Marco knew the only way for him to beat Kaido right now is armament haki emission. All other attacks would not even draw blood. Hence, Marco looked straight at him and asked bluntly,
"Kaido… Can you show me how you use Conqueror's Haki Infusion?"
"Conqueror's Haki Infusion?"
Kaido blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the request. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
A faint grin tugged at Marco's lips as he replied lightly,
"There's a rumor going around the seas. They say Kaido of the Beasts is actually a legendary instructor—Sensei Kaido—whose true calling as a mentor was buried under the title of Yonko."
He continued teasingly,
"Supposedly, someone once attended your special Haki crash course: first strike—Ryou. Second strike—Haoshoku Infusion. Third strike—Awakening. Three blows, one world-class pirate. Sounds impressive. True or false?"
Kaido's expression darkened instantly.
"What the hell are you babbling about?!" he roared. "When did I ever become some damned teacher?! I've smashed countless weaklings with my kanabo—never seen anyone 'learn' Haki from it!"
Then, suddenly, he paused.
…Wait.
His daughter Yamato had learned Haki by getting beaten senseless by him.
Kaido's brow twitched, but he quickly dismissed the thought and snorted coldly.
"If by 'guidance' you mean getting hit until you understand, then fine. I'll indulge you. As long as your skull's tough enough, I don't mind seeing whether my Hassaikai can knock some enlightenment into you."
Marco chuckled.
"Perfect. Let's try it, then."
Despite inheriting Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki training manual, Marco had already hit a wall. Theory alone could only take him so far—real growth demanded real combat, against monsters like Kaido.
Whitebeard's notes were exceptionally detailed, even breaking Conqueror's Haki into clear stages.
At the most basic level, newly awakened Conqueror's Haki erupted outward in an uncontrolled, omnidirectional wave—an instinctive release. This was entry-level Conqueror's Haki.
With practice, that aura could be consciously activated and suppressed at will, marking beginner-level mastery.
Further refinement involved strengthening and expanding the aura's pressure and range—this was intermediate Conqueror's Haki.
After that came control: compressing the aura into a directed "Haki storm" releasing it toward specific targets to avoid knocking out allies. Marco had already reached this stage.
Beyond that lay the pinnacle—Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
This involved condensing Haoshoku directly into one's fists or weapon, allowing attacks to strike without physical contact, inflicting both physical damage and overwhelming mental pressure. According to Whitebeard, this was the furthest level he himself had achieved.
Yet even beyond that, Whitebeard hinted at something more terrifying.
If Conqueror's Haki became strong and precise enough—focused like a blade rather than a wave—it could be unleashed against a single target or a small group, momentarily disrupting their consciousness and even nullifying Devil Fruit abilities.
According to the old man's notes, only three people in history had reached that realm:
Gol D. Roger.
Red-Haired Shanks.
And Rocks D. Xebec.
Marco exhaled slowly.
If Kaido truly wielded that level of Haoshoku…
Then this battle might be exactly what he needed.
At that moment, a black Pteranodon descended from the clouds and landed behind Kaido, bowing his head slightly.
"Kaido-sama…"
Marco's gaze flicked over, and his level scan activated once more:
Alber—Zoan Type · Dragon-Dragon Fruit · Ancient Species · Pteranodon Form
Estimated Strength: Yonko Commander Level
'As expected', Marco thought. 'Right where he should be.'
A grin curved his lips.
"Long time no see, King."
King gave a short nod. As a survivor of the Lunarian Tribe, his instincts for danger were sharper than most. The instant he faced Marco, a suffocating pressure washed over him—nothing like the Marco he remembered from their first encounter.
His voice was low and solemn.
"So the rumors were true. You really did defeat Big Mom… I never imagined you'd grow this strong, Marco."
Marco laughed openly.
"I didn't have much of a choice. If I hadn't gotten stronger, Pops' legacy would've been torn apart long ago."
With a powerful beat of his wings, Marco shot downward, diving straight toward Nanku Island.
Kaido and King followed without hesitation.
"Alright…" Kaido's massive form twisted midair as he shifted into his Human-Beast Form, landing heavily on the island. He rolled his shoulders, veins bulging, his grin feral with anticipation.
"Come on, Marco. Let me see for myself whether you truly defeated Linlin."
Before his words even finished, a monstrous Conqueror's Haki exploded from Kaido's body, surging outward like a tidal wave.
The ground trembled.
Weaker pirates collapsed instantly, their eyes rolling back as they fell unconscious one after another. In mere seconds, only the division commanders, vice-captains, and a handful of elites remained standing.
Marco's eyes sharpened.
Without hesitation, he released his own Conqueror's Haki.
Blue lightning-like pressure erupted from him, slamming head-on into Kaido's deep purple aura. The two forces collided violently, twisting together in midair and forming a raging blue-and-purple Haki storm that cracked the air itself.
Kaido threw his head back and laughed.
"Wororororo! So this is your Conqueror's Haki? Not bad at all! You've definitely earned the right to learn Haoshoku Infusion!"
"Move them—now!" Vista shouted. "Get everyone onto the ships!"
Ace stared at Kaido, his breathing slowing as cold sweat slid down his temple.
'So this is Kaido of the Beasts…'
That pressure—he had only ever felt something like it once before.
'From Pops.'
Kaido's Conqueror's Haki far surpassed his own. And yet—
Instead of fear, a fierce spark ignited in Ace's eyes.
He clenched his fists.
But he knew better.
This battle belonged to Marco.
So Ace turned his gaze toward the figure standing behind Kaido—King the Conflagration.
Marco cracked his neck, a sharp smile flashing across his face.
"You really are impatient, Kaido."
Yet beneath the smile, his expression grew deadly serious. That brief clash had told him everything—Kaido's Haki was on a completely different level.
"If my opponent is you…" Marco said quietly,
"…then I won't hold anything back."
In the next instant—
Boom.
Marco entered his Awakened Form.
Brilliant blue flames erupted from his body as massive fiery wings unfurled behind him. His arms and torso were tightly wrapped in phoenix fire, his legs transforming into razor-sharp talons. Blue-purple flame clouds coiled around his waist, limbs, and shoulders like living ribbons.
His aura skyrocketed.
This wasn't just an increase—it was a qualitative leap.
King was awestruck. Even Kaido's pupils narrowed in shock.
As Zoan users, they both understood exactly what those flame clouds represented.
Awakening.
And Marco had reached it.
"Worororo… you've awakened."
Kaido stared at Marco, his eyes burning with fanatic excitement.
For over thirty years, Kaido had possessed the Azure Dragon Fruit, yet no matter how many battles he fought, no matter how close to death he came, he had never crossed the threshold of Awakening. He had sought it obsessively—throwing himself into hopeless wars, challenging the impossible, even attempting suicide again and again, hoping that brushing against death might force his Devil Fruit to awaken.
And yet—nothing.
Now, standing before him, Marco had achieved what he never could.
"No wonder you defeated Linlin," Kaido roared with laughter. "So your Devil Fruit has already awakened! No wonder she lost to you!"
Marco raised a brow, a faint grin tugging at his lips.
"Actually, when I fought Big Mom, my Devil Fruit hadn't awakened yet. It only awakened after I defeated her."
The words hit Kaido like a thunderbolt.
For a brief moment, even he was stunned.
But instead of disbelief, his excitement only intensified. Awakening depended on a fleeting moment—when mind, body, and Devil Fruit aligned perfectly. There was no fixed formula, no guaranteed method.
That uncertainty made it all the more intoxicating.
"Worororo!" Kaido laughed wildly. "Marco, tell me—what state of mind were you in when your Devil Fruit awakened?"
His eyes gleamed as he continued, "In exchange, I'll teach you the secret of infusing Conqueror's Haki into your body and weapon. Whether you can learn it… that's up to you."
"An exchange?" Marco smiled.
Of course, he had no idea how Awakening truly worked—his own had been triggered by the system. But improvising an answer later wasn't difficult.
"Deal," Marco replied lightly. "But you teach me first."
"Worororo! No problem."
Kaido grinned, and his massive body shifted, scales rippling as he fully entered his hybrid form. Since Marco had revealed his Awakening, Kaido would respond in kind. He respected strength—and answered it with strength.
Resting his spiked club on his shoulder, Kaido said simply,
"Watch carefully."
In the next instant, a terrifying Conqueror's Haki burst forth from him, condensing into a dense, crackling purple aura that wrapped tightly around his body.
His tone changed—no longer mocking, but instructive.
"Everyone's path with Haoshoku is different. I had no teacher. I carved my own way through blood and battle."
The purple aura pulsed violently.
"To infuse Conqueror's Haki, the first requirement is quantity—your Haki must be vast enough. When releasing Haoshoku, imagine it as invisible armor. Keep it clinging to your body, compressed, refusing to disperse."
As he spoke, the swirling purple aura slowly converged toward the spiked club in his hand.
In moments, the weapon was completely coated in dense, crackling Conqueror's Haki.
"That's the essence," Kaido said with a savage grin. "But don't misunderstand—words alone are useless. If you want to truly master it, you must feel it in real combat."
The ground shattered.
Kaido vanished, conqueror's haki increasing his speed dramatically.
A streak of purple lightning tore through the air as he appeared directly in front of Marco.
"Thunder Bagua—!"
Marco's eyes flashed blue.
"Phoenix Seal—!"
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