Wano
Kaido would have commanded his zombie minion to go out and hunt for the rebels. But as it turns out, his zombie was no longer available for service. For Joker had suddenly turned into dust before him, which could only mean one thing.
"Worororo, looks like the fat lady sings..." He then stood up and took a swig of his giant gourd, downing the entirety of the strong alcohol. "Mugiwara, you better show me something good."
Around the monster known as the Emperor Yonko were King the Conflagration, Queen the Plague, and Jack the Drought.
Then directly below them were the flying six, consisting of Black Maria, Who's Who, Sazaki, X-Drake, Page One, and Ulti.
Then the headliners, numbers, and gifters. Headliners were those awakened zoan users who were next in line for the flying six position. The Numbers were giant beings which were too violent for their own good. Then the gifters were common zoan users that have yet to awaken their fruits.
For without Caesar and his Smile fruit, Kaido had to resort to trading weapons from Wano to obtain the zoan fruits around the world. And now he held down a literal animal kingdom with so much rare creatures for him to pit against his enemies. Yes, Kaido was the beast king, and soon he will become the Pirate King.
Then their was one more person, the person in which was only second to Kaido in strength and merit...this person was...
Previously…
"I am Shimotsuki Kuina, a loyal subordinate of the Kozuki Clan, please follow me to safety." On the back of this Kuina character was the blade of Lady Hyori, Enma. Kinemon immediately trembled, as on his waist was Ame no Habakiri, the twin blade of Enma. This woman can be trusted, or she could have stolen it from Lady Hyori.
"Alright. Where to?" Said Kinemon, still cautious at the new arrival.
"To safety." And she slammed several smoke bombs before opening a contraption below her feet. "We must hurry."
Present…
Kuina led them through the puzzle that is located underground. It was intricate with many different passageways but Kuina knew her way, for she has been in Wano for a little over a decade.
"We're almost there Lord Momonosuke, just hang on." Kinemon tried to comfort the young master.
"I'm okay Kin, I wish you would stop worrying about me so much." To this the group got silent, but it wouldn't be silent for too long as they finally emerged out of a giant dome, where all around were well lit candles, perfectly symmetrical around the room. And in the back of the room, where it was most colorful, there was a lady wearing a kitsune mask who played a familiar tune.
Momo was immediately intrigued, as this song was something he heard not even a week before...well at least in his mind. Beside the woman was a blue haired samurai, who's eyes remained clothes as his attire was pure black, he used his sword to keep himself up.
But as the group approached them, the sleeping samurai was on high alert, drawing his blade and pointing it at the intruder. Coincidently, the song of the young lady ended thus leaving an ominous mood between the time travellers and the mysterious duo.
"Lady Hiyori!" He immediately took a knee in front of the masked young woman. The samurai let Kuina pass as he continued to threaten the new arrival with his blade. "I have returned with Lord Momonosuke and the scabbards of your late father."
The samurai immediately dropped his blade, tears welling up on his eyes. "Kin...Kanjuro...Raizo….Kiku….Lord Momonosuke." The man collapsed on the group on both knees. "It has been so long." None of the scabbards nor the young lord recognized the man as it was nobody they ever interacted with. The samurai recognized their confusion and finally revealed himself. "When you all disappeared, I had escaped to the forest where through my anger, I yelled into the heavens. I cursed for I was not strong enough to protect our lord Oden." He then stood up and approached Kinemon smiling at him. "I am Denjiro a loyal retainer of Lord Kozuki Oden! It has been awhile my friends."
At his reveal, the scabbards immediately exchanged embraces, and Kanjuro, well Lucci was already keeping tabs of the painter. He had been warned to watch out for him, and now he knew why. Just one more strike, that's all he needs and he will call him out for his crap.
Though another exchange occurred, as Momonosuke approached the masked musician, he slowly removed her mask as she continued to play her tune. As he removed her mask, it revealed a familiar person, and he immediately smiled.
"Hello little sister." Said the much younger Momonosuke, though despite this being the case, he still saw her as a younger sibling. Momonosuke thought she would hug him, it had been a long time after all. But Lady Hiyori, through her pain for many, many years, decided to do the one thing that she knows best to her elder brother.
Now at the tender age of 26, with being a full fledged adult, Lady Hiyori delivered a drop kick from HELL, sending Momo through the shadowverse.
"It has been some time brother." Her tone was cold, but deep inside she was in pain. She wants to be happy for the return of her brother, but it was not a happy time. Momo was out for the count while everyone got situated around a round table.
"So what is this hell that is now our country of Wano?" Kinemon asked immediately, with Kuina and Denjiro tensing at the question.
Momonosuke was placed on a soft bed after being knocked out by his younger sister. So the people of the round table were Lucci, Kuina, Hiyori, Denjiro, Kinemon, Kikunojo, Reizo, and Kanjuro.
"After the death of my father, Kawamatsu took me to safety, ensuring that I was not captured by Orochi and his people. Meanwhile Kaido overtook the land of Wano and made it into his personal weapon factory. He has used this country to produce state of the art weaponry that he uses to exchange for the rare and powerful zoan type devil fruits of the world." Lucci was listening, yeah, but he found this information to be particularly useful. "He also determines his crew base on strength." Even better...thought Lucci as his plan was coming into fruition. "As far as the current shogun of Wano, Orochi leads through fear and deceit. He has kept the country poor and hoarded all of its resources. He cares not for the people, but he cares for its downfall."
Then Denjiro spoke, with his tired eyes evident for the group. "I am in Orochi's court as his head military personnel, second to only the oniwabanshu."
"And I am a fake courtesan, who is scheduled to marry this rat of a person. It is in this wedding where I would be 'killed'." It was then that she revealed her blood canister, where she would pretend to be murdered by Denjiro, though alas, it did not need to come to that, or so it seems.
"So where are our men? The others?" Reizo was of course asking for those who were loyal to the Kozuki clan. Then there are also the rest of the Red Scabbards which included Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Kawamatsu and Ashura Doji. Where were they?
"Neko and Inu are gone, they left for Zou and we have not heard from them since." Said Denjiro.
"Nia~Inu, do you think our friends have changed?" Said Nekomamushi aboard his ship. He had been communicating with Inu through a transponder snail.
"I don't think so, especially since they traveled from the future." Replied Inuarashi, then added. "I can't wait to get my hands on that Orochi bastard."
"Yeah me too."
"Kawamatsu is in Udon Prison where former Kozuki supporters, pirates, and offenders alike are sent there to break their spirits...killed if it has to come to that."
"Fish, fish...anyone got some fish?" On the worst place to rot in udon prison, Kawamatsu was bound close to the wall without a way to move. He has not broken since being caught and no matter what Queen did, he would not do so.
"Hang in there Kawamatsu." An elderly man tossed his ration of fish, which he worked very hard for, to the fishman stuck on the back of the cell. Lucky enough, Kawamatsu was able to catch it with his mouth. "We'll get you out somehow." And the old man left once more, leaving Kawamatsu on his own with the thought of Lord Oden's will, to keep him going.
"And Ashura Doji leads the mountain bandits, fighting for the bare necessities."
"This won't be enough!" Ashura Doji looked into the supplies that his men were able to obtain.
"Sorry boss but there was not much we could do, Orochi had doubled the guards on all supply heading to the castle." A subordinate was on both knees trembling in fear at the wrath of his boss. Though this man was fairly new, and this man did not really know the leader of the mountain bandit like everyone else.
Suddenly an alarm flared up from the secret entrance way to their hiding spot.
"It's that monster! We must return to the court of Orochi to maintain our guise. But you must hold him, or defeat him!" Denjiro immediately opened another passageway, one in which he intended to seal up. They could not get caught, they had been waiting for too long for this. Lady Hiyori went before Denjiro as they swiftly made their escape. The remnant of the red scabbards along with Lord Momonosuke, Kuina, and Lucci remained.
For if they found nobody in the hideout, they would immediately be suspicious of a spy within the court. This was the only way and everyone was in agreement.
"Be wary because these could be the numbers, or the all stars...even I do not stand a chance at even one of the all stars." Kuina gritted her teeth because she had tried and failed before. "Oh no..." Kuina tightly held her blade in fear as it wasn't a group, it wasn't even the numbers or the all stars, for they were attacked by a single demon mask person. That person plowed through Kuina and Raizo in one motion of their club. For anyone familiar, they would think it was Kaido doing the move.
"Fools, you have been all fools!" Exclaimed Kanjuro as he knocked out Momonosuke at the arrival of the intruder. "We must chase after the fleeing traitors! We must..." But with the only move that Lucci could get out, they used it to stab through the chest of Kanjuro to stop him from revealing the identities of Denjiro and Lady Hiyori. That was all he could do as the powerful man knocked out both Raizo and Kikunojo.
"Fucken shit, who the hell are you." Here we have one of the strongest Strawhat in his peak, and yet he was on both knees in front of an imposing being. On his left, a fallen Kinemon, and Kikunojo. On his right were the unmoving bodies of Raizo, and Kuina. Then the fallen figure of the traitorous bastard named Kanjuro and the passed out Momonosuke.
"Yamato." …Lady Toki made a decision, she knew that her choice would wildly affect the course of her world. But she made it anyway. The scabbards were sent to the future along with her son, Momonosuke and her other choice was to send Luffy into the past before he died. Her grave choice was enough to alter many lives, for better or for worse. More prominently was how it affected the life of a certain child of an emperor, who without the inspiration of Oden's execution ...well their life would take a completely different turn...a turn for the worst. For this person had become the perfect child to the monster that is known as Kaido. The perfect being to overtake the kingdom of the beast once he passes on or retires.
…A thunder bagua straight to his face was enough to knock out Lucci.
His fall was in slow motion, as he had many questions in his mind. Though more prominent was, how were they going to get out of this mess? That was it as his face met the cold hard dirt, then darkness.
..
Flower Capital
Sometime must have passed as Lucci woke up, his whole body aching from being suspended up. How long was he out? Though immediately Lucci was in a fit of panic as he found himself amongst a sea of people, all tied to a post in a spectacle of an execution.
The people of Wano were all present to watch, as per the orders of Lord Orochi, they must witness this execution.
"Here lies the soon to be grave of the traitors to Lord Orochi." The leader of the oniwabanshu, Fukurokuju, was speaking to the crowd. He then pointed at the people tied up by the post.
Most of them, Lucci did not know but he knew that they were loyal to the Kozuki clan, and were now hunted down by Orochi for being loyal to his mortal enemies.
"Men line up and ready your weapons!" A group of firing squad lined up next to one another with their weapons hot and ready. "At your command Lord Orochi." The big headed
The conniving Shogun of Wano was laughing to himself, he finally won, he finally caught the remaining members of the Kozuki clan and its retainers. Once this execution takes place, there will no longer be any opposition to his control.
"Fire at..." Ordered Kurozumi Orochi, though his words would cut out at the arrival of the beast pirates and in tow were lines of strange creatures, these creatures were the minks.
And ahead of the chained captured prisoners were Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
In tow were the Strawhat pirates with them along with the minks who came with them.
The Beast Pirates intercepted the incoming allies of the Kozuki clan.
Who was left? Especially with the Strawhats more than likely days from arriving in Wano. And another thing was where was Kaido? Well the beast cared not for the politics of Wano, all he cared for was having a strong group of people serving him. He rescinded on his home island drinking his days away. For the monster was devastated, for he wished to meet someone who could challenge him. If something happens where he is overthrown, well, that will be the day.
"We have brought more of the resistance, do with them as you please." The Beast pirates were led by King, and all he brought with him were the other all stars and the flying six. One particular samurai who sat beside Orochi was visibly bothered by these new arrivals. His name was Kyoshiro to Orochi but his real name was Denjiro.
"This is so boring! SO boring!" Exclaimed a purpled haired lady who goes by the name of Ulti. "Paypay, I want to return to Onigashima now!" The man known as Paypay tried to protest, but her determination was enough for him to open and close his mouth. There was no winning this one.
"Fine." With that, the so-called Paypay or better yet, Page one...transformed into his spinosaurus form and placed Ulti on his back.
"Yup, with a capital B." Sazakii yawned at the incoming enemy. It was so easy that he did not even need to go all out. He began to follow after the duo. Who's Who followed after without uttering a word.
Black Maria and X-Drake were the only one to remain with the all stars, as both were interested in what would happen next.
"Are you done?!" Orochi was angry for being interrupted, but upon seeing the two beasts who once served Oden. "Ah, more traitors to execute. Get them up!" Orochi commanded his servant to bring in more crucifixes.
Now the field was filled with hundreds of Kozuki supporters. All of which were at the mercy of the gun that the firing squad was going to fire.
Lucci looked around, finding Monet, Galdino and the others held up by their wooden post.
This was the end.
King, Queen, Jack, X-Drake, and Black Maria observed as Lord Orochi finally signaled the firing squad to unleash their bullets.
The line of bullets escaped from the tip of their guns and made their way to the captives.
Death knocked at everyone's door but this was not the day for them to die...for before the bullet could even get near them, a large black pole caught all the bullets and blocked the strike that would have killed all the prisoners.
Everyone's eyes grew wide as here came one man, standing between the prisoners, and the enemy forces stood with his extended staff.
"Who the hell are you!?" Exclaimed Orochi as he stood up from his viewing area, pointing at the intruder.
And the man with the long staff he...well...he smiled.
Wano - Waterfall
"So this is the land of the samurai." Surume and Laboon were successful in climbing the waterfall. And now, well the Strawhat Grand Armada were in the land of the samurais.
"It's a pretty cool place huh?" Marco landed on the deck in his phoenix form. "Told you our data was pretty accurate. Now where is Oden, it's been awhile since I last saw him."
"We're breaking off to look for our captain!" Exclaimed Benn aboard the red force, for they were there to look for Shanks, where was the red haired man? His call was met with a nod from Katakuri as they went their separate way.
"It had been some time since I last saw my brother, I wonder how he is doing." Izo thought out loud.
"That Oden sure was strong, he could actually damage my shield despite being made of diamond." Added Jozu.
"Other than Roger and Luffy, I only ever saw Oden as my brother while everyone else was my child, I wonder how he is doing." Whitebeard commented.
"That guy was strong, too bad Roger never let me duke it out with him." Said Bullet.
"Well done." Commented Katakuri as he extended his observation haki. His eyes then grew wide as the Captain had immediately made his move. "We have to support him now!"
And the group were immediately aware of what he meant, as the vanguard unit propelled their ship forward, making headway for the flower capital with the intention of breaking through the forces of Orochi.
Shiki floated on ahead of the group, recognizing that they were about to hit a literal wall.
That wall happened to be the beast, Kaido himself. Now in his majestic dragon form, he blocked off the path of the Strawhat Grand Armada to stop them from going any further.
"Worororo, you've come to defy me!" Exclaimed the dragon in which case the strawhats returned his deadly gaze with their own.
Come to think of it, there were actually three people aboard that ship who could stand on equal footing with Kaido. There was Whitebeard, Shiki, and Katakuri. And then a few people who can give him trouble in Hancock, Bullet, Oven, and Mihawk.
"Gurarara, leave this bastard to me, I'll hold him over until Captain stops playing in the capital." With his announcement, Whitebeard jumped in the air, infused his bisento in his quake ability and unleashed a devastating slice straight to the face of the dragon. Shiki nodded his head and pressed on. So did the rest of the Strawhats pressed on, leaving Whitebeard to face his former crewmate, the same crewmate who just ate the quake slash and continued to have a smile over his face.
"Newgate, you are Mugiwara's lap dog now?" Said Kaido with a thirst for blood as he reverted to his Oni form. He threw his haki infused fist straight towards Whitebeard.
"Not a lap dog Kaido, but his brother." Replied Whitebeard with his own smile, meeting Kaido's strike in head on, which resulted in a thunderous destruction all around the two titanic powerhouse.
Udon Prison
To others, Kanjuro was still with the nine red scabbards. So the first thing that Yamato did was bring him to Udon prison and got rid of him immediately. He continued to yell and scream that he was with Lord Orochi's loyal servant, but the beast pirates did not care. Especially the head jailer of the prison, Babanuki.
"Shut your pie hole samurai!" The elephant Zoan transformed into his pure form and continuously stopped the bounded samurai, the traitor of the nine red scabbards.
"So you were the traitor." On the pit of darkness, held back by a thick layer of bars. Only those bars separated the enraged fishman from the traitorous worm.
"What? Kawamatsu? You were still alive after all." Yet Kanjuro was not worried for his safety, as in the hierarchy of the scabbards, Kanjuro was one of the strongest. Before Kawamatsu could respond, an explosion erupted from a distance. For on the eastern wall of the prison was the arrival of the final member of the Nine Red Scabbards that had yet to make a move.
"You damned mountain bandit! What are you doing breaking into Kaido's territory!" Babanuki switched to his hybrid form and charged at Ashura Doji. Though the head jailer was immediately cut down by a light blue haired princess by the name of Lady Hiyori, this time she wielded her father's blade, Enma. No not to be confused with Luffy's long staff, Enma the blade was one of the two blades that was able to injure the unstoppable beast, Kaido. And now, it was used to cut down Babanuki in one swift motion.
"To those who support my father, Kozuki Oden, come with me to the Flower Capital!" Lady Hiyori screamed in a passionate plea for help. The zoan jailers of the prison tried to defuse the situation but were immediately overwhelmed, especially with Ashura Doji going all out. His men went to work immediately and freed the prisoners who were loyal to the Kozuki clan, most notably were Yasuie and Hyogoro.
"It had been some time friend." Kawamatsu was let out of his binding by Ashura Doji, though he stared bullets into the passed out Kanjuro who was now being bound by Lady Hiyori.
"I could not rescue you soon enough my friend." Replied the mountain bandit, who was truly a member of Oden's Red Scabbards. Though more notably, Kawamatsu began to tear up at the revelation that Lady Hiyori was doing fine, better than he expected. She was more than alive, she was a powerful warrior like her father.
"We must hurry to the Capital!" With her order, Lady Hiyori led the samurais through
Flower Capital
Lucci was not a crier, no, he was a strong man who fought until he died. But after seeing him, he could not help it. He was back, he was truly back.
"How have you been Lucci?" Flashes of their first meeting and war together filled the mind of Rob Lucci. Who's respect for this man goes far beyond anything he could ever explain. He pulled himself back and gathered his emotions.
"Been awhile captain." Answered Lucci as he was removed from his binding by the fancy new staff that the captain wielded. Seems like it could extend and expand on its own.
Then the leopard zoan stood beside his captain and transformed into his hybrid form.
"Let's get these good people free."
"Aye Captain." With that the two men began to rip through the binding of the hundreds of people within the flower capital.
Luffy went for Momonosuke and immediately freed Kinemon to protect him. Then he freed Monet and received a powerful kiss for his efforts finally succumbing to her desire for the captain.
Meanwhile Lucci immediately went for Inuarashi and Nekomamushi knowing full well that they would be the most powerful of their allies.
All hell broke loose as the allies were freeing one another and the court of Orochi along with the five present beast pirates were trying to pin them down.
Luffy couldn't help but take his moment with Monet, casually deflecting any attacking samurais as he exchanged a loving embrace with the green haired beauty.
"Hey you." Luffy said as he broke the exchange, pinning two samurais with his staff.
"Hi." She could be mad for his disappearance, but instead she was filled with joy.
"I'll take you out on a date after all this, okay?" Luffy used his rubber abilities to catch a samurai and throw him on the ground.
"It's a deal." Monet transformed into snow and began assisting the allies. As she flew away, a wax wave made its way toward the captain, with a certain wax user landing before him.
"Oi Captain! Get a room why don't you." Exclaimed Galdino while exchanging an embrace with the man he respected the most.
"Glad to know you're alright." Luffy then found that the minks were freed and were now fighting the forces of Orochi and the beast pirates present. Momonosuke then fell on both knees as he continued to suffer from immense pain. "Hey kid."
Luffy addressed Momonosuke, who in his other timeline was a really good friend of his.
"Yes?" His face was bloated from being beaten by Orochi. That piece of shit needed to go, it was on this day that Luffy aimed for the death of Orochi.
"Care to join the battle?" Luffy noticed that the kid was given Ame no Habakiri given to him by Denjiro who took it from Orochi.
"I'm not strong enough..I'm not..." Luffy then sympathizes with the young child. He understood his fear for the unknown, so just a nudge in the right direction will do. He then found the perfect person to help them. For a certain pink haired age manipulating lady was fighting nearby.
So he went after her and brought her back to Momonosuke.
"What do you need, captain?" Asked Bonney as she looked at the young Momonosuke.
"Young Momonosuke needs to lead the warriors of Wano, anything you can do to help?" To this Bonney smiled knowing full well what needs to be done.
And Momonosuke, well he was about to go through the change of a lifetime, for Bonney aged him to the age where he should be when his mother sent him forward in time. Momonosuke was no longer the wimpy 8 year old boy, no, he was now a 28 year old man, and on his right hand was Ame no Habakiri, ready to slay the monsters which oppressed his country for too long.
...
Now the pieces around Wano go something like this… Kaido and Whitebeard were duking it out in the entrance to Wano.
In Onigashima was Kaido's entire fighting force, without his all-stars and a third of his flying six.
In the Flower Capital were the entire force of Orochi, his oniwabanshu, and on the Beast Pirates side were King, Queen, Jack, X-Drake, and Black Maria. Then those on the Kozuki side were the Minks, the strawhats, scabbards, and the loyal samurais of Wano...with the participants of Udon prison,led by Lady Hiyori, making their way to the capital.
Then heading towards the flower capital was the entire fighting force of the Strawhat Grand Armada.
Knowing how his entire crew died in this land on his original, Luffy was not going to let this happen again. With his entire Grand Armada, there was no way they would lose this time, no way. He can't afford it, he can't lose to Kaido again.
Onigashima
"Clear the way you bastards if you want to live!" Benn Beckman led the way as the Red Haired Pirates fearlessly entered Onigashima in search for their Captain.
Yasopp was snipping down the numbers like his life depended on it while Lucky Roo was tanking some major damage from the stronger zoans.
So where was Shanks?
On the depth of Onigashima, in a sea of Beast Pirates, most of which were awakened Zoans, Shanks was currently chained up to the most secure holding cell of the island. And before him was Yamato, the child of Kaido.
"What do you want, kid?" Ever since his capture, Orochi had ordered the torture of Shanks. And he was tossed to Onigashima once he was tired of torturing him.
"I wish to know the truth."
"Is that right kid?" And for a long time since his capture, Shanks had yet to smile. But this, well this was an opportunity. "Well listen..."
Atlantis
But then...well there is something brewing...
For on another side of the world...there was an ever so opportunistic pirate who went to Atlantis knowing full well that the Strawhats, Arlong the Saw, and any immediate allies, would be too busy to arrive in time to intercept him.
"Zehaha, a noisy little fishman let me know that Poseidon is here, just give her to me and I will leave half of you alive!" Marshall D. Teach had arrived in Atlantis, perfect timing too, because the Strawhat Grand Armada had just made their way to Wano. In front of him was the half dead fishman known as Vander Decken, for this man had obtained the information he needed from the little shit.
"Over my dead body." Neptune held his trident tightly, pointing it at Blackbeard. His army surrounded him with Fisher Tiger ready to fight to the death. No way was he going to let this man take his daughter. Funny enough, Blackbeard brought his entire Titanic forces with him to make a play for Poseidon.
Then there was Princess Shirahoshi, the mermaid princess and the ancient weapon known as Poseidon. She looked at Blackbeard defiantly with anger coursing through her veins. With Poseidon feeling anger...well...
"Your wish then Neptune!" And Blackbeard surrounded the entire surface land in everlasting darkness, which is his domain, his world. "Welcome to MY darkness!"
