could not block even a fraction of it as nuclear-level power surged from within.

A massive mushroom cloud spread outward. Ryugu Palace shook once again, on the verge of collapse.

Cracks appeared all over the golden dragon's body, and the mysterious text on its abdomen vanished.

Crack!

Stone shattered into powder. The golden dragon exploded, and the square Poneglyph was blasted out, rolling like a wheel through the black smoke.

Mobius crashed to the ground, blood bursting from all over his body. His consciousness was hazy, yet incomparably clear.

"The Poneglyph wasn't damaged. Did the impact of Conqueror's Haki forcibly eject the assimilated Poneglyph from my body?"

He grinned, his teeth stained red with blood. At this moment, Mobius understood what an Emperor of the Sea truly was.

Heavy footsteps approached. Kaido's hulking figure broke through the mushroom cloud and appeared before him.

"Kid, you can still stand?"

There was appreciation in Kaido's tone. He cared more and more about the talent of the person before him.

"You're strong, but I'm not bad either."

Strengthened by several Zoan Devil Fruits, his body rapidly recovered. At a speed even Kaido had not expected, color returned to Mobius's deathly pale face.

"..."

After a brief silence, Kaido touched the slightly bare top of his head and chin, his gaze complicated.

Something was wrong. There was definitely something wrong with this kid!

The Naval Science Unit...

Thinking of the past, then looking at Mobius, whose eyes were growing increasingly feverish, Kaido's eyes revealed killing intent unlike any he had shown before.

This kid would not be won over. Subduing him would also be difficult. With a physique like this...

If he did not end him here, it was hard to imagine how far he might go in the future.

And he was even... a Marine!

With that thought settled, Kaido abandoned his previous plan. It was a pity, but it had to be done!

Sensing the killing intent, Mobius's body trembled even more, excitement and fear intertwined.

A battle to the death!

A deep darkness appeared in his palm, and Mobius's body was once again covered in scales.

Droplets of moisture stirred.

"Kid, one last time. Submit to me!"

Raising Hassaikai, Kaido issued his final invitation. If Mobius refused, then...

"Don't even think about it!"

Mobius spoke one word at a time. He was not alone now.

"Is that so?"

Kaido was deeply saddened, so saddened that tears streamed down his face and fell to the ground. Then, no other emotion remained in his eyes.

"Then die!"

Vajra: Arrow!

Hassaikai swung, and a broad wave of club force charged toward him like a flying slash, brimming with destructive power.

Mobius charged forward as well. He already understood his own physique!

Bang!

Armament Haki coated his forehead. With one blow, he shattered the incoming wave of club force. Mobius stared at Kaido, leaving only one obsession in his eyes.

Let's see if I can take him down!

The club force battered his entire body, bringing the pain of blunt weapons, but Mobius still forced his way through and reached Kaido. The dragon claws on his hands had grown sharper and sharper.

Licking the corner of his mouth, Kaido vaguely felt the stinging pain around his chin as well.

No need for that to happen again!

Thunder Roar Bagua!

Gripping Hassaikai with both hands as well, Kaido rushed forward at extreme speed, violent lightning granting him power and speed. Hassaikai came down from above!

Boom!

Mobius desperately tilted his head. The spiked club missed his skull and smashed into his left shoulder instead. With a crack, his shoulder collapsed.

The agony of being crushed struck again. Mobius nearly burst into tears, and his connected left arm swung unnaturally.

In terms of physique, whether strength or speed, Kaido surpassed Mobius.

It was over...

Hm!?

Suddenly, Kaido's heart lurched. An unprecedented feeling surged through him—Observation Haki issued a warning, as though some great threat was approaching.

But Mobius's wildly swinging left arm had already reached out and firmly grabbed Kaido's arm.

Dark Water!

Darkness spread toward him, unaffected by that Haki in the slightest. It even deliberately bypassed it, surging entirely toward the target it was most adept at handling.

Kaido's terrifyingly huge body paused, then visibly shrank. Dragon scales, dragon tail, claws, and fangs all diminished and disappeared.

In a single instant, Kaido reverted to his ordinary human form.

"What's going on!?"

This was weakness unlike anything he had ever felt. It did not resemble Seastone—Kaido had long adapted to Seastone's effects through training.

This feeling was more like a Devil Fruit encountering the sealing power of the same ability!

At the same instant, Mobius seized his only opportunity.

"You still haven't reached your peak."

Mobius muttered. It seemed Kaido fifteen years from now would be even more terrifying.

"I understand the Azure Dragon Fruit's power very well. It can give an untrained kid the ability to exchange blows with top-tier powerhouses."

"If the Azure Dragon Fruit is considered a kind of talent enhancement, then Kaido, I think that in the future, you may be the one with the worst starting talent."

Mobius spoke without restraint. He was also a beneficiary of the Azure Dragon Fruit!

Flood Dragon: Fish-Man Karate: Secret Art: Buraikan!

Kaido did not hear what Mobius said, because he quickly sensed another threat closing in.

Water—the sea!!!

From outside Fish-Man Island's bubble membrane, a mass of seawater had somehow forced its way in. Then, from behind Mobius, it surged madly toward Kaido.

!!??

Kaido's expression became increasingly complicated. He had seen this situation on a certain blond bastard before, but what was this supposed to be!?

Just how many abilities did this guy have!?

Boom!

The seawater swallowed Kaido, becoming a savage torrent that carried him away and blasted him toward the outside of Fish-Man Island like a cannonball.

Kaido did not move again. He merely looked downward with an indescribable gaze.

He had his own pride. Under the circumstances, he had lost. He had lost because he had underestimated that kid.

He had committed countless taboos on the battlefield, so he had to acknowledge this defeat. Besides...

With a pop, Kaido was washed by the seawater through Fish-Man Island's bubble membrane and fell into the deep sea, his presence gradually fading away.

Seeing this, Mobius shook his head and sat down.

He did not believe he had won. It had merely been a lucky victory, along with that bull-headed monster holding back.

"Gurarara, what a fine kid. You defeated Kaido."

Thud, thud, thud... Heavy footsteps approached. Mobius turned his head and saw a tall man with dazzling blond hair.

"I didn't win. It was only because you arrived that he didn't want you interfering, whether for him or for me."

"Whitebeard, Edward Newgate."

"What an unlikeable kid."

Whitebeard shook his head and said nothing more, instead turning his gaze toward the deep sea before him.

Mobius turned to look as well and spotted a massive ship approaching.

"I'll leave this to you. I'm going to see how Neptune is doing."

As he spoke, Mobius brushed himself off, rose to his feet, and headed toward Ryugu Palace.

This was no longer a battlefield he could take part in.

Whitebeard curled his lip. He really did not like that kid.

But whatever. He had not come for him anyway.

A gigantic warship drew near Fish-Man Island. A bald man even taller than Whitebeard stood at its bow, his expression complicated.

The instant the tall bald man sensed Whitebeard, his face immediately relaxed.

"Long time no see, Newgate."

"Harald."

"Brother, what should we do?"

"Wait and see."