Chapter 80: Sleeping Kyoshiro

The pirate nation "Amazon Lily" has a new empress—the captain of the Kuja Pirates, the "Pirate Empress" Boa Hancock, has joined the "Warlords of the Sea"!

This was undoubtedly one of the most sensational news stories in recent years.

Several years after vanishing from the Kuja Pirates, the Boa sisters returned to Amazon Lily alongside the former empress Gloriosa. Upon her return, the eldest sister, Boa Hancock, immediately challenged the reigning empress to a "Sacred Duel" for the throne.

In Amazon Lily, strength equals beauty. Thus, the strongest warrior is traditionally crowned as both the empress of Amazon Lily and the captain of the Kuja Pirates. In this nation, which openly engages in piracy—an act condemned by the outside world—power is what defines a ruler.

To rule is to bestow blessings upon the land and protect it. The Kuja are a warrior race, trained in the ways of Haki from infancy, where might makes right.

And so—when Boa Hancock defeated the former empress in the Sacred Duel, she was rightfully enthroned as the new ruler of Amazon Lily and captain of the Kuja Pirates, welcomed with reverence by all.

Her overwhelming strength, likely honed in the outside world, along with her Conqueror’s Haki, were not only displayed within the nation but also during the Kuja Pirates' first expedition under her command.

Three merchant ships and two pirate vessels plundered. One island conquered. Two Marine battleships sunk.

As a result, Boa Hancock received an initial bounty of 90,000,000 berries.

Her two younger sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold, were each given bounties of 50,000,000 berries.

Simultaneously, following negotiations with the World Government, Boa Hancock was inducted into the Warlords of the Sea—one of the three great powers of the Grand Line and government-sanctioned pirates.

The nation erupted in celebration over her government-recognized strength and beauty, while the world spoke of her in awe.

—Yet, no one knew the truth.

"—Snake Princess. Your induction into the Warlords is a joyous occasion... But maintaining ties with them is dangerous!! If this gets out, you’ll lose your title!! At best, you might gain the protection of an Emperor... but you’d be under their control—"

"—SILENCE!! How dare you question me?!"

"Ghk... But...!"

"Enough. This discussion is over—DISAPPEAR!!"

"Wha—GYAAAAAAAAH!!"

One was flung from the palace, while the other exhaled sharply.

Once the first was gone and only her two sisters remained in the room, the latter muttered under her breath:

"You know nothing of their terror... Spouting nonsense."

—Yes, the world was oblivious.

The arrogant, self-obsessed Pirate Empress... was still under the thumb of two monsters she could neither defy nor oppose.

With the Pirate Empress filling the vacant Warlord seat, the World Government breathed a sigh of relief—the balance of the three great powers was maintained.

Yet, piracy in the Grand Line did not cease. Major incidents occurred almost daily, troubling the government and shocking the world.

And on this day, another catastrophe struck—one that horrified the government, sent chills through the world, and sent news agencies into a frenzy.

The stage for this disaster? The New World.

["Heeeeeey~♡ World Government! Marines! Are you waaatching~? It’s me, Nue-chan! The strongest idol, cutest girl in the world, and Vice-Captain of the Beasts Pirates!! If you can see me, say 'hi' at your screens—not that I can hear you!! Anyway, today’s stream is gonna be SUPER fun and craaazy!!"]

"...!! What is this...?!"

Government officials and Marine officers paled at the broadcast.

On screen was a black-haired beauty holding a microphone—and nothing about this signaled anything good.

For the Marines, "fun" never meant anything pleasant. And their worst fears were confirmed when two familiar figures appeared on screen.

Just as dread settled in, the monster on screen cheerfully announced the stream’s purpose—her voice sweet, her smile bright.

["So, what’s today’s content? Well, you can already see~ But to put it simply—
'Let’s Murder a Warlord (Too Weak for Piracy)!'
That’s right!! And guess who’s our executioner?! None other than our Captain—the Emperor Kaido of the Beasts!! Wow!! Clap, clap, clap~!!"]

["—SHUT THE HELL UP, NUE!! Who told you to monologue?!!"]

["Aww~ Looks like someone’s drunk AND grumpy!! Oh well~ Too bad! The whole reason we started this stream was because Kaido got wasted and decided to go kill the Warlord who picked a fight with him! Figured we might as well make an example out of it~! I mean, if some Warlord thinks they can mess with us, we might as well kill 'em now so they don’t bother us later, right?! Lucky you all get to watch a Warlord die live!!"]

"...!!!"

Horror gripped every viewer.

The man on screen was unmistakable—one of the Four Emperors, the creature known as the "Strongest Living Being," Kaido.

His monstrous visage, towering frame, and overwhelming aura made even veteran Marines break into a cold sweat. The terror transcended the screen.

And his strength? Proven instantly—as Kaido’s club shattered the Warlord in a single strike.

["Aaaand we’re starting—WAIT, HEY!! Kaido!! What’s with the one-hit KO?! You were supposed to drag it out!! Make it entertaining!! Now we’ve got, like, an hour of airtime to fill!! Guess we’ll just have to do a post-match torture session!!"]

["Tch... Blame this weak-ass brat!! Pissed me off, actin’ all tough when he’s NOTHING!!"]

["Well, yeah, but still!! Hey, Mr. Weakling-Who-Loves-Playing-Pirate~! Can’t you at least put up a fight?! Ugh, whatever! Let’s hear your final thoughts before you die!! —OI, WAKE UP!!"]

["...!!! AAAAAAAAGH—!!"]

["And now~ A limbs-chopping special!! First, the left arm!! Ooh, nice scream!! That’s the sound of an arm getting lopped off~ Rare footage, so save it as reference material!! Oh, and stick around—we’ll be giving away pieces of this Warlord’s body to lucky viewers at the end!!"]

["Guh... Hah... S-Stop...!!"]

"How cruel...!!"

The screen displayed distorted, chaotic footage.

One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—a notorious and fearsome pirate known to all—was struck down by Kaido in a single blow, then mercilessly carved apart by Nue, his body and expression twisted into a grotesque, pitiable mess.

Even if he was a pirate, watching a grown man reduced to a bloodied wreck, begging for his life through tears and snot, was a scene that evoked sympathy. It made you want to scream, Just stop already!

But this was old broadcasted footage—a record of the deceased former Warlord’s final moments before his head was put on display.

["Next up~! Nue-chan’s special tutorial on how to make the most of a spoon!! Even a plain old spoon from your kitchen can—if inserted at just the right angle and force—voilà! Pop goes the eyeball!!! Housewives, if your husband’s eyes start wandering, give this a try! I promise he’ll never look at another woman again!!! ♪"]

["GYAAAAAAAAAAHHH—!!?"]

["—Oi, Nue. We’re leaving soon. Hurry up and put these brats’ heads on display."]

["Ehhh~? But I’ve still got so much I wanna do… Fine, fine~! Then how about we let you watch your friends get their heads chopped off one by one with your remaining eye~~? ♡"]

["N-no… s-stop, please…!"]

["No way~! I’m not stopping~! ♪ —First one~!!"]

["KYYYAAAAAHHH—!!!"]

"...Ugh..."

A few Marines watching the footage clamped their hands over their mouths, nauseated by the sheer brutality.

That horrific imagery had already been seen by countless eyes—the world knew one of the Seven Warlords had been felled by Kaido in a single strike, then butchered by Nue.

The incident only solidified Kaido’s reputation as the "Strongest Creature" and the mightiest of the Four Emperors. The footage was buried in the shadows, but those in the New World who witnessed the event firsthand grew even more terrified of Kaido and Nue. It was also when their bounties skyrocketed.

---

—Wano Country, "Onigashima"

"WORORORO…! The government’s full of idiots. Making Hancock the new Warlord…?!"

"Ahaha, sooo dumb!! They should’ve done their homework better! —Right, Joker?!"

"—Oh, absolutely. ♡"

Onigashima was the stronghold of the Beasts Pirates—a fact known to every soul in Wano.

As Kaido and I drank in our mansion, our trusted top executives returned from their missions to report. First to arrive was "Joker."

[Beasts Pirates Lead Performer: "Calamity of War, Joker" — Bounty: 1,190,000,000 Berries]

"The press played right into our hands. The government and public swallowed every bit of misinformation we fed them."

"Good work, Joker. Hancock becoming a Warlord means fewer pieces for the government to move. Works in our favor."

"Indeed. I’ve made sure everything falls into place, Kaido-san. —Oh, and I’ve got that intel on Doflamingo that Nue mentioned."

"Ah… the brat who said he wanted to negotiate with me, right? What’s the deal?"

To Kaido, the 340-million-berry Doflamingo was just some kid he’d glimpsed in the papers. Even though he’d just brought it up, Kaido muttered like he’d only just remembered. So I repeated it for him.

"He’s coming to the New World soon to set up as a broker. Who knows how useful he’ll be, but I had him ‘donate’ a thousand slaves before leaving him be."

"Specialized in underworld dealings in the North Blue. And… he’s definitely one of the Donquixote family—Celestial Dragons who descended to the surface twenty years ago."

"An ex-Celestial Dragon? Now that’s interesting… Whatever. If he shows up to pay respects, I’ll hear him out. Brings me a boring deal, I’ll kill him and recruit his crew."

"Half-dead, half-dead. Can’t recruit him if he’s fully dead."

"Shut it. Don’t nitpick my words… Oh yeah, what about that ‘Poneglyph’ you grabbed from Skypiea? That’s why you took Drake, right?"

Kaido swiftly moved on from Doflamingo to the Skypiea matter, so I answered—making sure Dulak, standing before us, heard it too.

"It was so much fun!! Gave the ‘Dial’ tech to Queen for inventions, made a fortune in gold, and got to see the Poneglyph! —Right, Dulak? ♡"

"...Yes. A highly productive voyage."

The masked woman—Nico Olvia, survivor of Ohara, also known as "Dulak"—nodded at my words. Kaido then grinned sharply.

"That’s good to hear. So then—did you figure out the location of that so-called Ancient Weapon?"

"…………!"

"Probably yes!! I was right there watching, and I felt a tremendous power radiating from it too!!"

"My, my—so that’s why you called everyone here."

"!"

Of course, Kaido would want the Ancient Weapon capable of destroying the world. Officially, what we’re searching for is the "Road Poneglyph of the True History," but we’re also tracking down ordinary Poneglyphs and even the "True History Poneglyph, the Rio Poneglyph."

After all, the Poneglyphs sometimes contain the locations of Ancient Weapons. That’s why Dulak, who can read the ancient script, is so special to us, the Beasts Pirates—and why Kaido values her so much. (Of course, so do I ♡.)

And as I pressed Dulak with eager words, Joker glanced at the two figures approaching. The remaining two All-Stars had arrived.

[Beasts Pirates All-Star, "Calamity Queen," Bounty: 1,220,000,000 Berries]

"Muhaha!! So it’s not just those "Dial Shells" or whatever excitin’ junk—ya got even more interestin’ news for us?!"

『Beasts Pirates All-Star "King the Wildfire" — Bounty: 1,430,000,000 Berries』

"Kaido, Nue. So, the reason you called us here is—"

"……!!"

The three Disasters—the Lead Performers— All-Star of the Beast Pirates—stood assembled. Normally, they each managed their own territories across the islands and Wano Country. Now, gathered together, Dulak stiffened slightly.

Kaido took over answering King’s question, delivering what was likely the worst possible words for Dulak.

"Yeah… We’re goin’ after an Ancient Weapon. Ain’t no way it’s in some ordinary place…!! And then we’ll celebrate!!! Once we’ve got our hands on a weapon that can destroy the world, we’ll smash that damn hag, ‘Whitebeard,’ the World Government—everything!!! Consider this a pre-victory party…!!!"

"…………!!"

That’s right—if they learned the location of an Ancient Weapon, they’d seize it immediately.

Depending on where it was hidden, no place holding such a thing could possibly be ordinary. Even if it took Kaido, me, the Lead Performers—no, the entire Beast Pirates’ forces—they’d claim it.

Countless nations and islands would be destroyed. Countless lives lost.

The true power of the Ancient Weapons remained unknown, but one thing was certain: possessing one would give them an overwhelming edge against the other Emperors and the World Government.

—Well, actually, I already know where one is~♪

So this is just a little… test. To see if that woman, Nico Olvia, will betray us.

Of the Ancient Weapons, I already know the location and nature of one. We could retrieve it anytime.

But the other two—especially the last one—remain a mystery. And for the Road Poneglyphs, Olvia is indispensable.

If she betrays us at the last moment, it’ll be a pain.

We’ve taken hostages, of course, but who knows how she’ll act? Might as well test her now.

"—Dulak. Read it. What’s written there?"

"…Very well."

The copy of the Sky Island’s Poneglyph was unfurled, and Dulak stood before it. Under the watchful eyes of me, Kaido, and the Lead Performers, she finally spoke.

"—What’s here is…"

—Your daughter’s life, or the world?

Once before, she had faced that choice. But could she truly pull the trigger now?

I watched with quiet amusement… until—

"This records… history."

"—The hell?"

Kaido’s voice was sharp, but Dulak shook her head.

"This is a ‘Rio Poneglyph’—a True History Poneglyph. It doesn’t contain the location of an Ancient Weapon."

"Whaaa—?! So we jumped the gun?! Then—!"

"My, my… How disappointing."

"…………"

Even the Lead Performers seemed deflated by her words.

Kaido and I exchanged glances.

"…Huh~? Guess I was mistaken, then. Well, if we don’t know, we don’t know."

"…………Tch. Damn shame, but nothin’ we can do. At least we got our hands on a Rio Poneglyph."

We played along, feigning acceptance. Dulak’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

But in that uneasy silence, Kaido addressed her again.

"Right, Dulak. From now on, you’re under Joker."

"! …Understood. But may I ask why?"

"Your abilities suit espionage. And you’re sharp. You’ll be more useful under Joker. —Now get goin’. Good work."

"…Very well. Excuse me."

"Ufufu~ Looking forward to working with you~♡"

With that, Dulak left. Joker’s playful farewell earned only a curt nod—uncharacteristically subdued.

Once she was gone, Kaido sighed and turned to Joker.

"—Hey, Joker."

"Yes?"

"Keep a close eye on Dulak. Make sure she doesn’t betray us."

"Of course."

The exchange was casual, as if stating the obvious. Everyone knew—Dulak wasn’t to be trusted.

"That said, let’s not kill her recklessly~♪ A Poneglyph reader isn’t someone we can replace."

"A good scare oughta do it!!"

"Show her one of the kid’s fingers, and she’ll fall in line. Let me handle it, Kaido."

"Nah, hold off. For now, anyway. We’ll save that for the next Poneglyph… No doubt she’s useful. And she ain’t lied ‘bout the Road Poneglyphs or her research yet…"

A rare moment of leniency from Kaido. Only natural—Dulak was their sole Poneglyph reader. He wouldn’t discard her so easily. When it came to strong, capable subordinates, Kaido had a soft spot.

"But if it comes to it, we’ll use the kid as leverage. Keep track of where the brat is."

"Naturally. That’s already handled."

Joker, overseeing the Beast Pirates’ intelligence, replied with ease.

If needed, they could seize the child without issue. Everything was progressing smoothly.

The Lead Performers nodded at Kaido’s orders—until King, seizing the moment, spoke up.

"—Speaking of kids, Kaido, yours is causing trouble again…"

"Whaaaat?! Which one?! Yamato?! Or Musashi?!"

"Both…"

At King’s report, Kaido erupted in anger while the others fell into uneasy silence. As for me, I brushed it off with deliberate nonchalance.

"My, they’re as lively as ever~. Well then, since Orochi’s invited us, someone else can handle this mess, okay? ♡"

"Tch… Right, that’s today. Fine—someone grab those brats and lock ’em up before we get back."

"Ughhh, seriously?! …Wait, I got it! Let’s dump this on the Tobiroppo. Jack, Black Maria, and Sasaki are all free right now!"

"…Hey, Joker. You could always do it yourself, y’know?"

"Let’s leave it to Dulak. Her abilities suit capture missions, and she’s had experience with children before."

"—I DON’T CARE WHO! Just catch ’em before I get back—I’ll beat the crap outta ’em myself later!!"

With that, Kaido shoved the unwanted task onto the bickering Lead Performers, and we departed for the Flower Capital. Sigh… Everything’s going smoothly—expanding our forces, our influence—except the damn family drama. Who’d have guessed that’d be our weak point?

---

The Flower Capital was the only vibrant, prosperous place in Wano. Its citizens lived cheerfully, free from hunger, indulging in leisure and gambling. Every enterprise here was controlled by the shogun, Kurozumi Orochi, and the Beast Pirates.

Gambling dens and pleasure houses were run by the Beast Pirates’ elites, Orochi’s samurai, and local gangsters. Even the schools pushed our ideology:

—Closed borders protect Wano’s peace.

—Opening the country invites evil outsiders who’ll plunder and destroy us.

—The traitors Kozuki Oden and the Red Scabbards tried to doom us—but Shogun Orochi, master of the Orochi Nitoryu style, saved Wano!

—And Kaido, the ‘Sage King,’ shields our nation.

This was now common sense. A new generation, raised on these lies, was coming of age—ready to serve as loyal samurai.

"—Glad you came! Thanks to you, my meals stay delicious! Muhaha!"

"Heh. Still in high spirits, I see."

"Ah, just bring us sashimi, tempura, and sake for now."

Orochi, already tipsy, welcomed us warmly. Honestly? It’s kinda funny how casually we hang out. Like we’re just… friends.

As I ordered food and sake, Kaido and I took our seats on the tatami. These drinking sessions between the three of us had become routine—part strategy, part social call. Though a few years ago, Higurashi and Semimaru would’ve been here too…

"Thanks to those immigrants you brought, Wano’s citizens are suffering even more… Gufufu. Never thought of such a method!"

"That was Nue’s idea. Ex-slaves work hard for scraps."

"Ahaha, right? Immigration’s perfect for grinding down a population! Not that I get the details—credit goes to Orochi’s political genius!"

"Muhaha… Still, I’d never have conceived of it myself! My thanks, Nue, Kaido!"

Orochi’s grin was vile. After the slave revolts, we’d shipped non-pirate captives to Wano as laborers. Orochi wanted the people miserable—but the country still needed to function for our benefit.

So I’d tossed out a half-baked idea: "Why not flood the labor market with immigrants?"

The logic was simple:

—Ex-slaves worked cheaply and eagerly.

—Locals lost jobs, sank into poverty.

Orochi refined the plan brilliantly. Pirate economics? Easy. Actual governance? Not our forte. But Orochi excelled. Now, former slaves in Udon slaved away, propping up the Flower Capital’s luxury—and our empire.

Wano’s control was ironclad. Almost too smooth…

"—Speaking of loose ends, any luck finding the last Red Scabbards?"

"No… Only that kappa, Kawamatsu, remains caged. There’s rumors of a bandit in Kuri’s mountains—might be Ashura Doji—but the rest? Gone."

"Shame. I’d recruit ’em if we caught ’em. My UFOs keep attacking suspicious folks, but they’re getting better at dodging. Annoying~."

Yes, the surviving Red Scabbards. This is what keeps Orochi’s head constantly troubled.

Now, folks like me or Kaido would probably just catch ‘em and make ‘em subordinates if we found ‘em, but that coward Orochi’s too busy pissing himself over it.

Well, even if revenge does come, I figure it’s still a long way off. Probably. Can’t say for sure, but at least half of ‘em are still missing.

"—Lord Orochi."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Ah, food, fooood~ ♡"

Just as the topic turned to the Red Scabbards, the meal arrived, and then another person showed up—Fukurokuju, leader of the Oniwabanshu. His big ol’ lucky ears and elongated head were as ridiculous as ever, I thought, as I picked up some sashimi with my chopsticks.

"'Kyoshiro' requests an audience."

"Muu… Ah, right, I did order him to capture that 'Ushimitsu brat'… Any progress? —Send him in."

"Understood. At once."

The moment Orochi gave permission, Fukurokuju vanished in an instant. Gotta give it to ninjas—though, well, I could still see him. Munch munch. Speaking of Kyoshiro, I wonder if she’ll come too? I waited excitedly.

Before long—

"—Ohh, here he is!! Kyoshiro!!"

"—Yes. Lord Orochi… and Lord Kaido and Lady Nue are here as well. My, my… What an honor."

'Kurozumi Clan's Exclusive Money Changer — Boss Kyoshiro of the Kyoshiro Family, "Sleeping" Kyoshiro.'

A drowsy, slant-eyed pompadour samurai bowed respectfully.

He was the boss of the Kyoshiro Family, who took over the underworld of the Flower Capital a few years ago, replacing Hyogoro the Flower.

Basically, he’s a yakuza lord… but man, what a transformation. You’d never recognize him unless you knew. No way you could.

Still grinning slyly, he raised his head at Orochi’s command and delivered his report.

"Any progress?"

"Yes. Well… that Ushimitsu brat is proving quite slippery. It’s shameful to admit, but we’ll need a little more time."

"Hmm… Annoying, but fine. Take all the time you need, Kyoshiro."

"Yes!! You have my deepest gratitude!!"

And just like that, Kyoshiro kept up his usual display of fierce loyalty to Orochi. …Heehee, maybe I should tease him a little~ ♡

"Oh, speaking of the Red Scabbards earlier~"

"!"

"Hm?"

I waited for Kyoshiro and Orochi to react before continuing, my tone deliberately slow and drawn-out.

"Denjiro was always pretty sharp, and with those sunglasses hiding his eyes… who knows? He might be hiding in the Flower Capital~"

"Wha—! Another joke?!"

Orochi flinched at my words. Must be scary, thinking the enemy’s right under his nose. Yeah, yeah, he’s probably paranoid about assassination—gotta keep him on his toes!

"Nah, not really a joke. Could be true. Maybe he’s even in disguise… Hey hey, Kyoshiro, what do you think?"

"…Why ask me?"

"Oh, just ‘cause you know the Flower Capital well. Ever seen anyone who looks like him? —Oh! Maybe that Ushimitsu brat is Denjiro!!"

"…I see. That is possible… Though I haven’t seen anyone matching his description, I’ll keep my eyes open. And we’ll redouble our efforts to find Ushimitsu."

"Mhm mhm, thanks~ ♡"

Wow, impressive! Not a single crack in his act!! —Though I bet he’s freaking out inside, which just makes this fun! Ahaha, teasing him is the best~ ♡

Might as well enjoy myself some more. Smirking, I turned my face slightly away.

"Anyway, that’s enough of that— Komurasaki-chan, come here ♡ I’ll feed you some sashimi!!"

"……!"

"……Yes. Well then, if you’ll excuse me."

I call out to the girl who seems to be one of Kyoshiro’s attendants, likely a servant accompanying the oiran.

At that, Kyoshiro’s agitation becomes even more noticeable than before. In contrast, the girl—Komurasaki—remains calm. Composed, she walks up to me without hesitation. Kaido watches the two of us and remarks,

“You’ve still got a soft spot for that one, huh? What’s so special about her?”

“Hmm, I just think she’s got potential, you know? ♪ Plus, she’s super cute, and I really think she’ll grow into something amazing—as both an oiran and a samurai!”

“…You jest, Lady Nue… That girl is still just an apprentice oiran. An orphan with no known lineage. To think she could amount to anything as a samurai is…”

“Hmm~? Is that so? I gave her a little training just for fun the other day, and I thought she actually showed some promise. Oh—right! If you don’t need her, I’ll be taking care of her for a while, okay? ♡”

“—!! Again…? Lady Komurasaki still has so much to learn about being an oiran. If possible, I’d like to ask you to refrain… If it’s an oiran you want, you’re welcome to take anyone else—”

“Nope ♡ I want Komurasaki-chan~!! Komurasaki-chan, you want to come learn lots of things from me too, right?”

“…If it pleases Lady Nue. It’s not as if I have the right to choose.”

Komurasaki-chan bows her head with a level of composure unthinkable for a child. Far more composed than Kyoshiro, who’s desperately trying to prevent this. Well, it’s not like this is her first sleepover with me or anything. ♡

“Hey, Kyoshiro. It’s fine, isn’t it? Just a kid or two.”

“…That is… certainly true…”

“Then it’s settled ♡ We’ll head back to Onigashima together later, okay!!”

“…Understood.”

And with even Orochi giving his blessing, there’s nothing more Kyoshiro can do. Forcing the matter now would just look suspicious, wouldn’t it?

And so, while savoring Kyoshiro’s faint trembling and Komurasaki’s unshakable gaze, I let my heart flutter with anticipation for the fun still to come. Fufufu, I can’t wait to play with you sooo much when we get home—Hiyori-chan ♡