517Chapter 520 Battle of the Flower City (Part 1) - Zoro VS Kyoshiro!AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 520: The Battle of the Flower Capital (I) — Zoro VS Kyoshiro!Orochi, who was just acting all high and mighty, was now holding his gun in a ridiculous pose!"You... what kind of thing are you?!"Orochi was so scared that he retreated three steps, scrambling back with both hands and feet, cold sweat pouring down his incredibly ugly face.Among the crowd of civilians behind Zoro,Trafalgar Law took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled."This bunch of guys who never play by the rules..."Law sighed helplessly in his heart.Looking at Zoro's murderous back, a hint of gravity flashed in Law's eyes,but more than that, it was a sharp and resolute protectiveness!Was he afraid?Of course he was wary!This was the center of the Flower Capital. Making such a huge commotion today would definitely attract the worlds strongest creature, Kaido of the Beasts!That was a true humanoid natural disaster, a terrifying monster that even he found extremely troublesome!But, back down?A wild curve curled at the corner of Law's mouth.Since he had boarded this pirate ship of the Straw Hat, the word "retreat" no longer existed in his dictionary!Even if he faced a god, as long as his companion drew their blade, he would follow without hesitation and pierce a hole in the sky!"Since laying low is no longer useful, then let's just turn this Flower Capital completely upside down!!"His slender fingers silently rested on the hilt of his famous sword, kikoku,and under the cover of his sleeve, a deep and brilliant eerie blue light quietly gathered at his fingertips.The spatial power of "ROOM" was rapidly compressing and accumulating in his palm.Law's gaze became as sharp as a hawk's. He knew that once Kaido arrived, what followed would definitely be a world-shaking battle with only a slim chance of survival!He had to adjust his state to its absolute peak before the monster made its appearance!With Law backing them up in the shadows, the other members of the Straw Hat completely let themselves go."Waooooh! That strike from Mosshead just now was so cool!"Uta's red and white hair danced happily in the breeze.The Worlds Greatest Diva stood with her hands on her slender waist,her eyes sparkling with a light that craved chaos, and her fingertips already held several physical musical notes shimmering with a dangerous red light."Since we don't have to hide anymore, does that mean we can have a satisfying fight?!"Yamato's eyes lit up with even more excitement.She easily shouldered her massive Spiked Clubwith one hand and flashed a wild and fanatical smile at Orochi on the high platform."SUPER—!!!""..."Orochi finally snapped out of his extreme fright!!"The Straw Hat?! So it's you bunch of trash from overseas!"Orochi scrambled up from the ground, his ugly face twisting into a malicious mess."Kyoshiro! Kyoshiro, where the hell are you! Come and protect this Shogun immediately!!!"Orochi howled hysterically like a stray dog that had its tail stepped on.Along with Orochi's cry for help, a tall man with an exaggerated pompadour and heavy dark circles under his eyes slowly stepped out from the shadows of the platform."Yes! My Lord!"Kyoshiro's fingers pressed against the hilt of the katana at his waist.Lord Kanka's remains were still warm; he wished he could draw his blade right now and hack that pig Orochi into ten thousand pieces.But he couldn't. The time was not yet ripe. He had to continue playing the role of this loyal watchdog.Kyoshiro took a deep breath, swallowing all his tears and humiliation.When he looked up again, his face was already wearing that cynical and cold smile."What an impatient swordsman."Kyoshiro slowly drew his katana, pointing the blade directly at the murderous Zoro below."If you want to take the Shogun's head, you'll have to ask the blade in my hand first."Zoro narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing Kyoshiro up.Kyoshiro didn't waste any words; his legs suddenly exerted force, and his tall frame turned into a blue afterimage.He had to act convincingly and demonstrate enough strength to intimidate the whole scene, otherwise Orochi would surely become suspicious."Slash Wave: Falling Cherry Blossoms!"Kyoshiro held his blade with both hands in mid-air, and a concentrated burst of Armament Hakiinstantly wrapped around the edge.The katana tore through the air, carrying a piercing sonic boom as it hacked down fiercely toward the top of Zoro's head!The azure sword energy was like a cascading waterfall, its power formidable.Facing this magnificent incoming strike,Zoro simply raised his right hand and gave a casual flick with the blade of wado ichimonji."Clang—!!!"A crisp metallic collision exploded.Kyoshiro's seemingly world-destroying strike was actually blocked in mid-air by Zoro with one hand, effortlessly!Kyoshiro's pupils contracted sharply. Although he had held back to hide his identity, this strike definitely had the power to cut through steel.This green-haired swordsman in front of him had strength like a monster!"So flashy."Zoro yawned, his eyes showing a bit of boredom."Your momentum is barely passable, but your swing is too slow!!""I'm in a hurry. I don't have time to play house with a second-rate swordsman like you."Before he finished speaking,Zoro's wrist turned slightly, and a chillingly powerful Oni Aura suddenly erupted from the blade of wado ichimonji.The next second, Zoro's figure vanished from the spot!"One Sword Style: Iai - Lion's Song!"A cold voice rang out behind Kyoshiro."Puchi—!"A brilliant flash of blade light!Kyoshiro didn't even have time to get into a defensive stance before a burst of blood erupted from his chest.With just one move!The strongest underworld boss of the Flower Capital was cleanly defeated in an instant!No one knew that Denjiro, lying in the ruins, actually breathed a long sigh of relief in his heart the moment he closed his eyes."Now I can rightfully lie here and watch the show."Denjiro rejoiced inwardly and squeezed his eyes shut even tighter."Now, the annoying flies have been cleared away."Zoro casually flicked the blood off his blade and began walking step by step toward the high platform."You... don't come over here!!!"Orochi was so scared that snot and tears covered his face as he scrambled backward."Shoot! Quick, shoot him dead!""King! Queen! What are you two still standing there for? Come and save this Shogun!!!"Orochi screamed hysterically.At the highest point of the execution platform, in the VIP viewing area.Queen the plague watched the unstoppable Zorobelow, the fat on his large face twitching violently.He touched the thick layer of bandages wrapped around his belly and took a sharp breath."Hey, King, that Roronoa is a tough nut to crack!!""Even Kyoshiro was taken out by him in one move. Aren't you going down to handle it?"Queen curled his lip, looking like a bystander who had nothing to do with it.King the conflagration stood at the edge of the platform, coldly looking down at the encroaching Zoro.He knew very well that Zoro hadn't used his full strength just now!What's more, he himself was currently in a wounded state!!Therefore,far from being panicked about having to fight, he crossed his arms and let out an extremely mocking, high-and-mighty sneer."Why should I go down?"In King's eyes hidden behind the mask, there was a composure and fearlessness like a cat playing with a mouse."What a bunch of ignorant little mice!!""Think that by defeating a watchdog, you can run rampant in this Wano Country?"King coldly watched the panicked Orochi below, his tone even carrying a bit of schadenfreude."Let this idiot Shogun suffer a bit more!!""Anyway, there's absolutely no need for us to do it ourselves!!"Hearing this, Queen also revealed a knowing, shifty smile. He picked up his bowl of Red Bean Soupagain and took a leisurely big gulp."That's true! This is the center of the Flower Capital, and with such a big commotion..."King slightly raised his chin, his gaze crossing the chaotic plaza and looking toward the distant horizon.The clouds there were turning pitch-black and oppressive at a speed visible to the naked eye."Frolic all you want, Straw Hat."A cruel curve formed at the corner of King's mouth. He didn't deign to go head-to-head with Zoro at all because he had absolute confidence."Boss Kaido... is about to arrive!!""Once that world's strongest monster arrives, you will all understand what true despair is."
AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 521: Battle of the Flower Capital (II) — The Serpent-Slaying Banquet, the Azure Dragon Descends!"What are you all still standing there for?!"Orochi shrieked in a high-pitched voice, waving the gun in his hand wildly, his wrists trembling."Go, for this General! Chop this green-haired lunatic to pieces! Fast!"The group of Oniwabanshu and samurai below finally reacted, swarming forward like a New Year's food scramble; everyone wanted to be the first to claim credit, yet everyone feared being the first to take a blade.Zoro didn't even bother to spare them a second glance.He lowered wado ichimonji slightly, kicked off the ground, and charged into the crowd.A flash of blade light.Before the three samurai in the front row could even finish their screams, they were sent flying backward, knocking over a line of people behind them; even two flagpoles standing by the square were smashed askew."Don't push, come one by one."Zoro spoke calmly, yet it was more infuriating than an insult.In the next instant, he flicked his wrist, and sandai kitetsu also left its scabbard. With dual blades crossed and footsteps unceasing, he carved a path through the encirclement, like a knife cutting through a pot of mushy porridge.Blood splattered, and the blade light danced.More and more people lay on the ground.The onlookers, who were originally holding back tears, were now staring wide-eyed; some even forgot their fear, their mouths hanging open for a long time.Law stood in front of the crowd, his brow twitching."That idiot."He cursed under his breath, but his hand had already quietly opened a small ROOM, ready to intervene at any moment, his eyes fixed more intently than anyone else's.Yamato shouldered the Spiked Club, her eyes shining frighteningly bright."Too fierce! I want to go in too!""Shut up."Law didn't look back, his tone icy."If you go up now, the scene will only get more chaotic."Uta stood nearby with her fists clenched, her small face tense."I think it's chaotic enough already."Franky was even more ridiculous, already starting to strike poses."A melee like this is perfect for my grand entrance."Law stepped on his leg."You're best suited for shutting up."Up on the high platform, Orochi grew more panicked the more he watched.He had originally hoped to use human-wave tactics to stall Zoro, but as he watched, he realized it wasn't people surrounding Zoro—it was Zoroclearing people out, and he was doing it so easily, like autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves."Useless! You're all useless!"Orochi screamed at the top of his lungs, his face twitching rapidly."Where's Jack? Queen? King? Are they all dead?!"Queen lay in his chair, holding a bowl of red bean soup, and rolled his eyes."Why are you shouting so loud? My ears aren't deaf."King stood nearby, arms crossed, looking down coldly.He didn't move.Queen didn't move either.Both knew very well that going down to clash head-on with Zoro now offered no benefit, especially since they were both carrying injuries; at this time, whoever struck first would be the first to suffer.Seeing them not moving, Orochi's face turned green."Do you want to watch this General die?!"King finally spoke, his voice as cold as iron."You won't die."He paused, then added another sentence."At least, not right now."These words provided no comfort at all, making Orochi even more panicked.Zoro had already fought his way to the base of the high platform.He walked forward over the samurai strewn across the ground; his pace wasn't fast, but the pressure grew heavier. With every step, Orochi's face grew a shade paler, until his legs began to go weak."Don't come over..."Orochi shrank back, his back hitting the wooden frame, with no way left to retreat."Do you know who I am?! I am the General of Wano Country! One of Kaido's men!"Zoro looked up at him as if looking at a joke."Then you're quite good at being born into the right family."Orochi was stunned, clearly never having heard such a cutting remark."You... you dare to humiliate this General!""Humiliate you?"Zoro curled his lip."You're not even worthy!!"At these words, Orochi's entire face twisted in rage.He suddenly raised both hands, his body twisting and expanding eerily, his bones and flesh making a series of skin-crawling noises.In the next second, that short, fat, ugly human form was completely torn apart, replaced by a massive Yamata-no-Orochi.Eight hideous snake heads rose simultaneously, their scales glinting coldly in the sunlight.A wave of gasps erupted from the crowd."A monster!""Lord General has transformed!""It's over, it's all over now!"Hearing these cries, Orochi finally regained a bit of confidence.One of the snake heads grinned, letting out a shrill laugh."Do you see! This is this General's true power!"Another head followed suit."Green-haired brat, kneel and beg for mercy now, and this General might let you die a bit more quickly!"All eight heads were clamoring at once, making Zoro's brow furrow."So noisy."At this, Orochi was instantly enraged.The eight snake heads moved together, lunging at Zoro from different directions.Some breathed fire, some spat poisonous mist, and others lunged to bite directly, sealing him in completely with no room to dodge.This move actually had some substance to it.Zoro simply let out a slow breath, drew Shusui as well, and bit down on wado ichimonji.Three blades out at once!!!In that moment, even the wind in the square seemed to stop.Green Oni Aura rose from his body, wrapped in Haki, exploding along the edges of the blades; a faint, blurry Shura phantom even seemed to emerge in mid-air.King's pupils shrank slightly.The spoon in Queen's hand stopped."This guy..."Zoro lowered his body, all three blades vibrating in unison."King of Hell Three Sword Style—"His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly."—Purgatory Onigiri!!!"In the next second, Zoro vanished!!In the center of the square, only a flash of blade light trailing green Haoshoku lightning remained, cutting across as if splitting the world down the middle."Slash—!!"A soft sound.Zoro was already standing behind Orochi, maintaining his sheathing posture.The entire field was deathly silent.One second!!Two seconds!!And then—,Eight massive snake heads flew off simultaneously.Lines of blood exploded in the air, the massive snake body twitched violently a few times, then collapsed with a crash, turning back into the ugly human form of Orochi, the neck wounds clean, leaving no chance for even a struggle.Orochi, deceased!!The people in the square felt as if their throats had been collectively gripped; no one spoke, no one dared to move.Shimotsuki Yasuie's body still hung on the cross.Toko knelt below the platform, laughing while she wept.Zoro stood between the mountain of corpses, the sea of blood, and the sunlight, his three blades sheathed, his back appearing chillingly heavy!~Uta opened her mouth, and only after a long while did she manage to say,"...He really did take the head."Franky's eyes lit up."SUPER insta-kill!"Yamato was even more direct, so excited she almost jumped up."Beautiful! This is how a samurai should be!"Law said nothing.He just looked at the fallen corpse on the high platform, his eyes gradually darkening.Because he knew very well that at this point, there was no way to hold things back.With Orochi dead, this infiltration was completely over!!In the next second, the real trouble was about to arrive!!As expected,While everyone was still immersed in the shock of Zoro's single-strike decapitation of the serpent, the sky suddenly darkened.The wind around the square began to whirl wildly, and the flags flapped loudly!!Some civilians' knees went weak, and they knelt on the spot!Some samurai's blades dropped directly to the ground!!The playful grin on Queen's face gradually vanished.King slowly looked up, peering deep into the sky, his eyes finally showing a hint of true awe."He's here!!"Just that one sentence.In the next moment, the thick layers of clouds were violently torn apart.An unimaginably massive azure dragon head emerged from the sea of clouds.Whiskers trailed down, horns loomed majestic, and scales were like ridges of blue-black iron mountains; just the half of its body that was exposed already cast the entire Flower Capital into shadow.Blotting out the sky!!Truly blotting out the sky!!Those dragon pupils, like a natural disaster itself, looked down from above, coldly sweeping over everything in the square, as if looking at a group of insects that could be stepped on at will.At this moment, in the entire Flower Capital, even the sound of heartbeats seemed to have stopped.worlds strongest creature,Kaido of the Beasts, descends!!
519Chapter 522 The Battle of Flower City (Part 3) - Slaying the Dragon's Breath with a Sword, the Pride of a Warrior!AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-liteChapter 522: Battle of the Flower Capital (3) — Sword Slashes Dragon Breath, Samurai Pride!The Flower Capital was, at this moment, completely dead.It wasn't a physical death, but an absolute silence where even the soul seemed to have been drained away.Kaido's dragon head, larger than a mountain, hung suspended in mid-air.He hadn't even done anything; just a casual sweep of his massive dragon eyes, like searchlights, looking down.The terrifying dragon pressure, crushing down from the very top of the food chain, caused thousands of commoners and samurai in the plaza to roll their eyes back and faint in droves, just like wheat being harvested.Those who could still stand were all monsters!!"Gulp!!"Trafalgar Law swallowed hard, feeling his Adam's apple trembling."What kind of... joke is this..."Law pressed down hard on his spotted hat, his teeth gritting together with a creaking sound.The last time he felt this kind of oppressive pressure that made him want to die on the spot, was on Amazon Lily, facing Luffy when he was firing on all cylinders."Hey! Tra-guy! Why are your legs shaking!"Uta, beside him, poked Law with her elbow and whispered a snarky comment.Although she was also finding it hard to breathe under that dragon pressure, her large, heterochromatic eyes burned not with fear, but with a fanatical excitement, as if meeting a worthy rival."This pressure is exactly the same as when Luffygoes all out!"Hearing this, Law's eye twitched violently, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.He really wanted to crack open her skull to see if it was filled with muscle or some kind of alien structure entirely!This is the Four Emperors Kaido!The worlds strongest creature!Why do you guys all look so excited, like you're meeting your idols!On the high platform, the atmosphere was even more bizarre to the extreme.Queen shuddered, his survival instinct instantly maxed out.He quickly stretched his Brachiosaurus neck straight and shouted at the sky in a fawning tone:"Brother Kaido! You've come just in time!""Look, these ignorant overseas rats actually dared to run wild on your turf!""They clearly don't hold you in any regard!"While shouting, Queen used his massive claws to point at Zoro below, indignant, looking exactly like a chubby kindergarten bully seeking help from a parent.King watched his performance quietly from the side; this idiot pig's integrity was even lighter than the dust in the Flower Capital.Kaido in the sky didn't pay any attention to Queen's flattery.His massive dragon eyes slowly turned, his gaze passing over everyone to land on the corpse of Orochi, who had been cut in two by Zoro, and then shifted away in boredom.It was as if that wasn't the Shogun of a country, just a stray dog run over by a carriage."Straw Hat Luffy..."Kaido's voice rang out.The thunderous sound rolled across the sky of the Flower Capital, making people's eardrums ache and even causing their hearts to vibrate in resonance."Where is he?"Upon hearing this, King's black wings behind him flapped slightly as he flew to the side of Kaido's dragon head and respectfully lowered his head."Brother Kaido, according to intelligence, Straw Hat Luffy is not here!""These people below are just a few of his main officers.""Oh?"A flash of undisguised disappointment crossed Kaido's dragon eyes.It felt like a top-tier player who was full of anticipation to fight the final boss, only to find out the final boss had taken the day off."Tch, how boring."Kaido let out a disdainful dragon roar, the sound filled with the boredom and loneliness of being at the top."Since the protagonist isn't here..."The Azure Dragon's massive head slowly lifted, looking down at the Straw Hat crew, who were as small as ants below, his tone becoming indifferent."Then there is no need for these annoying small fry to continue existing."Before the words even finished.Kaido abruptly opened that abyss-like maw that seemed capable of swallowing the world.A destructive energy began to gather frantically deep in his throat.The temperature of the surrounding air soared instantly, and even the blue stone slabs underfoot were baked until they turned red, emitting sizzling white smoke."Not good! It's Heat Breath! He wants to flatten this place in one go!"Law's pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks, and his scalp instantly exploded!Without thinking, he immediately prepared to open the largest possible ROOM, ready to use spatial displacement to take these reckless companions and run for their lives.But just at this moment, a calloused hand pressed heavily onto his shoulder."Don't move, Tra-guy."Zoro's voice was calm, yet carried an indescribable dominance."This is trouble I caused."Zoro slowly raised his head, wild fighting intent burning in his eyes as he stared directly at the increasingly blinding ball of destruction in the sky."Don't look down on people, long worm!"Zoro snorted coldly, gripping wado ichimonjitightly!The next second!"One Sword Style · Flying Dragon Flame!!!"Zoro's figure turned into a green afterimage, and raging flames ignited upon his two swords!He didn't retreat; instead, he charged forward, meeting the terrifying heat wave capable of melting steel!A flaming slash enveloped in Conqueror's Hakiburst forth from his blade, actually transforming into a lifelike, massive fire dragon!The fire dragon let out a loud roar and crashed unhesitatingly into the ball of destruction in the sky that had expanded to its limit!"Rumble—!!!"At the same moment the fire dragon collided with the ball of light, Kaido's "Heat Breath" was finally unleashed!A terrifying pillar of energy over a hundred meters in diameter, capable of instantly vaporizing the entire Flower Capital, descended from the sky!Fire and the pillar of light collided fiercely in mid-air!The terrifying energy shockwave spread frantically in all directions, centered on the explosion point!The surrounding houses and buildings were as fragile as paper lanterns in the face of this shockwave, instantly ground into powder flying across the sky!"Waaah!"Law hurriedly opened ROOM, barely managing to shield Uta and Yamato behind him, but he was still shaken by this terrifying airwave, his blood churning!!At the center of the explosion, the attack trajectory of "Heat Breath" was forcefully deflected by a fraction!The pillar of destruction whistled past the edge of the high platform, leaving a bottomless, massive scorched gully on the distant mountains!"Nice job! Mosshead!"Franky roared excitedly from afar.However, before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief.Zoro actually used the terrifying airflow from the explosion, stepping on the air several times in succession, forcibly stabilizing his body, and the whole person, like a green cannonball, charged into the sky against the heat wave!"Since you want to see our Captain so much!"Zoro's voice exploded in the gale, carrying a boundless, unruly arrogance."Then try my sword first!"Zoro bit wado ichimonji tightly in his mouth, and on the three famous swords, green Oni Aura and black Conqueror's Haki lightning intertwined frantically!"Enma Three Sword Style · Purgatory Oni Giri!!!"Three terrifying sword auras that seemed capable of severing the sky merged into one in mid-air, carrying Asura's endless killing intent, slashing fiercely at Kaido's massive dragon face!"Slash—!!!"Blood appeared!The indestructible azure dragon scales actually cracked in response to this slash, which was imbued with all of Zoro's power!Three massive, bone-deep sword wounds appeared on Kaido's left face!Hot dragon blood spilled from the sky like a rainstorm, dripping onto the ruins of the Flower Capital, making a "sizzling" corrosive sound."Worororo...!"However, facing this fatal heavy wound, Kaidoinstead... erupted into a burst of extremely excited wild laughter!"Interesting! A truly interesting slash!"In Kaido's dragon eyes, the fanaticism and joy of encountering a strong enemy burned."Kid, your sword has a bit of Oden's shadow in it!"Just as Zoro was slightly stunned by Kaido's perverted reaction.At the three hideous wounds on Kaido's dragon face, black and red lightning flashed frantically.The next second, in the ghost-seeing gazes of everyone, the bone-deep wounds actually healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, recovering as before in the blink of an eye, without even leaving a scar!"What?!"Zoro's pupils shrank violently."Worororo! As a reward for bringing me this bit of fun..."Kaido's wild laughter echoed in the sky, his massive dragon body began to rapidly shrink and twist and deform within the clouds."Let me show you my true power!"
Chapter 522: Battle of the Flower Capital (IV) — An Emperor's Strike, Gods and Demons Displaced!"Worororo! As a reward for the bit of fun you've brought me..."Kaido's wild laughter echoed in the sky as his massive dragon form began to shrink and twist rapidly within the clouds."Allow me to show you my true power!"Before his voice had even faded, Kaido's sky-blotting dragon form had completely vanished,replaced by a burly figure over seven meters tall, his body knotted with muscles and radiating an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth.In his hand, he gripped that Spiked Club covered in lethal thorns—hassaikai!Kaido's human form exerted a pressure ten times more terrifying than his dragon form!His figure paused slightly in mid-air, and in the next second, he actually vanished from the spot!Fast!So fast that even Zoro's Observation Haki could only capture a faint, blurry afterimage!"Not good!"Every hair on Zoro's body stood on end instantly. Without a second thought, he immediately crossed his three famous swords in front of his chest, pushing his Armament Haki to its absolute limit!However, it was already too late...A tall figure appeared before him like a ghost, a playful, sinister grin on a face full of madness."Conqueror of Three Worlds: Ragnaraku!!!"Kaido unreservedly infused his Conqueror's Haki to the extreme into his Spiked Club,black and purple lightning, like countless dancing vipers, exploded frantically. Carrying a terrifying force capable of shattering islands, it slammed ruthlessly toward Zoro's body!With this strike, it felt as if even space itself was collapsing!Zoro felt his vision go dark as an absolute power, one that left him without even the thought of resisting, collided head-on with his three swords."Crack—!!!"wado ichimonji, sandai kitetsu, and Shusui—these three famous blades, capable of cutting through steel, actually let out a shrill, overburdened wail simultaneously under this blow!Zoro felt as if he hadn't been hit by a Spiked Club, but had been run over head-on by a high-speed meteorite!The bones in his arms shattered instantly, and the ribs in his chest snapped inch by inch."Pwah—!"A mouthful of hot blood sprayed from his mouth as Zoro plummeted from ten thousand meters in the air!"Boom! Boom! Boom!"His body smashed through more than a dozen of the Flower Capital's remaining buildings in succession,crashing deep into the bluestone ground in the center of the square. He left behind a bottomless, giant spider-web-shaped crater, kicking up a cloud of dust, his fate unknown.The entire field was deathly silent!!Kaido slowly descended from the air, his feet landing firmly in the center of the execution platform's ruins.His breathing wasn't even slightly disturbed as he casually shouldered his Spiked Club.That terrifying, world-dominating pressure made everyone present who could still breathe feel as though their souls were about to be crushed."..."Trafalgar Law stood in the crowd, his body as stiff as a stone.On his face, which usually wore a mocking curl, only a deathly paleness remained.[This has to be a joke...]Law's heart was roaring frantically, his eyes bulging as if they were about to fly out of their sockets.[Is this the kind of damage a fucking carbon-based lifeform can deal?!][No... that's not right... this power... this completely irrational, purely ultimate destructive power...][Is this... the true form of an Awakened Mythical Zoan Fruit?!]Law felt his teeth chattering.An unprecedented sense of powerlessness instantly flooded the Heart of the Surgeon of Death.However, just as Law was about to fall into despair..."Zoro!!!"A crisp roar exploded like a thunderclap across the silent square!The tall figure that Law had been holding down firmly suddenly tore off her head covering!Long, snow-white hair danced wildly in the wind, and two exquisite red demon horns nestled within it radiated an eerie light.Yamato's heroic and beautiful face was now filled with overwhelming rage!She had watched with her own eyes as that Mosshead, who had just been bickering with her,was struck by her bastard father until his life was uncertain. At that moment, her Samurai Soulcompletely exploded!"Roar—!!!"Accompanied by a beast-like roar, Yamato's body began to change rapidly.Azure scales emerged on her fair skin, her hands turned into claws, and her canines protruded past her lips!Hybrid Form!"Kaido!!!"Yamato swung the massive Spiked Club from her shoulder to the front, and ice-blue Haoshokulightning coiled around the club like a wild dragon!Her clear eyes now burned with a fighting spirit intense enough to melt icebergs, locking onto Kaido not far away."Your opponent is me!!!"Seeing his daughter's posture, ready to fight him to the death, Kaido didn't get angry; instead, he grinned widely and let out a joyful laugh."Worororo! Finally willing to use this form, my foolish son!"Kaido sized up Yamato with interest, his gaze like that of an old farmer admiring the sturdiest cabbage in his field."Let your father see just how much skill you've gained after running wild outside with Straw Hat!"
Chapter 523: Battle of the Flower Capital (V) — Thunder Clash, The Battle of Father and Daughter!"Don't call me your son!"Yamato's clear eyes were currently burning with a fighting spirit strong enough to melt an iceberg."I am Yamato!""Today, right here, I will thoroughly defeat you, you demon who has brought twenty years of suffering to Wano Country!"Before the words had even faded, Yamato moved!The bluestone slabs beneath her feet suddenly shattered,And her body, full of explosive power, instantly turned into a white afterimage, initiating a charge toward Kaido!"Namuji Hyoga!!!"Yamato let out a sharp cry in mid-air,On the Spiked Club in her hands, ice-blue Haoshoku lightning coiled like a wild dragon, carrying a frigid aura capable of freezing the soul, as she smashed it down fiercely toward Kaido's massive head!Faced with this full-force strike capable of one-shotting a Sweet Commander, Kaido didn't even change his posture.He gripped "hassaikai" with one hand, likewise wrapping it in that world-destroying black-purple Haoshoku Haki, and met the attack nonchalantly."Clang—!!!!"A terrifying metallic explosion, as if the sky itself was being shattered, boomed in the center of the square!Ice-blue electric arcs and black-purple lightning tore and exploded wildly at the point where the two Spiked Clubs collided!A visible shockwave spread wildly like a tsunami, once again grinding the remaining ruins on the ground into powder!Yamato only felt a terrifying, irresistible force transmit from her arms; the webbing between her thumb and forefinger instantly split, and blood flowed freely.Her entire body flew backward uncontrollably,Tumbling awkwardly several times in the air before she managed to steady herself by propping her Spiked Club against the ground, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth."Worororo! Your strength has certainly increased quite a bit compared to before!"Kaido stood in place, unmoved, the playful smile on his face growing even deeper."However, with only this level of brute force, you aren't even qualified to scratch my itch!""You bastard...!"Yamato grit her teeth, her unyielding fighting spirit ignited once more!Without a moment's pause, her legs exerted force again, and she turned into streaks of white lightning, launching a high-speed continuous assault on Kaido from all directions!"Thunder Bagua!""Kagamiyama!""Shinsoku: Hakujaku!"For a time, the ruins of the entire Flower Capitalcompletely became the demolition site for this father and daughter!Ice-blue Haoshoku lightning and black-purple destructive thunder collided wildly in the air, each impact triggering tremors in the sky and distortions in space!The earth shook, and the sky changed color!That terrifying Haki clash even made the ordinary samurai watching from several kilometers away feel chest tightness and suffocation, as if their hearts were being gripped by an invisible giant hand!"Himiko!"In a gap during the high-speed exchange, Yamatosuddenly opened her mouth and spat a frigid breath toward Kaido, capable of instantly freezing a volcano!"Crack! Crack!"Kaido's burly frame was instantly covered by a thick layer of ice, turning into a lifelike human ice sculpture.However, before Yamato could launch the next round of attacks,"Roar!!!"Accompanied by a beast-like roar, an even more violent Haki exploded from within the ice sculpture!The thick ice layer, capable of freezing steel, was as fragile as glass before this unreasonable power, instantly shattered to pieces!"Too naive, Yamato!"Kaido's figure stepped out from the ice shards unscathed, a hint of impatience on his face."This kind of child's play is completely useless against me!"The father and daughter's battle went from the ground to the air, then smashed back to the ground; the aftershocks of the battle completely turned the already dilapidated Flower Capital into a flat land!And behind a broken wall at the edge of the battlefield, Trafalgar Law leaned against the ruins, pressing the brim of his spotted hat very low, obscuring most of his face.This Surgeon of Death,Just stood there quietly, his slender fingers resting tentatively on the famous blade "kikoku" at his waist."As expected... it's the power of Awakening."Law murmured to himself, no emotional fluctuations audible in his voice."This unreasonable fluctuation of power is exactly the same as straw hat's Nika form!!""An Awakening of a Mythical Zoan?..."As the only strategist in the team, Law's thinking always remained absolutely rational."Yamato-ya's Haki is very strong, definitely top-tier even among the Admiral level!!""But... it's still not enough."Law's gaze was as sharp as a knife, seeing through the essence of this battle at a glance."This is no longer a simple gap in technique or strength; this is a suppression on the level of life itself!!""I must... find a flaw."Law's brain was working at high speed.His task was not to lead the attack, but to "act as the safety net."He was like a venomous snake dormant in the shadows, patiently waiting for that fleeting moment to strike."Oh my, Trafalgar-kun really is terrifyingly calm."Robin held a purple parasol, gracefully walking to Law's side, using a flower wall to protect the civilians in the rear.She looked at Law's posture of being ready to draw his sword at any time, a dark smile curling at the corner of her mouth."Is our ship doctor planning to give Mr. Kaido an unexpected 'Counter Shock' at the most critical moment?"Law glanced at her, said nothing, and simply pressed his hat brim even lower.The center of the battlefield."Boom—!!!"After another earth-shattering collision, Yamato's figure was once again violently sent flying, plowing a deep trench over a hundred meters long in the ground.She struggled to stand up from the ruins, gasping for breath, with wounds from the shocks all over her body; her white kimono was already mostly dyed red with blood.In contrast, Kaido was still as composed as ever, not even breaking a sweat.The gap in strength was still as vast as a chasm."Good! Good!"However, looking at his daughter, who although battered, still had unyielding eyes, Kaido let out a satisfied, wild laugh."Your Haki is much stronger than before! It seems going out to sea with the Straw Hat boy has indeed made you grow a lot!"Kaido slammed his Spiked Club heavily onto the ground, causing the entire earth to vibrate."You are finally qualified... for me to get a little serious!"Hearing this, Yamato wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her gaze becoming even sharper.She knew,Conventional attacks were completely useless against this thick-skinned monster; she had to use her strongest move to possibly leave a decent wound on him!"Then come!"Yamato gripped her Spiked Club with both hands, pouring all the Haki in her body into it without reservation; the ice-blue lightning instantly surged, turning into a roaring ice dragon coiling around the club!"Oguchi no Makami: Hyofuji!"However,The smile on Kaido's face suddenly vanished."You're still far off! Yamato!"A terrifying Haoshoku pressure, surpassing everything before and so pure it was despair-inducing, suddenly descended!Kaido's gaze became extremely cold and indifferent, the look one gives to a dead object!The Beyond-Four Emperors-level Haoshokupressure completely locked onto Yamato's figure in an instant!"I'll let you witness what a true 'Thunder' is!"Kaido slowly gripped "hassaikai" with both hands and raised it high above his head."Zzz-la-la-la-la—!!!"Above the sky, black-purple destructive lightning converged wildly, as if the entire firmament was about to be torn apart by this power!All the lightning eventually converged at the tip of the Spiked Club, forming a black energy sphere emitting an aura of death!A full-power "Thunder Bagua"!"What?!"Law, who had been dormant in the shadows, had his pupils suddenly shrink into the most dangerous needle-points!His Observation Haki was frantically sounding the alarm!"That guy... is for real!""If this move lands, Yamato-ya... will definitely die!!!"At this moment, Law's fingers finally moved!
Chapter 524: The Battle of Flower Capital (VI) - Law and Zoro VS Azure Dragon Kaido!"ROOM!"A faint blue, translucent sphere instantly expanded wildly with Law at its center, firmly enveloping more than half of the shattered plaza.The laws of spatial displacement were absolute within the domain of the Ope-Ope no Mi!"Shambles!"Kaido's world-destroying strike, carrying a terrifying sonic boom that threatened to tear eardrums,was less than half a meter away from the top of Yamato's head!!!Swish—!The slight hum of distorted light and shadow rang out.Yamato, who had been deathly locked on by Kaido's beyond-Four Emperors-level presence, actually vanished into thin air from her spot!BOOM—!!!!!Kaido's hassaikai, fully charged with violent Haoshoku, slammed solidly into the empty ground.Without any suspense, dozens of tons of rock were vaporized the moment they came into contact with the hassaikai.Immediately after, a terrifying force beyond words poured directly into the depths of the Flower Capital's crust through the tip of the club!The earth trembled and the mountains shook!The bluestone slabs within a radius of hundreds of meters, along with the solid foundation beneath, shattered instantly like fragile crackers!Violent air currents mixed with gravel turned into ripples of materialized destruction, spreading wildly in all directions and leveling everything in their path!"Huff... huff..."A hundred meters away, Law knelt on one knee, gasping for air!!To snatch someone away from Kaido in this full-power state,he had drained nearly 10% of his stamina reserves in an instant."Dammit... these troublemakers who only grow muscle and no brains..."Law ranted powerlessly in his heart. He felt that since joining the Straw Hat crew, not only had his cool and elegant image been shattered to pieces, but his lifespan had been shortened by at least twenty years.He was now not just a doctor, but also a battlefield nanny, a firefighter, and a part-time automatic spatial teleportation array."Wh-what's going on?!"Yamato watched as the spot where she had just been standing turned into a terrifying pit that seemed to lead straight to hell!!A cold sweat instantly broke out on her back, and as the cold wind blew, she felt a chill.She knew very well that if Law hadn't acted at the last possible second,even with the abnormal recovery power of a Mythical Zoan, she would have been smashed into a two-dimensional photograph."Thanks, Tra-guy!"Yamato turned her head and grinned at Law, who was kneeling on one knee, revealing two sharp and cute little canines!"Shut up! Save your strength for running for your life later!"Law pulled down his spotted cap irritably and shouted coldly.He wanted to save even the strength it took to complain right now.However, before everyone could fully recover from that heart-stopping moment,"Rumble..."A low, oppressive roar, as if some prehistoric beast was waking up, suddenly came from the very center of the deep pit.Gravel was sliding, and dust was billowing.Law and Yamato cast their gazes toward that abyss almost simultaneously.They saw...A violent green Oni Aura suddenly soared into the sky!This Oni Aura was unreasonable;carrying an endless killing intent like Shura and an unyielding fighting spirit that seemed ready to cleave the heavens, it actually forcibly tore a shocking gap through Kaido's high-pressure Haoshoku pressure lingering in the air!"Wh... what the hell is that?!"High up on the platform,"That man... after taking such a solid hit from Big Brother Kaido, he can still stand up?!"There was a trace of unmasked shock in King's voice.Under the incredible and even somewhat terrified gazes of everyone,the dust at the bottom of the crater was slowly pushed aside by an invisible sword pressure.Zoro was covered in blood,more than half of the bones in his body had let out a cracking wail under the heavy blow just now, and his green samurai robes were already tattered and covered in crisscrossing, terrifying wounds.Blood flowed continuously down his forehead, arms, and thighs, completely dyeing him into a man of blood.But he did not fall.He held the wado ichimonji tightly in his mouth, and his hands gripped the sandai kitetsu and Shusui in reverse.With every step he took, he left bloody footprints on the gravel beneath his feet.But in those eyes, there wasn't a hint of pain, fear, or retreat,instead, there burned an extreme excitement and wildness that would make even gods and demons tremble!"Wororo... how interesting... truly interesting!"Kaido held his hassaikai, looking at the man who had crawled back from hell.On his face filled with tyranny, a smile of appreciation finally appeared."Your bones are really not ordinary tough, moss-haired brat!!""I thought that hit just now was enough to let you rest in peace!!""Huff... huff..."Zoro gasped for air; with every breath he took, the broken ribs in his chest brought intense pain.But he seemed completely oblivious to it, instead splitting his blood-stained mouth into a terrifying smile that was even more bloodthirsty than a demon."That greeting's strength... I'll barely give you a passing grade, you overgrown worm."Zoro slowly raised his head, the three-headed, six-armed asura phantom flickering behind him."However, if you only have this much strength, then today, I'll unceremoniously take that head of yours!""Zoro!"Yamato couldn't help but cry out as she looked at Zoro's tragic state, which was still infinitely arrogant.She gripped her hassaikai tightly with both hands and stepped forward to help."Don't come over, idiot!"Zoro forcibly stopped Yamato's movement.He glanced at Yamato out of the corner of his eye, then glanced at Law, who was standing straight again not far away.Without any need for extra words, with just a brief exchange of glances, these three top-tier powerhouses—who could all be called monsters in their respective fields—instantly reached a battle tacit understanding that required no verbal communication.Fighting spirit boiled again in Yamato's icy blue eyes, and she grinned, revealing the wild fangs of a Mythical Zoan."Then let's go together! Today we must poke a few more transparent holes in him!!""So noisy! Just don't hold me back!!"Zoro curled his lip disdainfully, but the HaoshokuHaki entwined with black-purple and dark green on his body grew even more intense, even making a "crackling" sound in the air.And on the other side,Law was already holding the cursed blade "kikoku" upside down,his slender figure flickering within the faint blue "ROOM" light.He pulled down his cap, a dangerous sneer curling at the corner of his mouth."Two idiots with nothing but muscle in their heads... but as decoys, you're barely qualified."The moment his voice fell!"Swish! Swish! Swish!"The figures of Zoro, Yamato, and Law turned into three terrifying afterimages of different colors at the same time, forming an impeccable triangle formation as they launched a storm-like ultimate siege toward Kaido in the center!"Good! Let me see just how much capacity you brats of the New Era have!"Kaido let out an excited laugh, swinging his thousand-pound "hassaikai" and charging forward without retreat to meet the trio's attack.The first to clash was Yamato, meeting him head-on!"Namuji Hyoga!!!"Yamato's large frame leaped high, and on the hassaikai in her hands, icy blue Haoshoku lightning and extreme freezing air merged perfectly.She concentrated all her power into a single point, smashing down toward Kaido's left shoulder like a meteorite hitting the ground!CLANG—!!!The two clubs met, sparks flying everywhere!This time, Yamato gave it her all and actually managed to block Kaido's counterattack.And that overbearing Mythical Zoan extreme cold air exploded instantly from the point of contact!Crack crack crack crack!A visible layer of extreme frost spread from Kaido's left shoulder at a terrifying speed, instantly freezing him completely!The extremely low temperature even caused Kaido's movements to suffer an absolute freeze for a tenth of a second!"Now! Mosshead!" Yamato shouted under the immense pressure."I don't need you to tell me!"Taking advantage of this brief, almost negligible moment of stiffness Yamato had created, Zoro cut in from Kaido's blind spot like a ghost!His eyes were wide, the muscles in his arms bulged exaggeratedly, and two famous blades wrapped in advanced Armament Haki Ryou crossed into a deadly X in mid-air!"Two-Sword Style: Tower Climb: Sand Ripple!!!"Slash—!!!Zoro's figure rose suddenly from bottom to top like a spinning top!Two terrifyingly sharp sword slashes, carrying the power to tear through everything, precisely sliced into Kaido's abdomen!Blood splattered!On Kaido's terrifying body, known for the world's strongest defense,Zoro had forcibly torn two deep gashes!Hot blood gushed out like a fountain, dyeing the clothes around Kaido's waist red."Wororo—!!"With his left shoulder frozen and his abdomen slashed, the consecutive setbacks made Kaido feel a long-lost pain.He exerted force with his right arm, forcibly shattering the ice on his left shoulder, and swung the "hassaikai" to perform a devastating horizontal sweep against the close-range Zoro and Yamato.However,"Tact!"A cold voice came from mid-air.Law's finger pressed down gently.BOOM!A massive, dilapidated attic that was already teetering,under the control of the Ope-Ope no Mi's ability, slammed solidly onto the top of Kaido's head with the sound of whistling wind!Although the massive impact couldn't cause fatal damage to Kaido,the large amount of gravel and wood chips instantly obscured Kaido's vision."Got you."Law's figure flashed in the faint blue light, appearing directly in front of Kaido's broad chest as if teleporting!He held the famous blade "kikoku" with a reverse grip, and a layer of constantly vibrating spatial energy instantly wrapped the blade completely.Law's eyes flickered with the absolute focus and coldness of a surgeon performing a precise operation.He knew very well that to deal with this monster with invincible external defense, he could only dismantle him from the inside!"Gamma Knife!!!"Without hesitation, Law plunged the blade wrapped in terrifying spatial energy into Kaido's chest cavity!The moment the blade entered,an extremely terrifying internal destructive force exploded like a high-explosive mine within Kaido's organs!Pfft—!!!This was an internal crushing that could not be defended against with a hardened body!Kaido's massive frame suddenly stiffened, his eyes bulging and bloodshot.Immediately after, a large mouthful of hot, dark red blood mixed with fragments of shattered internal organs sprayed uncontrollably from his mouth, like a tragic rain of blood.BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!The violent spasms of his internal organs caused Kaido to completely lose his balance, and he retreated dozens of steps uncontrollably.With every step, he crushed the bluestone slabs on the ground.Finally, he heavily crashed through three remaining stone buildings behind him, becoming completely buried under a large amount of gravel and debris.Dust soared into the sky, obscuring the sunlight....
Chapter 525: Battle of Flower Capital (VII) — Monsters' Slaughter!"Huff... did it work?"Yamato propped herself up with her Spiked Club, panting heavily as she stared tensely at the high pile of ruins.Zoro flicked the blood off his blades, his brow furrowed, not letting down his guard.Law also retreated to a safe distance; he glanced at his slightly trembling wrist and let out a long sigh."The Gamma Knife's destructive power destroys internal organs directly at the cellular level. Even for a Mythical Zoan, taking this hit means the heart and lungs will definitely suffer irreversible, severe damage!!""He won't be able to recover in a short time."Law analyzed coldly, glancing at his two blood-soaked companions beside him."Hey, you two brutes, your coordination just now was barely passable.""But don't get happy too soon, that guy..."However, Law hadn't finished his sentence."Worororo... Wororororororo!!!"That laughter pierced through the ruins, sounding like the roar of a demon crawling out from the depths of hell, carrying a bloodthirsty fanaticism suppressed for decades."Bang!"The debris covering the surface of the ruins was instantly pulverized into dust by an overwhelmingly terrifying power, exploding outward in a radial pattern!Kaido slowly walked out from the sky-filling dust.He certainly looked in a wretched state!!His chest was slightly caved in due to the internal destruction of the Gamma Knife, wounds on his abdomen and left shoulder were deep enough to see bone, and blood dripped continuously.However, in his massive, bloodshot dragon pupils, there was an extreme excitement that made one feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar at a single glance!"Hahahaha! This is the feeling!! This is the feeling that makes the blood boil!!"Kaido threw his head back and let out a violent roar toward the sky."How long has it been... since I've felt this kind of pain so close to death?!""Fantastic! You brats, you're really fantastic!"Along with his frenzied roar, the muscles on Kaido's body began to bulge and expand frantically at a rate that completely defied biological common sense!The veins on his body bulged like coiled dragons, and his already burly frame shot up another notch!Even more terrifying, a materialized black-and-red Conqueror's Haki gushed out of him like a bursting tsunami!This Haki was so condensed that it even sucked all the surrounding air dry, forming a massive area of absolute vacuum pressure!Under the three's grave gazes, Kaido's face became even more hideous, his dragon horns grew thicker, and his skin was covered in a layer of azure scales shimmering with a metallic luster.Combining the flexibility of the human form with the terrifying power of the dragon form, he directly entered his full-power state—Berserk Hybrid Form!"The real war has only just begun! Brats!"The situation completely reversed in an instant!!As soon as Kaido finished speaking, his mountain-like figure vanished directly from the spot!Not even an afterimage was left, only two massive craters on the ground stepped out by the terrifying explosive force of his start."So fast!!"Law's Observation Haki warned him frantically; he was just about to open a ROOM.The next instant."Don't look away!"Kaido appeared before Yamato like a ghost.Facing the heavy club his daughter swung at him, he didn't even bother to dodge, letting the ice spikes carrying extreme frost pierce deeply into his shoulder."What?!"Yamato's eyes widened in disbelief; she felt as if her Spiked Club had struck an immovable mountain of iron.Kaido didn't even flinch.Using the momentum of Yamato's attack, he twisted his body suddenly.Gripping the hassaikai, which was wrapped in liquid-like Conqueror's Haki, with a backhand, he turned into a bolt of black-purple lightning at a tricky angle and blasted directly toward Zoro, who was preparing to assist from the side!"Roaring Thunder Bagua!!!"Too fast, too powerful!This move was several times more violent than the previous Thunder Bagua!Zoro only had time to cross his three swords in front of his chest."Boom—!!""Crack! Crack!"The crisp, tooth-aching sound of bones breaking exploded in Zoro's chest.The bones he had just forced back into place snapped again under this strike, even more severely.Zoro flew backward like a broken kite, smashing through a dozen thick stone pillars in the ruins of the Flower Capital before finally being buried under a pile of rubble."Zoro!"Yamato was filled with shock and rage, immediately swinging her Spiked Club in an attempt to rescue him.But Kaido's reaction was faster than hers.His azure-scaled dragon tail whipped through the air with a terrifying sonic boom, brutally striking Yamato's waist just as she turned around."Waaah!"The massive force of the strike smashed Yamatointo the ground, plowing a hundred-meter-long trench."ROOM: Shambles!"Law gritted his teeth, enduring the dizziness from overextending his physical strength, and opened his barrier, preparing to swap Yamato out."Space ability? Too slow!!"Kaido's violent eyes instantly locked onto Law!!He completely ignored the potential physical damage from spatial cutting, and with an unreasonable, savage speed, he forcibly broke through Law's surgical field and closed in on him instantly!That fist, as massive as a sandbag and covered in extremely dense Conquerors Haki Coating, slammed heavily into Law's abdomen without any fancy tricks!"Thump—!!!"The dull, heavy sound made hearts stop.Law's eyes bulged out; he felt as if his intestines and stomach were being completely ground to pieces by this punch.The indescribable pain made him lose the ability to speak.His body was like a cannonball, bleeding from all facial orifices as he flew backward, smashing through the ground of the entire plaza before being embedded deep into a cliff wall at the edge.A one-shot!In front of the full-power Berserk Four Emperors, the slight advantage they had just established melted away instantly like snowflakes in the sun.The ruins of the Flower Capital fell into a brief, deathly silence.The wind blew past, carrying a strong scent of blood."Huff... huff..."A heavy panting sound broke the silence.From the pile of rubble burying Zoro, a blood-covered hand reached out and pushed aside the stone slab pressing on him.Zoro spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm mixed with organ fragments as he knelt on one knee.His left arm hung limply; it was clearly completely dislocated."The battle has only just begun! I can't just kick the bucket like this!!"Zoro grinned, showing a hair-raising, gruesome smile.He used his right hand to grip his dislocated left arm tightly, and without the slightest hesitation, he wrenched it upward!"Crack!"Accompanied by a scalp-numbing sound of bones grinding, he actually forced the displaced joint back into place!Cold sweat instantly soaked his back, but he merely moved his left arm casually, his gaze becoming even more ferocious than before."What a pain, this body still needs more training!!"On the other side, Yamato, who had been whipped into the ground by the dragon tail, also slowly stood up.She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth; her white kimono had become tattered.Her originally clear ice-blue eyes had now completely turned into dangerous beast-like vertical slits, the ferocity of the Mythical Zoan fully triggered."I can't let you be too arrogant! Kaido~"Yamato growled, exhaling a cloud of frost.And by the cliffside.Law propped himself against the stone wall with one hand, struggling to pull himself out of the crater.The wound on his abdomen was shocking, bleeding profusely.But relying on his incredible willpower, he used the power of his Ope-Ope no Mi."ROOM: Tact."Several invisible surgical threads darted through the wound at high speed.This Surgeon of Death was forcibly suturing his own hemorrhaging internal organs without anesthesia."Really a bunch of hopeless lunatics..."Law stood up unsteadily, spitting blood!!In his eyes, which always held calculation, there was now a tint of madness and unruly nature belonging to a pirate."But since I've boarded this pirate ship, I might as well go crazy with you all to the end!"Above the ruins, three Admiral-Emperor levelcombatants who had been heavily injured stood up once more.There was no verbal communication between them, not even a glance of indication.But at this moment, they simultaneously abandoned all thoughts of defense, abandoned so-called technique and reason.Because in the face of absolute power suppression, any fancy defense was just waiting for death!The only chance of survival was to meet attack with attack, to trade life for life!"Kill!!!"Three roars rang out simultaneously.Zoro, Yamato, and Law, like three hungry wolves, crashed into the berserk Kaido once again!The purple-black Haki belonged to Kaido;The ice-blue extreme frost belonged to Yamato;The ghostly blue spatial fluctuations belonged to Law;The ghostly green Oni Aura belonged to Zoro!!Four distinct yet equally violent streams of Hakifrantically crushed, collided, and bit at each other in the sky above the ruins of the Flower Capital!This was not an elegant contest of martial arts, but a most pure and primitive bloody battle in a meat grinder!"Come, brats!"Kaido swung his hassaikai, smashing toward Zorowith world-destroying power.This time, Zoro did not dodge, nor did he even use his twin blades to block.He took this bone-crushing strike head-on with his already heavily injured left shoulder!"Crack!"The bones in his left shoulder shattered again, and the muscle fibers snapped one by one.But using this force, Zoro's right-handed black blade shusui plunged recklessly into the base of Kaido's thigh!"Squelch!"The blade entered the flesh, bringing a spray of blood."Get lost!"Kaido, feeling the pain, kicked Zoro away.But at the same time, Yamato had already pounced from the side.Facing the Advanced Armament Haki attack Kaidoswept back with, Yamato actually pounced right up to Kaido's face!!Opening her mouth full of fangs, a blast of extreme frost breath mixed with a beastly bite sank savagely into the scales of Kaido's neck!"You get lost too!"Kaido roared, reaching out to grab Yamato's head."Swish—!!"Law's figure flashed before Kaido's chest like a ghost.He ignored the wretched state of his sutured wounds bursting open again and the near-death sensation of frantically overdrawing his physical strength.He extended the blade of kikoku to its limit, aiming precisely at the edge of Kaido's heart."Injection Shot!!!"A violent spatial shockwave followed the tip of the blade, striking heavily into the interior of Kaido's chest at point-blank range!"Boom—!!!"Kaido's body shuddered violently, and mouthfuls of blood sprayed out, staining Law's face red."Rumble—!!"This battle had exceeded everyone's understanding!!The four of them were like demons just pulled from a pool of blood, engaging in endless mutual damage in this Shura field named the Flower Capital.After an unknown amount of time."Bang!"The four figures separated abruptly after a violent collision.Zoro leaned on his sword, Yamato knelt on one knee, and Law leaned against a rock.Not a single patch of intact skin could be found on any of the three.In the center of the battlefield, although Kaido was also covered in blood and scars, his aura had become even more violent and unfathomable."Good... very good..."Kaido had completely fallen into a state of frenzied madness.His eyes were a solid crimson as he threw his head back.Slowly, he raised the blood-stained "hassaikai" high above his head."Rumble!!!"The black-purple lightning in the sky seemed to receive an emperor's summons, pouring down frantically like a waterfall, all converging at the tip of the Spiked Club.A destructive aura, more terrifying than any before, was brewing.Looking at the terrifying scene that seemed like the end of the world.Zoro spat out the bloody water in his mouth, Yamato gripped her cracked Spiked Club tightly, and Law wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.The three showed no intention of retreating....
Chapter 526: Battle of the Flower Capital (VIII) — The Melee Begins!The central plaza of the Flower Capital...at this moment, could no longer be considered part of a city at all.The ground had been plowed into bottomless ravines by terrifying Conqueror's Haki!!Under the distant sky, ice-blue extreme cold frost, deep green violent Oni Aura, and black-purple Conqueror's Haki lightning were engaged in a world-destroying strangulation!!Trafalgar Law stood on a broken wall at the edge of the battlefield, gasping for breath."Those two reckless brutes, do they really think I'm an automatic spatial teleportation machine with no cooldown?"Law cursed under his breath through gritted teeth, but his hands didn't slow down in the slightest.Whenever Zoro or Yamato faced a fatal crisis they couldn't withstand,his finger would lightly hook, using "Shambles" to instantly teleport them to safety.Just as Law was focusing intently on the main battlefield, an extremely dangerous killing intent instantly locked onto his back.High in the sky, King the conflagration spread his massive black wings.His eyes, hidden behind his mask, gleamed with a terrifyingly violent light.As a battle-hardened Yonko Commander, he saw through the core of this battle in a single glance!!As long as he took out this annoying surgeon, those two jumping brats would instantly lose their mobility and become sitting targets under Big Brother Kaido's Spiked Club."Die, you nuisance!!"King's body suddenly spun in mid-air, his wings erupting with a deafening sonic boom.He transformed into a meteor burning with blazing flames, heading straight for Law at a terrifying speed that was too fast to see clearly.Upon his longsword, the flames were compressed to the extreme, carrying high temperatures capable of instantly vaporizing steel!!!"Don't even think about it."A mature female voice, tinged with a bit of playfulness and composure, rang out leisurely in the air."Cien Fleur: Big Tree — Stranglehold Net!"Accompanied by pink illusory petals falling from the sky, hundreds of slender white arms suddenly emerged in the air.These arms rapidly interlaced and entangled in mid-air, turning into a giant net in the blink of an eye, forcefully blocking King's charge.BANG—!!!King slammed headfirst into that massive net of arms, his powerful impact forcing the net to cave inward."Get lost!"The crimson flames on King's longsword suddenly surged, turning into a violent sea of fire that spread frantically along the giant net.On the distant ruins, Nico Robin's brow furrowed slightly, and a layer of fine cold sweat broke out on her fair forehead.The burning sensation from the arms was being fed back to her original body in its entirety.The high temperature, sufficient to melt rock, caused her to feel an intense burning pain.But this Archaeologist, who had experienced countless darkness and betrayals, still wore that elegant and composed smile on her lips.She didn't even retreat half a step; crossing her arms before her chest, she endured the burning flames and manipulated the giant net to contract inward, attempting to trap King in mid-air."Nothing but fragile tricks, burn to ashes for me!"King snorted coldly and flapped his wings; an even more massive blaze soared into the sky, burning a large hole directly through Robin's giant net.He flew through the hole, his speed undiminished, as his longsword swung once more toward Law's head."Special Attack: Green Star — Skull Explosive Grass!"Just as King thought he was about to succeed,a strange green seed trailing a whistling sound smashed with pinpoint accuracy right into the center of his mask.BOOM!!!Billowing thick smoke instantly obscured his vision, and the violent shockwave caused his figure to pause in mid-air."Waaaah! I hit it, I hit it! I actually hit a big monster with a bounty of over a billion!"Behind a broken stone pillar below,Usopp held his giant slingshot, "kuro kabuto," his face a mess of tears and snot."Waaaah o(╥﹏╥)o, Luffy, come back quickly! This roasted turkey with black wings looks so scary!"While Usopp was crying hysterically, his hands moved with frantic speed, reloading another special plant seed into the slingshot."Have some backbone, Long-nose!"Uta stood beside Usopp, stomping her foot petulantly, the two tufts of red and white hair atop her head swaying with the motion.The Worlds Greatest Diva stood with her hands on her hips, her large eyes burning with fearless fighting spirit.Her fair fingers danced rapidly in the air, as if playing an invisible piano."Daring to sneak attack our people, you pitch-black guy really have no taste at all!"Multi-colored physical musical notes flowed from Uta's fingertips, converging in mid-air into a violent symphony."Note Armament: Explosive Symphony!"Those notes transformed into a sky full of meteors, trailing brilliant wakes as they rained down overwhelmingly upon King in mid-air.King, who had just dispersed the smoke, was met head-on by this bullet-like bombardment of musical notes.BANG BANG BANG BANG!Consecutive explosions lit up one after another in mid-air.Although it couldn't cause fatal damage to the thick-skinned Ancient Type,the dense impact force was like pieces of giant sticky candy, forcefully smashing King from the sky back to the ground."Well done, you two."Robin lightly shook her slightly reddened arms and walked with elegant steps to Uta and Usopp's side, offering a smile of praise.King's feet smashed heavily onto the ruins, crushing large areas of stone slabs.He looked up, and the look in his eyes behind the mask had changed from initial disdain to an extremely irritable killing intent.The head of the All-Starss of the Beasts Pirateshad actually been forced to a halt by three rookies."Since you're all in such a hurry to die, I'll fulfill your wish."King slowly raised his longsword, and crimson flames began to frantically condense on his body, the surrounding temperature skyrocketing once again.The wings on his back suddenly elongated, the bones of his entire body emitting a series of crackling pops, and his mouth protruded forward, transforming into the Hybrid Form of a Pteranodon."Imperial Red Wing!"King held nothing back; the flames on his serrated longsword were compressed to the extreme, turning into a ferocious fire dragon that dived directly toward the position of Robin's trio.Robin crossed her arms before her chest, her gaze becoming incredibly focused!!Usopp trembled while pulling his slingshot to its limit!!Uta, meanwhile, condensed a massive shield of musical notes in mid-air!!They knew very well that against a monster of this level, any carelessness would lead to total annihilation.But not one of them retreated.Because behind them were their companions, fighting with their lives for victory."Mil Fleur: Gigantesco Mano — Spank!"Robin gave a soft shout as two giant arms rose from the ground, coated in Armament Haki, and slapped toward the fire dragon in mid-air."Special Attack: Green Star — Devil!"Usopp fired frantically with his eyes closed; a giant man-eating plant seed instantly expanded in King's path, opening a bloody maw full of sharp teeth."Don't you dare pass!"Uta's musical note shield emitted a seven-colored light, firmly protecting the trio's position from behind.The fire dragon, the giant hands, and the man-eating plant collided with a roar!The violent energy blasted a giant crater into the ruins.King's charge was forcibly checked, while Robin's trio was blown back by the intense shockwave, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.The tug-of-war and bonds on this battlefield had officially entered a life-and-death climax...—Shifting the perspective to the other side of the Flower Capital plaza,Queen had a thick cigar in his mouth, his eyes behind small round sunglasses full of insidious light.His thick mechanical arm was rapidly assembling and reconfiguring."Muhahaha! Since that green-haired brat with the swords has gone to his death, I'll start a massacre right here!"Queen laughed, pulling out a specially-made Gatling gun with an exaggerated design from his coat!!The barrels were loaded with his proudest masterpiece — Ice Oni virus bullets!"Let you ignorant overseas rats taste the power of my genius invention!""Turn into mindless ice-sculpture demons! Muhahaha!"Queen pressed the trigger excitedly, the barrels beginning to spin rapidly, and it looked like the bullets carrying the lethal virus were about to fire.Just at this critical moment!BOOM—!!!A colossal object descended from the sky, slamming heavily into the open ground in front of Queen.Dust soared into the sky, and the earth shook violently.Accompanied by a flash of dazzling five-colored neon lights, a giant mechanical voice full of heavy metal texture echoed through the ruins."SUPER---!!!"The dust cleared,revealing a giant heavy-armored mecha with an exaggerated design full of manly romanticism, striking a perverted pose with arms joined in a star shape, perfectly blocking Queen's line of sight.It was the ultimate weapon Law had teleported ahead of time using his ability — General Franky!Franky, sitting in the cockpit and wearing a pair of flashy sunglasses, let out a world-shaking laugh through the loudspeaker."Thinking of using that insidious biochemical weapon against my comrades?""First see if this invincible mecha, fused with technology beyond this era, will allow it!"Queen looked at the gaudy, neon-flickering giant robot before him, and the cigar in his mouth fell out in shock!!As a fellow cyborg who loved mechanical technology, Queen's scientist soul, hidden beneath his fat, actually felt a strange resonance at this moment."Ooh ooh ooh! Those smooth metallic lines! That heavy armor full of power!""...And those tacky yet eye-catching light effects!"Queen's eyes sparkled, and he even couldn't help but perform a ridiculous rap dance on the spot."Yo! Yo! It seems there are geniuses among you pirates who understand true art!""But this mecha is as laughable as a child's toy before the greatest scientist like me!"Queen ripped off his cloak, revealing a giant laser emitter mounted on his shoulder."Let me show you what true destructive power is! Black Light Cannon!"Queen roared,the emitter on his shoulder charging frantically,as a thick black high-pressure beam carrying temperatures that could melt anything headed straight for General Franky's chest."Competing in firepower? Just what I wanted! This is a man's romantic duel!"Franky, his blood boiling, pulled down the control lever; General Franky's giant mechanical arms joined in front of its chest, and a dazzling blue-white light lit up in its palms."General: Radical Beam!"An equally thick blue-white laser beam erupted from the mecha's palms, clashing violently with Queen's Black Light Cannon in mid-air!ZZZZZZT—!!!Two completely different laser energies crushed and devoured each other in mid-air!!The ground rapidly softened under the terrifying heat, turning into scalding dark-red lava!!Ripples of heat waves spread out like ripples, scorching the Beasts Pirates' fodder who tried to approach until they were burnt and battered."You fat bastard, your firepower is pretty fierce! SUPER!"Franky was drenched in sweat in the cockpit, pushing the control lever with all his might to output energy."Muhahaha! You scantily-clad pervert cyborg aren't bad either!""...But my energy is infinite!"Queen was also sweating profusely, the rolls of fat on his large face trembling violently with the fluctuations of energy.The two of them, in the center of the ruins, engaged in a pure technological clash with no technical skill, relying entirely on energy output and manly passion.While the two were at a stalemate, the thick dark clouds that had been obscuring the Flower Capitalwere suddenly blown apart by a gust of wind, revealing a crack.A bright full moon, emitting a cold glow, hung in the night sky without warning.Under the illumination of this full moon,the Mink Tribe girl Carrot, who had been moving along the edges of the battlefield, suddenly stopped running.She looked up, her clear large eyes gazing at the full moon in the night sky!!A wild power that couldn't be described in words began to wake up frantically within her body."The full moon... has come out."Carrot murmured softly, her body beginning to undergo an amazing transformation.Her originally soft golden short hair grew frantically like a waterfall under the baptism of Moonlight, turning into a dazzling silver long hair that flew wildly in the wind.Her petite and cute body became slender and full of explosive power, and her clear eyes instantly turned blood-red like a beast's!!A visible violent blue electric arc began to wrap frantically around her entire body, crackling and popping.The Mink Tribe's strongest combat form — Sulong!At this moment, Carrot shed her usual ditziness and transformed into a thunderous war god descended upon the mortal world."Franky! I'll help you!"Carrot's voice became ethereal and cold, and the ground beneath her feet instantly shattered.SWISH—!Her figure vanished directly from the spot, her speed so fast that even Queen's Observation Hakicouldn't catch it.Queen, who was focusing all his attention on clashing lasers with Franky, suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness from above his head.He struggled to roll his eyes upward to look.Under the full moon, Carrot, in her Sulong form, appeared like a ghost directly above him."Electrical Charge: Thunder Rabbit Claw!"On Carrot's claws, terrifying blue high-voltage electricity capable of instantly melting steel condensed!!With a scream that tore through the air, she clawed fiercely at Queen's defenseless large fat face."What's that? So fast!"Queen was shocked, but it was too late to dodge.CRACKLE—!!!The violent current slammed squarely into Queen's face, the terrifying voltage instantly disrupting his nervous system's conduction."It's cooked~""Waaaah! It's numb, it's numb, it's numb! My tongue is going to be cooked by the electricity!"Queen let out a scream, his entire body's fat twitching uncontrollably under the stimulation of the current!!"Well done, Carrot!"Seeing this, how could Franky miss such a perfect opening."Take this blow full of my love! General Cannon!"The armor on General Franky's chest opened instantly,and a super cannonball trailing a dazzling flame slammed mercilessly into the twitching Queen's round belly.BOOM—!!!A giant mushroom cloud rose from the ruins.Poor Queen,who had just suffered a great loss at Law's hands not long ago,was now once again sent flying like a broken ball under the tag-team of Franky and Sulong Carrot, crashing through a dozen stone walls in a row before stopping, spitting white smoke and seeing stars....
Chapter 527: Battle of the Flower Capital (IX) — Hatred and Dignity!Meanwhile, on the other side!Jack the drought was dragging his heavy body, wading through the piles of rubble.The penetrating wound on his chest, carved by Zoro's single blade, was still incessantly seeping blood!!As a user of the Ancient Type Mammoth Fruit, under normal circumstances, such an injury would have already begun to self-heal.However, the eerie Oni Aura and Haoshoku left on the wound by that green-haired swordsman were actually constantly destroying his cell regeneration."Damn Straw Hat... Damn Mosshead..."Jack cursed through gritted teeth, blood continuously gushing from his mouth full of fangs.He had to rush back to Onigashima as soon as possible to find the medical unit to treat the wound; otherwise, this Oni Aura would eventually rot his internal organs completely.However, just as he turned a mountain pass,The road ahead was deadlocked by three figures radiating a monstrous killing intent.A gale blew across the wilderness, swirling up withered leaves into the sky.The clouds in the sky slowly dispersed, and a cold full moon cast its radiance upon the three of them.On the left was the King of the Day of the Mink Tribe, Duke Inuarashi, clad in a cloak and holding a rapier.On the right was the massive King of the Night of the Mink Tribe, Master Nekomamushi, gripping a long-handled dao.And standing right in the center was one of the Akazaya Nine, Shutenmaru, holding a tachi, his fleshy body trembling violently with rage!"Jack..."On Master Nekomamushi's giant cat face, there was none of the usual comicality, only an abyssal, icy killing intent.He looked up, and those cat eyes instantly turned crimson under the illumination of the full moon."Nineteen years ago, the Beasts Pirates invaded Wano Country... The debt for the cruel murder of Lord Oden..."Duke Inuarashi slowly drew his rapier, his body also undergoing a startling transformation as his silver-white fur grew wildly under the Moonlight."Today, right here, you shall pay for it with your life!"Accompanied by two terrifying beastly roars that shook the valley,Inuarashi and Nekomamushi simultaneously entered their Sulong forms!Violent lightning coiled around the two giant beasts, and the wild pressure coming from the depths of their bloodlines even made the air feel heavy.Shutenmaru did not have the Sulong bloodline, but in his bloodshot eyes, a fire of revenge burned hotter than lightning.He gripped his tachi with both hands, and deep purple Ryou Haki completely enveloped the blade, with substantial black air currents even overflowing from the tip.Twenty years of forbearance and the tragic sight of his brothers being slaughtered by poison gas transformed into a resentment that could burn the sky and boil the sea at this moment."You brainless, stupid elephant, today is the day you die!"Looking at the three people in front of him whose momentum had completely exploded, a trace of despair finally couldn't help but emerge in Jack's bloodshot elephant eyes.He knew very well that even at his peak, he couldn't easily win against the three of them combined, let alone now when he was seriously injured and facing the desperate situation of them being in Sulong form.But he was a All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates! He was Lord Kaido's confidant!The wildness and dignity of an Ancient Type would never allow him to take half a step back!"Don't look down on me! I am [The drought]!"His body expanded wildly, his muscles tearing open his wounds as blood sprayed out,But he didn't care at all as he transformed into his ultimate hybrid battle form—half-man, half-mammoth!Wielding two Shotel blades like an out-of-control heavy tank, he charged toward the three of them."Die!!!"Duke Inuarashi's figure vanished from the spot in a flash.Puchi—!In the next second, like a bolt of silver lightning, he appeared directly in Jack's left blind spot.The rapier, entwined with powerful high-voltage electricity, easily pierced through Jack's left leg, trailing a long string of hot blood."Argh—!"Jack's figure staggered violently; under the paralysis of the electricity, his left leg instantly lost most of its sensation!!Before he could swing his blades in a counterattack, a massive black shadow had already descended, blotting out the sky.Master Nekomamushi swung his thick arm in mid-air, his cat claws latching onto the giant ivory tusk that Jack was so proud of."Lie down for me, meow!"Relying on the unreasonable monstrous strength of the Mink Tribe, Nekomamushi forcibly gave Jack—this ancient giant beast weighing dozens of tons—a violent over-the-shoulder throw!BOOM!!!Jack's mountain-like body was slammed head-first into the hard rocky ground, directly smashing out an enormous crater."The final blow!"Shutenmaru leapt high into the air,One Sword Style: Shura Decapitation!The black-purple blade light drew a perfect arc of death in mid-air, slashing toward Jack's neck!Tshhh—!!!The destructive power of Ryou exploded at Jack's neck! Large chunks of flesh were blown everywhere.However, at the very moment the blade was about to sever Jack's cervical spine!"ROOOAAAR---!!!"Jack's eyes were as red as blood as he let out an ancient elephant trumpeting that could shatter eardrums!Under the absolute pressure of death, the Ancient Type vitality within his body was frantically squeezed out.He actually used his thick trunk to tightly wrap around the blade of Shutenmaru's tachi, allowing the edge to slice through the flesh of his trunk to forcibly stop this certain-kill strike!"I... am a All-Stars!""How could I... die at the hands of you remnants!"Jack was covered in blood, like a flesh-and-blood demon crawling out of hell.Risking having his trunk severed, his terrifying monstrous strength erupted, and he actually flung Shutenmaru away along with his sword.Immediately after, he gripped his twin blades and swung them wildly, forcing the approaching Inuarashi and Nekomamushi back.Blood poured from him like a waterfall; every movement was overdrawing his life.But he simply would not fall!Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Shutenmaruretreated a hundred meters away, looking at this monster with mangled flesh who was still fighting to the death, their gazes solemn to the extreme."This guy's vitality... is practically a hundred times more tenacious than a cockroach's."Shutenmaru wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said through gritted teeth.There was no retreat, only a fight to the death!!The gale swirled up bloody dust,On one side were the avengers carrying twenty years of blood feuds;On the other side was the All-Stars upholding the last dignity of the Beasts Pirates!!—While the main battlefields were fighting in full swing,In the peripheral districts of the Flower Capital, a one-sided slaughter was also taking place."So annoying... so annoying... so annoying!""That idiot Orochi actually got decapitated by a green-haired swordsman in one strike!""And now we have to be here cleaning up these rebellious samurai!"Ulti, one of the Tobi Roppo, was stomping her feet irritably.Her pretty face, covered by a mask, was written all over with a 'do not approach' irritability.She casually grabbed a rebel samurai by the collar and leaned her body back sharply."Ulti-Mortar!"Accompanied by the scalp-numbing sound of bones shattering, Ulti's iron-hard forehead slammed violently into the samurai's face.The samurai didn't even have time to scream before his entire facial structure collapsed, and he was sent flying back like a cannonball, knocking down a large number of his comrades."With just you weaklings, you dare to challenge the Beasts Pirates?...It's simply laughable!"Ulti shouted arrogantly, charging through the crowd like a rampaging young dragoness, every headbutt taking out the fighting capacity of several samurai.Behind her, Page One, who had transformed into his Spinosaurus form, sighed helplessly!He swung his giant claws, swatting away the samurai trying to get close to his sister like they were flies."Big sis, calm down a bit. We're just responsible for clearing out the peripheral small fry. Don't be so worked up, okay?"Page One advised cautiously."Shut up, Pay-pay! Are you lecturing your sister?""Believe it or not, I'll headbutt you too!"Ulti turned around, glaring fiercely at her younger brother.Page One shrunk his neck back in fear and quickly shut his mouth, continuing to honestly act as an emotionless mob-clearing machine.On this land ignited by the flames of war, every corner was playing out a contest of life and death.Gunsmoke filled the air, and Haki permeated everywhere!!