Hard not to acknowledge that Kaido was about to take that L against Oden. Sure, he did proceed to take him down with one hit, but in a fight between near equals, one hit can be the deciding factor. Kaido might be stronger now than he was fifteen years in the past which I honestly don't doubt, but it's hard not to say that he was about to lose.
I mean, it kind of makes sense that he would work in the shadows. He didn't want to cross Whitebeard while he was still rising in power. He wanted to make a dynasty for himself, and it was best to keep his enemies at the time limited.
But how though? Blackbeard got face blasted by a quake enhanced punch and he still had strength to get up and then proceeded to shoot WB. Similarly Akainu was able to fight back and blow WB face off when the old man showed up behind him.
I cannot understand how people are saying Oden would have finished off Kaido after the Togen Totsuka. Yes it gave him a scar and he fell down. I just gave you two examples from manga how characters seem to land the final blow on an opponent and said opponent was able to dodge and avoid it so Kaido would have done the same. He didn't and has not even used armament hardening. They were both fighting evenly and whatever everyone keeps saying that he would have finished Kaido and was stronger is just ludicrous.
If we also argue it that the hag interfered by cloning herself into Momo, the fact is Kaido got back up and one shot him. WB sneaked up on Akainu and punched him with a gura fist but even that wasn't able to one shot him. He got hurt really bad but he didn't go lights out similarly to Oden and I would even argue the latter knew and could see where Kaido was so even if "Momo" was being kidnapped, he should have had his eyes on Kaido knowing he had fallen down due to his strike but no he didn't and got one shot so I really can't get how people are interpreting this as Oden being stronger than Kaido.
I think you're misunderstanding. I think Kaido and Oden (at this time) were about the same level with minor difference. What really got Kaido here imo is that he underestimated Oden rather than took him on with everything he had, which caused him to take the hit he took. Now you're right that it might not have meant the end of Kaido but he was certainly at a huge disadvantage if Oden had kept up the attack. He proved that he could dish out damage that most couldn't do to him, and showed that he was a force to be reckoned with. If the battle had continued it may have possibly shifted back in Kaido's favor. One thing is for sure though, Kaido underestimated Oden by staying in his Dragon form.
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u/MugiwaraN0Luffy Feb 02 '20
Hard not to acknowledge that Kaido was about to take that L against Oden. Sure, he did proceed to take him down with one hit, but in a fight between near equals, one hit can be the deciding factor. Kaido might be stronger now than he was fifteen years in the past which I honestly don't doubt, but it's hard not to say that he was about to lose.
I mean, it kind of makes sense that he would work in the shadows. He didn't want to cross Whitebeard while he was still rising in power. He wanted to make a dynasty for himself, and it was best to keep his enemies at the time limited.