Chapter 128: The New Onigashima Project
âThe Calm Belt, Impel Down.
One of the World Governmentâs three major institutions, the vast prison built to contain the world's criminals, had also fallen due to the great upheaval.
Guards and jailers had been defeated by a massive outbreak of prisoners, leaving the former hellhole in utter ruin.
Yet amidst the chaos, one man stood alone to stop it.
"Wa... Wait...!! Youâre not getting away...!!"
Countless staff lay collapsed across the floor. Standing in the center was the prison warden of Impel DownâMagellan.
Bloody, clutching one arm, and dragging his leg, he still pursued the fleeing inmate. A sense of duty, responsibility, and justice compelled himâthis man must not be allowed to escape.
Even if the World Government and Marine Headquarters had collapsed, even if countless inmates fled from this great prison... there was still meaning in continuing to defend this place.
To protect even one more civilian, Magellan did his duty as warden. He secreted poison from his body and prepared to fight.
Butâ
"...Not in that pathetic state... you're no match for me."
"!! Gah...!!?"
A towering, dark-skinned man. The prisoner Magellan desperately tried to stop ruthlessly drove his fist into Magellanâs gut and blasted him deep into hell.
Such a feat was unthinkable for a mere prisoner. No matter how wounded he was, Magellan was the strongest overseer of this hell. Even if several Warlord-class powerhouses attacked at once, he could subdue them. His actual strength was even rumored to rival that of an Admiral.
Howeverâthis man was on another level entirely.
"...That monster âWhitebeardâ is dead... the Marines who captured me are gone... but the outside worldâs gotten real interesting..."
That man had been locked away in LEVEL 6, the deepest pit of hell that confined criminals whose deeds were so great, the government had erased all record of them.
And he, too, carried a terrifying history.
"âA world of violence,â huh... Kahahahaha!!! I like the sound of that!!!"
The man behind the âGartzburg Massacre.â The Ninth Bullet.
A former member of the Roger Pirates, known as âThe Demonâs Heir.â His nameâ
Douglas Bullet.
The demon aiming for a true "strongest in the world," a title no one had ever claimed, had returned from hell and plunged himself into the tides of the world.
âA few days after the war. New World, Whole Cake Island.
The saying goes: "Even demons from hell attend Mamaâs tea parties"âa truth well-known in the New World. It referred to the tea parties hosted by one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom.
Held regularly to indulge in sweets collected from across the globe, the tea parties also served to commemorate special occasions.
Once Big Mom decided to hold one, guests would flood inâher children, subordinate pirates, and titans of the underworldâan impressive roster.
However, despite the victory in the recent war, no tea party was being held this time. That was because the celebration was meant to be shared.
They werenât the only victors. Their allies, the Beasts Pirates led by another Emperor, had also emerged triumphant and were equally responsible for dragging the world into hell.
Thus, the celebration would be jointâthis time to be hosted at the Beasts Piratesâ base: Onigashima in Wano Country, at Kaidoâs stronghold, where the grand feast known as the Golden Kagura was to be held.
"Wano Country, the closed-off nation... Iâve heard stories, but thisâll be my first time going."
"Is there gonna be a festival?"
"Yeah. Apparently, Wano holds a fire festival once a year, and the Beasts Pirates throw the Golden Kagura on that day."
"...I donât mind the party, but... having to go to their turf... and hear Nue sing again is just depressing. They even shoved TDs and merch at us... Can't we do something about it?"
"Better that than having her show up here and wreck things..."
"I actually like that song, though~"
"The song itself, yeah... You younger ones are lucky not knowing what Nueâs really like."
And so, Big Momâs childrenâher officersâwere preparing to depart for Wano as soon as they returned, casually talking about the Beasts Pirates and Wano while enjoying a light rooftop tea party among family.
Younger siblings like Raisin and Flampe were looking forward to the feast in Wano with pure excitement, while the older children wore bitter expressions. Oven and Daifuku grumbled about having to hear that song again so soon after hearing it in the Holy Land.
Especially the older brothers, who seemed more bothered than most, voicing their frustrations between sips of tea and bites of sweets.
"Still, I canât believe weâre actually continuing this alliance with the Beasts Pirates."
"Seriously!! Perorin⪠âHey Mama. Itâs not too late. What if we just pretend to celebrate and slip some poison into their drinks?"
"Mamamama... Donât be foolish. Iâm the one who decided this. Play nice. Weâre gonna be fighting side-by-side plenty from now on."
Laughing off their complaints was none other than Charlotte Linlinâthe family matriarch and captain of the Big Mom Pirates.
As always, she stuffed her mouth with sweets, brushing off her children's whining with a sinister grin.
"...! But Mama, knowing them, they might stab us in the back! Wouldnât it be smarter to hit firstâ"
"Shut up already... I know that!!!"
"!"
Still smiling, Linlin silenced them all with a single bark.
They were her childrenâbut because they were her children, they knew all too well the terror of Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors. When it came down to it, she showed no mercyâeven to her own offspring. She might care for her family, but at her core, Big Mom was a pirateâa monster born and bred. No normal person. Normal logic didnât apply.
But she wasnât the only monster with no regard for common sense...
The very idea of partnering with another monster is what unsettled her children.
"Donât tell me you brats donât trust your own mother!?"
"...!! Thatâs not it, but...!!"
"Hmph. Youâre all just scared Kaido and Nue are gonna pull something, arenât you?"
And Linlin saw right through them. Even among the elite officers of the Big Mom Pirates, Kaido and Nue had become more feared than ever since the war.
Even the Whitebeard Pirates and Marine HQ had been outmaneuvered. While they had played a part in the victory, the grand scheme had been drawn by the Beasts Pirates.
In recent years, the Beasts Pirates had repeatedly left the Big Mom Pirates frustrated, expanding their power rapidly. Her children had come to fairly assess their dangerâand to fear it.
But Linlin had accepted that, too. She understood their advantage.
"Sure, fighting Kaido and Nue at the same time would be a losing game. Even if I take down Kaido, you lot wouldnât be able to stop Nue, right?"
"! Thatâs...!!"
"âŚâŚâŚ"
Yesâthe Beasts Pirates were unlike any other Emperorâs crew. They had two monsters.
They had many other strengthsâtop-tier officers, weaponsâbut their true power lay in the raw strength of Kaido and Nue.
Thatâs what made an Emperor: not just an army, or wealth, or reputationâbut overwhelming individual might. Without it, the Marines wouldâve crushed them long ago.
A pirate crewâs flag earned respect through strength, daring feats, and infamyâwhich attracted followers. In the case of the Beasts Pirates, that foundation was âpower.â
âKaido of the Beastsâ and âNue the Beast Fiendââthese two monsters drew others in.
Pirates follow the strong. Itâs that simple.
And if you add it all up, even a fool can see it:
A crew with Kaido and Nue canât lose to anyone.
Kaido alone is called the strongest in one-on-one combatâand Nue is his equal.
Anyone who knows the Four Emperors' power understands: as long as both remain, theyâre unbeatable.
Even Katakuri, the No. 2 of the Big Mom Pirates, had to admit it bitterly. At best, he could handle a Lead Performer. He hadnât reached Nueâs level yet.
So thenâhow do they win?
"Ha~hahaha... But donât worry. In the end, weâre the ones whoâll come out on top!!!"
"!!"
âEven while fully aware of the situation, Big Mom wore a fearless grin, brimming with unshakable confidence.
Her children, while surprised and feeling reassured, couldnât help but harbor the slightest doubt in their heartsâIs this really okay?
Of course, Big Mom was far from weak. She wasnât like the aged and declining Whitebeard or Golden Lion. People often said Kaido was the strongest in a one-on-one fight, but that couldnât possibly be true. All her children firmly believed that, in a one-on-one fight, Mama was the strongest.
However, a two-on-one fight was a different story. No matter how monstrous Mama was, she couldnât take on two monsters of equal stature. It was a power gap that even a fool could understand. Two is stronger than one.
Yet despite all that, Big Mom never doubted her victory. Her belief in her own strength was a sign of the strength befitting a rulerâand even so, she boldly declared that she would be the last one standing, rallying her children with her words.
"You got that, all of you!? The alliance staysâfor now!! At least until we get our hands on the One Piece, the great treasure of the seas!!!"
"!!!"
With a monstrous expression, tongue enormous enough to match her massive body and mouth, Big Mom overwhelmed her children with sheer intensity.
The treasure left behind by the Pirate Kingâthe One Piece.
Whoever claimed that would become the Pirate King. All her children had long dreamed of the day their Mama would rise to that title, and had fought for decades across the seas to make it happen.
The seas had long been at a stalemate. For decades, the world had been locked in an unresolved struggle. But now, that long stagnation was ending.
"With Kaido on our side, weâre in the final countdown...! Brace yourselves, all of you... from now on itâll be us against the New Government, the Red-Haired and Buggyâs alliance, Blackbeard...!! Every last one of themâs a beast you canât turn your back on... and weâll be fighting them on a global stage of chaos and war!!!"
"...Yeah. We understand, Mama."
An alliance with the Beasts Pirates. A war against the entire world.
It was clear nowâthey had entered an age of terror. And they had to fight and win in that world.
The first to respond was Katakuri, the so-called masterpiece of the Charlotte family. He too thought of Blackbeard, who had abducted his sister, and realized the "world of violence" would grow even more frenzied. He prepared himself for that. Even without his ability to see the future, anyone could see where things were heading.
And before they knew it, the rest of the children had steeled themselves as well. There was no choice but to accept it. If they lost and died, nothing would remain. But with Mama and their siblings at their side, defeat wasnât an option.
With that resolve in their hearts, the childrenâs unity grew strongerâ
"âOh, and to that end, Iâve gone ahead and started marriage negotiations with Kaidoâs kid."
"...Huh?"
âOr so they had thought⌠But then came a casual remark from Big Mom that left the childrenâespecially the older brothersâcompletely speechless.
Marriage to Kaidoâs child. They immediately grasped the implications behind those words, and all of them began to sweat, their expressions falling apart. Perospero was the first to cry out, his voice trembling.
âW-We didnât hear anything about that, Mama!!! Marriage with Kaidoâs kid!?â
âHmm? Oh, thatâs right, I hadnât told you yet. âApparently both of Kaidoâs kids are daughters, so one of you will be marrying one of them.â
âDaughtersâŚ!!â
âThen that means... it has to be one of the sons on our side...!?â
And that additional information drove them further into despair.
If the other side had sons, then one of Big Momâs daughters would marry them. But if they were daughters, then one of Big Momâs sons would have to go. A simple, obvious truth. Same-sex marriages didnât produce children, and for the Big Mom Pirates, who had expanded their power through growing the family, it was a serious issue.
ââŚâŚâ
And so⌠one of them would be the sacrificial lamb. The brothers all fell silent at once. Those who were already married breathed quiet sighs of relief⌠but even then, the thought of being picked sent chills down their spines.
Many of the older siblings still harbored trauma over one of the family members from the other side. Even if it was a political marriage, Big Momâs policies always allowed some family timeâwhich meant the coming days would be a waking nightmare. Everyone desperately looked for a way out. Just as they were about to speak out in unison, one man raised his voice ahead of the rest.
ââI refuse!!!â
âOi, Katakuri... youâwait, hey!!!â
âHe saw the future and refused first!!!?â
âHow badly do you not want this, big bro Katakuri!?â
ââŚKatakuri. Maybe sheâs the daughter of your first love. That makes you perfect for thisâPerorinâŞâ
âShut it, all of youâand you especially, Peros-niiâŚ!! There are things you donât sayâŚ!!! Iâm not getting married. So⌠yeah, Cracker. Youâre not married either. You do it.â
âL-Like hell I will!! No matter what you say, even if itâs you, Katakuri-nii, there are things I wonât doâŚ!!! âŚWait, weâre both older now, right!? Wouldnât someone closer in age be better!? Mama!!!â
â! Brilliant idea, Cracker!!!â
Trying to pass the bride onto another brother, Cracker hurled a desperate suggestion straight at the one with the power to decideâMama. Cheers erupted from the brothers. Maybe now theyâd be spared.
âAh, I heard theyâre 26 and 24, but Nue said age doesnât really matter.â
âWHAT!!?â
âCracker, you bastard!! Come up with something better next time!!!â
But Big Mom replied casually, saying age didnât matter. And when they learned that it was Nue who had said so, the shock doubled. Cracker was cursed out. A total backfire.
ââŚOven-nii. You go.â
âHey!!! Why me!? This is revenge for complaining, isnât it!?â
âShut up!! If someoneâs gotta get married, itâs supposed to be the older brothers first!! Donât push this on the younger ones!!!â
ââŚHeâs got a point. Alright, Katakuri, itâs back to you.â
âThat should be Peros-niiâs job!!â
âEldest brother says so!! Anyone but me!!â
ââBy the way, they specifically asked for either Katakuri or Cracker.â
âSee!? Turning down the other partyâs request is just plain rude!! PerorinâŞâ
âTch⌠This is Nueâs doing, isnât itâŚ!? Either way, Iâm out!!!â
âI donât want it either!!! Doesnât have to be one of the preferred choices, right!!!?â
âGYAAAH!! Hey, stop wrecking the place!!!â
(...Theyâre all this against Mamaâs arranged marriage? Just how ugly is the bride? Or is there some other reasonâŚ?)
As the brawl escalated on the roof of Whole Cake Chateau, the brothers grew rowdier and rowdier. Several siblings jumped in to stop them before things turned into a full-on fistfight. Watching her older brothers squirm and panic, Charlotte Pudding, the 35th daughter, tilted her head in confusion.
âAnd in the end, no marriage partner was decided that day.
âWano Country, âOnigashima.â
In Wano Country, there is a festival held once a year. It takes place on âOnigashima,â the main base of the Beasts Pirates located south of Udon.
The Shogun procession of Kurozumi Orochi travels to Onigashima, where they hold a massive banquet with the Beasts Pirates. With the two heads that rule Wano gathered together in celebration, the grand feast is known as the âGolden Kagura.â
And within a room of the castle where the Golden Kagura is held, two sisters sat side by side.
ââŚThe loud nonsense has started againâŚâ
âYeah⌠more importantly, Musashi⌠are you really alright⌠physically?â
âNo need to worry, Sister Yamato. My stamina is limitless.â
âWell, maybe thatâs true for you, but stillâŚâ
ââŚHm? Ah, you meant this.â
The two sistersâYamato, said to be Kaidoâs son, and Musashi, his daughterâspoke with an awkward air between them.
It was the first time theyâd seen each other in years. Despite being sisters, some stiffness was inevitable.
Especially from Yamatoâs perspective⌠her younger sister had come back pregnant. It had been a week since that shocking revelation, but when Musashi absentmindedly rubbed her belly, Yamatoâs expression once again grew strained and conflicted.
âWell⌠I donât think thereâs much to worry about. Iâm keeping a close eye on things with Observation Haki⌠and sheâs full of energy. Haha, seems sheâs a strong oneâjust like me and him.â
âYou can sense that with Observation HakiâŚ? No, more importantlyâis the father really that guyâŚ?â
âYeah. Though I doubt he even knows. âIt was when he passed out drunk, and I just kind ofâŚâ
ââYouâre the worst!!!â
âWell, looking back on it, maybe I was a bit forceful⌠but I think he woke up midway through, so itâs probably fine. Yeah.â
âHe probably thinks it was a dream or something⌠Anyway, Father and the others are seriously pissed. Even though today is the once-a-year Golden Kagura⌠they havenât been in a good mood up till now.â
âWell, itâs not unusual for him to get unstable after drinking⌠or so Iâd like to say, but I suppose this time itâs my fault. Still, that wonât change the plan. Weâll just have to quietly observe this timeâŚâ
âPlan?â
As Yamato and Musashi gradually dropped their guard and conversed more openly, one word from Musashi made Yamato frown. Seeing that reaction, Musashi remembered and spoke with a solemn expression.
âYou heard it at the last meeting, didnât you⌠Sister Yamato. I doubt you know anyone there, but⌠if you do, youâd best be prepared. Whatâs going to happen after this⌠is worse than that day eighteen years agoâH-E-L-L.â
â!!?â
Eighteen years agoâthat was when Kozuki Oden was executed, and Wano fell under the rule of Orochi and Kaido.
To hear that something even worse was comingâYamatoâs gut twisted with dread. Her Observation Haki wasnât on the same level as Musashiâs, but an unshakable premonition gnawed at her.
But the two of them couldnât act. They were under house arrest in that room⌠and once again, all they could do was bear witness to the massive incident their own family was about to cause.
âOnigashima Castle, 5th Floor.
The symbol of Onigashimaâthe Skull Dome.
Inside was the Live Floor, used primarily for concerts and banquets. At its center stood Kaidoâs main fortress, a massive structure built into and around the cave. It was flanked by the âRight Brain Towerâ and âLeft Brain Tower,â and divided into multiple floors.
The fifth floor, where Kaidoâs and Nueâs rooms were located, was the castleâs top level. It also housed the worship hall and the executive rooms used for meetings with the All-Stars.
And within one of those roomsâspecifically, the control room managing the surveillance network spread throughout all of Wanoâit was known as the âCrimson Chamber,â and overseen by one of the All-Stars.
Unlike the rest of the Wano-style decor, this room had a distinct Western influence. Red furniture adorned the space, along with a canopy bed and a wine cellar.
In that room, which couldâve been mistaken for an entire estate on its own, a figure sat on a reception sofa, facing their guest. That person was one of the Beasts Piratesâ All-Stars and the master of this room.
ââWine, darling? Weâve got only the finest vintagesâĄâ
ââŚIâll pass.â
âOh, how cold of you. Even though todayâs our once-a-year, glorious festival⌠how lonely.â
âWell, Iâll help myself then,â the woman said, having her subordinatesâseated on either sideâpour her a glass from the wine bottle on the table. They were her subordinates, pirates as well⌠but what caught the eye most was the paper they woreâeach with an eye symbol printed on it, stuck to their faces.
The man sitting across from her didnât yet know, but they were part of the Beasts Piratesâ intelligence and reconnaissance divisionâthe âMarys.â
They shared visual and auditory perception, collected intel, and served as messengersâan essential support division of the Beasts Pirates. Each unit had its own Marys embedded within to share what they saw and heard.
And the woman in the crimson dress, veiled in a thin cloth with the same eye symbol over her face, led them. Though her facial features were largely hidden, her glossy lips and outlined features made her beauty and figure undeniable.
She was the leader of the Marys. Among the All-Stars, she was particularly skilled in intelligence and negotiation, a crucial figure operating from the shadows to support the Beasts Pirates.
And she wasnât weak eitherâthatâs why the man across from her didnât lower his guard for even a second. Though a defenseless beauty sat before him, sipping red wine⌠he couldnât see a single opening.
âStill⌠fufufu⥠Who wouldâve thought youâd join usâŚâ
ââŚI just judged that the next âJusticeâ lies on this side.â
âA wise choice⌠or so Iâd like to say, but in your case, isnât it just that the âNew Governmentâ couldnât satisfy you, so you came to us?â
ââŚThink what you want.â
âOh, still so cold⌠You could be a little more pleasant now that youâre our ally. Didnât you smile even once while undercover?â
ââŚâŚâŚâŚâ
Knowing his previous affiliations, the woman teased him with pointed wordsâbut he didnât flinch. He remained silent, waiting for the main order.
She seemed slightly disappointed by that response, but smiled thinly and drained her wine. No matter his demeanor, if he truly joined them, it was a welcome asset. She formed her words accordingly.
ââŚWell, fine. Then letâs get along from now onâMr. Ruthless Killing MachineâĄâ
ââOf course. If you give the order⌠Iâll kill anyone.â
With that, the Beasts Piratesâ All-Star âJokerâ smiled softly at the expressionless man across from her and the animal perched on his shoulder. If he truly joined them and proved useful, that was good. And if he betrayed themâsheâd know immediately. There was no fooling her. In that case, sheâd simply eliminate him.
ââInside âOnigashima,â 3rd floor of the castle.
This area was an expansive banquet floor, containing several massive party halls, each the size of dozens of tatami mats. Outside of the Live Floor, this was another space where the more prominent figures often came to drinkâpeople like Orochi and his retainers, and occasionally even Kaido or Nue would be found drinking in one of these rooms.
And the ones serving drinks, entertaining guests and higher-ups, were courtesans and hostesses affiliated with the Beasts Pirates. Most of them belonged to Black Maria, one of the Tobiroppo, and half her subordinates were women. During banquets, they served drinks, played the shamisen, and entertained the men.
The entire concept of this grand banquet was built around that. New recruits would often be overwhelmed and delighted by the extravagant scale and luxurious service, reveling in it wholeheartedly.
âBwahaha!! Appappappappa~!! This partyâs the best!!â
âKyaa~âĄâ
âYou drink so well~âĄâ
And here, too, was one such new recruit, fully immersed in enjoying his first âGolden Kagura.â Sitting cross-legged on the tatami mats with his long arms spread wide in typical Longarm Tribe fashion, surrounded by four courtesans while drinking, was one of the Beasts Piratesâ new subordinatesâa âSupernovaâ who had taken the role of information broker.
[Beasts Pirates Informant / On Air Pirates Captain âRoar of the Seaâ Scratchmen Apoo]
âFree booze, free food!! Cheery music and even girls hanging off me⌠Never seen a festival this wild before!!â
ââŚYeah.â
Apoo was thoroughly enjoying his first Golden Kaguraâbut the guy he had tried to call out to wasnât joining in. A fellow of his generation was nursing his drink with a sour look on his face. Seeing that, Apoo went over and exaggeratedly tried to rope him in.
âYOYO Drake!! Youâre no fun at all, man!! This is a festival, come on!! If you donât enjoy it, youâre wasting your life~~~!!â
âHmph⌠Sorry, but unlike you, Iâm not the kind to raise hell over a party.â
âAhhh~? What a boring guy you are!! You really think youâll last out here like that!? Hey!!â
âThatâs none of your concernâŚâ
[Beasts Pirates Headliner âRed Flagâ X Drake]
Drake, an ex-Navy officer with an unusual background, was also one of the Supernova. Despite Apooâs attempts to get him involved, his expression remained stern, and he didnât even glance at the courtesans. After the war, he officially joined the Beasts Pirates and was immediately promoted to Headliner for his strength. Though his role differed from Apooâs, they had joined at roughly the same time, which is why they were brought in togetherâand why Apoo tried to connect with him. But their personalities were just too different, and they simply didnât mesh.
Still, they were comrades for now. And Apoo found it amusing to be brushed off, so he clicked his tongue and kept poking at Drake.
âTch⌠Youâre seriously no fun at all⌠I was hoping us guys from the same generation could bond a little, but maybe I should just pin my hopes on the third guy!!â
â? A third guyâŚ? Someone else is coming?â
âAppappa~!! You donât know, Drake!! Itâs not certain if theyâll make it in time, but rumor has it one or two more people from our generation are joining the pirate alliance side~~~⍠I dunno if theyâll get here for the banquet, or whether theyâll side with the Beasts or Big Mom!!â
(âŚOne or two more? Who could that be?)
Drake narrowed his eyes at the new info. He hadnât heard any of this. In fact, he hadnât even known Apoo was here until he arrived. If more were coming⌠who could they be? He mentally listed a few names. And thenâ
âââThis is the placeâŚâ
âOh? Speak of the devilâŚâ
â!! YouâreâŚ!!â
The last Supernova to side with the Beasts Pirates stepped into the room, and both Apoo and Drake reacted with surprise. âIt was someone unexpected.
âââGrand Line,â at sea.
On a stretch of calm ocean, rare amidst todayâs turbulent world, floated a ship led by the globally renowned âPirate Empressââthe Kuja Piratesâ vessel.
âLuffy!! Youâre marrying the Snake Princess!?â
âCongratulations!!â
âThat was a lie. I owe you guys an apology. Sorry.â
âWhenâs the wedding!?â
âThe Snake Princess as a brideâŚâĄ She must be unimaginably beautifulâŚâĄâ
âHey, are you even listening!? I told you, Iâm not marrying her!!â
Despite the chaotic world, things aboard this ship were unusually lively. The Kuja Pirates remained easygoing as ever, crowding around and fussing over the man who had made headlines for supposedly marrying their empress.
It was a brief moment of peaceâthough everyone knew even that wouldnât last long. Soon, the Kujas too would be swept into the tides of war and return to a life of battle greater than ever before. But as a tribe of warriors, they were strong. They didnât flinch the way ordinary people might.
âI wonder if thisâll reach them⌠those guys.â
âMm⌠If they read the article, theyâll know. The very fact itâs so unlike youâthatâs the giveaway. There was one guy⌠no, maybe two, who might worry, but⌠I think itâll be fine. I have that feelingâŚâ
Thatâs why the people on board werenât especially anxious. Worried, yes, but they trusted their comrades. The old veteran shared the same faith in his captain and those who followed him.
Their ship was a concern too, of courseâbut the old soldier had promised to look after it personally. He helped transport it to the uninhabited island where the upcoming training would take place.
For now, everything was going smoothly. Their preparations to grow stronger were proceeding without issue.
[ââSo then⌠what was the meaning of that article, Hancock-chaaaan?]
ââŚ! That wasâŚâ
ââAt least, on the surface.
In a room aboard the shipâboth the captainâs cabin and the personal chamber of the empressâonly Boa Hancock and her sisters were permitted to enter. But now, the âPirate Empressâ herself, Boa Hancock, whose name was making headlines, sat alone in the dim room.
Her sisters werenât present, and no one else was allowed entry either. For one reason only: she didnât want them to worry during her communication.
[What was that, huh? Come on, tell me the truth. I mean, sure, who Hancock-chan marries is totally her business. But you know, as one of our subordinates, thereâs this little thing called a duty to report, right? Iâm not Linlin, but if the marriage is real, then as far as pirates go, that makes them part of our alliance. And the groom⌠well, heâs the reason you betrayed us last timeâStraw Hat Luffy.]
What she said made sense. It was pirate logicâhonor among pirates.
Romantic relationships between pirates werenât rare. But if two captains from different crews got involved, then their respective crews would be seen as kinâor even allies.
In this case, the captain of the Kuja Pirates, who were under the Beasts Pirates, might be marrying the captain of another crew. That meant the Straw Hat Pirates could be considered subordinates too. Depending on how the two parties handled it, anyway. But either way, a heads-up to their âparentâ crew, the Beasts Pirates, was customary.
On top of that, the groom in question was the one who caused her to betray them. Sheâd only just made amends and closed the book on that incident. To now be involved with him again⌠it was a gray area. It could go either way, depending on interpretation. Emotionally, it didnât sit well.
Thatâs why the other party didnât let up, her voice carrying a distinct air of pressure.
[It made all the news, you know? I just want to hear a satisfying reason from you, Hancock-chan. So come on⌠hurry up and spill it.]
ââŚ!â
And in front of the voice coming from the Den-Den Mushi, Hancock could do nothing but cower like a solitary girl.
To an objective ear, it might sound like a simply cute young girlâs voiceâbut to those who knew better, it could only be that of a demon.
One misstep in responding meant facing hellâshe was prepared for that. Even so, betraying this person, someone Hancock could never lift her head to, someone who was likely the most powerful girl in the world right nowâthe Beasts Piratesâ Deputy Governor, "Demon Beast Nue"âwas absolutely terrifying.
ăHey, are you done yet? I donât exactly have a lot of free time, yâknow. Iâve got a huge event coming up, so Iâd really like to get going⌠is it going to take much longer?ă
â...! I understand⌠that article, wellâŚâ
ăThat article, huh? âŚDonât tell me, after all the trouble I went through to settle things⌠youâre not helping Straw Hat Luffy again or anything⌠are you?ă
âTh-Thatâs notâŚ!!â
Each time Nue spoke, Hancockâs body jolted. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her stammering, flustered state bore none of the dignity of a former Warlord, nor the authority of the Kujaâs warrior empress.
But it couldnât be helped. Nue was simply too large a presence in Hancockâs lifeâfor better or worse.
She had saved her from hell. Taught her how to fight. Was her superior as a pirate. Sometimes like an older sister⌠sometimes even like a mother, caring for her in many ways.
Thatâs why Hancock knewâknew Nueâs strength, and her terror. Knew exactly what happened to those who defied her or upset her.
The same Beasts Piratesâ purges Hancock had just warned Luffy about⌠no one feared them more than Hancock herself. And worse still, this didnât just involve her anymore. If it put her sistersâor Luffyâat risk, then Hancock found herself unable to speak.
But if she didnât say something, punishment was certain. Steeling herself, she forced her trembling voice through the receiver.
âThat is⌠partly true. I proposed to Straw Hat Luffy⌠but⌠he rejected me. Thatâs all.â
ăâŚHmmmmm. Thatâs all, huh⌠I seeâŚă
Nueâs reply was ambiguous, thoughtful, and gave off the air of someone contemplating something.
On the other end of the Den-Den Mushi was, of course, the Beasts Piratesâ stronghold in the New WorldâOnigashima.
Inside the islandâs castle, in a quiet room set apart from the noisy surroundings, Nue was listening to Hancockâs report while looking at the photo from that article. The smile that had been on her face just moments ago had vanished.
And even across the line, Hancock could sense that change. Eyes narrowed, as if suspecting somethingâthat shift alone was terrifying.
There was no way she could have found anything out, but⌠Nue was unfathomable. Rumors claimed she somehow obtained information no one should know, or accurately guessed the impossibleâŚ
Some of that was trueâattributed to Nueâs masterful Observation Hakiâbut the reality was unclear. Unknown. Unknowable. And thatâs what made her so frightening.
What would she say next? With Nue, it was entirely plausible that sheâd decide to kill you with a smile the very next second. In fact, when she did decide to kill, she often smiled more sweetly than ever. Hancock knew that, too. That innocent, girlish smile contrasted so sharply with the murderous intent behind it, it left people paralyzed with confusion and fear. It was the smile of a monster. A youkai.
Nueâs silence stretched long. It was just the tension making it feel soâtime had barely passed.
What was she thinking? One second⌠two⌠three⌠and then, finally, Nue spoke again with a smile.
ăâAwwww, thatâs too bad!! Oh well, themâs the breaks!!ă
â!!â
An unexpectedly light-hearted responseâher usual cheerful voice, full of casual encouragement.
ăWow, what a shame! Hancock-chan finally found someone she liked enough to propose to, and he turned her down? Seriously? That Straw Hat Luffy guy must be out of his mind. Maybe heâs not even into girls, huh?ă
âT-That⌠may very well be the caseâŚâ
ăRight!? And hey, Hancock-chan, you should be careful, okay? That articleâs got a bunch of guys over here all heartbrokenâsomeone might try to stab you or Luffy out of jealousy. Itâs dangerous, Iâm telling you! Gossip scandals are scary stuff!!ă
ââŚYesâŚâ
Nue rambled on, and Hancock couldnât offer any witty replies. She didnât even have the mental space to feel relief. Something about how easily Nue accepted her explanation made her suspicious.
ăBut still, Iâm happy for you, Hancock-chan! Even if he turned you down⌠oh, I know. In that caseâă
She couldnât even find words to cut in. Nue kept talking, and Hancock could only stare, turning pale at the next terrifying suggestion.
ăâWanna just⌠kidnap him and torture him until he says he loves you and agrees to marry you? I could mess him up real good with my own two handsâă
ââŚ!!â
Speechless, Hancockâs eyes filled with horror. She knew what that meant.
Nueâs torture was terrifying. The Beasts Pirates had many skilled torturers. The lead performersâKing, Queen, Jack, Jokerâwere all proficient in it. The Flying Six were, too. Black Maria in particular was known for forcing confessions of love from men through torture.
But Nue⌠Nue knew exactly how to cause the most pain and fear. Her methods were brutal, disturbing, unwatchable. Just imagining someone she cared about enduring that made Hancockâs blood run cold.
She wanted to beg her to stopâfor the sake of the one who had given her hope.
But at the last moment, she couldnât do it. She couldnât muster the courage to defy her. So she waited for Nueâs next words.
ăâKidding! Just kidding. Ahaha, you didnât take that seriously, did you?ă
â...A⌠jokeâŚâ
ăOf course! I care about my crew, you know? I wouldnât hurt Hancock-chanâs crush without a good reason. I wouldnât want to make you sad, after all~ă
âAnd the next thing she said was that it had been a joke.
A joke that wasnât funny. A joke that didnât feel like a joke, coming from Nue. Because if she wanted to, sheâd really do it.
And yet Hancock⌠felt relief at hearing it.
That fact alone stabbed deep into her heart. And whether Nue knew that or not, she smiled slyly and continued.
ăBesides⌠someone like Straw Hat Luffy isnât even worth the trouble~ă
â! âŚYes⌠thatâs trueâŚâ
At last, Hancock voiced agreement. It was a convenient conclusion for her, and an objectively reasonable judgment.
The âFour Emperorsââthe Beasts Pirates. The worldâs most powerful force. There was no reason theyâd target a tiny pirate crew like Luffyâs. And if they did, it would be just like any other crew: an invitation to surrender and join.
And above allâthey had far more important things to do.
ăWell, if he enters our territory in the New World or messes with our operations, then maybe weâll deal with him. But until then, who cares? I mean, if you really want, Hancock-chan, I could capture him and convince him to join us. I bet heâd be useful. Weâd even give him Shinuchi status~ă
ââŚIâll consider itâŚâ
ăCool. Well, Iâm busy, so Iâm hanging up. Weâre moving next week, so start packing, okay? Not that it mattersâweâre abducting the whole island anyway⥠See ya~!!ă
âYes, until thenâŚâ
And with that final, emotionless notification of their relocation, the Den-Den Mushi went silent.
Only then did Hancock finally relax the slightest bit, the mental exhaustion making her collapse onto her bedding.
ââŚIf that hadnât been a joke⌠would I have been able to defy herâŚ?â
Lying back, completely limp, she whispered to herself.
It was a question to herself, a rebuke for letting herself feel relief at the word âjoke.â
The one she lovedâhad said heâd beat even Kaido and Nue for her.
And what had she done in return?
What could she do?
What did she need, to be able to do something?
ââŚFufufu⌠that much is obvious, isnât itâŚ!!â
As she asked herself these things, Hancock smiledâand found her answer. One thing came to her heart: resolve. She sat up from the bedding.
She peeked through a gap in the curtainsâand saw Luffy playing with the crew. The look of a determined man who still believed in his future. Seeing that, Hancock made her decision.
âLuffy⌠until you and your crew are strong enough⌠I will buy you that time, no matter whatâŚâ
She would not darken that face.
She would not let anyone steal the crown from the man chasing his dream.
So for now⌠it was goodbye.
ââŚSeems I wonât be feeding you any of my cooking for a whileâŚâ
And so, at last, Hancock stood. To save the one she lovedâand free herself from that controlâshe stepped into the world on her own two feet.
ââInside the fortress on Onigashima. I let out a sigh as I placed the Den Den Mushi down in the room.
Today comes only once a year. At the âGolden Kaguraâ festival, my live performance is always the main attraction and the biggest highlight.
Normally, I would have already changed and finished prepping for the live show, already out on stage by now... but instead, I put it off and lay sprawled out on the tatami.
Thatâs when someone tries to speak to me. My secretary, Sono, is already in the roomâbut itâs not her. A giant enters the room. One of Kaidoâs and my trusted âAll-Stars,â Jack. Heâs probably here to fetch me. What a thoughtful boy.
But ignoring all that and following my impulsesâI let out a scream.
âNue-san. The elder brothers, the Tobi Roppo, Big Mom, and even Orochi are all gathered alreadyââ
âAaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!! Enough already!!! Hancock-chan lied to me again~~~~!!! She betrayed me~~~~~~~~~~~!!!â
ââŚâŚIf you want her eliminated, Iâll do it nowââ
âI raised her with so much love since she was little~~~~!!! That ungrateful wretch~~~~~~~~~~~!!!â
ââŚâŚNue-san. Everyone can hear you, you knowâŚâŚâ
I flailed on the tatami as I screamed at the top of my lungs. It helped let out the frustration and restlessness that had been smoldering inside me.
ââŚâŚIf youâre going to take her out, leave it to me.â
âOooh Jack~~... Youâre such a thoughtful good boy~~ Compared to you, that girl... haah, even after I went out of my way to care about her, just a tiny bit of love and she betrays me. So heartless, right!!?â
âââMaybe itâs because Nue-sama kept getting annoyingly clingy?â
âShut up, Sono!! Iâm not annoying!! Anyone would be blessed to have such a cute girl dote on them!! From me!!â
âThatâs not blessing, thatâs just personal punishmentâŚâ
Shut up!! I silenced Sonoâs snarky remark. Honestly, what a rude subordinate. Jack, on the other hand, is such a good kid. I could tell even in silence that he didnât disagree with me. Yes, yes. Thatâs Jack for you. He even offered to take care of the problem for me, such a considerate boy. Thanks to that, I was starting to feel a little better.
ââŚâŚWell, whatever. Letâs just leave Hancock-chan alone for now.â
ââŚâŚAre you sure about that?â
âItâs fine. She seems to be planning to obey us for the time being anyway. If thatâs the case, Iâll make full use of her as a fighting force and work her to the bone. I already told her weâd let her betrayal slide because weâre moving bases, after all.â
Yes. Technically, we let it slide when she helped Straw Hat Luffy during the war... and besides. Even if it was betrayalâ
âLying and cozying up to other pirates is obviously a problem... but helping someone like Straw Hat Luffy, a rookie, doesnât really harm us at all, right? Itâs not like she got in our way. Itâs just... after we just settled things, she goes and does the same thing again, and thatâs a question of pirate honor. So this timeâno purge!!â
ââŚâŚUnderstood.â
When I closed my eyes and made an X-sign with my arms to declare my decision on Hancock, Jack accepted it with a nod. I mean, if sheâs going to betray us, fine. Just use her as long as sheâs still useful. She wonât act alone while isolated. And if she pulls something again, Iâll just kill her. No next chances. Clear and simple rules.
And like I said, even if she helped Luffy, the Beasts Pirates arenât harmed in the slightest. They donât even make us flinch. At least, for now.
If weâre thinking long-term, crushing them early would be the smarter play. And we can do it. But then again... Kaido and I both agree, this way adds another layer of fun. Itâll be more satisfying to crush them once they actually become a threat.
âŚâŚStill, maybe just a little bit... it might be fun to take something away from them ahead of time. Iâll talk to Kaido about it again later, and if we feel like it, maybe weâll go through with it.
âStill, to choose betrayal in times like these... even for love... What do you think, Jack-sama?â
âFeh... I didnât think Hancock was that dumb of a woman... but either way, I never trusted her. Sheâs got a record, remember...!! And to betray us for some brat like thatâŚâ
âââSeriously!! Why wonât Hancock-chan or Musashi listen to what I say!? Iâm being nice to them and they get all cockyâŚ!! Ugh, now I really wanna go on a rampage...â
I responded loudly again to Sono and Jackâs exchange. Being betrayed by people you raised is so frustrating and miserable. In Musashiâs case, it helped her grow, so itâs complicatedâbut still, thinking about what they did just irritates me. Even though the event is coming up, Iâm starting to want to go on another rampage somewhere.
âYouâve already destroyed two islands outside our territory⌠isnât that enough?â
âNue-san, if you keep destroying islands, the labor force we were supposed to gain willââ
âNo!! Itâs not enough, itâs never enough!! We can gather more slaves anytime!! Whether itâs two or three islands, whatâs the difference!!!â
âWell, thatâs not wrong butâŚâ
âWait, are you drunk already?â
âIâm not drunk!!! What part of me looks drunk, you idiot!! Haa... mmm... puhah... ugh, not enough fear. I wanna go wild... hicâ
((Sheâs totally drunk!!))
âŚâŚHmm? Jack and Sono look like theyâre sweating... Is it hot today? Or did the sake just heat me up? Doesnât matter. The booze tastes great.
Still, no matter how much I drink, I canât get my thoughts straight. Maybe thereâs no choice but that after all, I think as I stew in my irritation... but then suddenly I chuckle.
âHehe, hehehe... ahahahaha⌠But really, isnât not knowing just the most fun thing of allâĄâ
ââŚâŚNue-san. Itâs about timeâŚâ
âArenât you going to go on stage today? The schedule says youâre supposed to make a big announcement next, so you should really get moving⌠Well, not that I mind slacking offâŚâ
As I muttered to myself, Jack and Sono started urging me along.
True, today is packed. Fun things, surprisesâunlike the war, where most of the fighting was scripted and expected to be won, today and what comes after are unpredictable. The state of the world, Straw Hat Luffy, even my career as an idolâ
ââŚâŚYeah, Iâve got to try harder as an idol too... And I need to become even more mysterious.â
ââŚâŚNue-sama, youâre already more than mysterious enough. Honestly, your connection to the idol business is already complete nonsenseâŚâ
âHeyâŚ!!â
âMmmmm?â
When I muttered that to myself, Sono snapped at me, and Jack scolded herâbut I just laughed it off. Come to think of it, maybe Iâve never told Sono or the younger ones about my deeper will. In that case, this might be a good opportunity.
ââŚâŚHey, Sono. What do you think is the most mysterious thing in the world?â
ââŚ? Huh⌠Nue-sama, isnât it you? No, seriously. Iâve worked under you for a long time now, but Iâve never had a boss this frustratingâuh, I mean, elusive.â
âYou were about to say frustrating!!â
âJust kidding. Really. ââSo whatâs the answer?â
Sono said something rude again⌠but Iâll let it slide. Itâs fun, after all. A little banter isnât rebellion. Especially from a cute and strong subordinate. So I shrugged it off and gave her the answer.
âToo bad. Itâs not meâŚâ
â! Thereâs something more mysterious than you, Nue-sama!?â
âYeah, there is. Want me to tell you?â
She was clearly surprised I admitted it. She frowned and asked back, and I nodded and continued.
Something more mysterious than me. Something unknowable. A secret. The ultimate mystery, and my rival at the top.
It isââ
âMore mysterious than me... itâs the One Piece, the legendary treasure of the Grand Line.â
"!!"
She speaks. Yesâmore enigmatic than even myself is the legendary treasure left behind by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger⌠the "One Piece."
And precisely because of that, I must keep moving forward. I must act.
"The âOne Pieceâ is the most mysterious thing in the world. Overwhelmingly so."
"But⌠wait⌠wouldnât the Roger Pirates know what the One Piece really is?"
"If it were back when the Roger Pirates and those close to them were still alive, sure. But now, the only ones who might know are people like Rayleighâjust a handful left. Even Whitebeard's gone. âŚBesides, that doesnât even matter. The âOne Pieceâ is, regardless, the most mysterious thing in the world."
"? What do you mean�"
She answers Sono's question. Indeed, even if someone like Rayleigh, one of the rare survivors of the Roger Pirates, or the leaders of the vanished World Government knew the truthâit doesnât really matter. Well, it does, but only in the sense that very few know. In that sense, thereâs not much difference between myself and the One Piece. But thatâs not whatâs important. Let me tell you what is.
"To be mysterious⌠something must first be recognized by the people."
"Recognized�"
"Yes, exactly. Let me ask you something⌠between me and the One Pieceâwhich one do you think is more famous?"
"!! ThatâsâŚ"
Sono hesitates. She doesnât answer right away. And that hesitation says it all. Despite her usual flippant nature, Sonoâs lack of immediate response in this situation is the clearest answer. I smile, just a little self-mockingly, and explain.
"Exactly⌠No matter how notorious I am for what Iâve done, how cute I am, how strong I am⌠I still canât compare to the One Piece. Even in the most remote, backwater village on the most forgotten island, everyone knows about the One Piece. Everyone recognizes it. Pirate King Gol D. Roger made sure of that. This entire world revolves around the One Piece!!"
The treasureâs legend. Its recognition among people is absolute. For twenty-two years, itâs been unmatched at the top. It is the most well-known thing that no one actually understands. That is the One Piece. And so, I declare:
"My greatest rival⌠is the One Pieceâspread throughout the world by Roger himself. And unless I surpass it⌠I will never be the worldâs most mysterious being!!!"
"!!"
Thatâs why I say it. I rise to my feet, and make a declarationânot just of resolve, but of war.
As I stride quickly toward the roomâs exit,
"Thatâs why Iâve decided!! Iâm going to become the most famous person in the world⌠and then become the true embodiment of mystery!!!"
And what I have to do to achieve that is simple. I declare it. My ambitionâand one goal that comes even before that.
"First, Iâll make Kaido the Pirate King⌠and then!! Iâll reveal the true identity of the One Piece to the entire world!!!"
"!!?"
And if I do that⌠well, the outcome is obvious.
"If the worldâs most famous idolâmeâwho stands equal to Kaido, the Pirate King⌠openly announces what the One Piece really is, then!!! The worldâs perception will flip upside down!!! And the greatest mystery will no longer be the One Pieceâitâll be me!!!"
Yes, itâs all about ratios.
Iâll gain global recognition, and on top of that, make sure that no one knows who I really am. Thatâs what true mystery is. Thatâs me.
"When that happens, the entire world will be consumed in mystery!! The world itself will be shrouded in the unknown that is me!! The fear beyond that!! The people of the world wonât understand who I amâand theyâll all be dyed in my color!!!"
My eyes shine as I sing that dream aloud. That future is my ideal.
"Oh, what a glorious world that would be!! Iâll replace the One Piece as the face of this world!! The new center of this world will be me, Nue the Sealed Beast!! The mysterious monster Nue!! I alone will be the pure embodiment of fear and romance!! In a world full of blood and violence, I will be the most feared of all!!!"
A pirate, an idol, and a yokaiâthatâs me.
To create a world full of violence, cuteness, and fear. Thatâs whyâI speak as I pass through the exit.
"âAnd to do that⌠Iâll take the world!!! Iâll do anything to make it mine!!! You know that, donât you!? Kaido!!!"
"Aaah!! Youâre the only one crazy enough to say stuff like that, Nue!! Just like I heard back in the day⌠Iâll be the strongest, and youâll be the most terrifying!!!"
"Ha~hahaha mamamamama!!! So thatâs what youâve been plotting, huh Nue!! Sounds fun⥠But Iâm the one whoâll become Pirate King!!! So be ready for that day!!!"
"Of course, Linlin!! When that day comes, Iâll kill you⥠But thatâs a story for after we get it."
"The One Piece, that is!!!"
"UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
In that instantâthe floor erupts in frenzy.
Everything until now has been broadcast across all of Onigashima, and this very place is the stage of the Live Floor.
At its center stand me, Kaido, and Linlin. Alongside us, the Lead Performers and Sweet Commanders. The Flying Six and the key ministers line up to make the declaration.
And of course, among them stands our other ally in the Beasts Pirates.
"Gyufufufufu!! Incredible!! Kaido!! Nue!! Weâre already on the brink of ruling the worldâŚ!!!"
"Ahahaha!!! Isnât it wonderful, Orochi!!! Today is the best day ever!!!"
The Shogun of WanoâKurozumi Orochi.
Eighteen years ago. Teaming up with him to defeat Kozuki Oden and the Red Scabbards, seizing control of Wanoâthereâs no denying that was a turning point.
Thanks to all his support, weâve come this far.
Which is why I offer my thanks now. Beside Kaido as he delivers his speech.
"And now, right hereâwe shall begin the âNew Onigashima Planâ!!!"
"âŚThanks for everything till now, OrochiâĄ"
"Huh!? Whatâs this all of a suddenâŚ? And whatâs this âNew Onigashima PlanââŚ?"
Kaido declares the launch of the âNew Onigashima Plan.â Orochi looks confused, puzzled by both my gratitude and Kaidoâs announcement.
At that moment, I give the signal. To the member of the Flying Six behind Orochiâthe one who holds a grudge against him.
"âYou can do it now⌠Kozuki⌠Hiyori-chanâĄ"
"!!? KozukiââŚ!!!"
In an instantâwhat happens shocks even the lowliest of the floorâs underlings.
One of the Flying Six, "Komurasaki," draws the sword âEnmaâ from her waist and, from behind, drives it into Orochiâs heartâ
"Iâve waited⌠so long for this moment⌠Lord OrochiâŚ!!!"
"Y-youâŚ!!! Guhâ!!!"
"âLord Orochi!!!"
Orochiâs face contorts in terror and disbelief, as he collapses from the pain of being stabbed in the heart.
But it doesnât end there. Hiyori-chan, who had everything taken from her by Orochi, drives the blade into him again and again.
"I lived on⌠only for this momentâŚ!! Until this dayâŚ!!"
"Kyaa!!"
"Waaah~~!!"
"Lady Komurasaki stabbed Orochi!? Why!?"
"Theyâve been allies for so longâŚ!!"
The floor descends into chaos. The festive golden Kagura mood falters, hints of panic spreading.
The samurai in particular are thrown into confusion, and slowly begin to feel fear toward us⌠but by this point, itâs already too late.
"Followers of Orochi!!! Orochi is dead!!! You now have only two paths before you!!!"
"!!?"
Kaido addresses themâall of themâamid the panic and terror.
"This âLand of Wanoâ is surrounded by waterfallsâa natural fortress not even the world government can easily touch!!! If we increase weapon factories and use the people of the Capital as laborâthis land will become a lawless zone, a paradise for all pirates!!!"
"âŚâŚ!! Kaidou⌠you bastardâŚ!!!"
Orochi, in the final moments of his life, tries to utter one last curse filled with hatredâbut even that mouth of his falls silent the very next second.
"Die⌠dieâŚ!!! If it werenât for you⌠if only you hadnât existedâŚ!!!"
"âŚFufufuâŚâĄ"
Hiyori doesnât stop at Orochiâs heart. She drives the blade into his face as well. She doesnât care about the blood that splashes back. Again and again, she stabs himâletting out snarls of resentment with every thrust.
Her expressionâa mixture of rage and other, more complex emotionsâwas so vivid, so intense⌠I couldnât help but laugh.
And even amid all that, Kaidouâs speechâand his threatsâcontinued uninterrupted. He gave the fallen Orochi and the blood-soaked Hiyori a brief glance, only to shift his eyes forward again, as if to say he had no interest in any of it.
"To usâŚ!! The Kurozumi clan, the Kozuki clanânone of that matters!!!"
Yes, it really doesnât matter.
Sure, Orochi was useful. The Kozuki samurai were strong and made for some fun opponents.
But the conflict over Wano, the struggle for its political controlâwho cares? I might have some interest in individuals, but clan disputes mean absolutely nothing. What happens to Wano means even less.
"Decide within five seconds!! Orochiâs followers!!!"
The people of Wano? Doesnât matter. Follow the law of the strong.
"Choose, samurai!!! Will you become pirates with us!!! Or will you challenge us here and nowâand die!!!"
Be useful, become slavesâor become corpses. Those are the only choices. No other options will be tolerated.
"As the world heads into a massive warâwe will turn this country into a Pirate Empire!! Our overseas campaigns will only increase from here!!"
And so Wano will be reforged in our image.
The world will soon be at war everywhere. Weâll move to expand our influence and crush rival forces.
For that⌠we begin now.
"âŚâŚ!?"
"What the hell!! An earthquake!?"
"âŚâŚ!! No⌠this is bad!! The islandâ!!"
A tremor shakes the entire island. But this is no natural disaster. This is the movement we need for our plan.
Kaidoâs Flame Clouds lift the entire islandâand begin to carry it.
At the same time, I launch my UFO, moving it in sync⌠leading everything toward the capital.
"Tonight, weâll take this Onigashimaâ"
All for the hell thatâs about to begin.
"âand move it over the Flower Capital!!! Wano will fall!!!"
And we will build our country in its place.
"The name of the country will be New Onigashima!!! The Shogun shall be my son Yamato!!! And the Vice Shogunâmy daughter, Musashi!!!"
This is the first step toward conquering the entire world.
"Now hurry up and choose!! Orochiâs subordinates!! Will you die here with your master Orochi!!? Or will you seize the world with us!!?"
"I know full well the loyalty of you samurai!! Those who rise against usâweâll honor them too!!!"
I join in, pressing them to choose. If they choose death⌠well, for old timesâ sake, Iâll at least make it quick and painless.
But it looks like that wonât be necessary.
"The Wano Countryâs Ninja Army, the Oniwabanshuâfive thousand strong!! We pledge ourselves to you!!!"
"The same goes for the Wano Samurai Corpsâanother five thousand!! From now on, we serve you!!!"
The commander of the Oniwabanshu, Fukurokuju, and the chief of the Mimawarigumi, Hotei, both step forward and swear loyalty.
Thatâs a clean ten thousand new troops added to our forces. And samurai are far stronger than average soldiersâthis is a massive gain.
"Well then!! Weâll now drop this Onigashima onto the Flower Capital, and to the sound of my songâstart anew right here!!!"
And with that, we begin againâwith a song.
During the Marineford War, there was no time for something like this. But now? I can sing as much as I like. Weâve got all the time in the world.
"Listen well!! This is my new single, dedicated to the New World and to New Onigashima!!! âăWorld of Violenceă!!!"
And from here on too⌠Iâll enjoy it. And Iâll make you enjoy it too⥠Because I am the mysterious yokaiâNue!!!
ââAnd thus, Wano Country... fell into the hands of the Beasts Pirates.
"What... what the hell is that!?"
"The island... it's flying through the sky!!"
"This is bad!! Run for it...!!!"
"âŚâŚ!! Thatâs... weâre in deep trouble...!!"
Everyone, from the Flower Capital to the other regions, saw it.
The Beasts Piratesâ stronghold floated in the sky, advancing straight toward the Flower Capital.
"Kh...!! Damn it...!! Am I really powerless to do anything again...!? Me...!?"
"âŚâŚâŚâŚBear witness, Sister. We must watch it unfold... and then think of what we can do from here. Thatâs the only way... the only way we can repay our debt."
What began there... was hell.
Many regions had already become hellish, but the Flower Capital alone had been spared.
The once-a-year âFire Festivalâ was a day without Orochi, without the Beasts Pirates. A day when no one died. A kind day, where people could drink in peace and be merry.
For those who followed the Kozuki, it was also a day when they could dare to speak of fantasies that would never come true.
But even thatââ
"âŚThe cost was great, but... one of our long-cherished wishes... has been fulfilled, hasnât it, Lady Hiyori..."
"âŚShinobuâŚ"
"Itâs all right. No matter what happens... I will accompany you through this hellish path to the very end."
ââThat wish can no longer be granted.
Peace for Wano. The return of its lush greenery. A land where everyone can eat their fill.
Even the dream of opening the country... may now be out of reach.
"Wahahaha!! Kyoshiro!! That makes it officialâyouâre one of us now!! Welcome aboard!! With your skills, youâll be aiming for the Flying Six in no time!!"
"ď˝ď˝ď˝ď˝ngh... Y-Yeah...!!"
"Hmm? Whatâs with the shaking? That happy to be here? Or is this all just too funny!? Yeah, I get it. Itâs a great show...!! And just thinking about how we can wreck this place and rebuild it however we want gives me chills!!"
"âŚâŚâŚâŚ!"
ââWith the fall of Wano, the retainers of old could only tremble, realizing how far their lordâs will had been cast aside.
That yearâs Fire Festival became the last one in Wanoâs historyââand marked the day Wano was declared dead.
It was crushed beneath the foundation of a newly built pirate empire: âNew Onigashima.â
Many people lost their lives that day.
And using that as their feastââthe monsters drank and made merry.
"Worororo!! With this, weâve taken another step closer... to the One Piece!!"
"Ahahaha!! Man, Iâm so pumped!! We can do whatever we want in this country now! Things are gonna be even more fun than ever!!"
"Yeah... Our numbers have grown too...!! There's still prep to do, but weâve got everything we need to expand our forces...!!"
"Yup yup!! Letâs aim for our goal in three years!! Letâs give it our all!! YEAH!!"
As night passed and the festivalâoriginally meant to last only a dayâcame to an end, even with the monsters from beyond the seas retreating, the hellish celebration refused to end.
Atop Onigashimaâor rather, the new Onigashimaâon the rooftop of the Skull Dome, two monsters drank together.
"ââAh, right, Kaido. Thereâs still something I want to sayâor rather, declare publicly to everyone and the world..."
"...? Whatâs this all about?"
The moon was veiled in clouds, and the streets below glowed redâa true hellscape.
And amid thatââ
"Recently, people keep calling me an old hag or treating me like Iâm older. And thereâs that incident too, right? So Iâve been thinking: what do I have to do to keep being an idol? And I figured out one of the causes, so Iâm gonna fix it."
"What the hell are you on about?"
One of the monsters spokeâher equal in siblinghood.
"Like, clearly you look like an old dude, and since Iâm seen as your equal, they think Iâm older tooâeven though Iâm forever fifteen! So they misunderstand and call me an old hag... Thatâs why Iâve decided: enough of the big-sister thing. When you think about it, it doesnât matter if Iâm the older or younger oneâweâre still equals. Itâs like with sworn brothersâeven if oneâs called the elder, theyâre still equals."
"...âŚâŚHuh!?"
"In shortââfrom now on, Iâm your little sis. Got it? ⥠Iâll rebrand myself as the âlittle sister-type idolâ⪠So, yeah, best regards!!!"
"...âŚâŚHUH!!!?"
And with that declarationâover something so trivialâthe sibling monsters launched into yet another catastrophic fight. In later generations, the people would pass down this tale: on that day, the death throes of Wano rang out... and the birth cry of New Onigashima echoed across the land.
And thus began a night of unending violence and terror.
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