CHAPTER 407: CHAPTER 50: THE STRONGEST SENSEI ON LAND, SEA, AND AIR

Does this brat... actually enjoy getting beat up?

The thought struck Kaido like a cold slap to the face, sending a chill down his spine.

No... something’s seriously wrong here.

Because even as Darren’s body broke under the weight of Kaido’s fury—even as blood poured from his mouth and every bone screamed in protest—he kept coming.

Again. And again. And again.

Kaido snarled.

"Out of my way!!"

Muscles bulged beneath scaled flesh as he tapped into the full might of his Dragon-Human Form. Violet-black lightning exploded outward from his body, swirling like a storm.

His kanabo, Eight Precepts, pulsed at the center of the electrical maelstrom.

He took a single step—just one—and the ground shattered beneath him.

"Thunder Bellow Bagua!!"

He vanished.

A blur of destruction.

The next instant, he streaked past Darren in a flash of purple-black lightning, the very air tearing in his wake.

BOOOOM!!

Behind Darren, the compressed lightning detonated with the fury of a small sun. A blinding explosion engulfed the battlefield, surging skyward in a churning mushroom cloud.

The world held its breath.

Then came the aftershock.

A second, larger blast of Conqueror’s Haki burst outward, shaking the heavens.

Darren’s body flew like a broken arrow, smashing through a dozen peaks before slamming into a mountainside with bone-cracking force. Rock split. Earth groaned.

The Kuri Region shook as if the island itself had cried out.

The skies above tore open with roaring wind.

Queen stood frozen, face ghostly pale. He opened his mouth—then promptly shut it and clamped both hands over it.

Even he wasn’t dumb enough to speak now.

Beside him, King stood motionless, his eyes locked on the mountains.

Kaido landed hard, panting, blood trickling from his lip. He gripped his club, his gaze fixed on the cratered mountainside.

One second.

Two.

Three...

Finally, the wind died, and the dust cleared.

A jagged crater scarred the mountain, its walls splattered with blood.

And there—half-buried, ribs crushed and jutting grotesquely from his side—lay Darren.

Barely breathing.

Barely alive.

His face was pale as death. Blood poured from his mouth. He shouldn’t have been conscious.

But his eyes...

His eyes were still locked on Kaido.

And then—he laughed.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!! WHAT A RUSH!!!"

Queen and King looked at each other, their expressions blank with disbelief.

"This... this can’t be real," Queen whispered. "He’s... he’s getting stronger?!"

Observation Haki didn’t lie.

That near-dead Marine brat’s aura—his power—was surging upward.

Despite his crushed body. Despite the blood. Despite the pain.

He was... growing stronger.

Kaido’s jaw clenched. "You... you’ve gotten stronger?!"

Darren coughed up more blood, then let out a wheezing laugh.

"Well then..." he rasped. "Let’s call it a day’s training."

He reached down without hesitation—and shoved the snapped rib back into place with a sickening crack.

Queen flinched.

Even King winced.

Darren swayed, then wiped the blood from his lips and grinned like a lunatic.

"What a productive lesson," he said, eyes gleaming.

Then—

His panel updated:

Physique: 90.001 (Indestructible Body)

Strength: 80.991 (Giant’s Strength)

Speed: 80.917 (Soru’s Divine Speed)

Devil Fruit Ability: 85.445 (Island-Covering)

Armament Haki: 65.315

Observation Haki: 72.887 (Magnetic Field Sensing)

Conqueror’s Haki: 63.091

He’d done it.

Strength and Speed—both shattered the 80-point barrier.

Two new traits awakened:

Giant’s Strength—his every attack now carried the crushing might of a Giant.

Soru’s Divine Speed—instantaneous acceleration that outpaced even elite Rokushiki users.

He stood on the threshold of true power now.

A body forged in battle. Speed refined in suffering. Strength carved from pain.

Darren trembled.

Not from fear.

From exhilaration.

He’d endured Kaido’s fury—and leveled up because of it.

Kaido, still watching, felt a cold realization settle in his chest.

This brat... had come here not to win.

He’d come to use Kaido as a training dummy.

That insane grin during every hit—it wasn’t masochism. It was joy. The joy of growing stronger.

"You little—"

Kaido’s voice cracked as rage surged from the pit of his soul.

"I am Beast Kaido! The strongest creature alive! And you dare use me to TRAIN?!"

Darren smiled, standing tall amid the rubble, drenched in blood.

"Oh, you’re not just the strongest creature."

He paused.

Then with a flick of his hand, magnetic energy burst beneath his feet.

"You’re the strongest teacher on land, sea, and air."

Zzztt!

He launched into the sky, crimson cloak fluttering like a banner.

High above, he slowed, turned... and bowed politely.

"Thank you for your guidance, Kaido-sensei."

He smiled.

"I’ll be back soon."

Kaido staggered, as if struck by a real blow.

Queen blinked.

Then Darren turned one last time—toward Queen.

Their eyes met.

Darren gave him a knowing smile.

"...Wait," Queen whispered, suddenly cold with dread.

"Why did he look at me?"

"Why did he smile like that?!"

He took a step back.

Then another.

"Damn it! Come back here and explain yourself!!"

Too late.

Zzzt!!

Darren vanished into the clouds, streaking toward the horizon.

Queen turned pale.

And froze.

Because behind him...

Two figures had silently stepped forward.

Kaido. King.

Queen looked up at the looming shadow over him.

"U-uh... t-this has nothing to do with me..."

Crackle.

A kanabo surged with purple lightning.

Shing.

A flame-wreathed sword ignited with a hiss.

Queen screamed.

"Aaaaaaaahhhh!!! HELP ME!!!"

To be continued...