On the vast seas of the New World, a colossal elephant with legs towering over twenty thousand meters strode steadily toward Wano Country.
"Joy Boy, have you returned? At last, I can atone for my sins."
Once a companion of Joy Boy more than eight hundred years ago, the ancient being had been condemned to wander endlessly across the seas as punishment for a grave mistake.
Until that long awaited day.
Moments ago, he had sensed Joy Boy's presence.
It meant the time was finally drawing near.
This time, he would not fail again. He would stand beside Joy Boy and see the unfinished battle through to the end.
Yet just as suddenly, that presence weakened, then disappeared entirely.
His steps came to a halt.
"What happened, Joy Boy? Why has your presence faded again?"
He turned his massive gaze toward the horizon.
"That direction, that should be Wano Country… Ryuma's homeland."
Slowly, he lifted his enormous foot once more and continued forward, heading toward where the presence had last been felt.
...
Far away, on a futuristic island deep within the New World, advanced technology filled every corner.
In a remote area of the island, a massive robot lay dormant, a long spear embedded deep within its chest.
A faint red glow flickered beneath its mask.
Then its pupils lit up.
A mechanical voice echoed through the silence.
"Joy Boy, have you returned? Emmet has been waiting for that moment."
The voice paused briefly before continuing.
"But there are still two years until the appointed time."
...
"Rolan…"
After witnessing Rolan's overwhelming strength once again, Kaido frowned deeply.
Since his previous defeat, he had pushed himself through relentless training. Though the improvement was slight, he knew he had grown stronger.
Yet now, facing Rolan again, that same crushing sense of powerlessness returned.
Rolan felt like an endless abyss, impossible to measure, impossible to reach.
"Worororo, this is exhilarating. It has been a long time since I have had a battle this satisfying. Come on, Rolan, let me show you the true ceiling of this world."
Rolan let out a low laugh.
"The ceiling? You think you stand at the top of this world?"
Kaido did not hesitate.
"Worororo, I am the strongest in this world."
Even after defeat, his pride refused to bend.
Rolan's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Enough talk. Make your move."
Kaido's massive dragon form shifted as he exhaled scorching flames. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing his entire body.
"Great Flame Dragon Torch!"
The blazing inferno transformed him into a colossal fire dragon, its size nearly covering all of Onigashima.
The ground beneath melted into molten lava, and the air warped under the intense heat. Even the sky itself seemed to ripple as if it were melting.
"It's so hot!"
Luffy stuck out his tongue, sweat pouring down his face.
Even Yamato began sweating heavily, tugging slightly at her clothes as she stared in shock.
As Kaido's daughter, she had never seen him unleash such a terrifying technique.
The heat alone was almost unbearable.
Rolan observed calmly, clicking his tongue softly.
This level of power was indeed impressive.
Even Luffy's recently awakened Nika power could not match it yet.
It made sense. In the original course of events, even after being weakened, Kaido had nearly overwhelmed Luffy. Now, at full strength, the difference was obvious.
Still, that gap would not last forever.
In an instant, Rolan vanished and reappeared directly in front of the blazing dragon.
The extreme heat that distorted the air only caused faint ripples against his body.
An invisible electromagnetic barrier surrounded him, isolating him from the flames.
Kaido's eyes narrowed.
To withstand such heat required immense Armament Haki or advanced Conqueror's Haki.
Yet Rolan was doing it effortlessly with his Devil Fruit ability.
"Flame Bagua!"
Kaido roared as Conqueror's Haki surged, wrapping around the dragon's head.
Black lightning crackled violently as the immense heat and supreme will fused together, creating an overwhelming destructive force.
The aura spread across Onigashima, shaking the entire island. The surrounding seas churned violently, sending towering waves crashing outward.
The massive flaming dragon head shot toward Rolan at blinding speed.
Rolan raised his right hand and clenched his fist.
In an instant, electromagnetic power gathered, forming a gigantic fist over two hundred meters wide.
Advanced Conqueror's Haki surged into it, releasing streaks of purple black lightning that dominated the battlefield with an even greater presence.
Thunder roared across the sky.
Rolan swung his fist forward.
It collided head on with Kaido's flaming dragon.
A deafening explosion erupted.
A massive shockwave tore through everything in its path, flattening the battlefield.
A towering mushroom cloud rose high into the sky, dwarfing Onigashima itself.
Space itself seemed to crack, fracturing like glass.
"Ahhhh!"
Kaido roared, pouring all his Haki into the attack.
Rolan tightened his jaw slightly, reinforcing his strike with even more Conqueror's Haki.
Another explosion detonated, louder than the last.
Onigashima could no longer endure the force.
A massive fissure split the island apart from where they clashed, rapidly widening into a massive strait.
The crack grew larger and larger, yet the overwhelming pressure of their power kept the seawater from rushing in.
Rolan twisted his body slightly, increasing the force behind his punch.
Kaido felt it instantly.
He could not hold on.
His massive dragon form was blasted backward at incredible speed.
The flames surrounding him dissipated as he was forced back into his human form.
He shot through the sky like a falling star, disappearing into the distance.
Rolan lowered his arm calmly.
He had no intention of chasing.
That single strike had carried nearly all his electromagnetic power.
Even if Kaido survived the impact, there was no recovery waiting for him.
As the clash ended, the sea finally surged into the massive fissure.
Within moments, the split in Onigashima filled with water.
At the center of their clash, a massive amber like structure formed, nearly as wide as the island itself.
Onigashima now resembled a giant ring.
At its center lay an inland sea, with a wide strait dividing the island into two halves.
In the water, members of the Beasts Pirates floated helplessly with the waves.
Rolan raised his hand slightly.
With a simple motion, he lifted them out of the sea and brought them back onto land.
"Rolan!"
A woman's voice called out from behind.