Violent currents churned at the base of the massive waterfall.
Fighting the raging whirlpools, giant, colorful carp swam determinedly against the heavy water. Thick ropes tied around their scaled bodies pulled taut. Trailing behind the massive fish, the Queen Mama Chanter slowly ascended the waterfalls. The enormous singing galleon groaned under the strain of the climb, its candy-coated hull slick with ocean spray.
Standing on the very front of the prow, Big Mom stared upward at the approaching cliff edge.
The Emperor of the Sea did not flinch as the freezing water splashed against her dress. Gripping the wooden railing tightly, her knuckles turned white. The memory of the ruined wedding cake and the destroyed chateau fueled an unquenchable fury in her chest. She had sailed her flagship out of Totto Land with one singular goal.
Monkey D. Luffy was going to die today.
Gathered on the deck behind their mother, the Charlotte family commanders braced themselves against the steep incline. Perospero clung to the main mast, wiping moisture from his long nose. Smoothie adjusted her long scarf, keeping her footing steady on the tilted floorboards.
"Almost at the top, Mama!" Perospero called out, his voice fighting the roar of the rushing water. "We are crossing the border into Wano!"
Grinning wildly, Big Mom summoned a ball of fire into her palm. "I will burn this entire country to the ground until I find that rubber brat!"
The massive carp crested the edge of the waterfall. Pulling the front of the galleon over the rocky lip, the ship leveled out slightly. The calm inland sea of Wano finally came into view.
A dark shadow suddenly fell over the deck.
Eclipsing the afternoon sun, a massive, winged creature plummeted from the gray clouds. A trail of fire followed the beast as it dove toward the ascending ship.
Looking up, Perospero gasped. "An enemy!"
Taking the form of a giant, prehistoric Pteranodon, King the Wildfire swooped down at blinding speed. The Beast Pirate All-Star did not aim for the crew.
Leveling out his dive, King extended his talons and struck the very top of the ship's main mast.
The force of the impact proved devastating. Striking the galleon just as it balanced on the precipice of the waterfall, the sudden backward momentum shattered the delicate equilibrium. The thick ropes tying the ship to the giant carp snapped like brittle twigs.
Tipping backward, the Queen Mama Chanter lost its grip on the cliff.
"Brace yourselves!" Smoothie yelled, drawing her sword as the deck dropped out from beneath her boots.
Gravity claimed the massive vessel. Plummeting down the face of the waterfall, the ship fell toward the raging whirlpools below. Screams echoed from the crew as they tumbled across the tilting floorboards, crashing into the railing and the candy-coated walls.
Standing on the prow, Big Mom lost her footing.
Flailing her arms, the Emperor tried to grab the wooden railing. Her fingers slipped on the wet paint. Tumbling backward over the edge of the falling ship, she plunged toward the churning waters of the ocean.
Hitting the surface with the force of a cannonball, the heavy waves swallowed her instantly. The violent currents grabbed her massive frame, pulling her deep into the sea and separating her from her falling crew.
Miles away from the border, the Flower Capital bustled with life.
Unlike the desolate wastelands of the Kuri region, the capital thrived. Pristine cobblestone streets wound between tall, traditional wooden buildings. Cherry blossom petals drifted through the air, carried by a gentle breeze. Merchants shouted from their stalls, selling fresh produce, patterned fabrics, and hot food.
Blending perfectly into the thick crowd, the Straw Hat alliance wandered down the main thoroughfare.
Ben's illusion magic held flawlessly. The disguised pirates looked like ordinary citizens, drawing no attention from the patrolling samurai guards.
Adjusting his woven straw hat, Zoro walked lazily near the back of the group. The pink, floral-patterned haori draped over his shoulders fluttered in the wind. Disguised as Shunsui Kyoraku, the swordsman found the relaxed aesthetic suited to his mood. Spotting a street vendor selling small clay cups of sake, he tossed a coin onto the counter and downed the drink in a single gulp before rejoining the group.
Walking beside him, Sanji adjusted the sleek, silver-framed glasses resting on his nose. The raven-black hair and pristine white kimono gave the cook an aura of cold, calculating intelligence.
"Keep your head down, moss-head," Sanji muttered, adopting a sophisticated, arrogant tone to match his disguise. "We are supposed to be gathering intelligence, not loitering at bars."
"Shut up, curly brows," Zoro grunted, pulling his hat lower. "You look like a nerd."
Leading the group, Vivi and Nami browsed a small stall selling hair accessories. Disguised as Rukia and Orihime, the two women fit seamlessly into the vibrant capital.
"This hairpin is beautiful," Nami noted, examining a small, wooden comb carved with cherry blossoms.
"Buy it," Vivi suggested, her sleek black bob swaying as she nodded. "It helps the disguise look more authentic."
A loud, joyful cheer erupted from a nearby food cart.
Holding a stack of fifty empty wooden skewers in one hand, Luffy grabbed a fresh batch of grilled dango with the other. The bright orange, spiky hair of his Ichigo disguise bounced as he chewed rapidly. Next to him, Bonney matched his pace perfectly. Dressed in her sleeveless orange Yoruichi gi, she swallowed a massive bowl of soba noodles without pausing to breathe.
Stepping forward, Chopper tugged on the captain's black kimono. Disguised as the pint-sized Toshiro Hitsugaya, the reindeer tried to act responsible.
"Luffy, slow down!" Chopper whispered frantically. "Ben said not to draw attention to ourselves! Eating a hundred skewers of dango in five minutes is suspicious!"
"But it tastes so good!" Luffy mumbled, stuffing five more skewers into his mouth simultaneously.
A sudden shift in the crowd interrupted the meal.
The bustling noise of the capital died down instantly. Merchants stopped shouting. Citizens stepped to the very edges of the cobblestone street, pressing their backs against the wooden buildings. A path cleared down the center of the road.
Trumpets sounded in the distance. The rhythmic beating of a slow, heavy drum echoed through the capital.
"What is happening?" Robin asked softly. Disguised as Retsu Unohana, she kept her calm, terrifyingly serene smile in place, analyzing the sudden change in atmosphere.
Standing on her tiptoes, Nami looked down the cleared street. "A procession is coming."
Heavily armed guards marched into view, holding long spears to keep the crowd at bay. Following the guards, attendants tossed flower petals onto the cobblestones.
Then, the main attraction appeared.
Walking slowly and gracefully on exceptionally tall geta sandals, a woman moved down the street. She wore an incredibly elaborate, multi-layered kimono adorned with gold embroidery and vibrant peacocks. Elaborate hairpins held her dark hair in a complex style.
The top courtesan of Wano. The Oiran, Komurasaki.
Her beauty captivated the crowd. Men fainted on the spot, dropping to the cobblestones with hearts in their eyes. Women gasped in admiration, whispering about her flawless elegance. She walked with a cold, untouchable grace, ignoring the adoring masses entirely.
Watching the procession approach, Sanji crossed his arms.
The cook stood straight. He tried to maintain the stoic, analytical persona of his disguise. He adjusted his silver glasses, looking down his nose at the approaching crowd.
Komurasaki walked past their section of the street.
The stoic facade shattered into a million pieces.
Logic, reason, and the infiltration plan abandoned Sanji's brain instantly. His eyes bugged out of his skull, transforming into massive, pulsing red hearts. A geyser of blood erupted from his nose, shooting high into the air.
"M-M-Mellorine!" Sanji squealed.
His legs turned into literal noodles. Wobbling wildly, the cook performed a chaotic, twisting dance of adoration on the cobblestones. The sleek white kimono flailed around his frantic movements.
"She is an angel descended from the heavens! A goddess of the capital! My heart is hers!"
Sighing heavily, Zoro grabbed the back of the cook's white collar. Dragging the swooning idiot backward into an alleyway, the swordsman dropped him onto the dirt.
"Get a grip, you moron," Zoro growled. "You're blowing the disguise."
Sitting in the dirt, Sanji ignored the swordsman. He clutched his chest, staring longingly down the street after the disappearing procession. "Did you see her? She is perfect."
Walking into the alleyway to join them, Law shook his head. The aristocratic Byakuya disguise made his disappointment look incredibly judgmental. "We cannot leave those two unsupervised for a single minute."
"Where is the procession heading?" Robin asked, ignoring the cook's breakdown.
"To the Shogun's palace," an elderly merchant whispered, having overheard the question while packing up his stall nearby. "Lord Orochi is hosting a grand banquet today. Komurasaki is the guest of honor."
Hearing the word 'banquet', Luffy's orange spiky hair perked up.
"Banquet?" the captain repeated, dropping his empty dango skewers. "That means there is more food!"
Before anyone could stop him, Luffy sprinted out of the alleyway, following the trail of flower petals left by the Oiran's procession.
"Luffy, wait!" Vivi called out, chasing after him immediately.
The rest of the disguised crew followed, forced to abandon their subtle intelligence gathering to keep their captain from breaching the Shogun's palace.
Navigating the winding streets, they tracked Luffy to the outer courtyards of the grand castle. Avoiding the main gates, the rubber captain had scaled a large stone wall, dropping into a garden situated directly beneath the open balconies of the banquet hall.
Finding him crouched behind a decorative bush, the crew gathered quietly in the garden.
"What are you doing?" Nami hissed, crouching next to him.
"Looking at the food," Luffy whispered, pointing upward.
From their hidden vantage point in the garden, they possessed a clear view into the grand banquet hall. The sliding paper doors remained wide open to let in the afternoon breeze.
Inside the hall, the Shogun of Wano, Kurozumi Orochi, sat at the head of a massive table. He possessed a large head, a strange mustache, and a cruel, arrogant expression. High-ranking officials, Beast Pirate guests, and geishas filled the room. Komurasaki sat near the Shogun, pouring sake with flawless grace.
The tables overflowed with roasted meats, rare fish, and mountains of rice.
"Look at that spread," Bonney whispered, wiping drool from her chin.
The festive atmosphere inside the hall shattered suddenly.
A small girl with a bamboo hat, serving as a kamuro to the Oiran, tripped on the tatami mats. Spilling a bowl of soup, the child fell to the floor. Nervous tension filled the room.
Unable to control her facial expressions due to a defective SMILE fruit, the little girl, Toko, began to laugh loudly.
The sound echoed through the silent banquet hall.
Orochi's face twisted in fury. Believing the child was mocking his appearance, the Shogun stood up, knocking his table over.
"You dare laugh at me?!" Orochi roared, drawing a katana from his waist.
Swinging the blade downward, he aimed directly at the laughing child.
Moving faster than the guards could react, Komurasaki stepped between the Shogun and the little girl. Raising her hand, the Oiran slapped Orochi squarely across the face.
The sharp smack silenced the entire room.
Down in the garden, the Straw Hats watched in disbelief.
"She just hit the Shogun," Zoro muttered, his hand instinctively resting on his sword hilt.
Rubbing his stinging cheek, Orochi's eyes rolled back in unhinged rage. Dropping his sword, the Shogun tapped into his Devil Fruit powers.
His body expanded and warped rapidly. Eight massive, scaly serpentine heads erupted from his shoulders, crashing through the paper walls and destroying the ceiling of the banquet hall. The mythical Yamata no Orochi roared, its eight heads snapping wildly at the guests.
Chaos engulfed the palace. Officials scrambled for the exits. Geishas screamed in terror.
Standing her ground, Komurasaki did not flinch. She stared up at the massive serpent heads, refusing to beg for mercy.
One of the snake heads lunged forward, opening its jaws to devour the defiant Oiran.
A figure stepped into the path of the beast.
Kyoshiro, the boss of the capital's yakuza and Orochi's personal bodyguard, stood between the Shogun and the woman. The tall man with a pompadour drew his katana.
"Calm yourself, Shogun," Kyoshiro requested smoothly, his hand steady on the hilt.
"Move, Kyoshiro!" the Orochi heads hissed in unison. "She struck me! She must die!"
"The law of the capital is absolute," the yakuza boss stated calmly. "To strike the Shogun is a crime punishable by immediate death."
Turning his back to the Shogun, Kyoshiro faced Komurasaki.
The Oiran closed her eyes. She did not run.
Drawing his blade in a blindingly fast flash of steel, Kyoshiro swung the sword diagonally across her torso.
A spray of crimson blood painted the tatami mats.
Komurasaki collapsed to the floor, falling motionless.
Down in the garden, Sanji gasped, taking a step forward. Zoro grabbed the cook's shoulder firmly, holding him back.
"Don't move," Zoro commanded in a harsh whisper.
The swordsman's single eye narrowed, analyzing the strike he had just witnessed. He watched the angle of the blade. He tracked the follow-through of the yakuza boss's swing.
Something is wrong, Zoro thought, keeping his hand on Shusui. The cut was too clean. He didn't slice deep enough for a fatal wound. It was a superficial strike. Inside the ruined hall, Orochi retracted his snake heads, returning to his human form. The Shogun fell to his knees, wailing loudly. Others also feel the same as they can see with observation haki the women was still alive.
"Why did you kill her?!" Orochi sobbed, staring at the motionless body. "I just wanted to scare her! You killed the most beautiful woman in Wano!"
Sheathing his sword slowly, Kyoshiro did not show a single ounce of emotion.
"I upheld the law, Lord Orochi," the yakuza boss stated flatly. "It is the duty of a samurai."
Guards rushed into the room, surrounding the Shogun and attempting to restore order to the destroyed banquet. Attendants rushed forward with a stretcher, carefully lifting the bloodied body of the Oiran and carrying her away from the carnage.
"We need to leave," Law whispered in the garden. "The palace guards will sweep the perimeter immediately to secure the grounds."
Nodding in agreement, Robin turned toward the wall. "The entertainment is over."
Reluctantly tearing his eyes away from the balcony, Luffy followed the crew back over the stone wall. The scent of the roasted meats lingered in the air, but the danger of discovery outweighed the hunger.
Retreating through the winding streets of the Flower Capital, the disguised alliance disappeared back into the bustling crowds. They had witnessed the volatile, chaotic nature of Wano's leadership firsthand, gathering crucial intelligence for the war to come.