As a representative of strong warriors since childhood, he didn't understand why it was them fighting to the death while the kings and nobles enjoyed the benefits above. This defiance lingered until his country couldn't tolerate him anymore and handed him over to the Navy.
Since then, a fire ignited in his heart...
He wanted to drag those useless nobles onto the battlefield!
Only war can reveal a person's talent, not relying on bloodline or status!
But after arriving in Wano Country, a prophecy kept haunting him.
Joyboy was the one who could kill him.
Even the 'opening of the country' that Oden hoped for was to welcome the so-called Joyboy; everything was dictated by prophecy.
Why!
Why should he be ruled by prophecy!
Must it be Joyboy who kills him?
If someone else finishes him, would the prophecy be broken?
No matter how he fell into suicide, ambush, capture, or execution... as his strength grew, those things became increasingly ineffective, and nothing on this sea could kill him.
His ideals will inevitably be realized.
"I am the strongest!"
Kaido roared, transforming his body into a cyan dragon, spewing high-temperature flames, but instead of firing forward, he wrapped his long body with it, turning into a dragon of flames.
"Fire Dragon Torch!!"
The surface was enveloped in high-temperature flames, melting even the nearby rocks. The heat it generated was enough to engulf everything.
"My Beast Pirates that I created are the strongest, Sage!!"
The dragon opened its mouth, body twisting upwards, gathering Supreme King and Haki all around its head.
"If... you are Joyboy, then prove it to me! Hidden Dragon: Flame Hakke!!!"
The massive descending fire dragon opened its giant mouth, rushing towards Sage with a howl.
Even from afar, the scorching heat had already engulfed Sage; despite his body enhanced fiftyfold with restrained Haki, burns appeared, only to be healed by the steaming white vapor.
Sage raised his hands, saying calmly: "Joyboy… I am not such a thing. I don't believe in destiny at all, obviously, you are the strongest on the sea, but because you believe in this so-called destiny, you seem to be deliberately waiting to be defeated."
"If you are destined to be defeated by Joyboy, then let me do it!"
Sage looked up at the diving fire dragon, his voice shaking: "Let me break this so-called destiny! Let me replace you as the world's strongest, breaking that so-called destiny! Kaido!!"
Whoosh!
He kicked off with his feet, like a shadow, flashed through the open mouth of the fire dragon, rapidly scurrying across the dragon's body, releasing a black and red lightning bolt.
The diving fire dragon came to a standstill, the flames on its body seemingly extinguished and suddenly disappearing, revealing the cyan dragon shape.
"Instant Kill: Tenmago Destruction!!"
Sage appeared behind Kaido's dragon form, his whole body emitting white vapor, healing the extensive burns and the cavities melted on his fists. He paused, then slowly spoke:
"How can people on the sea believe in destiny... your destiny and mine have been hanging in the sky since we set sail. Once dead, it'll vanish like a meteor, fleeting in an instant; but the shining meteor... didn't it also radiate glory?"
Saying this, he pointed to the sky and shouted: "Look!"
The sky, heavy with clouds, suddenly parted, becoming clear and bright. The clouds shrank and descended, transforming into a black and red velvet cloak draped over Sage's back, revealing the night sky filled with stars. One star, especially bright, twinkled sharply.
"Your Death Star is shining!"
Boom boom boom boom boom!!!
The cyan dragon's body, bursting from within, continued to emit sounds, yet there was no injury on the dragon's appearance. The sounds were so rapid, shaking the cyan dragon, transforming back into Kaido's human form, standing motionless with his back to Sage.
Kaido's face was shrouded in shadow, making his expression indiscernible.
After a long time, he slowly raised his hand, seemingly lowering his head to glance at his own hand, then looked up at that unusually bright star.
Stars glitter and shine, but some lights flicker briefly; the brighter the glow, the more it signals the final burning and brilliance.
"Ah..."
Like awakening from a dream, Kaido exhaled and touched the upper half of his face with one hand, "Truly..."
Selling out to the Navy in his youth, then escaping from them; whenever he starved, he would return to the Navy, eat his fill, and then fight his way out, repeating the cycle, gaining fame, and later joining the largest power at the time, the Rocks Pirates as a newbie.
That old lady... Linlin helped him significantly. That woman, claiming to become the king of the sea, gave him a stolen Azure Dragon Fruit in Divine Valley, allowing him to reach the peak.
After Rocks' defeat, they parted ways, unseen for decades.
Each developed separately, both becoming today's 'Sea Emperors' ruling the New World among pirates.
King, Queen, Jack... the Flying Six, All-Stars, these subordinates were accumulated step by step, striving for Kaido's ideals to the utmost of their abilities.
"A life of ardor and zeal..."
Kaido lowered his hand, suddenly laughed out loud:
"Old hag, I've never repaid you for your favor… Whatever! I don't care, and I guess you wouldn't care that much either! Young memories surface, my life is one of no regrets! Orororororo!"