One Piece: My Evolving Aircraft

Next Bonus, 100!!

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They had been fighting for two days and two nights.

Their stamina and Haki were starting to wane, but they were still incredibly powerful.

A searing red light enveloped Kaido, and a powerful Haki coiled around his body as he charged, like a savage beast.

Haki was the latent potential within every living being. With the exception of Conqueror's Haki, it could be awakened through training.

And Kaido, wild and untamed, was undoubtedly a top-tier Haki user, though he was still a step below the absolute strongest.

As the "World's Strongest Creature," he had the individual combat strength to stand against any of the other Emperors or Admirals. His reputation as the strongest in a one-on-one fight was no joke.

When he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, the very atmosphere changed. The sky and the earth seemed to pale, and the island and the sea trembled.

Jin stood his ground, his body straight and tall, his eyes like blazing stars. He took a deep breath, his own fighting spirit erupting, his own Conqueror's Haki coiling around him, and he met Kaido's charge with a punch.

The two forces collided, and a massive wave of energy exploded outward, tearing the earth, churning the sea.

Faced with an opponent like Kaido, Jin held nothing back. His Haki blazed, forming a suit of ancient armor around him, and he met Kaido blow for blow.

The sound of their fists colliding was like the ringing of steel.

With every impact, the mountains crumbled.

"Incredible," Shuzo said, having just returned. He was stunned. "They're destroying mountains with their bare hands. These two are terrifying."

"That man... it's him! The king!" Bins recognized Jin. He was a loyal reader of the "Entertainment Weekly," which occasionally featured interviews with Jin, mostly about his political philosophy and his reforms. It was a way of spreading his ideas, his will, under the guise of publicity, all while under the watchful eye of the World Government.

In the past two years, more and more people had been immigrating to the Winter Blossom Kingdom, including craftsmen, scientists, and scholars. Most had been drawn by the articles in the "Entertainment Weekly" and the kingdom's reputation for safety and stability. Others, like Issho, had been drawn by Jin's fame and power.

Bins wasn't one of them, but he was still an admirer.

"What? It's him?" Ain was shocked, and then it all made sense. No wonder. Only that man would dare to challenge a Yonko, and had already done so and survived more than once.

"King Jin?" Zephyr's eyes narrowed. He had a great deal of admiration for the man. It was Jin's feat of repelling Whitebeard that had given him the final push to come to the New World. He never thought he would meet him here, like this.

"Zephyr-sensei," Bins asked, "should we help?"

Zephyr looked at the battlefield. He wanted to join the fight, but... Kaido was an opponent that even the World Government was wary of. He was far stronger than any other pirate.

Help? It would be a repeat of that tragedy.

The images were seared into his mind. He couldn't forget. A flicker of cowardice sparked in his heart. His conviction, his will, had been shattered. His Haki had weakened. He was no longer the man he once was.

He took a deep breath. "No. We'll protect the civilians first. Get them to a safe area, away from the battle."

"Sir!"

Ain and Bins followed his orders and led the Neo Marines in a retreat. Only Shuzo remained. He wanted to test his strength.

Even within the Neo Marines, where loyalty to Zephyr was absolute, there were factions. Ain was a moderate. Shuzo was a hardliner. Bins was a centrist.

Ain and Shuzo often clashed over their ideals.

Shuzo tried to launch a surprise attack on Kaido.

But Kaido, with a casual backhand swing of his club, sent him flying.

It was a useless attack, but it had succeeded in angering Kaido.

He leaped into the air and transformed into his azure dragon form. He opened his mouth and unleashed a blast of heat, a searing inferno that engulfed the island.

Jin gave chase.

But Kaido didn't stop. He rose into the clouds. He didn't want to fight here. He was worried about another sneak attack. In a prolonged battle like this, it all came down to recovery and willpower. A distraction could lead to his defeat.

After they had gone, the island was a burning ruin. The mountains had collapsed, and the landscape was completely transformed.

Zephyr and the Neo Marines put out the fires and regrouped.

"Neo Marines, move out!" he commanded.

His strength might have waned, but his tactical mind was as sharp as ever. He could see that both Kaido and Jin were exhausted.

Perhaps... he could take this opportunity to finish Kaido off.

The Neo Marines joined the chase.

Jin was hot on the trail of the azure dragon.

Kaido wasn't fleeing. He was taking the opportunity to recover his stamina and Haki. He had snatched up a giant bear as he left the island and was now devouring it whole, raw and bloody.

As a Zoan user, Kaido's recovery abilities were extraordinary.

His defeat at the hands of Luffy wasn't because Luffy was stronger, but because Nika was too broken. And in his protracted battle with Luffy, he had won several times, but he had never delivered the final blow. Instead, he had just made Luffy stronger.

Some even joked about the "three-strike teaching method of Kaido."

With every strike, Luffy's power had grown tremendously.

The first strike: he mastered advanced Armament Haki.

The second strike: he mastered Conqueror's Coating.

The third strike: his fruit awakened.

And at the end of the lesson, he had even offered a final piece of advice: "Only Haki can transcend all." Then he had logged off.

Many fans had been grateful.

And they hadn't forgotten to tag Rayleigh. See, Rayleigh? This is how you teach an apprentice!

Kaido, a true role model...

Of course, all of Luffy's fights followed the same pattern: he would be defeated, his opponent wouldn't finish him off, and he would come back stronger and win.

Kaido was just one of many teachers.

Jin let out a long breath and pulled a stash of food from his Munch-Munch space, replenishing his own stamina.

A war of attrition? He wasn't afraid.

Kaido looked back and saw Jin gnawing on a large chunk of meat. He was a little confused. Where did that come from? The town?

He frowned. He had a bad feeling about this. If the fight continued like this... he might actually lose.

It wasn't the first time he had been defeated, but those had all been when he was charging in alone, not in a one-on-one duel.

He had to think of something.

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Hachinosu.

An island marked by a massive skull.

It had once been a "pirate graveyard," an isolated prison where the World Government exiled its most powerful pirate prisoners, leaving them to fend for themselves.

It hadn't always been called Hachinosu, "Beehive."

Until one day, someone discovered gold.

The "poor" island became rich overnight. The pirates slaughtered each other for control of the mines.

And in their quest for gold, they had dug countless tunnels, creating a complex, beehive-like terrain.

Years ago, it had been a gathering place for the most vicious pirates. A "king" had risen from their ranks, a man of unparalleled ferocity: Rocks.

He had died at God Valley, trying to reclaim the treasure of Hachinosu. After his death, the island had been taken over by one of his subordinates.

The "Pirate Prelate," Ochoku.

Years passed.

The gold mines of Hachinosu were eventually depleted, and the island once again became "poor," and deserted.

Only Ochoku remained, living a relatively comfortable life.

To have your own territory in the New World, one that wasn't under the control of a Yonko, where you didn't have to pay taxes to anyone... it wasn't easy.

At the "Hive Villa," the palace Ochoku had built for himself, he was currently enjoying a sunbath by his open-air pool, attended by beautiful young women.

He was old now, bald, with a white beard and a potbelly. He didn't look like a pirate at all.

His ambitions were a thing of the past. Enjoying his old age was his only concern now.

As he was eating fruit and singing to himself, the roar of a dragon echoed through the sky, a powerful presence descending upon the island.

A fierce wind tore through the villa, ripping away the sun umbrella, shattering the glass, and knocking Ochoku from his lounge chair.

"Shit!"

Ochoku rubbed the back of his head and turned around, just in time to see Kaido crash onto his terrace.

The hard stone tiles shattered, and debris flew in all directions.

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~ 70 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon

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