Crack…
The massive boulder, weighing easily over 100 tons, held its shape for less than 3 seconds after the impact.
Then, the structural integrity failed completely. With a thunderous crashing sound that echoed across the island, the rock shattered into thousands of fragments, stirring up a massive cloud of dust that obscured everything within a 50-meter radius. It was impossible to see Enel's current condition through the thick, choking gray haze.
However, the lack of visibility did not prevent the spectators from feeling a surge of genuine surprise at Donquixote Doflamingo's sudden, terrifying burst of power.
Standing beside King the Wildfire, Jack the Drought—one of the three All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates—watched the scene with a heavy, solemn gaze. His arms were crossed, and his brow was furrowed deeply.
For the first time, Jack realized that he might have been operating under a serious misconception regarding the nature of strength.
Prior to this moment, Jack hadn't truly understood or respected the power known as Conqueror's Haki.
He had heard the rumors, of course. People like Don Chinjao of the Happo Navy claimed that in the New World, users of Conqueror's Haki were as common as cattle in a field. But from Jack's perspective, that was just hyperbolic nonsense. In his experience, the true masters of this power were incredibly rare, countable on the fingers of one hand.
This scarcity had led Jack to a false conclusion.
He had always believed that the monsters capable of defeating him—beings like his Big Brother Kaido, Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, and Red-Haired Shanks—were dominant not because of their "King's Haki," but because they were simply biologically superior monsters with immense physical strength and durability.
Furthermore, the "lesser" users he had met, like the old, bitter Chinjao or even Doflamingo standing before him, didn't inspire fear. Even though they possessed the disposition of a King, Doflamingo still feared Kaido, and Chinjao had been crushed by Garp. This gave Jack the illusion that Conqueror's Haki was nothing special—just a parlor trick for knocking out weaklings.
But now, watching the destruction caused by a single kick, Jack realized how wrong he had been.
As a fellow warrior who had endured the hellish training inside the volcano, Jack knew Enel's limits well. Enel had only been training his Haki for a short time; his Armament Haki was not yet as dense or solid as an All-Star's. Furthermore, as a Logia-type user, Enel did not possess the naturally thick skin and insane recovery rate of an Ancient Zoan-type like himself.
However, seeing Enel's Armament defense shattered so instantly by Doflamingo was shocking.
In a contest of Armament Haki, it was usually a battle of attrition. It was extremely difficult to break another master's defense in a single blow unless you exhausted their stamina first. The only exception was if one side possessed a significantly higher tier of technique, such as the advanced "Internal Destruction" Ryou used by the samurai of Wano.
But Doflamingo hadn't used that. Jack could feel that Doflamingo's Armament Haki was strong, but not overwhelming. Yet, by infusing his Conqueror's spirit, he had smashed through Enel's guard as if it were glass.
Confused, Jack turned his massive head toward the sky. "Big Brother... I don't get it. How did he break through so easily?"
Kaido, floating above the battlefield in his dragon-human hybrid form, heard the question. He looked down at his subordinate and laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that shook the air.
"Worororo! Jack, I am very pleased that you are finally using your brain to think about this. Your confusion is natural. Listen well!"
Kaido's voice boomed, attracting the attention of everyone on the island. Even the lower-ranking soldiers stopped to listen to the Governor-General's lecture.
"Among the three types of Haki," Kaido began, "leaving aside the perception-based Observation Haki for now, think of Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki as weapons. You can imagine them as a shield and a spear."
Kaido gestured with his kanabo, his eyes gleaming with the wisdom of a warrior who had survived countless wars.
"Armament Haki is the shield. Although it can be used for both offense and defense, its fundamental nature is protection—an invisible armor. If you attack with it, it is like smashing someone with a heavy iron shield. While it can certainly crush bones and harm the enemy, it is blunt. The energy required to kill with a shield is massive, and it is inefficient."
Kaido paused, letting the words sink in before continuing with a darker tone.
"But Conqueror's Haki is different. This is the manifestation of domination. It is pure offensive power. Compared to the shield of Armament, Conqueror's Haki is a sharp, piercing spear. Now, tell me, Jack... do you think it is easier to kill a man with a spear or a shield?"
Hearing this explanation, a wave of realization swept across the spectators on the island. It was a simple, brutal analogy that made perfect sense.
Jack nodded slowly, his eyes widening. "I understand, Big Brother. Even a child with no muscle can lift a sharp spear and kill an adult warrior. But a child would struggle to even lift a heavy shield, let alone use it to beat someone to death."
"Worororo! That is exactly right!" Kaido laughed approvingly. "That is the principle of this sea. Any object in this world is much easier to destroy than it is to protect. Conqueror's Haki is the ultimate destructive force, while Armament Haki is the ultimate defensive force. Therefore, a spear will almost always pierce a shield. That is why Doflamingo could break Enel's guard."
Kaido's expression then shifted, becoming more serious.
"Of course, this is not an absolute rule. When any power is developed to its absolute limit, its properties can invert. For example, look at Conqueror's Haki. At its absolute peak—a power only a handful of the strongest individuals in history can master—the technique of 'Conqueror's Infusion' acts as an impenetrable barrier, a force of protection that doesn't even let attacks touch the skin! Conversely, the peak of Armament Haki, the technique known as 'Internal Destruction,' bypasses defense entirely to become a force of pure destruction!"
When Kaido finished speaking, the island fell silent.
It wasn't just Jack and the brute-force fighters who were stunned. King, the intellectual of the group, and Ulti, who had recently awakened her own Conqueror's Haki, were deep in thought. Even Doflamingo, standing amidst the rubble of his battle, looked taken aback.
He looked down at his own hands, feeling the violent, reddish-black energy surging within him. His brow furrowed behind his sunglasses.
If anyone else had lectured him on power, Doflamingo would have scoffed and killed them for their arrogance. After all, the awakening of Conqueror's Haki was tied to extreme emotion—usually rage and the desire to dominate. It seemed completely unrelated to the concept of "protection."
But this was Kaido. The Strongest Creature in the World. If he said it, it was the truth.
The power of protection... Doflamingo mused.
At that moment, the three individuals present who possessed the potential of a King—Doflamingo, Ulti, and King—gained a new, profound understanding of the path forward.
Just then, a sound came from the debris field.
As the dust cloud finally began to disperse, a figure walked slowly out of the darkness. Enel stepped into the light, brushing gray dust off his shoulders with a casual flick of his hand. Visibly, he had no broken bones or bleeding wounds; he was merely dirty.
Enel stopped, looking at Doflamingo with a solemn, unblinking gaze. The arrogance was gone, replaced by a cold recognition of reality.
"Conqueror's Haki is indeed a fascinating power," Enel admitted, his voice steady. "But compared to the 'Thunder Bagua' of Big Brother Kaido... your strike is far inferior."
Enel was not trying to be provocative or insulting; he was simply stating an objective fact based on his own painful experiences. He knew firsthand the terror of Kaido's swing. That same Thunder Bagua had instantly one-shotted Straw Hat Luffy in Gear 4—a man who had defeated Doflamingo and learned Future Sight from Katakuri.
Enel and the others in the volcano training group faced that level of power daily. Compared to Kaido's club, Doflamingo's kick was manageable.
However, Doflamingo did not take the comparison well.
His previously relaxed, mocking expression vanished. His brows locked together tight, and his face went completely blank, devoid of his usual manic smile. The air around him grew heavy and suffocating.
Most of the Beast Pirates didn't understand the shift, but on the sidelines, Monet and Baby-5 went pale. Their hands trembled slightly.
The two members of the Donquixote Family understood their Young Master too well. Doflamingo only wore that cold, emotionless mask when he was truly, murderously angry. His pride had been stung.
But would Kaido care about Doflamingo's anger?
Absolutely not.
To Kaido, Doflamingo was just a brat. A talented brat, perhaps, but ultimately insignificant compared to the might of an Emperor.
Kaido stared down at the two fighters, his mind already turning to logistics. The Beasts Pirates had a glaring weakness. While they possessed overwhelming military might, advanced scientific weapons from Queen, and mythical powers, they lacked one critical thing: administration.
They had no one capable of properly governing a nation.
The territory controlled by the Beasts Pirates was vast, encompassing Wano and several surrounding islands. Yet, for twenty years, they had done little more than extract weapons and collect protection fees. They were pirates, not rulers. They wasted resources because they didn't know how to build an economy.
The old Kaido hadn't cared about such things. But the new Kaido—the one focused on the future—was different.
This was why he had his eyes on Doflamingo.
The "Joker" was not just a pirate; he was a king. His ability to manipulate the world market and manage the complex society of Dressrosa for a decade proved his exceptional talent in governance and politics. He was the administrator the Beasts Pirates desperately needed.
However, Kaido was also a realist. He knew that a man with Doflamingo's arrogance and "King's" ambition would never willingly submit to be a mere underling. Doflamingo was like Vinsmoke Judge; they wanted to use the Beasts Pirates' banner for their own protection, not to serve under it.
So, Kaido had formulated a simple, ruthless plan.
He would allow Doflamingo to maintain his pride for now. He would entrust the governance of certain territories to the Joker as a business partner. Doflamingo would build the infrastructure and stabilize the economy.
Then, Kaido would wait.
He knew the flow of fate. Eventually, Doflamingo would encounter the storm known as the Straw Hat Pirates. When Doflamingo inevitably fell to Luffy, the Beasts Pirates would step in. They would absorb the legacy and systems Doflamingo had built, taking complete control of the stabilized nations without lifting a finger.
As for Doflamingo himself? Kaido planned to rescue him from Impel Down after his defeat.
It was a perfect two-step plan. First, he would legally acquire the Donquixote Family's assets. Second, once Doflamingo had been crushed, imprisoned, and humbled by defeat, he might finally be willing to shed his arrogance and truly join the Beasts Pirates. A broken King could be forged into a loyal soldier.
With the future already decided in his mind, Kaido saw no reason for the fight to continue. The point had been made.
His voice boomed from the heavens, ending the conflict instantly.
"That's enough!"
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