Chapter 59: Calamity

——Wano Country.

Over two years had already passed since Kurozumi Orochi took the seat of the shogun as a proxy.

By now, for better or worse, both the daimyo and the people had begun to grow accustomed to Orochi’s rule. No matter how much they complained, the one sitting on the shogun’s throne was Orochi.

Neither the other daimyo nor the common folk had any right to oppose him, and even if they tried to resist by force, Orochi had the backing of the Beasts Pirates—Kaido and the Oniwabanshu, monsters whose infamy was so great that there wasn’t a soul in Wano who didn’t know of them.

Weighed down by the terror they inspired and the sacrifices that would come with defiance, the people found it harder and harder to choose rebellion.

The labor in the weapon factories was brutal, and the wages were pitiful—barely enough to scrape by. Many had grown poorer than they were before.

The only exception was the Flower Capital, where Orochi’s castle stood and which served as Wano’s lifeline. Considering his own comfort and that of his subordinate samurai, Orochi exempted the Flower Capital from forced labor, allowing it to remain as prosperous as ever—though even there, those who had grown poorer were gradually being pushed out.

Resistance was futile, so they didn’t resist. No matter how many atrocities Orochi, his officials, or the Beasts Pirates committed, the people could only endure. Rebellion against the shogun was a grave crime. If they could be certain of victory, it might have been worth it—but if not, they would only give their oppressors an excuse to retaliate.

Perhaps Orochi still had some use for the daimyo and samurai, or perhaps he simply enjoyed watching the people of Wano suffer in silence—whatever the reason, he allowed the would-be rebels who hadn’t yet caused trouble to remain, at least for now. Or maybe he was simply waiting for them to defy him so he could crush and execute them.

The other daimyo, samurai, and common folk couldn’t fathom Orochi’s motives. Was he just a tyrant? Or was he merely Kaido’s puppet? The people tormented by Orochi made all sorts of guesses, but in the end, it didn’t matter—they could only act to minimize their suffering and losses.

There was only one hope left—the return of the rightful heir, Kozuki Oden.

He was out at sea now, living as a pirate, and no one knew when he might return. He was a wild, strong man—but whether he was fit to rule was another matter entirely.

Still, the people held onto the hope that he would be better than Orochi. Anyone who had known Oden in the past, who had seen or heard of him and his loyal retainers back when he was still in Wano, believed this.

That said, there were still plenty who criticized him for abandoning his responsibilities as a daimyo and future shogun to go to sea. But even that sentiment was beginning to change in Kuri.

The reason was one woman.

"Toki, thank you as always~!"

"Oh, it’s nothing! We’ve got to help each other in times of need!"

"But weren’t you sick not too long ago? Are you sure you’re alright?"

"I’m fine! It was just fatigue from the long journey—I’ve recovered now! Besides, if I let something like this wear me down, Oden-sama would scold me!"

Dressed in a beautiful, high-quality floral-patterned kimono—though worn and repeatedly mended—a stunning woman worked alongside the townsfolk, sweating and smiling brightly as she helped with their tasks.

The sight had become familiar, but this woman was no ordinary beauty from the town. Quite the opposite.

She was Kozuki Toki—wife of Kozuki Oden, the future shogun of Wano and current daimyo of Kuri, who was now out at sea as a pirate.

A few months ago, Toki had returned to Kuri with two of Oden’s retainers who had accompanied him and the two children she had borne with him.

"And then Oden-sama just took off without even listening—"

"Hahaha!! Now that’s a problem!!"

Despite being the wife of a daimyo, she carried no airs of superiority. She was dignified but not haughty—if anything, she was approachable. Once she learned of the country’s state and the people’s hardships, she began helping with their work as soon as she recovered from her illness, all while cheerfully sharing stories of Oden’s adventures in between.

As they spent time with Toki—always so bright and working for their sake—the people of Kuri’s castle town gradually stopped speaking ill of Oden.

And the retainers who watched over her grew even more steadfast in their loyalty, certain that serving Oden had been the right choice. They redoubled their efforts for the country, the people, and their lord.

"Toki-sama, it’s about time…"

"Thank you, Nekomamushi. I’m sorry, but…"

"Ah, thank you again today, Toki!!"

But Toki was still the wife of a daimyo and, effectively, the most powerful figure in Kuri at the moment. She couldn’t spend all her time helping the townsfolk. Still, she did everything she could until she was called away or fetched by her attendants—even with two children to care for.

And so, the people’s faces brightened. Yes, this wasn’t despair. They weren’t the only ones suffering. Even so, there were still those who lived with all their might and wore smiles.

Though poor, they could survive if they worked hard. There were still joys to be found. And above all—there was hope. So, they decided to endure a little longer, helping one another as they waited for that day to come. The day of the rightful heir’s return.

"Nekomamushi. Where are the others?"

"Ashura and Denjiro came back today too. They’re all playin’ with Momonosuke-sama and Hiyori-sama."

"That’s good. Then let’s all have dinner together tonight!"

"Lookin’ forward to it!!"

Even in these trying times, Toki never lost her smile. Her son Momonosuke, her daughter Hiyori, the retainers who had returned with her—Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Kin’emon, who had stayed behind to watch over things—and the people of Kuri.

And most of all, whenever she thought of Oden, she held onto her firm resolve—that they would overcome these hardships. They were not Oden’s weakness. There were things they could do, things they could save.

"Toki-sama! Welcome back!"

"Inuarashi—oh, is Momonosuke playing with you?"

"Mother! Nekomamushi! It’s not hard at all!!"

When she returned to Oden Castle, Inuarashi—another mink samurai like Nekomamushi—was playing with Momonosuke on his back, likely pretending to be the lord of the castle. Still far too young to understand the country’s plight, Momonosuke’s face was free of any worry, filled only with innocent joy.

"Welcome back, Toki-sama!!"

"Kinshémon. Ah, Ashura and Fūjirō, welcome back. You’ve all been keeping Hiyori company, haven’t you? You must be exhausted from your long journeys—you really should rest."

"Not at all! If anything, this is a nice break for us!!"

"Yeah, if anything, this is our rest—don’t worry about us!!"

Fūjirō, who had been traveling across the country collecting and lending money, and Ashura, who had become the leader of Kuri’s bandits and yakuza to keep them in line, had also returned to the castle today to enjoy some time with everyone.

They had resolved to endure—to protect their current lives without openly defying Orochi. Just a little longer, and Oden would return. They believed that once he did, they could rally under his banner and overthrow both Orochi and Kaidou.

No matter what happened until then, they would hold on. Or so they thought—until the atrocity that finally occurred made them reach for their swords without hesitation.

——A man who refused to work at Kuri’s weapons factory, along with his entire family, had been executed.

By the time Toki, Kinshémon, and the others learned of it, Orochi’s officials had already taken the man’s family to the factory and carried out the execution. The news drained the color from their faces—or twisted them in rage, veins bulging on their foreheads.

Had it been just the execution of the man who refused to work, they might have endured. Of course, they would have been furious—they might have still drawn their blades eventually.

But to slaughter his wife and children—people who had nothing to do with the factory—was too much. Even their patience had limits.

The extermination of an entire family. Cutting them down like cattle—such cruelty was the act of demons. Everyone seethed with fury. After enduring countless atrocities until now, this was the final straw. Their restraint shattered, they stormed toward Orochi’s stronghold, driven by pure rage.

And Toki couldn’t stop them. Leaving Inuarashi and Kawamatsu behind to guard the castle as a precaution, they set off for the Flower Capital.

——But that reckless decision would only bring them more suffering.

Because from the very beginning… their every move had been laid bare before the enemy.

"——Eh~? No way, they actually attacked? Ahaha, they’ve got guts~♪"

"It’s true. Kyokyokyo…!! So send assassins to take advantage of the opening. I’m counting on you…!!"

"Got it~! Delivery order accepted~. Toodles…! Well then, guess I’ll send some nearby underlings over."

"Yes, ma’am!! I’ll contact them right away!!"

And so, after receiving the report via Den Den Mushi, I ordered the Beast Pirates’ crew stationed in Kuri to launch a half-hearted attack on the castle.

Orochi’s castle had Higurashi and Semimaru guarding it—no issues there. Those samurai wouldn’t be able to break through Semimaru’s barrier, and Kaidou was already heading to the castle. Killing Orochi was impossible. Thinking that, I floated up—only for one of my subordinates to call out.

"Lady Nue!! Where are you going!?"

"Just gonna go play in Kuri for a bit~. If anything comes up, let King or Queen handle it, ‘kay~♪"

"You’re going yourself…!? R-roger that! I’ll inform the two of them!"

Waving goodbye to my underlings, I set off from Onigashima toward Kuri. This was just a little diversion—some fun. Lately, there hadn’t been many rebellious types, and with the need to maintain control over Wano, plus Orochi’s restrictions, I couldn’t run wild as freely as before. So I had to let loose every now and then. Partly to vent my own frustration, but also because if I didn’t, the enemy might start getting ideas. Not that hope was a bad thing—it just made crushing them all the more satisfying.

The higher they climbed, the harder they’d fall. Right now, they wouldn’t fall completely—but a lesson still had to be taught. Defiance was amusing, but annoying, so they needed to learn their place with a little pain.

——A wicked grin spread across my face before I even realized it, and I headed for Oden Castle, trailing after my Kuri-bound underlings.

When I arrived, the crew members who spotted me froze in shock.

"Lady Nue!?"

"Why are you here…!?"

"Just killing time~♡ I’m tagging along, so follow my lead, ‘kay?"

"Uh—y-yes, ma’am! Of course…!!"

"Hehehe… Lady Nue showing up? Damn, those guys are so screwed."

"But Lady Nue!! You’re not gonna, like, wipe out Kuri, right!?"

"Hmm~? Well~…"

I tapped my chin, pretending to think it over. Nah, I wasn’t gonna destroy the place.

But still. From what I could see, the people in Kuri’s castle town were poor, yeah, but they still had some fight left in them. Just "poor" wasn’t enough—their suffering was still lukewarm. Weighing that against my own amusement, I grinned and answered.

"Oh, c’mon~ You really think I’d destroy it? This is just a little demonstration♡ So no going overboard, ‘kay~?"

"Understood!!"

"Ah, then the crew we sent to the castle—"

"Totally fine! I’m heading there now to have some fun myself. You guys stay put."

"Yes, ma’am!!"

With my subordinates’ eager replies, I took off toward the castle keep—just in time to spy on them: the dog, the fish, and the rest. Right as my crew burst in, arrows already flying—

"GYAHAHAHA!! DIE, SCUM~~~~!!"

"Gh—!? Tch…!!!"

"Lady Toki!!!"

"Lady Toki!!! An arrow—her leg…!!!"

"…!! I’m fine… Focus on the enemies…!!"

Ooooh!! That arrow’s perfectly lodged in her thigh—nice shot, boys!! No mercy at all!! GOOD!! The retainers’ pale faces, Toki’s pain-twisted yet defiant expression… Mmm, what a delicious scene. If I’d brought a camera, I’d have snapped a pic. Maybe next time.

And the kids’ shocked faces? Priceless. First time seeing real bloodlust, first time watching their mother get hurt. Back on Roger’s crew, those monsters would’ve shielded them from everything. Oden probably never even got scratched. Heh. Guess this is how kids grow up—one trauma at a time. Good for them.

"You rats…!!!"

"A disgrace…!!!"

"Guh—AAAGH!!?"

"Shit!! These guys are strong!!"

"Don’t falter!! There’s only two of ‘em!! Crush ‘em!!"

Next up: Inuarashi and Kawamatsu tearing through my grunts in a rage. Tch. I love the fury, but watching my underlings get wrecked—even the fodder—kills the vibe. Time to intervene. I slipped between the two, catching their blades mid-swing.

"Hellooooo~! Mind if I cut in~? ♡"

"You—!? Nue…!!"

"!! To think… this girl is really—"

"Not ‘girl’—GORGEOUS girl!! Get it right, or I’ll—murder you!!"

"!!!"

"Guh—Ugh…!!!"

"Inuarashi!! Kawamatsu!!"

A swing of my spear sent both crashing into the wall. Damn, they’re tough. Wanna join my crew? (Yeah, yeah, I know.) A mink and a fishman samurai? Even my knockout swings barely fazed them. Rare finds.

But someone’s killing the mood. Toki’s clutching her kids, fretting over her retainers. Sigh. Might as well introduce myself. Our acquaintance will be brief.

"Hiiii~! ♡ You must be Kozuki Toki!! I’m the prettiest, charmiest idol pirate in the New World—Beast Pirates’ Right Hand, Nue the Sealed Beast!! Nice to meet ya~!!"

"So you’re… that…!!"

"Hm? Ohhh, you’ve heard of me? …Well, duh! I am famous!! Plus, I knew Roger and the gang—course you’d know. ——But today’s a demonstration, so~? No holding back~!"

"…I won’t let you lay a finger on these children…!!"

"Lady Toki…! Run…!!"

"Indeed…!! We’ll hold her here—!!"

Oho? Inuarashi and Kawamatsu are already up. Impressive. Tch, wish my underlings had this grit. (Well, some do—but most are just cannon fodder. The guys behind me are still just cheering like idiots.)

"GYAHAHA!! You serious!? Think you can run from Lady Nue!?"

"Give it up!! You’re dead today!!"

"Better beg for a quick death now!! Lady Nue’s got zero mercy!!"

"……"

——And that made Toki grit her teeth… Ahhh, the crystal-clear villainy here. We’re this close to full tragedy. If I killed the mom now, I’d probably go down in history as some ultimate evil, huh? Fufufu. Tempting…

But nah.

"Hmm~? Who said anything about killing you guys? Y’all wild with assumptions."

"!!?"

"Wha… WHAT!? Seriously!?"

"You heard me say this was a warning, right? That's why we came to instill fear—so you don't underestimate us."

Exactly. I didn’t come here to kill these Kozuki people. At least, not right now.

When I said that, my subordinates were surprised, exchanging glances before nodding in understanding. But the women in front of me didn’t lower their guard, instead glaring at me intently. Ahh, so cute~♡ That kind of expression just makes me want to mess with them even more. I couldn’t help but break into a cheerful, beaming smile.

"...We can’t trust you!! Then what exactly are you planning to do as a 'warning'...!?"

"Oh, you’ll see soon enough. Look—right here is the perfect spot to watch~."

"Eh...?"

I pointed to the view from the castle tower—the sweeping panorama of Kuri’s town below. Toki, despite the pain from the arrow in her leg, kept her guard up to protect the children but still looked. Inuarashi and Kawamatsu did too. And so did my own subordinates.

Kuri’s town. Appearing in its skies—countless unidentified flying objects. UFOs.

"W-What the hell are those...!?"

"Not birds...!! What in the world...!?"

"My, my. Is this your first time seeing UFOs? Then you’re in for a treat. Enjoy my marvelous, enigmatic—horror show!!"

"Y-You can’t mean all of those are...!!"

As they recoiled in fear at the sight of the unknown, I made sure they witnessed the terror unfold. The townspeople below were already looking up, trembling at the incomprehensible, otherworldly dread descending upon them.

Sensing their fear, I gave the order.

Simultaneously. On my mark.

"The unknown... The UFO Armada of Despair has arrived...!!!"

"!!!"

In that instant—red, blue, green, rainbow-colored—the UFOs began their assault, raining destruction upon the town.

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

"Ngh!! Lord Momonosuke! Lady Hiyori! Don’t look!!"

"Aw, c’mon, no need to shield them! My show’s rated E for Everyone! All ages welcome~♪"

"You bastard...!!"

"This is madness...!!"

I made sure the spectacle was visible—that the screams carried.

What was happening in Kuri now was a full-scale aerial bombardment by unknown forces. Incomprehensible. Bizarre. An unfathomable power sowing chaos, spreading terror and death. A calamity capable of wiping out an entire island in an instant.

"What the hell is that!?"

"Run!! I dunno what’s happening, but we’re dead if we don’t move!!"

"M-My house is on fire...!!"

"The fields—there’s craters...!!"

"The well’s destroyed too!!"

"S-Somebody... help...!!"

"Grab your weapons! We gotta fight back—!"

"Idiot!! How the hell are we supposed to fight things floating in the damn sky!?"

"GYAAAAHH—!!"

"The town’s burning down...!!"

"W-What do we do...!? How...!?"

Screams are strange things. When they’re desperate, when they come in waves, you can feel them from miles away.

From the castle’s vantage point, it was nothing short of a masterpiece. The town burned, people suffered, screams multiplied. Their terror reached us here, crystal clear.

And of course, even those not directly harmed would be moved by this sight. Any decent person would be righteously furious.

"...Stop this... right now!! Do you even understand what you’re doing!?"

"Hmm~? Of course I do. So what? It’s just a town being wrecked. Not even that many people are dying."

"Eh...!?"

She tried to chastise me, but I gestured toward the town below, observing with Kenbunshoku to make my point. If they looked closely, they’d see it too—the lack of corpses.

Like I’ve said repeatedly—this is a warning. I didn’t come to slaughter everyone or raze everything to the ground. But since they’re not getting it, I’ll spell it out again.

"Killing off valuable workers would be pointless, no? So right now, I’m just destroying the town. Sure, some will get hurt, some might die—but I’m not wiping Kuri off the map."

"...Then why...!? Why do this...!!"

Ah~ You got scared just now, didn’t you? I can tell. I’m sensitive to fear. Timing-wise, did you feel threatened by the fact that I could’ve wiped out Kuri if I wanted to? But getting scared over something like that is kinda lame. Doesn’t matter how many ordinary humans there are or how big the country is—if the people there are weaklings, destroying it isn’t that hard. Roger or Oden could’ve done it too. Hell, even I could pull that off. Or did you think I couldn’t? If so, that’s just rude~ But enough analysis—I’ll explain it properly for you.

"Hmm~? I told you it’s a warning. I mean, c’mon, you guys dared to defy General Orochi. Plus, on my way here, I saw how happy and carefree the people in this town were. So I figured, even if I wrecked the place, they’d barely manage to scrape by, right? ♪"

"...!! That’s—!"

"Not true? Oh, please~ As long as people can still laugh, they don’t care how poor they are, right? They’ve still got the luxury to smile, after all~ And because they have that luxury, they get ideas—like rebellion. Sooo… if I make them too terrified to even laugh, they’ll have to obey, won’t they? ♡"

"Gh...!!"

Ohhh, what a great face! Clenching your teeth like that~ I wonder, if I torment you a little more, will you cry? Ehh~? What should I do? I really wanna see Toki-chan’s crying face~... But bullying you any more would be too mean… buuut I wanna see it, so I’ll just have to torment you anyway~ ♪

"Honestly, if your husband had just stayed in Wano like he was supposed to, none of this would’ve happened. You ever think about that? Look around~ People are dying, y’know~? And more will keep dying! Will they starve because they can’t survive? Or maybe get sick from the filth? Ohhh, imagining it is just delightful~ ♡"

"......"

"Shut your damn mouth, you monster...!! If it weren’t for you and Orochi...!!"

Oho~! Interception from the side! The Inuarashi player steps in to counter my verbal assault. Nice! Alright, then—let the war of words begin!!

"Mmm~? Not my fault. I just did what I wanted. The fact that you couldn’t stop me? That’s on you for being weak. So really, everyone suffering or dying right now? That’s their own damn fault~"

"Guh...! You—!!"

"A calamity is a calamity... not a person...!!"

"Ah, just so you know, I’m not crazy. Totally sane. Cute, even~ Any normal person would get it, right? Blaming others for your own misery is so pointless~ You guys were pirates out at sea—how do you not know this? Did Roger never teach you~? If you wanna be free on these seas, you gotta have the strength to back it up!!"

As I speak, I keep destroying everything. Shoving my version of the truth in their faces, forcing them to watch as everything they should’ve protected gets obliterated—carving the humiliation of the weak and the terror of us into their souls.

"But then again~~~ That’s just my take. By society’s standards, if a nation’s people suffer and die, it’s the fault of the rulers who failed them. So really, it’s Oden—who abandoned his duty—and you pathetic morons, his so-called retainers, who are to blame~ Ahahahaha!!"

"Gh...!!"

"Ohhh, are you crying? Ahaha, that mad? Good—that’s the face I wanted to see~!! Honestly, who’s right or wrong doesn’t even matter. As long as I’m having fun, that’s all that counts. Forcing your beliefs on others is just tacky, y’know~?!"

"Shut your mouth, you fiend...!!"

"Aww, scary scary~ Such a fierce little doggy, aren’t you~~~? Stare all you want, but you can’t kill me~ It’s your fault for being weak~ Ahaha!! Seriously, though. If you’re weak, either know your place or use your damn head. Don’t you get that acting out when you’re powerless just gets you hurt~? Oh, but hey—if you join the Beasts Pirates, I’ll stop. So... what’ll it be?"

"Tch... Don’t screw with us...!!"

"Like hell we’d ever side with you...!!"

"Heehee~ Well then, let’s enjoy the show together!! Don’t worry~~~ I won’t lay a single finger on you guys, and I promise I won’t hurt you at all!! I’ll even let those samurai who went to the castle return safely. They’re all such strong, promising fighters, after all! So the only ones who’ll suffer are the people you failed to protect~ ♡ Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show with some tea and sweets!! Oh, we can even chat if you want!! Wanna swap stories about Roger? Who knows, maybe we’ll even become friends~ I’d love to get along with you~ ♪"

I ordered my subordinates to actually bring tea and snacks while I carried out the spectacle. The dog and the kappa tried to stop me a few times, but after knocking them down enough, they had to stay put. As I worked, I kept talking to them—I do genuinely want to be friends, after all. Well, given our positions and the whole "making an example" thing, it’s probably impossible… buuut if I really wanted to, I could always change my appearance and get close to them later. For now, though, let’s just savor this humiliation and terror to the fullest~

Alright then, how about we start with a little high-altitude drop? And after that, maybe a dismemberment special!!

"Heeey, everyone~ Do your best, do your best~ ♡ Cry and scream all you want—it won’t stop me~♪ Really feel your weakness and just endure it!! C’mon, you can do it, I know you can!! Aww, you’re so pathetic~ ♡ So weak! Must be so frustrating to rely on your enemy’s mercy~! Ahahahaha!!"

──And so, an hour later. After thoroughly redecorating Kuri’s capital, I kept my word—I didn’t lay a hand on Toki or her kids, and my crew and I withdrew peacefully to Onigashima. Oh, and I even healed the near-dead and fixed up Toki-chan’s leg for her~ With a special little spell that made the wound vanish~ ♡ Thanks to that mysterious kindness, I bet they’re all calling me some kind of freakish monster or yokai now~ Perfect!!

──Some days later, on Onigashima.

"Worororo!! The hell was that, ya overdid it!!"

"Ehh~? But they’re still barely scraping by, and I didn’t kill anyone—sounds like the perfect warning to me~ I even gave them a fun little show! ...Though, I did wipe the smiles off their faces!!"

"Wahaha!! Now that’s entertainin’!! Guess we’ll just have to laugh enough for ‘em!!"

"Hmph… A fitting lesson for those insolent samurai."

"My, how cruel~ Laughing at them like that is just mean."

And so, between stories of the rebellion and our little demonstration, laughter and cheers filled our banquet hall without end.