The light blazed with hellish intensity, a purgatory-like storm of energy expanding in concentric rings, threatening to obliterate everything in its path.
From high above, one could see the ground at the epicenter being torn open, then heaving outward like a tsunami, shockwaves rippling in all directions.
Gale-force winds roared, flinging debris into a chaotic maelstrom.
"Terrifying... the sheer force..."
Queen instantly shifted into his massive Brachiosaurus form, coiling his colossal body around the experimental apparatus that measured Darren's physical data, shielding it from the encroaching shockwaves.
Even from such a distance, the aura and cataclysmic energy unleashed by the two combatants sent shivers down his spine, his scalp prickling with dread.
It was no exaggeration to say that either of those monsters could shatter Onigashima with a single strike if they aimed their full power at the island.
"Hey, Fatty in Tights," Dragon suddenly called out. "Are you sure that machine can even measure strength on this scale?"
He stood frozen, staring at the apocalyptic spectacle in the distance, his lips twitching uncontrollably.
Queen's eye twitched. "Let's hope so," he muttered.
"It's about to end..." King murmured beside them, his voice low and grave.
Dragon and Queen held their breath and turned their gaze back to the distant battlefield.
---
The boundless light in the sky gradually drew inward, then receded toward the center.
When the blinding glare finally vanished, what remained was a scorched, pitted wasteland. A colossal, terrifying impact crater sprawled across the island's center.
The crater stretched several kilometers across. Everything that had once stood there had been pulverized into dust.
Thick black smoke billowed upward. Residual flames crawled across the ruined ground, and occasional arcs of electricity flickered through the air like glimpses of Hell.
"Where are they?!" Queen roared, eyes bulging as he strained to peer through the swirling smoke, desperate to find the two figures.
"In the sky... they're falling," Dragon said quietly, his eyes narrowing.
They looked up and saw two battered silhouettes plummeting from the clouds together, one trailing slightly behind the other.
The wind howled past their bloodied, mangled bodies. Their injuries were horrific, and yet, even as they fell at such terrifying speed, both remained limp and unmoving, eyes closed, clearly unconscious.
Boom!
Boom!
With two thunderous crashes, dust geysered upward as Darren and Kaido slammed into the ground almost at the same time, carving out twin impact craters.
"Big Brother Kaido!"
"Boss Kaido!"
"Darren!"
King, Queen, and Dragon's faces darkened at once, and they rushed forward as one.
King's wings thrummed as he dove straight down, landing heavily beside Kaido. The Emperor lay unconscious, face streaked with blood, his body covered in wounds—yet his hand still clutched his Kanabo in a death grip. Gritting his teeth, King glanced at Queen, who landed a heartbeat later.
"Queen! Check Big Brother Kaido's injuries immediately!"
Panting heavily, Queen nodded, his face twisted with anxiety. Panic gnawed at his chest.
Ever since he had joined the Beasts Pirates, Kaido had been an invincible existence in Queen's eyes. He had never once seen the man so grievously wounded.
Queen dropped to a crouch. The panels on his mechanical arm snapped open, and a series of diagnostic instruments unfolded, swiftly beginning an on-the-spot assessment of Kaido's condition.
"At least eighteen ribs broken. Severe damage to the lungs, fluid accumulation. Massive internal bleeding..."
As Queen's voice grew increasingly hoarse, the expression beneath King's mask turned even colder, an invisible killing intent radiating from his body.
"...Fortunately, that last attack didn't hit a vital point. Boss Kaido must have used his body to divert the impact. He's out of immediate danger—for now."
When he finally finished the examination, Queen let out a long, ragged breath and collapsed onto his rear, his back soaked in cold sweat.
"Hey, Fatty, come help me check on Darren too... He seems to be in bad shape!" Dragon called urgently, crouching beside the collapsed black-haired youth with a grim expression.
"Sure thing..." Queen replied on reflex, about to get up—only for King to vanish from his side in an instant.
Dragon's expression hardened; his eyes flashed.
He whirled around, his Three-Fingered Dragon Claw lashing out with ruthless precision.
Clang!!
A longsword wreathed in crimson flames was caught in the Dragon Claw's grasp, sparks bursting from the clash.
Behind the blade stood King, his pitch-black silhouette wreathed in murderous intent.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Dragon's voice turned icy.
"This was a life-or-death duel for the title of 'Strongest'. Are you really planning to interfere now?"
Strange flames erupted from King's body, burning away his black mask in an instant and revealing long white hair and an austere, striking face.
"I will absolutely not allow anyone to harm Kaido-san!" he roared. "Unforgivable!"
Boom!
Flames surged skyward, engulfing King in a blazing column of fire.
"Is that so? Then I'm sorry," Dragon replied, expression darkening. "I owe Darren more than I could ever repay in this lifetime. I can't let you endanger his life."
A visible hurricane exploded from Dragon's body, the air screaming as it rushed outward.
Crimson fire and emerald wind soared to their limits and collided, the two forces tearing at each other, each trying to engulf and devour the other.
"If you want to kill Darren... then you'd better be ready to stake your own life!"
Dragon bellowed, his aura surging. The raging storm pressed down, smothering King's flames.
King grunted, a thin line of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Even so, his gaze did not waver. His eyes blazed with mad resolve.
Just as he was about to hurl himself fully into the clash—
"Enough, Alber," a deep, hoarse voice rasped from behind him, freezing King in place.
"Kaido-san?" He turned and saw Kaido slowly rousing from unconsciousness, one hand planted on the ground, the other still gripping his Kanabo as he struggled to stand.
Kaido shook his head at King, then shifted his gaze past him to the unmoving black-haired youth behind Dragon.
"Don't even think about it!" Dragon snapped, his figure blurring as he moved to stand between them, adopting a guarded stance that blocked Kaido's line of sight.
Kaido, breathing hard, glanced at Dragon—and suddenly said, "I've lost."
His words stunned Dragon, King, and Queen into silence.
King and Queen in particular were struck dumb, scarcely able to believe what they had just heard.
Big Brother Kaido... admitting defeat?!
To be continued...