The two stared at each other for a few seconds. Kaido was the first to move, swinging his club imbued with purple energy as he charged at Chiga. He roared,
"Thunder Bagua!"
Facing the same move that had once knocked Luffy unconscious, Chiga flicked his right hand, summoning a black staff made of Yin-Yang Release. Sublimated Armament instantly coated it, giving it a dark, inky luster.
As the staff and the club clashed, purplish-black lightning burst forth with explosive force.
Though Chiga hadn't yet mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion, his Sublimated Armament far surpassed regular Armament Haki in density and quality, allowing him to resist Kaido's infused strikes.
Locked in the power struggle, Kaido frowned. With his years of battle experience, he could tell that Chiga wasn't using Conqueror's Haki Infusion—just an extraordinarily powerful form of Armament.
But this version of Armament Haki was unlike anything he had encountered. It wasn't just potent—it felt otherworldly.
Still, there was no time to ponder it. Kaido's arm muscles bulged, and the energy on his club surged violently. Chiga could feel the pressure mounting—Sublimated Armament alone wouldn't be enough.
Sensing he was about to be overpowered, Chiga narrowed his eyes. Four additional arms sprouted from his back, morphing into cannon-like forms aimed directly at Kaido.
"Asura's Attack!"
Four massive energy orbs formed and launched forward, blasting straight at Kaido.
It wasn't a noble move—but it was effective. Kaido's pupils contracted, and he hastily withdrew his attack to block with his club. The beams struck him squarely, sending him flying.
Skidding across the ground, Kaido eventually slammed his club down to halt his momentum, kneeling on one knee. A rare look of alarm crossed his face as he stared at Chiga.
How long had it been since that Island incident? This Navy brat had already grown so strong—enough to go blow-for-blow with him, even gain the upper hand.
But what struck Kaido more than concern was admiration. He respected power and talent deeply. And Chiga had both in abundance.
Moreover, Chiga's current transformation was clearly a Zoan-type ability, and Kaido had already experienced firsthand how fearsome it was.
With a glint of excitement in his eye, Kaido offered once again,
"Hey, your name is Uchiha Chiga, right? I'll ask you one more time—do you want to join my crew?"
Chiga blinked, a bit taken aback. Even after being blasted, this beast still wanted to recruit him? Kaido really was something else.
He didn't answer immediately. His gaze sharpened, and in his right eye, vast ocular power began to churn.
Kaido's Observation Haki flared up—danger! Without hesitation, he leapt away from his current spot.
A swirling gray vortex appeared where Kaido had just been. It spun clockwise briefly… then vanished. Cold sweat trickled down Kaido's cheek.
He didn't know what that vortex was—but his instincts screamed that it could kill him.
The vortex was, in fact, Chiga's right Rinnegan technique: Amenominakanushi. Had Kaido been caught in it, even with his monstrous body, he wouldn't have lasted long before being reduced to white bone.
But Chiga wasn't surprised it missed. Kaido's Observation Haki was exceptional. Chiga had simply wanted to test him while his guard was lowered due to the recruitment offer. If it worked—great. If not—no big deal.
More importantly, after that intense clash of Armaments and Haki, Chiga now had a better understanding of Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
His own Conqueror's Haki was strong, and enhanced by his Rinnegan. All he needed was firsthand combat experience.
He had seen it once before—during a spar with Rayleigh on Sabaody Archipelago—but back then, he wasn't strong enough to clash directly with Rayleigh's infused Haki. Now, thanks to Kaido's "lesson," he understood.
"Experience: full marks."
With a grin, Chiga tossed aside the black staff and extended his arm.
Kaido frowned in confusion. Why toss the weapon now? Was Chiga really planning to clash bare-handed with his club? Even with strong Armament, that seemed reckless.
But in the next instant, purplish-black lightning erupted around Chiga's arm. Sublimated Armament patterns shimmered with a dark violet glow.
The space near Chiga's arm visibly distorted.
This was Chiga's fusion of Conqueror's Haki Infusion and Sublimated Armament—a force beyond either on its own. He called it:
Destructive Armament.
With a thought, the Destructive Armament expanded, spreading across Chiga's upper body. Complex, glowing purple-black patterns appeared and converged at his chest, forming a pulsing circular design.
Each pulse lit up the markings with ominous energy.
Kaido stood in stunned silence. The moment he saw the purple lightning, he froze.
He knew what Conqueror's Haki Infusion felt like—but this?
This wasn't the same. This was stronger—far stronger. The sheer pressure made Kaido's heart race.
Chiga slowly retracted the four arms on his back, closed his eyes, and focused. The pulsing slowed into a steady rhythm. He had synchronized with the power.
He opened his eyes and gave Kaido a smile.
Cute. Kaido really was adorable—giving him the exact experience he needed to awaken this technique. He owed Teacher Kai a thank-you.
Drawing both fists to his waist, Chiga inhaled, then thrust his arms forward:
"Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack!"
Dozens of purplish-black fist shadows laced with lightning surged forward, each one distorting space as it flew.
Kaido's face hardened. He rose, coating his club in infused Conqueror's Haki, and shouted:
"Great Dragon Twister Bagua!!"
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked all of Onigashima. Purple lightning engulfed the sky, twisting the battlefield into a nightmarish inferno.
From the shoreline, members of the Beast Pirates stared in silent awe. The sheer pressure made their legs tremble. Even the hot-headed Jack hesitated to dock. He muttered with a grimace:
"Is… Boss Kaido alright?"
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