Chapter 68: The Beasts Pirates vs. The Eleven Samurai

The weather that day should have been flawlessly clear—not a cloud in sight.

And surely, the same could be said of their hearts.

Their chosen strategy to defeat their formidable enemy was a surprise attack. Via arrow-bound missives, they’d informed their allies—including the daimyo of the Shimotsuki clan—to guard the castle during the battle, with a plea to rely on them if the worst came to pass.

Yet en route, they realized something.

To reach the uninhabited island, they first had to pass through Udon—and there, they saw it. A sky choked with storm clouds.

Dark omens loomed over their path. Unease prickled at them as they climbed the hill deep within Udon’s forest—and then, they saw it.

"…………!!"

All ten of them—every last samurai—froze in shock.

Beyond the hill, there was no town. Only an endless expanse of forest.

By all logic, the place should have been deserted.

"This wasn’t part of the plan…!!"

At the head of the ten samurai, Kozuki Oden’s face twisted with disbelief.

Because below them—stretching as far as the eye could see—was a sea of people.

Not just any people.

Their enemies—the soldiers of the Beasts Pirates.

Weapons in hand, the pirates leered up at Oden’s group with vicious, mocking grins. Their raid had been exposed. This was an ambush.

But Oden swallowed his shock and steeled himself. The enemy was overwhelming. He’d never expected this to be easy.

Shrugging off his haori, he locked eyes with his target—a massive blue dragon coiled around a boulder: Kaido.

Beside him sat a girl perched on a crimson flying disk. The samurai discarded their straw hats. Hiding was pointless now.

"—Too damn thorough, ain’t ya!? How’d you know!? We were coming to chop off your drunk, napping head on that deserted island!! We weren’t ready for a full-scale war!!"

"Maybe there’s a spy in your castle. Worororo… Didn’t wanna wreck my brand-new palace, so I came to you instead…!!"

"Ahahaha!! Welcomeee~! Step right up to the battlefield~♪"

"Tch… So it was all a lie!! Kaido!!!"

Oh… He really, truly believed it—

Hearing Oden’s outburst, I couldn’t help but think that. Honestly, I’d assumed he had some backup plan—some contingency for deceit. But apparently not.

Well, that’s Oden for you.

That kind of recklessness might seem grand—but it only shines when backed by power. And as Kaido’s next words rolled out, that truth rang clearer than ever.

"Yeah… Wororo, it was all a lie. Back then, the odds were against us—if you’d returned and teamed up with Hyogoro… every last samurai and yakuza in Wano would’ve turned on us. With our forces thin, it would’ve been a brutal fight…"

True. We’d have struggled. Even if we’d won, the cost would’ve been steep. I never thought we’d lose, but Oden wasn’t an enemy we could crush without losses.

If we’d fought that day—personal feelings aside—the aftermath might’ve been disastrous. Especially for those of us who loathe wasting subordinates.

"But back then, if you’d been the unshakable madman they said you were—if you hadn’t balked at sacrifice—Worororo!!!"

Yet that wasn’t what happened.

As Kaido said, things unfolded in our favor—all thanks to one man.

Oden.

"—But you chose the path where no one got hurt…!!"

Exactly.

Because of his decision—because he chose naivety, just like those two he’d once befriended. Kaido’s words seemed to dredge up the past.

For us, they were enemies we couldn’t defeat. Foes we still haven’t beaten. One of them was even a former ally—a man who shared our era.

So yeah, I’ve got thoughts.

"Newgate and Roger were that kind of pirate. Strong as hell, but soft in the end…!!!"

"…………"

Oden and the samurai listened in silence. What went through the minds of those who knew Whitebeard and Roger? Who could say?

But let me be clear: That choice wasn’t wrong in itself—it’s just that power dictates its worth.

The same “soft” choice made Roger the Pirate King and Whitebeard the Strongest Pirate in the World—while Oden’s just the “Idiot Lord.”

The first two were overwhelmingly strong. Whitebeard, especially, understood his role as a captain and acted accordingly.

Oden’s closer to Roger—but he’s not as strong. Had he possessed the power to crush foes like us effortlessly, that choice would’ve made him a hero.

But he didn’t.

So he gets called a fool—by me, by Kaido—because he is one.

"You’re just like them!! Kept dancing like a clown!! Stripped bare, laughed at, scorned!! Wororororo!! You’ve got no dignity left—no right to the name Kozuki!!"

"Such an idiot~♡ Worst possible pick. Hope you’re ready to be a joke for generations~! Ahahaha!!"

"That day… I’d make the same choice again. Now—let’s talk about the future."

Unshaken by our jeers, Oden drew his blades and answered.

Well, he’s right—what’s done is done.

That refusal to wallow in regret and his focus on the next challenge? Very Roger-like. Very legendary. Heh… but whatever. Whether he’ll be remembered as a peerless hero or the "Idiot Lord" hinges on what happens next.

Kaido smirked down at Oden and the samurai, silent but unmistakably approving—if only of their choice to fight.

Because we’d been dying to crush them.

"Worororo!! In a hurry to die, are ya!? Then I’ll oblige!! —Move out, you bastards!!!"

"RROOOOAAAARRR!!!"

"…Let’s go. I trust your backs."

"…YES, MY LORD!!"

And so—the Beasts Pirates vs. the Kozuki Clan. A battle of 1,000 against 10. A war for Wano’s soul had begun.

Glinting in the pirates’ grips were swords, axes, spears, and rifles—all forged in Wano, all lethal.

Facing these odds with just ten men was madness. The pirates’ morale soared; they knew numbers ruled war.

Yet the samurai didn’t flinch. Oden charged ahead, his twin blades—Ame no Habakiri and Enma—wreathed in Ryou. A single swing—

"!!!"

"Ghk—!?"

—sent dozens flying. A mere flick of his sleeves. His eyes never left the dragon coiled in the sky. The enemies between them? Pebbles.

The sole exception perched beside Kaido, but Oden trusted his men. However brutal the fight, they’d endure.

Answering that silent faith, the nine samurai surged into the breach Oden had torn.

"AFTER ODEN-SAMA!!!"

"GYAAAA—!?"

Though not his equal, each was a warrior worth a thousand. Their Ryou-infused blades carved through the horde without hesitation.

"Hold up—! These ‘samurai’…!? Since when are they this strong!?"

"Stand your ground!! We’ve got the numbers!!"

For pirates facing samurai head-on for the first time, their strength was a shock. Some faltered.

But the pirates had numbers. And Kaido—the "invincible" Kaido. The three Calamities.

They were the Beasts Pirates, feared across the seas. That pride, that numerical advantage, kept their morale unbroken.

"!!"

"Heh…"

A sniper took aim at Oden’s skull. Even legends could fall to a bullet—or so he thought. Oden sensed the threat, tightening his grip—

"Wha—!?"

"Who’s there!?"

"Forgive my presumption! Allow me to assist!"

—but before either could act, a kunai struck the sniper down. A kunoichi dropped from the trees. A stranger to Oden, yet her intent was clear.

"You may not recall, but in Lord Sukiyaki’s day—"

"!? Shinobu!?"

"!! Y-Yes! It’s me!!"

Stunned he remembered, Shinobu briefly forgot the battle, grinning at Oden. She hurriedly explained:

"I kept faith that the Kozuki would rise again… but the Oniwabanshu—Fukurokuju—! He’s betrayed us for Orochi!! I dreamed of serving you, my lord… I couldn’t stay!!"

"I’d never blame those who lost faith in a fool!!"

"…………!!"

As Oden kicked through enemies, Shinobu bit her lip. She knew the truth—and that left her speechless, torn between fury and grief. All she could do was fight beside him.

"This path’s paved with thorns, Shinobu!!"

"—I’ll walk it with you!!!"

Raizou, her old rival in the Oniwabanshu, tested her resolve. Her answer was instant.

And so, the rebels numbered eleven:

Kin’emon, Denjiro, Kikunojo, Raizou, Kanjuro, Ashura Doji, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Kawamatsu, Shinobu… and Kozuki Oden.

Against a thousand pirates, Wano’s mightiest warriors stood unshaken. Their strength surpassed all expectations.

—Yet the samurai, too, were in the dark.

They had no idea of the true terror wielded by the New World’s most infamous crew.

"Tch… The deeper we push, the stronger each foe gets…!!"

“They’re trying to wear us down…! So they’ve been putting nothing but cannon fodder on the front lines!!”

Kin’emon responded to Denjiro’s shout as the two cut through waves of enemies. The enemy resistance was growing fiercer, their advance gradually slowing.

And Kin’emon was right. The Beasts Pirates had placed their newer or weaker recruits at the front—as if their defeat had already been accounted for. As if it didn’t matter how many fell.

Which meant the farther they pressed in, the stronger the enemies became. Yet rather than fear the strength of the samurai, these foes grew more aggressive. Even when cut down, if the wound was shallow, they’d rise again to fight. It was like facing an unending horde of zombies.

“But it’s not enough to stop us!!”

“We’re pushing through, no matter what!!”

“I’ll clear a path too!!”

Yet even with that tenacity, it wasn’t enough to overwhelm or halt the samurai.

Raizo, Nekomamushi, and Shinobu each tore down the dogged resistance in front of them and pressed onward.

But that was as far as they got—beyond that point, the tide turned, and they were forced to fall back.

The first to encounter the change was Shinobu, the nimblest among them, who had been moving above the battlefield from tree to tree.

“—!! A red mist!?”

Just as she leapt to the next branch, a crimson fog suddenly rose up to block her path.

“—Yes. From here on out, this is my domain♡”

“Gh—augh…!!?”

“Lady Shinobu!?”

She froze as a voice whispered from directly behind her—and the next moment, she was slammed to the ground with brutal force. Kikunojo saw it and rushed to her aid, sword in hand, instincts screaming caution at the figure who had just appeared before them.

And then, just moments later, as Nekomamushi charged forward, swatting enemies aside, a massive, round shadow appeared before him—moving with a speed wholly unbefitting its size.

“—EXCIIIIIITE!!”

“Wha—!? MEOOOOW!!?”

“!? Neko!! Are you all right!?”

“What the hell is that miasma!?”

A weapon like a giant club crashed into Nekomamushi’s face, sending his huge body flying into a tree. Denjiro shouted and stopped in his tracks, sword raised. So did Kanjuro. Nekomamushi clutched the place where he was struck, clearly in pain—was it poison? Something else? Neither he nor Denjiro could tell.

Then, moments later—one corner of the forest erupted into flames, and a scream rang out.

“GRAAAHHH!!”

“Feh!! How are you struggling with opponents of this caliber…!?”

“RAIZO!!!”

The scream came from Raizo, who now had a fresh slash running from his forehead down his face—his skin scorched from a burn. Before him stood a massive man, sword in hand, black wings spreading from his back and flames licking his weapon.

“Be careful!! These guys are monsters!!”

Denjiro shouted as he took in the scene. These were no ordinary enemies—this had to be their main force.

And he was right. Two towering men and a single woman. The moment they appeared, the morale of the pirates around them surged.

Beasts Pirates All-Star “Calamity Joker” – Bounty: 600 million berries

“Sorry, but the road ends here♡”

Beasts Pirates All-Star “Plague Queen” – Bounty: 820 million berries

“Muhaha!! You bastards’ve taken out way too many!! Time to croak, samurai scum!!”

Beasts Pirates All-Star “Wildfire King” – Bounty: 1.03 billion berries

“You dared to defy us… You won’t die easy. Prepare yourselves…!!”

The top three commanders of the Beasts Pirates. With the completion of their ship, these three had officially taken the title of “All-Stars”—a trio so inhumanly powerful and terrifying, they were known as the “Calamities.”

“WOOOAAAHH!! The All-Stars have joined the battle!!!”

“Lady Joker~~~♡”

“YEEAAAAH!! Q-U-E-E-N!!”

“LORD KING!!!”

The pirates roared in triumph, weapons raised as they began surrounding the samurai. The few samurai who had stopped their charge were now forced to fight back while encircled by powerful enemies they weren’t sure they could even defeat.

And that wasn’t all. Two more figures, up ahead in Oden’s path, began to move.

“Aahahahaha!! —Now then, Oden, samurai! Let’s see if you can withstand the terror of my aerial bullet barrage!!”

“!! Heads up!! They’re coming!!”

Oden raised his voice for all his retainers to hear—he could sense the voice and power of the girl floating in the air above.

“‘Red.’ ‘Blue.’ ‘Green.’ ‘Rainbow’... and ‘Black’...!!”

Nue crossed her arms, and more and more UFO-like craft began to orbit her—one after another.

—Red for rage.

—Blue for sorrow.

—Green for justice.

—Rainbow for fear.

And—Black for murderous intent.

The flying constructs multiplied until their number defied counting, blotting out the sky above.

Incomprehensible. Unidentifiable. This was Nue’s power—a spectacle meant to invoke terror and despair.

“Unknown Form… The Invasion of the UFOs of Despair!!!”

“!!!”

With Nue’s declaration, it began—no more play. A true barrage rained down from the sky.

The UFOs formed ranks or broke into erratic patterns as they closed in on the samurai, unleashing flames, lasers, serpents—every kind of projectile imaginable to target them.

“Tch… UFOs, huh…? Doesn’t matter!!”

“!! Ahaha! Not bad! But I’m not going down that easy!”

Multiple UFOs launched their attacks in unison. But Oden evaded them, knocking several out of the air with flying slashes. Then, springing upward, he used the downed UFOs as stepping stones, drawing closer to Nue and Kaido.

But Nue had never expected to bring down Oden with UFOs alone. She wasn’t surprised. Without hesitation, she unleashed her next technique—conjuring ghostly, flickering orbs of fire around her.

“‘Unknown’... ‘Ghostlights of Untraceable Trajectories’!!!”

“Gh—Hot!! Dammit!!”

“Yup! Grazed you~♪ That’s a point for me! And now—UFOs, concentrate fire! ‘Unidentified—’”

“!!? Crap!!”

Even Oden couldn’t avoid everything. The chaotic fireballs struck him, knocking him from the air. He plummeted toward the ground. But as he fell, he felt the overwhelming energy converge on him—dozens of UFOs locking on. He kicked hard, trying to redirect himself in midair.

And just as his feet touched down—

“‘Fire-Sky Armament: Foo Fighters’!!!”

“!!!”

The UFOs above him spun into a tight, high-speed formation, and from their center, a massive beam of light shot down like a divine strike.

With a deafening roar, the beam carved a crater nearly twenty meters wide where Oden had stood—a mark of pure destruction. The shockwave didn’t just slam into the samurai, it rocked Nue’s own ground forces as well, the blast pressure tearing at the air itself.

“Woooahhh!!? Lady Nue’s attack!!”

“Is he dead!? Did Oden bite it!?”

“…Nope—he dodged. Not bad♡”

Nue corrected them with a sweet, casual tone, almost as if scolding them for underestimating him. Her subordinates were convinced the blast had landed, and that survival was impossible—but Nue's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) was still tracking Oden.

“‘Gun-Gan: Faux Demon Replica’!!!”

“!!”

From the rising cloud of dust, Oden burst forth—using it as cover, he once again vaulted off a UFO, this time driving straight toward Nue. He swung both blades, and Nue caught the strike with a spear infused with Haki.

“Get down here and fight!!”

“Gh…!!”

But Oden didn’t let up. He clashed his Ryuo (Flowing Haki) against hers, and without even making direct contact, he blasted her down to the ground with sheer force.

Caught off-guard by the overhead assault, Nue hit the ground, her landing rough enough to rattle her. She’d taken minor damage. But rather than anger, a smile of pure delight crossed her face as she raised her spear and gazed up at the airborne Oden.

“Ooh, that’s the stuff! Nice, nice!! First time I’ve taken a hit from anyone besides Kaido in ages!”

“Tch… I wanted to take you down early… You’re way tougher than you look…!!”

“Ahaha! Cute and strong—best combo, right? But hey—if you’re only looking at me…”

“!!?”

No sooner had Nue finished speaking than another attack came hurtling down toward Oden from above.

But this time, it wasn’t from the UFOs. It was a massive, searing heat beam, unleashed to incinerate him—

“Heat Breath: Boro Breath!!!”

“!!!”

“Oden-sama!!”

A massive dragon soared through the sky—Kaido, breathing down a devastating blast. Seeing it, Kin’emon cried out in alarm.

But the ground below told a different story. The destruction was split in two—scorch marks cleaved to either side. And right between them stood Oden, still alive, though burned.

He had cut the beam in half.

Even the pirates gasped in disbelief at that monster of a man, while Nue simply laughed. Kaido, however, glanced over at her and barked:

“Hey, Nue! Stay out of this!! He’s my prey!!”

“Ehhh~? What, I can’t even sneak a little bite?”

“Go kill some of the other samurai!!”

“Ohh, fine, fiiine—how cold~ Well, whatever. Guess I’ll go entertain a few of your warriors then~♡”

“Tch… You lot, be careful! I’m counting on you!!”

“Hah!!”

Kaido glared down at Oden, who stared right back up. Neither could afford to take their eyes off the other. Oden had no room to worry about Nue.

He could only leave her to his retainers. And while he trusted them, his warning wasn’t without reason—he’d seen Nue’s strength firsthand and knew exactly how dangerous she was.

“…Heh heh heh. Do you four really get it? You can’t beat me. Which means… going up against me means you’re about to see hell itself.”

And she was right—Oden’s retainers didn’t stand a chance against Nue. That much was clear to all involved: Oden, Nue, and the samurai alike.

Maybe, maybe, ten of them could stall her. But Shinobu and Kikunojo were up against Joker-level enemies. Denjiro and Kanjuro were dealing with Queens. Ashura Doji and Raizo were locked in battle with the Kings—no reinforcements were coming.

Which left only four standing before Nue: Kin’emon, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Kawamatsu. And even all four together knew the truth—they couldn’t win.

Just as even ten of them couldn’t hope to beat Oden or Kaido, they now faced a woman of equal power. Nue wasn’t like the other top officers—her tier was beyond them. She was in a league of her own. For these four, this would be their greatest and most hopeless fight.

And with a devil’s grin, Nue leaned in—asking, almost playfully, if they were truly ready to see hell.

But one by one, and then all together, the samurai shouted their answer:

“Don’t underestimate us!! Our resolve was forged long ago!!”

“Indeed! As retainers of Lord Oden, we are prepared to walk by his side until the very end!!”

“Our loyalty runs as deep as our trust—there’s nothing left to fear!!”

“No matter if it’s hell itself, we’ll stand and fight!!”

“—We welcome it!!!”

All four samurai drew their swords, their eyes unwavering, fixed on Nue with unshakable resolve. Even those not facing her shared the same fierce determination as they stood off against their own foes.

And seeing that, Nue laughed—at first playfully, then like a devil thrilled by the thrill of the hunt.

“Ahahaha! Ohhh, I like this. That kind of spirit… is fun to break~”

She twirled her spear, planted its butt into the earth, and her glowing red eyes glittered with glee.

“A fish, a cat, a dog, and a human… Fufufu♡ What a treat. I’ll go all out just for you!”

And then, her Haki surged—no more holding back. The UFOs overhead locked onto the four as their new targets. Raising her left hand as if commanding them, Nue gave her final warning—and invitation.

“Humans who let loyalty blind them to the terror of monsters… Die, trembling beneath the hail of unidentified flying object danmaku!!!”