Ace Against Ace

The Grand Line, at the edge of the Calm Belt.

A large Marine warship they had seized.

Its deck shuddered under the violent impacts.

Every collision made the hull groan under the strain.

"Whoaahhh!!"

Kaido roared as dark-red Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body like flames.

He gripped his massive spiked club, Hassaikai, in both hands. His muscles bulged and veins stood out as he poured all his strength and fury into it.

He swung it at the figure standing casually across from him with enough force to split mountains and seas.

Rocks D. Zebek.

Rocks had not even drawn his own sword. He had simply picked up an ordinary longsword from the weapon rack.

Facing Kaido's full-force blow, he remained calm. He held the sword in one hand, coating its blade in Armament Haki. Then the Haki began to flow.

Deeper, more domineering black-and-red lightning appeared, merging perfectly with the Armament Haki.

He flicked the blade upward.

Bang!!!

The black-and-red lightning struck all at once, clashing violently with Kaido's scattered dark-red Haki and bursting into blinding light.

Kaido felt as though he had slammed into an entire city! His strength crumbled before that superior Haki.

"Guh!"

He grunted as the impact lifted him and his club off the deck. He flew backward and skidded more than ten meters before barely regaining his footing.

Kaido breathed heavily, sweat rolling down his temples.

His dragon eyes stayed fixed on Rocks, seething with frustration.

And beneath it lay a longing on the verge of bursting free.

"Worororo... Still no good!" Kaido wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse.

"Rocks! How the hell do you use Conqueror's Haki Infusion?! All that stuff you said about 'imagining Haki as an extension of your arm' and 'overwhelming everything'... It's too