SailorStar9: So with Chapter 310 uploaded, I present Chapter 311 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.

Pairings: Married!Ace/Sasha, Sibling!Luffy/Sasha, Sibling!Sabo/Sasha, Background Protector!Law/Sasha

Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichirō-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC, the pairing and the fic idea.

Chapter 311: Arc 18: The Akazaya Face-off - Kikunojo vs. Kanjuro

With Jinbe's group...

"Oh my..." Jinbe gawked, after Big Mom crash-gated the party.

"Welcome back, Zeus." Big Mom had retrieved Zeus from Nami.

"Mama..." the Homie stammered.

"Zeus..." Nami called out, crashing in with Carrot.

"They've been caught?" Hyogoro gaped.

"You're finally here, Linlin." Kaido greeted his former teammate. "What took you so long?"

"Don't be so stiff, Kaido." Big Mom chided. "I made it in time. As Kaido said," she spoke to the Visual Den Den Mushi, the transmission was shown throughout Onigashima. "We formed an alliance for a purpose. If we're at each other's throats, it's out of our reach, but if we join hands, it's already within our grasp. We'll concentrate on pirating. We're finally...

"Going to go get..." Kaido added.

"The great treasure of the One Piece." both pirate group Captains chorused.

"The presence of the Ancient Weapons will bring about fear and a war in the world." Kaido continued. "Prepare yourself. That's the world of violence that we hope for."

"The Ancient Weapons..." Jinbe started.

"It is said that the three of them exist and they bear the name of Gods." Robin explained. "Pluton, Uranus, Poseidon. If they seize those powers, the world will lose its balance and hurtle down the path of destruction."

"Isn't that a bit dramatic?" Jinbe wondered.

"No, it's true." Robin confirmed.

"That's exciting." Orochi grinned.

"So listen, Orochi's subordinates." Kaido warned. "You must choose. This country is a natural stronghold surrounded by the falls, which the Navy and the World Government can't easily penetrate. If we build more weapon factories, and force even the people of the Flower Capital to work, this place will become a lawless land, a paradise for pirates."

"Kaido-sama, what do you mean?" Fukurokuju inquired.

"I'm sure you heard me." Kaido replied.

"Kaido, you bastard." Orochi sneered. "What are you blabbing about? The Flower Capital is my home turf. Just because I'm Kurozumi, do you know how much pain the Kozuki Clan has given me over the years? I was persecuted and despised just for being alive and they took everything from me. A grudge against the Kozuki Clan and against Wano. An urge for revenge against them all, that is what has driven me all this way. In a sense, the Flower Capital is the symbol of the Kurozumi Clan's retaliation. Their lands and lives are all mine. Even you can't mess with it as you please. I'll make the rascals of the Kozuki Clan who tortured the Kurozumi Clan get on their knees and to keep them from rebelling against me, I'll parade horrors before them. Forever and ever. I'll be the one who'll destroy Wano. This country is mine. Know your place, Kaido. You've been here for only a short time. Who do you think is making it possible for you to procure weapons? Wano can only exist with me. I hope you know that. I see you understand." he remarked, Kaido slamming his spiked mace on the floor. "What we've got to do now..." his sentence was cut short when Kaido took up a scimitar and cut his head off.

"I don't care." Kaido snorted. "We don't need him anymore. What nonsense. To me, both the Kurozumi Clan and the Kozuki Clan meaning nothing."

At the back entrance of Onigashima...

Kanjuro and Kiku were clashing against each other.

Kanjuro coated the tip of his brush with Armament Haki and extended the head towards Kiku who ducked back to avoid getting hit.

"What?" Kiku gaped when Kanjuro used his hair as a camouflage and sneak-attacked her with his paintbrush. She side-stepped the thrust and sliced her opponent, who was then revealed to be a painting.

"I know the habits in your swordplay." Kanjuro tsked. "But you don't know my techniques, right?" he drew a group of headless samurai, using them to attack Kiku.

Kiku sliced her way through the drawings and clashed once again with Kanjuro,parrying his paintbrush off.

"Finish him off, Kiku!" Ashura shouted, Kiku had Kanjuro at sword-point.

"Okiku, I'm sorry." Kanjuro feigned remorse. "I can only live as a member of the Kurozumi Clan, so kill me already. I still remember the days we spent together like siblings. Living while deceiving you was always painful. I really think I did horrible things to Momonosuke-sama, too. I was born Kurozumi, and I could only live like this. Forgive me. I actually want to live side by side with you guys."

"Kiku, do it!" Ashura barked.

"Kanjuro, it's not too late." Kiku advised. "Let's take down Kaido."

"How can you believe in a jerk like me..." Kanjuro wept. "You're so naive." he vanished before Kiku's eyes and struck her from the back.

Tell me that's all a lie. Kiku begged. This Kanjuro is a fake. The Kanjuro I'm facing now is nothing but a phony. She struck out with a wide sword strike.

"Okiku." Kanjuro now took the form of his younger self. "What are you doing?" he demanded, meeting Kiku's sword. "How dare you cut me, who is like a brother to you, in cold blood? It's so painful to be betrayed. I'll make you pay for it."

"You betrayed me." Kiku fired back. "What is your true heart? Who in the world are you? The Kanjuro who laughed and cried with us back in those days," she parried off Kanjuro's sword slashes. "Give him back to us."

"No way..." Kanjuro was stunned, Kiku managed to land a hit on him. "I thought we were gonna be friends, no matter what. I never believed that from the start." the real Kanjuro confessed, removing his disguise. "This is the real me right here. My life as an Akazaya member was all an act. I didn't share any joy or sorrow with you. I don't give a damn about you. I did everything for the Kurozumi Clan. Go to hell. Look at this; this spectacular grand stage." he grinned, landing the final strike on Kiku.

Everything was fake. Kiku realized. Your life was all an act. You only lived your role.

"It wasn't fake." Kanjuro insisted. "I've been living to fulfill my role all my life. If I touched you emotionally, I feel blessed for being such a good actor. What?" he gaped, Kiku ended the fight.

"I sliced up my own heart that was trying to believe in you." Kiku confessed. "The charade is over. I wish you said your betrayal was an act. We'll never be able to see the Kanjuro that we knew. The joys and sorrows we shared were all an illusion. The Kanjuro that I knew was just a drawing. You have no one to say goodbye to. In that case, I have no mercy."

"Great." Kanjuro grinned. "This is an unforeseen twist."

Zansetsu-ken," Kiku readied her sword stance, snow swirling around her.

"I can predict all your moves." Kanjuro moved to counter Kiku. "This is a simple one." he easily fended Kiku's attack. "Okiku, you're still as kind as ever."

The guy right here is not Kanjuro. Kiku steeled her resolve. Kanjuro is no longer here. Why?

Excellent. Kanjuro praised, Kiku having ended the fight. Well done, Okiku. I've been looking for a place to die. If I can die on this grand stage, I'd be very happy.

With Kin'emon and Denjiro...

"Kin-san." Denjiro turned to his leader.

"Yeah, let's go." Kin'emon nodded. "it must be hard on you guys." he greeted the rest of the Akazaya, who had gathered around Kanjuro's corpse.

"Kin-san." Izo voiced. "Let's keep moving forward for now."

"Izo, is it okay for you to die here?" Kin'emon asked.

"I don't wanna miss another chance to die." Izo replied.

"Okay." Kin'emon declared. "Let's go."

SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.