Boom! Boom! Boom!
At the edges of Wano, massive cannons are stationed in every corner, acting like a colossal wall protecting the country's safety. The firepower of these cannons alone can sink countless warships. Though Wano may appear connected to the outside world, as long as these cannons remain, the bridge to the mainland can be destroyed in an instant, turning Wano into an impenetrable fortress once more.
Sensing the enemy's intrusion, these cannons aimed at Lucci, who was in the water below. In an instant, Lucci was engulfed by a barrage of cannon fire.
The deafening sounds of explosions echoed continuously, and within seconds, the area where Lucci had been turned into a living hell. Caught in the relentless bombardment, Lucci quickly lost consciousness. He felt as though his body was being torn apart, the massive impact threatening to utterly destroy him. After that, he knew nothing.
It was unclear how much time passed before Lucci slowly regained consciousness. As soon as he awoke, he frantically checked his hand, and his face turned pale.
Even though his body felt like it was falling apart, Lucci gritted his teeth and forced himself to move, desperately searching for something. He didn't even take notice of his surroundings, focused entirely on finding the item. But eventually, he could only lie back down in frustration because...
It was gone.
The Omnitrix, the device he had stolen from the Combat Laboratory with such effort, was missing!
Damn it!
Rage boiled inside Lucci. He had never failed a mission before, but this time, on such a critical task, he hadn't succeeded. For him, it was a humiliation.
Only now did he take stock of his surroundings. He was lying on a beach, surrounded by shells—likely washed ashore by the tide.
If not for his ability to teleport into the sea and initiate another teleport immediately after, he would have been obliterated by the cannons' relentless fire.
After narrowly escaping the shadowy figures' pursuit, he had been gravely injured by the mechanical cannons instead. What shocked Lucci the most was the sheer range of those cannons. He had never seen or even heard of, such long-range firepower capable of reaching from Wano's shores to the distant ocean.
The cannons' firepower was astounding. Even with his telekinetic shield, Lucci had been severely wounded after the first volley, and the second barrage had nearly killed him. He lost consciousness, and only his pre-set teleportation had saved him. But…
The Omnitrix was still lost.
Where could it be? Was it washed up on the same island as him? Or had it slipped from his hand while he was unconscious and sunk into the sea?
Either way, Lucci had no means of confirming it now. His body felt like it was falling apart, and he doubted he could even stand.
At that moment, Lucci found himself envying that woman's Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Zoan users had thick skin and strong regenerative abilities.
Of course, there were drawbacks too. If he were a Devil Fruit user, he wouldn't have been able to escape by going into the sea.
Unable to move much, Lucci could only lie there, thinking about trivial things as he waited for his body to heal on its own.
The people in this world, especially the strong, had resilient bodies, even without the aid of Devil Fruits. And as someone who had mastered Rokushiki and Haki, Lucci's vitality was exceptionally strong.
The Omnitrix had been contested by both sides but in the end…
It hadn't fallen into the hands of either.
Lucci's situation was clear, but what about Yamato...?
Back in Wano, after Lucci fell into the sea, the Shadow Army knew the mission had failed. While they could leave Wano's borders, their shadow realm only extended within Wano, so they couldn't pursue Lucci any further once he left.
Still, they considered it only a partial failure.
Although they didn't secure the Omnitrix, judging by the cannon fire, the person who had obtained it likely couldn't escape with it either.
Moreover, their sabotage in the Combat Laboratory had destroyed much of the Omnitrix's data, meaning Wano wouldn't be able to produce another one anytime soon. So, for the Shadow Army, it was only a half-failure.
After confirming the situation, they retreated to the shadow realm. Yamato, too, hurried back to her cell within the Beast Pirates' prison, so as not to arouse her father's suspicions.
However…
Perhaps due to the multiple heavy blows from Lucci, especially to her head, the powerful telekinetic attacks had caused brain trauma, and this pain started to gradually clear Yamato's mind.
Leaning against the wall of her prison, Yamato's thoughts began to race. Cold sweat dripped from her body as she recalled everything she had done in recent days.
She had returned to her original form, no longer fused with the shadows. Fear was now etched across her face, not towards anyone else, but towards her previous self.
What... happened to me?
How could she have betrayed her father for a diary? Why had she so fervently admired Kozuki Oden, the so-called Sixth Demon King? How could she have opposed her father, who was a "hero"?
Yamato shivered in terror as she recalled how she had followed Oden's orders to steal the Omnitrix, and how that device had ended up in someone else's hands!
How… could I have done something like that?
Shaking, Yamato couldn't believe everything that had transpired. She felt a powerful urge to confess everything to her father—reveal what she had done and tell him about the diary and the Shadow Army.
But at the same time, another voice raged in her mind, berating her for even considering such betrayal. How could she betray Lord Oden?
Two conflicting wills battled inside Yamato's head. She curled up in the corner, her mind feeling like it was about to explode. Trembling, the diary slipped from her hands and fell to the ground.
Oh no! The diary!
Yamato panicked as the pages flipped open. But it was too late. Once more, she was captivated by the diary's words. Drawn by Oden's magic, the evil will in her mind took control, overpowering her sense of reason.
"Hah… I almost dared to oppose Lord Oden."
Panting heavily, Yamato gave herself two sharp slaps to the head before calmly picking up the diary, her expression cold and emotionless. She sat down as if nothing had happened.