For a moment, the chaotic sea fell silent. Every eye, whether belonging to a jeering Beasts Pirate or a despairing Wano samurai, turned to Kozuki Hiyori. Her sudden offer hung in the air, stunning everyone.
Kaido was surprised as well, but only by her audacity. He let out a low, rumbling chuckle.
"A deal?" he mocked, his voice dripping with contempt. "Daughter of Oden, you truly are as foolish as I said. What right do you have to negotiate with me? Your life is in my hands. What leverage could you possibly have?"
"I do have leverage!" Hiyori cried, clenching her hands tightly against her chest. Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at the monstrous dragon in the sky. "As long as you're willing to let them go… I… I am willing to serve you!"
The declaration sent a shockwave across the water. The Beasts Pirates' faces twisted into knowing, lecherous smiles, while the samurai of Wano were overcome with a fresh wave of humiliation. Denjiro's body trembled violently, and tears of blood streamed from his eyes as he choked out a single, pained question.
"Princess Hiyori… why?"
Hiyori looked at her loyal retainer, her own eyes filled with tears of defeat. "It's useless, Denjiro. You've seen it for yourself. What difference does it make if I escape now?"
The Nine Red Scabbards looked at the samurai around them who had already betrayed their cause, their minds replaying Kaido's heart-piercing words. The pain and shame twisted their faces into masks of agony.
Hiyori's voice rose again, filled with desperate resolve. "I will prove with my sacrifice that the Kozuki Clan has always held you, the people of Wano, in our hearts!"
At her words, the Nine Red Scabbards all fell to their knees in shared humiliation. Shimotsuki Yasuie and Hana no Hyogoro could only watch, their expressions grim.
But from the sky, Kaido's cold, cutting voice echoed down. "Hey, daughter of Oden, do you really enjoy serving men that much?"
Hiyori's eyes shot open, her crying ceasing as she stared up at Kaido in disbelief. All that met her was his cold, emotionless gaze. In that terrifying moment, she realized a horrifying truth: her beauty and charm, the tools she had used to manipulate men and survive as a courtesan, had absolutely no effect on the monster before her.
Kaido's voice continued, hammering home her powerlessness. "Or has your time as a courtesan given you the mistaken idea that I would spare anyone for the sake of a mere woman?"
Hiyori's face turned ashen. Her body trembled, and she opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. It was as if her throat had closed up completely.
Kaido didn't even spare her a second glance. As an Emperor of the New World, he had no shortage of beautiful women. The beauty of his own All-Star, Black Maria, was easily a match for Hiyori's. A courtesan from a brothel, no matter how famous, held no interest for him.
"Is this boring little trick over?" he growled, losing patience. "If so, then die."
Instantly, a blinding light began to gather in his mouth, illuminating the entire sky. "Wait!" Hiyori screamed, her voice raw with panic.
Kaido was about to ignore her, but her next words forced him to extinguish the Boro Breath he was charging.
"I still have leverage! A Devil Fruit! I know where to find a Devil Fruit!"
Kaido paused. His vertical pupils widened slightly. As someone with unique knowledge of the world, he knew exactly which Devil Fruits had appeared in Wano over the years. Most already had users, but there was one whose user had died long ago—one that he was very interested in.
"What Devil Fruit?" he demanded, his voice now laced with genuine interest.
Seeing that she had finally caught his attention, Hiyori thought she had found his weakness. "Promise me you'll let them leave here, and I'll tell you," she said, trying to sound confident.
Kaido snorted coldly. "Is that so? Then you can all go to hell."
He opened his mouth to attack again, and Hiyori finally understood her position. All her attempts at bargaining were useless. In a voice filled with despair, she blurted out the truth.
"It's the Devil Fruit that my mother once ate!"
At this, even Kaido's expression turned serious.
By the time the sun's first rays pierced through the eyes of the giant skull on Onigashima, the chaotic internal rebellion in Wano had come to an end.
The top brass of the Beasts Pirates were gathered in the main hall. Seated on the throne at the very top was the Governor-General himself, Kaido, now in his human form. To his left sat the All-Star "King the Wildfire" and the newly appointed "Eneru the Lightning." To his right were "Queen the Plague" and "Jack the Drought."
Below them, guarded by the Flying Six, knelt the captured prisoners: Kozuki Hiyori, the Nine Red Scabbards, Izo, Shimotsuki Yasuie, Hana no Hyogoro, and Shinobu.
It was clear the battle last night had not been easy for the Beasts Pirates. Nearly everyone had fresh injuries and was wrapped in bandages. The most severely wounded were Queen and Who's-Who. The only one who seemed relaxed was Sasaki, but his face was the most grim and guilt-ridden of all. He knew he bore the primary responsibility for allowing the samurai to invade Onigashima and rescue their comrades.
Although Kaido's arrival had saved the day, the successful raid was a massive failure for the Beasts Pirates, a slap in the face to their reputation. The humiliation was so thick in the air that no one even paid much attention to the new All-Star, Eneru.
The commanders glared at the samurai prisoners with anger, but they were too ashamed of their own performance to speak. Finally, King, as Kaido's right hand, broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, Kaido-san. I've disappointed you this time."
Kaido glanced dismissively at his subordinates. "We'll talk about your failures later. For now…" His gaze fell upon Kozuki Hiyori. "Tell me. Where did you hide that Devil Fruit?"
Hiyori looked up at him, her eyes devoid of hope. "If you get the fruit… will you let everyone leave?"
"Hmph. Don't get confused, daughter of Oden," Kaido sneered. "You are in no position to bargain with me."
"Princess, no!" Denjiro wailed from his knees. "That is Lady Toki's legacy! Besides, a man like Kaido will never keep his promise!"
His outburst was met with a furious kick from Who's-Who, who stood guard behind him. "You shut up!" he snarled, still aching from the several sword wounds Denjiro had given him during their fight.
Watching this, Hiyori knew she had no choice. She was a fish on the chopping block. Even if the hope was impossibly slim, it was all she had left.
"I understand," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "The Devil Fruit is hidden in the brothel. It's in a box, under my bed."
A rare, eager smile spread across Kaido's face. He turned to his First Commander. "King! Go at once. Find that Devil Fruit for me."
King was confused by his captain's intense interest in one fruit, but he nodded without question. Transforming into his Pteranodon form, he shot out of the hall.
He returned in just over ten minutes. In his hand, he held a strange, silver-white Devil Fruit, its surface covered in patterns that looked like moons and stars.
As everyone in the hall stared at the fruit, they could feel an unmistakable wave of pure joy radiating from their fearsome leader.
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