"So, even Big Mom couldn't stop them…" Zenos Road said.
"Even the mightiest of foes are eventually crushed by those who are connected through their bonds." Tormal said.
"Lord Zenos, I think it's about time we left. With things now down to just you two and Kaido, staying here will only result in you being destroyed for good." Kaiser said.
"Your king makes a good point, you are in no condition to fight yet." Tormal said. "Perhaps it's time we took our leave." he said, looking to the bound Dragonblood Clanswoman.
"Perhaps." Zenos said. "Yes, it is time for us to depart. I do have to go find my subordinates, after all."
"Then I shall go with you, only of course if you still want to work together." Tormal said.
"Hmm…an interesting proposition." Zenos mused. "Very well. Though I don't have much to give, I'm sure we could provide you with some…interesting opportunities."
"Very well. Let's see what you can offer me." Tormal said.
"With all due respect, what about your last Shadow Knight?" Kaiser asked.
"If she is to be freed, then it is no matter, it is to be expected." Tormal said, slowly undoing the Dragonblood girl's restraints. "But you will be staying here, Empress."
"Oh…she's an empress. So fancy." a voice called out in the empty room.
"We're not alone." Kaiser said, drawing weapons in each of his hands. "Whoever you are, show yourself!"
"You guys are gonna chicken out now? You'll miss the whole show." they said.
"News of what transpires here will spread far and wide." Zenos said. "We will know of the outcome soon enough. Now, don't be shy. Step into the light."
"Oh…I'm not hiding. I've been in plain sight." they said as a tongue went and lashed off the Empress's restraints.
"A tongue?" Kaiser observed as those present turned to where the lash originated from to see Gengar peeking out of a shadow in the wall.
"Boy…you all should have seen the looks on your faces." Gengar said.
"How did…I get it now. He hid in the cat's shadow." Zenos Road realized. "An impressive ploy, I must say."
"Eh…I wasn't really looking for you guys…but this is a nice little surprise." Gengar said.
"Tell me, why should we stay here a minute longer?" Zenos asked.
"Don't you wanna see if things get interesting. I mean, it's like leaving before you even know who'd win a big game." Gengar said.
"You want us to bear witness to the victor of the only battle left to be decided?" Zenos asked.
"Sirs, he's just trying to stall us so his comrades can catch up." Kaiser said.
"We have no reason in staying here any further, I'm already aware of the outcome of this battle." Tormal said, surprising Gengar.
"Oh no…well…did you know your date just walked out on ya?" Gengar asked as they turned to see the dragonblood gone.
"Why do you think I undid her restraints?" Tormal asked unfazed.
"Ugh…you guys…are no fun, you know?" Gengar said as he fazed out.
"Time to go." Eraser said. "Any longer, and we'll be caught."
"Yes. Shall we be off then?" Tormal said.
"Let's be off, Kaiser. No matter who wins, Gaeabrande will still be in need of conquest. And besides…we have many new opportunities ahead." Zenos said.
Kaiser conjured a portal as he, Tormal and his master walked through, off to continue their plans…
All across the castle, events continued to unfold. One being the ninjas Raizo and Fukurokuju who stood within a burning building until the latter was burned up by them and passed out from pain, allowing Raizo to win before being rescued by Jimbei and company. However, with the bowler hat agent…
"You want me to interrupt Kaido's battle? That's almost impossible!" the agent replied.
"Straw Hat's battle with Kaido is why this needs to be done. The way things are going…things will only grow more disastrous." spoke a voice on the other side of the line. "This is only a precaution as Kaido losing is impossible to imagine. But he must be dealt with."
"Fine…this will cost us one man…but all for the sake of keeping the balance of the world." the bowler hat agent said as he hung up but not before he was attacked. "You!"
He was surprised to see X Drake standing there.
"I won't let you anywhere near them." X Drake said.
"Ugh…this day is still going to continue to be a major headache to me." the agent said as the two clashed.
Somewhere else in the castle, Orochi lied in hiding as the woman known as Komurasaki played for him.
"Grr…where is that worthless ninja? He better not had fled without me. And that shaking. Was it Kanjuro's doing?" he said before looking to Komurasaki. "And you! Why do you keep wearing that stupid mask? Are you really her? I was sure she died that…" he said as the ceiling moved a bit before it collapsed on top of him.
"Ugh…" he groaned as his head was the only thing free. "Damn…why can't…I transform?"
"Oh…that's likely cause of the Sea Stone nail I slipped onto you while you relaxed. Wouldn't want you becoming a monster now." Komurasaki said.
"What? Why…why would you do that?!" Orochi said. "I thought you loved me!"
"Her? Loving you? That's a laugh." a voice said as Cheetah's group stood at the entrance.
"Surprise!" Sachiko said. "Bet you weren't expecting us to chase you down, were you?"
"Uh…okay…who the hell are you?" Orochi asked.
"I'm Sachiko Yukimura. A classmate of one David Ishihara. I hope HIS name rings a bell." Sachiko said. "After all, you were the one that sent that assassin that got caught up in that Portalstone incident."
"Portalstone? Ishihara? Oh…the poor boy Cipher Pol said was coming for my head." Orochi said.
"Too bad he's not going to be the one to kill you." Sachiko said.
"Yeah…I don't give a flip about…" Orochi said as Komurasaki smacked him.
"Do you know the song you love hearing? It's called Moon Princess. It was liked by another man…my father, Kozuki Oden." she said.
"F-Father?!" Orochi said in shock as the woman removed her mask to show the tears on her face.
"I am Kozuki Hiyori…his child. Now…I can't even play this song without seeing you laughing at his demise!" she said.
"Wait wait…you girls have it wrong. I was a pawn too. Yeah! It was Kaido who pulled the strings. And that knight and demon guy…they likely cast a spell on me to make me obedient!" Orochi said as he was sweating.
"Yeah… I don't think anyone is going to believe you now." Cheetah said.
"D-d-don't be so hasty about this. Killing a shogun like me…it's not something people like you can live with. I-If you let me go, I can have this Yukimura girl sent to a university of her choosing. All I need to do is say the word." Orochi begged.
"Yeah…like you even know what a university is." Sachiko said. "And I prefer to get that recommendation through my own merit."
"Besides, you promised my father he would go free if he withstood being boiled for that whole hour…and what did you do? You broke your promise and killed him anyway." Hiyori said.
"So why should we believe anything you say now?" Cheetah asked.
"Well uh…" Orochi said as he saw the wisp known as Kazembo entering.
"Lor…d…Oro…chi…" it muttered.
"Kanjuro! Perfect timing!" Orochi said.
"I'm…sor…ry…I…fai…led." it muttered as it crawled into the room.
"Nevermind that. I have a new play for you. Burn these stupid women right here and now. It'll be called the foolish 20 year plot of the foolish woman and her idiot sidekicks." Orochi said as Kazembo went towards him. "Hey…stop!"
"Oro…chi…" it said hugging his head as Orochi was set aflame as he cried in pain.
"Orochi ended up being done in by a plot of his own making." Sachiko said. "He sought to be Wano's ruling power, and this is what he gets."
"In the end, no one will even shed a tear if he dies." Cheetah said.
The fight above Onigashima continued to rage as both Jexi and Luffy continued to clash with Kaido as both sides continued to take sizeable damage.
"I said…staaap." Kaido said drunkenly as he took a punch to the face.
"You're still drunk!" Jexi said.
The punches kept coming as Kaido went into full dragon form.
"Well…how about this?" Kaido said as he opened his mouth and trapped the two of them inside it.
"Hey! No fair! We can't become dragons! Let us out of…" Jexi said as Kaido opened his mouth. "Crap!" he said as they took a Blast Breath at close range as they were sent sliding back.
"This is my last Gear Fourth. Losing for either of us isn't an option." Luffy said.
"You people are rather demanding." Kaido said.
"As long as you stay, these people won't even have clean water to drink!" Luffy called out. "Gum Gum…Over Kong Gun!" he said, sending him flying with that punch.
"He's not down yet. We gotta keep it up." Jexi said as Kaido lunged at them with his club and sent them flying.
"Thunder Bellow Bagua!" Kaido called out as he laughed while looking murderous.
"One more…maybe with one more he'll…" Jexi said as he and Luffy went towards Kaido only for the bowler hat agent to grab onto Luffy. "What the?"
"Damn that Drake…but now…Iron Body!" he said as Luffy was held back as Kaido landed a powerful strike to his face as Luffy collapsed right onto the ground. However, the look on Kaido's face was not happiness but rather shock, as it was on Jexi's face.
"Luffy….no." Jexi said. "You monster!" he called out before Kaido sent him flying over the roof and off the island.
Kaido growled as he approached the agent. "You're prepared then?" Kaido asked as the agent tipped his hat as Kaido raised his club. All that could be heard was the fatal crash from the club on the roof. Kaido then started to cry a bit. "Again…like with Oden…it happened again…" he growled.
On the Performance Floor…
"Hah! Something's gone wrong. I can't sense Luffy anymore…and Jexi's aura is faint." Lucario said.
"What? But…there's no way that…" Theo said as a blast came through the ceiling as Kaido came flying down.
"Attention raiding fools…Straw Hat Luffy and the one known as Jexi the Hunter…are dead. I am here for a surrender from Kozuki Momonosuke." Kaido said.
"No…" Gus remarked, seeing Kaido descend. "That's not possible! Even if Luffy was actually killed, but Jexi… that can't be!"
"Don't give up yet…" David said.
"...I know. Even if Kaido is on our throats… that's all the more reason never to give up!" Gus growled. "But I worry about the others, the ones who are not so determined as us."
"You're kidding. There's no… there's no…" Siege choked up. 'All this… for nothing…? Was all this for nothing!?'
"Now then…Onigashima will fall on the Flower Capital as originally planned. Unlike Orochi however, I am no pushover. I will force all there to work as one major weapons factory. Men, women, children. Though after being introduced to all worlds…I will take over the worlds all you off worlders come from!" Kaido said. "And enslave all of their inhabitants as well!"
"The HELL you will!" Rinkah yelled as she rushed up with Pyra and Mythra. "Even if you get past us! We're far from the best our world has to offer! You wouldn't last five minutes." Rinkah growled.
Kaido simply fired a Blast Breath at them as Marco the Phoenix blocked it for them.
"However…because of things…I am in a very foul mood. You all dared to fight against me and earned my wrath. That's what it means to lose a war. Until Momonosuke surrenders to me…I will kill every single offworlder and samurai here!" Kaido said.
"You're gonna have to go through all of us. INCLUDING ME!" Rinkah yelled in anger, powering up to Maximum mode, her flames even hotter from absorbing all the rest of the flames on the island. "YOU'RE GONNA BE TOAST WHEN I'M DONE!"
"Rinkah, don't do it!" Hope said.
"Fire against a dragon…are you really that dense?" Kaido said.
"This ain't normal fire, you ." Rinkah growled.
"I can still fight you, though." David said.
"You people…I don't see either of you as a threat." Kaido said as he fired at the multiple foot soldiers in the raid.
"Doesn't matter." David said. "I've seen my fair share of death and despair already. And I'd rather die in battle myself before I let you have your way."
"And as the one that my own closest friend entrusted the safety of the people we stand for… I won't yield either…!" Gus remarked, pointing his blade towards the dragon Emperor. "Even if my empowered flames cannot harm you, my sword will hack at your scales until my arms grow weak. I won't yield to you, Kaido… You would have to break my body before you can break my will!"
"Ready, Kaido? Then let's rock!" David said as he fused his Sapphire God: Burst Mode with his crystallization, while Gus entered his Burning Form, as the energy was far stronger, his flames changing to a blue hue rather than the normal orange.
Kaido simply stared before sending David crashing into the wall with a Blast Breath.
"Heh. T͠h̷at didn't ev̕e̕n̨ hurţ." David said as he was hit with multiple blast breaths.
"I'm already in a foul mood…don't make it worse." Kaido said in anger.
In the skies of Wano, Jexi opened his eyes as he looked out.
"Where…right…Kaido knocked me off the building…" Jexi muttered. "I've used up a lot of my aura…" he said looking down. "Guess this is where it ends, huh? Never thought it would be like this." he chuckled. "Sorry guys…looks like I'm leaving all of you behind." he said.
As he fell, he saw lights approaching him as things seemed to slow down.
"Lights? Oh…" he said looking closer to see they were lanterns. "Ah…from the festival. David mentioned something similar. About writing wishes on paper and sending them flying or putting them on a tree." he said as he looked at the wishes.
"I wish I wouldn't have to worry."
"I wish I could eat an apple."
"I want food for my children."
"So many wishes…" Jexi said. "Hmm…what would I wish for?" he pondered as he thought back to the raid forces and then to all the main leaders. "Guess…it would be to pull all these forces together into one big power." he said as a golden glow came off him. "Yeah…a force that brings nothing but happy endings." he chuckled as the golden light shined.
Up on the roof, Weiss and Reisen had continued their pursuit for the agent and had joined with the ones who chased with Yamato, only to reach the roof.
"We made it, and we have confirmed that the CP0 agent known as Maha… is likely KIA." Weiss stated, helping Reisen across the area, who hadn't completely recovered.
"But that still leaves that bowler-hat agent… and the unknown agent as well." Reisen stated. "...What could that third agent be doing at the moment? If they ran off with intel regarding all of this… it could be disastrous."
"...Is it?" Weiss stated. "...Perhaps the world needs to know what had happened. And I doubt that the agent's information will be locked under lock and key for long."
Reisen merely remained silent in response, before they then looked around.
"Yeah…well the roof looks fine so…no…" Eddy said as they looked over to see Luffy lying lifeless on it. "L-L…LUFFY!"
"Oh no!" Ed yelled.
"Luffy is…no, he can't be…" Double D stammered.
"Come on…please…you gotta get up." Ajna said, almost begging.
"This…is a gag, right? He'll pop up…won't he?" Peacock said, desperate hope clear in her voice.
"...I don't know whether he is alive or dead." Reisen remarked. "But I will not risk treating him, due to his nature making it difficult to understand how to treat him."
"But how in the world did this happen?" Double D asked.
"I found the reason." Weiss stated, before finding the bowler-hat agent. Or rather, what was left of him.
"Son of a…. He fixed the fight!" Peacock gritted her teeth.
"It doesn't matter." Weiss shook her head. "His altered objective was to make sure Luffy dies. And he managed to achieve it mostly, with his own life. Whether it reaches full completion… it's up in the air…"
"We need to go. We have to find that third agent. Even if they don't intend to escape with information harmful to us all… we need to confirm that with our own eyes." Reisen stated. "...I'm sorry, all of you. Can I entrust the safety of Luffy to you all?"
"...We…We'll stay with him." Eddy said, walking to where Luffy was in a daze. "Until the bitter end."
"But…he's…Kaido…that monster." Ajna said.
"We'll fill him full of holes for…" Peacock said as a sound caught all their attention, the sound of drums that beat almost like a heart. "Huh… oh no way! No more of that Connor stuff. He's…"
"No…this…this sounds different." Ajna said as they looked to the source, in this case being Luffy as his hair and clothes started to turn white as a smile appeared on his face.
As this was happening, Kaido was still blasting at David, who thanks to his transformation, barely got a scratch on him but still took massive damage.
"It do͡esn't mat̸te̴r h̕ow̕ ̀p͢owe̷r͞fu͏l͢ ͜y̷ou claim͢ t͡o ͝be͞, ͢or what y̛o̴ur goals ar͡e... As͏ Grand ͘C͟ommander ̀of ̢t̨his ̸all͡iance̕, as long͞ as ̸I ̢stan̨d̀,҉ you wi̡l̴l̀ n̕ot go a͟ny further!" David declared.
"You're sure you don't want any help!? Orya!" Rinkah asked as she shot her powerful flame and energy attacks at Kaido.
"Enough!" Kaido called out as he knocked them both back as they reverted.
"Kaaah…! Aaaack…." Rinkah coughed blood from the attack.
"Rinkah!" Pyra yelled.
"Damnit, no!" Mythra exclaimed.
"Go ahead… Do your worst…" David said. "Even if I die… At least I will die fighting for my own justice."
"You all…were fated to die here." Kaido said, preparing another blast breath. As soon as he fired it, it diverted upward as it blasted through part of the roof. Standing there was a figure wrapped in a golden light.
"...I'll… Be damned…" Rinkah laughed. "You son of a bitch, you did it…"
"Even if I die…at least I die fighting for my own justice. Not a bad line but…I would have gone with…Take me now…but others will come after me." the figure said as the face was shown to be Jexi.
"Jexi!" Pyra said in relief.
"Hell yeah! I knew Kaido was lying through their teeth!" Mythra whooped.
"Heh… Damn fake-out master…" Siege laughed.
"What the heck…that's not Burst Mode…" Mark realized.
"It's a whole new power entirely!" Gus exclaimed, as he depowered himself, to conserve energy.
Jexi stood there in a golden suit as on his back was a cape, emblemized on it were the faces of all of the leaders of the groups present along with the nine vice leaders of the Dimensional Heroes. "Golden God Mode: Miracle." Jexi proudly proclaimed.
"A… A new stage? Damn… You really are full of surprises, aren't you?" David asked.
"Damnit… I can't let him one up me like this." Siege chuckled as he began to rise to his feet.
"You guys just rest. I came back cause this story still needs its happy ending." Jexi said.
"Got it. It's all on you, my man. I did what I could." David said.
"Don't worry…your power…will have me pave the path of victory. Well…our path. I know you aren't dead! So will you join in already?" Jexi called out.
"What is he…" Kaido said a giant hand burst through the ceiling as it grabbed Kaido before pulling him through it.
"Hey! Is it too late to announce Kaido's proclamation about Luffy was also total BS?" Peacock asked over the comm.
"That's evident enough by the giant hand." Dhar said. "What's happening up there?"
"Luffy is alive…but he's…a heck of a lot different now." Peacock said.
"I knew he wasn't dead." Jexi said as he crouched down before leaping up after the dragon.
"Anybody wanna give an explanation as to what happened?" Bow asked.
Watching from afar was Roxy as she held a camera. "You saw that right?"
"I see…so he's awakened to it." the leader of Dark Garden spoke on the phone.
"Yep. Luffy is just full of surprises." Roxy said. "But…I still don't get how gum can do that?"
"Because his power is that of a god." Negativity spoke. "There's no such thing as a Gum-Gum Fruit. There never was."
"A-a god? Are you serious?" Roxy asked in surprise.
"The name of the fruit was changed to avoid people seeking it out. It's a Mythical Zoan Type. Human-Human Fruit: the Nika Model. It gives the user a rubber body and once Awakened…gives them unimaginable powers that are only limited by them imagination. They are totally free. In short…it's the most ridiculous power in all existence." Negativity said.
"I don't know about ridiculous, but… Unpredictable, which still seems to suit him well. I hope we never have to fight him as an enemy." Roxy said.
"And that is what the "Do Not Engage" list is for." Negativity said. "If we ever do come to blows for any reason…we must prepare. But that doesn't matter now. I'm moving the satellite out of range. This is undeniable proof…Monkey D. Luffy and Jexi the Colorful Hunter will defeat Kaido before the sun rises. Report back once it's done."
"Affirmative sir. I'm…kind of relieved we didn't have to use it." Roxy said.
"Me too, honestly. It would be a shame to lose you all." Negativity said. "Besides, we'd hit the capital if we fired now. We don't need that kind of atrocity on our heads."
Back on the roof, Kaido was brought to the roof as Luffy laughed in the air.
"This is the pinnacle of all I can do. I'm totally free. This…is Gear Fifth!" Luffy laughed.
Kaido looked at both Luffy and Jexi. Luffy soon buffed up his muscles as he started spinning Kaido before smashing him into the ground as Kaido was seeing stars with bumps on his head and birds flying around it.
"So… you two survived after all! Thank you." Kaido said as he fired a Blast Breath.
"Hmm…let's try this." Jexi said as one of the faces on his cape glowed, this one being Volt Lusters. "Hyperspace Hole!" he said, creating a portal as the blast disappeared into nowhere before being fired off in another world.
"Huh? What is…" Kaido said.
"That is the power of my miracle. My friends…my vice leaders…even my newer friends like Siege and Richard. They are all at my side. I can invoke all their abilities as a unified force!" Jexi proclaimed.
"Then Straw Hat will be my target." Kaido said firing at Luffy. Luffy looked in shock with his eyes bugging out before he lifted up the ground as the blast bounced off it and back at Kaido as it exploded.
"You two…I'm sorry for earlier. That idiot agent…I didn't want things to end like that." Kaido said.
"Don't worry about it…now…we're going to finish this up." Jexi smiled.
"I'll be damned…!" Siege exclaimed.
"He's… got honor… *cough* I respect that…" Rinkah managed to get out.
"Huh. Who'da thunk." Mythra said with a "Hm." added to the end.
"Well…seems you've Awakened. But…that won't be enough!" Kaido said, biting down as he swallowed the two fighters.
"Not this again." Jexi said.
"Gum Gum….Balloon!" Luffy said, blowing himself up along with Kaido.
"Ah!" Kaido cried out as he felt his insides being hit.
"Holy…!" Peacock gaped. "Kaido's blowin up too!"
"Hmm…Oh! Jexi! I see two holes!" Luffy said as both his arms came out of Kaido's eyes and grabbed onto his nose.
"What the?!" Eddy gacked.
"Hold on, buddy! Gum gum…Escape Rocket!" Luffy said as they were coughed up.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Kaido said in surprise.
"...I'm sorry what… did we just witness…?" Siege asked.
Rinkah couldn't answer due to falling unconscious.
"Hey! Rinkah's out cold!" Pyra exclaimed.
"Oh shoot!" Siege exclaimed, trying to rush over to her.
"This is crazy. It's like watching something from a cartoon." Jesse said.
"I gotta agree with ya Jesse, and I'm built like one!" Peacock said.
Luffy soon began letting out air and spiraling into the air as he deflated.
"You think that's impressive. Let me show you another gift of my state." Jexi said as both Dan and Natsu's emblems dimmed as a sword appeared in his hands. "Fire Dragon's…Slash!" he said, slashing at Kaido. "I…can combine these powers too!"
"Hey…not done yet!" Luffy's voice boomed as he stood over them as a giant. "Gum Gum…Giant!" he said as Kaido bit onto him. "Gyeoow!" he said before grabbing the dragon and twirled him up and down. "Gum Gum…Jump Rope!"
As they spirared down to the ground, Kaido got desperate and Blast Breathed Luffy right in the face, sending him off the island and over the open sky.
"Ooooh, all of that right in the face!" Ajna said.
Luffy then looked angry as his legs seemed to spin as he ran back onto the roof, a trail of fire left in the air behind him.
Kaido quickly shifted to his Hybrid form and prepared to attack Luffy as he charged right at him. "Conqueror of Three Worlds: Ragnaraku!" he called out as he bashed Luffy's head through the ground as Luffy made a very comedic face as he was bashed through.
"Yeowww!" Luffy called out as everyone's eyes practically bugged out of their sockets in surprise before he pulled his head out.
"Well, this is very entertaining." Kaido said. "It looks like you two are reaching your limits, aren't you. You can't defeat me."
"I've only just started. My limits haven't really ended yet." Jexi said.
"Yeah…don't go…doing…that." Luffy said as he looked to rapidly age a bit.
"Whoa…uh…Luffy?" Ajna pointed out.
"Yeah…" Luffy said, grasping his heart. "Come on! Go and make that beat!"
"Careful. Keep it up, and you'll die." Kaido said. "But it won't matter to me, so do as you both wish!" he said as the fight went back to action.
"If we die…all that's left are bones. Besides…you think…we're afraid of that?" Luffy asked powering back up. "There's the sound!" he said as the club hit him as his head morphed to match the impact. "Owww!" he cried as he ran a bit.
Kaido didn't waste the opportunity to follow up as he smashed Luffy into the ground… or so it was perceived, but Luffy rubberised the ground again as he sprang back out, completely flattened.
Luffy jumped to a rock before leaping at Kaido with a spin before his fist punched into the Emperor's head as it stretched past normal limits.
"Whoa, this is nuts! Luffys using Armament and Conqueror's Haki in conjunction, and he can transfer his powers to other things!" Ajna said.
"Yeah…his power and mine will change the tide of this battle. But…more importantly…this has finally gotten fun." Jexi said, smiling widely.