At the moment, Luffy's mind raced with ideas on how to make a dent in Kaido's seemingly indestructible body. The only technique he could think of that might penetrate Kaido's dragon scales was his Railgun—a powerful, risky move he'd managed to execute only once before. But coins alone wouldn't cut it against a beast like Kaido; he'd need something stronger, something with the power to break through those scales.
As he assessed Kaido's massive form, wrapped in thick, impenetrable scales, Luffy's gaze sharpened with determination. While he calculated his attack, Garp and Aokiji were already engaging Kaido in combat, leaping forward to distract the Emperor.
"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!" Aokiji announced, condensing cold air in his palm and shaping it into an ice bird, which he launched toward Kaido with deadly speed. The ice bird flared with a burst of frigid energy as it rushed forward.
Kaido, still swaying from his drunken stupor, let out a huff and lazily swung his enormous mace. With a single, casual sweep, he shattered the ice bird, shards scattering harmlessly in the air. But Garp was already closing in, and his presence demanded Kaido's full attention.
Kaido turned to face him, only to stagger slightly as the alcohol muddled his balance. Garp saw his chance and launched a brutal iron-fisted strike toward Kaido's chest, the sheer force of his blow kicking up a fierce wind as it barreled toward its target. Though Kaido was sluggish, his instincts kicked in, and he raised his mace just in time to block Garp's fist.
Flesh and blood clashed against iron, but it was Kaido who faltered under the impact. Garp's strike hit with such power that Kaido's arms buckled, and his mace was forced back against his own chest, the shockwave pushing him hundreds of meters across the ice, carving a deep gully in his wake.
Garp withdrew his fist with a snort of satisfaction, but then he noticed Kaido's bloodshot eyes glaring at him, and the stench of alcohol filled the air as Kaido spat out another mouthful of sake.
"Haa… Yue~ That smell! Is this guy here to fight, or to gross us out?" Garp muttered, waving a hand to disperse the sour, alcohol-tinged air.
But seeing Kaido in this state, stumbling and unfocused, Luffy felt a surge of confidence. This was a rare opportunity, and he couldn't afford to let it pass. Quickly, he pulled out every scrap of metal he had collected so far, ready to put his plan into action.
"Thunder Metallurgy!" he whispered, channeling intense heat through bolts of lightning to melt the metal. In mere moments, he reshaped it into a long, gleaming nail, as thick as two fingers and just the right length for his Railgun attack.
Holding his hands in front of his chest, he created a hollow space between his fingertips, carefully positioning the nail within the magnetic field. The makeshift projectile floated, poised and deadly, as Luffy took careful aim at Kaido, who was still reeling from his exchange with Garp.
Luffy's eyes narrowed as his hands began to spark with violent energy, the electricity gathering in crackling waves. Just as he finished charging up, Kaido seemed to sense the attack and turned to dodge.
"RAILGUN!"
In an instant, a streak of blue lightning tore across the battlefield. Aokiji, who had been preparing to launch his next ice attack, stopped mid-stride, his eyes widening as the beam shot past him. He barely had time to register what was happening when he saw a large spray of blood explode from Kaido's shoulder, the flesh torn apart by the high-speed projectile. The sight was stunning—the indomitable Kaido, injured.
Aokiji's pupils contracted, and he froze in place, the reality of the injury sinking in. He looked at Luffy in disbelief, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead. Is this… is this really the attack of that little kid Luffy? he thought, stunned. He managed to wound Kaido at this age? What kind of monster is he becoming?!
Garp and Hancock were equally taken aback. Kaido, who had brushed off two of Garp's iron-fisted punches, now staggered from a single attack by Luffy. Even more surprising, Kaido's shoulder was severely injured, blood pouring down his massive form.
But the initial shock quickly gave way to pride. Garp's lips turned up in a proud grin, while Hancock looked at her husband with admiration, a warm glow in her eyes. For Garp, it was the pride of a grandfather; for Hancock, it was the pride of a partner. Both felt immense joy that their beloved family member held such power.
Kaido, meanwhile, stared at his bleeding shoulder, a look of incredulity in his eyes. He turned slowly toward Luffy, focusing on the small figure that had dared to harm him. Then his face broke into a manic grin, a wild glint flashing in his eyes as he started to laugh, his voice echoing across the frozen sea.
"I'm injured… I'm injured…" he muttered, his voice low and filled with disbelief. But then, his laughter grew louder, erupting into a hysterical roar. "Oh, that's wonderful, kid! You're the first to deal me such a serious injury since Oden. This is incredible! Finally… finally, someone who might actually kill me!"
Kaido's laughter grew crazier, echoing across the battlefield like the cackle of a madman, his eyes wide with unrestrained joy. The blood dripping from his wound seemed only to fuel his excitement.
Watching him, Luffy's expression twisted in disgust. Kaido's obsession with finding a worthy opponent was beyond twisted. Luffy curled his lips and scoffed, shouting back, "You think it's hard to find someone who can kill you? If you're that desperate, go challenge Whitebeard! Let him use the Tremor-Tremor Fruit on you a few times, and I guarantee you'll be dead."
Kaido's laughter faltered slightly, and Luffy continued, voice dripping with disdain, "Stop acting like you're some invincible god. If you want to die that badly, stop wasting my time and go pick a fight with someone else."
==============================================
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
==============================================