Like an earthquake, intense vibrations emanated from the distance, shaking the courtyard where Vlad was sitting. Like rain, Cherry blossoms fell from the trees, and ripples spread across the small pond beside him, making it seem like a tumultuous little ocean.
"What's happening?" Kozuki Oden frowned, "Is it an earthquake?"
"Probably not!" Vlad stood up, "This kind of noise doesn't sound like an earthquake."
"What do you mean?" Oden asked, puzzled.
"What I mean is this—"
Vlad's figure suddenly soared, his body covered in fiery red dragon scales, and his massive wings unfurled, with sharp dragon horns piercing the sky.
"Earthquakes don't throw things like this at us!"
Flames gathered in Vlad's hand, forming a fireball as giant as his head, radiating intense light and heat.
From the moment the intense shaking started, his observation Haki alerted him that something was flying towards them, which was extraordinarily formidable.
A vast shadow swiftly covered the small courtyard with a loud whoosh of wind.
"Hey, that's a bit much!" Even someone as worldly as Kozuki Oden was stunned, "What on earth is that?"
Sakata, the lecherous samurai who had rarely ventured out of Kuri, was utterly dumbfounded by the sudden change and struggled to comprehend what was happening.
It was like a small mountain hurtling directly toward them!!!
It was a staggering sight, like the apocalypse, with a massive hill appearing in the sky and plummeting directly towards their location. Though not enormous by regular standards – akin to a mountain that wouldn't be much noticed if walked upon – when coming from the sky, it was utterly different. Usually, it would be inconsequential, but from above, it only spelled despair.
But Vlad would not despair!
"Whoosh!!!" With a flick of his wrist, the fiery, brilliant fireball shot out at an unimaginable speed, heading straight for the incoming hill.
"Boom!!!!!!!"
A bright light enveloped everything, and a ferocious wind swept through the heavens while intense heat scorched the earth.
The giant fireball exploded in the sky instantly, engulfing the vast hill. The terrible explosion, combined with the intense heat, made it impossible for the mountain, which could have easily destroyed the courtyard, to withstand; disintegrating and then turning to ash was its only fate.
"Amazing!" Sakata, who was usually stoic and not very talkative, exclaimed.
"Indeed, amazing!" Kozuki Oden admired, "Such formidable power!"
"Ah, truly terrifying power!" Vlad agreed. The strength required to lift such a hill from the ground and throw it to a distance was horrifyingly impressive. A monstrous individual was approaching!
"Prepare for battle! Mr. Kozuki, we can't spend today in peace after all!"
"The creature coming our way is nothing short of a monster!!!"
Using his Observation Haki, Vlad had already seen someone approaching. The hill was just a little greeting gift; the real fight was about to begin!
"We might all die here today!"
"Ah, is that so?" Kozuki Oden stood up, his face showing a trace of melancholy, "Another battle? I've never liked fighting, especially such difficult battles!"
"But, on another note, Mr. Vlad, this is the first time I've seen you like this," Oden observed Vlad repeatedly, "Such a beautifully powerful form!"
"Not bad," Vlad smiled, appreciating the compliment—everyone likes to be praised, and Vlad was no exception.
"Then, let's cut the chatter," Oden stood up and turned to Sakata, who remained unmoved by the side, "Sakata, I have a task for you!"
"Yes!" Sakata looked serious, bowing respectfully.
"Take Momonosuke and leave Kuri!" Oden said, "Since the fight started, we must prepare for the worst!"
"Sakata, I entrust Momonosuke to you. Also, inform Raizo and Kin'emon to evacuate the residents. The upcoming battle won't be easy to escape from! It might engulf all of Kuri!!!"
"…"
"Yes!" After a moment of silence, Sakata responded softly, and then, with a decisive step that shattered the ground beneath him, he disappeared.
"This child," Kozuki Oden remarked, looking at the broken ground, "is flustered."
Though it wasn't Oden's wish, his disciple was very obedient.
"Just a moment, Mr. Vlad!" Oden bowed slightly to Vlad and strolled towards a nearby building.
Vlad didn't mind; his attention was entirely on the beast approaching, a creature that obliterated everything in its path.
"Hey, how come we encounter it here?"
Vlad was slightly irritated, "Wasn't this guy supposed to come here a few years later?"
"I've been waiting, Mr. Vlad!" A clear voice rang out as the man reappeared in the courtyard, dressed in a dark blue kimono and carrying a long sword.
"Never mind, I don't have time to think right now!" Vlad replied.
"Ha, take this, Mr. Vlad," Oden laughed, handing Vlad a small notebook.
"It was intended for your daily recollections, but it seems just in time for us now."
Vlad took the notebook and stuffed it into his pocket.
"Quite pessimistic, Mr. Kozuki!"
"What can I do?" Oden smiled, "After all, the person coming is—"
"Boom!!!!!" The courtyard wall burst apart, and a massive figure appeared before the two men.
"The war begins now!!!!"
The name of the newcomer was Kaido of the Beasts!!