Though that wisp of black flame was as faint as a snowflake and vanished the instant it appeared, the three observers still caught the bizarre phenomenon in that fleeting moment.
Their eyes widened, their bodies locked in place like soulless puppets, utterly motionless.
Only after Kaido's battle-scarred yet still savagely imposing back receded into the distance and finally disappeared amid the swirling dust did Dragon, King, and Queen gradually come back to their senses.
"Th-that was..." Queen stammered, his jaw hanging open in speechless astonishment.
A wave of shock rippled across King's face—but that initial shock quickly twisted into an unprecedented surge of confidence, rekindling a fierce light and burning anticipation in his eyes.
Just as expected of Big Brother Kaido...
His fists clenched, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.
Moments earlier, he had wavered. For the first time, he'd doubted Kaido's might, his conviction shaken and muddled.
But now, just from that glimpse of black flame, all of his lingering hesitation and confusion had been swept away.
That was... Awakening.
The Awakening of a Mythical Zoan.
"This is... trouble..."
While King and Queen were caught between ecstasy and relief, Dragon wore an expression as sour as if he'd just bitten into a Devil Fruit. The corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He had never imagined that after such a life-or-death battle with Darren—one that had nearly shattered the island—Kaido would actually awaken his Devil Fruit.
That wisp of black flame had been as fragile as a candle flame in a storm, flickering as if it might go out at any second...
But having once clashed with the Gorosei and witnessed Darren's duel with Saint Michael firsthand, Dragon was absolutely certain of what he'd seen: that was the black flame cloud born from a Zoan Awakening.
As this realization flashed through his mind, a vivid image surfaced unbidden: Kaido in his Hybrid Form, encircled by a swirling halo of black flame clouds. Dragon shuddered involuntarily.
Even before Awakening, Kaido had been monstrously ferocious. Now that his Devil Fruit had awakened, just how terrifying would his combat power become?
Dragon didn't want to picture it.
An "Indestructible Body," combined with the "tenacious life force" and "regenerative power" that came with a Zoan Awakening—allowing him to rise again no matter how many times he was beaten down—and amplified by absurd physical strength and destructive power...
That Kaido would be nothing short of an undying monster.
The thought of facing such a being as an enemy sent chills crawling down Dragon's spine.
But then it hit him: with Kaido's temperament, even if he craved battle, Darren would inevitably be his first target.
The moment that thought came, Dragon felt a wave of relief wash over him.
"Big Brother Kaido lost this time, but he'll win next time," King suddenly declared, turning to fix Dragon with a hard stare.
Dragon chuckled softly. "Is that so?"
"Don't forget, my boy Darren hasn't even shown his full strength yet."
King fell silent. He cast a deep, searching glance at the unconscious black-haired youth behind Dragon, then clenched his fist and stomped once on the ground. With a powerful flap of his wings, he shot into the sky.
In the next moment, his figure elongated and shifted, morphing into his black Pteranodon form. King disappeared into the distant heavens.
"That guy's always like that. Don't take it to heart," Queen said casually, wincing as he rubbed his swollen face. "The World Government practically wiped out the Lunarian Race. He's just one of the lucky ones that slipped through the cracks."
"He was an orphan from the start, locked up and used as an experimental subject by the World Government. His personality's... unstable, and he's always on edge. It wasn't until Boss Kaido busted him out of that Government lab that he started projecting a kind of fatherly image onto him."
"What kid who idolizes their father could ever accept seeing that almighty figure grow vulnerable—or even lose?"
Dragon listened quietly, then nodded in acknowledgment.
That's true enough.
If my own 'invincible' father ever went down, I'd probably struggle to accept it too...
"I didn't realize you had an interest in psychology as well," Dragon remarked with a faint smile.
Queen rolled his eyes, scratched his rotund backside, and said proudly, "Didn't I tell you? I'm the world's greatest scientist! Studying the psychology and emotions of test subjects is a crucial part of any proper biological experiment."
With that, he hitched up his overalls, squatted beside the unconscious Darren, and pulled out several instruments to examine his injuries.
"Hmm... his injuries are noticeably worse than Boss Kaido's..."
Queen's plump face gradually grew solemn, deep lines forming between his brows.
"At least forty fractures all over his body. Signs of ruptured lungs and spleen. External bleeding is mostly under control, but the internal damage is pretty severe..."
Dragon frowned. "Isn't Darren's physique just as tough as Kaido's? Don't they both possess the 'Indestructible Body'?"
"And with 'Magnetic Field Rotation' active, his strength and speed should surpass Kaido's. How did he end up more badly injured?"
Queen shot Dragon a withering look, as though questioning his intelligence. While his mechanical arm busied itself staunching Darren's residual bleeding, he said flatly, "They both have an 'Indestructible Body,' sure—but that's only in their base state. Don't forget, Boss Kaido is a Mythical Zoan—specifically, the Azure Dragon."
"Whether in his full beast form or his Hybrid Form, those dragon scales are as hard as diamonds. And Zoan abilities boost the toughness of the internal organs across the board."
"On top of that, Boss Kaido has a devastating technique Darren hasn't mastered yet."
"An ability that can strike from a distance and pierce any defense, with destructive power far beyond Armament Haki's Internal Destruction," Dragon said quietly, a faint light flickering in his eyes. After a long pause, he sighed, a trace of helplessness edging into his voice. "...Conqueror's Haki Infusion."
Queen shrugged. "So even though Darren's raw physical stats are higher than Boss Kaido's, in terms of overall combat power, the difference isn't that huge. Of course, Darren still has the advantage."
He suddenly grinned. "But if Boss Kaido fully awakens, things might get complicated."
Dragon shot the fat man a cold look, unable to hide his disdain for the blatant bootlicking. "Kaido's only brushed against the realm of Awakening," he said icily. "That doesn't mean he can fully awaken... and even if he does, it doesn't guarantee he'll gain an 'Undying Body' like the Gorosei. Among the top fighters in this world, there are levels even within 'Awakening' itself."
To be continued...