Chapter - 59

"Momonosuke, whatever his reasons, his actions are inexcusable he must be executed." The mink leaders were running out of patience the same as Luffy.

Momonosuke rose his sword into the air above Luffy's head.

"Your still weak Momonosuke." This caused the boy to regain his grip.

"I can change all that, you want revenge on Kaido for killing your parents right? Then you must choose what you want right here and now. Do you want to avenge your parents murder or stay true to your foolish ideals by executing me?!" Luffy's blood burned as he felt his form trying to release, he just had to hold it back for a minute longer.

"Don't listen to him Momonosuke!" The mink leaders shouted hoping the boy would ignore the high councilor's words.

Luffy continued, "We share the same pain I can see it in you. The need for revenge, you wanting to restore your family to glory, and take back Wano. I will give that all too you. But you have to choose what you want it can't be both!" The high councilor shouted trying to break his restraints.

"You want to be a weak sheltered crybaby your whole life, taking orders from minks or do you want to be a man, a powerful shogun like you told me you wanted to be! CHOOSE!" Luffy said clearly at his melting point.

Momonosuke rose his sword high, directly above Luffy's nape ready for the execution. The boy took a glance at the minks behind him nodding for him to continue. He looked to the three samurai that raised him since his parents deaths. They were looking away and held their heads in shame. He knew either decision they would stand by him. Momonosuke glanced towards the high councilor seeing his head bowed. He looked ready to accept death—almost waiting for it. The boy thought about the former straw hat captain's navigator once again. If there was one thing that hadn't changed about Luffy it was he couldn't lie. He knew the navigator had a soft spot for her captain. When the two ladies from the straw hats allowed him to respectfully share their bed he could hear her softly say his name in her sleep. The painful memory confirmed that Luffy truly did love her and was doing this in order to make the world a better place. The young man had made his decision.

Luffy felt his binds break meaning he was free—Momonosuke chose revenge.

"unlimited...POWER!" The high councilor yelled transforming into his dragon released state causing he minks to step back in fear. The thundering wave of power broke the binds holding his emperors, sending minks flying through the forest.

"Momonosuke...What have you done?" Cat Viper asked dropping his pipe from shock. It wasn't supposed to go this way.

"I'm doing what's best for my people. I thank you for everything, Nekomamushi, Inuarashi." The young shogun said walking back towards his group.

"I see them we must execute all the traitors then." Inuarashi coldly stated getting ready to attack the monstrous form of Luffy.

Borsalino intercepted the Duke before giving him a light kick under the chin sending him flying off in the distance. The angered minks turned their attention to the traitorous samurai.

"I'll handle this one High councilor, I've been looking for a worthy opponent all day." Kizaru said grinning before vanishing in a ray of light.

Marco confronted Master Cat Viper as he stepped towards Luffy.

"High Councilor, The boy." Marco simply said nodding towards the last of the Kozuki family. Marco was right, protecting Momonosuke was the priority.

Without hesitation Luffy ignited his armament haki and hellfire to surround his forearms. He couldn't risk using a large attack on surrounding minks, he couldn't risk losing the surviving Kozuki clan.

Luffy landed on top of the clan protecting them with his armored wings. The minks were desperately trying to shock him with their electrified fists. He could feel hundreds of fists pounding on his wings. In a split second his wings burst open releasing a tremendous force, extending into the air, knocking every mink in the near vicinity off the ground.

The high councilor began slicing through minks' bodies from all directions. The minks cowered at fearsome sight of the demon. His hands resembled burning blades, the cerulean and blacks flames danced across his forearms. Every strike he sent out dealt a lethal blow.

Kizaru had no problems fighting his opponent. Despite having one leg, the old Duke was faster than he expected—however he was much quicker. The former admiral had his hand calmly placed in his pocket waiting for the Duke to emerge from the surrounding dense forest. Darkness fell on the land, Inuarashi had the advantage for now.

It was ironic how Borsalino ended up in this situation. When he was a kid his parents forced him to study relentlessly into the night. If he didn't his parents would scold him without mercy. So he worked tirelessly even at night only having candlelight to work. Once the candle went out he would be left in the dark. He hated the dark it always put a certain fear in him. However once he obtained the Pika Pika no Mi fruit his fear of the dark went away. He always knew the light would be with him. He'd been able to work tirelessly earning the high esteemed life of an admiral in his previous venture. Now here he stood, his opponent using the darkness thinking it was his advantage. Any other opponent would be shaking in their shoes, Borsalino was unfazed—the light was always with him, he hadn't feared the dark or much less anything since he was eight.

A voice emerged from the darkness stopping Kizaru in his tracks.

"Why do you follow a man such as that?" Inuarashi's voice came from the surrounding forest.

"Hmm.. oh me? I've served under worse monsters." Kizaru said continuing to walk through the forest into complete darkness.

"So you serve one monster just to serve another?" Inuarashi spoke again once stopping the man in place.

"Monster you say. Hmm.. you've lived too long to think like that Inuarashi. We're all greater than the worse thing we've ever done." Kizaru said igniting the light in his hand to lighten up the surrounding area.

The Duke stood meters away with minks surrounding Kizaru from all directions ready to strike on command.

"All of you are all the same, power hungry monsters out to burn the world, you'll all die here." The large canine prepared his attack.

"Again Inuarashi, you have it wrong. That kid will change the world for the better. Necessary sacrifices have to be made, that's the natural order of things. That's what I believe in." Kizaru said putting his hands in pockets.

The minks were given the signal to attack. All at once, the tribe dashed towards the former admiral at high speeds.

"Too slow." Kizaru spoke cooly vanishing in a beam of light. The minks all stopped in the middle of the area standing where the captain stood.

A voice from above caused them to look towards the sky.

"You fought well, but it ends now. Yasakami no Matagama!" The yonko's hands lit up in a beam of light before releasing it toward the helpless minks. "There's no escape."

The light immediately began hitting every mink dealing them a lethal blow. Finally the light grew brighter before causing one more explosion finishing off the tribe.

Teleporting next to the fallen Duke he could see the light rays had shot directly through his body leaving him riddled with gaping holes. The blood stained the surrounding area soaking into grass.