"Lord Shogun! It's Leo! Leo has barged in!"
The samurai, not even pausing to catch his breath, dropped to one knee and reported in a panic.
"Leo?"
Kurozumi Orochi frowned slightly. He felt he'd seen that name somewhere before.
BOOM!!
Before Orochi could finish his thought, a bolt of thunder suddenly cracked in front of him.
The samurai fell to the ground, his skin torn and flesh split.
The Oniwabanshu members jumped in fright, quickly rising to their feet and scanning their surroundings warily. Denjiro unobtrusively moved to the center of the hall.
The next second, Leo swaggered in with his women in tow. His gaze instantly locked onto the slender figure standing behind Denjiro.
She wore a kimono embroidered with peacocks, her hair adorned with ornate hairpieces. Wano's renowned courtesan, Komurasaki. Of course, that was merely her cover identity. Her true identity was the Princess of Wano, daughter of Kozuki Oden: Kozuki Hiyori. For over 20 years, Hiyori had endured, using the identity of the courtesan Komurasaki as a front, secretly preparing for the country's restoration. (Though, in truth, she hadn't prepared much.)
Looking at the somewhat flustered Komurasaki, a satisfied arc curled at the corner of Leo's lips. If Hancock was aloof and noble, and Shirahoshi was gentle and sweet, then Komurasaki was graceful and elegant. The Three Great Beauties of the world truly each had their own charm. Oda, you old dog, you really did it.
Orochi quickly recognized Leo and spoke with some fear, "Leo, this is Wano Country. Don't act recklessly. If Kaido finds out, he won't let you go."
"Kill them."
Leo waved a hand casually. With someone so evil to the core, no words were needed.
"I'll go."
Stussy was the first to charge out.
"Shave!"
"Finger Pistol!!"
Stussy's figure flashed, instantly passing by the Oniwabanshu members and appearing behind Orochi. A red light shot from her fingertip, piercing straight through Orochi's forehead.
Watching the blood spurt from Orochi's head, the dancers turned pale and couldn't help but let out screams.
"Stop!"
"Bastard! Let go of Lord Shogun!"
"Stop her!"
Led by Fukurokuju, the Oniwabanshu's expressions changed, and they pressed the attack.
"Lightspeed Kick!"
Doll shot forward, kicking out one after another, sending the eleven Oniwabanshu members flying one by one, leaving them utterly defenseless.
Denjiro's pupils suddenly constricted, his right hand instinctively tightening on the hilt of his sword. Komurasaki shook her head almost imperceptibly, giving him a look.
"Stop playing dead."
Stussy stomped on Orochi's head, shouting sternly. According to Leo, a user of the Zoan-type, Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Yamata no Orochi had eight heads and eight lives. She'd only taken one; Orochi was far from dead.
His little trick seen through, Orochi stopped pretending and showed his hand. Seven more heads sprouted one after another from his neck, each one hideous.
"Leo, everything is negotiable. Whatever you want, I can give it to you."
"That's right, just spare our lives!"
"Leo, don't kill me!"
Still reeling from shock, Orochi quickly submitted, each head vying to beg for mercy.
"Too much nonsense!"
Whoosh~
Stussy lightly tapped her fingertip. A red light shot out, with perfect accuracy piercing Orochi's heart. Earlier, she just wanted to see if he could really grow eight heads. Curiosity satisfied, it was time to send him on his way.
With his heart pierced, the seven heads on Orochi's neck drooped one by one, his vitality completely extinguished.
"He's dead! Lord Shogun is dead!!"
"You… you actually killed Lord Shogun!"
"Aah—!!"
The overly frightened dancers fainted outright.
The eleven Oniwabanshu had no time for grief or rage. Under Doll's finishing blows, they died one after another.
Soon.
Inside the entire hall, apart from the Leo Pirates, only Kozuki Hiyori and Denjiro remained.
Leo flashed to Orochi's side, taking out a Blank Devil Fruit from his system warehouse. During the voyage, he had recovered several other Devil Fruits. To date, he still had five Blank Fruits left. Leo placed the Blank Fruit next to Kurozumi Orochi.
The next second, something miraculous happened. In his sight, the Blank Fruit visibly transformed into a fruit resembling a pineapple, with six stem leaves at the top forming rounded triangles.
Zoan-type, Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Yamata no Orochi, reborn.
Recovery successful. Leo tossed it into his system warehouse. Such a powerful Mythical Zoan, wasted by Orochi.
After storing the fruit, Leo shifted his gaze, his eyes glancing toward Komurasaki.
Watching Leo's gaze fixed on her, Denjiro immediately grew tense, the hand on his sword hilt tightening with added force. But he dared not draw it. He knew very well that once drawn, there was no turning back.
Komurasaki, skilled at reading expressions, gave Denjiro a reassuring look, then walked with small, quick steps out from behind him, saying respectfully:
"Lord Leo, what are your orders? If there is anything I can assist with, this humble woman will not refuse." Since Leo hadn't killed them immediately, there was room for negotiation.
"Kozuki Hiyori, with your intelligence, can't you guess what I want?" Leo looked at the play-acting Hiyori with a half-smile.
BOOM!!
It was like thunder exploding beside her ear. Their identities exposed, Komurasaki and Denjiro's faces changed dramatically. The two of them had lived here under assumed names for over a decade; even Orochi, who saw them daily, didn't know their true backgrounds. How did Leo know?
Shing!!
With a thread of unease, Denjiro's sword finally left its sheath! He pointed it at Leo from a distance, shouting sharply, "Your Highness, I'll hold him off. You must escape!"
Pfft~
As soon as the words left his mouth, a scoff sounded right next to his ear.
"Just who do you think you can hold off?"
Denjiro's pupils suddenly constricted. He instinctively shifted his gaze. That flash of red light was the last thing he saw in his life.
Thud~
A blood flower bloomed. Denjiro's tall frame fell heavily into a pool of blood.
"Denjiro!!"
Komurasaki could no longer maintain her composure. A sense of helplessness swept through her. She collapsed weakly to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her pale face.
Komurasaki's face showed a wish for death, her voice intermittent. "Leo… just kill me!" Denjiro had protected her for years, shown utter loyalty to the Kozuki family, and now had lost his life protecting her. She would rather join him in death than become Leo's caged bird.
Leo walked up to Komurasaki and used a finger to gently lift her fair, delicate chin, teasing:
"Kozuki Hiyori, you have no right to bargain with me."
Komurasaki closed her eyes in despair, tears flowing like a spring. Leo didn't hesitate, implanting a Slave Brand directly in her mind.
When Komurasaki opened her eyes again, the look she gave Leo held only submission.
"Master~"
Meanwhile.
Leo's appearance had caused a sensation throughout the Flower Capital. As everyone fled in all directions, they spread the news. The Beasts Pirates members stationed there, upon hearing the news, immediately contacted Kaido.
Inside the eerie and terrifying hall of Onigashima.
"Wororororo! You're certain?!" Kaido stood up excitedly, his dragon eyes gleaming. He had searched far and wide, only to find it effortlessly! He'd been searching the world for Leo to no avail, and now the other had come knocking? Was heaven delivering a gift?
"Lord Kaido, it's absolutely true. Someone just saw Leo enter the Shogun's estate. We don't know the situation inside now." On the other end, the pirate underling reported as instructed.
"I know!"
Kaido responded and hung up the Den Den Mushi.
"Wororororo! King, mobilize everyone immediately! Today, I'm going to unleash a slaughter!!!" Opportunity knocks but once. If he couldn't eliminate Leo today, finding him later would be difficult.
As the words fell, Kaido's body began to change. His mouth elongated quickly, his teeth transformed into sharp fangs. The muscles of his body swelled like boiling liquid, his palms widened and thickened, transforming into sharp, massive dragon claws. His upper body and neck stretched out, in the blink of an eye becoming a several-dozen-meter-long azure dragon body, his lower half turning into a dragon tail. The dragon's skin surface was covered in a layer of hard, blue-green scales.
Zoan-type, Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Azure Dragon, Full Beast Form!
"Lord Kaido, I'll handle it immediately!!" King didn't hesitate, immediately accepting the order and leaving.
With a dragon's roar, the azure dragon soared into the sky, flew out of the hall, and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Elsewhere.
King gathered the Beasts Pirates' All-Stars, Flying Six, Headliners, and numerous Gifters at the fastest speed and headed for Wano.
Wano Country, the Shogun's estate.
"He's finally coming?"
Leo looked up into the distance toward Onigashima, the corner of his mouth curling slightly. He sensed an unprecedentedly powerful aura approaching at an extreme speed. Though the aura was unfamiliar, it was undoubtedly Kaido.
"Let's go."
Leo took Komurasaki and the other women aboard the ship one after another, then flew toward Udon, the region closest to Onigashima. Once he clashed with Kaido, it would surely shake heaven and earth. Even the aftershocks alone could destroy the Flower Capital. As a future base, Leo didn't want to ruin this treasure.
"Wororororo… Leo, you're looking for death!!" In the sky above, the azure dragon coiled and writhed. Sensing the ship continually approaching him, Kaido grinned widely, his eyes full of bloodthirsty gleam. No doubt, after killing Garp, Leo had developed the delusion that he could take Kaido down too. "Wororororo~ Linlin, I'll avenge you soon!!" With a scoff, Kaido increased his flight speed once more.
Behind him, several massive pirate ships were at full speed, closely following. On the decks, all the Beasts Pirates' elite were all in position. Everyone was fully armed, their faces brimming with unconcealed madness and killing intent.
Udon.
One of Wano's six regions. This was the prisoner quarry controlled by the Beasts Pirates, mainly holding prisoners forced into labor. In the original story, after Luffy was knocked out by Kaido's Thunder Bagua, he was imprisoned here.
Leo piloted the ship, arriving at Udon before Kaido. He parked the ship high in the sky and activated its protective barrier. After taking precautions, Leo created an Island Cloud, carrying Kalifa, Robin, Koala, Rebecca, Monet, and Baby-5 down to the island, calmly awaiting Kaido. He brought these six precisely to temper them. In reality, aside from Kaido himself, the rest of the Beasts Pirates were nothing. If Nami, Stussy, Tashigi, and others were to act, it would be a crushing victory. It was better to use this opportunity to enhance the women's combat experience and improve their fighting prowess.
ROAR~
Not long after, a dragon's roar echoed across the heavens. Leo and the others, including Robin, all looked up. They saw dark clouds gathering in the sky, a gigantic dragon claw emerging from within. Amidst flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder, the colossal creature coiled within gradually revealed its true form. It was a several-dozen-meter-long azure dragon!
"Kaido~"
Leo gazed at the giant shadow in the sky, murmuring softly. Even separated by hundreds of meters, he could feel the terrifying aura emanating from the dragon.
"Is this the pressure of the 'World's Strongest Creature'?"
Aside from Leo and Kalifa, everyone else's expressions were extremely grave. The vast gap in strength made them feel somewhat uneasy.
"Wororororo~ Leo, you have some nerve!!" The Azure Dragon Kaido stared at the few small black dots below, a human-like sneer appearing on his face.
The dragon coiled, a fierce gale sprang up. Kaido opened his maw, scorching flames flickering with a dazzling red light coalescing within.
"Wororororo… Leo, take this!!"
"Boro Breath!!!"
With an angry roar, the dragon spewed forth a several-meter-diameter, extremely scorching pillar of flame. The flame pillar distorted the air, evaporating all moisture along its path. This was one of the abilities granted by the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Azure Dragon. Besides top-tier defense and recovery, Kaido possessed dominion over fire, storms, lightning, hail, and clouds. In his beast form, he could release various disaster-level attacks.
"Hahahaha… Bring it on!!" Leo laughed heartily, his fighting spirit boiling within.
"Divine Lightning Beam!"
As he spoke, a bolt of lightning suddenly shot from his chest, colliding with Kaido's Boro Breath mid-air.
BOOM!!
The two powerful energies completely detonated. Intense explosions reverberated endlessly, a sea of fire erupting in the sky.
Concealed by the firelight, the Azure Dragon Kaido's body rapidly shrank.
Thud!
The next second, a giant figure crashed heavily to the ground. The hard ground was cratered, cracks like spiderwebs rapidly spreading outward. From within the cloud of dust walked out a tall dragon-man covered in dragon scales and shouldering a kanabo.
As was well-known, all Zoan-type Devil Fruit users had three forms. In their human form, there weren't major changes. In their full beast form, they gained all the animal's attributes, greatly enhancing defense and attack. And in their hybrid form, the user's power reached its absolute peak!
"Oh?" Leo feigned surprise, saying, "What are you looking for me for?"
"Leo, don't play dumb. You killed Linlin. I absolutely cannot let you go!" Kaido snorted coldly, his gaze gradually turning icy. The aura around him also became restless.
Leo nodded slightly, grinned, and countered, "Kaido, do you know why I'm looking for you?"
Kaido was taken aback, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Speak."
"First, I want your daughter."
"Second, I want your Wano Country."
"And third, I want you!"
"Oh? Want me?"
Now it was Kaido's turn to be surprised. Regarding the first two points, while he found them ridiculous, he could understand. First, Leo was notoriously lustful, and his daughter Yamato was a recognized beauty. Second, Wano itself was a huge piece of fat; it wasn't strange Leo wanted a piece. Only the third point confused him.
"Don't understand?" Leo smiled and explained. "Kaido, you probably don't know yet that Gecko Moria is now my subordinate. He once accidentally obtained the corpse of the ancient giant, Oars, from the Country of Ice. If I were to stuff your shadow into Oars's body… what do you think would happen?"
"LEO, YOU'RE LOOKING TO DIE!!!"
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T/N :
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