Because the next fighter was that mysterious man who had appeared out of nowhere.
Whitebeard.
Edward Newgate!
Out of the corner of his eye, Amatsuki Tempura glanced at the Shimotsuki Ushimaru beside him. Looking at the national treasure of Wano in his hand, Shusui, he thought to himself,
"As the strongest samurai in Wano at present..."
"With Ancestor Ryuma's blade, Shusui, in hand, I hope he can win the next match."
"As long as we can take the next round, people like Ashura Doji and Slarda will no longer be a concern."
Sensing Tempura's gaze, Shimotsuki Ushimaru turned his head and gave him a reassuring look.
His expression was resolute. With that sharply defined face so similar to Zoro's, he tightened his grip around the sword in his hand.
When he turned back toward the battlefield, however, a sudden change took place there. His pupils contracted as he muttered in shock,
"Another... another Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit?"
"How is that possible?!"
On the battlefield, grotesque snake heads burst out from Chinjao's body. Their slick serpentine necks were covered in layers of cyan scales.
And atop each head was a unique drill, making them look less like snakes and more like flood dragons.
Eight massive heads flicked crimson forked tongues.
"Shimotsuki Yasuie, do you still think you can beat me now?"
Yasuie tightened both hands around the hilt of his sword, forcing himself to suppress the turmoil in his heart.
"As far as I know, Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits are extremely rare across the sea. So why is it that not only does Kaido have one, but you..."
"You're right," Chinjao replied. All eight heads danced like demons as they stared at Yasuie, pressing down on him like a mountain. "Mythical Zoans are indeed exceedingly rare. But compared to the vastness of the sea, there are still plenty of Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits out there, waiting to be found."
"They are priceless treasures of the sea, powers that everyone covets. And if you want a Mythical Zoan, then besides luck... you also need the strength to rip it out of someone else's hands."
A grin spread across Chinjao's face.
"I think you understand what I mean."
Yasuie was no fool. Of course he understood the implication.
He had already witnessed the overwhelming power of Tengetsu Ares firsthand.
His face hardened.
"A samurai of Wano does not retreat in fear just because his enemy is strong."
Shing!
Yasuie raised his blade vertically, his eyes utterly devoid of fear or hesitation.
"We will give everything we have in this duel!"
"Hahaha!" Chinjao laughed. "Now that is an interesting samurai. Then let me show you the might of the Yamata no Orochi!"
The next moment, every drill atop the eight heads turned jet black, completing Armament Haki hardening.
The serpentine necks extended and stretched like living rubber, all eight drills aiming straight at Yasuie.
A sharp whistle tore through the air.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
"Hasshoken Secret Art, Drill Dragon Nail!"
This time it was no longer just one Hasshoken strike, but all eight heads attacking at once in a surging tide.
Clang!
Sparks flew everywhere as Yasuie leapt back. But the instant his feet touched the ground, the second snake head was already in his face.
Clang!
He raised his sword to block, and a terrifying shockwave burst from the drill. With that drill-like head, Chinjao could focus all of his power into a single point and unleash it with terrifying effectiveness.
As the one on the receiving end, Yasuie could clearly feel the enormous increase in Chinjao's strength, compounded by the relentless bombardment of all eight heads.
His heart sank.
"A Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, one of the rarest things on the sea, has shown up twice at once, and both are in Ares's crew..."
"For this duel, they came fully prepared. Those ninja scouts never managed to uncover the true strength of these people!"
At that moment, Yasuie had the distinct feeling that all of them had stepped straight into a trap that Ares had set.
When Sukiyaki saw Chinjao's Mythical Zoan form, he was so shocked that he nearly ground his molars to dust.
Another Mythical Zoan. Are Mythical Zoans not even rarer than Logias?
Crack, crack.
He clenched his fists so tightly they groaned.
"Damn it! Why do Ares's subordinates all possess Mythical Zoan powers..."
Sukiyaki's face turned deathly pale.
In the first match, Kaido had secured victory for Ares's side.
Now in the second match, the situation looked utterly grim.
Shimotsuki Yasuie was only barely hanging on, and it looked like defeat was imminent.
If they lost the second match as well, then the third would become the decisive round. And if they wanted to beat Ares...
They would need to reverse the entire duel by winning three straight matches.
That thought struck Sukiyaki hard. Fear and panic surged through his eyes, his mind descending into complete chaos.
"The Kozuki family... the title of shogun has been passed down for so many generations. Could it really end in my hands... only to be handed over to another family?!"
This crisis was far worse than the previous one, when he had struggled without an heir and the Kurozumi family had rebelled.
Now he was already standing at the edge of the cliff. One step back meant plunging into the abyss.
The great yakuza boss of Wano, Hyogoro, trembled slightly and muttered in shock,
"A Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. Ares's crew actually has two users. No wonder he was so confident before..."
"No wonder he openly declared that he could protect Wano, and that he would open its borders!"
Only now did Hyogoro truly understand why Ares had dared to make such bold proclamations in Wano.
Now everything made sense.
It was not only that Ares himself was monstrously strong, but even his subordinates were monsters one after another.
Hyogoro frowned deeply.
"Even without this duel, they could probably take Wano with ease..."
"Even if I were the one fighting up there, I doubt I could beat Chinjao."
When Whitebeard saw Chinjao's Mythical Zoan form, he broke into a grin.
"Gurarara, so that is the Yamata no Orochi fruit you snatched at God Valley. If I remember right, you still have another Mythical Zoan fruit in your possession. Who did you give that one to?"
There was a trace of envy in his eyes.
With Ares included, the War God Pirates now had three Mythical Zoan users in total.
In the future...
Surpassing the Rocks Pirates was practically inevitable. And if one also counted the samurai of Wano...
That pirate crew's strength would be enough to leave anyone speechless.
Marco blinked in surprise and looked at Ares.
"Wait, Pops, are you saying Ares and the others still have another Mythical Zoan fruit?"
Vista was startled.
"Mythical Zoans are so rare that the sea may not see one for years. And today we've already seen two, yet Uncle Ares still has another one?"
After spending time with Marco, they all knew just how powerful Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits were.
Their abilities were incredibly miraculous.
Ares smiled.
"That's right, I still have one more. But for now, I haven't decided who should get it."
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