SWNOVELXO Chapter 528: Chapter 42. Return
[V3] - Chapter 42. Return
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Time rewinds a little.
Still unaware that he's been "targeted," Kaido, King of the Beasts, was glaring furiously at the five people in front of him.
These guys.
Five against one!
Utterly shameless!
After all, on this great sea… among the strong, it's customary for king to fight king, general against general, captain against captain.
Ordinary crew members interfering in a captain's duel would usually get scolded by their captain.
But these people… weren't some rookie pirates, nor were they a bunch of insignificant ants!
They were obviously so powerful, yet still ganged up on him, and even… treated him like a ball to be kicked around. It was downright insulting!
"Are you people trying to humiliate me?!" Kaido's eyes were blazing with fury as he stared at the five. "I'm one of the Emperors of the Sea! Kaido, King of the Beasts!"
To dare humiliate him like this!
As a pirate, he'd long been prepared for the possibility of defeat!
Defeat is nothing new to pirates—but… he absolutely couldn't accept losing in such a mocking fashion!
Lifting his massive head, he howled toward the sky, "Boys!"
Since he could no longer dodge, nor eliminate the gigantic tsunami entirely, then… it was time to show them…
That the Beasts Pirates had become an Emperor of the Sea not merely by relying on him alone!
Eyes burning with anger, he glared at these people. "Let these bastards witness the true might of the Beasts Pirates…"
However.
Before he could finish speaking—
At that moment.
Suddenly.
"Boom!!!"
A thunderous explosion erupted behind him. Kaido turned around in utter confusion, staring at Onigashima behind him… and that sudden, enormous burst of flames and light… forced him to close his eyes involuntarily.
Then.
'Boom! Boom! Boom!'
A powerful shockwave nearly blew him away.
Something seemed to dawn on Kaido. Forcing himself to endure the discomfort, he opened his eyes… and saw Onigashima gradually breaking apart amidst fire and explosions, and his crew screaming in agony within the flames!
Instantly.
His eyes widened, blood vessels bursting!
"Damn it!" he roared in rage again. "Who?! Who was it?! Who the hell was it?! I'll kill you!"
Just as the words fell—
'Whoosh~'
Then.
'Chirp!'
Suddenly a figure, wreathed in flames, shot out from Onigashima.
It was—
"King!"
Kaido, seeing the figure burst out from the horrific explosion, immediately revealed a trace of joy on his face. He twisted his serpentine body, just about to rush forward to rescue his left- and right-hand man when—
Suddenly.
Countless paper-like objects wrapped around his body in an instant, tightly binding him.
"Explode!"
A low voice rang out.
Immediately after.
In Kaido's eyes…
King, who'd been flying toward him, let out a tragic scream before plummeting straight into the ocean.
Kaido's eyes bulged wide as he roared, "King!!!"
Yet.
"Trying to run away right in front of me?" A figure floated high in the sky, speaking coldly. "Let's see if I can't blow you to pieces!"
As those words fell—
Kaido finally snapped back to his senses, glaring furiously at the blue-violet-haired woman hovering in the sky. He lifted his head and roared, flames seeming to spout from his nostrils, his entire body radiating a terrifying aura. "You! Damn you!"
"So you're the so-called captain of the Beasts Pirates, huh?!" Konan showed no fear as she stared directly at Kaido, hands on her hips. "Daring to let people bully Yumi and the others… Don't you know—don't you know they're under my protection?"
"State your name!"
"Yumi's big sister!" Konan snorted coldly. "Konan!"
As soon as the words fell—
"…"
As Yumi's uncle—Uzumaki Nagato—and her father—Uchiha Yuto—both fell silent, staring up at the woman floating in midair.
Hah~, women!
Especially Yuto… staring at the still-burning Onigashima behind them, then looking at Konan, he couldn't help recalling that frugal, diligent little girl from back then. He let out a sigh full of emotion. "Konan… has truly become an excellent Money Release Ninja now!"
"!!!"
And whose fault do you think that is?!
Nagato glared at Yuto.
Once upon a time, Konan used to feel pain spending even ten extra explosive tags. But now she pulls out stacks and stacks of them without even blinking—just like that guy!
Such extravagance!
Seeing Nagato's look, Yuto hurriedly gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Hehehe~"
At that moment.
"You guys! Why haven't you finished him off yet?!" Konan, however, was glaring at them with displeasure, then turned to Yuto. "And you, Brother Yuto! Didn't you say you wanted to wrap this up quickly? I've already done my part! Now it's getting dark! According to White Zetsu's intel, the other fronts are almost finished too!"
"That's true… It's time to end this." Yuto nodded, moving the gigantic, golden-glowing Susanoo forward as he looked calmly at Kaido. "Since that's the case… let's finish it."
As his words fell—
He waved his hand downward.
Instantly.
The ninja below all understood what was happening.
It's time to let the water flow!
Their gazes sharpened as their hands flew into rapid seals.
In the blink of an eye, they shouted loudly!
As the words fell—
The giant tsunami, which had been building ever higher under their control, instantly surged toward the shattered remains of Onigashima in the distance.
The entire ocean… and even the whole of Wano Country trembled once more!
A natural disaster!
An apocalyptic natural disaster!
Towering waves carrying a terrifying force instantly swallowed Onigashima whole.
Extinguishing the flames atop it!
And in the blink of an eye, the already shattered Onigashima was submerged completely beneath the ocean!
'Boom! Boom! Boom!'
The falling tsunami stirred the seas into chaos once more, sending waves crashing so violently that even the ninjas standing upon it could barely keep their balance.
Yet.
At this moment.
Kaido completely ignored the destroyed Onigashima behind him, even… emerging from his earlier fury, regaining his composure.
Only those once-raging eyes now held a deeper, more profound glint as he stared expressionlessly at Yuto.
No one knew how long passed.
He abruptly transformed into his hybrid dragon-human form.
"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" He threw his head back and laughed wildly, though… unbeknownst to him, faint tears shimmered at the corners of his eyes. Yet Kaido acted as though he hadn't noticed at all, grabbing the wine gourd at his waist and draining it in a single gulp. "Never thought… I would actually fall at the hands of a little girl!"
As he spoke, he swept his gaze around at the surrounding people. "What a terrifying clan! Why have I never seen you lot on the seas before? …Forget it!"
As the words fell—
He flung his wine gourd aside!
His eyes bulged wide!
A terrifying burst of Conqueror's Haki exploded out from him. However… for those with strong enough wills, that Haki had no effect on them. "Since it's come to this! Let me fight to my heart's content! I am Kaido, King of the Beasts!"
Having once followed the Sea Overlord—Rocks—and fought against the Pirate King Roger, founding the Beasts Pirates, as a pirate, he has suffered seven defeats, challenged the Marines and the Four Emperors alone, and was captured eighteen times, endured over a thousand severe tortures, and was sentenced to death as many as forty times. Even when subjected to hanging, he would break the chains; even when brought to the guillotine, he could shatter the blade; even when stabbed with spears or jumped down from ten thousand meters high… he still survived!
Now he couldn't escape!
Then he would let these people have a good look at his true strength!
"Roar!"
With an angry roar, he charged straight ahead!
However.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort!
Yuto curled his lips, stretched out a golden hand, and directly slapped him with a stack of cash held in his hand. "A mere pirate acting all heroic and grand? Bullying my daughter… I'll beat you to death!"
Arrogant like a nouveau riche dad protecting his daughter!
"?!" ×6
This guy…
Even Nagato and the others twitched at the corners of their mouths.
Getting tangled up with him was truly eight lifetimes of bad luck!
"Uchiha Yuto!" Kaido, who already knew Yuto's name, roared once more, charging forward in fury. "You're not worthy of being a man of the sea!"
Yet.
At this moment.
"Chibaku Tensei!"
"Shinra Tensei!"
"Kamui Shuriken!"
"Susanoo!"
"Explosive tags! Explosive tags! Explosive tags!"
…
While Kaido stared in utter shock, several people unleashed their ninjutsu at once.
Dealing with this kind of pirate required no talk of ninja ethics!
And as ninja…
[Coordinating together] to complete the mission… isn't that perfectly normal?
In the blink of an eye.
"Damn it!" The Emperor of the Sea, Kaido, King of the Beasts, let out a stifled roar of rage, only to be completely engulfed by all the ninjutsu!
Then.
Amidst the sound of explosions came a voice filled with unwillingness: "Escape, my crew! Get away from here! I, Kaido, King of the Beasts… have been defeated! Since the great sea's balance has been changed, a terrifying existence…" There was a slight pause. "Has been born!"
As his words fell—
Kaido, King of the Beasts—fell from the stage!
This final, unwilling roar instantly spread throughout the entire Wano Country.
Everyone stared in disbelief, eyes wide, looking at the figure of the King of the Beasts falling from the sky!
Defeated?
Defeated!
Just as Kaido had said!
The balance of the world would change!
Seeing everything resolved, Yuto waved his hand, beginning to gather everyone together.
Next.
The Yuto Group was about to [move in] to Wano Country!
…
Meanwhile.
On the side of the Root Group.
Danzo shut off the phone expressionlessly. Then, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura beside him, he directly stood up, gripping the dragon-headed cane that had accompanied him for many years, and said lightly, "It's time to return to the Ninja World!"
As his words fell—
"???"
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura stared at Danzo in surprise.
"The Vinsmoke family's offensives have been getting fiercer lately. Are you sure you want to leave now? Maybe Homura and I should stay behind and keep an eye on things!"
"No need! Just a bunch of insignificant pebbles! Hmph! It's time to wrap this up as well!" Danzo lightly tapped the floor with the dragon-headed cane. "The North Sea… my Root Group…" His eyes widened, exuding an unprovoked aura of authority. "Will take it!"
"?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura were immediately shocked, staring blankly at Danzo's back.
By the look of things.
Danzo… was up to something big again!
After hesitating for a moment, they asked, "Where do you intend to go?"
"A meeting!"
"What meeting?"
"What meeting?" Danzo echoed, gripping his cane with both hands, standing emotionlessly at the shore, gazing out over the vast sea, and said faintly, "The Double Five Kage Summit!"
As his words fell—
"Clap clap clap~"
Waves surged, and the sea breeze blew gently!
Ruffling Danzo's white hair, but… that serene aura made it impossible for people to casually regard him as an old man.
A man who, though defeated many times, had never once given up on entrepreneurship!
The Root Group—Shimura Danzo!
At this moment.
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen and Mitokado Homura were startled by Danzo's imposing presence, as though recalling that madman once again… who, regardless of consequences, would boldly invest tens of billions without batting an eye!
The corners of their mouths slowly curved upward. Looking at that departing figure, they nodded with a faint smile. "Since that's the case… we'll accompany you back this time!"