Flower Capital, a dilapidated tavern.
The setting sun dyed the tavern's broken wooden door blood-red. Inside, smoke curled thickly through the air as several patrons stared at the visual Den Den Mushi on the bar.
On the screen, Kozuki Oden, curled within a pot of boiling oil, cried out:
"I admit it! That logbook was fabricated by me. I was merely a servant on Roger's ship…"
"I only wanted to deceive Wano Country into trusting me, and then sell it to the World Government."
"Lord Kaido, I was wrong! Please spare me!"
A craftsman clenched his wine cup tightly.
"Pah! So much for the 'Light of the Samurai' he's just a spineless coward."
"Exactly… hic!"
Another drunkard swayed as he spoke:
"That Kozuki Oden brat was never a good person, even as a child."
"Ask around Kuri whenever he went out, people hid their wives and daughters."
An old fisherman shook his head slowly.
"Even the visual Den Den Mushi recorded it… it must be true. I never expected Kozuki Oden to be this kind of man."
…At Kuri Port, an old shipwright threw the ship's figurehead Oden had personally carved into the furnace.
"I built ships for you for twenty years, and your begging face looks uglier than a stray dog!"
…At a gambling house in Hakumai, the dealer tossed Oden's signed dice into a filthy ditch.
"From today onward, only General Kurozumi's dice are allowed."
…Similar scenes unfolded throughout Wano Country.
As sighs and curses echoed everywhere, Lady Toki held Hiyori tightly, following behind Black.
She understood clearly
The Kozuki family's reputation had been completely destroyed.
On the day of the execution, only a small number of people had truly witnessed Oden's actions. But the edited footage created by Black spread like wildfire across Wano.
Worse still, Momonosuke was already dead, and she and Hiyori were destined to become slaves of the Celestial Dragon before them.
Thinking of all this, Lady Toki slowly closed her eyes in pain.
Black, however, was in an excellent mood, humming casually.
Robin glanced at him and couldn't help but sneer:
"Turning a hero into a clown… how despicable."
Black looked at her with clear disdain.
"If you can call that fool Kozuki Oden a hero, then perhaps you should stop studying history. You might not learn anything anyway."
Despite Robin's words, Black remained cheerful.
He simply disliked Kozuki Oden. Stirring chaos for his own amusement so what?
…After Oden's execution, Kaido did not pursue the Nine Red Scabbards, instead allowing them to leave.
When they returned to Oden's residence, they found Lady Toki and Hiyori gone. Only Momonosuke's mutilated corpse remained limbs and head severed.
"Young Master!"
They rushed forward, attempting to piece his body back together, but it was futile.
After brief discussion, they decided to bury Momonosuke first, then search for Lady Toki.
Upon returning to the Flower Capital, they heard the entire city discussing Oden's supposed desperate pleas for mercy.
Ashura Doji flew into a rage and moved to confront them, but Kin'emon stopped him.
Though anger burned in his eyes, Kin'emon forced himself to remain calm.
"Let's first find out what's going on!"
It was not easy. The citizens treated them with hostility sarcasm was the mildest response. Some even attempted to draw their swords against them.
After much effort, they finally learned the truth from a shop owner who had witnessed the execution and obtained the edited recording.
Returning to their residence, they watched the footage.
Bang!
Kiku smashed his sake cup, overturned the table, drew his sword, and stormed outside.
Denjiro quickly grabbed him.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to kill anyone who dares insult Lord Oden!!!"
Kiku shook him off and continued forward.
Inuarashi stood at the doorway, voice steady.
"The entire Flower Capital is saying it. Are you going to kill everyone?"
Without warning, Kiku slashed at him.
Inuarashi dodged, shocked.
"Kiku, have you lost your mind?!"
Kiku pressed the attack, roaring:
"You're still pretending?!"
"I've long known you've sided with Kaido!"
"Tell me did you hide Lady Toki and Princess Hiyori?!"
Inuarashi blocked with both swords.
"Didn't you see how many Beasts Pirates I killed last night?"
"Lord Oden already said the secret letter matter was over are you still clinging to it?"
"That's nonsense!"
Kiku's attacks became fiercer.
"Yesterday, Kaido's forces were already waiting at the port!"
"If you hadn't tipped him off, how could he have known our plan?!"
At those words, everyone froze.
Indeed, the battle had started too quickly for anyone to question it at the time. But now, thinking back Kaido's preparedness made no sense.
Someone had leaked the plan.
And suddenly, the credibility of the secret letter rose sharply.
They all looked at one another.
Even Kin'emon and the others, who had doubted the letter before, began to waver.
Denjiro slowly drew his sword.
"No matter what, we stop this first."
Clang!
Before he could move, Nekomamushi's trident blocked his path.
"Don't even think about ganging up on him!"
Weapons were drawn across the courtyard.
Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Kawamatsu wrongly accused firmly believed the letter was false. The traitor could not be them, nor Kanjuro.
While Oden lived, their differences had been suppressed.
Now, Oden was dead. Momonosuke was dead. Lady Toki was missing.
There was no one left to unite them.
Their conflicting beliefs erupted.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel rang out as the Nine Red Scabbards descended into chaos.
The "Secret Letter" faction Kanjuro, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Kawamatsu clashed against the "Loyalty" faction Kin'emon, Denjiro, Raizo, Ashura Doji, and Kiku.