Chapter 143: Wano's Dawn

"THE END IS NEAR!!!"

Hyogoro, the yakuza boss who slashed through countless enemies, screamed at a hoarse voice.

"PERSEVERE!!! THE VICTORY WILL SOON BE OURS!!!"

"Hold your ground!"

Doll ordered her marines with a hint of exhaustion in her.

"The pirates attempting are coming for a final rush! Ensure that not a single one of them are allowed to escape!"

The sea was yet chaotic, but a shimmer of hope in them was getting brighter.

The moon had disappeared, and the dark night's sky was slowly lightening up.

The same applied to the Flower Capital, where Smoker and Kaidou were facing each other at the middle of the road.

Komurasaki, the oiran whose true name was Kozuki Hiyori, watched the scene in front of her in disbelief.

After all, who was Kaidou of the Beast?

The man of steel, one who was incapable of getting injured by anyone but her deceased father, Kozuki Oden.

The warmonger, one whose purpose centred around the notion of an endless combat.

The tyrant, one who was willing to sacrifice the others for his greed, and achieved such through nothing but his overwhelming strength.

Not once was Hiyori able to imagine something like this... where Kaidou was reduced to such a pitiful state.

"...Hiyori-sama. It is dangerous here. We should keep our distance from them."

By her side was the man who was commonly known as 'Kyoshiro'. However, his true identity was Denjiro, one of the Oden's retainers. For years, he was Hiyori's caretaker who hid her from the eyes of Kaidou and Orochi.

Hiding and preparing was all that they could do up until today. What were they waiting for? They had no idea. However, one thing was for sure.

Whoever wins between Smoker and Kaidou, Wano will change for good or bad.

"...Why have you become a marine? Then, why quit it?"

Kaidou, who collected his breath, opened his mouth.

"No matter how many times I try to understand you, I fail to do so."

It was a question born from a genuine curiosity. And to a question like this,

"Don't bother understanding. You won't be able to do so."

Smoker replied coldly.

"For how many times do you think I came across ones like you throughout my life?"

Everything is relative. Smoker became marine and then quit it for two simple purposes.

One, to resolve the circumstances caused by criminals.

Two, to resolve the circumstances caused by the World Government, whom the Marine serves.

"...Is that so."

Kaidou chuckled weakly. His grip over his kanabo tightened. Many thoughts entered his mind.

During the first battle against Smoker, he fought as the warrior, one who valued the worthy fights above all else.

During the second battle just before, he fought as the governor-general of Beast Pirates, the ruler of Onigashima who cannot afford to lose.

Now, he was just one simple pirate. In order to reach One Piece, he will sacrifice all—be it his pride as the warrior or his status as the governor-general. And to do so, Kaidou must do one thing,

Kill White Hunter Smoker.

 The night was fading. Smoker, who felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, closed his eyes for a brief moment and took in a deep breath.

'The usage of my awakened fruit ability costs an incredulous amount of stamina. At this point...'

Keeping his head cool, he made a quick calculation in his mind.

'I can operate it at its full might for approximately ten more minutes. But...'

His eyes opened and gleamed brilliantly as they stared at his foe, one who seemed in a much worse state than him.

'I won't be needing it much to beat him.'

Kaidou crouched down while holding his kanabo tight with both hands. While his body focused on Smoker, his eyes wandered everywhere around him, checking the civilians who quickly retreated from his proximity and went into hiding.

Watching such a behaviour out of Kaidou, Smoker frowned.

Then, both of them vanished simultaneously, before suddenly reappearing right in front of one household that civilians were hiding within.

"WORORORO!!"

Kaidou laughed boisterously as his kanabo, which was headed right at the building, was blocked by Smoker's Haki-imbued fist.

The black lightning ferociously crackled as two Conqueror's Haki: Infusion met. In this state, Kaidou remarked with psychotic eyes.

"As long as we both see the future, and as long as you know what I'll be doing in this area... you will always be one step behind me! Do you understand, White Hunter?!!

What you're facing at the moment isn't a warrior, but a pirate!!!"

Kaidou's kanabo retracted from Smoker's fist, rotated his body, before sending forth a fast series of strikes at the blinding speed.

"KUNDALI DRAGON SWARM!!!"

Kaidou was actively seeking the destruction of civilians near him, knowing that Smoker would intervene.

The booming noises occurred in quick succession as if a machine gun was being fired. Two figures moved at a blinding speed, with one attempting to destroy all and the other preventing such motive.

How ironic it was, for Kaidou, who called Smoker's tactic earlier a petty trick, to resort to something much worse.

Kaidou huffed heavily as he felt the nausea wash over him. The blood continued to drip down, and even the Strongest Creature in the World began to take the effect.

He then growled as his strikes ended. Smoker parried them all in a terrifying accuracy, and for the second time in his life,

'How long has it been since I felt this way since that accursed Xebec?'

he was reminded of how a 'helplessness' feels like.

Kaidou swung his kanabo in a wide arc, aiming to destroy all buildings around, simultaneously.

Smoker blew a volume of white smoke and instantly surrounded Kaidou and softened out the blow.

Kaidou, having been waiting for Smoker to do so, was already in front of Smoker with his kanabo raised above his head. As Smoker was dealing with his previous attack, Kaidou smashed his kanabo downward.

Smoker's body morphed into smoke. Having foreseen the attack, Smoker's smoke-morphed body parted in half, evading Kaidou's blow. The kanabo landed on the ground and generated a large crack, one that broke the ground into multiple pieces after.

"KYAAAAA!!!"

"E-EVERYONE, GET OUT OF HERE!!!"

The nearby area quaked from the impact, putting civilians in terror. Not stopping there, Kaidou swung his kanabo horizontally before Smoker's body reconfigured. Smoker parted his already parted smoke body into yet another half, making it four pieces.

As this was happening, a ball of white smoke was found swirling from Kaidou's back. Through his logia form, Smoker's eyes glowed.

White Blast.

A concentrated blast of white smoke mashed onto Kaidou's back. Though it wasn't sufficient enough to deal damage, it quickly spread a huge volume of smoke around Kaidou's surroundings in an instant.

Kaidou's frown intensified. He wondered how was it that even when he resorted to a wicked means, Smoker was one step ahead of him.

"WHITE HUNTER!!!"

The only thing that he could do was to let out a war cry to get rid of the simmering doubt in him—which defined that he was slowly in the process of losing the battle of will.

Kaidou swung his kanabo, generating a huge gust of wind to repel the smoke. It was successfully withdrawn from his proximity, however, instead of disappearing, said smoke condensed into... what appeared to be the clones of Smoker, amounting to more than a hundred.

Kaidou was left wide-eyed. However, before he could react, said clones dashed—

—away from him, that is.

"...What?"

Instead of attacking him, those clones began to take hold of nearby civilians and bring them out of proximity.

"..."

Kaidou didn't say anything. He simply stared at Smoker, whose body had reformed and now stood at some distance away from him, shrewdly.

His eyes then shifted to the side and gazed at one green-haired woman, Kozuki Hiyori. Upon noticing Kaidou's gaze, Denjiro by her side raised his caution, sweating profusely.

"Now that I think about it... you look quite familiar."

Hiyori shivered from a predatory gaze. Petrified, she couldn't muster up a single word.

"No matter."

Kaidou fired a Haki-infused, sharp gust of wind with a flick of his finger, causing Smoker's clone that was dashing toward Hiyori and Denjiro to dispel.

"..."

As Smoker casually stood by, Kaidou's eyes became slitted. He, revealing his sharp teeth, inflated. Though the destroyed dragon scales didn't return, he, with horns above his head, was now back in his hybrid form.

"Even if I were to go down, White Hunter,"

Kaidou declared while forming what appeared to be a devilish grin.

"I'm taking her with me."

Try to stop me if you can.

Smoker and Kaidou simultaneously vanished, causing Hiyori and Denjiro to flinch. Denjiro quickly stepped in in front of Hiyori and drew his sword, trying to sense where Smoker and Kaidou were with his Observation Haki.

Then, an explosion occurred from their back, causing Denjiro's eyes to tremble in disbelief. Pale-faced, he turned to face the back, and saw,

Smoker standing right in front of Hiyori, blocking the gigantic blast of fire, bare-handed.

"Don't move and stay there if you wish to live."

Smoker stated seriously.

"It's easier for me that way."

Just when Smoker said so, Kaidou was found past Denjiro, with his kanabo already swung.

Then, the gust of wind blew along with the thundering noise. Hiyori and Denjiro shielded their faces and lowered their form, trying not to get blown away by the sheer force. However, no damage was done unto them, meaning that Kaidou's blow was blocked by Smoker without them knowing.

"W-What... what even..."

Denjiro now understood.

This was the battle of monsters. Kaidou today, as well as Smoker—they have long surpassed Kozuki Oden, the man whom Denjiro believed as the strongest.

Kaidou spun his kanabo and gained the momentum, immediately preparing for the next strike. At the same time, the smoke gushed into Smoker's fist.

BOOOOOM!

The black lightning crackled. the edges of buildings crumbled down. Unable to maintain her position, Hiyori was blown back, and Denjiro, who hopped in response, quickly caught Hiyori before she received damage from the fall.

And Kaidou appeared right in front of them, about to smash them down with his kanabo.

Smoker interfered however, by blasting a kick right onto said kanabo.

PAZZZZZ!

The Conqueror's Haki clashed once more. Kaidou appeared to be startled, while Smoker looked calm.

'How? How, how, How?!! HOW?!!'

Kaidou was in internal turmoil, unable to believe the anomaly named Smoker in front of him.

'His Conqueror's Haki.. how is it stronger than before?!!'

Kaidou was clearly the superior in the battle of raw strength. However, such physical superiority had no significance when the gap in the level of their Haki was getting larger every second.

Kaidou, drawing back his kanabo, concentrated with all his might. In correspondence, the red cloud appeared around his shoulders—though he knew that this would be the last time that he would be able to do so.

"Huff... huff..."

Huffing with a clear exhaustion behind, Kaidou draped said red cloud around his kanabo. Landing back on the ground, he clenched his free hand so tight that it bled.

His bloodshot eyes glared at Smoker with nothing but a hatred, and... a subtle fear within as well.

It was the fear born from the unknown and the fact that he... may not become the owner of One Piece.

"NO!!!!!"

Kaidou shrieked. He grabbed his kanabo with two hands, in a trembling grip. His eyes, swirling more chaotically than ever, revealed Kaidou's anguish.

Kaidou's Haki spiked. Armament Haki: Emission. Observation Haki: Future Sight. Conqueror's Haki: Infusion.

Along with his awakened Devil Fruit ability, he was preparing for the strongest attack that he could muster.

"I... I refuse to yield. I am Kaidou, the Strongest Creature in the World!!! I refuse,"

TO DIE LIKE WHITEBEARD!!!

Kaidou's kanabo began to blaze up in a scorching red—before the temperature reached so high that the colour converted into blue.

From nothing but a sheer temperature, the nearby materials began to melt. Smoker, Hiyori, and Denjiro felt the heat to the core.

"What even...!!"

Kaidou truly deserved the name of Catastrophe, to be capable of a feat like this. Denjiro couldn't help but cry, unable to believe how a human being like him was able to become as terrifying as this.

Hiyori's entire body shivered. She hugged her body tight as if she was cold, even though the entire surrounding was hotter than it had ever been. In her mind replayed the tragic events of past, ones in which her family crumbled down at the hand of the demon in front of them.

"FIRE DRAGON GREAT TORCH!!!"

Kaidou began to rush at them, with nothing but an intent to eradicate.

However, even when the calamity approached them, Smoker seemed calmer than ever. Though his eyes contained fatigue, he casually stared at Kaidou with his hands in his pockets.

"You've come a long way, Smoker. Much closer to your goal than ever before."

Smoker recalled the conversation he had with his teacher, Garp, after their final sparring session.

"You've attained the right. Challenge them, and seize it,"

Smoker took out his hand. Clenching it so tight that the veins popped out of it, he began to concentrate.

"The title of the strongest."

It was as if the air itself was becoming distorted.

"No,"

Denjiro realized with his eyes widened,

"The air... is becoming converted into the smoke...?"

The smoke gushed into Smoker's fist. The smoke condensed and condensed as if there was no end. The concentration has reached so high that the collisions of smoke particles themselves were sufficient enough to generate a tremendous amount of energy, one that caused Smoker's fist to glow brilliantly.

"Remember..."

Then, a voice spoke into Smoker, causing his eyes to widen,

"Your true power doesn't lie within the scope of smoke."

'...I see.'

And Smoker subconsciously understood.

'The cloud around myself upon the activation of my awakened power. As others speculated, not only is my Devil Fruit a Mythical Zoan in reality, but...'

You have a will of your own, don't you, Smoke Smoke fruit?

Nevertheless, Smoker jumped. Onto the approaching doom named Kaidou, Smoker blasted his punch forth.

As he did so, his form, for a brief moment, morphed into that of his awakened form, Arcane Drive. fluttering the grey smoke, Smoker's fist then clashed against the blazing kanabo.

"RISING DRAGON, FLAME BAGUA!!!"

"Arcane Galaxy."

The bright light consumed the entire Flower Capital, one that caused Hiyori and Denjiro to close their eyes tight.

And when the light faded, they saw Smoker standing with his top garment shredded.

Kaidou, still standing in front of Smoker... had a huge hole that reached all the way from his neck to his abdomen. Though he stood, his eyes were hollow.

Thud.

The huge body of Kaidou fell to the ground, dead. Smoker proceeded to turn his head to face the horizon.

After the long night, there was a dawn.