Zoro and Kuina swiftly left the battlefield. Shortly after, Crocodile emerged from the dense forest, still carrying Catalina Devon in his grasp. He glanced at Shiryu's corpse and let out a sigh.

"In the end, the new generation always takes over… A complicated feeling," Crocodile muttered.

Although Enel was relatively young, Crocodile himself had been one of the veteran figures under Claudius. He wasn't that old, barely in his forties, still in his prime.

But watching Zoro and Kuina both younger warriors take down Shiryu, a veteran swordsman, with such ease… it made him feel the passage of time.

At least, he consoled himself, they were on his side.

Even so, seeing Shiryu's lifeless body left behind without a second thought made things feel even stranger.

"Should I… at least bury him?" Crocodile murmured.

However, just as he was contemplating this moral dilemma, his expression suddenly changed. Without hesitation, he activated his ability—his body dissolving into grains of sand—just before an overwhelming heatwave blasted down from above.

In the blink of an eye, the battlefield was erased. A searing attack penetrated the entire island, burning straight through from top to bottom, leaving behind an enormous crater.

Shiryu's body vanished instantly, evaporated without a trace. Catalina Devon? Likely obliterated as well.

Crocodile reappeared at the edge of the crater, gazing down. He could see the turbulent lake waters far below, surging from the impact. The very ground beneath his feet was tilting, the island shifting—losing stability from the sheer force of the attack.

Then, Crocodile slowly raised his head, looking toward the sky.

"So, you couldn't hold back anymore, huh… Kaido."

Yes—this destructive attack had been unleashed by Kaido himself.

The Yonko had descended.

Kaido had breathed fire from above, aiming to obliterate Enel and Shiki in one fell swoop.

But his targets were not ordinary foes.

Both Enel and Shiki, masters of aerial combat dodged effortlessly. Neither of them was the type to be caught off guard by something so direct.

As for Crocodile? He had simply been unlucky standing in the path of Kaido's attack.

At first, Crocodile assumed Kaido had finally made his move. But the truth was.

Kaido had just arrived.

From a distance, Kaido had already seen the chaotic battle unfolding on the island.

Charlotte Linlin was leading the Big Mom Pirates against several Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters.

Hancock and Ace were fighting Big Mom herself.

The battle was fierce and evenly matched.

Originally, Kaido had intended to assist Charlotte Linlin.

But then, he spotted Shiki and Enel locked in combat above the battlefield.

More importantly—he noticed something.

Shiki seemed desperate to take something from Enel.

Observing closely, Kaido quickly realized.

"That must be the Log Pose to Laugh Tale."

Without hesitation, Kaido unleashed his attack, aiming to destroy both fighters at once.

Only after attacking did he realize his mistake.

"Damn. What if the Log Pose got destroyed in the blast?"

Luckily, both Shiki and Enel dodged, preserving the treasure.

As for Crocodile? Kaido hadn't even noticed him.

His arrival, however, disrupted everything.

Shiki hovered in the air, his sharp gaze locking onto Kaido. His lips curled into a mocking smirk.

"Kaido, you bastard… You finally decided to make a move? And a sneak attack, no less?"

His tone was laced with ridicule.

From the swirling storm clouds, Kaido's massive dragon head emerged, his enormous body still partially obscured. His very presence sent shockwaves of tension through the battlefield.

The Three Calamities that had accompanied him? Nowhere to be seen.

All eyes were on Kaido.

He had arrived late—but he intended to dominate.

Taking a deep breath, Kaido exhaled, the scent of alcohol thick in the air.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Shiki," he rumbled. "I wasn't holding back. I just… drank a little too much on the way here. Took me a while to sober up."

Shiki's mouth twitched.

"You're late because you were drinking?"

Kaido's excuse was both ridiculous and completely in character.

And yet… somehow, Shiki believed him.

Enel, floating nearby, watched both Yonko with an unreadable expression. Electricity crackled around him, his thoughts hidden behind a veil of confidence.

Shiki, too, remained silent, calculating his next move.

Meanwhile, Kaido analyzed the situation.

Initially, he had attacked without thinking, hoping to eliminate Shiki in the process.

But now, things were different.

Kaido had an alliance of sorts with Shiki and Big Mom. He couldn't openly betray them yet.

That being said—if the Log Pose was in Shiki's hands, Kaido wouldn't hesitate to kill him for it.

"We're all pirates. Who cares about loyalty?"

However—Shiki had failed.

The Log Pose was in Enel's possession.

Kaido's eyes narrowed as he considered his next move.

Taking on Enel alone would be difficult.

He understood power better than anyone.

The Rumble-Rumble Fruit was among the strongest Devil Fruits in existence. Speed, strength, perception, range, destruction—it had no weaknesses.

And Enel?

He wasn't just some Logia user. He was exceptionally talented, one of the few warriors who could be called invincible.

Kaido felt no shame in admitting that fighting Enel alone would be troublesome.

"If I go in alone, I might not be able to take him down."

But he wasn't alone.

Kaido glanced at Shiki.

A grin spread across his face.

"Shiki… How about we team up for old times' sake?"

Shiki raised an eyebrow.

Back in the Rocks Pirates, he had been one of the pillars of the crew. At that time, both Kaido and Big Mom were junior members compared to him.

And unlike them, Shiki had always preferred working together.

The only time they had teamed up was during the God Valley Incident. But they had lost. Rocks fell, and the crew disbanded.

Now, after decades, Kaido was offering another alliance.

Shiki didn't hesitate.

"Fine," he said darkly. "I'll be honest, the Log Pose is in that guy's hands. First, we take him down. Then we fight over the prize."

Kaido grinned savagely.

"Sounds perfect."

At that moment, Enel finally laughed.

"You think you can take me down?" Sparks crackled around him, his golden staff humming with power.

"Come at me."

(To be continued.)

***

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