Sending Kaido Flying
Yamato was stunned when she heard Ryōsuke's words.
This was indeed different from what she had imagined.
If Ryōsuke became the Governor-General of the Beast Pirates, it seemed he really could save Wano Country.
Joy immediately blossomed in her heart.
*'That's wonderful. Ryōsuke didn't lie to me.'*
A smile also appeared on Kaido's face.
"So that's what you're plotting. You're really starting to amuse me."
"You aren't as naive as that idiot Yamato."
"As a ruler, you can naturally do whatever you please. You can destroy others, or you can save them."
"But do you have what it takes?"
Ryōsuke replied calmly.
"How will we know if we don't try?"
Kaido's interest was piqued.
"Good, good, good! If you can defeat me, I'll hand over the position of Governor-General to you. How about that?"
Ryōsuke was still unsatisfied.
"That's not enough. You also have to be my Vice Governor-General."
He absolutely wasn't going to let such a valuable labor force slip away. If he ever needed the Beast Pirates and Kaido to do something in the future, who would dare resist?
A hint of displeasure crossed Kaido's face.
"You really are pushing your luck. However, if you defeat me, then of course I can be your Vice Governor-General."
"But that's only if you actually have the strength."
"If you don't, then you'll join our Beast Pirates and become my Vice Governor-General instead."
Having someone with such bold ambitions as a Vice Governor-General wouldn't be bad. Besides, he was Yamato's man and would give him grandchildren in the future.
Ryōsuke naturally had no problem with this.
"Deal."
Naturally, he wasn't going to lose.
Hearing this exchange, Yamato felt a bit worried.
Although Ryōsuke's plan could indeed save Wano Country, it had now reached the most critical juncture.
If he defeated Kaido, Ryōsuke would become the Governor-General of the Beast Pirates.
Then, saving Wano Country would be much easier.
The current Shogun of Wano Country, Kurozumi Orochi, was only able to control the nation by relying on Kaido's power.
Without Kaido's help, he never would have been able to contend with Kozuki Oden.
Meanwhile, the other Tobi Roppo and Lead Performers were quite excited. Lord Kaido was truly magnanimous.
To think he was willing to give a guy like this such an opportunity.
Even if part of the reason was that this man was his son-in-law.
But did this guy really have the ability to claim such a position?
It felt a bit like a pipe dream.
Kaido was one of the Four Emperors of the Sea in this world; his strength was absolutely at the very pinnacle.
How could some random guy just pop out of nowhere and defeat him?
It seemed their pirate crew was about to gain a Vice Governor-General.
However, they didn't feel any dissatisfaction about it.
At the very least, they didn't have the guts to raise a hand against Kaido.
Every single one of them had experienced Kaido's terrifying power firsthand.
Some of them used to be just as arrogant and untamed, only to be knocked unconscious by a single swing of Lord Kaido's club.
Even those who hadn't experienced it directly had seen Lord Kaido in action plenty of times.
Even renowned powerhouses of the sea were knocked out cold with a single strike.
At this moment, Ryōsuke looked at Kaido.
"Are you ready? I'm going to make my move."
"Bring it on."
Kaido's face was filled with fighting spirit. He wanted to see just how strong this man from the new generation was to dare challenge his position.
Even if this was his favored candidate for a son-in-law, he still had to deliver a thunderous blow.
This was the price for provoking him.
Hearing Kaido's words, Ryōsuke simply snapped his fingers, activating his time-stopping authority.
Everything around him ground to a halt. Then, Ryōsuke slowly walked toward Kaido.
Arriving in front of Kaido, he clenched his fist, bent his knees, leaped lightly into the air, and slammed a punch directly into Kaido's stomach.
Kaido was instantly sent flying backward, his stomach caving in from the impact.
Only then did Ryōsuke resume the flow of time.
"Arghhh!"
Mid-air, Kaido instantly let out an agonized howl.
He then crashed heavily onto the top floor.
The Tobi Roppo and Lead Performers stared in absolute horror.
What in the world just happened?
They hadn't even seen him make a move, yet Kaido had already been sent flying.
No matter how fast someone was, there should have been some trace to follow.
Could he really be so fast that not even his shadow could be seen?
What kind of terrifying speed was this?
Even the fastest man on the sea, Marine Admiral Kizaru, moved at a speed where the naked eye could still catch a glimpse of his trajectory.
Yamato was equally astonished; she hadn't seen what happened either.
It seemed Ryōsuke was even stronger than she had imagined. She felt he really could defeat Kaido.
Ryōsuke didn't press the attack, nor did he plan to finish Kaido off in a single strike.
He wanted to make Kaido feel utterly powerless; otherwise, even if Kaido lost, he wouldn't truly submit in his heart.
Kaido slowly picked himself up from the ground.
It hurt like hell.
This guy hadn't held back in the slightest.
But what exactly just happened?
Even if he hadn't activated his Observation Haki...
He still shouldn't have missed every single sign of an attack.
He walked over once again.
"Again. I won't be careless this time."
He unleashed his Observation Haki at full power, even using it to look into the future.
But he still couldn't see how this man was attacking.
So, he widened his eyes, relying on his own visual perception as well.
Ryōsuke smiled.
"Alright then."
He snapped his fingers again, stopping time.
He walked over and delivered another heavy blow, this time to Kaido's chest.
Just as he expected, Kaido's skin was incredibly tough and thick. He truly lived up to his title as one of the Four Emperors.
He could really take a beating.
Taking the punch, Kaido was sent flying once again.
While Kaido was mid-air, Ryōsuke allowed time to flow again.
"Arghhh!"
Suspended in the air, Kaido let out another agonizing howl.
It really hurt.
The pain pierced straight to his internal organs.
But what frustrated him even more was that he still hadn't seen anything, nor had he sensed any movement with his Observation Haki.
He crashed heavily onto the ground once more.
The impact sent tremors rippling across the floor.
Anger boiled within him. As one of the Four Emperors, he was completely powerless to fight back.
Even when he faced Captain Rocks in the past, he had never been beaten this miserably.
With an extremely gloomy expression, he walked back over.
"What kind of Devil Fruit power do you have, you bastard?"
This guy could teleport instantly, leaving him with no time to react. It might even be a time-related Devil Fruit.
Because even with teleportation, it was impossible to send him flying into the air without giving him a chance to react.
And this was absolutely the power of a Devil Fruit.
He couldn't think of any other possibility.
Naturally, Ryōsuke hadn't eaten any Devil Fruit, nor did he plan to.
He possessed the Rinnegan.
He had all five basic chakra natures, and even Yin-Yang Release, the power of creation.
This meant he could replicate the attacks of most Logia-type Devil Fruits in this world.
As for those Zoan-type Devil Fruits, he had absolutely no interest in them.
Although they provided a massive boost in strength, they came with a fatal weakness: a fear of seawater.
With such a massive flaw, why the hell would he eat one? Unless it was produced by the system and came with no side effects, he wouldn't even consider it.