Wano Country's Flower Capital was the heart of the nation. As the former seat of power, it was where the Shogun had always ruled. Ever since Orochi took control and allowed the other regions of Wano to be turned into weapons factories for the Beasts Pirates, the Flower Capital was the only place that remained untouched. It flourished, becoming the most prosperous and bustling city in the entire country.
Amidst the beautiful streets lined with pink cherry blossom trees stood a renowned brothel. Its fame came from two sources. First, its owner was Kyoshiro, a man deeply trusted by the current Shogun, Orochi, and who held great influence among the samurai. Second, it was home to the most celebrated oiran in all of Wano, a woman known as Komurasaki, the country's greatest beauty.
Every day, a long line of hopeful men would stretch from one end of the street to the other, all waiting for a chance to see her.
Just as it was now, Komurasaki stood on an upper floor of the brothel. She wore an exquisite kimono embroidered with peacocks, her hair held up by elaborate ornaments. As cherry blossom petals drifted around her, she coyly covered her face with a fan, a simple gesture that sent the crowd of men below into a frenzy. They cheered wildly, waving stacks of money in the air, desperate to catch her attention. They received no response. They couldn't even see the haughty, calculating gaze she hid behind that fan.
So, which fool should I pick today? Kozuki Hiyori thought to herself, scanning the crowd for her next wealthy target.
Suddenly, a frightened scream echoed from the distance. The noise startled the men on the street below, who began to scatter in a panic. From her high vantage point on the third floor, Hiyori quickly saw the cause of the commotion. A group from the Beasts Pirates, led by a terrifyingly large and burly man, was marching down the street.
"Jack," Hiyori whispered, instantly recognizing the notorious Fishman, known for his extreme brutality. She felt a flicker of concern but showed little fear, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Why are the Beasts Pirates here?" a man in the crowd wondered aloud.
"Are they also here for Komurasaki?" another guessed.
Their guesses were correct. The pirates soon arrived directly below the pavilion where Hiyori stood. Everyone in the vicinity scrambled away as if fleeing a plague. A heavily made-up old mama-san from the brothel, having already heard the news, rushed out with a forced, fawning smile to greet them.
"Lord Jack! What a rare honor to have you visit! Please, come in, come in..."
Jack completely ignored her. His gaze was fixed on the woman standing on the third floor. "I'm here on Kaido's orders," he stated flatly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "I'm taking this woman with me."
His words left the mama-san confused. "Lord Kaido? But... why would Lord Kaido want Komurasaki?"
Jack shot the old woman a look of pure contempt. "What do you think Lord Kaido wants with a courtesan?" he grumbled.
Up on the pavilion, Hiyori's face instantly went pale. The mama-san, however, seemed to understand. Remembering her boss's instructions for a situation like this, she spoke with great difficulty. "To be summoned by Lord Kaido is truly Komurasaki's greatest honor. However, she is our brothel's top oiran and does not meet guests so easily..."
"Hah!?" Jack growled, his displeasure and anger rolling off him in waves. "Then what do you call all these men?" He didn't wait for her to answer, instead shouting up at Hiyori without a hint of politeness. "Hey! Are you coming down on your own, or do I have to come up there and drag you down?"
"This... this..." The mama-san's face was a mask of pure anxiety.
Fortunately, another voice cut through the tension. "My apologies, but Lord Orochi has also summoned Komurasaki to serve him tonight. You will have to offer Lord Kaido our sincerest regrets."
Jack whipped his head around angrily toward the source of the voice. The crowd of onlookers parted once again, making way for a group of samurai approaching from the direction of the Shogun's castle. Leading them was a man with sleepy yet sharp eyes, a large blue topknot, and a dark blue kimono.
Seeing him, both Hiyori and the mama-san breathed a visible sigh of relief. The man was the owner of the brothel himself: Kyoshiro, the public face of Denjiro.
It was an open secret that the Beasts Pirates' organization was full of leaks. The moment Jack had left Onigashima, Denjiro had received word that Kaido planned to summon Hiyori. He didn't understand the reason, but he had already endured the supreme humiliation of forcing his late master's daughter to serve Orochi. He would not allow Princess Hiyori to be thrown into another tiger's den. He had immediately relayed the message to Orochi, whose infatuation with Komurasaki was well-known. Naturally, the Shogun refused to let Kaido snatch her away and ordered Denjiro to retrieve her at once.
Unfortunately for him, Jack had just been warned by Kaido not to fail again. He stared at the man standing in his way and spoke with undisguised menace.
"Are you trying to die?"
Denjiro knew this would be trouble the moment he arrived. If it had been anyone else from the Beasts Pirates, he might have been able to negotiate, using his position with the Shogun and his connections. But the man in front of him was different. Jack the Drought was infamous for being unreasonable and savagely brutal. He only followed Kaido's orders.
But it didn't matter. As long as he could protect his master's daughter from humiliation, any risk was worth it. Besides, he was acting on Orochi's direct command, which gave him a legitimate reason to stand his ground.
Facing the murderous All-Star, Denjiro stood tall, showing no fear. He narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "I apologize, but these are Lord Orochi's orders."
Jack's eyes widened. As one of Kaido's top three commanders, he was not used to being refused. Anyone who had dared to defy him so directly was already dead.
At that moment, everyone present could feel the suffocating tension between the two men. Knowing that a fight was about to break out, the remaining onlookers instinctively backed away even further.
"Go," Jack ordered his men coldly. "Bring that woman down to me. Kill anyone who dares to get in your way."
The Beasts Pirates behind him didn't hesitate, rushing toward the brothel to get to Hiyori. The fearsome reputation of Jack the Drought was enough to intimidate anyone. The Shogun's useless samurai standing behind Denjiro were too scared to move. Seeing this, Denjiro felt a surge of helplessness. He drew the sword from his waist.
"It seems a battle is unavoidable," he said, his voice low. "In that case, I can only apologize for what comes next."
In a flash, Denjiro became a black shadow, moving to intercept the pirates. But Jack was already prepared. With a roar, he brought his massive twin blades down, aiming to cut Denjiro down where he stood.