NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Reiatsu Suppresses
Kaido's fiery determination burned as he tried to resist the crushing force of Aizen's overwhelming Reiatsu. Yet, even his famed Conqueror's Haki, known to intimidate seasoned warriors, seemed feeble in the face of this strange, oppressive energy.
The clearing was deathly silent except for the ragged breaths of those still conscious. Nearly four hundred pirates, the backbone of Kaido's forces, lay strewn across the ground, unconscious or immobilized, their wills shattered by Aizen's devastating power.
Kaido's massive frame quivered slightly, though he remained seated. His sharp eyes burned with a mix of disbelief and fury as he stared at Aizen. This young man—this former marine—was no ordinary opponent.
"What the hell *are* you?" Kaido's voice was low and guttural, a mixture of defiance and bewilderment.
Aizen smiled faintly, taking a slow step forward. "What am I?" he repeated softly, his tone calm yet laced with menace. "I'm the one who doesn't care for the labels of pirate or marine. I exist to decide who stands at the top—and you, Kaido, are nothing but a stepping stone."
Kaido's fists clenched, his frustration evident as he tried to gather himself, but the weight of Aizen's Reiatsu was too much to bear. The conqueror's spirit within him couldn't overpower the seemingly endless force that pressed down on him.
"A stepping stone?" Kaido muttered through gritted teeth. "You think you can stand at the top? You are nothing but a boy with delusions!"
Aizen tilted his head, unfazed by Kaido's words. "I've never been one for delusions. The world has already chosen who the strongest will be. The question is… will you be crushed under the weight of that choice?"
Kaido's eyes narrowed. The world had always seemed to work in his favor, and for a moment, he considered the possibility that this strange new force before him was a mere distraction—just another fleeting obstacle in his path. But something about Aizen's presence unsettled him.
He tried to rise, to push against the suffocating pressure, but his body refused to cooperate. With every attempt to stand, his limbs grew heavier, and his breath more labored. The Reiatsu surrounding him was unyielding.
"You're weaker than I thought, Kaido." Aizen's voice was as cold as the wind that whipped through the clearing. "If you cannot even bear the weight of a few hundred pirates… How could you ever hope to fight someone like Whitebeard?"
Kaido growled in frustration, but his spirit was slowly being extinguished by the overwhelming force.
"This is just the beginning. I have no interest in the petty squabbles of the New World," Aizen continued. "But mark my words—if you are foolish enough to get in my way, I will end you."
Kaido's eyes flickered with the faintest hint of fear, but his pride kept him silent. His body, however, refused to comply with his demands. He could barely move, let alone challenge Aizen.
Aizen's Reiatsu surged, doubling in intensity. The pirates who had been clinging to consciousness fell to the ground, utterly defeated, and the remaining captains could no longer hold themselves up under the immense pressure. They collapsed, their bodies trembling and paralyzed by the unseen force.
"Are you done?" Aizen asked calmly as he surveyed the destruction, his hands at his sides. "I only need one of you to step up. But it seems none of you are worthy."
Kaido's chest heaved with a labored breath as his resolve crumbled. He couldn't bear the weight anymore. Even his will to fight against the pressure of Aizen's power was nothing compared to what he had expected.
The once-proud Beasts' Pirates now lay broken and defeated before Aizen, their strength and arrogance nothing more than a distant memory.
"Consider this a lesson, Kaido," Aizen said softly, turning away. "Your strength is but a fleeting illusion."
With that, Aizen walked away, leaving Kaido and his shattered crew to wallow in their defeat. The New World would be his to control—one pirate at a time.