BOOM.
Beneath the darkened sky, the rumble of thunder echoed heavily.
The citizens of Flower Capital felt an indescribable weight pressing down on them — as though a massive stone had been placed on their chests, filling them with unease and making it hard to breathe.
It was as if something monumental was happening, and their fates from this point forward were tied to it.
"Is it going to rain?"
An old man with a nail through his nose looked up at the sky with deep concern. By the look of things, it wasn't just going to rain — it was going to be a downpour.
In the normally mild and pleasant Flower Capital, this kind of weather was exceedingly rare. The last time had been the great drought twenty-something years ago. A lot of people had starved to death back then.
He sighed, thinking he'd have to close up shop for the day if it rained. But at that moment, the people walking the streets suddenly stopped in their tracks, squinting and craning their necks toward the north.
"What is that?"
Far off in the dark clouds, lightning seemed to flash and crackle. In the sea of clouds, something that looked like a black dragon surged and dove.
"Could that be... Kaido..."
Someone murmured. After all these years, they certainly knew that the Guardian Deity Lord could transform into a dragon. The one fighting amid the thunderclouds right now seemed to be none other than him.
The azure dragon and the white serpent writhed and churned, drawing closer and closer to the capital. Suddenly, the dragon's figure vanished. In its place, black lightning connected the heavens and the earth, and the thunderous roar from below nearly eclipsed the thunderclouds themselves.
"That snake — could it be... Orochi..."
Everyone who saw this felt a chill of terror. This was their first time learning that Orochi could actually transform into a serpentine creature larger than a mountain.
They had never witnessed it before, yet somehow, looking at it, they just knew.
"If that's really Orochi and Kaido, then who on earth are they fighting?"
Someone suddenly spoke up.
Those words ignited a faint spark of hope in the hearts of the gathered citizens.
"Lord Oden!"
"It has to be Lord Oden!"
"Think about it — Lord Oden hasn't been dancing in the capital since yesterday, has he?"
"It has to be Lord Oden fighting Kaido and Orochi!"
"Our country — our country finally has hope!"
Tears welled up in their eyes. Some couldn't help but shout it out loud. Even when the patrolling guards in the capital drew their weapons, threatening to imprison them, the citizens no longer cowered. They began to fight back.
But in reality, the man they had pinned all their hopes on was not doing well at all.
Kaido and Orochi's teamwork couldn't exactly be called seamless — it was full of holes, honestly. The bond between them was a fragile one, and expecting real coordination was asking too much.
But they were both overwhelmingly powerful. By alternating their attacks, they consistently exploited the moments when Oden was stretched too thin to respond. Orochi's moves were treacherous, and Kaido struck straight for the kill.
"Kundali — Dragon Sovereign Army."
Kaido struck with explosive force. The Hashaikai swung in a flurry of strikes, as fast as a rainstorm. The fierce winds generated by the blade rubbed against the air itself, making the atmosphere searing hot.
The Hashaikai's silhouette seemed to warp in midair. At the speed it was being swung, the human eye could only register a series of flashing afterimages.
Oden had just been exchanging blows with Orochi. Now Kaido attacked from the other side, and Oden was sent flying. But Kaido's assault gave him no room to breathe.
He stomped forward, his dragon claw pulverizing the ground beneath him.
"Roaring Thunder Bagua — Fire Dragon Torch."
Fire and lightning intertwined. The Hashaikai was entirely engulfed in flames. As it swung, a dragon made of roaring fire lunged toward the distant Oden with a deafening screech.
Everything in the fire dragon's path was reduced to molten, glowing earth.
The dragon of flame opened its jaws. Black-red lightning coiled around its fangs and claws, crackling and scattering in every direction, kicking up clouds of dust and stone.
Oden was just about to block this attack when another slash came flying in from afar.
"Orochi Style — Yagiri Distant Wagasa."
His massive white tail served as a blade, releasing a concentrated wave of Haki and cutting force.
That slash was larger than the crescent moon in the sky. In an instant, it carved through the earth and mountains, bearing down on Oden's twin blades.
Attacked from front and back, Oden could barely defend himself.
But the one who unleashed that attack — Orochi — also seemed winded. He didn't press the chase. Only Kaido's fire dragon continued to savage Oden's body, carrying him high into the distant sky before detonating amid the despairing black clouds.
BOOM.
Oden's body slammed into the heart of the Flower Capital.
His body was covered in countless sword wounds. Over half of his form had been scorched by fire. Even his iconic bowl-shaped hairdo hadn't survived.
The大面积 of burned skin had turned a dark brown, and the charred flesh gave off a sickening stench.
He lay there on the ground. The pupils in his eyes had faded, and steam still rose from his body. It was hard to tell whether he was still breathing or if the heat was simply rising from his organs, roasted by the flames.
"So it ends at last, Oden."
Kaido's figure arrived moments later. In his half-beast form, he seemed even more massive than before. One of his curved dragon horns had been nearly severed in half, and darkened blood oozed between his scales.
Even with Orochi's help, this fight hadn't been easy for him.
He had taken many injuries, but they healed rapidly under his abilities, leaving only dark, oxidized scabs where the wounds had been.
Looking down at Oden, who lay motionless on the ground with barely any signs of life, Kaido walked forward with deceptively light steps.
And it was true — his bowed, beast-like legs were built for leaping. The dragon tail swaying behind him only made him look more like a ferocious wild animal.
He reached Oden and bent down, grabbing his head with a massive claw and lifting him into the air. Only then did Kaido notice that a crowd of citizens had already gathered nearby.
They stared in horror at the scene of Kaido holding the limp, lifeless Oden above the ground.
They lost.
Kozuki Oden — the man they had waited over a decade for — had lost in the end.
"Hehehehe, how pathetic."
Kurozumi Orochi, having finally caught his breath, slithered over. He hadn't even reverted from his transformed state. His enormous serpent head looked large enough to swallow the entirety of Flower Capital.
"A mournful ending for a sorrowful Kozuki Oden."
The giant python opened its mouth and spoke in a human voice. This confirmed the citizens' worst fears.
It really was Orochi.
"Look, you foolish people — this is the Oden you've waited over a decade for."
"What a shame. He was no match for us."
"The useless Kozuki clan could never have saved this country."
[
Dear Readers,
I am currently posting two chapters every day across two active fictions, along with bonus releases and extra chapters. The workload is steady, and I am putting in the effort to keep the schedule consistent for everyone.
Right now, my financial situation is not great. Patreon support is what keeps this translation work sustainable. If you have been following the stories and want to help, joining a tier makes a direct difference.
Here is what membership offers:
Adventurer — $3 per month
10 chapters in advance for all of my works
Warrior — $7 per month
20 chapters in advance for all of my works
Immortal — $10 per month (Highlighted Tier)
30 chapters in advance for all of my works
Access to character images
Important note: Subscribing through the Apple App adds an extra 30 percent fee (Apple/Patreon policy). Subscribe through your browser to avoid the extra charge. Apple also processes payments very late (2 to 3 months), which makes it much harder for me to receive money quickly after you subscribe.
If you can support, it would genuinely help me continue the daily releases and early access content. If you cannot, reading and sharing the work is also appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Patreon: patreon.com/anish_44
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/anish_44
]