Chapter 37 Snake Empress
Inside the Flower Capital near Shogun Castle, Hiyori led Kawamatsu, Ashura, Denjiro, followed by many Kozuki loyal samurai, to attack Orochi.
As Orochi's samurai attacked, Hiyori drew Enma and swung it, cutting a samurai and his sword. Kawamatsu and Ashura covered her as she fell, her arm looking like a dried twig because Enma had absorbed too much of her haki.
"Princess Hiyori, we can fight. Please don't risk your life," Denjiro said.
Hiyori bit her lip and sheathed Enma, her arm recovering from the Seraph's contract.
"I won't stay weak," she said as her pale face regained color and she recovered completely. Her gaze turned to Enma at her waist. "No matter what, I will conquer you."
Enma hummed as if accepting her challenge. Hiyori drew Enma again as it began to suck her haki. She gritted her teeth and fought with everyone.
"Princess…"
Many samurai were in tears. If the princess herself was fighting and putting her life on the line, then why should they hesitate?
"For Prin—no, for Shogun Hiyori!"
"For Shogun Hiyori!"
The samurai began cheering and fighting as their morale surged. For them, Hiyori wasn't just Oden's daughter anymore—she was their Shogun.
Ashura, Denjiro, and Kawamatsu looked at everything with awe. They grinned.
"For Shogun Hiyori!"
Even they were moved by Hiyori.
They had seen and experienced what Enma was like. Hiyori had trained for years with that sword rejecting her. Even now, Hiyori was risking her life for Wano.
"Shogun Hiyori is the future!" they cheered as they marched forward.
Hiyori fought with Enma in hand, even as the sword rejected her and drained her haki. She forced it with her will alone as Armament coated Enma.
They busted the doors and started heading toward the Shogun's room. Inside the castle, Orochi was trembling, clutching his head.
"Damn it! Where is Kaido?"
Every sound of sword clashing made him feel like a sword was cutting his head. Fukurokuju and all the Oniwabanshu bowed. Orochi looked at them.
"Go and kill every one of them. I want all of them dead."
They bowed. "As you wish, my lord." After saying that, they disappeared, heading toward Hiyori's group.
---
Meanwhile, inside Yamato's room, Yamato woke up after hearing a loud explosion and feeling two Conqueror's clashes. Her eyes shot open.
"Damn it! Can't a girl have a good sleep? Who is fighting this early in the morning?"
She picked her kanabo angrily and walked out, just as she froze.
Her head shot toward the ceiling. Her Observation Haki flared further as she sensed him.
"Kaiiiiiiii!"
She grinned as she became a blur of white, making her way toward Onigashima's rooftop. Everywhere she passed, everything froze.
---
On the rooftop, King attacked Toki as their swords met, black lightning flaring from the clash of advanced Armament. Both were pushed back.
King looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"To think you still lived and grew stronger, Amatsuki Toki."
Toki stood with bat wings flapping on her back. Compared to the towering King, she was like a kid. But her eyes had no fear.
"You have also grown stronger, but too bad—I can't take you down."
She still felt irritated because of that damned Kai. She couldn't even fight at her full strength.
The more she thought, the worse her mood became.
"Damn that bastard…!"
She started cursing.
King was confused but ignored her babbling and attacked again, his sword carrying Lunarian flames. Toki looked at him in irritation.
"Tsk. Just because I'm not allowed to defeat you doesn't mean I can't beat you up."
She flew into his attack as she sent multiple flying slashes at him, cutting the incoming flames.
"Fire Fox Style: Flame Divide!"
---
In the open sea of Paradise, the Perfume Yuda sailed freely.
Sandersonia and Marigold grinned.
"We had a pretty good raid for Big Sis's first raid, and she didn't even have to step out once."
"Well, if Big Sis had to take action, it would be someone like an Admiral or strong Vice Admirals, if not a Yonko Commander," Sonia said.
Mari laughed.
"How can we encounter people like them on our first raid?"
Just then, they saw a Marine warship.
"Great. Let's raid that one too so we can head back to Amazon Lily."
They moved toward it. The warship noticed them too. A soldier ran into the captain's cabin.
"Sir, a pirate ship is approaching us!"
The Vice Admiral looked at him.
"Who is it?"
"The Kuja, sir," the soldier replied, saluting and shaking.
The Vice Admiral nodded.
"Well, if it's them, it's understandable. But they chose the wrong time. I will see if I can take them down. With sir present, it will be a good training drill for the Marines."
A man sleeping on the chair waved.
"Sure, go ahead."
The Vice Admiral saluted and walked out, barking orders.
---
Sonia felt something was wrong, but the warship had begun its attack, so she shook her head, ignoring the feeling.
"Kuja, prepare to engage!"
The cannonballs were intercepted by arrows. The Perfume Yuda closed the distance as the Kuja and Marines engaged in battle.
The Vice Admiral jumped and attacked Sonia and Mari. Both frowned.
"As a Vice Admiral, you abandoned your own men?"
"You pirates are really unlucky to have attacked us today," he laughed and started fighting the Boa sisters.
Sonia used Hebigami-Tsuki: Yamata no Orochi, manipulating her hair into snakes to attack the Vice Admiral.
Mari swung her halberd. On the other side, the Kuja were getting outnumbered. The Boa sisters soon fell at a disadvantage as the Vice Admiral was far stronger than them.
---
Just then, the Perfume Yuda's cabin doors were opened by a long leg. Everyone's eyes turned toward the captain.
Every Kuja's eyes turned to hearts.
"Lady Snake Empress is about to make her move!"
"Snake Empress!"
They started cheering. Every Marine froze. The Vice Admiral blinked as Hancock walked out, her long black hair flowing as her white and red serpent followed her.
Every Marine froze at her beauty—even the Vice Admiral.
Hancock raised her hand in a heart shape.
"How dare you disgusting men look at this Empress with those eyes?"
"Mero Mero Mellow!"
A pink heart beam was fired from Hancock, petrifying every Marine. She flicked her hair back. She was angry—how dare they look at her? Only one man could look at her.
Her cheeks turned red as she remembered the boy back then. To the world, he was the Oni Samurai, a man who had slain Shiki and destroyed the auction house in Sabaody. But only a few knew who he was.
A smile formed as she remembered him bickering with Rayleigh. Her eyes turned colder as she ignored the celebrating Kuja, her gaze locked on the warship's cabin.
---
"Arara… if Mr. Sengoku finds out about this, I will be in a lot of trouble. Young lady, how about turning them back to normal?" A man walked out.
Every Kuja froze. Hancock didn't look away.
"Retreat to the Perfume Yuda."
The Kuja followed without any argument as the ship started moving away from the warship.
Hancock stayed on the warship.
"Sigh… so we're doing this the hard way."
The tall man sighed as frost began spreading from his arm, which transformed into ice, and the sea for kilometers froze solid.
Hancock looked at the frozen sea and nodded.
"Quite the convenient ability. You don't have to go around searching for a deserted island."
The man looked at her.
"Well, I'll take that as a compliment. So, miss, how about turning my men back?"
Hancock grinned.
"What if I don't want to?"
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