CHAPTER 130

In truth, Carl was already more than satisfied with this result.

In a normal scenario, when confronted with two Yonko, most would've immediately begun planning their retreat. But neither Kaido of the Beasts nor Charlotte Linlin were ordinary pirates. They weren't ones to weigh risks and back down. They were Emperors of the Sea—monsters who thrived in madness, far removed from Shanks' pragmatic sensibility.

And that was precisely why Carl had a headache.

He briefly glanced at the system interface hovering in his consciousness.

[Current Check-in Progress: 2/3]

"Just hold out a little longer. Once the final point is complete, I can pull back," Carl muttered to himself, his sword intent flickering subtly around him like coiling dragon wisps.

There was no reason to go all out against Kaido now. Winning wasn't the issue—endurance was. Even if he could overpower Kaido, dragging it out into a days-long slugfest like the one in Totto Land would only attract more chaos. This was Yonko territory—the New World's most tightly monitored regions.

He had just finished clashing with Katakuri and tearing through Totto Land, and now he found himself at the gates of Onigashima. If that crazy old hag Big Mom were to show up—again—it'd be a real problem.

And even if it wasn't her, there were others. Red-Haired Shanks, the reformed Shichibukai, and even those legendary lunatics who escaped from Impel Down's Level 6—any one of them could upend the balance.

The only ideal outcome would be for Marine HQ to arrive first. But this was the deepest part of the New World, and the World Government's ships were no match for the mobility and terrain knowledge of the Emperors.

Therefore, if this couldn't end quickly—like in Totto Land—it'd only spiral out of control.

"Your Excellency Carl, do you still have energy to spare?" asked Issho, calmly standing a distance away, his Shikomizue in hand, the air around him trembling from gravitational pressure.

"Still good," Carl waved a hand. "But dragging this out won't lead to anything."

Issho, or Admiral Fujitora, paused. "Even so, I'd still like to try once more."

Not far away, King the Wildfire and Queen the Plague were battered and bloodied, wounds marking their once-pristine Zoan-transformed bodies. X-Drake and other subordinates had already been flung across Onigashima, uncertain if they'd rise again.

And Fujitora? Despite the bruises and blood on his robes, his stance remained unshaken. Among the current top forces of Marine HQ, he truly was at the ceiling of power—a match even for Yonko commanders. Though he hadn't dominated Jhin and Quinn outright, he had certainly suppressed them enough to maintain pressure.

Carl turned to Yamato, his Rinnegan-suffused gaze narrowing, "Still have fight left in you?"

Yamato stiffened for a moment, then clenched her teeth and nodded.

"Yeah! I still want to fight!"

"I'm Kozuki Oden!"

"You're the idiot daughter of mine!" Kaido's roar boomed from across the battlefield.

His massive, draconic form crashed to the ground, shaking it violently. Cracked earth split beneath his claws as he launched himself forward, the gale behind him resembling a bullet train's shockwave.

Kaido's monstrous speed in hybrid form was terrifying.

Just watching his approach sent primal fear through lesser men.

"I'm not your daughter—I'm Oden!" Yamato shouted, her kanabo pulsing with black lightning, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki. She charged forward with all her might.

"Thunder Bagua!"

Conqueror's Clash!

BOOM!

The heavy, muffled sound of Haki-on-Haki collision echoed through the field.

Kaido's jet-black coated claws met Yamato's kanabo mid-swing. The impact generated a shockwave that tore the air open, and Yamato, despite the Conqueror's infusion, was clearly being forced back.

She skidded across the ground, leaving a deep trench behind her.

SHING!

A crimson slash arced toward Kaido from the side—Carl's attack, fired without warning.

"And you—brat." Kaido's grim eyes shifted toward Carl, irritation and bloodlust surging. "You're getting beaten today!"

Carl merely smirked, the red glow fading from his eyes.

"That's a bold claim," he replied coolly.

Kaido hurled Yamato aside like a ragdoll, his huge frame twisting unnaturally before launching a massive punch toward Carl.

BOOM!

A crackling hum echoed—black lightning coiled in the air as Carl met Kaido's fist with his blade Sakura Ten, their clash shaking the island.

Kaido grinned viciously, but before he could press forward—

CRACK!

Yamato came flying back in like a meteor, smashing her kanabo down on Kaido's head with another Thunder Bagua.

BAM!

Though it didn't wound Kaido, the sheer force made him stagger. She wasn't at Yonko level, but Yamato—empowered by Conqueror's Haki and molded in Kaido's own style—had become a true monster, her might rivaling even the All-Stars.

And with her supporting Carl, the pressure on Kaido surged.

BOOM!

Across the battlefield, Fujitora was once again exchanging blows with Jhin and Quinn.

His goal was clear—eliminate these two swiftly. If he could, then Kaido would be left isolated.

At that point, Carl and Yamato could end things far more easily.

The battle roared on.

For an entire day, the war in the Flower Capital raged on without pause.

The battlefield had been reduced to an unrecognizable wasteland, stripped of the elegance and splendor that once marked Wano's proud capital.

Kaido—the "Strongest Creature in the World"—was actually being overwhelmed for a full day straight.

The wounds across his massive, dragon-hardened body barely had time to scab over before new ones were carved open. Fresh slash marks laced over older ones like battle tattoos. And most humiliatingly, he was getting struck repeatedly… by his own daughter.

Or rather, the self-proclaimed "Kozuki Oden"—Yamato—who wielded her massive kanabo with devastating fury against her father. Kaido's fighting style, already brutal, had become increasingly frenzied, resembling more a rampaging force of nature than any refined combatant.

Boom!

A shockwave detonated through the city as the Oni King's Haoshoku Haki-clad strike collided with another devastating attack.

It was like a living natural disaster—the very sky seemed to shatter with every exchange.

The entire Flower Capital was almost razed to the ground.

The terrified citizens had long since fled, scattering to the neighboring regions: Kibi, Hakumai, Ringo, and the sanctuary of Amigasa Village. Even those accustomed to Wano's harsh rule stood in paralyzed awe, witnessing a battle that seemed to defy mortal possibility.

"Can just a few people really do all this?"

In Bianli Village, the retired samurai Tenguyama Hitetsu—once secretly Kozuki Sukiyaki—stood at the edge of the village, unmoving for hours. He watched the distant explosions with silent reverence. The air trembled with a divine wrath, a manifestation of a clash beyond reason.

Of course, the spectacle hadn't gone unnoticed by outside forces either.

New World — Naval Headquarters (formerly G-1 Base)

Inside the polished walls of the Fleet Admiral's office, Sakazuki—Akainu—sat behind his desk, puffing irritably on a thick cigar. His brows were deeply furrowed as he stared at the freshly decoded intelligence report in front of him.

"Solomon Carl, currently in Wano… locked in battle with Emperor Kaido…"

"Accompanied by an unidentified blind combatant of Admiral-level strength. Reports state he overwhelmed the All-Star Queen in direct combat…"

Akainu's glare darkened. He pinched his temple in irritation.

"What's that reckless brat doing now?! Didn't I tell him to return already?"

"Totto Land is already in chaos after Big Mom's disappearance—if Wano collapses too, the balance of power in the New World will be torn to shreds!"

"Even if he wants to clean up the filth of the seas, there's a damn time and place!"

On the nearby sofa, the only other Admiral still active in Marine HQ sat slouched lazily—Borsalino, Admiral Kizaru, dressed in his golden striped suit, nonchalantly inspecting his nails.

"Well~," Kizaru drawled with his usual languid tone, "Carl actually clashing with a monster like Kaido… That's quite a scary scenario~"

Akainu shot him a sharp glance. He didn't expect any strategic input from Kizaru—never had.

In all their years working together, Polusalino had never contributed anything concrete. Most meetings were driven by Akainu himself, with the occasional sarcastic jab from Kuzan before he left the Marines altogether.

Moments passed. Then Akainu made his decision.

"Two things matter right now."

His tone turned iron-clad as he faced the Admiral.

"First—retrieve Solomon Carl. If the situation in Wano turns worse, even he may not walk away unscathed."

"Second—recruit the blind man."

He slapped the intel report on the desk with authority.

"Judging by his strength, he's clearly Admiral-level. And if he chose to assist Carl against Kaido's forces… it proves he upholds some form of justice."

"A man like that is prime material for the World Military Draft!"

Kizaru raised his eyebrows, catching on.

Sure enough, Akainu declared flatly, "Polusalino, I'm putting you in charge of both tasks."

"Ehhh~ I knew you'd say that," Kizaru sighed, rising slowly. "I work so hard, don't I~?"

The veins on Akainu's forehead bulged visibly.

Working hard?!

All he ever saw was this man lounging in the office, doing his nails, clocking in and out like a government clerk. No late hours, no initiative, no fire. No Admiral spirit.

But before Akainu could blow his top, Kizaru's form shimmered—Zzzt!—and he turned into photons, flashing out of the office.

"Tch… Bastard!" Akainu growled, slamming his palm on the desk.

His job as Fleet Admiral had become an exercise in frustration.

Kuzan left the Marines right before Sakazuki's appointment. The first meeting with the Gorōsei as the new Fleet Admiral had ended in a humiliating scolding.

Now he had to constantly juggle paperwork while Sengoku and Garp mocked him and stuffed rice crackers in their mouths.

And Kizaru?

A glorified government employee who wouldn't lift a finger past 5 PM.

"Damn it all… The Marines need fresh blood."

He stared out the window at the vast ocean of the New World.

"Men like Solomon Carl… There are too few of them."

In Akainu's eyes, Carl wasn't just another upstart Vice Admiral. He was the future of Marineford—the iron-blooded sword that could cleave through even a Yonko.

A main battle powerhouse through and through.

Not like Polusalino.

Not like those damn retirees—Sengoku and Garp.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the New World—aboard a ship with a red sail…

The sea was unusually calm as a massive vessel carved across the waves.

On its deck stood a tall, red-haired man—Shanks, one of the Four Emperors.

He stared ahead silently, his crimson cloak fluttering in the wind.

Their destination? Wano Country.

"…Are we really doing this?" Benn Beckman asked, his voice low as he puffed on a cigarette.

"That's still Kaido's territory, after all."

Shanks smiled faintly, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of Gryphon.

"Solomon Carl… that man has taken the reins of a world spinning out of control…"

"So it's time we meet."

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