Chapter 274

This is the ability of Heracles' Noble Phantasm, God Hands / Twelve Labours—an ultimate technique that Heracles used to kill the Hydra in his legend. It represents his mastery over all weapons and his ability to unleash a barrage of devastating strikes. In the Fate series, it manifests in various forms depending on the weapon he wields, capable of overwhelming any opponent with repeated, precise blows.

Boom!!

Kaido slammed into the ground, blood oozing from his battered body.

"Lord Governor!!!"

"Boss Kaido!!"

The surrounding pirates were in a frenzy, their voices tinged with panic as they watched Kaido, their indomitable leader, reduced to a beaten figure.

Kaido's body twitched, but he pushed himself up, hands braced against the ground. Slowly, he sat up, a frown creasing his face as he examined himself.

With his awakened Zoan Devil Fruit ability, his wounds were healing at an alarming rate. In mere moments, the gashes and bruises were closing up, skin knitting back together. But then, his gaze fell on one wound—a jagged scar still visible on his chest.

Um? Kaido's frown deepened as his fingers traced the scar. The rest of his injuries had vanished, but this one remained, a reminder of Heracles' final strike.

"He... actually left a scar..." Kaido muttered, his eyes darkening with emotion.

The last time Kaido had been scarred was eighteen years ago, at the hands of Kozuki Oden, who had been at the peak of his power then. Back then, Kaido was still growing into his strength, but now... now Kaido had reached the zenith of his power, and yet—this.

Heracles had left his mark.

Kaido's anger flared. Completely furious, he clenched his fist around his mace, the bloodlust rising in his veins.

"Good! You actually made me feel pain!" Kaido stood up with a roar, hefting his mace in both hands. "Now I'll let you feel it too!"

His hands tightened around the weapon as black Conqueror's Haki surged through the mace, infusing it with destructive energy. At the same time, purple lightning crackled across its surface, snaking and arcing wildly.

"Conqueror of Three Worlds: Ragnaraku!!"

Kaido leapt high into the air, his massive form silhouetted against the broken sky. The weight of his presence felt like a force of nature as he ascended to the highest point, both hands gripping the mace as he prepared to strike.

Whoosh!!

It appeared to be a simple downward smash, but it was loaded with unimaginable power. The air rippled, and the space around him began to destabilize.

Crackling...

Suddenly, cracks appeared in the very fabric of space, expanding rapidly like spiderwebs across the air. Strong winds from the dimensional rift howled fiercely, making the entire battlefield tremble in the presence of the unleashed power.

Heracles, still recovering from releasing his Noble Phantasm God Hands, was in a vulnerable state. But instinct took over, and he met Kaido's attack with his serrated blade.

The roles were reversed now—Kaido was the attacker, Heracles the defender.

Boom!!

Kaido's mace came crashing down with a resounding explosion of energy, purple ripples connecting sky and earth. The sheer impact split the clouds in two, even the sky seemed to fracture under the weight of the blow.

The ground beneath Heracles gave way. His legs sank, calves disappearing into the earth. Yet, despite the overwhelming force, his eyes burned with a fierce, unrelenting light.

"AHHH!!!-------"

Heracles roared, his muscles swelling with power as he pushed back against Kaido's attack. With a powerful thrust, he shoved Kaido's mace away, the force of his push sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

Just as Heracles was preparing to launch his next attack, Logan's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos: "Enough, Heracles! That's enough for now!"

The once-violent warrior suddenly went still. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and the relentless berserker rage that had driven him ceased instantly.

At the sound of Logan's command, Kaido turned his head toward Onigashima Port, where a group of figures was approaching. Leading them was a young man wearing a straw hat and a handsome youth at his side. It was from this young man that the voice had come.

"Thank you for your hard work. You can rest now, Heracles," Logan instructed calmly.

At Heracles' feet, a glowing red hexagram teleportation circle appeared. Red light pulsed through the array as Heracles' form began to dissolve, vanishing into the magic circle until he disappeared entirely.

Logan and the others had been watching the entire battle between Kaido and Heracles from a distance. Logan had seen enough to confirm that Heracles' strength was comparable to Kaido's. However, if the two were to fight to a conclusion, it would likely take ten days and nights of relentless combat.

And Logan had no interest in wasting time on such a prolonged and exhausting ordeal.

"The Straw Hat Pirates..." Kaido rumbled as his eyes locked onto Luffy's iconic straw hat. He immediately recognized the group. Memories of the Straw Hat Pirates' impressive performance during the Battle of Marineford flooded his mind. Though they were a rookie crew, their power was anything but ordinary.

"Is that guy part of your crew?" Kaido asked, his confusion evident as he looked around for Heracles' presence, only to find none.

Luffy scratched his head, glancing at Logan.

"I guess so~~" Logan shrugged with a playful smile. "To be precise, he's just a subordinate I hired. He works for me."

Kaido's face twitched in disbelief. A hired worker? Strong enough to match him in battle? Is there no law anymore?

If workers like that existed, Kaido thought bitterly, I'll hire them all!

"So, it's you—Straw Hat Pirates—who've come to cause trouble today?" Kaido stood up again, dusting himself off. Though he hadn't gained the upper hand in the battle, his pride as one of the Four Emperors refused to acknowledge defeat. He wasn't about to be looked down upon by a crew of young pirates.

"It's not that we're here to cause trouble," Logan replied, stepping forward with a disarming smile. His tone was calm, almost friendly, as if he were discussing a simple transaction. "We just came to borrow something from you."

"Borrow something?" Kaido sneered. "That's not how pirates operate."

"You misunderstand!" Logan raised his hands lightly, then pointed at Luffy. "See, this is our captain—the future Pirate King! We've already collected two pieces of the Road Poneglyph, and it just so happens that you have one here."

Kaido's eyes narrowed as Logan continued.

"We don't want to take it from you. We just need to make a copy. The original stone tablet stays with you."

Kaido chuckled darkly. "Worororo... Do you think it's that simple? There are only four Road Poneglyphs in existence."

Luffy, ever eager, jumped in. "What's the problem? We just want to talk about it!"

But Kaido's rage boiled over. "Idiots! Have you forgotten who I am? I am Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, the strongest creature in the world! You can't just walk in here and expect me to hand things over! Do I have no dignity?!"

Logan's expression darkened. "So, you'd rather die than cooperate?"

Kaido snarled, his entire body beginning to shift as he transformed into his full dragon form, flames erupting from his massive frame.

"DIE? You bastards think too highly of yourselves!" Kaido roared as his dragon form ascended into the air, flames swirling around him.

"Rising Dragon: Flame Bagua!!"

Hovering above Onigashima, Kaido's dragon tail swept across Skeleton Castle, melting stone walls into molten slag. The flames surrounding him burned hotter than any normal fire, more intense than magma.

"Who's first?" Kaido roared, looking down at the Straw Hat Pirates.

Logan raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "Everyone. Attack."

"YES!!"

The Straw Hat Pirates, well-practiced in group combat, laughed as they rushed forward, launching an all-out assault.

Kaido blinked in surprise. What the hell? These kids have no moral principles!

"Hell Chains!!" Brook called, riding his Soul Chariot high into the sky, helped by Nami's floating card. He swung his chains, wrapping them around Kaido's massive form.

"Idiot! Chains are useless against a dragon's flames!" Kaido sneered, fully expecting the chains to melt within seconds.

One second passed, then two, then three... but the chains remained intact.

"What?!" Kaido roared, his eyes widening in shock as the chains continued to bind him.

At that moment, a surge of hellfire spread along the chains, engulfing Kaido in a blaze that burned not just his body—but his soul.

Kaido screamed in pain, the hellfire scorching him in ways no ordinary flame could.

"A star falling from the sky!!" Usopp shouted, pulling out the God Killer Star. A beam of light containing immense spiritual pressure descended from the heavens, manifesting into a sword of judgment, crashing toward Kaido.

Kaido's Observation Haki caught the invisible sword just in time. He whipped his tail, coated in Armament Haki, to meet it.

When the two forces collided, a powerful wave of energy rippled out, leaving Kaido's physical body unharmed. But...

Kaido's soul was twisted in agony. Again with the soul!

"That sword... cut through my soul!"

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