"Is Kaido going to fight someone?"
"Plenty of people have tried to beat him and become an apprentice on the main ship. Every last one failed!"
"Of course! Kaido is a monster Whitebeard personally recruited!"
"That newcomer will soon get the crap beaten out of him!"
"I bet a hundred thousand Beli on Kaido!"
"How stingy. I bet a million Beli!"
Shouts filled the Paradise cabin.
Kaido carried his spiked club and walked alone toward the far end.
As he passed Shane, he called out loudly:
"I hope you can withstand my full-power attack, even for a second!"
At twenty-one, Kaido had already experienced everything the pirate world had to offer at its cruelest.
Even compared to the most numerous crop of Worst Generation Supernovas in later years,
he had every right to be proud!
Simply being a member of the Rocks Pirates was enough for people in later years to associate him with the word "legend."
"Kaido, you're not the only monster in this world!"
After another enhancement, Shane possessed even greater recovery and mobility.
The moment electricity covered his body, even Kaido's eyes lit up.
Someone exclaimed:
"Is that a Devil Fruit power?"
"No idea, but I definitely saw blue-white lightning!"
"Hey, there's something sinister about this guy!"
Quite a few renowned pirates were among the spectators.
There were also children training there or watching the excitement.
Two of them stood side by side, their presence far surpassing that of their peers.
Perospero was twelve, and Katakuri was ten.
They were very young, but already astonishingly tall.
Linlin had always left them to their own devices, not caring at all what became of them.
Though they had come to Hachinosu,
they were still just a bunch of street children in Rocky Port.
"Katakuri, did you see the electricity on that guy?"
Perospero had been born with an oversized tongue; the Lick-Lick Fruit was not to blame.
(PS: The eldest son and Katakuri were basically left unattended. While Linlin was on Hachinosu, she left them to fend for themselves in Rocky Port.)
"Is he going to fight Kaido? That guy's strong!"
Katakuri already wore a scarf, and his gaze was somewhat fierce.
After five-year-old Brûlée had been disfigured, Katakuri had begun covering his face with a scarf.
As for Kaido,
even those two could not help being amazed by him.
To thirty-year-old Linlin, however, Kaido was just a little brother.
Linlin could see that Kaido's potential was no less than Newgate's or Shiki's.
Bzzzt!
Electricity coursed continuously over him.
Shane had already adapted swiftly to his strength.
"He's making his move!"
Spiked club in hand, Kaido strode as swiftly as a meteor.
Everyone felt only a gale sweeping past.
No longer constrained by the low cabin ceiling, Kaido could truly cut loose, looking like a small giant.
A baleful god descended amid bloodshed, a demonic star born to slaughter!
"Soru!"
Shane seemed to take a single step, but his feet had already stamped the ground repeatedly, too fast to see.
They were so fast that both seemed to blink out of existence where they stood.
At the same moment,
Shane's modified body possessed the traits of the Mink Tribe.
His teeth and bones were exceptionally sturdy, and his nails could extend into sharp claws!
Shing!
His combat form activated, pairing this newly modified physique with electricity and Finger Pistol!
"Electro Finger Pistol!"
Electricity first coiled around his claws.
Then it gathered at his fingertips!
Now Shane could unleash nine Finger Pistols in a single burst!
Electro Finger Pistol combined with Soru's speed.
Meanwhile, Kaido's spiked club struck straight at Shane's abdomen.
The two were utterly evenly matched.
One was a born warrior, with Oni blood and overflowing Haki.
The other had been born with twice the physical constitution, surpassed human limits, and possessed Mink Tribe enhancements.
Boom!
Lightning and air currents streaked through the air.
Kaido had thought he had seen through Shane's strength, only to discover he still had a trump card!
Both struck each other at the same time.
Slight scorch marks appeared on Kaido's skin.
They were the result of the sharp Finger Pistols concentrating maximum pressure on a single point to inject electricity.
Shane also retreated several steps, forcibly using Soru to stop himself.
Facing each other again, they had exchanged their original positions.
Everyone watching swallowed.
"Hey, hey, who is that kid? He actually took a hit from Kaido!"
"Who knows? He's another monster, anyway!"
"If that were me, my organs would've been smashed!"
Only then did the pirates realize that Shane was no lunatic. He genuinely had strength.
At that moment,
the people who had followed them from the same cabin also witnessed the scene.
All of them stared at Shane in disbelief.
There had been a monster like this among them all along?
In truth,
blood stained the corner of Shane's mouth, and he felt all his internal organs churning.
Fortunately, his Mink Tribe traits had further strengthened his constitution.
Kaido's Oni blood gave him innate monstrous strength!
"Does anyone know this newcomer's name? I swear he'll be famous soon!"
"Shane! That guy told Kaido his name was Shane!"
"Damn it, I really want to witness a miracle, but reason tells me I have to bet on Kaido!"
After their brief astonishment, the pirates launched into a fresh frenzy.
"This is so much fun! Fight! Better yet, kill each other!"
"It's an injustice that you two monsters are alive! Just die already!"
"Fight! Are you both already mortally wounded? You bastards!"
Whistles and jeers rose one after another.
Heckling, shouting, and even cheering mingled in a din.
These were the true Rocks Pirates.
A group of lawless monsters gathered here with all sorts of aims.
"It's dark!"
It had already been near evening, the sun dim.
After their exchange, the two huge portholes on either side spilled in the full moon's light.
Shane gazed at the full moon.
He felt his blood boiling.
He swallowed the blood in his mouth and let the battle continue.
"Will I lose control? That would be so interesting!"
"I might even die of exhaustion!"
"Sulong!"
Shane's entire body underwent a feral transformation.
His hair instantly turned snowy white and cascaded past his waist.
His body also grew taller and stronger.
A layer of white light appeared over his body, merging perfectly with the electricity.
At that moment, Shane looked like something from beyond this world!
A layer of Armament Haki likewise coated Kaido's spiked club.
Mastery of Armament Haki Hardening!
Observation Haki that let him dodge with ease!
No wonder he was called the strongest apprentice.
At that moment,
both of Shane's eyes turned blood-red!
"Moon Assault!"
Whoosh!
His speed received the combined boost of Soru and Sulong.
"I thought I wouldn't need Haki to deal with you!"
"Shane, if you withstand this blow, come with me!"
"When I have my own pirate crew, our names will resound across the seas!"
Kaido had yet to reach his peak.
But he was determined to establish his own pirate crew.
Every powerhouse in the Rocks Pirates had their own pirate flag.
Rocks did not care, and none of them ever needed to hide their ambitions.
"Kaido! You haven't won yet!"
"Moon God!"
Shane appeared before Kaido at tremendous speed, the white light dazzling.
Electricity erupted in an instant.
Caught within it, Kaido was scorched by the current.
At his own tremendous speed, he swung his club.
"Shane, I've been wondering what to name this move!"
"Though it has no electricity, seeing you right now!"
"I think I'll call it Thunder Bagua!"
"Someday, this move will have real electricity and stronger Haki!"
Kaido gripped the spiked club in both hands, hardening the weapon with Armament Haki.
Inside the Paradise cabin,
electricity slithered like snakes.
Many years later, this scene remained etched in Kaido's mind.
"Moon God Thirteen-Shot Finger Pistol!"
Shane could not spare a thought for defense and could only attack with all his might.
Haki and electricity crisscrossed.
Both staggered backward, but neither was sent flying.
Cough, cough!
Shane spat out a mouthful of blood and charged again.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Kaido's mouth remained composed.
Before you continue