King's wing flapped vigorously, his pterosaur form soaring upwards.
He dodged the rain of sword energy and, at an altitude of several hundred meters, arced downwards.
"Dan Gong Huang."
His wings, infused with Haki, exuded a sharp aura like blades. He shot towards Karol at extreme speed.
Clang, clang, clang...
The sound of metal clashing echoed, sparks flying.
King's wings, like razor-sharp sabers, relentlessly attacked Karol.
Karol's Sakura Ten, a blur of afterimages, parried every blow.
He retreated as they fought, their battle tearing up the ground.
Dust mingled with sword energy, obscuring their figures.
Just then, King grunted.
His body faltered for a moment, and blood trickled from his lips. The brief burst of power had aggravated the internal injuries he sustained from Sakazuki.
Karol's expression sharpened.
His sword energy and Haki erupted, dispersing the surrounding dust.
Seizing the opportunity, he gripped his sword with both hands.
"Ittoryu: Seiryu."
A crisp cry rang out.
Azure sword energy formed the shape of a seiryu, flashing left and right like lightning. It surged towards King.
King's pterosaur head snapped back.
"Chohizon Huang."
He lunged forward.
Swoosh—
A laser-like shockwave shot out towards the sword energy.
Boom!!!
The collision created a massive explosion that cleared the smoke and dust. Both combatants were sent flying by the fierce blast.
They stabilized themselves and glared at each other.
From the distant battlefield, a roar from Kaido echoed. A blue dragon shot vertically into the sky, only to be yanked downwards.
It slammed into the ground with a resounding crash.
Boom!!!
A tremendous tremor shook the earth.
King, in his half-beast form, flew through the sky, a hint of anxiety in his eyes. He took a deep breath, drew his long sword, and with the flames burning on his body igniting the blade, he unleashed a hundred-meter-long, lifelike fire dragon.
King swung at Karol.
"Karyu Huang!"
Roar—
A dragon's roar accompanied a surge of flames from the fire dragon as it charged at Karol.
Karol exhaled softly, adjusting his stance. He moved his swords to his right. Azure energy enveloped his body. He looked at the charging fire dragon.
"Ittoryu."
He slashed his sword, creating a mark in the air.
"Gokui Seiryu."
Roar—
Another dragon's roar, and a sword energy seiryu burst forth from the slash. Accompanied by a sword's hum, it shot forward.
It met the fire dragon head-on.
The sharp sword energy and explosive flames clashed, canceling each other out.
Hiss—
Boom, boom, boom!
The two sword energy dragons simultaneously collapsed, their fiery and energy-infused bodies exploding into fragments. The sound of continuous explosions filled the air.
Boom!!!!
With a final thunderous blast, a wave of heat washed over them. A colossal mushroom cloud rose, forcing Karol to retreat. King, using the explosion's force, grunted and transformed into his pterosaur form, speeding towards Kaido.
-------------
Meanwhile, on Kaido and Sakazuki's front.
Kaido, in his half-beast dragon form, was pinned to the ground on one knee by several magma spears, reinforced with Armament Haki, at his joints. Sakazuki held Kaido's kanabo, advancing towards him. Kaido was gathering energy in his mouth, which Sakazuki noticed but did not seem concerned about. Kaido's joints were broken and held in place by the magma spears. Even with his Mythical Zoan-type Azure Dragon Fruit, recovery would take time, especially since Kaido had not yet awakened his power.
Suddenly, Sakazuki looked north. A blazing pterosaur, spewing flames, was flying towards him, its mouth also gathering powerful energy. Sakazuki's eyebrow twitched. "Can it fly, eh?"
In that case... He raised his hand, aimed at the charging King, and swung upwards.
"Danyaku no Ken."
A massive magma sword, tens of meters wide, erupted from the ground before King. With his incredible speed and advanced Observation Haki prediction, King had no time to dodge. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. He was about to unleash his stored attack on Sakazuki.
At that moment, Kaido, restrained by the spears below, looked up. He aimed at the approaching King and unleashed a blast of heat. It was like a laser beam. A golden beam of heat, several meters thick, collided with the tip of the magma sword. Kaido's roar echoed: "Escape quickly, find an opportunity..."
Boom!!!!
Before he could finish, a whistling sound was heard. A kanabo, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, smashed into Kaido's head, interrupting his words and shattering the Haki-infused magma spears around him. Kaido was knocked unconscious.
Looking at the unconscious Kaido, Sakazuki let out a soft sigh and said with a hint of malice, "Rai Mei Hakka." He casually dropped the kanabo.
King had already become a mere black speck, disappearing into the horizon. Sakazuki narrowed his eyes. The sole survivor of the fourth race depicted on the Sky Island mural...
Just then, Karol approached. "Vice Admiral Sakazuki." Sakazuki grunted and asked, "How much longer until the warship arrives?" Karol replied, "About thirty minutes."
Sakazuki nodded. He used his magma to form chains, imbued with Haki, to bind Kaido's joints. He then said to Karol, "Bring more Sea Prism Stone chains later. Escort him to Punk Hazard."
Next, he used his Observation Haki. His arms turned to magma, and he lifted them, aiming at the remnants of the Hundred Beasts Pirates who had fled to the sea. A torrent of dense smoke and magma erupted.
"Ryusei Kazan."