Chapter 136: Chapter 136
The entirety of Udon was engulfed in chaos as the clash between the Beast Pirates and the Wano Samurai resulted in widespread destruction. As the battle progressed, the samurai who had been released from the mine joined the fray, completely suppressing the Beast Pirates.
However, Kaido and Oden paid no attention to the turmoil around them; their clash was all they could focus on. Both warriors stood at the peak of their abilities, neither giving an inch. They fought with a singular purpose: to best their opponent.
Despite being called the strongest creature, Kaido's defenses were breached by Oden, particularly because Oden could use Conqueror's Haki entanglement. Kaido's massive dragon form bore three significant scars: a cross-shaped cut on his chest, a long, deep gash along his spine, and a deep wound on his neck.
Oden, too, was equally battered. His left arm was scorched, and a visible dent marred his chest, turning the area black and blue. He visibly limped on one leg.
"Kaido-sama, we cannot hold them back! If this continues, we will lose our entire crew and everything we have built. We have already lost more than half our forces!" King screamed as he deflected another flame-clad slash from Kinemon.
Although he was holding his ground, he knew the Beast Pirates would have no one left to serve if this went on, as more and more samurai joined the fight. He had never expected Oden to breach Kaido's defenses. Since the moment the massive dragon fell from the sky the first time, his heart has been in unrest.
In the sky, Kaido's dragon form roared, disregarding King's words. Despite knowing the dire situation, he wanted nothing more than to kill Oden. He had never had such an exhilarating fight in his life.
The more he fought against Oden, the more he felt he could learn and grow stronger. He now firmly understood what Garp had told him years ago about Haki. As he was now, he still relied on his Devil Fruit, but Oden, who had no Devil Fruit, could match him just because of his mastery of Haki.
"Ragnaraku!" Kaido reverted to his hybrid form and swung his mace again, while Oden swung Enma and Ame no Habakiri. "Nitoryu: Togen Totsuka!" Both weapons clashed, sending ripples through the air. Even the downpour seemed to freeze under the sheer pressure of their clash.
Suddenly, a cry for help from a small boy caught Oden's attention. He recognized the voice instantly. That momentary lapse put him at a disadvantage as Kaido swung his mace ferociously.
Oden managed to defend the attack by crossing his blades, but he was sent flying back, crashing into the ground. Despite his injuries, Oden got up and sprinted toward the boy. It was none other than his son, Momonosuke. "Father, help!" Momonosuke cried. Oden ran to him, embracing him protectively.
Just then, with a cruel glint in his eyes, the little boy pulled a knife hidden in his sleeves and plunged it into Oden's chest. Oden reeled in pain and dropped to the ground, unable to comprehend why his own son would attack him. Then it hit him: Ross had told him about Kurozumi Higurashi's ability to transform. Oden coughed blood and roared, "Higurashi!"
Kaido squinted his eyes, dissatisfied with what had just happened. However, knowing the situation was dire, he needed to take advantage of this opportunity. He could deal with Higurashi's interference later. As long as he took down Oden, Wano would be his once again.
Oden roared in anger and, before Higurashi could react, beheaded her with a single swing of Enma. However, Kaido had already transformed into his mythical dragon form, becoming a flaming behemoth covered in lava, ready to launch his strongest attack. Oden, still reeling from the devastating attack, was on his knees. Many of his retainers wanted to intervene, but the pressure from Kaido kept everyone at bay.
"Shoryu: Kaen Hakke!" Kaido, in his fiery dragon form, lunged forward to launch his devastating attack, aiming to deal with Oden once and for all. Oden's eyes widened; the earlier stab was fatal, and he could not muster enough Haki to defend against the massive incoming attack. He closed his eyes, trying to summon the strength.
Just then, the heavens rumbled as if answering Oden's silent prayer. The entire sky above Wano roared in fury, and as Kaido's attack was about to engulf Oden, high in the sky, Ross posed with Shusui held in both hands and swung it down. "Ittoryu Iai: Odin's Wrath!"
A massive spear of black lightning descended and morphed into a colossal black dragon, comparable in size to Kaido's full form. The entire Wano could see the spectacle. Even Kaido felt fear as the lightning dragon roared.
However, it was too late to dodge; there was no way he could match the speed of lightning. He instinctively coated his entire form with the strongest Armament Haki and even Conqueror's Haki. Despite his best efforts, it wasn't enough, as Ross had charged the attack for too long.
The massive black lightning attack tore through Kaido's azure dragon form, leaving a gaping hole through its girth.
"Rooooar!" A blood-curdling cry reverberated throughout Udon as Kaido's massive, flaming form crashed to the ground. The entire battlefield froze, save for the sound of falling rain.
"Sigh, despite my warning, you fell for the trick, Oden," I muttered. But I was delighted; Shusui was a true masterpiece, significantly amplifying my attacks. I did not expect Shusui to amplify my attack to such a degree, If I had tried such an attack with Kitetsu, it would have shattered.
Originally, I did not want to intervene in the fight to see who would come out on top, but after detecting Higurashi, an idea formed in my mind that having Oden indebted to me would help in the future, and my initial intent was to have Oden walk out of this alive.
As the massive dragon crashed into the ground, leaving a large crater, Kaido immediately reverted to his human form, unable to maintain his dragon form due to the devastating damage. Despite such a fatal attack, Kaido surprised everyone by spitting out blood and, with difficulty, standing back up. His breathing was labored, and his chest sported a fist-sized gaping hole.
However, thanks to his Zoan vitality, he still held on. He unleashed his Observation Haki to try and find the attacker, but it was of no use. Even Oden seemed wary, though he realized that the one who intervened was not hostile.
"You bastard! Come out and face me, you coward!" Kaido roared, his Haoshoku Haki bursting out despite the overwhelming pain. He bent over, coughing and spitting blood, as the internal injury was too extensive.
Oden, given a respite, tore his sleeves and used them as makeshift bandages to stem the bleeding from his chest. He stood up, ready to face Kaido once more.
However, just then, King, battered and bruised, arrived next to Kaido. "Kaido-sama, we need to leave. We can come back later for Wano," he advised.
Kaido roared in fury, grabbing King by the neck and choking him, but King did not flinch. He knew that continuing this fight was futile. In their current condition, even Kaido might fall, which King could not allow. King was loyal to Kaido to the bone, willing to sacrifice his life if it meant Kaido would see reason. Kaido had saved him from hell, and he was ready to repay that debt.
Just as King's face turned blue, Kaido eased the pressure, looking at Oden. He was confident he could take down Oden, but he was wary of the unknown attacker. If the other party intervened again while he fought Oden, he would be at a disadvantage.
With a murderous roar, Kaido finally decided to fall back. For the first time in his life, he took a step back, but he swore in his heart that he would come back for Wano. Wano was his, and he would also tear down the person who intervened. He tossed King aside and, without another word, retreated towards Onigashima.
Oden, breathing heavily and still clutching his chest, watched Kaido retreat. The battlefield fell silent, save for the sound of the falling rain. The Wano samurai, victorious but weary, began to regroup. Oden's retainers rushed to his side, tending to his wounds and ensuring he could stand.
The clash had been epic, a testament to the indomitable wills of both warriors. The scars left on Kaido's body and the injuries to Oden were reminders of the fierce battle they had waged. Yet, the intervention had changed the course of the fight, giving Oden the edge he needed.
As Kaido and his forces retreated, Oden looked up to the sky, where the mysterious lightning attack had come from. He knew that whoever had intervened had saved his life. With a silent vow, he promised to uncover the identity of his savior and repay the debt; however, the thought of Ross being his savior did not even cross his mind. For now, though, his focus was on reclaiming Wano and rebuilding what had been torn apart by the Beast Pirates and Orochi.
"Regroup and rally all the samurai! Now that we have an advantage, we cannot let go. We will immediately siege Onigashima," Oden commanded. The retainers seemed worried.
"Oden-sama, your injuries..." one of the retainers couldn't help but ask in concern, but Oden stopped him.
"No, we cannot give Kaido and his men time to regroup. Kaido is in the same condition as I am, especially after that last attack. We need to push him out of Wano once and for all," Oden responded. He knew that if Kaido had any sense, he would leave Onigashima in haste because, soon enough, the entire might of Wano would descend on him.
A few hours later, as the massive army of samurai descended on Onigashima, Oden's guess proved correct. The Beast Pirates had completely retreated from Wano. Oden stood on the shore with his retainers standing behind him at a respectful distance, gazing at the horizon where he could see the Beast Pirates' fleet retreating. He knew that Kaido would return, and he needed to be ready.
Just then, a samurai came running, his face flushed. He knelt. "Shogun-sama, the grave of the Sword God has been desecrated and robbed. Both the corpse and the sword are missing," he explained in a hurry. The people of Wano had already decided that Oden would be the Shogun; they did not even wait for Oden to accept the position.
The moment the samurai shared the news of Ryuma's grave being desecrated, everyone's fury overflowed. Ryuma was the guardian god of Wano, so having someone take away the things belonging to the Sword God was a blatant insult.
Even Oden's expression soured, not understanding who would do something like this. "Search the whole of Wano. Whoever's responsible for this might still be here. We need to find them," Oden ordered. The temporarily appointed leaders of each region rallied their forces under the Shogun's orders to search and cleanse the entire Wano for stragglers. Now, on the shore, only the most trusted retainers of Oden remained. Oden gestured for his retainers to give him space and stepped onto the shore.
As he stood there, he remarked, "Are you willing to come out now, Ross-dono?" He turned towards a boulder. I stepped from behind it, carrying two wrapped bundles on my shoulders, followed by Wolf, who carried a little boy in his arms.
"Not bad, Oden-san. Despite your weakened state, you still seem to be alert," I commented with a chuckle as I stepped next to Oden. His retainers wanted to intervene, but Oden simply stopped them with a gesture, asking them to retreat. That was when Kin'emon's eyes set on the sword strapped to my side.
"Oden-sama, he has Shusui," he commented in a hurry while pulling out his katana. The other retainers also drew their swords, ready for confrontation. Even Oden instinctively reached for his swords but had yet to unsheathe them because he felt a powerful pressure emanating from me. Just then, the rain that had slowed down picked up speed, the wind howled, thunder rumbled, and lightning streaked across the night sky.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Oden-san. I don't think you will be able to face me in your current condition." A bolt of black lightning struck the ground in front of the retainers, who were about to charge.
Oden's eyes widened in realization and shock. "Ross-dono, it was you," he finally realized who had saved his life. His gaze settled on Shusui with a raised brow, as if expecting an explanation. Even the retainers now understood that challenging me would be foolish, and with Oden's orders, they sheathed their blades.
"Well, Oden-san, I found a grave robber, so I am here to do you another favor." I tossed a large, wrapped bundle in front of Oden, which unfurled to reveal the unconscious form of Gecko Moria. I carefully set down the next bundle, which contained the corpse of Ryuma.
"This..." Oden was about to unwrap the second bundle, but I stopped him. "As the new Shogun of Wano, you have a choice to make, Oden-san: the corpse of Shimotsuki Ryuma or Shusui. Pick one. I am a pirate and could have taken it away without telling you, but for old times' sake and the respect I hold towards such a great warrior like Ryuma, I am giving you this choice." Although I framed it as a choice, I knew what Oden would pick.
The true reason I exposed myself without leaving was to make sure Oden knew who saved his life and to set up my next plan. I needed Wano to capture Moria. As a closed country, Wano would not have much knowledge about the Shichibukai. Any action they take against a Shichibukai would rile the Marines, making them mobilize. That would give me the perfect opening to attack Impel Down. I had one chance, a single chance, to rescue Señor and Diamante, and I wanted to set everything up properly before I hit Impel Down.
"You, how dare you bargain with us, the people of Wano, using the Sword God's body, and Wano's national treasure? They both belong to Wano!" Kin'emon roared, and the same intent flowed through the rest of the retainers. However, Oden felt conflicted because I was his savior, and as I had said earlier, I could have just left, and no one would have ever known that the sword and the corpse were lost.
"A correction, sir! The corpse of Ryuma may belong to Wano, but the sword belonged to Ryuma himself. As far as I have read, there are no records stating that Ryuma passed down the sword to anyone, so claiming that it belongs to Wano is simply not fair," Wolf, who had read many records of Wano during his imprisonment, spoke logically, which put an ugly look on the samurai's faces.
Oden then suddenly pulled out both his katana, strapped to his side along with their sheaths, and presented them. "Ross-dono, I will forever be indebted to you for saving my life, but would you please reconsider handing over Shusui in exchange for my two blades?" Oden proposed.
"Oden-sama, you cannot... We can just take Shusui away, and like he said, we don't have to entertain a pirate. For all we know, he might have been the one who desecrated the sword God's resting place," one of the retainers barked.
However, just then, the sound of a katana being drawn was heard, and to everyone's surprise, Uzuki Miyamoto pointed his sword at the one who just spoke.
"Insult my savior one more time, and I will have your head," he said, directly challenging the other samurai for a life-and-death battle. Now that Wano was free, Miyamoto Uzuki had finally fulfilled his promise.
With his brother, Uzuki Tempura, still alive, he knew that Udon would have a good Daimyo leading it, so he had earlier decided to venture into the seas to find Ross and serve under him. But, as fate would have it, he found Ross again just after a short time.
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