Chapter 239: The Earth-Shattering Punch

Chapter 239: Chapter 239: The Earth-Shattering Punch

......

Kaido’s offensive was like a raging storm. Strike after strike, each blow carried power sufficient to shatter mountains.

Luffy was somewhat dazed from the beating.

He hurriedly raised both arms, Armament Haki covering his forearms, trying to block this relentless assault.

But he had underestimated Kaido too much. He had underestimated this strike too much.

"Great Might · Thunder Bagua!!"

Kaido’s roar resounded like exploding thunder. This strike was no ordinary attack.

It was his ultimate killing move, executed after pushing his Conqueror’s Haki to the absolute limit.

The kanabo, wrapped in purple-black Conqueror’s Haki lightning, smashed heavily into Luffy’s crossed arms.

"Crack!"

That sound was not the sound of bones breaking. It was the sound of Armament Haki being shattered.

Luffy’s Armament Haki, in the face of Kaido’s strike, was like paper.

"Puh!"

Luffy spat out a mouthful of blood. His body flew backward like a cannonball. Several of his teeth had been knocked out, and his speech was now leaking air.

A large bump had swelled up on his head, swollen like a small hill. His expression was one of such pain that he was baring his teeth and grimacing, his facial features all scrunched together.

But strangely, even though he had been beaten so miserably, that face somehow looked oddly comical.

Like a bullied child. Like a ridiculous punching bag.

Outside the light screen, someone could not help but laugh out loud.

"That brat... being beaten like this, why does he still look like he wants to laugh?"

"That expression is way too funny!"

"That bump on his head, hahahahaha!"

Laughter rose and fell. But as they laughed, some people noticed something was wrong.

Although Luffy had been sent flying, his hands were still tightly gripping Kaido and refusing to let go.

"What?!"

Kaido’s dragon pupils suddenly contracted.

His body was being dragged by Luffy, flying upward together with him.

"Let go!" He roared, trying to break free.

But Luffy’s hands were stuck to him like they had been welded on. No matter how hard he tried, they did not budge in the slightest.

He raised his kanabo and madly smashed it against Luffy’s arms...

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

...

Kaido used every ounce of his strength, but that rubberized body absorbed all of his attacks and bounced them right back.

Useless. Completely useless.

"Damn it!"

Kaido gritted his teeth. The moment he thought of Luffy’s face that was still laughing, he suddenly made a decision.

His body began to change. Dragon scales covered it. Dragon horns extended. His dragon body expanded!

Azure Dragon form appeared once more.

He was going to follow Luffy’s arm and settle things with this brat once and for all!

"ROAR!!!"

The Azure Dragon raised its head and roared toward the sky. It violently twisted its body. Countless wind blades shot out from between its dragon scales, rushing toward the heavens!

Those wind blades were incomparably sharp, capable of cutting through steel and tearing apart mountains.

But Luffy still did not let go.

"Hm?" A trace of surprise flashed through Kaido’s eyes.

He knew that Luffy’s weakness was slashing attacks. This was rubber’s natural flaw and could not be changed.

But why?

Why was Luffy still not letting go even after the wind blades had cut into him?

The scene switched to the sky above the clouds.

At this moment, Luffy was covered in wounds, blood flowing freely. Those wind blades had left countless wounds across his body.

But he was gritting his teeth. Biting down hard. His hands were still tightly gripping Kaido, refusing to let go.

Because once he let go, everything would have been for nothing.

He was waiting. Waiting for an opportunity. Waiting for a one-hit kill opportunity!

Below Onigashima.

Flower Capital.

This beautiful city was currently immersed in the joy of the Fire Festival.

Lanterns hung throughout the streets. People wore festive attire and walked in groups, their faces filled with rare smiles.

Children ran around holding small lanterns, their laughter crisp and pleasant.

Elderly people sat by the roadside, watching these young people making wishes, a complex light flickering in their eyes.

They did not know that the massive Onigashima above their heads was approaching.

They did not know that a disaster was about to descend. They only knew that today was the Fire Festival.

It was the one day of the year when they could forget their identities as slaves, forget their pain, forget everything.

"Release the lanterns!" Someone shouted loudly.

Countless lanterns were released into the sky, dotting it like the Milky Way flowing in reverse.

Every lantern carried a wish.

"I hope I can live another year..."

An old man murmured, watching his lantern slowly rise into the sky.

"I hope I can see my son one more time..."

A mother closed her eyes and pressed her palms together.

"I hope..."

"I hope..."

Countless hopes rose into the night sky along with the lanterns.

Even though tomorrow they would still have to return to their slave labor. Even though the day after, they would still have to endure oppression and exploitation.

Even though the future was still filled with uncertainty.

But at this moment... this moment’s joy was real.

This moment’s emotion was real!

This moment’s hope was also real.

Among the crowd were several familiar figures.

They were all looking up, watching those lanterns rising into the sky. They did not know that above their heads, a battle that would decide their fate was currently raging.

"Straw Hat brat!!!" Kaido’s roar resounded through the heavens.

He had lost his patience.

"Come down!!!" He opened his dragon mouth. Scorching energy gathered in his throat.

Heat Breath blasted out once more.

The scorching flame breath shot straight into the clouds, blasting toward Luffy who was still gripping him tightly.

The flames engulfed Luffy’s figure, but he still did not let go.

Just as Kaido was feeling confused...

"Momo, quickly stop Onigashima from falling!"

A voice came from above. Momonosuke suddenly looked up.

He had heard it. That voice.

The voice he always heard in his moments of greatest despair.

"Momo, believe in yourself!!"

Yamato heard it too. The two of them simultaneously looked toward the sky. Then, their pupils violently contracted.

Yamato also let out a cry of alarm.

Above Onigashima, the cloud layer was being torn apart.

A fist slowly emerged from within the clouds.

It was no ordinary fist. It was a fist even larger than Onigashima itself.

That fist was wrapped in thick Conqueror’s Haki. Purple-black lightning danced across its surface, illuminating the entire night sky with flickering light and shadow.

That fist blocked out the sky and sun. That fist was ready to strike.

That fist was the ultimate technique Luffy had been preparing all this time.

Outside the light screen.

Children hid behind their parents in unison. Pirates collapsed to the ground, faces filled with terror.

Marines’ legs went weak. They could not even stand steadily.

That fist was too large. Too large beyond their imagination.

Large enough to make them instinctively feel fear.

"What is that..." Someone murmured.

No one answered, because no one knew how to answer.

They only knew that if this fist came down, Onigashima would shatter. Everything would end!

Kaido looked at that fist.

That fist which was even larger than his Azure Dragon form. A trace of gravity appeared in his pupils.

But he also felt that it was time to settle things. Kaido accepted Luffy’s invitation. He did not retreat. He opened his dragon mouth.

It was not Heat Breath. It was — enchantment!

Flames spewed from his mouth. Not toward Luffy, but wrapping around himself.

"Fire Dragon Great Torch!"

The flames extended from the dragon’s head, spreading along the dragon scales, ultimately forming a giant dragon composed of crimson flames.

That giant dragon blocked out the sky and sun. Its entire body burned with scorching flames, as if it could devour everything.

A massive fire dragon. The combination of flame and Azure Dragon. The extreme of destruction and devastation.

Meanwhile, Luffy...

Luffy himself appeared especially insignificant before that fire dragon. He stood among the clouds, covered in wounds, blood flowing nonstop.

His fist was incomparably massive, but his body was only that small — like an ant standing before a giant elephant.

Outside the light screen, everyone held their breath.

Giant Fist vs Fire Dragon.

Two existences that equally blocked out the sky and sun stood in confrontation in midair.

One represented destruction. One represented liberation.

One represented the old era. One represented the dawn.

Kaido’s dragon pupils stared fixedly at Luffy. Luffy’s eyes also stared fixedly at Kaido.

The next second, two voices rang out simultaneously.

"Gomu Gomu no ape god ...!!!"

Blazing Bagua!!!"

...