Blood and shards of metal sprayed everywhere. Blue flames surged outward, completely hiding Kaido from view.
As the flames faded, Kaido reappeared.
More than a dozen holes, each as wide as a bowl, riddled his body.
Kaido staggered a couple of steps, then steadied himself. His wounds were already healing rapidly.
He glanced at Tillman's corpse on the ground, then looked away.
The strong lived and the weak died. That was what Kaido believed. Tillman had been too weak, so he had died.
"Brat, come kill me! Kill me!"
A cruel smile spread across Kaido's face as he charged at Werther, laughing wildly.
"Today I'll grant your wish. Let's see if you really want to die."
Dense waves of Sword Aura spread through the room, carving slash marks into its steel walls.
Five hours later, Number Three, Doffy, and the others arrived at the room where Werther was fighting.
Of the three All-Stars, one was dead and two had fled. Jack was dead; the other two had escaped.
Jack had been unlucky enough to face Number Three. Her metal-clad fist had smashed his skull.
After Jack died, the other two All-Stars had chosen to flee without hesitation.
Staying meant death, and Kaido did not have the charisma to make them die for him.
They followed Kaido because he was strong. The All-Stars revered power, not Kaido himself.
Might made the ruler. That had always been the Beasts Pirates' way.
Doffy and Golden Lion entered the room where Werther and Kaido had fought.
Werther sat on Kaido's back. Kaido lay facedown on the floor, Intent Blood driven through his skull and pinning him down.
Blood-Red Tendrils spread from Intent Blood's hilt and coiled around one of Werther's arms.
Pale green energy traveled along the Blood-Red Tendrils into Werther's arm, then