One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 246: Let's Fight

"So, it's just two little brats? Where are the adults? How dare you cause trouble in Wano Country! Capture them all!"

Kurozumi Chanmaru sneered as he looked at the two leading figures—one noticeably smaller, the other towering over the rest.

Esdeath, about 1.6 meters tall, and Barrett, nearly 5 meters tall, exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.

While both of them were already formidable fighters, their faces still carried youthful features. At first glance, an outsider might mistake them for children.

"Who the hell are you looking down on?"

Esdeath growled, slicing down a samurai in her path before charging straight at Kurozumi Chanmaru.

Her speed was blinding.

Chanmaru barely reacted in time, hastily summoning a translucent green barrier in front of him.

Clang!

Esdeath's sword clashed against the barrier, sending sparks flying.

"Whew! That was close!"

Chanmaru wiped the sweat from his forehead, his drunken stupor dissipating as he finally took the young girl before him seriously.

"Brat! How dare you sneak attack me?! Die!"

Roaring in anger, he raised his hand, forming a massive circular barrier and hurling it toward Esdeath.

But she was too fast.

With a swift step, she dodged the attack and countered with another slash.

Chanmaru barely managed to raise another barrier in time.

"Damn it! This little devil is strong!"

Realizing he was at a disadvantage, Chanmaru grew increasingly flustered.

Years of indulgence in alcohol and women had long eroded his strength. If not for the invincible properties of his Barrier-Barrier Fruit, he would've been cut down already.

As their battle dragged on, chaos erupted across the battlefield.

The samurai under Chanmaru's command clashed with Charlotte's swordsmen, and the sounds of metal clashing filled the air.

Meanwhile, Charlotte stood at a distance, watching Chanmaru with interest.

"Didn't expect to run into this guy here…"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

If Chanmaru was here, it meant that Kaido had likely taken over Wano.

That raised an important question—where was Kaido now?

Charlotte stroked his chin, deep in thought.

But a moment later, a grin spread across his face as his interest in the situation grew.

---

Udon, Wano Country

"Kaido! Kaido! Something terrible has happened!"

Kurozumi Murasaki sprinted through the fortress, screaming in panic.

The surrounding members of the Beasts Pirates turned to stare at the frantic old woman.

Did she not know that Kaido hated being disturbed while drinking?

Jhin stepped out, frowning as he observed her frantic state.

Before he could speak—

BOOM!

A Raimei Hakke (Thunder Bagua) attack was unleashed in an instant, smashing into the ground near Murasaki.

The force sent shockwaves across the area.

Kaido emerged, staggering slightly as he downed another gulp of sake from his gourd.

Murasaki froze in place, staring at the cracked ground where the attack had nearly hit her.

Cold sweat dripped down her forehead.

"K-Kaido! It's an emergency!" she stammered. "A pirate ship has entered Wano! And… it's likely the Rockefeller Pirates!"

The moment those words left her lips—

Kaido's hands trembled slightly as he lifted his drink.

Jhin and Quinn turned their heads sharply toward her, their expressions darkening.

Rockefeller Pirates.

Who in the New World didn't know what those seven words represented?

Kaido took a long gulp of sake before letting out a deep exhale.

Then, without a word, his body began to expand.

RUMBLE!

With a surge of power, he transformed into a massive, serpentine azure dragon, coiling through the sky.

Fixing his gaze in one direction, he took off at breakneck speed.

"Charlotte…!"

A deep, rumbling dragon roar echoed across the skies.

---

Back at the battlefield, Charlotte heard the roar and instinctively turned his gaze upward.

A massive, blue-scaled dragon was rapidly approaching.

"Lovely," he muttered, a smirk forming on his lips.

Kaido's enormous figure loomed overhead, descending toward him.

Then, in a swift motion, he transformed back into his humanoid form, landing a few meters away from Charlotte.

"Long time no see, Charlotte," Kaido said, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled hot air.

"Yeah, long time no see, Kaido," Charlotte replied nonchalantly. "Didn't expect to find you here."

Kaido glanced at the ongoing battle behind Charlotte before narrowing his eyes.

"What are you doing in Wano?"

Charlotte chuckled, spreading his arms.

"Just traveling. Happened to pass by. Didn't expect to run into you."

Kaido didn't believe him for a second.

"This is my territory," he stated coldly.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

Kaido's eyes flashed with electricity.

"Then let's fight."

Without warning, he swung his Hassaikai (Mace).

"Raimei Hakke!"

The club, wrapped in Haki and crackling with lightning, hurtled toward Charlotte at breakneck speed.

But Charlotte didn't flinch.

CLANG!

With a swift counter, he blocked the attack using a single swing of his Seven-Star Sword.

A loud CRACK echoed across the battlefield.

Kaido's expression shifted.

Snap!

In the next instant, his club shattered into pieces.

A powerful force sent Kaido skidding back over ten meters.

All that remained in his hand was the broken hilt of his weapon.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

Kaido looked down at the remnants of his prized weapon, his expression unreadable.

Was the gap in strength really this vast?

"Ryou Haki…?"

Kaido muttered, staring at Charlotte's sword.

Charlotte simply smirked and nodded.

The reality was clear—Kaido was no match for him yet.

Even Kozuki Oden, who was just as strong as Kaido, had been instantly cut down by Charlotte years ago.

The attack just now?

That was merely half of Charlotte's strength.

It hadn't been meant to wound—just to test Kaido's durability.

The only result?

Kaido's weapon shattered.

Kaido's eyes darkened. His body rippled with draconic scales as he shifted into his hybrid form.

"Oh? You're still not giving up?"

Charlotte tilted his head, amused.

Kaido didn't answer.

He roared, surging forward with his massive, clawed hands poised to strike.

Charlotte, unfazed, casually swung his sword again—this time unleashing a shockwave of cutting energy.

Kaido braced himself, reinforcing his body with Armament Haki.

But the moment the attack hit—

BOOM!

Kaido was sent flying.

---

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