The reception room was like a nightclub, and Kuina also had a few drinks and got into the party.
However, deep down, she always felt like she was overlooking something, and a faint uneasiness lingered.
The atmosphere was excellent.
Queen was singing and dancing with even more vigor; if you looked at it openly, wasn't this a room full of beautiful women?
And he was the protagonist!
His small eyes scanned everyone. Was this the world's most beautiful woman?
Queen took advantage of the chaos to size up Nero's appearance. This Empress's wanted posters were now out of print, collected by Marines, pirates, and nobles alike.
Now, only the legend of the world's most beautiful woman circulated on the high seas.
She wasn't that ferocious, and she was even attracted by my music and dance. If this continues, maybe...
He swallowed, Queen moistened his dry throat, and his movements became even wilder.
Another dance ended, and Nero still led the applause and cheers, completely capturing Queen's inner vanity.
"Not bad, Queen!" Nero stood up, and his applause grew even more enthusiastic.
"Hahahaha, you flatter me!" Queen, with a hint of an ulterior motive, still bowed and scraped on the surface.
"Hmm! But there are still some shortcomings." Nero pondered, "Well, since that's the case, I'll let you witness true art!"
Nero also pulled out a golden microphone from her chest, and her way of addressing Queen changed.
"Witness how vast the world is! Junior!"
Kuina's eyes nearly popped out of her head. The others, who didn't understand, were still cheering and encouraging.
"Mwahaha, let's go!!"
Tapping the golden mic twice with her finger, Nero found her rhythm and took a deep breath... The roof shattered, and sunlight streamed into the room.
A massive dragon head poked in. "Nero! What are you doing on my turf?"
The golden sunlight dispelled the darkness indoors. Everyone except Nero, who stood rooted with the mic in hand, looking moved.
Everyone else had fainted on the ground in various twisted poses. Queen's appearance was the most exaggerated; he had thinned considerably, as if two catties of oil had been squeezed out of him.
Nero's disciple, like a female ghost, had her head pressed against the wall, kneeling and unconscious. Bloody finger marks and cracks on the wall indicated that she had slammed into it herself.
'Seriously, what exactly did you guys do?'
Kaido's dragon face was bewildered, unable to comprehend what had happened to create such a scene.
"Kaido? When did you get back?" Nero put the mic back in her chest, accustomed to the others' misery.
True art was this tragic; she was already used to this sight, which occurred every time she finished singing.
As for why other singers didn't look like this after singing? Of course, it was because their realm hadn't met the standard. Was there any other reason?
"...Nero! What are you doing on my turf?"
Nero blinked, and her cowlick swayed. Had she just heard that sentence? Had she unconsciously activated her Observation Haki to glimpse the future?
"My disciple wants to become a new Four Emperor. She didn't beat Linlin, so she's going to pick another soft target!"
She said it so casually; it was hard to imagine this was Nero's improvisation. The unconscious Kuina couldn't even defend herself.
"Oh? Is it this brat?" Kaido, now in human form, immediately frowned.
"Hmm, let her wake up. Kuina got a bit sleepy when she heard her opponent was you."
"...You won't intervene, will you, Nero?"
"Of course!"
With Conqueror's Haki Infusion, Teacher Kaido raised his teaching whip, hachisai-kai, with purple lightning coiling around it.
[Thunder Bagua!]
The shadow of death immediately woke Kuina, and then she saw the black spiked club already before her head.
Kuina: "..."
Ah, I think I'm going to die... Boom—
...One day later
"Hmm, these bones are quite broken. Let's fix them with a splint for now and let her recover slowly when we get back."
Tying a beautiful bow with the bandage, Nero wiped the sweat from her forehead, her task accomplished.
"Nero, did you bring your disciple all this way just so I could hit her three times?"
Even after it was over, Kaido still didn't understand Nero's actions.
"Legend says the Azure Dragon possesses the power of blessing. Thanks to you, Kuina was able to master Conqueror's Haki Infusion."
"What nonsense are you talking about? This brat doesn't even have Conqueror's Haki, does she?"
Kaido felt Nero was being perfunctory and took a few disgruntled gulps of sake.
Nero smiled mysteriously. "Originally, she didn't, but now I can already feel that burning aura in Kuina's chest, which is the nascent form of Haoshoku."
"Huh? The potential for Haoshoku can be detected in advance?" Kaido leaned closer to the mummified Kuina but felt no change.
"Right here, that tiny weight!" Nero stroked her chest, closing her eyes. "Perceive it with Observation Haki."
"Um... Lady Nero, it seems Miss Kuina has a blood clot in her chest. If this continues, it might put a huge strain on her heart."
Nero: "..."
Kaido: "..."
"Hmm... Prepare an operating room for me!" Nero withdrew her hand and silently turned her head away.
"Tsk, was it really nonsense? You made me look forward to it for nothing."
Kaido leaned against the wall, again chugging from his sake gourd.
Nero's face was a bit red. Could it be that Teacher Kaidou's teachings only worked on Nika?
That shouldn't be right? Ultimately, it's just a Devil Fruit. How could it affect Haki?
"Um, Kaido... Is there anyone who survived fighting you, someone you originally thought couldn't awaken Haoshoku, but then did?"
Nero asked, unwilling to give up.
"Huh? Where would such a..." Kaido's drinking motion abruptly stopped, and a figure also wielding a spiked club appeared in his mind.
Although it was his son, given the other's experience... Kaido believed that he had Haoshoku potential, after all, he was his own offspring. But why did he awaken it?
[Thunder Bagua!!!]
Kaido's pupils constricted, and he shook his head to clear the alcohol fumes.
Masaka... Nero understood everything from his reaction and immediately became arrogant again. "Hmm, Kaidou! This is your true talent, not that strong body and the bloodline of an Oni!"
With one hand on her hip, Nero confidently pointed at Kaido with the other. "There is only one truth! You are the awakener of potential, the world's strongest renowned teacher!"
"Strongest... renowned teacher?" Kaido's body trembled, and his gaze fell upon the hachisai-kai in his hand.
King, Queen, Jack, the Tobi Roppo, the Headliners... The figures of these individuals flashed through his mind one by one.
Along with the ambitions of the Pirate King and Joy Boy... Kaido gripped the hachisai-kai, as if grasping the future.
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