The escape from the capital was chaotic, but the hidden rendezvous point offered safety.
Tucked deep within a dense, bamboo-covered valley in the Kuri region, the alliance gathered. The natural rock formations shielded the encampment from the capital's patrols.
Landing lightly on the dirt, Sanji lowered Shimotsuki Yasuie to the ground. A moment later, Zoro walked into the clearing, leading Hiyori and the laughing and crying little girl, Toko.
The entire leadership of the rebellion waited in the valley. Trafalgar Law sat on a boulder with Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin. The four massive Elbaf giants stood guard near the perimeter. The Straw Hat crew milled about the camp, sharing space with Kin'emon, Raizo, Kikunojo, Momonosuke, and Otama.
Standing near a small campfire, Ben raised his hand.
Snapping his fingers, the shimmering blue light of his illusion magic washed over the clearing. The elaborate Bleach disguises melted away instantly. The pristine white kimono, the floral haoris, and the dramatic hairstyles vanished.
Zoro stood in his usual green wamajiri and haramaki. Sanji returned to his tailored black suit. Nami's orange hair shortened to its normal length, while Chopper transformed back into his familiar, furry reindeer form.
Sitting on a log, Luffy and Bonney chewed contentedly on massive pieces of roasted meat unbothered by the sudden shift in wardrobe.
The mood in the clearing quickly shifted from relief to sorrow.
Sitting on the dirt, Yasuie pulled his daughter into a tight embrace. The reunion of the former daimyo and his child broke the hearts of everyone watching. Tears streamed down both of their faces. They sobbed openly, clinging to each other after surviving the execution grounds.
Despite the overwhelming sadness, a harsh, joyful sound echoed from their throats.
"Ahahaha! Toko! Ahahaha! You are safe!" Yasuie cried, his mouth locked into a wide, unnatural grin.
"Ahahaha! Daddy! Ahahaha! I missed you! Ahahaha!" the little girl wailed, burying her face in his chest.
Watching the father and daughter suffer, Kin'emon lowered his head. The samurai clenched his fists, unable to bear the cruelty of the defective SMILE fruits. The curse forced the victims to express joy even in their darkest, most painful moments.
Sighing quietly, Ben stepped away from the campfire.
Reaching his hand into the empty space beside him, the magician opened a small tear into his pocket dimension. He pulled out two ordinary, red apples. Tucking the fruit under his arm, he reached back into the void and retrieved a strange, jagged dagger. The weapon lacked a traditional edge, carrying a colorful, lightning-bolt-shaped blade.
Walking across the clearing, Ben approached the laughing, crying family.
Stopping in front of the former daimyo, the magician did not offer an explanation. Without a single word of warning, Ben thrust the jagged dagger directly into Yasuie's chest.
Chaos erupted in the hidden valley.
"Lord Yasuie!" Kin'emon roared, drawing his katana in a flash of steel.
Raizo and Kiku followed suit instantly. The distinct sound of blades leaving scabbards echoed through the bamboo grove. Law's crew jumped to their feet, taking defensive stances.
"What are you doing?!" Hiyori screamed, covering her mouth in horror.
The Wano natives prepared to attack the magician to defend their lord.
Before the samurai could step forward, Zoro casually stepped into their path. Resting a hand on Wado Ichimonji, the swordsman did not draw the blade, but his presence halted the charge.
"Stand down," Zoro instructed calmly.
"He just stabbed the daimyo!" Raizo yelled, pointing a shaking finger at the magician.
"Just watch," Sanji added, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke. "If Ben wanted to kill him, he wouldn't use a knife."
Trusting their crewmate, Nami, Usopp, Franky, and Robin watched the scene without a trace of panic. Vivi stood quietly beside the giants. Merry and Sunny sat on a nearby rock, swinging their legs and watching the magic go to work.
Kneeling in front of the shocked daimyo, Ben held the hilt of the dagger.
The weapon, Rule Breaker, possessed no capacity to cause physical harm. It existed solely to sever magical contracts and unnatural bonds.
Plunging deep into Yasuie's chest, the blade drew no blood. It left no wound.
Instead, a dark, swirling energy began to leak from the handle of the dagger. The defective curse of the artificial Devil Fruit fought against the extraction, clinging desperately to the host's body. Channeling his own magic through the blade, Ben forced the connection to shatter.
Pulling the dagger backward, a thick, foul-looking vapor trailed from Yasuie's chest.
Grabbing one of the red apples, Ben pressed the fruit directly into the swirling vapor.
The reaction was immediate. The dark energy rushed into the apple, seeking a new vessel. The smooth red skin of the fruit warped and bubbled. Strange, unnatural circular patterns materialized across the surface as the apple transformed into a fully formed, defective SMILE fruit.
Tossing the cursed fruit aside, Ben pulled the dagger out of Yasuie's chest.
Falling backward onto the dirt, the daimyo gasped for air. He patted his chest frantically, finding his clothes intact and his skin unblemished.
Looking up at the magician, Yasuie blinked.
The permanent, forced grin on his face slowly faded. The muscles in his cheeks relaxed for the first time in years. As he looked down at his crying daughter, the artificial joy vanished entirely.
A deep, agonizing sob tore from his throat.
"Toko," Yasuie cried, the sound carrying the raw, unfiltered sorrow of a father nearly losing his life.
No laughter accompanied the tears. The curse was gone.
Dropping their swords, the Akazaya samurai stared in disbelief. The irreversible damage of the SMILE fruits, a tragedy that had plagued the Ebisu citizens for a decade, had just been cured with a single stab of a colorful dagger.
Kneeling next to the little girl, Ben offered a gentle smile.
"This won't hurt a bit," the magician promised.
Repeating the same process, Ben plunged Rule Breaker into Toko's chest. The second extraction went smoother than the first. Drawing the dark vapor out of the child, he forced the curse into the second red apple. Tossing the newly formed SMILE fruit onto the ground next to the first, he withdrew the blade.
Toko stopped laughing. Burying her face in her father's shoulder, she cried normally, her small body shaking with emotion.
Holding his daughter tightly, Yasuie looked up at the magician. The former daimyo bowed his head until his forehead touched the dirt.
"Thank you," Yasuie wept, his voice shaking with gratitude. "You have given us our souls back."
Following their lord's example, Kin'emon, Raizo, Kiku, and Kawamatsu fell to their knees. The proud samurai pressed their faces to the ground, offering the highest form of respect to the man who had healed their people. Hiyori bowed deeply, wiping fresh tears from her eyes.
"Save your thanks for after the war," Ben replied, banishing the dagger back into his pocket dimension. Turning to the side, he pointed a finger at the two discarded SMILE fruits resting on the dirt.
A brief flash of fire incinerated the cursed apples, reducing them to harmless ash.
The heavy, emotional atmosphere of the clearing broke a moment later as footsteps approached from the edge of the bamboo grove.
Walking into the camp, Tenguyama Hitetsu arrived carrying a long, wrapped bundle. The masked swordsmith surveyed the gathered alliance, his eyes lingering on the rescued daimyo before focusing on the Kozuki heirs.
"Princess Hiyori. Lord Momonosuke," Hitetsu greeted, bowing respectfully.
Approaching the center of the camp, the swordsmith knelt on the dirt and carefully unwrapped the cloth bundle. Two magnificent swords rested inside.
"Before his death, Lord Oden entrusted his two legendary blades to me," Hitetsu explained, his voice carrying deep reverence. "I have kept them hidden for twenty years, waiting for this day."
Lifting the first sword, he presented it to the young lord. The blade possessed a pristine, elegant white scabbard.
"For you, Lord Momonosuke," the swordsmith offered. "Ame no Habakiri. The sword said to be able to slice the heavens themselves."
Looking at the weapon, the young boy took a step backward. Fear flashed in Momonosuke's eyes. The sword carried the legacy of his father, a weight the child did not yet feel ready to bear.
"I... I cannot take it," Momonosuke stammered, shaking his head. "Please, keep it safe for me a little longer. Until I am worthy."
Nodding in understanding, Hitetsu wrapped Ame no Habakiri back in its cloth.
Picking up the second sword, the masked man turned toward the pirate swordsman. The weapon featured a striking purple scabbard decorated with golden flower motifs.
"For the man who agreed to return Shusui to the grave," Hitetsu announced, holding the weapon out. "Enma. The blade said to be able to slice to the bottom of the underworld. It is the only weapon in existence to have ever scarred Kaido."
Stepping forward, Zoro looked down at the legendary sword.
Reaching out, the pirate grasped the hilt.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the handle, a terrifying reaction occurred. Enma possessed a violent, untamed nature. The blade immediately began draining the swordsman's Haki, forcibly pulling the spiritual energy from his body without permission.
Zoro's right arm shriveled rapidly. The muscle mass vanished as the sword absorbed his strength, turning his limb into a dried, skeletal husk.
"Drop it!" Kin'emon shouted in alarm, stepping forward to intervene. "The sword will kill you! It drains the wielder dry!"
Refusing to let go, Zoro gritted his teeth. A fierce, wild grin broke across his face.
"A sword that demands more power," the pirate grunted, sweat beading on his forehead. "Interesting."
Instead of fighting the drain, Zoro pushed back. Tapping into his willpower, the swordsman unleashed a massive wave of Conqueror's Haki. He forced the spiritual pressure directly down his arm and into the rebellious blade.
The air in the clearing warped. Black and red lightning sparked violently around the purple scabbard.
Asserting dominance over the weapon, Zoro forced Enma to submit. The violent draining ceased. The stolen Haki flowed backward, returning to the swordsman's body. His shriveled arm expanded rapidly, restoring its thick muscle and healthy skin.
Pulling the blade from the scabbard, the polished steel gleamed in the sunlight.
"Let's test it," Zoro declared.
Turning toward the edge of the valley, the pirate took a casual, one-handed swing. He did not use a named technique. He simply slashed the empty air.
A compressed wave of flying force erupted from the blade.
The slash traveled across the clearing, striking the towering stone cliff face enclosing the valley. The sheer cutting power carved cleanly through the solid bedrock. The top half of the cliff sheared off completely, sliding down the mountain and crashing into the distant forest with a deafening roar.
Dust settled over the silent camp.
Looking at the cleanly sliced mountain, Law adjusted his scarf, hiding a look of mild shock. The Wano samurai stared at the pirate in awe, recognizing the monstrous potential required to wield Oden's blade so effortlessly.
Smiling in satisfaction, Zoro sheathed the purple sword and tucked it securely into his green sash.
"It's a good sword," the pirate decided, returning to his spot next to the cook. "I'll keep it."