Chapter 498 Kaido, the idiot

While the Five Elders decreed the obliteration of Straw Hat Luffy, the video continued to unfold the tragic fate of Kozuki Oden and the desperate escape of the Nine Red Scabbards. They hurried towards Kuri, protecting Oden's wife and children.

Despite their efforts, the difference between running on foot and flying was stark. Kaido, having just slain Oden, appeared at Oden Castle as a dragon. He effortlessly captured Momonosuke, Oden's son, but disdainfully tossed him into the burning castle instead of killing him directly, inadvertently ensuring the survival of the Kozuki bloodline.

Kinemon and the others, arriving just in time, managed to rescue Toki and Momonosuke from the flames. Kanjuro, still under the guise of an ally, shed tears of relief, saying, "Fortunately, all three of them are safe and sound." This act would have fooled anyone unaware of his true role as a spy, proving his deceptive prowess.

As the video shifted, Toki emerged from the flames at Oden Castle, shouting to the people: "Dark times where the sun will no longer rise! May your wish come true, The hope of endless moonlight night—Nine shadows will bring a blinding sunrise." Just as her words rang out, a gunshot silenced her, and she fell. The time traveler from 800 years ago died, her mysterious last words leaving the audience pondering their meaning.

Could the "Nine Shadows" refer to the Straw Hat Pirates? With Jinbei's addition, they were ten, but excluding Chopper as a pet, they matched the number. Was Oden's prophecy about them?

In another scene, Kurozumi Orochi anxiously held a letter while Kaido drank heavily. "They really escaped! Toki's ability is not fake! Kinemon, Kanjuro, Raizo, Kikunojo, Momonosuke, these five people! They have traveled over from that day 20 years ago!" Orochi revealed, his spy confirming the survival of these key figures.

Kaido, skeptical, asked, "Is this a prank?" But seeing Orochi's conviction, he conceded, instructing not to kill the survivors yet as he needed information from them. "Don't kill them; I still have questions for the remnants of the Kozuki family," Kaido said, acknowledging the strategic value of keeping them alive.

As the pirates watched, they criticized Kaido's earlier decisions, "You didn't realize how important they were until you nearly lost them. Now, the lineage is nearly broken, and Momonosuke is useless. You could have been the Pirate King if you'd used Kozuki Oden wisely."

Orochi, confident in his spy network, boasted about Kanjuro, "This guy is a man we can trust! He was born in a troupe, persecuted by Wano, and lost his parents on stage. He lives for the stage and is completely loyal to me!"

The scene then cut to a gathering of 4,200 samurai at the beach, ready to attack Onigashima Island. This image, however, faded like a mirage, leaving just a few figures by the desolate shore—no boats, no army, just Kinemon and a handful of samurai facing overwhelming odds.

"This is so weird!" Kinemon exclaimed, his face grim. "Doesn't this mean that the battle plan has been leaked again?"

"No... no, everyone should think so," he continued, haunted by the possibility of a traitor. "I can't believe it, but... among us, there is an enemy's traitor! I really don't want to acknowledge this at such a critical moment. If there's a traitor among us, our plan to sneak into Onigashima to assassinate Kaido is doomed. We are simply not enough to take on the Beasts Pirates!"

At that moment of despair, Kanjuro, tears streaming down his face, seemingly agreed with Denjiro's assessment, "Denjiro is right, Kinemon!" But his demeanor shifted to a sinister smile as he revealed, "I am the traitor you mentioned!"

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