Kaido's "entertainment" usually involved chugging from a giant sake gour by himself.
That clinking glasses nonsense at the banquet was utterly unsatisfying for a beast like him.
But today, he had company.
By his side sat a seductive giant woman named Black Maria.
As a dignified Yonko, Kaido couldn't just spend all his time drinking alone, could he?
His muscles, strength, and skills were all top-notch.
Since Maria was willing and he had needs, it worked out.
Today being a holiday with the whole crew off duty, it certainly deserved a vigorous celebration!
Staying in bed on vacation until the sun was high in the sky—that was the only way to do justice to the word "holiday" for him.
...
As for Kurozumi Orochi, he headed to the lavish room he had prepared for himself.
Inside the room, over a dozen geishas knelt on the floor, welcoming the "handsome monarch."
At the center of all the geishas was a top-tier beauty in a kimono, with exceptional looks, outstanding temperament, and striking curves—both front and back.
Her emerald-green flowing hair, delicate features, and graceful demeanor all indicated she was no ordinary person.
Orochi excitedly approached the beauty playing the koto at the center of the geishas.
"Komurasaki! Hehehe... how about attending to me tonight?"
As Wano Country's number one oiran, Komurasaki showed not a trace of fear in the face of the Shogun.
"I refuse!"
Though angered, Orochi did not resort to force.
He was a coward who wanted to be loved, not just feared by her.
After an awkward laugh to hide his embarrassment, he began dancing wildly with other geishas in his arms, accompanied by Komurasaki's melancholic koto music.
...
Meanwhile.
The Mammoth had successfully passed through the checkpoint of Onigashima and was about to make landfall.
Cavendish was cheerful.
"Haha! Jack's reputation is really something! Those lackeys didn't dare inspect his ship at all!"
"Mhm, yes."
Frieda beside him gave a perfunctory response.
She was too busy frantically pressing the shutter button on her camera, capturing everything about Onigashima.
Today marked the first time their "World News Agency" personnel had breached Wano Country's closed borders.
Along the way, Frieda had lost count of how many film rolls she'd replaced.
If not for the camera's sturdy quality, it would have surely broken in her hands by now.
But as for the content of the photos...
Most were of factories belching black smoke, piles of weapons, polluted water, withered trees, animal carcasses, human bones...
All excellent, horrific material for front-page news stories.
As for Yamato, she was currently holding Tama and telling her stories.
The stories were about her experiences after meeting Ace.
Hearing Ace's name, Tama grew excited too.
She shared with Yamato the warmth Ace had brought to her starving village two years ago.
"Tama will definitely become an enchanting kunoichi! And then I'll become Ace's companion!"
Hearing their conversation, Cavendish was quite surprised by the connection between the two girls.
Two unrelated individuals from different worlds had been linked by that one man named Ace.
"But..." Cavendish sighed. "Ace's situation is very dire."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Cavendish realized he'd slipped up.
He immediately turned his gaze to Ray, sweating nervously.
Upon seeing that Ray showed no intention of reprimanding him, he understood.
Ray was tacitly permitting him to inform Yamato and Tama about Ace's circumstances and future events.
And so, Cavendish began explaining it.
With rose in his mouth while spinning dramatically, he narrated the story of the upcoming execution.
As the story concluded...
Yamato fell silent.
Tama seethed with anger with tears in her eyes.
They never imagined that Ace, who had made promises with them, was about to be executed by the World Government.
And they never imagined that a powerful man like Ray had come specifically to Wano Country to eliminate Kaido, just because Kaido might cause trouble in rescuing Ace.
Yamato mind was reeling.
Just because Ray speculated that Kaido would interfere in the war, he had made a special trip here to kill her father in advance?
What kind of person could plan so.... meticulously?
Perfectionist?
But to achieve perfectionism, one must possess formidable strength.
Treating the slaying of a Yonko as just one "step" in a larger plan..... what a huge confidence he must have.
At this moment, Yamato began carefully observing Ray standing on the deck.
Suddenly, behind Ray, she saw an illusion.
A Demon Dog as big as a mountain, howling furiously at the sky.
Then, the giant dog shifted its gaze toward her.
THUMP.
In that instant, Yamato felt her legs go weak and she nearly collapsed to the deck.
A term inexplicably surfaced in her mind: Bloodline... Pressure?
She was a Mythical Zoan—a dog god no less.
In theory, no ability user should be able to suppress her through something called bloodline pressure.
But at this moment, she could clearly feel the impulse to submit when she was near Ray.
Yamato forced her mind to calm down, engaging in an intense internal struggle.
After a long deliberation, she finally arrived at a guess.
'Is Ray... not human?'
…
Gradually, the Mammoth approached the shore of Onigashima.
Ray glanced at everyone on board and instructed Cavendish to explain the tactical arrangements.
But calling it a "tactic" was really just to give the others something to do without getting themselves killed by Ray's AOE attacks.
In summary:
Cavendish and his crew would help Tama control the "Gifters" (Kaido's soldiers who had consumed artificial Devil Fruits).
Ray would take Yamato and Chouchou (who was tucked in his tail) straight to the top of Onigashima to start the main battle.
With so few people, what tactics could there be?
The core objective was to fulfill each person's individual needs.
After hearing about Ace, Tama vowed to help.
Her Kibi Dango ability happened to perfectly bolster Ray's forces.
Thus, in this battle, to save Ace, Tama wanted to control as many of Kaido's subordinates as possible—the more, the better.
Cavendish volunteered to protect Tama while also looking for an opportunity to take down the Shogun, Orochi.
How did he know Orochi was on the island right now?
Because when Jack was under Chouchou's control earlier, he revealed that today was the Fire Festival—the day Orochi and Kaido met.
As for Yamato, her goal was naturally to defeat Kaido.
But she was well aware that her strength alone couldn't achieve that, so she offered to help Ray by holding off the other two All-Stars (King and Queen) to reduce his burden.
However, Ray refused.
He stated that the All-Stars should be reserved for Chouchou.
Chouchou had been driven mad again two and a half hours ago, losing consciousness.
He was once again knocked out by a squeeze of Ray's tail and was currently sleeping inside the fluffy tail.
So Ray planned to use Queen to help Chouchou regain his senses through combat.
After defeating Kaido, Chouchou's tasks would still be heavy.
In expanding their forces for the war, Chouchou was the main asset (using the Pet Pet Fruit), while Tama was an unexpected bonus (using Kibi Dango).
Originally, Ray's plan only required Chouchou to control the enemies like puppets.
Now, with Tama added to the mix, it was even better.
...
Fifth floor of Onigashima, inside Orochi's residence.
Under the influence of alcohol, Shogun Orochi staggered as he walked down the hall.
The intensifying drunkenness made the people in his vision gradually fade until only one face remained.
"Komurasaki... I'm coming~"
...
Top level of Onigashima.
Kaido chuckled as he drank the sake offered by Black Maria.
After downing the drink, their eyes met, and the air seemed to fill with countless hearts.
The closing distance between them caused the room's temperature to rise sharply.
Just then.
RUMBLE...
Frequent thunderclaps echoed from the sky and the moonlit night suddenly darkened.
Over the island, unnatural dark clouds blotted out the moon, casting an eerie and terrifying atmosphere over the party.
The aura of a Great Demon has completely enveloped Onigashima!
---------
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