The sky over the Oren Kingdom was gloomy and oppressive. Thick, leaden clouds swirled into a dark vortex, casting a shadow over the harbor where three warships bobbed restlessly against the damp sea breeze.
Frank stood at the docks, his white armor gleaming despite the dim light, his blue cape snapping in the wind. All war supplies had been loaded, and the soldiers stood in neat, disciplined rows, ready for departure.
On a high platform overlooking the square, King Reckton stood with his chest puffed out, his eyes sharp and full of vigor. He looked down at his army and spoke with a booming, solemn voice. "Great citizens! Brave soldiers of the Kingdom!"
"You are the heroes who protect our home! You are our sharpest sword and our sturdiest shield!" Reckton's expression turned to one of pure fury. "Days ago, a Kingdom vessel was attacked by the Snow Country. Dozens of our people were injured, and they haven't even sent an apology! As warriors, tell me, what should we do?!"
"Fight!" "Fight!!" "Fight!!!"
Three thousand voices roared in unison. Spears slammed against the ground and flags unfurled, the sound echoing across the coast.
"Then depart!" Reckton shouted, waving his hand to signal the start of the campaign.
As Frank began leading the men toward the ships, he froze. A thin black line appeared on the horizon. It approached with terrifying speed, expanding like ink dropped into water until the entire sky turned a bruised grey-black. Within seconds, the clouds were overhead, thick enough to blot out the sun, crackling with flashes of violet lightning.
A freezing wind howled, and the sea rose in massive, destructive layers.
"A thunderstorm? No... a tsunami?!" Frank's eyes widened. He turned to his men and screamed, "Tsunami! Everyone, fall back! Get to higher ground immediately!"
The soldiers, though terrified, didn't break. Their training kicked in as they abandoned the ships and scrambled toward the elevated parts of the city.
Boom!!
The wall of water slammed into the harbor, flipping the warships like toys and shattering the stone dams. Seawater surged into the streets, tearing through buildings as if they were made of paper. Desperate screams filled the air as residents were swept away by the current.
King Reckton watched from his high platform, his face pale as the water churned just meters below his feet. After a few agonizing minutes, the surge receded, leaving the streets a mess of mud, rubble, and ruin. People began to crawl out of the debris, dazed and searching for their families.
Suddenly, a gargantuan shadow draped over the port. Reckton looked up into the swirling vortex of clouds. A flash of lightning illuminated a massive shape moving within the storm.
Crack!!
A bolt of purple lightning struck the central clock tower, snapping the stone spire and setting it ablaze.
"Put out the fire!" "Hurry, get the water!"
Amidst the chaos, a pillar of black clouds suddenly descended from the sky like a solid column of smoke. When it hit the ground, the impact shook the earth, making everyone's hearts skip a beat.
"Something's there!" a soldier yelled, leveling his rifle. Cold sweat poured down the faces of the guards as they stared into the cloud curtain.
A massive hand reached out from the smoke and swept it aside with a single motion. The wind from the gesture cleared the air instantly, revealing a figure that made the soldiers' blood run cold.
A towering giant stood before them. He had ferocious bull horns, eyes like a predator, and muscles that looked like they were cast in bronze. He bared his teeth in a terrifying grin.
"Worororo! You're all being very cautious, aren't you?" Kaido laughed.
Frank stumbled back, his face turning ghostly pale. "Kai... Kaido?! What are you doing here?"
Kaido rested his massive spiked club on his shoulder. "Oh? You've heard of me?"
"How could I not?!" Frank choked out. "You're a pirate with a bounty over 700 million Berries!"
Kaido's wild laughter boomed through the streets. Then, his face went stone-cold. "You're preparing to attack Winter Island, right? Didn't you bother to check who was protecting it?"
Frank's heart sank. He realized too late why a small place like Winter Island had the guts to fire on a Kingdom ship.
King Reckton, still on his platform, found his voice. "I don't care who you are! You attacked our ship and killed our people. That is an act of war against the Oren Kingdom!"
The King looked at the thousands of soldiers still in the city. "Soldiers, charge! Whoever takes his head gets a reward of 711 million Berries!"
The mention of such a fortune sparked a fire in the soldiers' eyes. Greed quickly replaced fear.
"Kill him!"
They swarmed. Soldiers poured out of alleys and leaped from rooftops, descending on Kaido like a cloud of locusts.
Kaido didn't even flinch. He laughed, a deep, sinister sound, and swung his club. With every rotation, bodies were sent whistling through the air. He was a human harvesting machine. Wherever he stepped, the ground cracked and men were crushed into the dirt.
He didn't even use Haki. His raw strength was more devastating than any siege engine. Bullets bounced off his skin like pebbles, and swords shattered against his hide without leaving a single scratch. Dozens of men tried to dog-pile him, but he simply shook them off like dust.
He looked like a demon crawled out of the abyss, bringing nothing but slaughter and despair. In ten minutes, the harbor was a graveyard. The smell of blood was overwhelming, and the remaining soldiers finally felt the weight of true terror.
Kaido stepped over the rubble, a wall of fire burning behind him. He gripped his club and walked slowly toward the remaining army, his eyes fixed on the King.