Chapter 69: The Strongest Creature

Against a thousand pirates, the samurai numbered only eleven.

Naturally, the pirates assumed this battle would be a swift and easy victory.

But the samurais' strength far exceeded the pirates' expectations, turning the fight into an unexpectedly prolonged struggle.

Yet the samurai, too, had miscalculated.

Though their foes were a thousand pirates, they had entered the battle believing they would—could—win without fail.

Now, they were forced to confront their own naivety.

They had anticipated a harsh fight, yes—but never had they imagined their enemies would be this strong.

The pirates' overwhelming power, surpassing all expectations, steadily cornered the samurai.

"Hah… Hah…!!"

"Tch…!!"

"Oh my, already out of breath? Samurai and ninja alike—you really need better training."

"…! Don’t you dare underestimate samurai—the warriors of this land!!"

"We can still fight…!!"

In a corner of the forest, Shinobu and Kikunojō clashed fiercely against their opponent: one of the Beast Pirates' top executives, "Calamity Joker."

But since the battle began, the samurai and ninja had started gasping for air, their bodies littered with painful wounds. Though none were fatal, the fight was taking its toll.

Shinobu and Kikunojō, provoked by Joker’s taunts, hurled kunai and swung their blades, leveraging their two-on-one advantage. The surrounding small fry no longer mattered—such was the samurais' strength.

Yet Joker was no ordinary foe. A veteran pirate with a bounty exceeding 500 million in the outside seas, her power was anything but mediocre. With terrifying force, she pressed the two. Her leg flashed—

"—Tempest Kick…Crimson Lotus!!"

"Tch…! Another blade of wind from her kicks…!?"

"Damn it, more sorcery…!!"

A crimson slash tore through the air. Kikunojō and Shinobu blocked with their swords, but the sheer force sent them skidding back. Joker pursued midair.

"Calling everything you don’t understand ‘sorcery’… How amateurish for intelligence officers."

"! Lady Shinobu—behind you!!"

"…!!"

"—Vampire’s Hook Claw!!!"

"Gh—Ah…!?"

Kikunojō’s warning came too late. Joker’s claw-like hand tore into Shinobu’s back, sending her crashing to the ground. Kikunojō stepped forward, sword raised protectively.

"Are you alright!?"

"Ngh… I’m fine… I can still… fight…!!"

"Fufufu, can you really? I’ve barely used half of my ‘vampire’ power, yet you’re already on death’s door~♡"

"Hah… Vampire…?"

"Some kind of demon…!?"

The two, natives of Wano with no knowledge of the outside world, had no concept of vampires. Joker smirked at their ignorance.

"If you’re curious, look it up yourselves—Flying Finger Gun…Hornet Sting."

"Guh!!?"

"!!? What the— Some kind of hidden weapon…!?"

The moment Joker pointed, Kikunojō’s shoulder was pierced by an invisible force. The attack continued past him, obliterating trees and even a distant building.

Shinobu tensed at yet another inexplicable technique, but before she could strike, Joker moved—faster than the ninja.

"Hidden weapons? Please. My whole body is the weapon. Think of that as a sniper’s shot."

"!!? Behind—!"

Shinobu hurled a kunai coated in Ryuo at Joker, who had vanished and reappeared behind her—but it never connected.

"The intel about samurai being ‘too strong to challenge’ seems outdated."

"Underestimate us, and you’ll regret it…!!"

Kikunojō unleashed a flurry of slashes, but Joker dodged effortlessly before catching his Ryuo-wrapped blade—with her claws.

"!!?"

"You’re outmatched in speed and power. At best, you’re just ‘superhumans.’ And superhumans—mere humans—can’t defeat an empire.—Finger Gun…Scarlet Pin!!!"

"Tch, dodge it!!"

Instinct screamed at Shinobu to evade rather than block—a split-second decision that saved her.

"That boulder…!!"

"Even with Ryuo, this is too much…! Hah…!"

The massive rock shattered into dust from Joker’s finger strike. As Kikunojō said, even infused with Haki, the attack’s power was monstrous.

"That would’ve killed you~♡ Fufu, do you finally grasp the gap between us?"

"Hah… Hah… So what…!? You’re still human!! That means the fight’s not over!!"

"Using that much Ryuo must drain you…! If we drag this out, we still have a chance!!"

Though battered, Shinobu and Kikunojō refused to yield.

But banking on Haki exhaustion was a mistake—Joker’s strength wasn’t limited to it.

Her body, honed to superhuman mastery, augmented further by Haki, had transcended into monstrosity.

And now, empowered by her vampiric might, she had surpassed even that.

No—she was no longer human.

She was—

"Fufu, where do you see any ‘humans’ here?"

"What!? Are you saying you’ve abandoned humanity!?"

"Oh, you do understand—"

"!! Damn it—she’s coming!!"

Joker vanished into crimson mist midair—then struck in an instant.

"—Bad Lady Scramble!!!"

"!!!?"

Faster than her earlier movement, stronger than the boulder-shattering blow, the attack smashed into Kikunojō’s ribs.

Had his Ryuo defense barely held? Even so, the force split the earth and sent him flying.

"Sorry, but I’ve left humanity behind. What stands before you now is—"

"…!!"

A Calamity.

No longer bound by human limits, Joker smirked as Shinobu paled. Even if Kikunojō survived, he couldn’t fight anymore.

She was alone against this monster.

"Fufufu… Shall we continue our fun?"

"Tch…! Of course…!! I will defeat you—even if I die trying, I’ll drag you down with me…!!"

"Such recklessness is almost refreshing. But as long as it amuses me~"

With a grin, Joker unleashed more of her vampiric power. Crimson wings unfurled against the blood-red crescent moon peeking through the clouds, her fangs glinting as she sneered.

"—This night’s just getting started."

---

"Kikunojō!!?"

“Idiot, Kanjūrō!! Don’t take your eyes off him!!”

“Muhahahaha!! That’s right!! No room to worry about your friends now, is there!?”

“Kh—!!!”

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Kanjūrō and Denjirō were locked in combat. Facing them stood one of the All-Stars—Queen the Plague.

When Kanjūrō turned his head toward Kikunojo, who’d just been sent flying, Denjirō snapped at him. And in that instant of distraction, Queen seized the opening and slammed his club down on Denjirō.

The blow was so heavy it left a crater in the ground. Denjirō barely managed to block it, but his arms groaned under the strain, his face twisting in pain. On top of that, his body still burned from the earlier attack—it felt like his flesh was melting away. Breathing was a struggle. His lungs and throat throbbed with pain.

“Haa… haa…!!”

“Muhaha, how’s that? Hurts, doesn’t it!? This one’s a real masterpiece—‘Zombie’! A disease that eats you alive from the inside out!! Got the idea from that idiot who attacked the other day!! And this baby’s loaded with it!!”

“Denjirō!! Forgive me!! You took that blow for me…!!”

“Kh… this much… is nothing…!! More importantly—we’ve gotta take him down…!!”

Queen, clearly pleased with his own creation, grinned as Denjirō writhed in pain. He and his subordinates laughed together, while Kanjūrō clenched his teeth in shame at his own failure.

But Denjirō wasn’t about to let that show. He dismissed the injury and called Kanjūrō to action. After all, even he couldn’t deny being worried about Kikunojo. He’d allowed himself a moment of distraction as well—and now they were paying for it.

Still, the fight wasn’t over. With determination, he gripped his sword tightly and glared at Queen. Queen sneered back.

“Sure~~~ that guy won’t die just yet~~~♪ But you really think you lot are getting out of this alive? Don’t make me laugh!! You samurai are so stupid, it actually makes my job easier!!”

“Gyaaha! Couldn’t’ve said it better, Queen-sama!!”

“Too many idiots to count!! This country’s crawling with morons!!”

“Is this place only populated by dumbasses and blockheads!? Gyaahahaha!!”

“Shut your damn mouths…!!”

Denjirō lashed out with a furious swing of his sword. That anger became fuel for his Ryūō, and the blade’s cutting edge was sharp enough to slice through a wave of lesser enemies in an instant.

But that was just against small fry. It wasn’t enough to bring down this “calamity.”

“Kh…! Damn it, I can’t break through…!!”

“Muhaha!! And weak, too!! Just two samurai… just eleven of you losers think you can beat us!? Know your damn place!!”

“Ghh…!!?”

Queen easily deflected Denjirō’s attack, then swatted aside Kanjūrō’s follow-up strike with a mere flick of his arm. They hadn’t expected him to be this powerful. His massive, rotund frame was deceptive—beneath the bulk was nothing but pure muscle. He was fast, powerful, and unbelievably heavy.

He was like a mountain. No matter how many attacks they threw at him, he wouldn’t budge. Even their most forceful blows bounced right off.

And if that wasn’t enough, he also had his bizarre inventions and weaponized plagues to keep them off-balance.

Yet Denjirō and Kanjūrō refused to give in. Even when told to “know their place,” they kept fighting.

“Haa… haa… Trust me, we do know our place…!!”

“That’s right…!! We’ve never been fit to be true samurai…!!”

“Yeah… we’re nothing but thugs, street rats, common crooks… That’s who we really are…”

“Muhahaha!! Now this is rich!! So you know you’re trash and still come swinging!? You guys are beyond saving!! Kozuki Oden must’ve been the biggest idiot of all, having losers like you as his retainers!!”

Queen mocked Oden, lumping him in with the samurai he led. If they were all fools, their leader must’ve been the king of fools.

But Denjirō and Kanjūrō wouldn’t let that go. They could take being ridiculed themselves—but not their lord.

“Shut your mouth…!!”

“—Huh!? What’d you say?”

“I said shut up, you walking pile of meat…!! Mock us all you want… We’d never have become samurai if not for him… So we deserve to be laughed at…!! But—”

“We’ll never forgive anyone who mocks the man who raised us up… Lord Oden…!!”

“Damn right… We’ll beat you down right here, and take that insult with us too…!! We won’t let Lord Oden go down as some ‘fool of a lord’...!! If we fight like cowards, that’s when people’ll laugh at him!!”

“We won’t let you disgrace him!! Because we are… samurai!!!”

“……”

Denjirō and Kanjūrō stood tall and defiant, facing down an enemy far above them in strength without an ounce of fear.

To live and fight as true samurai—that was their way of repaying the great debt they owed to Oden. No matter how strong the enemy, no matter how far the disease ate into their flesh, they would not back down.

Their loyalty and resolve were admirable. Against any ordinary opponent, that alone might’ve been enough to win.

But—

“—Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?”

“!!”

They had challenged none other than Queen of the Beasts Pirates—one of the three “Disasters.”

“Don’t get cocky, samurai…”

Queen’s voice dropped to a menacing growl, heavy with killing intent.

“What makes you think you’ve got the right to hope? You really think you can walk out of this alive? You think you can win against us?”

They were nothing more than samurai. He was a pirate of the New World—one who’d survived countless deadly waters, built up his infamy, and crushed ships, enemies, and entire islands underfoot.

To think such fools could take him lightly—that was the true insult. Pirates, more than anything, valued pride.

“Let me teach you dumbass samurai something…!! Every last one of you—your lord Oden, his family, and anyone else who dares oppose us… you’re all headed to the same damn place…!!”

Fools being foolish could be laughed off.
But if they dared to fight seriously—then they had to be eliminated.

“You’re gonna die!! Every last one of you, one by one!!!”

“Kh…!!”

Denjirō and Kanjūrō flinched—not from fear, but from the overwhelming bloodlust that came from someone far above them in strength.

“I’ll start with you, you mouthy bastard…!!!”

“!! Denjirō!!”

“Yeah…!! Stay sharp…!!”

An assault was coming. They both felt it and exchanged a quick warning.

But they couldn’t have predicted the scale of what came next.

“!!”

“He… he jammed his hands into the ground!?”

“What the hell is he doing…!?”

Queen plunged both hands into the earth. Seeing the opening, Denjirō and Kanjūrō moved to attack—but the ground began to tremble, stopping them cold.

It wasn’t an earthquake. They realized that quickly. So did Queen’s men.

“Crap, run!! Queen-sama’s going wild!!”

“Everyone fall back, now!!”

“No way… he can’t be—!!”

Queen’s men scattered in panic. Denjirō hesitated for just a second, realizing what was about to happen.

“UOOOOHHHHH!!!”

“!!!”

With a monstrous roar, Queen lifted it.

Like flipping a table, he tore it from the earth and hurled it skyward.
What he had lifted and thrown—was the ground itself beneath Denjirō and Kanjūrō.

“UWAAAHH!! Run for it!!”

“Ugh…!! You okay, Denjirō!?”

“Damn it, what strength…!! But I’m fine…!!”

They barely managed to stay balanced atop the giant chunk of stone that had once been solid ground.

But there was no time to rest. Queen came flying at them right after.

“You’re first…!!”

“Wha—!? Denjirō!!”

“Kh…!!”

No time to dodge. Denjirō moved to block with Ryūō.

But it wasn’t enough. Queen grabbed his leg midair—and slammed him straight down into the earth.

“Gah…!!”

“DIE!!! Brutebrachio—!!”

Then Queen kicked off the ground, launching himself at Denjirō with all his might. With Haki surging through his massive fist, he brought it down.

“—Castlebreaker Hammer!!!”

CRACK!!

The ground split. Bones shattered. Blood sprayed.

And someone screamed Denjirō’s name into the air.

---

Elsewhere—Flames of Desperation

The shockwave rippled across Udon, trembling the ground—

—where a wildfire raged, unquenched.

If anything, it roared higher, fed by the towering pirate who stood unmoved against the flames.

Facing him: Ashura Douji, Oden’s mightiest retainer, and Raizou, the ninja captain whose skill rivaled Fukurokuju’s.

Their combined assault—enough to topple armies—clashed against the black-winged titan before them.

"OOOOOH—!!"

"HAAH—!!"

"…Hmph."

King, the "Wildfire" of the Beast Pirates, didn’t even flinch. His colossal blade swatted their strikes aside like gnats.

He didn’t bother hiding his boredom—glancing toward the distant tremor.

"That idiot’s making a mess… Sounds like he took out one of yours. Guess I shouldn’t drag this out either."

"Shut your damn mouth—!! They ain’t dead… and WE ain’t losing to YOU—!!"

"Indeed…! Hah… We will cut you down…!!"

Ashura and Raizou spat defiance, sweat boiling off their skin in the inferno.

From beyond the flames, King’s crew howled laughter.

"WAHAHA!! Hear that, boys!? They’re gonna ‘beat’ King-sama—!!"

"Ohhh, big talk for corpses!! Know your damn place—!!"

"King-sama’s the STRONGEST Calamity!! You think trash like you can take on a 1.3 billion bounty!?"

King’s voice cut through the jeers like a blade.

"…Not my crew, but lesson’s the same: Stupid bravado gets you killed at sea. You’re all bark. No bite."

"The hell—!! Acting like you’ve already won…!?"

"Hah… ‘If the mind is clear, even fire feels cool’…!!"

"Hmph. Heard that crap before. Every last one of ‘em begged for mercy when the flames ate their flesh." King’s wings flared, the firestorm intensifying. "Only two people ever faced my blade and didn’t scream."*

"Heh…! Two, huh? Sounds like you’re the one who’s weak—!!"

Ashura’s taunt hid the truth: Those "two" were legends even King acknowledged as stronger than himself.

But King didn’t correct him. Instead—

"Then prove it… I’ll show you hell. Just like I did to that ‘Hyougorou’ or whatever he called himself—"

"—YOU MOTHERFUCKER—!!"

Ashura’s face twisted. Hyougorou—the yakuza boss he’d called friend—had been butchered alongside his men, his family.

Oden’s mercy had turned Ashura from demon to samurai.

This wasn’t about justice.

This was vengeance.

"RRRAAAGH—!!!"

His Ryuo-wreathed blade clashed with King’s, the force making even the Calamity grunt.

But—

"…I’ll cull the weakling first."

"Wha—!? GUH—!!?"

WHOOSH—!!!

King blitzed past Ashura—his flaming slash shearing toward Raizou.

The ninja dodged—

—only for King to appear behind him, sword raised for the killing stroke.

"…!!!"

"RAIZOU—!!"

"Now there are only eight left...!!"

King’s sword struck Raizou’s body, and Raizou collapsed, his eyes rolling back. In that instant, Ashura unleashed even greater fury than before, slashing at King.

"You bastard... How dare you lay a hand on Raizou...!!!"

"Whining after a loss is another hallmark of weaklings... In the end, all you people do is talk big without backing it up. Showing anger like this just ruins the fun of the fight..."

"You damn bastard...!!"

The clashing blades of King and Ashura rang out in rapid succession, with King’s flames occasionally scorching the surroundings.

By now, the forest was nearly engulfed in a wildfire, making it dangerous to remain. The Beast Pirates’ crew wisely kept their distance, targeting other enemies to avoid getting caught in the battle.

Amidst the chaos, King’s gaze flickered elsewhere for just a moment before he addressed Ashura.

"...Soon, it’ll be down to four."

"Quit lookin’ away, you bastard!!"

Ashura’s enraged slash was effortlessly deflected, but King’s words had reached him. Gritting his teeth, Ashura could only pray—Please, let them be safe.

---

The battle had turned into a prolonged war, and the fierce clash between Oden and Kaido only grew more intense.

"RAAAAAH…!!!"

"WORORORO!!!"

"GUO!!!"

Oden slashed forward, Kaido parried with brute force, hurling flames, lightning, and ice—or simply smashing Oden into the ground with his massive frame. Though Oden’s body was littered with wounds, none were fatal. Kaido, meanwhile, remained unscathed, his stamina seemingly endless.

Yeah, no contest—he’s got this in endurance and stamina, I thought, grinning as I watched.

"Ahaha~ Tough fight, but Oden’s holding his own! Who else could push Kaido this hard?"

"Hah… Ugh… Hah…!!"

"Damn… Hah… This monster…!!"

"There’s only a handful of people alive who can fight Kaido toe-to-toe. Oden’s one of ’em. This ain’t over yet. Heh, gets me fired up!"

"Zeh… Hah… Can you… still stand… Nekomamushi…?"

"Like hell… cough… I’m done yet…!"

I watched gleefully as Oden kept charging, Kaido soaring back into the sky—their duel was pure spectacle. Jack, Queen, and King had each taken down one opponent. I couldn’t see it, but I knew. The loudest voices had gone quiet.

That said, Oden’s retainers were stubborn. Normal men would’ve died from the beating they took, yet not a single one had fallen. Oh, right—them too.

"Ahahaha! Oden and his boys are no joke! It’s been ages since anyone lasted this long!"

"Guh… Obviously… We won’t fall… so easily…!"

Their leader, Kin’emon, glared as he spat the words. Impressive spirit, I’ll give him that.

But his body was a mess of wounds, his comrades limping, coughing blood, barely propping each other up.

"But… time’s almost up, yeah? You’re all looking pretty groggy~ Ahaha ♡"

"Hah… Hah… Not… cough… Not yet…!"

He gripped his sword—or what was left of it. I’d snapped the blade earlier with my naginata.

Honestly, these four—Kin’emon, Kawamatsu, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi—were already wrecked. Dozens of bones shattered, drenched in blood, barely holding together. Not that I’d finish them now. Where’s the fun in that? I’ll just lick the blood off my spear and wait.

Still, I was satisfied. They’d entertained me well. Put up a damn good fight!

"Wow, you four really gave it your all! If this were a game, I’d call it my loss. Seriously!"

"The fight… ain’t over…!"

"Eh~ You sure? Fufufu, fine, let’s chat while we play. —Okay, aiming for your right leg now~ ♡"

"Tch…!"

I maneuvered my UFO, pelting their legs with bullets. They dodged—barely—so I followed up with a direct barrage.

"Ooh, nice moves! —Too bad! Eat this homing shot~!"

"Guh… GAAAAAH!!!"

"Inu!!"

"Damn brat… Aim at me first, why don’tcha?!"

"Oh, okay! Then you get the left paw~ ♡ Right at those cute toe beans—EYAH!!"

"GAH—AAAAHH!!"

My arrow-like projectiles skewered Nekomamushi’s hand. Oof, that’s gotta hurt. Guess the tough act’s crumbling?

"Ufufu. Honestly, you’re not even fun opponents anymore~ ♡ This is just playtime now. I could wrap things up… but then I’d just be stuck watching Kaido and Oden. Boooring~"

"We won’t… let you near… Lord Oden…!"

"Pfft, you’re not even a roadblock. Kaido wants Oden one-on-one, so I’m humoring him. Otherwise, I’d’ve left you to my UFO or clones and gone straight for the main event~"

Yeah, truth bomb. Kaido’s hogging the best fight, so I’ve been killing time with these four. But c’mon, how long did they really think they’d last? It’s like expecting a kid to waste hours at a playground—fun at first, but eventually, they’re just broken toys.

Still, credit where it’s due. They did entertain me. Flawless victory on my end, but they held out longer than most. Not that I went all out—still had tricks up my sleeve—but hey, no holding back either. Solid effort. Worth thanking.

"Anyway, thanks!!"

"…!! What… for?!"

"You dumb, just-strong-enough-to-be-fun weaklings challenged us, so I got to test my crew’s strength risk-free, take Wano without much fuss, and have a blast! Win-win-win! So yeah, gratitude~!"

"…………!!"

"You… little…!"

"How dare you—!"

Huh? Why’re they turning pale? I praised them! Ah well—their rage just makes it funnier.

"C’mon, it’s almost over! Let’s watch together, yeah?"

"! Lord Oden…!"

At my cue, the half-dead samurai all turned their eyes to Oden’s battle—shame, desperation, loyalty twisting their faces. So touching~ Save the speeches for later, though.

—Finish this already, I mused, tormenting them as I awaited the inevitable.

---

The battle between Kaido and Oden—the monster who would rule Wano and the samurai who would save it—raged on for hours.

"Die already, Oden…!!!"

"You first… Guh!!?"

Oden, wielding his peerless swordsmanship and Ryou, launched himself at Kaido again and again with his Oden Two-Sword Style—honed through years as a pirate—only to be swatted from the sky each time.

Kaido, tempered by countless near-death experiences and torture, hammered Oden into the ground over and over with his steel body and dragon’s might.

The clash of these two titans sent shockwaves of Conqueror’s Haki rippling through the air, a testament to their kingly wills.

"This is bad… Lord Kaido and Oden’s fight…!!"

"No way Lord Kaido loses, but damn, this guy won’t quit…!!"

"…Gyahahaha… Well, worst case…"

The Beast Pirates’ crew could only watch from afar, awestruck—and terrified—by the sheer gap in power.

But none believed Kaido would lose.

Their captain was Kaido of the Beasts. A true monster who’d taken on fleets and Marines single-handedly, who’d destroyed islands on a whim.

He’d lost before, but no one had ever killed him.

Captured by the Marines? Tortured? Sentenced to execution? He’d sunk their warships and prison barges and come back anyway.

Kaido was invincible.

The ones who could rival him could be counted on one hand: Whitebeard, Roger (though he was dead now), Big Mom, Shiki. Maybe Noe from their own crew.

In this era, almost no one in the pirate world could stand against him. That was Kaido.

No one believed some backwater daimyo could defeat him.

…Almost no one.

One among them was already preparing to intervene if Kaido faltered. Another, though idle, admitted the possibility of defeat.

And the latter judged the end was near.

Then—it happened.

"Hah… Hah… Only one head I wanna cut—yours!!"

Oden, slammed into the ground, forced himself up using his swords as crutches and gripped them tight.

His blades brimmed with Haki. He’d realized the longer this dragged on, the worse his odds were. Kaido’s stamina seemed bottomless.

So he’d end it now.

With a leap—

"—Oden Two-Sword Style…"

Another clash. Everyone expected Kaido to smack Oden down again.

But then—

What no one (save Oden’s retainers and a select few) imagined possible—finally happened.

"—Peach Blossom Ten Fists!!!"

"!!!!"

Oden’s twin blades, sheathed in Haki, carved a cross into Kaido’s stomach—leaving a scar that would never fade.

"Th-the invincible…!!"

"Lord Kaido was cut!?"

The Beast Pirates gaped, voices trembling at the impossible sight.

Kaido’s body was impervious—bullets, cannons, blades, spears, nothing had ever wounded him.

Only Noe could scar him in their spars. For years, no one else had drawn his blood.

And yet—

"Ooo…!!"

He was cut.

Eyes rolling back, Kaido plummeted, his massive form crushing the forest below.

His beastly transformation faded. Human again, he braced against the ground, blood trickling from his lips.

Oden lunged for the finishing blow—

"Never set foot in Wano again!!!"

And in that moment—

Just as a certain crone shifted into a child’s form to create an opening—

"—Interfere, and I’ll kill you."

"Gh—?! Wha—Nue…?!!"

The old woman—Kurozumi Higurashi—was just about to activate her ability when the tip of a spear… Nue’s spear, pressed against her throat.

A blatant act of interference. An outright refusal to help. Higurashi couldn’t speak, but her eyes screamed the question: What are you doing?

If this kept up, they’d lose. That couldn’t happen. If she didn’t act now, it’d be too late.

But—Nue was smiling.

Not at Higurashi.

At Kaidou, who was moments from death.

Then, in a whisper—nostalgic yet audacious—she spoke to the man on the brink.

"—Our fights always got good when we were half-dead, didn’t they?"

And in the instant Oden swung his twin blades—steel clashed.

"Wha—?! You’re still moving?!!"

"Hah… Hah… WORORORORO!!! I just… won’t die…!!!"

Even Oden was stunned.

Kaidou, his gut slashed open, blood spilling from his mouth, blocked Oden’s dual strike with his club and grinned like a demon.

But to Kaidou and his sworn siblings, this was nothing new.

"Damn… hurts like hell… Can’t even die right… Not even when a man like you cuts me down…!!"

"…!!"

Yes—he’d been searching for a place to die.

This man had suffered seven defeats as a pirate… captured by the Marines or rival crews 23 times.

"But… this near-death feeling ain’t half bad… Takes me back…!!"

Let me repeat: alone—or with just one or two—he’d challenged the Four Emperors and the Marines countless times. Captured 23 times. Over 1,000 tortures. 60 death sentences.

"Back then, I brushed with death every damn day… Monsters way stronger than me now… Every day was a war, a slaughter!!"

Hanged? The chains snapped. Guillotined? The blade shattered. Impaled? The spear broke. Thrown into the sea? He survived. Cut down by friend or foe? He slaughtered them—or outlived them.

Result? Eighteen massive prison ships sent to the bottom…!! In other words—

"WORORORO… Since you went through the trouble of comin’ at me like this… Guess I’ve got no choice but to go all out…!!!"

—No one could kill him…!!!

Not even himself. Not even his sworn siblings.

His hobbies? Suicide—and bloodshed.

The man’s name? In recent years, among the sea of pirates as countless as the stars, he reigns as one of the four great pirates of the New World… And so, he is called—

"‘Four Emperors’—‘Kaido of the Beasts’."

"This boring-ass world can burn!! It’d be way more fun that way!! Let’s start—the greatest war the world’s ever seen!!!"

"Gh—! You…! Damn i—GUAAAH…?!!"

Transforming into a colossal human-beast hybrid, he sent the samurai before him flying with a single club strike wreathed in lightning and Haki.

This monster, this calamity in human form, terrified not just enemies—but allies too.

"In a one-on-one, always bet on Kaido." That’s what people said.

On land, sea, or air… among all living things… the pirate hailed as—

"The Strongest Creature Alive…!!!"

"—WORORORORORORORORO!!!!"

"…!!! H-He’s still… this strong…?!!"

"Lord Oden!!"

"Lord Oden!? —Ghk!!!"

And so, the battle reached its end—the samurai distracted by Kaido’s onslaught, cut down one by one.

Sealed by the hand of the Four Emperor’s right-hand, the enigmatic girl—

"Sealed Beast Nue."

"Ahahahaha!!! Hell yeah!! This rules!! But if we’re wrapping this up—gotta end it with a bang!!!"

Doubled over laughing, Nue summoned a bow into her hands.

She drew the string back, aiming at every surviving samurai.

"‘Grudge Bow’—"

A weapon meant to slay her, yet her greatest technique.

"—‘Minamoto no Yorimasa’s Bow’!!!!"

"!!!!"

The arrow, concentrated with Haki and power, streaked across the sky like a shooting star—piercing every remaining samurai but Oden, rendering them unable to fight.

And as Oden, the last one standing, clashed with Kaidou for the final time—

The battle to save this country came to a close.