"Peach..."
In the pit, Oden struggled to lift his head, still looking toward Momonosuke's direction.
Then, he saw a sight that made his eyes nearly burst.
Momonosuke's figure twisted and distorted.
It transformed back into the appearance of another person.
Kurozumi Semimaru.
That Mimic Fruit Ability User.
"Hehehe... hehehehe..."
Semimaru sneered, "Kozuki Oden, this isn't the first time you've seen me use this ability.
Back then, I transformed into your father. Now, I've transformed into your son, and you still fell for it."
"I never thought you'd be so foolish, tripping over the same stone twice! Hahahaha!"
The last glimmer of light in Oden's eyes faded away.
Kaido, holding his Spiked Club, walked step by step toward the edge of the pit.
He looked down at the severely injured Kozuki Oden in the pit and grinned:
"Kozuki Oden, I admit you're strong, but you're just too foolish. Nothing but a brute with strength and no brains."
He waved his hand:
"Capture them all. Including these retainers."
The Pirates swarmed forward, tying up the Red Scabbard Nine Warriors.
All nine retainers were captured and brought to Oden's side.
"Lord Oden..."
Kin'emon knelt beside Oden, tears streaming down his face, his voice choked:
"I am incompetent... I am incompetent..."
Oden forced his eyes open, looking at these retainers who had followed him for years, and spoke with difficulty:
"It is I... who have failed you..."
...
Three days later.
Flower Capital, execution ground.
A massive cauldron of oil had been brought to a boil, the scalding hot oil bubbling and churning, emitting a gurgling sound.
Steam rose, and even from dozens of meters away, the scorching heat could be felt.
Oden and his nine retainers, shackled, stood beside the cauldron.
Kaido sat on the high platform, drinking heavily, his expression indifferent.
Orochi sat beside him, a smug smile plastered across his face.
"Kozuki Oden!"
Orochi stood up and loudly proclaimed:
"Today is the day of death for you and your retainers! You will be boiled to death, so that everyone can see who the new master of Wano Country is!"
The commoners below the platform fell silent.
Oden stood by the cauldron, his expression calm.
He raised his head and looked toward Kaido on the platform.
"Kaido, do you dare to make a bet with me?"
Kaido set down his gourd and narrowed his eyes.
"Bet on what?"
"One hour," Oden said. "My retainers and I will stay in this cauldron of oil for one hour.
If we survive, you will release us."
Kaido was taken aback.
Then—
"Hahahaha!"
He burst into laughter. "Interesting! So interesting! Kozuki Oden, are you trying to cook yourself before you die?!"
Oden did not laugh, only quietly watched Kaido.
Once Kaido had laughed enough, he waved his hand:
"Fine! I'll take your bet! One hour—if you survive, I'll release you!"
Orochi's expression changed. "Lord Kaido, this..."
Kaido glared at him.
Orochi immediately shut his mouth, not daring to speak further.
Oden turned and looked at his retainers.
"I'll go first."
He was the first to jump into the cauldron of oil.
The scalding hot oil instantly submerged him up to his waist, his skin turning red and blistering.
He did not utter a single groan, then lifted the wooden plank beneath the feet of the Red Scabbard Nine Warriors with both hands, raising it high.
"Lord Oden!" the Red Scabbard Nine Warriors cried out, tears streaming down their faces.
"Silence!" Oden roared.
Time passed, second by second.
Oden remained standing in the oil pot, unmoving.
His body was severely burned, his skin charred black, with some areas even revealing flesh and blood.
But he gritted his teeth, refusing to fall.
An hour had passed.
Oden raised his head, looking toward Kaido on the high platform, his voice hoarse:
"An hour has passed. As agreed, let us go."
Hearing this, Kaido smirked playfully and gave a meaningful glance to Orochi beside him.
Orochi immediately understood, grinning viciously. "Guards, execute them by firing squad."
Oden's pupils contracted sharply.
"Kaido—!!"
He roared, trying to charge out of the oil pot, but his body, covered in wounds, was already spent.
The Pirates on the platform raised their guns.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!—!!
Bullets poured down like rain!
Oden abruptly turned, mustering his last ounce of strength, and hurled the nine retainers on the plank out of the execution ground!
"Go—!"
The Red Scabbard Nine Warriors were thrown out of the execution ground.
But Oden himself—
Struck by dozens of bullets, he collapsed into the oil pot.
The boiling oil engulfed him.
Blood and oil mixed together, bubbling and churning.
The legendary "Boil-Resistant King"—Kozuki Oden—finally met his end. At this moment, his death held value, if only for wasting a good pot of Kaido's oil.
Orochi stood on the high platform, trembling with excitement.
"He's dead… finally dead… Kozuki Oden is finally dead… Hahaha… Hahahaha…"
He laughed maniacally.
Below the platform, the commoners hung their heads, not daring to make a sound.
Some quietly wiped tears from the corners of their eyes.
Others clenched their teeth, flames of hatred burning in their eyes.
Orochi hurriedly said to Kaido:
"Lord Kaido, we must eliminate the root of the problem.
The Red Scabbard Nine Warriors and Kozuki Oden's son must not be spared.
If it weren't for the Kozuki Family failing to exterminate me back then, how would I have this chance for revenge today?"
Kaido drained the last mouthful of wine from his gourd and sneered coldly, "Are you telling me what to do?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately gathered his subordinates and, under cover of Night, stormed the Kozuki Family palace, launching a pursuit of the Red Scabbard Nine Warriors.
Night.
In the Flower Capital, the Kozuki Family palace.
A great fire was burning.
Flames soared into the sky, illuminating the entire Night.
Guards resisted desperately, but all fell in pools of blood.
Kaido led his subordinates deep into the palace.
He kicked open a door.
Inside the room, Kozuki Toki stood with a long sword, shielding two children behind her.
One was the seven-year-old Momonosuke.
The other was the young Hiyori.
"Stay back!"
Kozuki Toki raised her long sword and charged at Kaido!
Kaido lifted his hand and slapped her across the face!
Smack!!
Kozuki Toki was sent flying, crashing into the wall and falling unconscious.
Kaido strode toward Momonosuke, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him into the air!
"Ugh… ugh…"
Momonosuke, choked by the neck, his face flushed red, kicked his legs frantically, his crying face extremely ugly:
"I… I can't breathe… ugh…"
Kaido looked at him and grinned.
"Your father left a scar on my chest."
"Even though he's already been boiled to death in the oil pot, I'm still not satisfied."
"So, you will be the one to repay this debt."
With that, he hurled Momonosuke into the air!
Gripping his spiked club with both hands, Conqueror's Haki wildly enveloped it!
Blood-red Haki lightning erupted from the club, tearing the surrounding air to shreds!
He roared:
"Great Virtue Thunderous Eight Trigrams—!!"
Like swinging a baseball bat, he unleashed a furious strike!
The spiked club slammed viciously into Momonosuke's body!
Boom—!!
Momonosuke simply could not withstand this blow!
His small body instantly exploded!
Flesh and blood splattered, scattering into every corner of the room!
"Peach—!!"
Kozuki Toki awoke from unconsciousness and, witnessing this scene, let out a heart-wrenching scream!
At that moment, two blood-soaked figures rushed into the room!
Kin'emon and Raizo!
Kin'emon scooped up Kozuki Toki, while Raizo grabbed Kozuki Hiyori, and they immediately fled.
"Trying to run?"
Kaido turned and strode after them!
Raizo spun around and hurled a bomb!
Boom!!
The bomb exploded, instantly filling the area with thick smoke that obscured Kaido's vision!
By the time the smoke cleared, there was no trace of the group.
Kaido's expression darkened.
"After them!"
"Yes!"
Kaido's subordinates responded in unison, charging out of the palace.
However, Kin'emon and the others had already vanished into the night.
Kozuki Oden was dead.
The Red Scabbard Nine Warriors had either fled or perished.
Kozuki Toki, with Hiyori, escorted by Kin'emon and Raizo, disappeared without a trace.
Kaido had completely seized Wano Country.
He established a new rule in the Flower Capital, making Onigashima his stronghold, and began wantonly transforming Wano Country into a weapons factory.
As for the samurai who had once followed the Kozuki family, they were either killed, surrendered, or went into hiding.
A few days later, the World Economic Journal published a piece of news.
"Hundred Beasts Kaido Occupies Wano Country, Becoming the Fourth Sea Emperor of the New World!"
The accompanying image showed Kaido standing atop Onigashima, overlooking Wano Country.
Thus—
The landscape of the New World changed once more.
The Fengtian Empire, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and the Beasts Pirates.
Four Sea Emperors now jointly ruled over this most perilous sea.