SailorStar9: So with Chapter 322 uploaded, I present Chapter 323 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 323: Arc 18: I Won't Forgive Him! Chopper's Determination!


In the Right-Brain Tower...

Shinobu was still carrying Momonosuke and fleeing from Yamato.

"Wait!" Yamato called out.

"No." Shinobu insisted. "You're so persistent. Stop following us."

"You can't tell me that." Yamato rebuked. "I have to protect Kozuki Momonosuke."

"Why?" Shinobu asked.

"Because I'm Oden." Yamato posed.

"You're talking nonsense again." Shinobu sped up.

"Where did you go?" Yamato shouted, having lost sight of Shinobu. "Kozuki Momonosuke."

"I think he's gone now." Shinobu peered out from the camouflage sheet she hid behind.

"Do you think he's serious?" Momonosuke wondered. "He claimed he was my father and would protect me."

"Luffytaro told us to trust him." Shinobu resumed running. "But we don't have time to check up on him. Let's just run for now."


On the Live Stage...

"This is King." King voiced over his Smart Tanishi. "We now know the identities of those fools who crashed the banquet. The enemy group has about 5400 soldiers. Most of them are samurai with Oden's retainers in the lead. So, this is a plot to revive the family staking the Kozuki Clan's prestige. They want to make Oden's son, Kozuki Momonosuke the Shogun of Wano."


On the Live Floor...

"Stop." Page One was chasing after Usopp and Nami. "How dare you attack me..."

"How dare you attack him?" Ulti snarled. "This is for killing Pay-Pay." she leapt off Page One, her morning-star club raised above her head.


On the Live Stage...

"For all the Gifters and Tobi Roppo members that are free," King continued. "Here's my order. Kill Kozuki Momonosuke who is now running through the Right-Brain Tower and bring his head to me. That'll take all the fight out of the samurai. Although I know the pirates are a different matter."


In the Right-Brain Tower...

"He told us to kill him instead of catching him alive." Sasaki noted. "That's easier. Shoot." he instructed, when Shinobu entered his line of sight. "That's so quick." he scoffed, his gunners and mortar shooters having fired off a round of bullets at Shinobu. "Collect his dead body."

"We, of the Armored Division's defense, can't be broken down by a weapon like this." the blond turtle Gifter blocked out Shinobu's kunai. He swung his spiked mace at Shinobu, the attack blowing the kunoichi back.

"Nice try." Sasaki taunted. "The members of this team all have armored bodies. There's no way out. Aim at the brat."

Shinobu grabbed Momonosuke and fled. "Momonosuke-sama!" she turned her back, blocking her young master from the rain of arrows. "Please... run..." she pleaded, falling to the ground. "Don't worry." she got back up, a hand gripping the hilt of her katana. "It's nothing. You're the future Shogun; don't get upset over a little thing like this."

"Your master's life is more important than yours?" Sasaki mocked. "You're so loyal, kunoichi. But the future with him as Shogun will never come. I'll kill you along with that brat." he had the turtle Pleasure close in for the kill.

"You can't even shield him." the turtle Gifter retorted, clashing with Shinobu and knocking her away with a swing of his ax. "I'll get you." he went after Momonosuke.

Just then, Yamato unleashed her 'Thunder Bagua' technique, knocking the turtle Gifter out with one hit and smacking the Pleasure into a wall.

"Do you wanna interfere?" Sasaki smirked. "Yamato- bocchama?"

"It's not interference." Yamato corrected. "I'm gonna fight for the Kozuki; because I'm Oden."


On the Live Floor...

"This is what my Plague Rounds can do." Queen bragged. "But it's still not exciting enough. I've got an idea." he grinned. "Get ready to be attacked." he loaded up a fresh round of Ice Oni bullets and fired away.

"Queen-sama, why did you shoot us too?" one of the Pleasures who got hit by a bullet asked.

"All you can do is laugh." Queen mocked. "Come through for me just once, Pleasures."

"There was still some humanity left in him." Jigoku Benten reminded when Daikoku cut down one of the infected Pleasures.

"He'll soon become an oni anyway." Daikoku shrugged. "So why not?"

"You're right." Jigoku Benten conceded.

"More importantly, where did the Captain go?" Hanzo asked.

"No mercy even from their allies?" Hotei was cutting down the infected samurai. "Those former members of the Oniwabanshu who served Shogun Orochi directly are crazy."

"Don't harm our allies." Yatappe barked.

"We can't defend ourselves like that forever." Tsunagoro reminded.

"Boss Hyogoro!" Omasa warned when an ice oni loomed over Hyogoro. "Are you okay?" he knocked down the ice oni with a tossed wooden block. "Leave him to me." picking up a fallen katana, he clashed with the ice oni and knocked him into a wall.

"Omasa, don't tell me..." Hyogoro realized what had happened, seeing the blood trail on the other yakuza boss' arm. "You were scratched by that oni's nail?"

"I'm sorry, Boss Hyogoro." Omasa apologized.

"I won't forgive him." Chopper snarled. "If he creates a virus and makes people suffer, I''ll save everyone at any cost.


With Luffy and Sasha...

"Keep running." Luffy barked, kicking any opposition out of the way. "I wanna kick Kaido's ass."

"You guys are so weak." Hamlet tsked. "We're gonna show you what true strength looks like. 'Common'? That's a word for you guys. 'Expectation'? That's something we will surpass."

"Be quiet, Hamlet." Fourtricks rebuked. "The truly strong are silent."

"The way they grow!" Sanji and Jinbe kicked the two Shinuchi away.

"Wait for me, Kaido!" Luffy roared, the quartet continued.


On the rooftop...

"Get away from the rooftop." Dogstorm ordered his Musketeers.

Izo ripped a piece of cloth into half and used a piece to bandage up Kiku's cut off arm.

"I will stop the bleeding." Kin'emon declared and offered Kiku a handkerchief to bite on. Igniting his katana with fire, he proceeded to cauterize the cut off arm. "Can you get up, Kikunojo?"

"Of course." Kiku got back to her feet.

"That's how you guys are." Kaido drawled. "You guys are always determined. I like samurai. Roger, Whitebeard: they did well. They really did it well. This may be an outdated concept." he reverted back to his human form. "But death brings humans completion. Don't you think so? Let's finish it up."

"Do not be so arrogant, Kaido!" Kin'emon snapped. "Getting killed by you is not honorable for us at all."


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