The arena battles raged with fiery intensity, the roaring cheers from the stands reaching toward the heavens.
No one could predict how far this competition would escalate. Every clash between combatants in the arena seemed to accumulate momentum for the impending chaos.
...
In the resting room.
Even after considerable time had passed, Kyoshiro still felt lingering fear.
The pressure emanating from that Marine surpassed even what Kaido had exuded ten years ago - he couldn't conceive of any way to oppose it!
He didn't understand why he was still alive.
...
"Stop thinking about it. It was I who ensured your survival."
Kozaburo stood with hands in pockets, his head held high with arrogance. "My backing isn't something the likes of Kurozumi Orochi can compare to. Even those so-called Celestial Dragons have to give me face."
Kyoshiro lowered his gaze, forcing an awkward smile. "You mean the Nation-Protecting Bright King?"
"Of course! That's Kaido! Who in Wano Country could possibly compare to him!"
...
In reality...
It wasn't that complicated. Kuzan simply hadn't delivered a killing blow, and Saint Miya didn't care whether he lived or died.
Once the ice melted, he naturally regained consciousness.
—
After hesitating for a while, Kyoshiro couldn't resist asking: "But... I heard your Shimotsuki Clan has served the former shogun's Kozuki Clan for generations. Wouldn't the Bright King have reservations about that?"
Kozaburo gave Kyoshiro a deep look before curling his lips into a smirk.
"Kozuki?"
"You must mean that great hero Kozuki Oden - the one who wielded two peerless famous blades, possessed strength unrivaled under heaven, and could challenge the Beasts Pirates with just nine followers."
...
Kyoshiro's pupils contracted slightly, surprised that Kozaburo - who had long pledged allegiance to Kaido - would speak such words...
Could it be... that like himself, he was enduring humiliation to fulfill a greater purpose?!
If that were true, his earlier thoughts of abandoning him were truly inexcusable!
But Kozaburo didn't pause, and his next words quickly shattered Kyoshiro's illusions.
...
"Kozuki Oden? Nothing but a fool with brute strength!!"
Kozaburo spat in disgust, leaning back on the sofa to stare at the ceiling.
"Kyoshiro... since we're not in Wano Country, I can speak freely..."
"Truthfully, when I first joined the Beasts Pirates, I intended to serve as a mole."
"I knew that kid from very early on, you see..."
"I remember he was only about ten years old when he was arrested for crimes and sent to the quarry for labor. I happened to be the quarry's administrator at the time."
"His talent was truly exceptional... I made him the head stonemason and petitioned the shogun to reduce his sentence."
"The absurdities that followed... well, someone your age should have heard about them."
"At twenty-nine, he abandoned his people to go to sea."
"By the time he returned, Kurozumi Orochi had already become the shogun of Wano Country."
...
"We all believed... he would drive out Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido, restoring Wano's former peace..."
"We endured humiliation, risking our lives repeatedly to feed him information about the Beasts Pirates. And what was he doing?"
"He was dancing."
"Dancing like a fool in the square, haha..."
"He was dancing during the battle between the Beasts Pirates and the Moonlight Pirates, and he was still dancing when Kaido was releasing poisonous gas while building the military factory..."
"Kyoshiro, it's not that we betrayed Kozuki Oden."
"It's Kozuki Oden who betrayed us."
Kozaburo spoke very calmly, as if talking about something he didn't care about.
Or perhaps he had shouted and raged before, but now he simply didn't care anymore.
...
...
No!!
Kyoshiro screamed inwardly.
That's not true! It was because Kaido took hostages and forced His Highness!!
He was deceived by Kaido and his men all to ensure innocent people could survive!!
...
Kyoshiro didn't dare speak these words aloud. No matter what Kozaburo's stance had been back then, he was now on Kaido's side...
Just wait, someone will come to defeat Kaido and liberate Wano Country!
Lord Oden's words cannot be wrong!!
...
"I... don't mean to blame you, I was just asking casually."
"That Kozuki Oden, was really... foolish..." Kyoshiro forced out these words with difficulty.
Kozaburo glanced at him faintly, snorted lightly, and closed his eyes to feign sleep.
Wait...
Kyoshiro felt he had missed some crucial information...
"Mr. Kozaburo, did you tell them about the Beasts Pirates being in Wano Country!!"
Kyoshiro was ecstatic inside. The information he had been desperately trying to deliver had been so easily revealed by Kozaburo!
That terrifying frozen Marine would surely go to defeat Kaido!!
Over the past few days, Kyoshiro had learned that Kaido's bounty from the World Government was currently the third highest, reaching tens of billions of Berries!
...
Kozaburo didn't open his eyes, but the corner of his mouth curled up.
"Kid... do you think all the weapons produced in Wano Country's many military factories are for our own use?"
"With so many workers in the quarry every day, how many Sea Stone artifacts have you seen in Wano Country?"
Kyoshiro's body trembled.
"Heh, Kaido is indeed opposed to the World Government, but Kurozumi Orochi, who's under Kaido's control, has long established long-term Sea Stone weapon supplies with the Marines under the World Government through intermediaries."
"Wano Country has the Sea Stone forging technology the Marines want, and the Marines have the biotechnology Kaido desires... The two aren't exactly enemies who would fight upon meeting..."
Kyoshiro's breathing became rapid, and he couldn't calm down no matter how hard he tried.
Supporting himself on his knees, he stood up.
"Sorry... Mr. Kozaburo, I'm not feeling well. I need to get some fresh air at the entrance..."
...
Watching Kyoshiro's retreating back, Kozaburo sighed deeply.
Denjiro...
Why can't you understand that pinning hopes on an uncertain future is wrong? If you truly want to resist, you need to take action yourself...
What exactly are you waiting for.
What are you and Oden waiting for...
...
...
Kyoshiro leaned against the railing, looking down at the arena where the final winner was about to be decided.
Crack—
His fingers tightened, crushing the stone railing as his slender eyes dimmed.
How could this be...
Weren't the Marines supposed to represent justice? Why would they cooperate with the evil Kaido...
——
——
In the arena, Kyros defeated opponent after opponent, his peripheral vision fixed on the VIP viewing platform.
Saint Shangong sat trembling in the center, flanked by King Riku and Viola.
Realizing the competition involved a massive conspiracy, Kyros immediately sent his daughter back to the flower fields. He had originally wanted King Riku and Viola to leave as well...
But King Riku refused.
As the king of a nation, how could he stand aside when a crisis might be approaching!
Viola gave the same response as King Riku.
...
Kyros scanned the surroundings. To avoid alerting the criminal the female Celestial Dragon wanted to capture, the event continued as scheduled. These citizens had no idea they were in danger...
He hoped nothing would happen. After all, the Marine Vice Admiral had said the criminal might not even show up...
Bang—
Despite his distraction, the King of Gladiators, undefeated in three thousand matches, still displayed his unparalleled dominance as he knocked down his final opponent.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Whoosh—
Victory fireworks exploded, though an unusual sound seemed mixed within them.
A blinding trail of fire lit up the distant sky, drawing closer as it carved a long arc through the air.
The city's fireworks were forcibly split apart, while sand and dust from the ground swirled into a V-shaped formation midair.
A fiery line stretched across the royal capital.
Before anyone appeared, an overwhelming pressure engulfed the entire arena!
...
Kari stood bathed in flames, fan-shaped wings of fire spreading behind him as pillars of fire erupted from his feet.
His body shot toward Saint Shangong above the spectator stands at an incredible speed.
...
——
Fire Release - Moonwalk: Flame Fang Rush!!
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!