"Hahahaha! Sengoku, I'm back!"
Before he even crossed the threshold, Garp's boisterous laughter reached Sengoku's ears. Sengoku looked up and saw Garp, head wrapped in bandages, striding into the office. He frowned. "You lost?"
"No, no. I broke at least two of his ribs; let's call it a draw." Garp flopped onto the sofa and crossed his legs. "Though he seemed to be holding back for some reason, like he was wary of something. He wouldn't go all out against me."
"Even so, you must have figured out his situation by now," Sengoku said pointedly.
"Yeah." Garp nodded, his smile fading. "Whitebeard has indeed recovered somewhat. We fought for a long time, and his breath didn't weaken a bit."
"Is that so?" Sengoku sighed, rubbing his temples. "What about Aokiji? Did you find him?"
"No. He wasn't on Whitebeard's ship."
"Sigh... just when we're shortest on manpower." Sengoku felt like his head was about to explode.
At that moment, a Marine burst in, looking frantic. "Report! There is unusual activity at the Beasts Pirates' stronghold!"
"The Beasts Pirates? What is Kaido up to now?" Sengoku asked, confused. "Speak, what's happening?"
"According to intelligence, a fierce battle is taking place on Onigashima. We can only confirm that one side is Kaido of the Beasts!"
"There are only a few people in this world capable of fighting Kaido," Sengoku mused. "Go check the movements of Red-Haired Shanks and Big Mom."
"Yes, sir!"
"These guys... not a single one of them is easy to deal with," Sengoku sighed again.
"Hahahaha! That's the duty of being Fleet Admiral, isn't it?" Garp laughed from the sidelines, enjoying Sengoku's misery.
"Get out!"
…
Onigashima.
By now, one of the two giant horns had been snapped off. Smoke and dust billowed from the summit, and violent gusts of wind tore through the air. The onlookers huddled in the corners, terrified to step even an inch closer to the center.
"You are very good. In my eyes, you have joined the ranks of the world's strongest." Kaido, covered in scars, looked at Aomori, whose clothes were reduced to tatters. Images of several towering figures flashed through his mind, the only men in the world Kaido truly respected. Now, he had to add Aomori to that list.
"Old Kaido, you're not bad yourself. You're the first person in this world to push me to such a state." Aomori tore away the remaining rags of his shirt, revealing a lean, powerful physique.
"Hahahaha! Join the Beasts Pirates! If you and I join forces, nothing in this world could resist us!"
"I'd rather you be my subordinate. I'll show you the beauty of a civilized society."
"Me, your subordinate? You certainly have a big mouth."
Kaido's eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted a barrel of sake in the rubble that had somehow survived the destruction. He tilted his head back and poured the liquid into his mouth. "Refreshing! You want some?"
"No thanks, I don't drink."
"What? Sailing the seas without drinking? You're missing out on one of life's greatest pleasures!" Kaido drained the entire barrel, let out a massive belch, and once again became visibly drunk.
"You bastard... you destroyed my Onigashima... do you know how long it took me to build this? Waaaaah..." Kaido hugged the empty barrel and began to cry like a jilted bride.
However, seeing this, Aomori didn't laugh. Instead, he took a solemn combat stance.
Finally, Phase Four. This is ridiculous, how can his momentum keep rising just because he's drinking? It's not "scientific"!
The world was full of mysteries Aomori didn't care to solve, but the sight made him curious. Maybe I should try drinking some time?
"It was you! You dared to destroy my Onigashima! I'll kill you!" Kaido had entered his Drunken Rage mode, his aura reaching its zenith. He let out a roar, smashed the barrel, and swung his club. A massive, black, crescent-shaped shockwave as large as an ogre's horn tore forward.
"Vajra Arrow!"
Aomori, already prepared, leaped into the air to dodge. The shockwave continued its path, slicing the remaining giant horn clean in half. Kaido pursued instantly, appearing behind Aomori in the blink of an eye, swinging his club with the force of wind and thunder.
"Destroyer of Death Thunder Bagua!"
Aomori vanished and reappeared on the other side, firing a pre-charged lightning beam. The thick pillar of light hit Kaido instantly, but the Emperor held his kanabo in front of him and roared:
"Immovable Wind-Fire-Forest-Mountain!"
An armor of flames and storm erupted around him, neutralizing the lightning beam. However, the impact drove him deep into the ground, nearly sending him tumbling off the castle roof.
"Pah! Pah!" Kaido climbed out of the dirt, wiped his face, and saw an even larger lightning beam erupting from Aomori's hands.
"Crap!"
Kaido only had time to curse before the massive force slammed him back into the earth. The repeatedly ravaged rooftop finally gave way, collapsing entirely. Many onlookers fell alongside Kaido into the depths of the castle. Robin and her companions, however, were safe atop a platform of ice created by Aokiji.
"Hmph. I have ranged skills; I don't have to fight you in close quarters." As a balanced warrior, Aomori had no weaknesses.
After a few seconds, a massive azure dragon with giant eyes surged up from the hole. Having fully cleared the castle, the dragon-form Kaido exhaled a scorching Bolo Breath.
Using his speed advantage, Aomori dodged easily. The blast entered the clouds above, dyeing them a fiery red.
"You coward! Fight me head-on!"
"Fine. Let's see who dodges the next move."
"Deal! Whoever dodges is a dog!"
Aomori cupped his hands at his waist, pouring all his energy and soul into the focal point, condensing a sphere of light that rivaled the sun. Sensing the abnormality of the move, Kaido gritted his teeth and mobilized all his fruit energy and Haki. Raging flames enveloped him instantly, transforming him into a colossal, baring-fanged fire dragon.
"Flame Bagua: Flaming Dragon Torch!"
Facing the incoming Kaido, Aomori remained calm and whispered: "Ka-me-ha-me-ha!"
As he uttered the final syllable, Aomori thrust his hands forward. In an instant, the world turned blindingly white.
The onlookers stared in awe as a pillar of light pierced the sky, colliding with the fire dragon that was as large as Onigashima itself. While others were forced to shut their eyes, Aokiji pulled a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and watched unflinchingly.
In his vision, the dragon's flame armor was melted away by the beam, revealing Kaido's body as it was blasted backward. Fortunately, Aomori had adjusted the angle; the Kamehameha struck diagonally, grazing the edge of Onigashima and slamming Kaido deep into the ocean. The impact carved a literal hole in the sea, triggering a massive explosion followed by hurricanes and rain, resulting in a tsunami taller than Onigashima.
"Talk about overkill," Aokiji muttered. He removed his glasses and pressed his hand to the surface. "Ice Age!"
The ice spread rapidly across the water, freezing the impending tsunami before it could destroy the island.
"We're saved..." Everyone on Onigashima exhaled in relief, having survived the cataclysm.
…
"Kuzan did a good job," Aomori floated in the air, panting slightly. "Falling into the sea should stop him from doing any more 'sit-ups'."
Kaido's near-immortal body had truly exhausted him. "Finally, it's over."
He floated down to his companions and asked with a smile, "Is everyone alright?"
"We're fine," Aokiji replied succinctly.
"Aomori, you're so strong!" Yamato's eyes were sparkling with admiration as she looked at the man who had defeated her father.
"Ahem," Ace muttered nearby, clearly unwilling to be outdone. "I'll surpass both you and Kaido one day!"
"Sure, sure. Good luck with that," Aomori waved him off dismissively.
"What about Kaido? Is he dead?" Izo asked urgently.
"He fell into the sea. Even if he isn't dead, he's lost half his life. You can take advantage of the fact that the Beasts Pirates are leaderless right now. Team up with other like-minded people and reclaim Wano Country."
"Eh? You're not coming with us?" Ace asked, surprised.
"The few of you are enough. I have more important things to do."
"More important things?"
"Yes." Aomori nodded and looked at Robin, smiling. "There is a Road Poneglyph here, one of the markers that shows the way to the final island, 'Laugh Tale'."
The mere mention of the island made everyone hold their breath.
"The place where the One Piece is hidden... every pirate's dream," Crocodile exhaled.
"Don't get too excited. There are four markers. Laugh Tale is at the intersection of the four points. A single marker is useless on its own; otherwise, Kaido would have found the treasure long ago," Aomori explained.
The tension in the air eased slightly. Hmph. One marker is useless, but with two, it's highly likely I can triangulate the location. Once I get the markers from Big Mom and Fish-Man Island, I won't need all four to pin down the coordinates.
By holding the location of Laugh Tale, Aomori could draw the World Government and all powerful pirates into a war far greater than the Paramount War. If he emerged victorious, backed by Poseidon, Pluton, and the support of Alabasta, one of the original twenty kingdoms, he could easily seize control of the world.
That was the plan. Defeating Kaido meant the plan was 50% complete. In his eyes, the Poneglyphs at Big Mom's and Fish-Man Island were practically in his pocket.
However, Aomori's celebration didn't last long. A dense darkness suddenly descended. Robin and the others, along with the entire island of Onigashima, vanished. Aomori was left standing in a void of total darkness.
What's going on? Aomori frowned, immediately condensing his remaining energy and converting it to the Dark element to blend into the surroundings.
Suddenly, a figure cloaked in a hood appeared before him. Their face was hidden, revealing only eyes with multiple concentric circles.
"Outsider, you are not welcome in this world. Leave immediately!"
A raspy, androgynous voice echoed in Aomori's ears. He rubbed his ear uncomfortably. Tilting his head, he looked at the eerie figure. "And who are you? If I leave just because you asked, I'd lose a lot of face."
After a few seconds of silence, the Ringed Eyes spoke: "I am the guardian of the world's order, the ruler of this world. You may call me 'Imu'."
"So it really is you, Imu." Knowing he was facing the secret final boss, Aomori scrutinized him, feeling a deep sense of caution beneath his casual grin. "I'm curious, are you a man or a woman?"
"Do not bother stalling for time. This is a Void Space I created. Even time here is an illusion."
Void Space? Connected to the Empty Throne? Aomori's smile didn't waver. "Alright, then tell me. Why do you call me an outsider, and why do you want me to leave?"
"Because you do not belong to this world. Your existence has disrupted the established order and sent the world off its original track."
This Imu actually realized I'm not from here? 'Off its original track'... those words are quite interesting.
"Oh, so you look down on aliens? I have 'someone's' permission to be here." Remembering the system logs, Aomori pointed a finger upward.
Imu was silent for a moment. "It does not represent me. This is my will."
"Your will?" Aomori scratched his chin. "Then why didn't you just expel me or kill me from the start? Someone who can construct a Void Space should find that easy. Instead, you went through the trouble of having an Admiral block me." He recalled the illogical ambush at Sabaody Archipelago. "Perhaps you are restricted from acting directly? Or maybe you fear the one behind me?"
This time, Imu was silent for a much longer period. "I indeed hesitate to act recklessly against you, for fear of retaliation from the one behind you. But your actions have touched my bottom line. If you persist in your stubbornness, I will strike regardless of the consequences."
"I see." Aomori smiled. "Actually, I'm just here for training. I want to increase my strength. If you can make me stronger, I'm willing to leave. How about that?"
Aomori was telling the truth. If Imu's compensation exceeded the mission rewards, there was no need to fight to the death. This was just a dungeon world; if it were his home world, it would be a different story.
"Simple," Imu said calmly. "In what way do you wish to become stronger?"
"Can I have everything?"
When no response came, Aomori coughed twice. "Fine, I see that's difficult. Then, let me achieve full energy-form for Light, Dark, and Lightning."
"Agreed."
The swift response made Aomori suspicious. "Wait. Let me ask, after I leave this world, will I still be able to use the elemental forms?"
"No."
Just a trial card? Aomori shook his head. "Forget it then."
Perhaps tired of Aomori's indecision, Imu gave him three options: "One, enhance your physical strength; Two, enhance your Haki; Three, any one Devil Fruit of your choice."
"Too little. Haki isn't very useful to me. How about enhancing my physical strength plus three Devil Fruits?"
"Two fruits."
"Fine. And can you make my physical strength twice that of Kaido's?"
Imu glared at him, clearly suggesting he was dreaming.