Chapter 147: The Beaten Kaido

The colossal form of Kaido slammed into the ground, sending tremors rippling throughout Onigashima. Remember, the island was currently fortified with steel-like earth, yet it swayed precariously under the impact.

Kaido himself was in a daze, blood oozing profusely from his head. The damage inflicted by the single punch was significant.

Witnessing Kaido's bloody state, Whitebeard couldn't help but feel a flicker of complexity. He had clashed with Kaido before, a battle that raged for hours. While he had managed to scar Kaido, the injuries weren't as severe as those inflicted by Kozuki Oden back in the day.

Kozuki Oden, in his prime, was second only to Whitebeard and Roger. Kaido, on the other hand, hadn't yet reached his peak during their encounter. Back then, Kaido was easily overpowered. However, Kaido at his current peak was a different story altogether.

Most of the injuries Whitebeard inflicted were superficial, with a few internal injuries caused by vibrations transmitted through Kaido's body. Luo Ning's punch, however, had left Kaido's head bleeding and the top of his dragon form seemingly dented. The power behind that punch was demonstrably superior to anything Whitebeard had managed just moments ago.

The sheer force of the blow caused significant damage. Kaido's enormous body rapidly shrunk, transforming back into his human form. Now, a clear indentation marred his forehead, a testament to the devastating impact of Luo Ning's punch.

"Damn it!" Clutching his forehead, Kaido stared at Luo Ning with a mix of shock and fury. He had witnessed Luo Ning's power firsthand through broadcasts, aware of his strength, but experiencing it himself was an entirely different matter. It was overwhelming.

Meanwhile, King and his crew rushed over, only to be intercepted by Whitebeard's captains. Despite King's competence, their group had been battered by the ongoing fight. Defeat was inevitable, especially with Whitebeard himself keeping an eye on them. Escape was simply not an option.

Kaido, desperate to escape Luo Ning's pursuit, unleashed his signature "Thunder Bagua" attack with his mace. However, the collision with Luo Ning's fist resulted in a one-sided outcome – the mace shattered instantly. The force of the blow not only twisted and deformed Kaido's arm but also sent cracks through his ribs. This single punch from Luo Ning had truly crippled the man known as the "Strongest Creature."

Remarkably, Kaido refused to stay down. He rose again, earning a speechless reaction from Luo Ning. The man's vitality was truly monstrous, bordering on immunity to death. Despite a damaged brain, shattered ribs, and a mangled arm, he stood, unleashing a ten-fisted barrage.

While these injuries would render a normal person near death and immobile, a monster like Kaido could still move and fight. The key factor was the incredible force behind Luo Ning's punch.

Unfazed by this revelation, Luo Ning launched another attack, a punch aimed directly at Kaido's head. If it connected, it would surely crush Kaido's skull.

Just as Luo Ning's fist neared Kaido's head, a black blur shot out, interposing itself between them. Luo Ning immediately halted his punch.

"Yamato," he said, acknowledging her intervention. "You should understand that not everyone can withstand my blows. Be grateful I held back; otherwise, you'd be a goner."

He had sensed Yamato approaching and hadn't used his full strength, allowing him to stop the punch in mid-motion. With someone else, even Whitebeard wouldn't have been able to halt his attack so effortlessly. After all, force requires an equal and opposite reaction. Stopping a powerful attack necessitates either redirecting the force onto the target or absorbing the impact oneself.

"I apologize," Yamato said, her voice heavy with conflicted emotions. "Despite my frustrations with him and his mental instability..."

While she had openly challenged Kaido's authority and even attacked him in the past, seeing him on the verge of death was a bridge too far. Their bond, however tenuously it remained, hadn't completely severed. And Kaido didn't intend to kill Yamato either.

The emotional exchange was cut short as Kaido, unable to bear the strain any longer, crumpled to the ground. The combined effects of the bone trauma and blunt force trauma from Luo Ning's punch had finally overwhelmed him.

"Forget it," Luo Ning sighed. "I'll take this guy back to Impel Down later, but I'll spare his life. Yamato, I was going to suggest..." He paused, reconsidering his words. "Never mind, forget what I said."

Luo Ning had originally envisioned Yamato taking over Kaido's territory and establishing a new nation on that foundation. However, upon further reflection, the idea seemed ludicrous. Yamato herself yearned for the open sea, and confining her would be more trouble than it was worth. He stopped himself before fully forming the proposition.

Taking over Kaido's territory was simple enough. Whitebeard and Katakuri could handle it. Building a nation didn't necessarily require Kaido's people.

"Huh? What were you going to say?" Yamato inquired innocently. In some ways, Yamato's personality mirrored Luffy's – a bit simple and lacking a well-defined purpose.

"Nothing important," Luo Ning dismissed. "Kaido will be spending his time in Impel Down from now on."

Yamato offered no resistance this time. Kaido's actions disgusted her, and as long as he wasn't killed, she didn't care much about his imprisonment.

Kaido himself remained stoic about his fate. Impel Down wasn't new territory for him. He'd escaped before, and he fully intended to do so again. He didn't believe the prison could hold him permanently.

His current state was dire. While still capable of fighting, his present condition was a far cry from his peak. Fighting Luo Ning now would be futile. The wisest course of action was to bide his time, recuperate, and wait for an opportunity to escape.