Chapter 238: Haki Reigns Supreme

Chapter 238: Chapter 238: Haki Reigns Supreme

......

In the sea area not far from Wano Country, the colossal Zunesha continued its slow advance...

That enormous figure stood in the sea. Its long trunk dipped into the water. Every movement it made could stir up towering waves!

It was still murmuring Joy Boy’s name. It was also still listening to that drumbeat—that familiar drumbeat.

The drumbeat that had not sounded since that great war.

"Thump... Thump... Thump..."

That rhythm penetrated the clouds, penetrated the sea waves, penetrated all obstacles, and clearly reached its ears.

At this moment, Zunesha’s hollow eyes seemed to have been lit up.

"Joy Boy..."

It kept murmuring that name, its voice aged and deep, as if coming from the depths of time a hundred years ago.

"It is Joy Boy..."

The more it spoke, the more excited it became. Zunesha’s body seemed to be trembling!

That immense joy was unprecedented in a hundred years!

It had been waiting. Waiting for that sound. Waiting for that person.

Waiting for that Joy Boy who could bring the dawn, who could liberate everything, who could make everyone laugh.

It had originally thought that it would never be able to wait any longer.

It had originally thought that it would continue walking across these seas until it was lost.

It had originally thought that the legendary dawn would never arrive.

But now it had heard it!

That sound. That drumbeat. Even that person!

"Joy Boy... Joy Boy..."

It repeated that name over and over, as if confirming something, as if praying for something, as if atoning for something.

Outside the light screen, God Valley.

Everyone had heard Zunesha’s words, and everyone had once again heard that name.

Joy Boy!

This name exploded in everyone’s hearts like thunder. Roger’s hand tightened around his sword hilt.

A light that had never appeared before flickered in his eyes.

Joy Boy.

That was his future "regret." What exactly had his future self seen on Laugh Tale that would make him and his companions laugh so heartily!

Joy Boy—the most important name in the blank century.

"I see..." Roger thought of something and muttered to himself alone. His voice was as light as a sigh.

"So he is..."

He did not finish, but Rayleigh understood. Scopper Gaban also grasped the meaning. Even Whitebeard not far away vaguely understood what Roger meant...

Back then, the future Roger on the light screen had said that he was born in the wrong era and that they had come too early. On top of that, the future Kaido had also spoken of Joy Boy’s story.

The powerhouses of God Valley were all talented individuals. They were not fools either. By roughly piecing things together, they could reach a conclusion!

Luffy was Joy Boy’s "successor," or Luffy was the key to the future...

Although it seemed somewhat far-fetched, they knew what this truly meant. If Luffy was that fated person, then it meant the legend from eight hundred years ago...

It meant the truth that the World Government had desperately tried to cover up.

It meant that the future of this world would be completely rewritten on some future day. This era would welcome its "end"!

Garp fell silent.

He looked at his grandson bouncing in the light screen. Looked at the youth whom Zunesha had called "Joy Boy." A complex emotion flashed through his eyes.

Pride?

Of course there was. Now it seemed that Luffy’s achievements, and even his mission, were in no way inferior to his own or Dragon’s. But Garp felt as if there was a stone pressing down on his heart...

If it were before, Garp would definitely have been happy for Luffy. But now that Luffy had become some kind of "Sun God," he would definitely have to shoulder some kind of mission.

Just like his future self had said—bad people did not deserve sympathy, but family was different...

Although he did not know Luffy yet, wanting his grandson to live happily was this "grandfather’s" wish!

Worry was definitely there. Happiness mixed with worry—both existed!

Although he did not know where Luffy’s endpoint lay, he only knew that that brat had really gone too far.

So far that even he, as a grandfather, could barely keep up.

The Five Elders’ faces were extremely grim.

The name "Joy Boy," coming from Zunesha’s mouth, carried a completely different weight.

Because Zunesha was truly a monster on the level of the ultra-ancient era. Zunesha had personally witnessed the real Joy Boy...

Just as the Five Elders were thinking with dark expressions about how to minimize their losses, the battle on the light screen was about to reach its conclusion!

"Momonosuke-kun!"

Yamato’s voice penetrated the wind, carrying unprecedented urgency.

Below Onigashima, the flame clouds supporting the entire island were trembling violently.

The cloud layer, which had originally been as stable as bedrock, was now surging like boiling water. The edges had already begun to collapse, turning into wisps of light smoke that dissipated into the air.

Kaido’s power was weakening.

This battle that had lasted far too long had pushed this "World’s Strongest Creature" to his limit.

His attention was entirely focused on Luffy. He had no spare energy to maintain the flame clouds keeping Onigashima afloat.

And once the flame clouds completely dissipated, Onigashima would fall. Along with everyone on the island—the samurai, the pirates, and the citizens of the Flower Capital who had not had time to escape—everyone would be finished!

Yamato grabbed Momonosuke’s dragon whiskers and pulled hard downward.

"Stop watching! Right now, only you can save everyone!"

Momonosuke’s dragon pupils suddenly contracted. He instinctively wanted to retort—he was just a dragon who had only recently awakened. He could not even fly steadily. How could he possibly do something that only Kaido could do?

But he did not say it out loud.

Because he saw Yamato’s eyes.

Those eyes contained no doubt, no hesitation—only trust.

Absolute trust.

"You can do it!"

Seeing that Yamato believed in him so much, combined with the task Luffy had entrusted to him earlier, Momonosuke took a deep breath.

The pink dragon changed direction and dove downward toward below Onigashima.

At this moment, the flame clouds were becoming increasingly unstable.

Those cloud layers, which had originally been thick and dense, now hung beneath Onigashima like tattered cloth. The edges continuously collapsed, turning into nothingness.

Every time they collapsed, Onigashima would tremble slightly. Rubble fell rustling from the dome.

Inside the banquet hall, everyone felt that tremor.

"What’s going on?!"

"Is Onigashima really going to collapse?!"

"Run! Run!"

"Where can we even run?! We’re in the sky right now!"

Panic was spreading.

Led by Hyogoro, the samurai clenched their fists and looked up toward the dome. They knew that if Onigashima truly fell, none of them would survive.

But right now, none of this was something they could do anything about. They could do nothing. They could only wait.

Wait for a miracle... Wait for that pink dragon from earlier!

Momonosuke landed beside the flame clouds.

Up close, those clouds were even more massive and fragile than he had imagined.

He could feel Kaido’s power being drawn out from within them—like the receding tide, disappearing little by little.

"I... How do I do this?"

His voice was trembling.

Yamato stood beside him, looking at those flame clouds that were about to collapse. A resolute look flashed through her eyes.

"Like Kaido. Use your power to create new flame clouds."

"But I can’t!" Momonosuke almost shouted.

"I don’t know how to create flame clouds at all! I can’t even fly steadily! I’m just a fake dragon! I’m artificial! I’m a failure! I..."

"Momonosuke-kun!"

Yamato’s voice was like a slap, interrupting his self-pity.

Momonosuke froze. Yamato looked at him, her gaze calm and profound.

"Do you still remember what Luffy said?"

Momonosuke opened his mouth. Luffy had said many things.

Which words?

"Didn’t he say...!"

Yamato slowly spoke: "You even dared to fight back against a Yonko like Kaido. What else in this world could possibly make you feel afraid!"

Hearing Yamato’s words, Momonosuke’s dragon body trembled.

"Crying on the battlefield as the general of our side doesn’t look good. But if you want to cry, then after you defeat Kaido, after Wano Country is founded, after everyone has enough to eat—then you can cry as much as you want."

Those words struck Momonosuke’s heart like hammers.

"You were indeed cowardly before."

Yamato said: "You were indeed afraid before. You did indeed want to run away countless times before."

Yamato paused, then forcefully patted Momonosuke’s head. "But you didn’t run. You bit Kaido. You stood on the battlefield!"

"You are here now."

Something changed in Momonosuke’s dragon pupils.

"In my heart,"

Yamato’s voice became gentle: "You’re already doing great."

After a moment of silence, Momonosuke moved.

He turned around, facing those flame clouds that were about to collapse.

His dragon body no longer trembled. His body was no longer stiff. A flame that had never existed before burned in his dragon pupils.

"Kin’emon and the others..."

He murmured: "Didn’t give up."

"Father... Mother..."

"Also didn’t give up."

Momonosuke took a deep breath and forcefully pulled those smoke clouds in another direction. As he pulled, he cheered himself on in his mouth!

"I am Kozuki Momonosuke, the man who will become Wano Country’s future shogun!"

"I—"

"Will not give up!"

The pink dragon raised its head and roared toward the sky. The dragon’s roar resounded through the heavens.

Seeing that the smoke clouds were still slowly spreading, Momonosuke extended his dragon claw, pointed at those collapsing flame clouds, and released all of his power with everything he had.

At first, nothing happened.

The flame clouds were still collapsing. Onigashima was still trembling. Nothing had changed.

But Momonosuke did not stop. He gritted his teeth, tears flowing, giving it his all, trying again and again.

Even if it was impossible, he still had to try. Even if he could not do it, he still had to do it.

Even if he had to forcefully bear it with this body, he had to make Onigashima land safely.

This was the resolve he had as the heir of the Kozuki family.

Outside the light screen.

Countless children watched that pink dragon. Watched that child who was about the same age as them, doing everything he could to accomplish something that was almost impossible.

They fell silent.

"That big brother..." A little girl said softly.

"He’s so amazing." The boy beside her nodded, a certain light flickering in his eyes.

They were about the same age as Momonosuke.

They would also be afraid. They would also want to cry. They would also want to run away.

But they did not dare. They did not dare to bite that terrifying monster. They did not dare to stand on that kind of battlefield. They did not dare to do something that was almost impossible.

But Momonosuke dared!

"He’s way more amazing than us." Another child said.

"Even more amazing than some adults." Someone added with a nod. Indeed, even adults might not be able to do what Momonosuke was doing!

The children watched that pink giant dragon struggling desperately in the light screen. For the first time, they truly understood what courage was.

It was not about not being afraid.

It was about being afraid—and still doing it!

It was about shedding tears—and still not giving up.

It was about knowing that you might not be able to do it—yet still giving it everything you had.

This was not recklessness. Sometimes recklessness was closer to bravery than cowardice!

This was Momonosuke. That was Wano Country’s future shogun.

Within the light screen.

The battle atop the dome had reached its most intense moment. Luffy suddenly leaped up, his entire body flying into midair.

His body was still expanding, still deforming, still laughing.

"Hehehe!"

That laughter penetrated the cloud layer, penetrated the thunder, penetrated everything. Then, he extended his hand and grabbed toward the thunderclouds in the sky.

"What?!" Kaido’s pupils suddenly contracted.

What did he see!

The instant Luffy’s hand touched the thunderclouds, those violent lightning bolts were actually rubberized.

The originally violent lightning turned soft and elastic in Luffy’s hands.

They no longer struck the ground. They no longer ran around wildly. Instead, they obediently gathered together, condensing into a spear of thunder.

"Don’t screw with me!"

For the first time, Kaido’s roar carried genuine shock.

Turning lightning into rubber? Turning the most violent and uncontrollable force between heaven and earth into his own toy?

What kind of ability was this?

What the hell kind of ability was this?!

"This is way too absurd!"

Kaido’s voice was trembling, but the fighting spirit in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest. On the contrary, it burned even more fiercely.

Because the stronger Luffy became, the happier Kaido was.

Because only an opponent like this was worthy of him going all out.

Because only a battle like this was the true battle he had yearned for his entire life.

"Hahaha!"

Luffy’s laughter came from within the clouds. He raised that thunder spear and aimed it at Kaido below.

"Take this!" Luffy threw it with all his strength.

"Gomu Gomu no Thunder!"

The thunder spear fell like a meteor, carrying world-destroying power, shooting straight toward Kaido!

Kaido’s pupils suddenly contracted. That strike’s speed was too fast.

Fast enough that even he could not react in time.

But he was, after all, Kaido—the World’s Strongest Creature, a man who had experienced countless life-and-death battles.

At the critical moment, his body instinctively flashed to the side!

"BOOM!!!"

The thunder spear grazed his body and exploded into the ground, blasting out a bottomless giant pit.

Rubble flew. Smoke and dust billowed. The entire dome trembled violently.

Kaido barely dodged.

But a charred wound had still been left on his body by the residual force of the thunder.

"That was close..." Kaido’s breathing was somewhat rapid.

But he had no time to catch his breath, because Luffy had exposed an opening!

That throw had used up all of his strength. Luffy’s body had briefly stagnated in midair for an instant.

That instant was the opening.

Kaido did not hesitate. He suddenly leaped up. His kanabo wrapped in Conqueror’s Haki, he fiercely smashed it toward Luffy.

"Bang!!!"

Solidly. Direct hit.

Luffy’s body flew backward like a kite with its string cut and smashed into the distant ruins. Smoke and dust billowed.

Kaido did not stop. Riding the momentum of his victory, he pursued Luffy through the air.

"Do as you please...!" His voice exploded like thunder.

"If you want to cause trouble, then cause trouble!"

He swung his club down. Luffy dodged. Another strike. It hit Luffy again!

"However!"

Kaido’s voice grew louder, clearer, more like a declaration.

"Conquering the world cannot be done with abilities alone!"

He swung his kanabo. Every strike carried world-destroying power. "This world has its own rules!"

"Just like how Roger wasn’t a Devil Fruit user either!"

Luffy was being beaten, but Kaido’s words pierced into his heart like nails.

"Only Haki!"

Kaido’s kanabo gathered the power of ten thousand bolts of thunder.

In the sky, countless lightning bolts struck down, converging upon the spiked club, making that strike shine with dazzling brilliance.

His gaze was fierce and resolute. His voice resounded through the heavens.

"Can reign supreme over everything!!!"

He smashed down with all his strength. Luffy had no time to dodge.

"Bang!!!"

That strike solidly smashed into him.

Luffy’s body fell like a meteor, crashing onto the dome. Kaido landed back on the ground, breathing heavily.

His body was covered in wounds. His stamina was approaching its limit. Yet his eyes burned with a light that had never existed before.

He looked toward the direction Luffy had fallen. Looked at those ruins. Looked at that opponent who had made him go all out.

"Straw Hat brat..." He murmured.

"You really were... worth fighting."

Outside the light screen.

The young Kaido’s eyes flashed with excitement. He had heard the words his future self had spoken.

Those words—were exactly the same as what he had been thinking in his heart.

"Only Haki... can reign supreme over everything..."

He repeated that sentence in a murmur. The corner of his mouth slowly curled upward. Roger had also said something similar before. His future self was indeed still believing in it!

"It really is correct after all!"

There was certainty in Kaido’s voice. The kind of certainty that came from having found the answer.

The kind of certainty that came from being acknowledged by his future self.

The kind of certainty that came from his belief becoming even firmer.

The pirates beside him looked at him with complicated expressions. Some wanted to refute him, but did not know what to say.

Because what Kaido said did indeed make sense!

Roger was not a Devil Fruit user. Garp was not a Devil Fruit user. Rocks was not a Devil Fruit user...

Of those who stood at the pinnacle, how many had relied on Devil Fruit abilities to ascend to the throne?

Devil Fruit abilities could make people stronger, but what truly decided victory or defeat was Haki.

"That guy Kaido..." Someone murmured. "What he said isn’t wrong either."

......