The battlefield across the Flower Capital was in chaos. Samurai clashed with Marines, while cries of both defiance and surrender echoed through the streets. Yet, as word spread that the shogun had been captured, confusion and panic rippled through the defenders.
"What's going on?" a newly recruited gang leader muttered, his face pale as he stared at the figure of Sukiyaki tied to a cross on the Shogun's Tower. His grip on his weapon faltered before he threw it to the ground decisively. "This fight isn't worth it," he muttered, raising his hands in surrender.
Turning to his gang, he barked, "Why are you idiots just standing there? Drop your weapons and find something to wave like a surrender flag!"
The gangsters, still holding their weapons, hesitated until their leader fixed them with a glare. "Move it! You think I'm dying for that pathetic excuse of a shogun?!"
The leader then turned to the Marine squad, who had moments earlier been locked in combat with him. Plastering on a smile, he knelt down and raised his hands in submission. "Honorable Marines, we're just small-time thugs collecting protection fees. I swear we only fought because the Kozuki family forced us into it. Please, let us go. I promise we'll disband the gang and take up honest work!"
Sanji, who led this particular Marine unit, glanced down at the kneeling man, his cigarette bobbing between his lips. His sharp eyes scanned the thug's heavily scarred face and rough demeanor. Despite the man's imposing appearance, his trembling hands and sweat-soaked brow betrayed his fear.
"You're quick to switch sides," Sanji muttered, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Tie them all up," he ordered his men. "If they want to work honestly, they can start by cleaning up this city under Marine watch."
Similar scenes unfolded throughout the capital. Those who had been coerced or recruited into the Kozuki family's forces quickly realized the futility of resistance. Temporary loyalty gave way to self-preservation. Weapons were dropped, hands raised, and knees bent as countless vagrants and gangsters surrendered en masse.
But not everyone was willing to abandon the fight. Among the loyalists, there were still those who clung to the ideals of the Kozuki family, believing their honor demanded resistance. And none fought more fiercely than Denjiro, whose loyalty burned brighter than any flame.
Denjiro stood amidst the chaos, his katana raised high as he barked orders to his men. His resolve was unshaken even as he noticed others faltering. His voice carried across the battlefield like a war drum.
"What a joke!" he roared. "Do you think parading our shogun like that will break our spirits? As samurai, we must honor our oaths, even if it costs us our lives! His Highness Sukiyaki has surely accepted his fate. We will fight to the last man to defend the Kozuki name, Even if Lord Shogun died I Kozuki Denjiro will carry on the Kozuki legacy and Wano future !"
His words struck a chord with those still loyal. The few remaining samurai around him straightened their spines and gripped their weapons tightly.
Zoro, who had been clashing blades with Denjiro, smirked as he stepped back to observe the speech. "Not bad," he muttered, a glint of excitement in his eye. "I just wanted directions, and now I've found the shogun's heir. This might actually be fun."
Back at the Shogun's Tower, Luffy overheard Denjiro's declaration through the Den Den Mushi system that broadcasted everything happening in the capital. He chuckled, shaking his head in mild disbelief. "So that guy's Sukiyaki's so-called adopted son now? What a tangled family tree."
The thought amused him briefly before his eyes darkened. "Well, I guess he'll be joining his 'father' soon enough."
Inside the tower, Sukiyaki had regained consciousness, only to find himself bound in seastone chains and facing Luffy's cold, calculating gaze. The young Marine leaned closer, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
"Did you hear that, Shogun?" Luffy said mockingly. "Your loyal son says you're ready to die for the Kozuki family. Isn't that sweet? Since he seems so eager for your sacrifice, I won't disappoint him."
Luffy brandished the wakizashi he had confiscated earlier, the blade still stained with Sukiyaki's blood. "I'll carve you up bit by bit. Ten thousand cuts ought to do it. Don't worry—I won't let you pass out or bleed to death before I'm finished. You'll see Kozuki Oden soon enough, and I'll make sure you're in pieces when you meet him."
Sukiyaki's eyes widened in terror as the blade drew closer to his arm. He squirmed desperately against the chains, his muffled cries of protest drowned by his gag.
"Got something to say?" Luffy asked, his tone almost casual. "Speak clearly, old man. Stammering won't save you."
Ignoring Sukiyaki's pitiful whimpers, Luffy pressed the blade into his forearm, slicing off a small piece of flesh. The shogun's muffled screams filled the room as tears streamed down his face.
"That's one cut," Luffy said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Only 9,999 to go. Try to enjoy it."
He continued to torment Sukiyaki, inflicting a series of shallow cuts before finally pausing. The shogun's body shook violently, tears and snot mingling as he silently begged for mercy.
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