"Thunder Bagua!!!"
As soon as Kaido saw Kairos Flint descend, he launched a preemptive strike.
Gripping his massive spiked club, Hassaikai, Kaido wrapped it in a swirling layer of Conqueror's Haki. The next second, he shot forward at blinding speed.
The club came crashing down toward Kairos with terrifying momentum, splitting the air with an audible shockwave from its sheer speed.
But Kairos wasn't going to just sit and wait for death.
He reacted instantly—striking back.
His counterattack wasn't just backed by Conqueror's Haki, but also Armament Haki, and more than that—the combined powers of his Fire Slate and Thunder Slate were channeled through his blade.
Flames and lightning danced together across his weapon—a fusion of four powerful forces.
A devastating strike.
The two attacks collided mid-air.
BOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion rang out between them.
A towering mushroom cloud surged upward into the sky, the shockwave spreading in all directions.
Both Kairos and Kaido were at the center of it—but neither was injured by the impact.
This was merely a test of power—a clash of strength between titans.
A warm-up.
Had this same exchange struck a Navy Admiral or most other high-tier fighters, they would've been obliterated on the spot.
Because this was the level of power one would expect from top-tier emperors. No ordinary fighter could withstand such a blow.
"Brat, is that all you've got?" Kaido roared with laughter.
"You think you can reach for the throne of this world with that strength? Don't kid yourself!"
Kaido had reigned as a Yonko for many years. He was no longer the reckless warrior of his youth. To him, Kairos Flint—though impressive—was just a newly risen emperor, nothing more.
Even if Kairos had fought Garp and held his own, the New World was ruled by the Four Emperors, and in Kaido's eyes, the so-called "Bounty King" was still a challenger.
A threat.
An insult.
Because if someone like Kairos could rise so quickly and start acting as king in the New World, what did that say about the Yonko's power?
"You think I'll let that slide? Let me teach you the hierarchy of the sea!"
"Third Generation Naraku!!!"
Kaido soared into the air once more, spinning his spiked club overhead. Conqueror's Haki coiled around the weapon like a serpent as he prepared to bring it down.
His target: Kairos Flint.
And this attack was no joke.
But Kairos, standing below, calmly returned his sword—the Third Generation Kitetsu—to its sheath.
Indeed, swordsmanship had served him well in the past.
But now?
Things were different.
In the past, his swordsmanship and physical techniques were both at an emperor-level—excellent, but on equal footing.
Now, however, his Taijutsu—his hand-to-hand combat—had evolved to a divine level, in harmony with his physical body.
That was why—
He now preferred fighting bare-handed.
Especially with the elemental power of his Stone Slates infused into his strikes, his fists were deadlier than ever.
And more satisfying.
The feeling of impact—punches that landed with force, with power, with intent—gave him a thrill even swordsmanship couldn't match.
"Divine Art: Fire Dragon Fist!!!"
Kairos raised his fist.
Flames erupted, dancing wildly across his arm.
At the same time, Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki coalesced around his hand, forming a destructive aura.
In this era, if an emperor-level battle didn't involve Conqueror's Haki, the fighter wouldn't last long.
You'd get pounded into dust.
As Kairos's flame grew, so did the heat in the air.
This wasn't a mere fire like Ace's immature Flame-Flame Fruit.
This was the pure, deadly power of the Fire Slate—a power Kairos had trained with endlessly, mastering it further with each battle.
This punch?
Far stronger than the one he used against Whitebeard.
He launched it straight upward.
BOOM!
Kaido's descending club, fueled by the might of "Third Generation Naraku," met Kairos's flaming fist.
The resulting shockwave shook the battlefield.
The ground beneath Kairos cracked, crushed under the sheer force.
Everything around him—rocks, soil, earth—was blasted into debris by the impact of their powers.
Only the small area beneath his feet remained intact.
CRASH!!!
Kaido finally felt the force of Kairos's punch—pure, overwhelming power.
He barely had time to react.
That strike wasn't just strong.
It was unreasonable.
Kaido was sent flying through the air.
His body tumbled backward, unable to stop the violent force Kairos had unleashed.
"What's wrong, Kaido?" Kairos called out with a grin.
"That was just the beginning."
He didn't give Kaido a moment to recover.
In the blink of an eye, Kairos vanished—moving like lightning—and reappeared beside Kaido mid-air.
SNAP!
His right leg lifted—condensed with both Conqueror's and Armament Haki.
It carried an immense sense of weight, like a mountain was about to fall.
"Divine Art: Ultimate Heavy Kick!!!"
This was no ordinary strike.
It was the kind of kick that could shatter fortresses.
That could collapse continents.
And right now?
It was heading straight for Kaido.