"It seems Kaido really didn't let us down!"
"As long as Kaido can seriously injure Elior here, the two of us can step in together. There's no way Elior will escape us!"
Tokikake, now standing beside Gion, was visibly excited. On one hand, he was shocked by the explosive increase in Kaido's battle power. On the other, he could already picture the arrogant Elior being overwhelmed and defeated. Once that happened, capturing him would be a breeze for the Marine. With Elior's rise crushed, they could finally put an end to the chaos he was bringing to the seas.
Gion, however, said nothing. If Elior truly found himself unable to deal with Kaido, she would intervene. As for the consequences? She hadn't bothered thinking that far ahead.
At that moment, Kaido plummeted from the sky like a living meteorite, his kanabo raised high. The air around him screamed as it was torn apart by his descent. The windstorm that followed his movement was monstrous, even the veteran members of the Beasts Pirates felt their scalps tingle from the sheer force of the pressure.
Everyone watching came to a single conclusion — Kaido's current battle power was overwhelming enough to crush Elior.
No one denied Elior's strength. After all, he had managed to go toe-to-toe with Kaido for nearly an hour. That alone was enough to earn him recognition across the seas. But he was still too young.
As Kaido hurtled down, the air pressure became more and more violent.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield, followed by a tsunami-like shockwave that swept in every direction. The ice within a radius of nearly a kilometer was flattened outright. The weaker members of the Beasts Pirates closest to the impact zone were flung away like leaves in a storm. Even the stronger ones barely held their footing.
Kaido crashed down with force that shattered the very foundation of the ice beneath Elior's feet. From Kaido's elevated position, he had all the advantage — he didn't even need footing. Elior, however, needed the ice to maintain his stance and balance.
The hardened ice couldn't withstand the pressure of their clash. It caved and cracked beneath them, constantly sinking and breaking apart.
"Elior, you're still not my match! Compared to me, you've got a long way to go!"
Kaido was nearing sixty, a battle-hardened monster from the old era. Elior, on the other hand, was still a rising force from the new generation. If a legend like him lost to a rookie? How could he face the New World again?
Did Elior even reach twenty?
Kaido simply couldn't afford to lose.
"Underestimating me… might be your biggest mistake, Kaido."
Elior grinned. Sure, the clash between their raw strength was taking a toll on him. Kaido's power was immense, beyond anything he'd dealt with before.
This man was truly worthy of the title Yonko.
Kaido gripped his kanabo with both hands, locking against Elior's punch in a titanic clash of force. This was a contest of endurance now—whoever lasted longer would come out the victor. And Kaido had absolute faith in his stamina and strength.
But something else surprised him.
Elior's body—it was absurdly tough.
If this kid didn't die on the way, his future potential was unimaginable.
Then Kaido opened his mouth, gathering intense heat—his signature Blast Breath!
"Ha! Looks like that little brat's almost done for!"
"No kidding! With Kaido-sama going all in, how could some rookie stand a chance?"
"Still, holding out this long against Kaido? That alone will make him a legend in the New World!"
"A legend? He'll be talked about for a lifetime, no doubt!"
"Ahahaha—!"
As the Beasts Pirates laughed heartily — even while struggling against the icy onslaught from the Ice Knight—a series of slashes tore through the air and the frozen battlefield. Dozens of Kaido's men were split in half in an instant. Even the ones on the level of Marine Rear Admirals were struck down without mercy. Many were either killed outright or severely injured, and the moment they dropped their guard, the Ice Knight executed them with clinical precision.
Screams filled the battlefield.
The death toll rose rapidly.
"Vice Admiral Momousagi… uh—"
Tokikake looked on, stunned, as Gion unleashed a devastating attack on the Beasts Pirates. He was confused—wasn't this supposed to be a joint effort?
"They were annoying scum. I couldn't stand them."
"Uh… right…"
Tokikake had no idea how to respond.
The truth was, Gion acted simply because they were mocking Elior.
If Elior knew what was going on in her head right now, he'd definitely be satisfied. After all, this was the same Gion who had once resisted him fiercely, hating his guts after that night when he captured her. But now, just three days later, everything had changed.
She was rapidly evolving into a full-blown husband-protecting maniac.
And her strength? Unquestionable. As a candidate for Admiral, she already possessed power on par with one. In a world like this, there were only a handful of women on her level. Maybe Hancock. Maybe Big Mom. But beautiful and strong? Only Gion and Hancock truly fit that mold.
At this moment, Gion held her famed sword at the ready, eyes locked onto Elior. If anything went wrong, she'd charge in instantly.
Meanwhile, the clash between Kaido and Elior was reaching its peak. The sheer force Kaido brought to bear made it seem like the battle was nearing a conclusion.
But Elior's eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath.
Then, in his mind, he muttered the name of a powerful secret technique.
"Mahapadma!"