Chapter 55: The Alien of the Flower Capital

"——What is the meaning of this!?"

In the heart of the capital of Wano Country, the isolated nation of the New World—the Flower Capital—retainers serving the Kozuki Clan had been gathered under the orders of the acting shogun, Orochi. They had just been informed of a new decree.

Though they had harbored slight misgivings about why Kurozumi Orochi—who claimed to be nothing more than a puppet, a placeholder until the return of the rightful heir and current daimyo of Kuri, Kozuki Oden—had been chosen as the acting shogun, they had still been prepared to support him.

But this sudden, outrageous decree left them no choice but to speak out. In the grand hall, typically used for official meetings, the samurai demanded an explanation.

From his elevated seat, the acting shogun Orochi smirked and answered them with utter composure.

"What’s the meaning? Are your ears not working? I, the acting shogun, have given an order!! Establish weapon factories in every region of Wano!!"

"Why would we need such a thing!? With all due respect, we already have enough weapons!! The craftsmen in each region are highly skilled, and their numbers—"

"I said it’s not enough!! Our country is isolated!! To protect ourselves from foreign villains, we need weapon factories!! And that’s precisely why—I’ve also hired some… bodyguards… to defend the nation!!"

"W-What!? Are you saying our strength is insufficient!?"

"That’s exactly what I’ve been saying!! If you disagree… then prove it!! Take down the bodyguards I hired!!"

"——Worororo… So these are the retainers of the Kozuki Clan?"

"!!!"

The moment Orochi barked those words at the Kozuki retainers, a massive man—easily five times the size of a samurai—emerged from the back, carrying a massive iron club. Two horns protruded from his head, and his face bore a vicious sneer. Dozens of subordinates followed behind him, all grinning mockingly at the samurai.

The samurai tensed, eyeing the giant man warily. He certainly looked strong. If he was hired as a bodyguard, his skill must be legitimate. But… the way he and his men looked down on them was unmistakable. The surrounding underlings jeered:

"Heheh, you gonna defy the acting shogun? In Wano, the shogun’s word is absolute, ain’t it?"

"If ya resist, we ain’t gonna hold back!! In the name of Lord Orochi!!"

"Though we’d welcome ya if ya swear loyalty to Lord Orochi and work properly!!"

"GYAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Tch…!!"

The crude laughter of these men echoed through the hall. There was no mistaking it—they were mocking them.

No samurai could listen to such insults without drawing their blades. Several of them, veins bulging on their foreheads, unsheathed their swords.

"What did you just say!? Say that again!!"

"I’ve had enough!! If that’s how it is, then I’ll cut you down where you stand!!"

With that, the samurai clad their blades in Ryuo—Flowing Sakura—and fearlessly charged at the giant man. They were true warriors, steadfast men who had pledged loyalty to the Kozuki name. For years, they had protected this country, and by the standards of the outside world, they were among the strongest.

"——!!"

…But… they didn’t know.

They didn’t know—until the moment their blades struck the giant’s body—that this man… was a monster.

"——The hell… is this all you got? So this is what samurai are…!!"

"Wha—!?"

"Oi… the swords…!!"

"Blades clad in Ryuo… just shattered…?"

The instant they swung, the samurai witnessed something unbelievable.

Their Ryuo—their Armament Haki—should have allowed them to cut through even steel. Yet this man had stopped their swords with his bare flesh… and as a result, their blades had broken.

Orochi and his men watched with smirks, as if this outcome had been obvious.

That man… Kaido of the Beasts—could not be harmed by half-baked Haki-infused attacks.

They knew. They knew his body was invincible. And his underlings knew exactly what happened to those who challenged him.

The samurai didn’t know. They didn’t know that a single swing of Kaido’s iron club carried enough destructive force to obliterate warships… or reduce castles to rubble.

"!!!"

With that single strike, a samurai was sent flying straight through the castle walls, soaring into the distance.

——In the streets of the Flower Capital, a samurai’s corpse fell from the sky. People would surely whisper that it was the work of a yokai.

"——Oi, what’s wrong? Weren’t you gonna prove it…? Show me the strength of a samurai…!!!"

"Ugh… Ah…!!"

But that rumor wouldn’t be entirely wrong.

The man who had painted the hall with the blood of dead and dying samurai—his strength was nothing short of supernatural. A demon? A monster? A beast?

This was no longer the work of man.

"Guhaha—HAHAHAHA!! As expected of Kaido!! Magnificent, absolutely magnificent!! To think you’d no-sell those hardened samurai’s attacks and take them all down in a single blow!!"

"GYAHAHAHAHA!! So this is all samurai are worth!? Pathetic!!"

"Aw, c’mon, don’t say that—it’s almost sad!! It’s not that the samurai are weak… it’s just that Lord Kaido’s too damn strong!!"

"Same damn difference!! GYAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Orochi couldn’t help but rise to his feet, lavishing praise upon Kaido’s overwhelming might. To his underlings, this was a familiar sight. No matter how strong their opponents were, angering their captain never ended well. Submit, and you might be spared. Resist, and hell awaited you—a gruesome spectacle, torture, becoming fodder for the beasts, or being toyed with until death. Having witnessed it all, his crew revered Kaido and his top commanders with a mix of awe and dread, treating his wrath as an absolute taboo.

But Kaido paid no mind to his men’s rowdy cheers. Instead, he let out a bored snort before grabbing one of the still-breathing samurai by the collar.

"Tch… Hey, you…!!"

"Hah… Ugh… Gh…!?"

"If you’re still alive, then engrave this into your skull. And make sure the other samurai hear it too!! Anyone who defies Orochi answers to me. Man, woman, child—I don’t give a damn who it is. I’ll kill ’em all…!!!"

"!!! A-Ah…!!"

The samurai could only nod weakly. Against this monster, they were powerless.

And then, Kaido uttered something that made them doubt their ears—

"WORORORO… Right about now, my reliable allies and crew oughta be raising hell too…!!"

"Tch…!!"

Those words spelled nothing but despair.

Kaido wasn’t the only monster.

There were more.

The Beast Pirates, with their vast numbers and terrifying commanders, were even now carving their strength and terror into Wano’s flesh—laying the foundation for Orochi’s reign with blood and brutality.

---

The capital of Wano, the Flower Capital, was a city built in a grid-like pattern, with the grand avenue stretching from the castle gates to the southern gate as its center. To its left and right lay the districts of Sakyo and Ukyo—orderly, symmetrical, and meticulously planned.

It was spring. During the day, townsfolk worked, and by evening, most returned to their row houses for supper. Some indulged in the pleasure quarters with courtesans, others drank with friends, and a few stopped by the public baths to wash off the day’s sweat. It was often said that the people of the Flower Capital didn’t carry money overnight—because even a few hours of labor was enough to live comfortably.

…At least, that’s how it was in places I knew that resembled this. Whether Wano was truly like that, I couldn’t say for sure. But it probably wasn’t far off. Not that it mattered. If I was wrong, I’d learn soon enough. And if I didn’t like it, I could always change it.

"What is the meaning of this?! Weapon factories in every region?!"

"And you expect us to serve under that upstart Orochi?! Never!! We might have bowed to the Kozuki, but why in hell would we submit to him?!"

"Outsiders!! You dare mock the samurai?! Even if you’re a girl, we won’t hold back!!"

"Faaah… nnnh."

I couldn’t help but yawn. Right in front of all these samurai, too. How careless of me. Not that my yawns aren’t cute—but an idol shouldn’t let herself be seen like this. Maybe I ate a little too much and got sleepy. Or maybe it’s because these samurai… don’t seem all that strong. They’re loud, sure, but that’s about it.

Though, I’ll admit—I’m impressed so many of them know Ryuo (what they call Haki here). Even in the Grand Line, few nations have soldiers who can wield it. Most are just weaklings. But in Wano, even random foot soldiers can coat their blades. Do they teach it in sword schools or something? Mysterious.

As the samurai raged, the crew I’d brought along fired back. Probably because they felt insulted on my behalf. Their voices burned with conviction.

"Hey, hey… You backwater hicks, just who the hell do you think you’re talking to?!"

"The one standing before you is none other than the Vice-Captain of the Beasts Pirates!! The sworn sibling of Captain Kaido himself, with a bounty exceeding 1 billion berries—the 'Phantom Beast,' Nue-sama!!"

"You little shits better watch your mouths!! We don’t even need Nue-sama to step in—we’ll crush you ourselves!!"

"Heheh… How about we decorate the streets with your heads as a warning?"

"What did you say…?!"

Oh, the samurai are mad now. Hmm, my crew’s pretty fired up. Then again, most of the ones I brought are Devil Fruit users, so it can’t be helped. The Beasts Pirates are already full of bloodthirsty fighters, but the ones here? All Zoan users. The power of beasts—predators, dinosaurs—amplifies their ferocity, leaving them itching for a fight.

---Normally, I’d let them run wild for fun, but today’s different. So I called them off.

"Heyyy~!! Not yet, you guys. We’ve got things to say first. Besides… today’s my Wano debut. No unnecessary messes, okay?"

"Ugh… S-Sorry!"

"My bad…"

The moment I lightly scolded them, they flinched like scolded dogs, shoulders slumping or scratching their heads in apology. Good, good. They’re obedient. They might be beasts, but that’s exactly why they don’t defy the pack’s leader. The law of the wild—and of pirates. Hierarchy matters. And honestly, I’m on the nicer side. King’s way stricter. And if they ever disrespect me or Kaido, they’ll get a reminder of their place.

Anyway, now that my crew’s settled, let’s wrap this up. I turned my smile back to the samurai.

"—Now, where were we? Oh right~! Orochi’s looking for samurai to serve under him. So, rōnin in the capital? Perfect candidates! Doesn’t that sound nice? Good pay, riding the winning horse, doing whatever you want from now on. See? Sounds fun, right?"

"Tch… Shut your mouth!! We ain’t becoming some damn bureaucrats!! And who the hell even are you?! Why would an outsider be sent by Orochi…?!"

"Us Beasts Pirates? Think of us as Orochi’s… backup. His scary little bodyguards. 'Cross Orochi, and you cross us too~' That kind of deal. So if you refuse to join… well~ I’ll just have to show you the difference in our strength ♡"

"Difference in strength?! Don’t fuck with us!!"

"Enough talk…!! We’ll cut you down where you stand!!"

Oh, they’re mad now. The moment I said that with a smile, the samurai drew their swords—and my crew flinched back in fear. Heheh, seems like they’re more scared of me than the samurai. How rude. I’m not so shameless that I’d drag them into this. I’m not drunk like Kaido.

But holding back because of them is annoying, so maybe they should step back. The night’s falling anyway. As I glanced at the samurai and the nosy onlookers in the crowd, I couldn’t help but smirk.

"—Aren’t you afraid of yōkai?"

"…Yōkai? What nonsense!!"

"Yōkai?! What kind of samurai fears fairy tales?!"

"Exactly!! Those are just tricks and illusions, nothing more!!"

The moment I mentioned yōkai, the samurai froze, then scoffed at the idea. How brave. But… good. So the concept exists here. And even better—they don’t believe in them. Not that it matters whether they do. Because I’ll make them believe.

In this country, Devil Fruit powers are called "sorcery"—youjutsu—because they seem like dark arts. So their users are branded as sorcerers.

But for a Zoan user like me?

If they want to call it sorcery, fine.

But there’s another word that fits even better.

—Yōkai.

"Fufufu… Ahahahaha…!!"

"W-What’s so funny?!"

"W-Wait!! What’s that on that girl’s back…?!"

"Are those… wings? But such grotesque things— Don’t tell me she’s a sorcerer?!"

——Just moments ago, I had deliberately concealed my wings, but now I revived them in a bestial form. As I rose into the air, I sensed the shift in the atmosphere among the samurai and addressed them coldly:

"Then why don’t you test it yourselves? You humans who’ve forgotten the terror of yōkai…!"

Not that I’d actually let them confirm anything, of course. I am the unknown. It’s precisely because they can’t comprehend me that they fear me.

——But tonight, I’m feeling generous. After all, this is Wano Country. I’ll be spending plenty of time here from now on, so why not treat them to a proper show?

"Let me give you a taste of the unknown."

"!!? S-She vanished!!?"

"Wh-Where the hell did she go…?!"

"Ugh… I’ve got chills…!"

With that, I dissolved into the darkness first.

Then, to truly instill fear in them, I unleashed my sorcery. A technique that emerges in the peaceful capital, threatening its people—

"——‘Nightmare of Heian-kyō.’"

---

When the veil of night fell over the flowered capital… the anomaly began.

Even in the distant streets far from the scene, people sensed it—something was undeniably different tonight.

"It’s spring, yet it’s oddly chilly…"

"Yeah. Let’s grab a drink and warm up— Huh?"

The pedestrians suddenly noticed the strangeness. Enveloping their path as if to swallow them whole—

"Black mist…?"

"Wh-What the hell is this?"

Yes. Black mist. An inexplicable phenomenon that shouldn’t occur naturally.

But the inexplicable didn’t stop there. Even those far from the disturbance could hear it.

"————!!"

"!!? That cry just now…?!"

"A bird…? No, a beast…? I’ve never heard anything like it…"

"Gives me the creeps…"

It was an indescribable sound, shrouded in mystery.

Was it a bird? A tiger? A monkey? A fox? A komainu or a baboon? No one could tell.

Yet, upon hearing it, the people shuddered, rubbing their goosebump-covered skin as an uneasy dread took hold. They quickened their steps, hurrying home to ask others—What was that sound?

Strangely, the answers varied. Some insisted it was a bird, others a tiger, and some stubbornly claimed it was a snake.

It didn’t sound human. Then it must be some beast’s cry. There had to be a correct answer—something had to be wrong.

But the truth was the opposite. That sound was all of them—its form shifting based on who heard it… That was its nature.

The wise realized it matched no known beast, and soon, rumors spread through the capital. Eventually, it came to be feared as:

——The cry of the Nue.

When black mist filled the capital and that sound echoed, it was said the Nue had appeared—a harbinger of devouring souls. And that it erased those inconvenient to Kurozumi Orochi, swallowing them into darkness.

Separate from the fear of the pirate Kaido, who loomed behind Orochi, the terror of his sworn sibling—the pirate Nue—took root deep in the hearts of the capital’s people.

They commanded countless beasts, crushing all who opposed Orochi without exception. And this night—was the first time that truth was made known.

——The samurai who first fell victim, and the townsfolk caught in the crossfire… Pitiful didn’t even begin to describe it.

"Hah… Hah…!!"

Through the back alleys of the flowered capital at night, a samurai sprinted desperately, a sword at his waist.

But his face was pale and weak. A samurai facing battle should be fierce, his eyes burning with resolve. Yet this man’s expression was worse than a beggar’s—his eyes drowning in terror.

He had seen it. The monster lurking in the black mist—no, the yōkai. Its bizarre, cruel sorcery.

And worst of all… he had glimpsed its true form. Not fully, but enough.

So he ran. Like a coward. His comrades had fled too. They’d tried to fight at first but quickly realized it was hopeless.

But—this yōkai wasn’t kind enough to let them escape.

"——GYAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

"Eek…!!?"

Another one. The death cry of a strong man echoed through the night.

Yet this was better than before. The screams had been a chorus earlier. Now, their dwindling numbers meant most were already dead.

…Or so he hoped. Because the alternative was too terrifying to bear.

He kept running. Trying to escape—until—

"GAAAH!!!"

"…!!"

A man stumbled into the alley ahead—another samurai fleeing the scene. Then a red laser seared through him, dropping him instantly.

The samurai froze, watching the crimson light. He didn’t move—not out of paralysis, but calculation.

He had seen this technique’s nature. And the fallen man was no ordinary warrior—he was a master of Ryūō, the rare art of foresight.

In Wano, most who wielded Ryūō coated their blades or fists with it. But this advanced form—predicting an opponent’s movements—was near-legendary, a realm of true masters.

This samurai wasn’t quite a master, but years of training had granted him a glimpse of that foresight.

"Sh-She’s coming…!!?"

That’s why he knew—the red light would shift, morphing into a blazing lantern-like projectile to hunt him down.

But that wasn’t what truly terrified him.

No—it was the beast charging from behind.

"GRROOOOOH!!!"

「……！！」

The man risked a fleeting glance behind him. Chasing after him with bestial roars were monstrous yokai—creatures bearing the traits of multiple beasts.

That was the true terror. Darting through the gaps between crimson beams, swarming every last street of the Flower Capital, were packs of ravenous beasts.

Those creatures seized anyone slowed by the scarlet rays or energy blasts, tearing into them with razor-sharp claws and fangs—or devouring them whole. A nightmarish reality where such monsters existed in numbers. No matter how much one dodged or fled, there was no end. The weak, the exhausted, the immobilized—they were slaughtered one after another. Most had perished within the first few seconds.

"Hah… Hah… If I can just… keep going—"

Yet this swordsman clung to life, tears welling in his eyes as he pushed himself beyond mortal limits. When cornered, humans can summon unimaginable strength—and right now, he was proving it.

But… he had no way of knowing.

The truly fortunate ones were those who died at the start—those pierced by the crimson beams, the lasers, the searing blasts.

No one could have known. Even beyond these shores, few understood.

Surviving this initial onslaught only meant one thing… the real horror lay ahead.

"—Ahaha!! You’re pretty good~ ♪"

"Gh…!! Wh… what—!?"

The man, after what felt like an eternity of fleeing, heard the voice of a sweet, almost endearing girl. Under normal circumstances, it might have been pleasant. But his face remained pallid, drained of blood.

His gaze turned upward. Above the mist-shrouded town loomed an enormous shadow.

"Congratulations!! Not many dodge this far, y’know! Probably! —So here’s your reward~ ♡"

"Ah… ah… ah…!!"

His jaw slackened, his legs gave out. All he could do was stare up at the colossal monstrosity.

This beast dwarfed the earlier monsters by dozens of times.

Fifty meters tall. A face wreathed in black, flame-like mane. The limbs of a tiger. Wings of a bird. A tail of emerald serpents.

Thanks to the black mist and its sheer enormity, many had glimpsed its silhouette—but only this man had seen it directly from below. And in that moment, he understood:

This was no mere yokai.

That girl—her appearance was a lie. Inside lurked an unspeakable horror. A merciless beast.

And now, that beast declared it would reward him, sending something white and birdlike plunging into his body. He thought he’d died—but no. He lived. He kept living. He wanted to die, yet the terror persisted. The monster spoke again:

"You’ll be my little witness. So~ I won’t… kill… you… ♡"

"……!!"

The man’s heart seized, his teeth chattering in frozen dread. He couldn’t speak.

The monster vanished—gone as abruptly as it appeared. Something so massive shouldn’t disappear so easily, leaving doubt if it was ever there at all.

But the scars it left, the terror etched into his soul—those were real.

As the black mist cleared, the Flower Capital’s nightscape returned. Yet the wreckage, the corpses, the maimed survivors—all bore witness to the nightmare.

---

That day, the surviving swordsman couldn’t return home. He spent the night sleepless, and by dawn, he and the other survivors spread warnings of the horror they’d faced.

His words came in frantic bursts, his demeanor swinging between manic and desolate. "Do not defy the Beasts Pirates behind Orochi," he pleaded. "Especially the girl called ‘Nue’—she’s a monster." Some claimed she was even more terrifying than the one they called "Kaido."

The rumors spread like wildfire across the Flower Capital.

Three days later, his corpse was found in the streets.

No one could say if he’d been killed… or if he’d taken his own life.

The people of the Flower Capital would later remember this tragedy by a single name:

"The Nightmare of the Flower Capital."

---

"Hell yeah~~~!! A toast to the Beasts Pirates' grand debut in Wano Country—cheers!!!"

"Worororo... Annoying how weak those samurai were, but can't complain if things go smooth."

"True... The samurai weren’t as strong as I’d hoped. Boring bunch so far."

"Muhaha!! Just getting to eat this oshiruko made the trip worth it!! Damn, this is too good~~~~!!!"

"The ninja had some fun tricks, but strength-wise? Meh. Disappointing."

"Gufufu!! You’ve all done well!! Drink and eat as much as you want tonight!!"

"Didn’t need permission~♪"

Inside the Flower Capital’s castle, thanks to Orochi’s arrangements, our Beasts Pirates were throwing a small celebration. The tables groaned under the weight of Wano’s finest dishes and sake—all exquisite. Queen, in particular, had fallen hard for a dessert called oshiruko, already on his third helping. I’d grab some later too. Looked delicious.

"Hey, the mochi in oshiruko kinda looks like eyeballs when it’s round, right?"

"Bleeegh—?! Ugh, cut it out, Nue! Now I can’t unsee it!!"

"Ahaha! Sorry~♪ But imagine if we made it actually look like eyeballs? Bet it’d be a hit!"

"Like hell it would!! No way in—!!"

"Shut it, Queen. Crying over eyeballs? Pathetic."

"Screw you, King!! Bet you wouldn’t eat it either!!"

"Wanna test that? We could toss in Higurashi’s eyeballs."

"Mine?! N-no, they’re rotten—"

"Semimaru’s will do."

"...Barrier."

A sharp pluck of his biwa, and a black barrier enveloped Kurozumi Semimaru. As a Paramecia user of the Bari Bari no Mi, he could conjure impenetrable shields—literally invincible. Even Kaido and I had tested it; not a scratch. Might be the ultimate defensive power. Total cheat. Rumor had it his barriers operated on conceptual logic, making them immune to physical force. Worth experimenting with later.

As I mused, Smoothie—elegantly nibbling sashimi—dipped tuna into soy sauce and spoke up.

"More importantly, what’s next?"

"Kyokyokyo! Even after today’s lesson, resistance lingers! The Flower Capital still has its yakuza like 'Hyogoro the Flower,' and defiant samurai! The other regions are no better!"

"But those types cling to honor... With the Shogun’s proxy authority, they’ll hesitate to rebel outright. They loathe chaos and harm to civilians..."

"Quit dancing around it. Just say what needs doing."

Kaido gulped sake, cutting off Higurashi and Semimaru. Orochi, wearing a grin tinged with unease, stepped in.

"The real issue is after conscripting men for the weapon factories... The daimyo might rally their samurai against us! So we must teach every region the same lesson—show them our strength and terror!!"

"Should’ve led with that."

"Five regions beyond the capital: Kibi, Ringo, Hakumai, Udon, and Kuri. Ruled by the Amatsuki, Uzuki, Shimotsuki, Fūgetsu, and Kōzuki clans."

"Kyokyokyo! Well-informed, as expected."

"It’s my specialty~♡"

Stussy rattled off intel—probably gathered while handling ninja. Impressive as always. But Semimaru, strumming his biwa, clarified further.

"Among them, the strongest samurai in Wano serves the Shimotsuki of Hakumai... Thus, Kaido-sama should head there—"

"Worororo... Then we crush ’em next. Split the rest however. We’ll take crews and clean house."

"Ooh, me! I call Kuri!! That’s where Kozuki Oden ruled, right?!"

"Aye... He’s gone, but his retainers are tough. Gotta stamp them out fast..."

"Then it's settled—Kaido heads to Hakumai!"

With Semimaru’s suggestion accepted, the assignments fell into place. Each of us would lead forces to one of the five regions—and I immediately raised my hand for Kuri. Orochi nodded stiffly, fear flickering in his eyes. Heh. Perfect chance to meet Oden’s famed retainers. Sounds like the most fun.

"Kuri’s mine, then~♪"

"Go wild. Rest of you, pick wherever." Kaido waved a dismissive hand.

"Anywhere. These samurai’s limits are clear. Crushing rebels is all that matters." King’s voice was ice.

"Same. Guess I’ll take Udon. Got stuff to grab from the ships anyway." Queen shrugged.

"I’ll handle Kibi. Ringo’s too cold for my taste." Stussy smirked.

"Then King gets Ringo!!" I chimed in.

"...Fine."

"Gufufu! With this, we’ll tighten our grip!" Orochi clapped, though his grin wavered.

"Kyokyokyo! We’ll prepare a warm welcome for them!!"

"Next phase starts now."

Amidst the clinking of sake cups, our plans solidified.

—And I? I’d march on Kuri.

The mere thought of Oden’s loyalists twisting in despair?

Delicious.