One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

Before him stood the boy, about seven or eight years old, dressed in an elegant kimono.

With her hair styled in a bun, she was clearly a child of noble birth.

Kozuki Momonosuke.

He was trembling all over, his face was deathly pale, and his eyes were filled with fear.

Because in front of him stood a huge figure.

The king of beasts clutched his chest, his massive body wrapped in bandages.

The wound on his chest was still bleeding faintly, but his aura was still as imposing as a mountain, making it hard to breathe.

He looked down at Momonosuke, his eyes filled with a complex light.

"You're Kozuki Oden's son?"

Kaido's voice, like muffled thunder, resounded throughout the entire plaza.

Momonosuke trembled all over, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

But he gritted his teeth and stubbornly refused to kneel down.

"I...I am..."

His voice trembled so badly that he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

Kaido stared at him, remaining silent for a full three seconds.

Then, he reached out his big hand, grabbed Momonosuke by the neck, and lifted him up!

"ah--!!!"

Momonosuke let out a terrified scream, his legs kicking wildly in the air, his little face instantly turning red.

"stop!!!"

The captured samurai roared and struggled to charge forward, but were held down by the pirates.

Kaido didn't even glance at them, his eyes fixed on Momonosuke in his hand.

"Your father, Kozuki Oden."

Kaido's voice was deep.

"He died in battle."

Upon hearing this, the entire square fell into a deathly silence.

The samurai stared wide-eyed at Kaido in disbelief.

Lord Oden...died in battle?

The man who stayed behind alone to cover their retreat in order to protect them...

Died in battle?

"No...it's impossible..."

A samurai murmured, his eyes filled with despair.

"Lord Oden... how could Lord Oden be dead..."

Some people knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Momonosuke completely broke down the moment he heard the news.

"Father... Father... Waaaaaahh ...

He burst into tears, his face covered in tears and snot, his body trembling violently as he struggled desperately to break free from Kaido's grasp.

He looked nothing like the heir of the Kozuki family.

Kaido looked at him, the light in his eyes growing colder and colder.

He had assumed that Kozuki Oden's son should have some backbone.

Even if they aren't strong, they should at least be like Oden, preferring death to surrender.

But this child in front of me...

All she does is cry.

All they know is fear.

They would only be like a piece of trash, trembling in the hands of the enemy.

"This is Kozuki Oden's son?"

Kaido chuckled, his voice full of mockery.

"That man who dared to confront me head-on, who even managed to wound me before he died, actually fathered such a useless son?"

"Cowardly, timid, and spineless."

"You are not worthy to be the son of Kozuki Oden."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kaido casually tossed his hand away.

Momonosuke's body flew out like a tattered sack, crashing heavily to the ground and rolling several times before coming to a stop.

He lay on the ground, still crying, his whole body trembling, not even having the courage to stand up.

The captured warriors looked at him with complex emotions in their eyes.

There was disappointment, reluctance, heartache, and helplessness.

That's Lord Oden's son...

That's the heir of the Kozuki family...

But at this moment, the way he was lying on the ground crying, he didn't look like an heir at all.

Kaido didn't even bother to look at Momonosuke again. He turned around, grabbed the sake gourd at his waist, and took a big gulp.

"Hehehehe..."

He chuckled softly, his laughter carrying an indescribable emotion.

Just then, two figures descended from the sky and landed beside Kaido.

Kaido turned to look at them, grinning.

"Roy, you've come at the perfect time."

Roy glanced at Momonosuke, who was lying on the ground crying, then looked at the captured samurai, and finally fixed his gaze on Kaido.

"Kaido."

A faint smile curved at the corners of his lips.

"When did you become so soft-hearted?"

"That brat is Kozuki Oden's son. Aren't we afraid of his future revenge if we keep him around?"

Kaido took a swig of wine and chuckled.

"revenge?"

"That good-for-nothing who only knows how to cry?"

"Why would I be afraid of a mere brat who hasn't even grown up yet!"

He paused, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"Keeping him alive is so he can see it for himself—"

"Watch as I completely control Wano Country."

"Watch as the glory of the Kozuki family is trampled under my feet!"

"It's more meaningful to let him live than to kill him."

Roy looked at him, remained silent for two seconds, and then smiled.

"That's true."

Roy withdrew his gaze and looked back at the burning sea of ​​fire.

Below, the pirates continued their capture, with screams and cries echoing throughout.

The captured warriors were lined up and made to kneel at the edge of the square.

Ordinary people huddled in the street corner, trembling, their eyes filled with fear and despair.

The entire Jiuli region wailed amidst the flames.

This is war.

The victor is king, the loser is a bandit.

There is no right or wrong, only perspectives.

Roy watched all of this quietly, his eyes showing no emotion.

"Let's go."

He said calmly,

"Let's go up and take a look."

The three of them leaped at the same time, landing on the highest pavilion in Oden Castle.

From here, you can see the entire Jiuli area.

Burning streets, kneeling civilians, pirates escorting prisoners, and desperate samurai...

Everything was clearly visible in the moonlight and firelight.

"it's over."

Tesoro said softly,

"Wano Country has completely fallen into the hands of the Beasts Pirates."

Kaido took a swig of sake, grinned,

"Hehehe! That's right!"

"From this day forward, Wano Country is my territory!"

"The Seastone mine, the warrior's legacy, and this land—it all belongs to me!"

Roy didn't speak, he just quietly looked down.

His gaze darted through the sea of ​​fire, as if searching for something.

Suddenly, his eyes flickered slightly.

In the distance, several figures were rapidly moving through the firelight, rushing in a certain direction.

Although the figures moved somewhat unsteadily, they were extremely fast, clearly fighting desperately.

Moreover, they deliberately avoided the pirates' patrol routes and instead took secluded alleys.

Roy's Observation Haki subtly activated, instantly locking onto those auras.

Kin'emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, Kikunojo, Izo, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Kawamatsu, Denjiro...

The Nine Red-Sheathed Swordsmen.

They are still alive and are escaping.

A faint smile curved at the corners of Roy's lips.

interesting.

He withdrew his gaze, said nothing, and continued to look at the sea of ​​fire below.

As night deepened, the firelight grew ever brighter.

Kuri is burning, and so is the old era of Wano Country.

…………