"What do you mean?"
Otama stood frozen, her face drained of color by Shamrock's chilling indifference. The Celestial Dragon looked down at her, his eyes brimming with a toxic mix of pride and arrogance.
"No one on these seas can resist the rule of a God," Shamrock declared, his voice smooth and cold. "Those who dare to disobey have only one destiny: to vanish from the ocean entirely."
His words shattered Otama's composure. She bit her lip, trembling as she stared at him in disbelief. "Just because we won't obey you... you want to destroy all of Wano?" Even Orochi, the man she had hated most in the world, had never attempted something so final. He had been content to secretly oppress the people and hoard resources, but he had never sought to wipe the country off the map.
"Is that reason not enough, brat?" Shamrock sneered. "You people who reject the World Government's rule don't even qualify as humans. Only the Celestial Dragons are Gods. If you refuse the guidance of a God, your only end is destruction. That is the fundamental truth of this world."
Otama was completely stunned. She had never imagined the world outside was so cruel. Compared to the absolute evil of the Celestial Dragons, even Orochi seemed almost kind by comparison.
Beside her, King remained silent, watching the interaction with a calculating gaze. He was following Kaido's vision: using this invasion by the Holy Knights to force the samurai of Wano to see the true nature of the world. But now that the lesson had been delivered, it was time for the Beasts Pirates to strike back.
"Stop your bragging," King interrupted, his voice cutting through Shamrock's arrogance. "If my Big Brother were here, you wouldn't have even found the courage to sail near Wano's coast, would you?"
His words snapped everyone back to reality. Shamrock frowned for a moment before his face twisted into a sarcastic smirk. "I remember you now, kid. According to the reports, you're the new Shogun—Kaido's little puppet ruling over this wasteland."
"I am not a puppet!" Otama roared, clenching her small fists.
Shamrock's expression turned mocking as he watched her defiance. "This is the most pathetic trait of the weak; they cannot even recognize their own helplessness. That is the tragedy of Wano. While Kaido dominates you, he also provides you with his protection. You are right about one thing: if Kaido were here, we wouldn't have set foot here so easily. But he is gone, and now, no one is left to protect you."
Otama's heart hammered against her ribs. The realization hit her like a physical blow: Father really was protecting Wano.
King stepped forward, his aura turning cold and lethal. "Celestial Dragon, I cannot let a remark like that slide."
While Shamrock had treated Otama with nothing but contempt, his expression grew solemn as he faced King. He recognized the threat posed by a survivor of the Lunarian race, especially since King's power seemed to radiate with an intensity that rivaled his own. Still, Shamrock felt no fear. As long as Lord Imu existed, he believed himself to be an immortal being.
"I admit, as a Lunarian, your strength is impressive," Shamrock said. "But you cannot stop me. Even if you manage to keep me busy here, Wano cannot avoid its destruction as long as Kaido is away."
"Is that so?" King asked, his eyes narrowing.
As if answering him, the sky over Wano suddenly darkened with heavy clouds. Countless bolts of lightning began to rain down from the heavens, illuminating the horizon and incinerating the monsters that were rampaging through the capital.
"A Logia-type?" Shamrock muttered, looking up at the flashing sky. "The Rumble-Rumble Fruit... that is a troublesome ability."
Across Wano, samurai who had been struggling against the nightmare creatures cheered as the lightning cleared their path. "It's Lord Enel!" they cried with excitement. "Kaido has sent help! I knew those monsters weren't his doing!"
But their hope was short-lived. New, terrifying monsters began to crawl out of the very ground, continuing their rampage as if they had never been struck.
"How is this possible?" the samurai screamed in terror. "Are these things unkillable?"
Back at the General's Residence, Otama watched the monsters reform with a pale face.
"Do you see now?" Shamrock said proudly. "This is your fate. As long as terror exists, these monsters are immortal. Without Kaido, you have no hope of winning."
"I disagree," King said calmly. "Since this is a Devil Fruit ability, the solution is simple: defeat the user, and the illusions will vanish."
Shamrock glanced toward the region of Kuri, where thunder continued to roar and explosions shook the earth. "In theory, yes. But the Holy Knights are monsters with the potential of Marine Admirals. Even with a Logia ability, your friend cannot win a two-on-one fight. By the time he falls, Wano will already be a graveyard."
Otama's face went whiter still. King, seeing his student's resolve reaching its breaking point, spoke her name.
"Otama."
"Ma... Master!" she stammered, her eyes filled with a mix of despair and a plea for help.
King looked at her gently. "Do you remember what you told me? You said you would protect Wano with your own strength."
"I... I remember."
"Now is the time," King told her. "Enel is fighting on the coast of Kuri. Follow the sound of the thunder to find him. Whether this country lives or dies now depends entirely on you."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Baby-5 shouted, her face red with anger. "Otama is just a child! Sending her to fight a monster like that is a death sentence!"
"Aren't you all going with her?" King replied coldly.
Otama took a deep breath, her eyes hardening with determination as she accepted her mission. "I understand, Master. I will protect Wano. I will defeat that person!"
"Good. You don't actually need to defeat her," King clarified. "You just need to disrupt her focus so she can no longer maintain her ability."
"I understand!"
Baby-5 tried to protest again, but Monet was already spreading her wings. "I'll fly you there," Monet said firmly.
"Monet, are you crazy?" Baby-5 yelled.
Monet looked at Shamrock with pure hatred. "I'm not crazy. We have no other choice. And besides... I will never let anyone insult our Young Master or the Donquixote Family like that."
She scooped Otama up and looked at Baby-5. "Grab my feet!"
"Fine! Damn it, everyone is just doing whatever they want!" Baby-5 grumbled, grabbing hold as Monet took to the skies.
Shamrock didn't try to stop them. He could feel King's aura locked onto him like a predator. Besides, he didn't believe three "commoners" stood a chance against Quilingorm Saint.
As the three vanished into the distance, King drew his blade—the Second Generation Kitetsu.
"Now, let's see," King said, his voice dropping to a dangerous low. "Let's see just how large the gap is between you and your brother, Red-Haired Shanks."
Shamrock's arrogant smile vanished, replaced by a chilling glare. "Are you suggesting," he hissed, "that I am inferior to that self-degrading traitor?"
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