On the vast blue sea, a massive three-masted sailing ship was slowly making its way toward a bustling port in the distance.
Sunlight sparkled on the shimmering surface of the water, reflecting the majestic outline of the sailing ship. The port was bustling with noise and activity, vendors' cries rising and falling, the air thick with the scents of fish and spices.
"Boss, we're here," Queen said, standing on the deck and squinting at the approaching docks. "This is the Kingdom of Flowers, reputed to be one of the strongest nations in the West Blue."
Kaido stood at the bow, the sea wind ruffling his wild hair. He grinned, revealing white teeth. "Wororororo, interesting. Then let's get a good look at the true nature of this country!"
The sailing ship slowly entered the port, the shadow of its hull covering a corner of the docks.
Surprisingly, when the people on the docks saw this pirate ship flying the Jolly Roger of the Beasts Pirates, they did not panic and flee as usual. Instead, they stopped to watch.
Although this ship was not Kaido's personal vessel, as a pirate ship that had returned from the New World, it was already famous throughout the Four Blues.
Logically, among so many people on the docks, someone was bound to recognize it as a ship of the Beasts Pirates. Yet at this moment, people merely examined this behemoth with curiosity, their expressions even holding a hint of expectation.
Kaido watched this scene with great interest, a flash of amusement in his eyes. It seemed this Kingdom of Flowers truly was different.
The ship docked steadily. Kaido's massive frame was the first to step ashore, his heavy footsteps echoing on the wooden planks. He looked around and found the port orderly. Vendors continued hawking their wares, workers kept loading and unloading goods, as if his arrival hadn't caused much of a stir.
"Respected Mr. Kaido, greetings. Welcome to the Kingdom of Flowers."
The moment Kaido came ashore, a squad of fully armed soldiers immediately ran over. They wore matching uniforms, standard-issue weapons at their waists, their steps perfectly synchronized.
The leader of the squad spoke to Kaido without servility or arrogance. "Within the territory of the Kingdom of Flowers, you are free to tour and shop as you wish. However, there is one rule we ask you to respect: do not use force on this island. Otherwise, we will be forced to take necessary measures."
"Interesting," Kaido narrowed his eyes, looking down at the squad leader who dared face him directly. "Are you threatening me?"
The leader straightened his back, looking Kaido straight in the eye. "If you choose to interpret it that way, you may. Though you are a great pirate famed in the New World, our Kingdom of Flowers is not to be trifled with."
"Wororororo," Kaido let out a low laugh. "What gives you the courage to speak to me like this? Is it 'Chinjao' of the Point, who made a big commotion not long ago?"
A flicker of surprise crossed the leader's face before he regained his composure. "You know Chief Chinjao? But even Chief Chinjao, with his four-hundred-million Berry bounty, is merely one of the many water armies in our Kingdom of Flowers." His tone held clear pride. "Our Kingdom of Flowers possesses eight water armies, each capable of dominating a region of the sea."
"Wororororo, you've got one thing wrong. I don't know any 'Chinjao' of the Point. But even if that guy were standing right in front of me, he wouldn't dare speak to me like that," Kaido said directly, looking at the leader before him.
Hearing this, beads of sweat immediately broke out on the leader's forehead. His face paled with tension, his hands unconsciously clenching.
The surrounding crowd sensed the shift in atmosphere and took several steps back, afraid of being caught up in it.
An air of suffocating tension filled the space.
Just then, a booming voice came from the distance. "Is that so, Kaido? Who gave you the courage to cause trouble in my Kingdom of Flowers?"
Everyone looked toward the source of the voice. They saw a five-meter-tall, powerfully built man with a strange, pointed conical head and a face full of bushy sideburns striding toward them. This was none other than the four-hundred-million-Berry pirate, "Chinjao" of the Point.
At this time, the cone on his head had not yet been smashed flat by Garp. Both his strength and his mindset were at their peak.
Chinjao walked right up to Kaido, the two locking eyes.
Both were famous great pirates of the New World. Now, meeting in the port of the Kingdom of Flowers, sparks seemed to fly in the air.
"Chief Chinjao!" the squad leader exclaimed, relieved.
Chinjao waved a hand, signaling the soldiers to step back. He looked Kaido up and down, sneering. "The Fierce Beast, Kaido. What are you doing in our Kingdom of Flowers?"
Kaido crossed his arms, not yielding an inch. "I go where I please. Do I need to report to you?"
"Hmph, on the soil of the Kingdom of Flowers, you abide by the Kingdom of Flowers' rules," Chinjao said sternly. "This is not a place for you to run wild."
"Wororororo," Kaido rumbled with low laughter. "Rules? I am the rule!"
The standoff between the two intensified the tension. The crowd on the docks had retreated to a safe distance, but many still craned their necks, hoping to witness the clash between these powerhouses.
Chinjao snorted coldly. "Seems you're here looking for trouble. Don't think escaping from that guy Zephyr makes you invincible."
The sun blazed overhead. The pointed cone on Chinjao's head gleamed with a cold, sharp light. He himself was like an unsheathed blade, radiating sharpness.
Kaido held his spiked club, a violent aura emanating from his entire body. The two faced off in the open space.
After a brief silence, they attacked almost simultaneously.
"Hachinin Ken Ougi: Chinchō!" Chinjao focused all the strength of his body into the cone on his head, charging toward Kaido like an arrow shot from a bow.
"Thunder Bagua!" Kaido swung his club, unleashing his signature move, the club wrapped in a violent, crackling electrical force.
Two immense forces collided violently in mid-air, producing a deafening roar.
The shockwave from the impact radiated outward from the epicenter, whipping up fierce gales. The ground cracked and splintered under the tremendous force, rubble flying in all directions.
The two powers were deadlocked; the very air around them trembled, as if time itself had frozen in that moment.
A moment later, both men were forced back several steps.
"Wororororo, Hachinin Ken, eh? Interesting." Kaido felt the force transmitted through his club and let out his trademark laugh. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes; clearly, he hadn't expected Chinjao to be able to match him head-on.
Chinjao looked at Kaido with a grave expression, inwardly shocked. He had been confident that using the unique power delivery technique of the Hachinin Ken, focusing all his body's strength into a single point, would allow him to easily crush his opponent. Yet after this collision, they were evenly matched. Moreover, he could sense that Kaido seemed to still be holding back.
"Damn it, this guy really is something else," Chinjao muttered under his breath, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
He knew full well that this five-hundred-and-forty-million-Berry Fierce Beast before him was not famous for nothing. This battle was likely to be far more difficult than he had anticipated.
Just as the two prepared to clash again, a loud shout suddenly came from the distance. "Stop this at once!"
Kaido turned to look. He saw the King of the Kingdom of Flowers, leading a contingent of men, hurrying toward them.
The King's expression was grave. Dozens of elite soldiers followed behind him, clearly alerted by the commotion of the battle.
***
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