SailorStar9: So with Chapter 299 uploaded, we finally hit Chapter 300 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.
Guest: Too bad I'll have to put this fic on hiatus until the flashback episodes end in the anime.
Pairings: Married!Ace/Sasha, Sibling!Luffy/Sasha, Sibling!Sabo/Sasha, Background Protector!Law/Sasha
Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda EiichirÅ-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC, the pairing and the fic idea.
Chapter 300: Arc 18: Good Luck!? Leader Kin'emon's Plot
"That man..." Kin'emon was stunned. "What is he thinking?"
On the shore...
"What is going on?" Shinobu gawked, freed of Kanjuro's serpents. "Momonosuke-sama." she gathered her young master in her arms.
With Kyoshiro...
"I didn't want to sink the ship." Kyoshiro sheathed his sword. "So I've only disabled the cannon pointed at us."
On the Polar Tang...
"Be careful." Ashura warned. "He's quite skillful. He's the Shogun's dog. He's a yakuza who's taking the place of Boss Hyogoro."
With Kyoshiro...
"Akazaya samurai!" Kyoshiro shouted. "I am a yakuza from the Flower Capital; people call me Napping Kyoshiro. My Kyoshiro Family is 200 strong and we would like to help you with your raid."
On the Thousand Sunny...
"Do he want to join our side?" Sanji wondered.
"I thought he was an enemy." Brook noted.
"Carrot, Shishilian." Sasha shouted, still focusing on restraining Kanjuro. "Can I trouble the two of you to get Momonosuke and Shinobu?"
"Leave it to us." Shishilian nodded. "Carrot, let's go."
On the Polar Tang...
"What do you mean?" Kiku demanded. "You're Orochi's subordinate. What favor do you own us?"
With Kyoshiro...
"I own the Kozuki Clan an immeasurable number of favors and debts." Kyoshiro admitted. "I often remember you, Kin-san. The Mountain God incident that occurred in the capital 40 years ago. People thought it was just Oden-sama going crazy, but it wasn't. That happened because the younger you who was so greedy tried to sell a small boar."
On the Polar Tang...
"There's only one person left who knows that." Kin'emon gaped. "Don't tell me... are you Denjiro?"
"Denjiro-san?" Kiku gawked.
"You're alive." Ashura teared.
With Kyoshiro...
"That's right." Denjiro undid his pompadour and reveal his trademark ponytail. "I am the Kozuki Clan retainer and one of the Akazaya Nine, Denjiro. I guess I am unrecognizable. When I learned if Kin-san and the others' return, I wanted to come forward straight away. I remained an enemy, just in case. Sure enough, if I had revealed my identity, the spy would've blown my cover and I would've been wiped out by Orochi. However, since I continued to earn Orochi's trust until the end, I was able to free the 1000 samurai in Rasetsu Town Prisoners' Quarters."
On the Thousand Sunny...
"Look over there." Nami pointed to the fleet appearing in the horizon.
"Those symbols are..." Usopp gasped as the marks on the sails became clear.
On the Polar Tang...
"Samurai clan crests." Kawamatsu recognized the markings.
With Denjiro...
"1200 soldiers in total." Denjiro declared. "Count us in. now, Kin-san." he grinned, showing the altered sigil. "You're a hell of a smart man. This symbol implying the date and the rendezvous point for the great battle. The original symbol didn't have those two lines. This flyer was leaked to Orochi and the others, but Yasuie-sama altered it before he died. These two newly added lines means crossing out the middle letters. That means the new rendezvous point is Habu Port without the middle part, which is hato (wharf). So it's the wharf at Habu Port which as a great view of the maple tree forest that Yasuie-sama loved. Hearing two lines on a habu, anyone who easily get the message. But you, sensing that Orochi's spy was with you, purposefully told your people that it was Tokage Port.
On the Polar Tang...
"It's true that picture doesn't look like a lizard." Dogstorm admitted.
"I believed it because Kin-sama was so confident." Kiku sighed.
With Denjiro...
"The spy fell right into your trap and told Orochi that Tokage Port was the new rendezvous point." Denjiro continued. "It was the foolishness of the one who acted as like he liked in the capital for so long. Orochi misjudged the distance between each place and didn't do anything until last night. But by that time, everyone had crossed those great bridges and the ships they needed had left the port. All that was destroyed were leftover ships. Just as you planned, the 4200 troops that you recruited were lying low at the Habu Port wharf until the time came. The plan to raid Onigashima hasn't gone wrong at all. Adding 1200 of us, it's 5400 in total. Now, let's go, everyone."
On the Thousand Sunny...
"That's amazing." Usopp gushed. "After all that trouble, we ended up with more allies."
"We're gonna do it anyway, though." Zoro shrugged.
"We can easily beat the Beast Pirates now." Chopper cheered.
"Not to mention, we just deprived Kanjuro of two viable hostages." Sasha added, Carrot and Shishilian returned with Momonosuke and Shinobu.
With Denjiro...
"Kin-san, that's our leader." Denjiro nodded. "You're worthy of respect as I thought."
On the Polar Tang...
"Be honest, Kin'emon." Dogstorm sighed.
"We know you are not capable of telling such a clever lie." Ashura chided.
"It turned out to be alright." Kawamatsu leveled a rebuking punch on their leader's cheek. "We won't get mad, so say it."
"You really thought it was 'Tokage', right?" Raizo scolded.
With Denjiro...
"Raise your sword, Kin-san." Denjiro encouraged. "We know we'll win this preliminary skirmish."
On the Polar Tang...
"I accept my fate." Kin'emon took the mantle of leader. "It has been 20 years since Oden-sama's tragic death. The Land of Wano has been in darkness darker than this cloudy sky. But the time has come." he drew his sword. "Now, to Onigashima. Let's avenge Oden-sama's death together."
On the shore...
"Damn Kin'emon..." Kanjuro scowled, barely recovering from Sasha's mental attack. "I have to report to Onigashima. I fulfilled my role that Orochi-sama gave me." he rapidly drew a stork on the ground.
"I won't let you go!" Kawamatsu snapped, shooting out of the water to engage the traitor. "We all have shared many years of pain and suffering." he fought against his former comrade. "We served under Oden-sama together and we lost him together. Do you enjoy deceiving and betraying such friends? Do you enjoy trampling on our wishes and disappointing us? Kanjuro!"
"I'm having so much fun." Kanjuro parried off Kawamatsu's strikes. "Deception, subterfuge, and then a surprise ending. There's no role in this world that's more worthwhile than this. I like how you guys played the fool, too. We'll end the play buy staining the blood with the Kozuki's blood." he leapt onto his animated stork and retreated. "Kawamatsu, I swear I'll find Hiyori and kill her too. I know she's alive now."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.