Chapter 132: Entering Beast's Nest (3)

During the night, many regions of Wano were left awake.

"...What is happening?"

The starving civilians looked up at the sky. Then, their eyes widened in disbelief.

The food... was raining down the sky!

"""HUHHH?!!"""

At the top, there was a huge silhouette that flew through the dark sky.

Wondering if a miracle was happening, people hurriedly grabbed the raining food and filled their stomachs.

"O-Orochi-sama!!"

In Flower Capital, there sat a large man with a big head and stocky build. He, possessing dark purple hair and a thin mustache of the same colour, had a blush on his cheeks as he poured alcohol from a bottle in his hand onto an exquisite-looking liquor cup.

Kurozumi Orochi. He was the shogun of Wano, one who was allied to Kaidou of the Beast. And currently, he was found frowning, clearly irked by the fact that his time was interrupted.

After all, on his left and right were two beautiful geishas who were playing fine music.

The first thing to note about the geisha on the left was that she was green-haired. Though it was impossible to tell how she looked due to how she wore a kitsune mask over her face, the beauty itself seemed to emanate out of her. Komurasaki, that was the name that she went with. Though her age was yet young, she had already acquired the title of oiran, the highest of all geishas.

On the other hand, the pink-haired geisha on the right was the rising star of Wano, Hana. She began her career as a geisha just a week ago, but her beauty, unparalleled by any other, was enough to shake the hearts of all men in Wano.

The fragrance of flowers entered the messenger's nose as he rushed into the room. He blushed while taking an unconscious step back, but shook his head to return his senses to the utmost matter at hand.

"What?!"

Orochi growled, and his eyes seemed to be promising pain if the reason for interrupting his time wasn't sufficient enough.

"Haven't I told you not to interrupt me?!"

"B-But, you have to see this!!"

The messenger cried.

"P-Paradise Farm has been raided!! And the food... the culprits are spreading food everywhere!!"

"...What?"

Orochi paused, wondering if he heard it wrong.

And from the back, Hana silently eyed the messenger.

"Say that again!"

"Paradise—"

The blood abruptly spilled as at the next moment, a knife struck Orochi's neck.

Orochi fell. Komurasaki's music stopped. The messenger was rendered confused at first, before his eyes widened in shock.

Right next to the fallen body of Orochi was Hana, whose eyes exhibited the coldness, the quality of a warrior.

"Don't bother, Kurozumi Orochi."

Orochi's body twitched as he made a gurgling noise.

"The blade of that knife is seastone-carved. You can't use your ability."

From her back, Komurasaki looked at Hana in disbelief.

Hana grabbed her kimoto and threw it aside, revealing a casual outfit. Snorting, she reached into her pocket and took out the black gloves, ones which she slowly put on her hands.

"Hina tired."

Raising her foot, Hana—no, Hina stomped Orochi on his face, crushing it mercilessly.

"Y-You..."

The messenger stuttered before he hurriedly turned back, trying to run away. However, before he could do so, Hina was already right in front of him.

Hina kicked the messenger, and bizarrely, her leg phased through the man. By the time she retracted her leg, there was a metal bind that tied the man's arms and torso together. From the force, the messenger lost his balance and fell to the ground.

The bound messenger couldn't help but whisper shakily,

"Ha-Hana... why are you doing this..."

"Hina is Hina, not Hana."

Hina slicked her hair back and enjoyed a sense of freedom.

"Smoker arrived and Hina got all the information Hina needed. This means that there is no reason for Hina to act any longer."

Hina opened the door and walked to the terrace. Looking at the sky where the food was raining down, Hina outstretched her arm to grab one that was thrown at her.

It was a simple ball of rice that had a seaweed wrapped around it.

"Onigiri."

On the roof right above, Smoker was found sitting.

"Really, Smoker."

Taking a bite out of the rice ball, Hina smirked.

"Who knew you'd become a geisha of all roles?"

"That was the best option Hina had."

"Is it?"

Smoker grinned.

"Then as geisha, what information did you get?"

Hina returned with a confident smile of her own. Turned to face Komurasaki, Hina informed,

"First of all, that girl's true name is Kozuki Hiyori."

"Kozuki... as in 'Kozuki Oden' Kozuki?"

"Yes."

That's when Komurasaki or Hiyori found herself shocked for the second time, though her expression was hidden behind her mask.

"W-Wait! How—"

BOOM!

"Orochi-sama!"

The door into the room was bashed open, and a very tall man with slanted eyes and blue hair entered.

Upon the entry, he immediately noticed the bound messenger and dead Orochi, and froze, trying to process the scene in front of him.

Then, he raised his head to look at the terrace connected to the room, where Smoker and Hina were found.

"...Hi?"

Smoker waved his hand awkwardly, and Hina simply looked at the man plainly.

__________

In another region of Wano named Udon, there exists a prisoner mine where the rebels who fought against Orochi and Beast Pirates were worked and tortured relentlessly.

This place was under the rule of Queen of Beast Pirates, but Queen, having been busy with new experiments recently, was currently absent.

Deep in the night, the Beast Pirates who guarded the area seemed tired, for they jolted off as they continued the watch.

And to this prisoner mine, three figures brazenly invaded. They were Bastille, Senor Pink, and X Drake, who had been acting as mountain bandits.

"Daradaradara!!"

Laughing loudly, Bastille swung his huge sword, zanbato, horizontally. The guards were caught off guard before they were slashed.

"Ahhh!!"

"Bandits!! It's those bandits!!"

"Quick, grab your weapons!!"

Onto one screaming pirate, X Drake slammed his axe. The blood splashed onto his face, but he seemed unfazed by it. Simply wiping it with his hand, X Drake hacked his axe at another pirate.

"This reminds me of ma ol' days!"

Senor Pink exclaimed as he mashed the heads of two pirates together. Letting go of those heads, he then jumped up to dodge a bullet shot at him and landed a punch straight at the shooter's face.

"It's only three, you know!! Why are you guys falling—"

One by one, pirates went down without putting up sufficient resistance, especially since there were only goons in the prisoner mine currently.

"Heh, piece of cake-dara!"

Bastille grinned as his zanbato slashed through tens of enemies at once.

"Rosinante just called and told us that Smoker has arrived... and this means that we no longer need to hold back!"

Boom.

In the end, all members of the Beast Pirates in the prisoner mine fell, either dead or unconscious. Bastille slammed his zanbato on the ground and placed his hands on his waist.

"Tch."

X Drake grumbled,

"They aren't even worth a warm-up."

"I agree, kiddo."

Senor Pink adjusted the sunglasses that he was wearing, even though it was midnight. Then, he reached into his pocket, took out a ring full of keys, and threw it to Bastille who caught it.

Bastille stepped up with the grin still on his face. Reaching the cells, he looked around at the prisoners who were looking at the trio with surprise.

"Everyone, listen-dara! I'm Bastille, this brooding teenager is X Drake, and this sunglasses weirdo is Senor Pink-dara!"

"..."

None of the prisoners responded. Their eyes seemed to be holding curiosity and amusement as if watching comedians.

"Tonight, we are going to destroy Beast Pirates, and I ask you that you join us in our endeavours-dara!!"

"...What?"

"""HAHAHAHAHA!!!"""

All prisoners burst into laughter, unable to conceal it any longer after hearing what Bastille said.

"Are you crazy?"

One of the prisoners, one who looked like a veteran samurai, then spoke up.

"Destroy Beast Pirates? You speak as if it's possible to kill Kaidou."

"Kaidou... hah, no one can defeat that monster."

Another then snorted.

"All of us tried. However, no matter how many times we hit him, not even a scar remained. In the end, even that Oden-sama fell short against Kaidou—"

"What if we can?"

X Drake interrupted the man. With conviction, he said,

"Beast Pirates may have Kaidou, but we have Smoker."

"...Smoker? Who's that?"

One man mumbled.

"A guy who smokes?"

"""HAHAHAHAHA!!!"""

"Urghhhh!!!"

X Drake stomped his foot in frustration.

"Have you never heard of the moniker 'White Hunter?!'"

"...White Hunter?"

"Hunter of White?"

"Kaidou isn't white in any way though."

"""HAHAHAHAHA!!!"""

Growing a tickmark on his forehead, Senor Pink spoke up this time around,

"So yer just gonna stay here and act blind? True men, regardless of the situation, don't give up!!"

"Says the guy who wears sunglasses during the night!"

"""HAHAHAHAHA!!!"""

"OI!"

Senor Pink growled as he pointed at one man in particular,

"I'm not the only one, fuckards!!"

Everyone turned at the man whom Senor Pink pointed at and fell silent.

"...Oh shit."

This man had long cyan hair and similar-coloured goatee. His body was notably larger than most of the prisoners, and he, with his arms crossed, seemed displeased.

"O-Oyabun! We didn't mean that just now—"

"...Whatever."

Sighing, this man looked at Bastille in seriousness.

"So, 'White Hunter' or Smoker of whatever he may be... you claim that he is strong enough to kill Kaidou?"

"For sure!"

Bastille nodded without hesitation, and the man sighed once more.

"It isn't that we are afraid of death, youngsters. If our deaths were enough to achieve freedom from those accursed pirates, we would gladly give our lives. However... words alone carry no strength."

"So you're going to rot in here forever?"

"...Hold up."

Pausing, the man entered a deep thought.

'If we are forever tortured in here and die, won't that be more worthless? Then, even if these young men aren't speaking the truth, if we get another try at killing Kaidou...'

"Let's go!"

"""Oyabun?!"""

"""Huh?"""

It didn't take long for the man to conclude.

"I'm Hyogoro of the Flower, the former yakuza boss of the Flower Capital! Even if this were to be meaningless in the end, I will give my aid to you!"

Bastille, Senor Pink, and X Drake found their eyes twitching.