The wielder of the Clone-Clone Fruit died at the hands of Kaidou. Although the Clone-Clone Fruit did not directly enhance combat abilities, its power greatly assisted Kurozumi Orochi through Kurozumi Higurashi's efforts.
For instance, impersonating Kozuki Sukiyaki granted Kurozumi Orochi legitimate claims to authority. Without Kurozumi Higurashi's intervention, Kurozumi Orochi wouldn't have easily infiltrated the center of power.
However, the Clone-Clone Fruit had a flaw. It could store the identity of the subjects it imitated, but only after physical contact with them; without this contact, transformation was impossible.
Higurashi could transform into Yamato because of previous encounters; it wasn't difficult as Kaidou hadn't confined Yamato to any place. Yamato could be seen in Kuri's Peach Blossom Spring Farm, the Whimsicott zone in Hibi, or even Ringo's graveyard.
Avoiding her own bizarre candle-topped image made bodily contact with Yamato easy, thus naturally acquiring the ability to transform into Yamato.
Kozuki Oden had fallen in battle, and Kaidou had no intention of desecrating his corpse, merely picking up Enma and Ame no Habakiri and moving aside. Strangely, these swords fit comfortably in his hands, and didn't seem awkward at all.
The aftereffects of the battle between Kozuki Oden and Kaidou deterred most people from approaching. Those with power had their own opponents, and aside from Kurozumi Higurashi approaching for her own purposes, no one else was nearby.
Watching the collapse of the Flower Capital Palace, Kaidou gulped down the remaining wine from his gourd in one go.
"Oden is dead... *hic*... Things have become boring again. Was the joy from the drama's end always so fleeting?"
Treading over the ruins, Kaidou approached the still-burning palace. Had it not been for Kozuki Oden's unique position, he might have considered recruiting him.
But a man like Kozuki Oden would never surrender. The future of Wano Kuni had no need for such a powerful symbol of strength, so Kaidou chose to eliminate him instead. As for the remaining Daimyo, he considered trying to recruit them as well.
This way, he could also assess the combat achievements of his subordinates.
.....
The battle within the palace was far from over. The Daimyo clashed with the cadres of the Beast Pirates. These Daimyo, although not on par with Kozuki Oden, were strong Sword Masters, scouring the open sea with bounties over a hundred million wasn't hard for them.
However, the fight here had just experienced a brief pause because the commotion outside had ceased. Both Kaidou's roars and Oden's Sword Qi sounds had disappeared at this moment.
After waiting for a long time without any new clashes, it only indicated one thing: The battle between Kaidou and Kozuki Oden was over.
The end of a high-tier battle imposed enormous pressure on lower-tier combatants. Whether it was Kozuki Oden or Kaidou, once such a monster was unleashed, it could crush anyone opposing them.
In this world where monsters run amok, one person contradicting an army wasn't uncommon. Everyone was concerned about the battle's outcome, yet they also brimmed with confidence.
The Beasts Pirates were convinced Kaidou wouldn't lose, while the people of Wano Kuni didn't think Kozuki Oden could be defeated.
Kaidou's growing combat prowess was evident to all. These cadres were veterans of the Beasts Pirates since the time of their small boat days, while Kozuki Oden's past deeds, though not well reputed, were achieved based solely on his strength.
"Mwahahaha, no need to wonder, the winner is definitely Big Bro Kaidou!"
Queen's braided head swung consciously in the air, with a mechanical claw at the tip; his tail was the same. He was now in full combat mode.
Bullet Seed, Energy Ball, Razor Leaf, Flamethrower — whether derived from Arceus' power or his self-modified scientific innovations, they were pushed to the limit, contributing significantly to the burning Flower Capital Palace.
The cadres of the Beasts Pirates each excelled in their domains. The Tropius, altered from a Brachiosaurus, possessed strong melee abilities; its massive weight formed an insurmountable gulf for most people.
However, with its own abilities, the Heavy Cannon Platform was also well-suited for battle. Apart from the initial kick, Fugetsu Omusubi found it difficult to approach Queen, his firepower forming an impenetrable web.
Moreover, after a brief lull, his Solar Beam was finally charged up.
"You isolans have no concept of the kind of monster Big Bro Kaidou is, augmented by Big Bro Arceus!"
The Solar Beam was unleashed, blowing a massive hole into the palace of Flower Capital.
Compared to Queen's artillery bombardment, King's fight was different, battling Shimotsuki Ushimaru in his Human-Beast Form with swordplay.
However, for Shimotsuki Ushimaru, this wasn't a fair duel between swordsmen. In the midst of their fight, King's weapon suddenly shifted in its form, showing a row of serrated grooves like shark's teeth on the blade, a design tailored to restrain other swordsmen.
"A gimmick weapon, a heartless sword, you are no swordsman."
Recklessly releasing a Flying Slash, King was unfazed.
"Sword or spear, they're merely weapons, means for power and slaughter, and you are an excellent sharpening stone."
Currently, the Beasts Pirates lacked anyone proficient in swordsmanship, with most relying on Body Techniques mixed with Pokemon abilities. King's swordsmanship evolved from life-or-death scenarios, aiming for lethal prowess.
His Flying Slash, too, was comprehended from Kaidou's Kong·Arrow, both utilizing weapons for long-distance attacks, fundamentally the same concept.
These Daimyo, from samurai clans, learned top-tier swordsmanship in Wano Kuni. Although King cared little for lofty titles like Sword Master, that didn't mean he wasn't intent on furthering his strength.
The Beasts Pirates was essentially an inward-contending private entity, where only unmatched strength yielded more opportunities. Even as the top exec, just under Kaidou and Arceus, he couldn't escape its pressure.
To prevent being surpassed, he needed to continuously grow. Shimotsuki Ushimaru's swordsmanship ranked among Wano Kuni's top tier, and King hoped for commendable results from this fight.
Zeraora and Shaina weren't present at this conflict. Soon after battle initiation, realizing their efforts weren't needed here, they went to help Arceus clear the small fry.
For them, despite the trivial task of disposing of those individuals, they deemed them unworthy of Arceus' attention.
Compared to the fights of King and Queen, the battle between Olga and Elizabeth seemed quite lackadaisical, showcasing their monkey mimicry traits to the fullest.