“Boom!!”
A deafening explosion erupted as the battle between Kaido and Ron officially began at the port.
Kaido had been living on the edge since childhood, having experienced countless battles big and small.
In terms of combat experience, he was a seasoned veteran.
As for Ron…
he had lived a peaceful life on Blue Planet for his first eighteen years, and it had only been just over a year since he crossed over into the world of pirates.
From the moment they clashed, his movements were noticeably more awkward compared to Kaido’s.
“Hey, new guy!”
Kaido swung his spiked club, growing increasingly frustrated as the fight went on.
“What’s with all this dodging?
The path of a true powerhouse isn’t paved by running away!”
But Ron’s mindset was completely different from his.
After all, this was his first time facing off against a notable figure in this world, so playing it safe was the right call.
He dodged to gauge just how much force was behind each of Kaido’s swings.
He kept dodging because he was wary of whether Kaido might be feigning weakness to set up an ambush.
Now it seemed that each swing from Kaido carried roughly the same power, so he probably wasn’t holding back.
In that case!
“Whoosh!”
Ron suddenly came to an abrupt halt, planting his feet firmly on the ground as he faced Kaido head-on.
Kaido was slightly taken aback, but then a grin spread across his face.
Newbies were always newbies—they couldn’t hold back, getting provoked by a few taunts.
“Heh…
take this!”
Before the words even finished, Kaido swiftly coated his spiked club with Armament Haki and swung it horizontally toward Ron’s face.
Ron moved almost simultaneously with Kaido, also coating his weapon with Armament Haki before striking.
“Boom”
The two weapons collided violently, and the intense impact instantly unleashed terrifying shockwaves that swept in all directions.
In terms of pure explosive power, Ron, bolstered by his Sage Body, clearly had the upper hand over Kaido.
After the clash of two terrifying forces, Kaido was sent staggering backward by the shockwave, his feet carving two deep trenches into the ground.
A look of disbelief was clearly etched across his face.
“You bastard…!” Kaido glared, shouting in frustration.
“You were dodging all that time just to make me let my guard down?!”
Ron ignored him.
In a flash, he closed the distance and pressed the attack.
Meanwhile, the people on the ship instinctively realized they had underestimated Ron.
It had to be said…
Rocks really had a sharp eye for talent.
“John.”
Stussy leisurely walked over to John and spoke in a measured tone.
“I’ll bet ten billion that the new guy wins.”
John looked at her as if she were an idiot, cursing under his breath.
“What the hell are you betting on?”
“Tch, can’t take a joke.”
Stussy tossed out the remark indifferently before turning and heading toward Whitebeard.
John was so furious that veins bulged on his forehead.
He shouted at her retreating back, “Me?
Can’t take a joke?
Are you serious, you bastard?
Come on, come over here!
I’ll bet twenty billion that the new guy wins!”
But Stussy paid him no mind.
John’s face turned green with rage.
“Stussy!
You bastard!
Just messing with me, huh?!”
On the ship’s deck, Rocks continued to drink the last of his fine wine, his lips curling into an exaggerated, almost twisted grin: “Wahahaha!
It seems…
this trip wasn’t entirely without gains.”
“Boom..!”
“Boom..!”
With each explosive collision, Kaido’s figure was forced backward, his expression growing increasingly grim and tense.
Then, a risky idea took root deep within him.
“Swish!”
Ron’s long blade slashed fiercely into Kaido’s body.
Even with Armament Haki covering him for defense, Kaido’s chest immediately turned crimson.
Ron clearly paused for a moment.
Logically, Kaido should have been able to dodge that strike.
“You think you’ve won?”
Kaido’s voice rang in his ears, carrying a fierce edge, “I took one of your slashes, but you…
can you take one of my club strikes?”
Ron understood instantly.
This guy Kaido, seeing he couldn’t gain the upper hand, was planning to trade injury for injury, to outlast him in a battle of endurance.
“Swish~!”
What seemed like several seconds was, in reality, just the blink of an eye.
Kaido’s spiked club came whistling through the air, carrying a violent force straight toward Ron.
“Trade injury for injury?” Ron didn’t dodge: “Quite an inventive move.”
He wanted to see what expression would appear on the face of this man, who in the “future” would be called the “Strongest Creature,” when his plan completely fell apart.
“Thud!!”
A dull, thunderous roar erupted around them, the powerful shockwave kicking up billowing dust that instantly swallowed the area where the two stood.
Whoosh!
The displaced dirt poured down like a torrential rain, pelting everything in sight.
The dust gradually thinned.
Kaido’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.
“You bastard…”
Where Ron was injured, white steam was rising, and…
the wound was healing at a visible, rapid pace.
This was all thanks to his own ‘Sage Body.’ Besides providing an endless supply of energy, the Sage Body possessed ultra-fast regenerative abilities—even fatal wounds could heal in an instant.
Kaido’s composure cracked at that moment.
This newcomer not only had some skills but was also a freak of nature.
“Don’t rush just yet.”
Ron calmly uttered these words and began testing another ability of his: ‘Tailed Beast Transformation.’
In an instant, crimson vertical pupils replaced his originally clear eyes.
An orange-red Chakra cloak erupted like blazing flames, a scorching heat washing over them.
His body expanded dramatically in a split second, becoming enormous.
Behind him, one tail after another burst forth, thrashing wildly in the air with howling winds.
Kaido’s pupils contracted violently once more.
This time, his composure shattered completely.
Not only a freak of nature?
But also a damn Devil Fruit user?
And from the looks of it, clearly an incredibly powerful Devil Fruit at that!
Why him?!
Kaido’s face was filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
He suddenly felt that the gap between him and Ron…
came down to luck.
With the appearance of “Tailed Beast Transformation,” most people on the ship grew intrigued.
“A Zoan…
a Mythical Zoan?”
Linlin stared at Ron’s Tailed Beast Transformation form, making an intrigued guess.
“Seems…
like it’s still quite powerful?” Streusen stood beside Linlin, chiming in.
“Mamamama!” Linlin laughed lightly.
“Just based on raw strength alone, that kid Kaido has already taken a hit.
Now…
he’s probably going to suffer quite a bit.”
“Hahahaha.” Stussy covered her mouth with a light chuckle, her eyes sparkling.
“I thought Rocks had picked up some trash…
but who would’ve guessed there’d be a twist?
Right, Newgate?”