Evening Phenomena·Fifth Speed! (1/5)

With the phantom of the tiger solidified, Finn's hands moved in a rapid series of seals, pushing him forward with force.

ROAR!

The tiger's earth-shaking roar reverberated through the sky as the enormous spectral beast lunged towards Kaido.

"What the hell!?" Kaido growled in frustration, swinging his massive mace to meet the incoming threat. But as his weapon connected with the tiger's head, something felt off. The tiger's jaws clamped down on the mace, snapping it into its maw with terrifying speed.

In the next instant, the tiger's mouth widened impossibly, swallowing Kaido whole in one fluid motion.

Boom!

An eruption of raw energy exploded from the tiger's maw. From the inside, a small light began to shine, growing brighter and brighter until it detonated like a thousand suns, transforming the world into a sea of blinding beams.

From above Oni Island, the scene was apocalyptic. The ghost-headed structure in the heart of the island, the very symbol of the Beasts Pirates, was obliterated like an overripe melon smashed to pieces.

"AHH!—"

"Our lair! It's completely destroyed!"

"What kind of monstrous power is this?!"

Panic swept through the ranks of the Beasts Pirates, as they scrambled to make sense of the devastation. Amidst the ruins, a figure emerged—Finn. He hovered above the wreckage, his feet planted firmly on the void beneath him, surveying the aftermath.

The sheer power of the strike had sent Kaido crashing to the ground, vanishing beneath the debris.

"Kaido's supposed to be unbeatable in defense," Finn mused. "I wonder how much damage that actually did."

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden roar from the rubble.

BOOM!

The ground exploded, and Kaido shot into the sky, seething with rage. "Little worm! Is that all you've got? You don't even qualify to scratch me!"

As he spoke, Kaido's body twisted and contorted, his face stretching into the monstrous form of a dragon. His entire frame transformed into a serpent-like beast several hundred meters long.

"Dragon's Breath!"

In a fit of fury, Kaido unleashed a blast of fire from his gaping maw. The surrounding temperature skyrocketed, the air itself simmering with heat. What appeared to be an ordinary breath of flame was in fact a colossal fireball, glowing fiercely as it bore down on Finn.

"This is serious!"

Sensing the overwhelming power within the fireball, Finn knew better than to underestimate it. He'd be injured if he only relied on Armament Haki to defend.

Without hesitation, he activated Advanced Shave, vanishing and reappearing at a distance. But just as he thought he had dodged, he noticed something alarming.

Fwoosh!

The dragon's breath veered after him.

"Are you kidding me? Auto-locking fire?"

Finn's mind raced. He needed to outmaneuver it, let the energy of the attack dissipate through the chase. But he couldn't afford to look weak. Escaping now would ruin his moment.

"Fine! Let's see what happens when I open the Eighth Gate!"

With a primal shout, Finn's body erupted in a blinding red aura. The energy coursed through him, boiling over like a storm unleashed. "Eighth Gate of Death—OPEN!"

BOOM!

Crimson energy swirled around him like a tempest. Every cell in his body screamed with power as he transcended human limits.

"This... This is what it feels like to surpass everything," Finn muttered, relishing the newfound strength.

The approaching dragon's breath no longer seemed invincible. "Kaido, you wanna play games? Let's play!"

Finn roared, his right fist pulled back, and in a flash, he struck. His punch was so fast that it was nearly invisible, a sonic boom echoing in its wake. The compressed air formed into a cannonball in the shape of an elephant's foot, launching forward with devastating speed.

Sunset Elephant!!!

The air cannon collided head-on with the dragon's breath, and the resulting explosion shook the entire island. A shockwave tore through the air, forcing the remaining pirates below to scatter.

"Nani?!" Kaido's eyes widened, stunned that his dragon's breath had been deflected.

But Finn wasn't done.

"Kaido, don't act so smug!" Finn sneered, his fist flying forward once more. Second Speed!

Another air cannon, faster and stronger than the first, hurtled toward Kaido. It collided with his breath again, but this time, the residual force pushed through and struck Kaido's dragon form.

Though the blow seemed to barely graze him, Kaido felt the sting of its power. His massive body staggered midair.

"Boy... Your strength..." Kaido muttered, his voice betraying a sliver of awe. "It's impressive."

"Heh, surprised? Let's crank it up!"

Third Speed! Finn unleashed another air cannon, this one so fast that even Kaido struggled to track it. It smashed into him with earth-shattering force, leaving Kaido reeling.

The pirates below could only watch in disbelief as their unshakeable leader was knocked from the sky.

CRASH!

Kaido slammed into the ground, causing the very earth to tremble. Cracks spiderwebbed outward, and unconscious pirates were crushed beneath the rubble.

"Enough of this!" Kaido roared, fury blazing in his eyes. "I'll tear you apart for this!"

But high above him, Finn's voice rang out, calm yet brimming with confidence.

Fifth Speed!

This time, it wasn't just an air cannon. Finn himself shot downward, his fist carrying the force of a falling star.

Kaido had no time to react. Finn's punch connected with his dragon head, creating an impact so massive that the ground beneath them exploded, a mushroom cloud rising into the sky.

BOOM!

The island quaked, and the very mountains seemed to bow beneath the weight of the blow. Cracks formed at the epicenter, spiraling outwards into bottomless chasms.

Kaido, for the first time in memory, was left speechless. The invincible dragon had been struck down.