Chapter 128: Queen the Plague is Scared!

[A/N] - Support & Read Up to 15 Advanced Chapters on My Patreon!

[A/N] - Unlock the Next Level of this Story with your [Power Stones]!

...

The arrival of Marco the Phoenix had plunged Orochi, his cohorts, and the already-desperate populace further into the abyss of despair. After their futile struggles and resistance, they lay defeated in the main hall of the shogun's palace, discarded like broken toys.

"Ian" Marco began, presenting a map marked with numerous red Xs, "these are the fruits of my reconnaissance across Wano. Please review them."

"Jack the Drought occupies Kuri. Queen the Plague holds Udon, and King the Conflagration is stationed on Onigashima, where the bulk of the Beast Pirates' forces, numbering twenty thousand, are also concentrated…" Marco detailed his findings, while Ian traced a path on the map with his fingertip, finally settling on Udon.

"Queen the Plague," he declared calmly, "I'll take care of him."

Ian nodded, his expression calm.

"Then I'll head to Kuri," Marco replied.

"Ian-sama, Uncle Marco, what should we do?" Hiyori asked, her voice laced with anxiety.

Despite being central to the liberation of her nation, she, the princess, felt powerless, a bystander in her own rescue.

Fortunately, she still had a dependable retainer.

"Hiyori-sama, while Ian-sama and Marco-san handle the Beast Pirates, we will take care of domestic affairs. I've prepared the announcement, the "Transmission Den Den Mushi." It's time to declare the return of the Kozuki clan!"

"However, this operation requires your strength, Hiyori-sama. Please lend me your aid," Kin'emon stated resolutely. He had already formulated a plan of action shortly after Orochi's capture, his gaze now shifting to Tashigi, who looked expectantly to Ian for instructions.

"You'll assist them in gathering intelligence and organizing recruitment," Ian directed Tashigi, unable to deny her eagerness. "I'll return soon, so I won't be taking you along this time."

"How inconsiderate, Captain! Do you find me bothersome and a hindrance?" Tashigi pouted, her words laced with playful indignation, prompting smiles from Hiyori and Komurasaki. "Ian-sama trusts your capabilities, Tashigi-san, which is why he's entrusted you with such an important task. You two truly have a close bond."

"Who's close to him?!" Tashigi retorted, though her skills in intelligence gathering were indeed lacking. Her assistance would undoubtedly prove invaluable to Hiyori and Kin'emon. She had already served in a similar capacity during their journey to the Flower Capital.

Recognizing her inability to match Ian's combat prowess, she sought to contribute in other ways, to provide support in any way she could.

"Be… return quickly," she finally conceded, swallowing the word "safe." In this world, she had no true grasp of Ian's power. If not for the need to legitimize Hiyori's claim as the rightful shogun of Wano…

Ian could likely single-handedly overthrow both Kaido and Big Mom, rendering this elaborate alliance with Whitebeard unnecessary.

Perhaps his true power would only be revealed during their inevitable confrontation with the World Government.

"Yes," Ian replied, a mixture of affection and exasperation in his voice as he ruffled her hair.

Tashigi's pout deepened. He always treated her like a child!

Time was of the essence. With the plan set, they immediately put it into action. Ian and Marco parted ways with Kin'emon and Hiyori, each group embarking on their respective missions.

Kin'emon and Hiyori, using Orochi as a hostage, broadcast the message of rebellion through the "Transmission Den Den Mushi" across Wano, igniting the flames of hope in the hearts of those loyal to the Kozuki clan. Ian and Marco set off for Udon and Kuri, respectively.

...

Udon, the Prisoner Mines.

This was Wano's most vital resource center, the source of all the ore used in weapon production. And the one who ruled over this hellish landscape was Queen the Plague, the third-in-command of the Beast Pirates.

Udon was a scene of relentless toil and suffering. Shackled prisoners labored tirelessly, hauling massive boulders of iron ore.

A single small rice cake was their reward for moving hundreds of pounds of rock, while Queen, perched atop the mines, indulged in a luxurious bowl of sweet red bean soup with mochi.

"Queen-sama! We've received a message from the Flower Capital! Komurasaki… she's about to broadcast a message through the "Transmission Den Den Mushi!"

A Beast Pirate rushed to deliver the news, knowing Queen's infatuation with the courtesan.

The pirates at the mines sprang into action, setting up a large projection screen in the central plaza. After a brief flurry of static…

A breathtakingly beautiful face appeared on the screen. The Beast Pirates, including Queen, gazed at Komurasaki, their eyes turning into heart shapes. She was their idol, the object of their desires.

"People of Wano, today is a historic day. I will begin by formally introducing myself. I believe most of you are familiar with Komurasaki, the courtesan. However, I also hold another title: Kozuki Hiyori, daughter of the samurai Kozuki Oden!"

...

In the Flower Capital 

Hiyori revealed her true identity to the nation.

A brief silence followed, then a wave of shock and excitement rippled across Wano. Those loyal to the Kozuki clan were filled with hope and anticipation as Hiyori continued her impassioned speech.

At the Udon Prisoner Mines, the Beast Pirates, including Queen, were stunned into silence.

"Komurasaki is Kozuki Oden's daughter?! That's impossible!" Their voices rose in disbelief. "And not just Komurasaki! Kyoshiro is a Kozuki retainer!!"

"What's going on today?! Is this some kind of joke? Look! That's Orochi! He's been captured by the Kozuki loyalists!"

Queen, however, was drenched in cold sweat, his mind racing. He had suspected Ian's involvement, but it was too late to report back to Kaido. He had to focus on securing Udon.

He couldn't hope for any accolades, only to avoid blame. Had Whitebeard joined forces with them? If so, even with two Yonko crews, their chances of victory were slim.

It made sense now. Why, after twenty years, had Whitebeard finally decided to avenge Oden? Orochi had allied with Kaido to usurp Wano, and now, the tables had turned.

He prayed that the Devil wouldn't find him here, hoping to ride out the storm and assess the situation later.

"Queen-sama, are you feeling hot?" His subordinates, noticing his discomfort, inquired. Queen stammered, his face flushed.

"Uh, yes. I just had some red bean soup. Haven't digested it yet…"

"Queen-sama! It's bad! The prisoners… they're rioting! We need to shut down the broadcast!"

Daifugo, the deputy warden, a SMILE user with scorpion-like abilities, shouted in alarm. Queen, still reeling from the shock, was oblivious to his warning.

"Is that really Hiyori-sama and Kin'emon? The Kozuki princess has returned! And the Nine Red Scabbards are coming back too? Can Wano truly be liberated? Do we… do we have a future?"

The prisoners at the mines, overcome with emotion, wept openly. As the riot escalated, Queen finally snapped out of his stupor, his eyes widening at the chaotic scene before him.

His face contorted in rage, his veins bulging. He despised dealing with unruly prisoners, yet now, he felt a surge of motivation.

This was far better than facing that Devil, that harbinger of death.

"Shut up! All of you, shut up!!"

Queen roared, activating his Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit, the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Brachiosaurus. A massive brachiosaurus materialized in the plaza, its immense form radiating a powerful aura.

In an instant, order was restored, at least momentarily.

"Woohoo! Queen-sama is here!"

As expected, only a prominent figure like Queen could quell the riot. All eyes were on him as he advanced towards the prisoners.

"Woohoo! Queen-sa…"

The smiles on the faces of Babanuki, the warden, and the other guards froze as a blinding streak of light flashed across the sky, followed by an earth-shattering boom that dwarfed even Queen's transformation.

The meteor-like object crashed into the ground near them, revealing a figure clad in white, holding a SMILE user by the neck, his other hand casually discarding the bodies of several guards.

"..."

Queen's expression froze, his body stiffening like a statue, the atmosphere around him turning eerily silent.

"Q-Queen-sama?"

The Beast Pirates who had followed him looked towards Queen, then followed his gaze, their own expressions mirroring his shock and horror.

"Wha…?!"

Queen's eyes bulged, his jaw dropping, his tongue lolling out like a broken spring. The other Beast Pirates stared in disbelief, their jaws practically hitting the ground.

They couldn't believe their eyes. The man before them… it couldn't be! The Black-Winged Devil!

The man who had defeated two former Warlords, the legendary pirate Silvers Rayleigh and the Golden Lion Shiki, a figure even Kaido and Big Mom feared. A man hailed by some as The Strongest, one of the most horrifying individuals in the world.

"What's the Black-Winged Devil doing here?!"

Queen's voice was barely a whisper, his face pale with terror, his body trembling as he stared at Ian, as if gazing upon a monster from the depths of hell.

He was doomed.

He had been targeted by a monster.

Ian, noticing Queen's abject terror, paused, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Don't look so scared," he said, shaking his head. "It makes it hard to find a reason to hit you."

"Agh!"

Queen's fat face was drenched in sweat, beads of moisture dripping from beneath his sunglasses. His reaction stunned everyone present.

They had never seen Queen so terrified. Was this young man truly that frightening? Who was he?

"Queen-sama, who… who is that man?" One of the pirates asked, his voice trembling.

Queen's face was ashen, his voice barely audible. "That man… he's one of the most Powerful individuals on the sea. Even more scary than Kaido-sama and Big Mom."

Silence descended upon the plaza. Babanuki, the warden, Daifugo, the deputy warden, and the other guards stared in horror. Kaido, the ruler of their nation, possessed unmatched power, his strength practically invincible.

And this man, this seemingly unassuming figure, was even more intimidating than Kaido? The realization struck them like a thunderbolt.

Who was Kaido? Everyone in Wano knew exactly who he was.

When drunk, he would transform into a dragon and soar across the skies of Wano, incinerating mountains with his fiery breath.

He wasn't human… He was a monster, far surpassing any samurai or ninja, his power absolute. Those who dared to defy him were swiftly and brutally crushed. And this man, Ian, who appeared so unassuming, so lacking in physical prowess, was even more terrifying than Kaido?

Before the Beast Pirates could react, Ian landed on Queen's head, his fist cocked back.

The world seemed to hold its breath.

Queen's massive form was lifted into the air, his long neck snapping back as his head slammed into the ground, a sickening crunch echoing through the plaza.

BOOM!

His brachiosaurus head slammed into the earth like a meteor, sending shockwaves radiating outwards, shattering the ground and sending the Beast Pirates flying.

The tremors subsided, and silence returned, broken only by the groans of the injured. The dust settled, revealing a scene of utter devastation.

Queen, his massive form embedded headfirst in the ground, his legs sticking up in the air, lay defeated. Standing atop his body, a figure clad in white, his face and aura demonic, surveyed the scene.

"Queen… Queen-sama!!!"

"Queen-sama, what happened?!"

"Damn it! What just happened?!" Babanuki, Solitaire, and the other Gifters screamed in panic.

"Y-you… who are you?!"

Daifugo and the other officers stared in disbelief. That was Queen, one of the All-Stars of the Beast Pirates, a Calamity with a bounty exceeding 1.3 billion berries!

And he had been defeated with a single punch by this seemingly frail young man?

It was a nightmare, a scene too absurd to be real. Their eyes bulged, their jaws slack, their tongues lolling out, unable to comprehend the events unfolding before them.

What was this?!

What was happening?!

The shock rippled through them, their minds struggling to process the reality. How could one of the Beast Pirates' strongest commanders, a Calamity, be defeated so easily?

...

Support & Read 15 Advanced Chapters!

https://p@treon.com/dragonnx

[Replace '@' with 'a' to access Patreon normally]

There is 8 Exciting Fanfics already Available on my Patreon page!