Shano abruptly opened his eyes.
His right fist needed more time to recover, so this time he extended his left palm, and with a snap, clenched it into a fist.
Zzzzzz!
The black-red lightning once again coalesced on the surface of his knuckles, but this time it was more solid than before, flowing like liquid on his skin, soon enveloping his entire left fist.
Shano stared at his fist intently.
This feeling.
This feeling...
No doubt about it!
It had become completely his own; it wouldn't dissipate, and he had fully mastered it!!!
"Once more!!!"
Shano roared, and his figure suddenly vanished from where he stood.
Kaido's pupils contracted; this time Shano's speed was several times faster than before! Even his Observation made it difficult to catch a trace!
Has he brought the "Soru" body technique to the peak of perfection?
Almost at the instant the sound echoed, Shano appeared in front of Kaido, his fist wrapped in black-red lightning aiming straight for Kaido's face!
"What?!"
Kaido's expression changed slightly, hastily raising his arms to block, yet he was still blown away by this punch!
"Woo-ro-ro-ro! Quite a surprise!"
Kaido adjusted his posture in mid-air, laughing as he landed and slid a distance:
"Though you seemed to have a bit of foundation before, after taking just three strikes from me, you've mastered it? Supreme King Entanglement!"
This little brat is becoming more and more surprising!
Our previous estimation was probably a bit too low.
If we give this kid some space to grow... forget the Big Billboard, this guy completely has the ability to surpass King and become the Vice Admiral of the Hundred Beasts Pirate Gang!
"Thanks a lot, you old piece of junk!"
Shano didn't know what Kaido was thinking; he shook his numbed fist, grinning and showing his blood-stained teeth, unable to resist laughing loudly.
"As thanks, get ready for the next move!"
He activated Life Return, consuming more stamina, accelerating the recovery speed of his right fist.
Once both fists were completely under his control, Shano took a deep breath, clenched his fists suddenly, resting them at his waist, his muscles tensed to the limit, the black-red lightning entwining and interweaving like a wild snake between his arms!
This move, which combined the Rokushiki Secret Technique and Wave Fist Technique, was originally named "Mountain Breeze Ripple Dash", the most powerful skill he could perform.
And now.
After relentlessly training with the historical text for so long, he had fully upgraded and strengthened it!
Coupled with the Supreme King Entanglement he had just mastered...
Shano named this new move—
"Divine Punishment!!!"
Bang!
His fists simultaneously struck out, two black-red shockwaves spiraling together, like roaring dragons, instantly tearing through the air with a world-shaking force, straight towards Kaido!
Hum!
Before the shockwaves even reached him, Kaido's face began to violently tremble; a red glow flashed in his eyes as if he sensed something.
The power of this strike was far greater than before!
"Woo-ro-ro-ro! Well come!!!"
Kaido suddenly grew interested, throwing aside the Wolf Fang Club he picked up, laughing wildly with arms out, daring not to dodge, his whole body swelling to the limit, using his chest to take this hit!
Boom——!!!
Amidst the deafening explosion, Kaido's enormous body flew out like a projectile!
His legs carved two deep furrows in the ground, crashing through the ruins of the Judicial Tower, penetrating the third, second, and first gates, finally stabilizing himself at the very edge of Judicial Island!
"Ugh... Pfft!"
Kaido suddenly kneels with one knee, spewing a mouthful of blood, his chest slightly sunken, a bloody mess, with bones inside seemingly fractured, yet when he raised his head, the excitement in his eyes intensified.
"How many years... how many years! On this sea, besides those old guys, the last one who could inflict an internal injury on me..."
Was that fellow named Oden!
Granted, this time it was because he used only human form and took this blow head-on, that he got injured.
But for an eighteen-year-old brat...
It was already pretty good... no! It's not just good, it's very remarkable!
"Woo-ro-ro-ro!!"
Kaido slowly stood, tearing off the purple-black cloak on his back, which had long been dilapidated, revealing a strong body full of scars as he maliciously looked at Shano:
"Kid, to be honest, although I agreed to come to this island with you, I wasn't planning to really fight you to the end. I intended to gauge your abilities and then just knock you out and bring you back to Ghost Island!"
"Is that so?" Shano grinned, "Seems you're even more despicable than I thought, old man!"
"What's wrong with being a bit despicable as a pirate?"
Kaido laughed unrestrainedly, "But now I've changed my mind, I just want to have a good fight with you, kid, all the way through! Let's fight until tomorrow, use all your methods!"
As the words fell.
His body suddenly began to expand and deform, muscles knotted and bulged, his skin surface showing bluish-green scales, in addition to the two Ghost Race horns he already had, two pairs of Dragon horns appeared.
His height doubled from the original seven meters to about fifteen meters!
—This is the hybrid form of the Azure Dragon Fruit, combining the Dragon Race's ability to control natural power with maintaining human agility, a perfect stance!
Also, Kaido's most commonly used, strongest battle form when going all out!
"Come on, Shano, you brat!!!"
Kaido laughed unrestrainedly, "Show me, let me see the limit of your abilities!"
"The Third Realm Reduction..."
He lifted the Wolf Fang Club high, black-red lightning entwining around it, ready to strike with full force—
Whoosh!
A blinding golden laser suddenly pierced through the sky, rapid and silent, accurately piercing Shano's chest from behind!
Pfft—!
Shano stared blankly, looking down at his chest; with Kaido about to strike with full force, all of his focus, all of his Haki, was entirely concentrated on Kaido opposite him.
Thus, his back had no Haki protection, and he didn't notice the laser shooting from behind.
Blood immediately spurted out, the scorching energy even penetrating through the skin, leaving a thumb-thick hole at his heart.
A leisurely voice also came from above at this time:
"Ah, how terrifying, with two monstrous individuals fighting in the first half, it's fine, but you even ended up at Judicial Island; this is something we Navy cannot turn a blind eye to..."
"Kizaru?!"
When did he follow?!
Kaido was initially surprised, then quickly reacted, lifting his head abruptly, eyes soon locking onto the lazy figure high up in the air, wearing a white cloak—
Navy Grand Admiral Borsalino, slowly retracting his fingers.
"Even though it was my perfect timing this time, taking advantage of your attention being fully drawn, achieving a perfect strike."
Kizaru ignored him and instead looked at Shano, smiling as he spoke:
"However, indeed I should say, it's Shano little brother's Observation and reaction that's still a bit too slow, allowing me to hit bullseye~"
As he spoke these words, Shano clutched his heart and swayed, ultimately his pupils dilating, falling backward.
Unable to sense his presence.
Completely dead?
But, to eliminate future threats, to ensure nothing goes wrong...
"Farewell, young headache-inducing monster worth ten billion~"
Kizaru crossed his arms in front of his chest, his fingertips gathering golden light again, aimed at Shano's position, smiling as he delivered the final strike—
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless golden light bullets rained down like a storm, instantly engulfing Shano's lifeless body!
Boom——!!!
The explosive shockwave churned monstrous waves, Shano's body bursting out countless blossoms of blood, simultaneously being blasted away, crashing heavily into the raging sea surrounding Judicial Island.
In a flash, he was swallowed by the sea, disappearing without a trace.