Chapter 181

On top of a submarine that lied in the middle of the sea, Law was sitting with a stern expression.

In front of the Heart pirates lied the Red Line. It was so high that Law couldn't see its end. Nonetheless, one thing was confirmed without a doubt.

'The supposed "gods," and the enemies of D. What lies above is the dragons' lair.'

Law closed his eyes upon remembering the traumatic event of Flevance kingdom from his past.

The Amber Lead Syndrome, born out of the greed of the country's nobles. It was the disease that shortens the lifespan of each succeeding generation, and unknown of this fact, the doctors of Flevance mistook it as 'contagious,' which ultimately resulted in the royalties abandoning the country, and the neighbouring countries quarantining and destroying them all.

<Law. Do you despise the World Government?>

Then Law remembered—the chat he had with Rowan back in Delta.

<You are going after One Piece, aren't you?> Law asked during that time, <Tch, I hate to admit it, but I am unable to compete with you for it; the gap between us is far too large.>

There was one simple reason that Law made his appearance here. Regardless of what was happening around the world, Law wouldn't have risked his life to come here, if he didn't hear Rowan's words.

<So tell me, Grimheart-ya. What exactly is One Piece? You have an idea of what it may be, don't you?>

<Bohaha! I too am not certain of it yet! But I can guarantee you one thing.>

Law, with sharpened eyes, stood up from his spot as he sighted something atop of the Red Line,

"Room, shambles."

*SWOOSH*

the entire submarine has teleported into a nearby area, just as,

*BOOM*

an intense laser beam struck upon the sea where the Heart pirates' submarine was resting just a second ago.

<If anything, its existence will be revealed at the centre of the world, Mariejois.>

___________

"What is it?"

Carina asked Rowan out of curiosity, as he turned his head to the back all of a sudden.

"Nothing." Rowan smiled in a relaxed manner before turning back to the front.

Below them, the sea was chaotically thrashing and clashing. Any ship that sailed by the sea would've had a hard time, especially when coupled with the fact that they have to enter Wano through the waterfall out of all possibilities.

However, it provided no challenge at all for Prominence, who flew toward the country of Wano without any obstacle.

"The land of samurais, here we are." Dan said excitedly as he held onto the rails, "Oho, I see a volcano that peaks in the middle. Ohh, how come the climates differ for each region? Just what the freak is this country?!!"

"Sheesh, calm down." Carmen complained while covering her ears, "You almost blasted my ears away."

"Hmm," Alfred looked down with a suspicion in his eyes, "something isn't right, however. Most of the people down below seem to be suffering from a poverty... I suppose that that's what happens when a ruthless tyrant like Kaidou takes over."

"No, something is off." Rowan's eyes narrowed, "There is an extremely huge gaping hole far below the island... strange. Something happened here prior to our arrival."

On top of the sky, Prominence, who was still in dragon form, slowly descended to the ground of Wano's 'Flower Capital.'

"K-Kaidou-san! You're back—huh?" One member of the Beast pirates exclaimed with a forced smile as he gazed at the dragon, only to stop in confusion as Prominence morphed back into her ship form.

"Who are you?!"

Several members of the Beast pirates urgently held their weapons up, surrounding the Grimheart pirates.

However, their bodies were trembling. A strikingly similar appearance with Kaidou... indicated that the ship ate the Fish Fish fruit, model: Azure Dragon.

Based on this information, there was one horrifying conclusion that the Beast pirates didn't want to admit.

"S-s***..." That was the final word that one pirate managed to stutter before his head was decapitated by Cavendish's sword, Durandal.

*Thud*

The citizens of Wano watched the scene with a shock as the headless body fell on the ground.

Ignoring the death, Rowan simply raised his hand up with a lazy expression,

"Hi. You're free to watch, but don't interfere."

Immediately after, Rowan pointed his index finger toward the tallest building nearby.

*BOOM*

A potent blast shot out from the tip of his finger before,

*BOOOOOOOOM*

blasting the whole building in a single go.

"""WHHAAAAATTTT?!!!!!""" The citizens of Wano exclaimed with their eyes popped out and jaws dropped all the way to the ground; their minds weren't able to follow what was going on at the current moment.

Then, a golden emission of Armament Haki burst into existence from Rowan's right hand, before it began to elongate at a frightening rate—all the way to the cloud of smoke. It was only possible thanks to the enhancement in Rowan's ability to 'manipulate' his Armament Haki.

Rowan's Haki retracted back to him, while tightly gripping onto a short old-aged man with a disproportionately huge head. It was Kurozumi Orochi, the corrupt Shogun of Wano and the co-worker of Kaidou.

"You're Orochi, right?" Disregarding everyone who spectated the scene, Rowan spoke casually to Orochi, who seemed to be injured, "I've heard a lot about you from my friends."

"That's right!! I'm the Shogun of this kingdom! Harming me means turning the whole Beast pirates against you!! Let me go at this instance, you f-filthy p-p-pirate..." Orochi initially shouted with an evident anger, but it quickly died down into a terror as he gazed into Rowan's eyes.

"The Beast pirates you say?" Rowan turned to his crew, "Kill every single one of them."

Orochi felt the dread creeping upon him.

"Ah, come on, captain. I was just about to explore, you know?!" Dan sighed in a disappointment, before stretching, "Ugh, fine. Better make this quick."

"Guahaha!" Cavendish's eyes gleamed as his expression morphed into a frightening grin, "Finally! I've been bored for a while!"

*Boom*

Urouge slammed his fists together, "Sahaha! Same here!!"

Then began a massacre. Within Orochi's eyes, the Beast pirates fell one by one, not having given a chance to retaliate. And the Flower Capital was just the beginning.

*PAZZZZZ*

The region next to the Flower Capital, Ringo, exploded in blue electricity.

*BOOOOM*

Hakumai, the region below the Flower Capital, flashed in bright light.

*BOOMBOOMBOOM*

Udon, the region on Hakumai's left, let out the non-ending series of booming noises, as the beast pirates were sent flying into the air one by one.

Orochi couldn't believe what was going on.

'It has only been a week since a huge ship suddenly revealed itself from the underground, thanks to those accursed Cipher Pols! And now, w-what's happening?! Kaidou!!! Are you truly dead?!!'

"And, if I recall..." Rowan, who held Orochi by neck, scratched the back of his head as if trying to remember something.

"Ace requested you to slap Orochi hundred times for his sake." Carina said knowingly, to which Rowan lit up in realization.

"Ah, that's right." Rowan nodded in an agreement before raising up his other hand.

"W-wait!!!" Orochi screamed desperately, "Why don't we t-talk this over—"

*BOOOOM*

Orochi found him flying at an incredible speed, as Rowan's hand slammed onto his cheek.

*BOING*

However, he then bounced off of the wall that he was propelling toward, before flying back to Rowan's waiting hand uncontrollably.

"One, and,"

*BOOOOM*

"two."

"AHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Orochi screamed miserably, but to no avail. While bleeding profusely, he once again,

*BOING*

bounced off of the same wall and flew back to Rowan's hand.

"Three."

*BOOOOM*

Orochi's eyes teared up as he vomited a huge amount of blood—while flying to the wall once more.

*BOING*

The people watched the scene with wonders as their eyes repeatedly moved left and right, following Orochi's trajectory path.

*BOOOOM*

Orochi found his vision turning dark as he flew back and forth. His eyes were whitened, unable to bare the pain. He was incapable of thinking anything anymore.

And now, Rowan ceased his non-stop slaps and grabbed Orochi by his neck once again,

"Let's just end it here."

*BOOOM*

before blasting Orochi's head off of his neck by a powerful slap.

"Ninety-three."

However, the people witnessed something shocking: Orochi's head somehow regrew as his old head fell to the ground.

"H-HOLD ON!!!" Orochi, with renewed head, shouted with horror, "W-what is is that you want?! You must be here for a reason, right?! W-why don't we talk over this—"

*BOOOOM*

"Ninety-four."

Rowan said impassively as Orochi was decapitated again—before another one grew.

"...Bohaha, what the f***?" At this point, Rowan laughed in an amusement. He, feeling lazy, decided to end this unnecessary torture at 94th slap. However, Orochi somehow lived on.

"Just what kind of devil fruit did you eat?"

"I—"

Even before Orochi had a chance to talk, Rowan had the answer, due to having seen the future, "Snake Snake fruit, model: Yamata-no-Orochi. Eight heads, eight lives. Lost two, so... six more to go."

Orochi desperately thrashed, but wasn't able to escape from Rowan's grasp.

"Ninety-five, six, seven, eight, nine, hundred..."

*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*

Rowan deadpanned at himself, "turns out to be an exact hundred."

"Pff, did Ace see into the future?" Carina chuckled.

Rowan shrugged, "Perhaps."

Now, in Rowan's grasp lied a headless corpse. With eight identical heads rolling on the ground, Rowan loosened his grip and dropped the corpse to the ground.

"So," Carina asked, "where's the Poneglyphs?"

"According to Orochi over here," Rowan pointed down, "one is far far below, while the copy of the fourth one is in Onigashima."

With the utilization of the Future Sight of the Observation Haki, Rowan saw the future in which Orochi answered his questions—there was no need for any further interrogation thanks to that.

The citizens of Wano silently watched as Rowan and Carina walked out of the sight,

with Prominence following them by floating above the flame cloud from behind.

"...So Kaidou is dead?" After they left, one person muttered, "And Orochi is dead too? The whole Beast pirates are wiped out?"

All citizens in the area lit up in a joy,

"W-we are free?!"

"S***!!! Let's barge into the farm!!! I'm starving right now!!!"

From the back,

"W-what...?" A blue-haired samurai, known as the yakuza boss 'Kyoshiro' by many, froze in a shock. In truth, he was Denjiro, one of the servants of Kozuki Oden—the rightful leader who lost his life by the hands of Kaidou and Orochi in the past.

He has been preparing years to overthrow the tyrants, but... today, the unknown pirates popped out of nowhere with their ship having eaten Kaidou's devil fruit, before executing Orochi right in the public.

*Thud*

Denjiro lost the strengths in his legs, and sat down on the ground.

"Boss?! Are you alright?!" One yakuza member said out of concern, to which Denjiro responded by raising his hand up.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Haa..." Denjiro massaged his temple while sighing, "What now?"

___________

[Mariejois]

*Sling*

Within the peaceful lair of the dragons, one man was sharpening his huge black sword without any care.

*Sling*

It wasn't the look of a man who was about to go to war. No, it was the demeanour of someone with nothing but excitement within his peculiar eyes.

"The World Government against the rest of the world..."

The man, having finished sharpening his sword, stood up with a stoic expression,

"How interesting."

Sheathing the huge sword, this man, Dracule Mihawk, adjusted his hat before walking forth.

"...The chance of one man's death within a week... 95%." Nearby, Basil Hawkins said in a monotone as he gazed at the levitating cards in front of him.

"And if he were to commit a betrayal..." Hawkins' head dropped in resignation,

"99.9%."

"Mommyyy!!!"

On the other hand, a huge man with short legs and long blonde-coloured hair, Edward Weevil, whined to a short woman, miss Bakkin.

"Awe ywu sure that those fake sons of fathew will show up hewre?!"

"Yes, indeed, my dear!" Bakkin said with a high-pitched voice that caused few nearby to frown in a displeasure, "Apparently, there is a treasure here that the Whitebeard pirates strive to steal! Soon enough, you, the rightful heir of the one and only Edward Newgate, will be able to claim his fortune!"

In contrast to the noisy Weevil and Bakkin, Kuma stood stoically—as if awaiting for an order.

"All Marines!!!"

Then, the powerful voice intruded the area before the huge number of marines, under the lead of Sakazuki himself, revealed themselves to the front.

"Ready yourselves for the upcoming confrontation!! According to the intel given by the Cipher Pols," Vice Admiral Strawberry shouted grimly, "the Revolutionary Army is on the move!!!"

Beyond the marines who stood in an ordered fashion lied the Cipher Pol agents. They were sitting on top of the nearby buildings in a relaxed manner—though they were ready to act at any time.

Spread far and wide, there lied the other huge number of the combatants. Some belonged within the 'evacuated' royalties, some were hired, some were the slaves of the Celestial Dragons, and some were officials of the World Government.

In total, there existed around the staggering five-hundred-thousand combatants within the Mariejois.

And this was just the beginning.

"...Is this the true capability of the World Government?" Capone Bege couldn't help but mutter in a cold sweat as he stared at the far back, where one man with huge black-coloured wings stood lifelessly.

The Lunarian prince. Somehow, its function was restored by studying the corpse of King or Alber, the second-in-command of the demolished Beast pirates. This individual went by one other name: Uranus.

"The possession over two of the three ancient weapons. Warlords, Marines, Cipher Pols, army of Pacifista, forces from the various kingdoms, and the World Government officials..."

Bege couldn't imagine them losing.

"Besides," Bege's muttered with an intrigue, "just how will the enemies climb up the Red Line in the first place?"

Just when he said so, the ground began to shake.

"This is...!" Bege muttered in a realization.

*Vroooom*

"here they come." Sakazuki's eyes sharpened, before throwing away his cigar, "It's just as you said, Tensei."

Tensei, also known as 'Kurouma,' nodded with a serious expression, "The commander of the West Army, 'Morley.' Used to be a prisoner in the Impel Down, but somehow escaped. Through the investigation, it was recently found out that he is the user of..."

*BOOOOOOOM*

"—the Push Push fruit."

Then, the ground began to churn like a pudding, before a huge portion of the softened ground was drilled into a gaping hole.

From within, the huge number of the Revolutionary Army revealed themselves.

"Don't panic, and stand your ground!!" Vice Admiral Doberman shouted in a charismatic manner, "That hole is the only route for the enemies to come up here! Unlike us, they can't exert their full force at once!"

*Tap*

One man with long spiky-black hair landed on the Mariejois. There was a tattoo on the left side of his face, and he, with a calm expression, swept his eyes from left to right.

"Monkey D. Dragon..." Sakazuki growled as he glared at Dragon, whose eyes narrowed in response. Then,

a potent wave of Conqueror's Haki boomed out of Dragon, dominating the whole area in an instant.

"...What Conqueror's Haki." From the far back, Kong commented with a grimace on his face.

Many soldiers were about to lose their consciousness, until,

*VROOOOOOOM*

the Conqueror's Haki of similar magnitude burst out of... Mihawk, opposing Dragon's.

"Dracule Mihawk... just what in the world...?!" Tensei expressed his surprise. Mihawk having possessed the Conqueror's Haki... it was something entirely unknown to the world, especially since the former never used it before.

Many shielded their faces as the strong gusts of wind blew around the whole area. Some began to skid backward, unable to withstand the clash between two wills.

"Tch...!" Sakazuki, who seemed unable to believe that Mihawk possessed the Conqueror's Haki, gritted his teeth as his body began to bubble in hot magma.

"Tell me." Unafraid of the enemies in front of him, Dragon said coldly, "Where is Luffy?"

"LUFFY!!!!!!"

Then, a loud voice was heard from the huge hole, before one burly man, Garp, shot out.

"Garp?!" Kong's eyes widened in a disbelief.

Immediately after, everyone sighted a huge phoenix of blue flame soaring above the sky.

"Marco the Phoenix...!" Bakkin pointed at the phoenix in the sky, "That's it, Weevil! That man is the worst of those who claim to be the sons of your father!"

On the talon of the phoenix, Ace was seen dangling by. Lowering his eyes, Ace sighted a man that he thought to be dead,

"...S-Sabo?!"

Sabo perked up upon hearing Ace calling out his name.

"Ace!" Sabo grinned, "Long time no see!"

'Due to the existence of the Red Line, the others aren't able to join here right now.' Dragon thought calmly, 'Morley... he is beyond exhausted simply by digging all the way to here. The others... they will have to find their own ways to get up here, which means that we are on our own.'

The Revolutionary Army, along with Marco and Ace who arrived by flying, was now surrounded by a huge number of enemies.

And,

"Meteor Volcano!!!"

With Sakazuki shooting one huge cluster of magma up in the sky, the war has officially begun.