The sky above Dressrosa was no longer blue. To the west, it was choked by the charcoal-gray storm clouds of Kaido's arrival; to the east, it was illuminated by the violet discharge of the Seireitei's Kido Cannon. In the center, a golden dome shimmered, holding back the weight of three warring gods.
High above the clouds, the massive azure form of Kaido coiled through the air. Each breath he took released gouts of flame, and his roar generated literal hurricanes.
"WHERE IS HE?!" Kaido bellowed, his voice vibrating the very sea. "Where is the boy who claims to rule the dead?!"
"He's busy," a gravelly, manic voice answered from below.
Kaido looked down. A small speck was rising from the Royal Plateau at terminal velocity. It wasn't flying; it had been launched. Kenpachi Zaraki had used a Kido-reinforced springboard to catapult himself thousands of feet into the air.
"A human?" Kaido snorted, opening his maw. "Boro Breath!"
A beam of concentrated heat and fire erupted from the Dragon's mouth, wide enough to vaporize a mountain range. Kenpachi didn't flinch. He didn't even use his sword to block. He simply shifted his weight and punched the air.
The sheer physical pressure of his Reiatsu-coated fist created a vacuum that diverted the Boro Breath, split the beam in two, and allowed Kenpachi to pass through the middle, unscathed.
"HAHAHA! NICE FIRE! NOW IT'S MY TURN!"
Kenpachi reached the Dragon's snout and swung Nozarashi. The notched blade bit deep into Kaido's legendary scales, drawing a fountain of thick, steaming blood. The impact sent a shockwave through the sky that cleared the clouds for miles.
Kaido recoiled, his amber eyes wide with shock. He hadn't felt pain like this since Oden. "You... you aren't using Haki... what is this weight?!"
"I don't need your 'Will'!" Kenpachi roared, landing on the Dragon's back and running up his spine toward the head. "I just need a big enough blade and someone who won't die in one hit! Come on, Lizard! SHOW ME EVERYTHING!"
Kaido transformed into his Hybrid Form—a man-dragon titan of muscle and scales, wielding his massive spiked club, Hachi-cha. "You want 'everything'? Then die as a sacrifice for the New Era! Ragnaraku!"
The club swung, coated in the black lightning of Advanced Conqueror's Haki. Kenpachi met it with a one-handed slash. The collision didn't just make a sound; it broke the sound barrier, creating a dome of static energy that froze the world around them for a split second.
On the surface of the ocean, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki watched the aerial battle with a grimace. "Borsalino, Aramaki. Take the flanks. I'll lead the center. We ignore the Yonko for now. All fire on the Seireitei!"
Before the ships could adjust their cannons, the water around the fleet began to boil. Steam hissed upward, obscuring the horizon. From the mist, a lone figure walked out onto the water.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had left his staff behind. He held only the hilt of his sword.
"Sinner of Magma," Yamamoto said, his voice carrying over the waves like the tolling of a funeral bell. "You speak of justice while standing on a deck built by slaves. You seek to extinguish the light of the Soul King. For that, your punishment is cremation."
"An old man?" Admiral Ryokugyu laughed, sprouting massive wooden vines from his arms. "I'll turn you into fertilizer! Forbidden Forest!"
The vines shot across the water, thousands of them, aiming to crush the Commander. Yamamoto didn't even look at them. He slowly unsheathed his blade.
"Jōkyaku Enpyō (Fortress of Burning Flames)."
With a simple flick, a wall of fire erupted from the sea. It wasn't red or orange; it was a brilliant, blinding white. In a single second, the "Forbidden Forest" was turned into ash. Ryokugyu screamed, his wooden body charring instantly as he retreated in a panic.
"Stand back, Aramaki!" Sakazuki shouted, his arms turning into bubbling magma. "Great Eruption!"
The Fleet Admiral launched a fist of lava the size of a building. Yamamoto met it with a single vertical stroke.
"Taimatsu (Torch)."
The magma wasn't just stopped; it was consumed. The heat from Yamamoto's blade was so much higher than Sakazuki's fruit that the lava was vaporized into gas.
Yamamoto finally opened his eyes fully, the ground beneath the sea shaking. "Is this the pinnacle of your 'Justice'? How pathetic. Ryūjin Jakka... Enjou Jigoku!"
Seven pillars of fire rose around the entire Marine vanguard, trapping fifty battleships in a circle of hell. The water turned to steam instantly, and the steel hulls began to melt.
"Borsalino!" Sakazuki roared through the heat. "USE THE WEAPONS!"
III. The Invasion of the Dolls: The Seraphim
While the Admirals were stalled by the Captain-Commander, the World Government's trump card was played. From the decks of the rear ships, four capsules were launched via high-speed propulsion.
They bypassed the fire pillars, flew over the sea, and slammed into the streets of Dressrosa.
The dust cleared to reveal four children. They had dark skin, white hair, black wings, and flames burning on their backs.
S-Hawk (Mihawk's clone) drew a massive black blade.
S-Snake (Boa Hancock's clone) looked at the civilians with cold, calculating eyes.
S-Bear (Kuma's clone) raised its palms, glowing with Pacifista lasers.
And the fourth—S-Reio—a construct with Sith Auguro's facial features, carrying a replica of a Zanpakutō.
"Priority Target: Royal Plateau," S-Hawk's mechanical voice droned.
He swung his blade. A green arc of energy tore through the street, heading for a group of fleeing citizens.
Clang!
The attack was deflected by a swarm of pink petals. Byakuya Kuchiki stood atop a roof, his haori fluttering. Beside him, Soi Fon crouched, her finger-blade Suzumebachi glinting in the sun.
"So, the World Government has resorted to making dolls in the image of their betters," Byakuya said, his gaze fixed on S-Hawk. "How distasteful. I shall enjoy dismantling this mockery of a swordsman."
S-Bear raised its hands toward Soi Fon, but before it could fire, a shadow fell over it. Izuru Kira appeared, his head bowed.
"You look heavy, machine," Kira whispered. "Let's see if your mechanical joints can handle the weight of your existence."
The Seraphim didn't feel fear, but their internal sensors began to red-line. Their "Green Blood" surged as they calculated the spiritual pressure of the Shinigami.
The city of Dressrosa, liberated only days ago, became a meat grinder of spiritual energy and high-tech weaponry.
Seireitei – The Throne Room
Auguro watched the battlefield from the central monitor.
"Achievement Points: +10,000... +15,000... +50,000!"
"Warning: S-Reio has initiated 'Soul Imitation.' It is attempting to copy the 'Shikai' of the Host!"
Auguro stood up, his eyes narrowing. "They think they can copy the Soul King? System, authorize the use of Bankai for the Gotei 13. If the world wants a war of the Gods, let's give them the end of the world."
"Acknowledged. Bankai Restrictions: LIFTED."
Far away on the ocean, Yamamoto's flames suddenly vanished. The air didn't get cooler—it got so dry that the very moisture in the Admirals' eyes began to evaporate.
"Sakazuki," Yamamoto whispered, his blade turning into a charred, blackened stick of wood. "Zanka no Tachi... East: Kyokujitsujin."
The real battle was only just beginning.