On the current summit of the Vine Mountain, besides statues and snow, there were several frozen lakes. Observing the thick ice layer, Machamp used all four hands, quickly creating a big hole in the ice, and then started a violent winter swim.
This involved breaking the ice layer with its arms while swimming, opening a path forward, which was one of Machamp's routine training methods. They are not Water Type or aquatic Pokemon, yet they are skilled swimmers.
Its four impeccably trained arms come in handy while swimming, with its swimming speed rivaling that of Pokemon living in the sea.
While Machamp was getting accustomed to its new body, a few days later, after causing a big commotion at the G-1 Branch, Kaidou also returned to Wano Kuni. However, he didn't return riding the eight-headed dragon; instead, he transformed into a Cyan Dragon and dragged back a small piece of Sky Island with his flame clouds.
The foundation of Ghost Island is limited, so over the years, the renovation of Ghost Island has primarily been done by adding height. Now, another new layer of floors has been added to Ghost Island, which Kaidou prepared for the eight-headed dragon.
He greatly adored this new steed; its appearance, temperament, and the power it displayed were all in line with Kaidou's expectations.
With the island cloud technology from Sky Island and Rotom electronic equipment, this piece of Sky Island quickly became a new territory above Wano Kuni. Kaidou also prepared a large water bucket, personally wiping down the back of the eight-headed dragon, which was comfortably lying on the island cloud.
Although island clouds on Sky Islands are akin to land, compared to ordinary soil, island clouds don't dirty the body and are generally more comfortable. The eight-headed dragon thoroughly enjoyed this sensation.
Just like some generals tend to their war horses by giving them baths and wiping them down to maintain a bond, Kaidou was doing something similar. However, expecting him to be too serious was unrealistic. Shortly after, a group of lackeys received orders and brought in barrels of sake here.
"Governor Kaido! We brought the wine you requested!"
Upon the back of the large Altaria, a group of pirates came down carrying a large amount of alcohol and quickly left. To them, Kaidou starting to drink was a big threat.
Additionally, for some reason, they felt this time that the giant Pokemon was particularly unfriendly, glaring at them fiercely.
Facing a dual threat, they decided it was wise to escape first. Little did they know, the eight-headed dragon wasn't glaring at them but rather at the Altaria, sensing an indescribable feeling from it.
Before it could ponder this further, Kaidou had already presented the barrels of wine before it.
"Come on, after the fight, it's time to have a good drink. You should be able to handle alcohol, right?"
With a grand gesture, Kaidou directly placed a pile of barrels before the eight-headed dragon, with one barrel for each head. Those in the know would see it as Kaidou's doing, while others might mistake him for Susa-no-Wo.
Swayed by Kaidou's temptation, the eight-headed dragon was soon lured by the aroma of alcohol, heading towards its downfall.
Though it possessed excellent poison resistance and powerful regenerative capabilities, it seemed to lack resistance to alcohol, with several heads soon drunkenly collapsing to the ground, showcasing what it truly meant to be knocked out by a barrel.
When Arceus arrived, what he saw was the eight-headed dragon, already drunk and incapacitated, along with an equally tipsy Kaidou.
It seemed affected by the eight-headed dragon; this time, Kaidou became intoxicated faster than ever, lying on the island cloud, indulging in wild laughter.
In his relaxed state after drinking, Kaidou's emotions became extremely volatile. This time, he probably encountered something new, so he wasn't inexplicably crying.
"Hohoho, get up, continue drinking, you can't just stop at this. How could my steed have such low alcohol tolerance?"
However, regardless of what he did, the eight-headed dragon slept soundly, not reacting even to Kaidou's massive hand patting it.
"Tch, no fun. Hohoho, why are you here? Finally decided to have a drink with me? But you'll have to wait; I need to check on Yamato's progress first... hiccup..."
Seeing the presence of Arceus, Kaidou, seemingly having spotted a new drinking buddy, staggered over with a barrel in his arms, expressing his intentions.
By this, it was evident Yamato's action was wise; preemptively escaping allowed her to safeguard herself, albeit temporarily.
But before Kaidou could do anything, he realized what the Fighting Type Plate's power meant.
....
"You've regained a rather unpleasant power. Do you know how hard it is for me to get drunk?"
Feeling a newfound clarity in his mind, Kaidou furrowed his brows. He had previously been slapped awake in battles, but this was the first time he had fully sobered up like this.
"You're drunk all the time; is it truly so hard? But it is because of you that I realized the significance of this move."
Moments ago, the energy hand conjured by Arceus directly struck Kaidou. This blow didn't do much damage but effectively dissipated his intoxication.
This technique is named Awakening Slap, a Fighting Type move, which deals increased damage to sleeping targets and wakens them.
However, at this moment, Arceus realized that the essence of the Awakening Slap is not in targeting the state of the subject, but in awakening. Although intoxication isn't within the damage boost range, the move forcefully dispels the drunkenness, returning them to sobriety.
"Enough about that, where's that girl Yamato?"
"She anticipated your return and managed to slip away early."
"Hohoho, that girl was unexpectedly clever this time, but still too naive."
For Kaidou, Yamato may escape temporarily, but unless she achieves a turnaround in strength, Kaidou could easily repeat the cycle when fired up.
"You made quite the ruckus earlier; there's some minor trouble with Tesoro because of that. Your actions could affect future plans."
"Nonsense, I know those Navy folks better than you do. They wouldn't turn hostile over such matters. A great battle is necessary, but one needs some appetizers before the main course."
"For the time being, you should calm down. I've found you a new opponent, and with these things, you should be able to fight heartily."
With that, several golden belts were thrown to Kaidou, specifically reinforced Power Limitation Belts. However, one wouldn't suffice for Kaidou, so Arceus prepared three, fitting one around his waist and restraining his arms with two additional ones.
"What's the feeling like?"
"It feels like my power is being suppressed. Why didn't you bring this out sooner? With these, I wouldn't have had to hold back while training with Yamato."
"This is the power I've just recovered. Alright, witness your new opponent now."
As soon as Arceus finished speaking, the Machamp accompanying him was enveloped by the immense power granted by Arceus, transforming into a four-armed giant...