"Not everyone in this Pirate World is weak!"

"What a pain! Just how many monsters like that Luffy are hiding in their world?"

"Hiruzen was useless! That so-called Pirate King, Luffy, didn't even break a sweat. Couldn't he at least make him show some of his power before going down like that?"

"Surely the rest can't all be that strong, right?"

"Maybe this Luffy is already the strongest among them."

"We can't let our guard down… Who knows who'll show up for the third round?"

A group of Hokages stood with grim expressions, their eyes locked on the returning figure of Monkey D. Luffy—the Pirate King who had just secured victory in the second match, grinning as he made his way back like a champion.

As for Hiruzen?

Pale-faced, legs trembling, he stood in stunned silence after his resurrection.

No one even looked in his direction.

Naruto had tried saying a few words of concern, but Hiruzen, still lost in the terror of that final moment before his defeat, didn't register a single word.

— — —

"Hahaha! Not bad! You really cleaned up nicely!"

"Seems like not everyone from the Hokage world is as terrifying as we thought! That Third Hokage guy was a total pushover."

"For real! I almost got scared earlier, thinking all of them were monsters. Turns out… there are only a few worth worrying about."

"Don't get cocky. That Hiruzen may have looked pathetic against Luffy, but his strength wasn't completely lacking. For those of us near the bottom, we'd still need to be cautious if we had to fight him."

"Tch! The weakest of us have a combat power in the mid-second tier. That guy? Maybe early second-tier at best. Or possibly just barely qualifies as second tier."

"So… who's next? Let me go! I can feel my blood starting to boil!"

"Step aside! I'm going next!!"

A once-cautious group of Pirate Kings suddenly became energized, each one scrambling to take the next match. Their earlier solemnity had vanished—Hiruzen's display of weakness had given them a surge of confidence.

After all…

If the enemies were as "strong" as Hiruzen, then this war was already half-won.

At that moment—

"Match Three: Pirate World —Kaido VS Hokage World —Third Hokage Danzo!"

Another "Third Hokage"?

As the announcement echoed through the arena, all eyes turned to search the crowd—two figures slowly stepped forward under the spotlight.

A towering man with demonic bull horns on his head, clad in a long coat and radiating power—Kaido stood on the arena platform laughing maniacally.

He looked like a walking disaster—a force of nature.

On the opposite side stood a much smaller figure: an aged man cloaked in black robes.

Danzo.

In terms of aura alone, the two weren't even in the same league.

And Danzo knew it. His face turned ghastly pale.

If Luffy's strength had come as a surprise…

Then this monster before him—Kaido—was so powerful it could be felt just by looking at him.

"Why the hell did they give me this monster?! This isn't fair!" Danzo cursed his luck inwardly.

But what he didn't realize was that in the Pirate King chat group, someone like him with a combat power rating at the early second-tier, could be easily taken down by any of the mid-tiers.

Which meant…

Giving him a powerful opponent wasn't misfortune. It was a favor to the rest of the Hokages. Because at least that way, no one else would have to face this walking calamity.

Of course, for Danzo himself, this was a disaster.

Everyone might be doomed to lose…

But there's a difference between losing after a valiant hundred-round battle and getting flattened in seconds.

That's called emotional damage.

"Look at Hiruzen standing there all dazed. Poor guy still hasn't recovered from dying."

"Pitiful, really."

Danzo gritted his teeth.

He'd just mocked Hiruzen earlier.

Now?

It looked like he was next in line for humiliation.

"Danzo will lose." Tobirama stated flatly, completely unconvinced in his disciple's chances.

Danzo's strength might barely scratch the level of an entry-level super Kage.

But this beast-like creature before him?

Just a glance told him he was beyond super Kage-level.

Possibly someone who had already stepped into the Six Paths level.

Pitting Danzo against him?

That was like trying to crack a boulder with an egg.

"Well, at least that's one powerful opponent out of the way," Sakumo said calmly, analyzing the situation. "The rest of us won't have to deal with him anymore."

"Hmph! Serves him right." Sasuke scoffed, arms folded.

He knew this wasn't his world's Danzo. But a man with the same face, same name?

He couldn't bring himself to feel even a sliver of sympathy.

Forget sympathy—he considered it restraint that he wasn't jeering 24/7.

"Expect me to pity Danzo? Dream on."

"Danzo really is unlucky." Minato sighed.

Against a beast like that, only those at the top of the combat ladder might hold a chance.

Everyone else?

Pray not to be picked.

Danzo just happened to draw the short stick.

"Hashirama, what kind of reward did you get after winning?" Madara asked, his voice casual, clearly uninterested in Danzo's tragic fate.

Standing atop a stone pillar, Hashirama laughed and scratched his head.

"A reward? Oh, I got 10,000 points!"

"Only 10,000?" Madara frowned.

That felt… underwhelming.

In the arena—

Kaido raised his massive mace high above his head.

Danzo, small and trembling, looked like a helpless twig about to be snapped.

"Thunder Bagua!"

"Not good!"

Danzo's face contorted in panic.

He immediately tried to counter with ninjutsu but his technique was shattered in an instant.

BOOM!!

A piece of wood exploded into splinters.

Danzo appeared not far away, wiping sweat from his brow.

Thank goodness for his quick reflexes!

He had managed to swap himself out using the Substitution Technique just in time.

But—

"Where do you think you're going, little one?"

A giant shadow loomed over him.

Danzo gulped. Looking up, he met Kaido's grinning, beast-like face.

"Thunder Bagua!!"

Kaido roared again.

"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"

Danzo hastily summoned a defensive wall.

But the next second, the wall shattered like paper under Kaido's blow.

CRASH!

Danzo was sent flying like a ragdoll, only surviving thanks to the full-body armor he wore.

Even so, bones broke. Pain exploded through his body. He hit the ground and didn't move.

Kaido, step by step, approached the crumpled man. Reaching down, he grabbed Danzo with one hand and hoisted him into the air.

"What's he doing?"

"Is this monster planning to eat Danzo?!"

"A man-eating beast?!"

The Hokage camp fell into panic.

But in the next instant—

BOOM!!

Kaido slammed Danzo into the ground. Then he burst into booming laughter and raised one foot.

BANG!!

The stomp landed.

The armor that had protected Danzo the first time was now crumpling like tin.

Bones shattered. Organs shifted.

BANG!!!

The second stomp landed.

Armor bent inward—crushed.

Danzo's body twisted and compressed under the weight.

Blood oozed out from the cracks.

Kaido wins.

And he didn't just win—

He annihilated.

The Pirate King camp erupted into wild laughter.

Cackles and howls filled the arena, their victorious howls reverberating through the air.

Meanwhile, the Hokage camp could only watch with clenched fists and grim faces.

"Hah! Danzo, looks like you finally got a taste of it too!"

Hiruzen, previously traumatized and ghost-faced, now laughed heartily at Danzo's misfortune.

One person being humiliated is tragic.

Two people?

Now that's poetic justice.

At least he wasn't alone in shame!

Swoosh!

In the blink of an eye, both Kaido and Danzo vanished from the arena, returning to their respective stone pillars.

Danzo, now back at the top, had the exact same pale, trembling expression as Hiruzen had earlier.

"Hey Danzo… how'd it feel to be stomped on by that giant?" Hiruzen asked with a grin of mock sympathy.

Danzo's face turned livid.

Getting one-sidedly beaten was already shameful enough. But now, Hiruzen was kicking him while he was down.

His rage boiled over silently.