Deep inside Onigashima, within a lavishly decorated corridor known as the "Woman's Woe," lay the territory of Black Maria, one of the elite Flying Six. The area was illuminated by the soft, warm glow of countless lanterns and candles, casting long shadows across the elegant rooms. Beauties dressed in gorgeous kimonos moved gracefully through the halls. These women were a mix of Black Maria's own subordinates from the Beasts Pirates and highly trained courtesans.
In a large, brightly lit chamber at the heart of the territory, Kozuki Hiyori was suspended in the air, entangled in Black Maria's sticky white spider silk. Her posture was humiliating, and she was almost completely exposed. Her fair skin seemed to glow under the lantern light, and her cheeks were flushed with a feverish heat. Her body trembled uncontrollably, a clear sign of the torment she had endured.
Nearly a month had passed since Hiyori was captured. During that time, Black Maria, a master of breaking a woman's spirit, had subjected Oden's daughter to every method of torture she could devise. To her surprise, Hiyori's will remained unbroken. As the former number one courtesan of the Flower Capital, Hiyori possessed a resilience that fascinated Black Maria, making her even more excited to continue her work.
As night fell, the towering figure of Black Maria, who stood even taller than Kaido, pushed open the door. She approached the bound Hiyori, leaned in close, and whispered sweetly into her ear. "Little Hiyori, I'm back again!"
Hearing that voice, Hiyori's body flinched violently. A cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her eyes filled with a familiar despair.
"It's such a shame," Black Maria purred, feigning sadness. "To think that in just a few days, I won't be able to see you anymore. I'll almost miss our time together." Despite her words, she was already transforming into her hybrid spider form. A sharp, venomous leg extended towards Hiyori, its tip glowing with a sickly green light and dripping with poison. "In that case," she cooed, "let's not waste this beautiful night!"
Seeing the poisonous stinger so close, Hiyori began to tremble. For the past month, after realizing that conventional torture was ineffective, Black Maria had started using this special venom on her. It was a hallucinogen, a poison that plunged its victim into a waking nightmare, forcing them to experience their worst fears as reality. Black Maria considered it a waste to mar such a beautiful body with physical scars.
But just as she was about to administer the poison, a voice called out from the corridor. "Lady Maria! Kaido-sama has returned! He's asking for you!"
"What!?" Black Maria's excitement was instantaneous. She completely forgot about Hiyori and rushed out of the room. As she hurried down the hall, her mind raced with giddy thoughts. Kaido-sama is finally back! No, I can't see him like this! I haven't even done my makeup yet! Wait a minute, Kaido-sama…
Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. A thought cut through her excitement, and she instantly calmed down. She looked around the corridor, listening intently. That's not right. If Kaido-sama really came back, Onigashima wouldn't be this quiet. Every time their captain returned, the entire island shook. It was impossible for her to have missed it. Which could only mean one thing.
She slowly looked down at the subordinate standing before her. It was a woman she didn't recognize. "Hey," Black Maria said, her voice losing its playful tone. "I don't remember having a subordinate who looks like you. What's your name?"
The woman slowly raised her head, a small smile on her face. "So I've been exposed? I guess there's no helping it, then." She threw off her outer robe, revealing a pink kimono, two short pistols, and a long sword at her waist. Her eyes burned with a cold hatred.
"You… You're—" Black Maria recognized the figure instantly. No, it wasn't a woman. It was a man. Cold sweat dripped from her forehead as she stared at the tattoo on his back: the unmistakable mark of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The intruder was Izo, commander of the 16th division.
Back in the room where Hiyori was imprisoned, a dark figure dropped from the ceiling the moment Black Maria left. With a swift flash of a blade, the spider silk was cut, and Hiyori fell into the arms of her rescuer.
"Princess Hiyori!"
Hiyori, on the verge of losing consciousness, weakly opened her eyes to see the woman holding her.
"Princess, it's me, Shinobu! I was once a retainer of Lord Oden. Do you remember me?"
Shinobu's voice was a lifeline, pulling Hiyori back from the brink. "I am here on our masters' orders to rescue you. Please, rest assured. I will get you out of here, even if it costs me my life." Shinobu quickly removed her own coat and draped it over Hiyori's exposed body.
But Hiyori, now fully awake, began to struggle in a panic. "No! You have to leave! Go, quickly! This is a trap set by Kaido and Orochi to capture all of you!"
Hiyori's selfless concern brought a look of deep emotion to Shinobu's face. "Don't worry, Princess. We know it's a trap. But as retainers of Lord Oden, how could we stand by and watch you be executed? We will rescue you, no matter the cost." Seeing the fear still in Hiyori's eyes, Shinobu offered a piece of hope. "Princess, do you remember Kawamatsu? We found him. He's alive, and he is fighting to save you right now. Please, do not give up on the hope we all share!"
"Kawamatsu?" The name was like a spark in the darkness. Hiyori's eyes lit up. "Kawamatsu is still alive?"
"Yes! He is the one leading this charge to save you."
"I understand." At that moment, Hiyori's fear was replaced by a surge of courage.
Just then, the doors slid open, and dozens of Black Maria's female subordinates surrounded them.
"Well, well. Where do you think you're going?" one of them sneered.
"Lady Maria told us to watch her closely. We'll be in big trouble if we let her escape."
Shinobu tightened her grip on her short sword. "Princess, please stand back. I will deal with these women."
Elsewhere in Onigashima, in the dungeon where Denjiro was being held, Who's-Who stared at the two men before him with a look of pure annoyance.
"Honestly, what is that idiot Sasaki doing? How did these guys get into Onigashima without anyone noticing?"
Two Wano samurai had already freed a battered Denjiro from his cell. "Are you alright, Denjiro?" one of them asked.
Denjiro, covered in blood from days of torture, looked at his rescuers in disbelief. "Lord Yasuie? And… are you Lord Ushimaru?"
"That's right, Denjiro," Yasuie said urgently. "I know you have questions, but this isn't the time. We have to get out of here. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi can't hold them off forever."
"Inuarashi and Nekomamushi!?" Who's-Who's eyes widened. "So those two troublemakers are here as well?" He finally understood that the situation was spiraling out of control. But he knew he couldn't stop all three of them by himself.
Just as he braced for a fight, he heard a familiar roar from down the corridor. Two massive figures charged into the room.
"You bastards! You dare try to free a prisoner? Kaido-sama is going to be furious when he hears about this!"
For the first time all night, Who's-Who felt a sense of relief. He had never been so happy to see those two annoying little devils, Page One and Ulti.
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