Under the shroud of red power, Machamp's body began to expand, swelling to about twelve meters. Compared to the Gigantamax Corviknight and Lapras, this size was smaller but more refined. Most importantly, it was just right for a fistfight with Kaidou.
Neither too small to be challenging, nor too big to be unwieldy in combat.
Under Arceus's special control, the Gigantamax size became manageable. If necessary, Machamp could reach the size of Oars.
This evolution didn't give Machamp any more arms; the Gigantamax Machamp still had four arms.
Yet the forearms bore ancient-looking patterns, like those of a Titan giant.
The golden belt around its waist also enlarged with Machamp's transformation.
"Looks pretty good."
Looking at the four-armed giant towering over him, Kaidou showed interest. He, too, went at Machamp barehanded, skipping weapon use.
Three Power Limitation Belts greatly restrained Kaidou's strength, making it more manageable. But as the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even restrained, Kaidou wasn't someone ordinary people could handle.
Yet, Machamp caught the punch steadily. More than Kaidou loved fighting, Machamp's fighting spirit also burned when encountering a strong enemy.
Just one punch made Machamp realize the quality of the opponent in front of him, especially this man wearing three belts.
Blocking Kaidou's attack with one arm, the other three swung into action. Machamp's four arms were both offensive and defensive, leaving almost no vulnerability in a melee fight.
Machamp's arms swung so fast they left afterimages—abilities brought by powerful muscle reflexes, enabling it to throw countless punches in an instant, even before thinking.
"Ugh-gh-gh-gh, not bad at all, your strength is suitable as a sparring partner."
Kaidou, ever the same, gauged the opponent's strength with his body, to determine if they could be a qualified opponent. From current indications, Machamp met his needs, since its body contained immense power.
Fully unleashed, Machamp's strength in one arm could push a mountain; all four together could deliver incredibly powerful punches.
Gigantamax Machamp's power soared to astonishing levels. Its arms brimmed with Gigantamax energy, and each blow was like a bomb explosion, with enough force to lift beached large ships.
Though Machamp still wore a belt, Kaidou wore three; this force seemed just right.
After exchanging moves several times, Machamp's four arms grabbed Kaidou in a unique posture; this special technique was known as Machamp's Locking Skill, frequently used by Machamp to toss enemies away.
Kaidou and Machamp fought to their heart's content, seemingly taking a break. Arceus then left the scene, but the combat here shocked another—Saul.
The other members of the Hundred Beasts were used to such events, but Machamp's human-like appearance was uniquely striking to Saul.
"By Odin, what on earth is that..."
Odin, King of the Elbaf Giant Kingdom, the unquestionable king and strongest of the Giant Race. When Saul uttered this word, it showed his internal shock.
A former Navy Vice Admiral, he was also Kuzan's friend. Before the Ohara incident, he was a highly trusted Headquarter Vice Admiral, often receiving assignments from Sengoku.
Therefore, Saul knew of a failed Navy giantification experiment. The Hundred Beasts had previously seen many beasts, but beasts and giants represent entirely different things.
Patting his own head, Saul picked up a hoe and headed toward his farm. He might have worried about certain issues in the past, but now he'd seen through some things, turning into a pastoral giant.
"It's been some time since Robin returned; I hope her journey goes smoothly...."
...
At that moment, the Robin Saul worried about was probing secret information on an island. Her recent travels were generally smooth, with small troubles mostly resolved safely.
Today, her luck wasn't great. While gathering hidden information, she stumbled into a clash between two groups of pirates and got caught in the crossfire.
She wasn't a helpless damsel; however, when she wanted to act, those people suddenly halted their actions.
"Wha...what's going on?! The bo...body won't obey!"
"Get away! Quickly, get away!"
The two targeting Robin suddenly began fighting each other, spouting strange phrases. Almost all pirates in the area fell into this state, attacking nearby without discrimination.
"Is this... string?"
In the sunlight, Robin faintly saw thin strings in the sky, some with tiny blood beads on them. It seemed all controlled by a giant hand.
When the mastermind realized Robin had noticed, they sped up their plans. Rocks on the ground squirmed, and a giant hand extended swiftly, sweeping the pirates away.
"Fufufufufu, I didn't expect to meet you here, Miss Robin. It's been a long time."
Doflamingo slowly descended from the broken roof, eventually sitting on a chair. The ground's rocks turned into Pika's shape. This was their handiwork.
"Donquixote Doflamingo? Why are you here?"
Facing Doflamingo, Robin's expression was unchanged. He was among the few who knew she bore the Hundred Beasts' flag, and with his personality, he wouldn't provoke those New World monsters.
"Don't be so wary. We can somewhat consider ourselves partners."
This was an exaggerated flattery since Doflamingo was merely an excellent dealer, among many the Hundred Beasts had, far from genuine partners.
"As for being here, I'm just fulfilling my Seven Warlords of the Sea duties. After all, we also need to eliminate some pirates to report back to the Navy. Of course, just these guys."
He now held a string of titles. Over the years, he'd been developing family dark connections, becoming a famous middleman in the underworld under the name joker, also earning the moniker Celestial Night Demon as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
As he said, the Seven Warlords were established to check pirates, so he occasionally needed to eliminate some. As for encountering Robin, it was really a coincidence.
"Fufufufufu, Miss Robin, we have some affinity. Thanks to you, I connected with the Hundred Beasts. Today, I have news for you; I wonder if you're interested."