-Broadcast-
[When Kozuki Oden opened his eyes again within the Sky Screen's display, the surrounding scenery had transformed completely. He stood within the Shogun's mansion once more—familiar halls replacing the alien dimension. He'd clearly been fighting members of the Uchiha clan mere moments ago in that gray space filled with monuments. Why had the environment changed so abruptly?
The two legendary swords remained gripped firmly in his hands, tangible and real. But Kozuki Oden, not being particularly intelligent or analytically minded, couldn't comprehend his current situation. Confusion written across his weathered features, he struggled to piece together what had occurred.
Uchiha Madara had been standing opposite him from beginning to end, blood-red eyes staring at the samurai with unwavering intensity. The successor of the Kozuki clan made the ancient ninja feel profound disappointment. He hadn't expected that eight hundred years of progress would result in such decline—the current generation couldn't even recognize the Sharingan's genjutsu when trapped within its embrace.
"You were caught in my illusion the moment you stepped through that doorway," Madara stated, voice carrying cold finality. "It took you this long to break free from basic hypnosis. If I truly wanted to kill you, you would have died dozens of times already."
The enemy's frigid tone and the contemptuous look in those crimson eyes—as though regarding someone pathetically weak—struck Kozuki Oden like a wake-up call to harsh reality. The samurai had been ensnared in illusion without any awareness whatsoever. He'd lost completely from the very beginning, his entire "battle" nothing but mental theater.
But he didn't understand the deeper conspiracy: why was the Uchiha clan cooperating with the Kurozumi clan at all?
Kurozumi Orochi's ancestors had participated in the rebellion against the Uchiha's rule centuries ago. Both families had committed terrible atrocities during those conflicts—slaughtering the elderly, the weak, women and children without mercy. How could the Uchiha clan tolerate the Kurozumi clan's continued existence despite such deep blood feuds spanning generations?
This foolish monarch lacked the capacity for complex strategic thinking. He could only ask the question directly, hoping for answers:
"What benefits did Kurozumi Orochi offer you to make you abandon the Uchiha clan's hatred? Whatever he promised, I can match and exceed. We could cooperate instead—restore the proper order."
Kozuki Oden demonstrated rare political cunning for once in his life. Unfortunately, the timing proved far too late. If he'd made such offers years earlier, Uchiha Madara might have genuinely sought cooperation with the Kozuki clan rather than allowing opportunities to fall into Kurozumi Orochi's grasping hands. The Shogun's position wouldn't have slipped into outsider control.
But that chance had passed irretrievably.
Uchiha Madara, thoroughly steeped in villainy across eight centuries, naturally felt no interest in answering questions for the younger generation of Kozuki failures. However, his silence created opportunity for another participant who'd been enjoying the confrontation from safe distance.
The country-stealer who'd watched this drama unfold didn't mind letting this fool die while pretending to understand his situation.]
[A man wearing an oversized crown and sporting an elaborate mustache stepped forward from the shadows. His face possessed angles so sharp and artificial—practically cubic in geometry—that worry arose immediately: how had someone with such an obviously treacherous appearance successfully pretended to be a loyal subject? The IQ of this generation's Kozuki clan must be catastrophically low to have been deceived by such transparent villainy.
"Since Madara-sama won't deign to respond to your pathetic questions, allow me to enlighten you. This entire situation relates to Wano Country's oldest legends. You're familiar with the name Joyboy, correct?"]
[Character information appeared in elegant script:]
New World, Wano Country Shogun Kurozumi Orochi User of the Zoan-type Hebi Hebi no Mi (Snake-Snake Fruit), Model: Yamata no Orochi
[Joyboy represented a legend passed down through oral tradition across Wano Country for centuries. Kozuki Oden certainly knew the stories intimately—every child raised in the Kozuki clan learned them as foundational mythology. Moreover, as a direct member of that bloodline, he firmly believed the legendary liberator would eventually bring freedom to Wano Country. The nation's founding would be completed under Joyboy's leadership, restoring paradise lost.
In the past, only fools and children believed such ancient legends literally. But when Kurozumi Orochi met Uchiha Madara—when myth walked breathing before him—this agile opportunist immediately changed his perspective. He'd gone searching for traces of Joyboy on behalf of Wano Country's former master, seeking the legend made flesh.
Myths and legends handed down from ancient times might be vague, deified and exaggerated through temporal distance and repeated retelling. However, they remained documentary literature of their era, truly recording stories from that distant age. Uchiha Madara, an ancient survivor who'd lived eight hundred years in the past, had been one of Joyboy's direct opponents during that mythic conflict.
"Even if you somehow located Joyboy, the liberator would never cooperate with conspirators like you," Kozuki Oden declared with absolute confidence. "He came to bring freedom to this ocean, not enslave it further."
The samurai clung desperately to his idealistic notions. After all, Joyboy had visited Wano Country according to legend—the timeline matched historical records perfectly. It was through this liberator's intervention that the Uchiha clan's dark rule had been completely overthrown, restoring bright skies to Wano Country. The Kozuki clan's ancestor had claimed the Shogun's throne in that power vacuum, establishing the dynasty that should have lasted forever.
Kurozumi Orochi's face twisted into a sinister smile, relishing the opportunity to shatter the samurai's beautiful fantasy.
"So much time has passed since those ancient days. Even gods change with the centuries, Oden. Do you truly believe Joyboy would maintain his original noble intentions after eight hundred years? I might as well tell you directly: I've found the legendary man already. You've traveled the seas extensively, experienced the wider world—perhaps you've even heard his name."
He paused for dramatic effect, savoring the moment.
"Kaido, the King of Beasts."]
[This generation's Joyboy is Kaido?! What an absolute joke! How could that warlike demon possibly be Joyboy—the liberator of legend?!
Kozuki Oden's rage manifested physically, veins bulging across his face and neck with such force they threatened to burst through skin. He felt certain the traitor Kurozumi Orochi was playing a cruel trick, mocking him with deliberate lies.
He'd sailed with the Whitebeard Pirates for years, learning considerable information about Kaido from Edward Newgate personally. The two had served together aboard the Rocks Pirates decades ago, crewmates for a significant period. Although Whitebeard hadn't been as close to Kaido as he'd been to Charlotte Linlin, he remained deeply impressed by the young warrior's bloodthirsty and warlike character—traits antithetical to liberation.
"Stinking snake, you're talking absolute nonsense!"
Both legendary swords became wrapped in advanced Armament Haki, the invisible force manifesting as dark coating along their edges. Kozuki Oden abandoned any pretense of martial ethics when facing villains.
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Togen Juken!"
The impulsive man actually dismissed Uchiha Madara's presence entirely, leaving the ancient threat aside to employ his devastating technique against the traitor instead. Faced with such immediately lethal danger, Kurozumi Orochi panicked completely, composure shattering.
"Madara-sama, please save me... quickly! Help!"
Unfortunately for the terrified Shogun, Uchiha Madara had zero intention of intervening from the very beginning. He stood motionless with an expression of someone watching entertaining theater, witnessing firsthand how Kozuki Oden used his legendary sword technique to cleave Kurozumi Orochi into four bloody pieces. The attack carved through flesh and bone with surgical precision, dismembering the screaming man.
However, this "partner" didn't die.
The Uchiha clan member's typically icy, unchanging expression showed rare surprise. He muttered softly, recognition dawning:
"Is it Nue?... No, wait..."
Kurozumi Orochi had been brutally dismembered by Kozuki Oden's attack. Blood splattered through the air in arterial spray, painting walls and floor. The scene looked extremely bloody and horrifically cruel—viscera exposed, limbs separated.
But then the four mutilated body segments began healing at speeds visible to the naked eye, flesh knitting back together through impossible regeneration. The pieces didn't rejoin—instead, they each transformed into complete, intact copies of Kurozumi Orochi. Four perfect duplicates where one man had stood moments before. Even their clothing and decorative accessories reproduced with one-to-one accuracy, crown and all.]
["A brute who only understands violence," complained the first Orochi.
"My fruit ability has been exposed prematurely," lamented the second.
"Were you so desperate to kill me immediately?" questioned the third.
"Does the Kozuki clan know how to solve problems without wielding blades?" criticized the fourth.
All four Kurozumi Orochi spoke simultaneously, voices overlapping to express their unified dissatisfaction with Kozuki Oden's aggressive behavior. The originally quiet and dignified Shogun's mansion instantly transformed into a chaotic marketplace with the addition of multiple loud voices arguing at once. One mouth definitely couldn't win verbal battles against four mouths working in coordination.
The samurai frowned deeply when witnessing the result. He hadn't expected the traitor of the Kurozumi family to possess such extraordinary abilities. He'd originally assumed Kurozumi Orochi was a complete weakling who relied purely on political manipulation—now it seemed he'd genuinely underestimated everyone in the world through prideful dismissiveness.
If chopping one person created four separate individuals, would continuing this pattern mean four could be split into sixteen? Kozuki Oden hesitated with both swords still raised, uncertain about consequences. He didn't know what would happen if he continued the attack—exponential multiplication of enemies seemed distinctly disadvantageous.
At this moment, the combined momentum radiating from four Kurozumi Orochi had reached entirely new levels of pressure. Kozuki Oden's combat awareness detected the shift immediately—each duplicate felt stronger than the original had been.
What kind of Devil Fruit resided in Kurozumi Orochi's body? Did it make him several times more powerful with each "death" experienced?
Relying on his considerable battle instincts, the samurai deduced the power contained within the Yamata no Orochi Fruit. His suspicion proved accurate—Kurozumi Orochi would become progressively stronger through dying repeatedly. This demonstrated exactly how formidable Mythical Zoan-types could be when properly exploited.
But Kozuki Oden didn't understand the deeper strategic picture. A combatant as potentially powerful as Kurozumi Orochi possessing such an ability—why had he endured humiliation for so long, playing the loyal servant? His efforts and eventual rewards seemed totally disproportionate to the power he commanded.
Could the position of Shogun of Wano Country truly satisfy his appetite? Or did his ambitions extend far beyond this isolated nation's borders?]
[The Sky Screen froze on the four identical Kurozumi Orochi sneering at the confused samurai, Uchiha Madara watching with calculating interest, and Kozuki Oden finally beginning to understand he'd been playing a game where the rules were rigged from the start.*
*Across the seas, audiences absorbed this revelation with varying reactions. The Yamata no Orochi fruit's terrifying capabilities—growing stronger through death, creating perfect duplicates—represented nightmare fuel for anyone who might face such an opponent in battle.]
-Broadcast End-
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