Morning light broke through the thin, gray clouds hanging over Amigasa Village.
The day before the Fire Festival had finally arrived. Hidden among the dense trees and ruined houses, the leaders of the rebellion finalized their preparations. The quiet clatter of armor being strapped into place and the sharpening of swords echoed softly through the forest clearing.
Standing near the center of the camp, Momonosuke gripped a small wooden practice sword. The young lord wore traditional samurai garments, his face set in a mask of forced bravery. Staying close to his side, the veteran ninja Shinobu checked her hidden pouches of shuriken, keeping a protective eye on the boy.
Gathering around their lord, the Nine Red Scabbards prepared for the march.
The group was not complete. Nekomamushi and the Mink tribe remained absent, currently on the outskirts of Wano on Zou. Trusting their ally to arrive before the battle began, the present samurai focused on the available forces.
Good news had spread through the camp during the night. The thousands of prisoners in the Udon labor camps were fully armed, healed, and waiting patiently in their cells for the signal to strike.
Another major revelation had bolstered their spirits. Princess Hiyori had disclosed the true identity of Kyoshiro, the capital's fearsome yakuza boss. Learning that their lost brother, Denjiro, had been hiding in plain sight under Orochi's nose for twenty years brought immense relief to the retainers. Using a secret code word from their childhood, Shinobu had successfully established contact with the undercover samurai, integrating his capital forces into the overarching raid strategy.
Sitting on a large tree stump near the edge of the village, Luffy chewed on a massive piece of roasted boar.
Approaching the pirate captain, Kin'emon stopped and offered a formal bow. The rest of the Scabbards followed his lead, lowering their heads in gratitude.
"Luffy-dono," the leader of the samurai spoke, his voice filled with unwavering resolve. "We set off now. We will march to Tokage Port and prepare the ships for the crossing to Onigashima."
Swallowing his food, Luffy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "You guys are leaving early."
"It is a long trek across the wasteland," Kin'emon explained, standing up straight. "We must secure the port and await the arrival of the Udon forces and the Mink tribe. We will see you and your crew at the rendezvous point."
Grinning widely, the rubber captain gave a firm nod. "Don't start the fight without me! We will be right behind you."
Adjusting his swords, Zoro stepped out from the shade of a nearby tree. The swordsman offered a silent nod to the passing warriors, resting his hand casually on the purple hilt of Enma.
Turning away from the pirate camp, the Scabbards began their journey.
Leaving the ruined village behind, the small band of samurai marched into the desolate wasteland of the Kuri region. The wind picked up, blowing dry dust across the cracked earth. They walked in silence, their faces grim and focused. Twenty years of waiting, suffering, and hiding culminated in this single march.
Far across the country, in the coastal region of Hakumai, the ocean water churned violently.
Hidden beneath the surface of the sea, a massive underwater cave system provided a secret entrance through the treacherous waterfalls bordering the nation. Heavy iron chains rattled loudly in the darkness. Huge mechanical gears turned, pulling a massive wooden gondola up through the flooded tunnels.
Standing on the deck of the rising platform, Scratchmen Apoo tapped a rhythmic beat against his own chest.
The Longarm pirate wore his signature headphones and a wide, confident smirk. Playing a chaotic, upbeat tune on his teeth, he watched the rocky ceiling of the cave pass by.
"Check it out!" Apoo cheered, turning to face the passengers standing behind him. "We made it back just in time for the party! The Fire Festival is going to be wild this year!"
A low, guttural roar answered his excitement.
Taking up the majority of the massive gondola, a group of towering, monstrous figures stood in the shadows. The Numbers. These failed ancient giant experiments possessed terrifying size, dwarfing even standard giants. Wielding crude wooden clubs and spiked metal maces, the monsters breathed heavily, reeking of cheap alcohol and violence.
Laughing loudly, Apoo continued to play his body like an instrument. Bringing these destructive beasts to Onigashima guaranteed an incredible level of chaos for the upcoming banquet.
On the island of Onigashima, the preparations for the Fire Festival were already underway.
Lanterns hung from the stone walls of the massive skull dome. Barrels of premium sake were stacked high in the corridors. Beast Pirates scrambled across the compound, setting up banquet tables and roasting massive sea kings over open fire pits.
Walking down a long, dimly lit hallway, Queen the Plague chewed on a thick cigar. The large, round All-Star grumbled under his breath, annoyed by the frantic noise of the lower-ranking grunts.
A shadow detached itself from the ceiling, dropping lightly onto the stone floor.
"Queen," King stated, his black leather uniform blending seamlessly into the dim light.
Stopping in his tracks, the cyborg dinosaur turned his head. "What do you want? I am busy managing this party. Someone has to make sure the food doesn't run out."
"The gondola just arrived from Hakumai," King reported, his voice flat and professional behind the spiked mask. "Apoo has returned from his expedition. He brought the Numbers with him."
Groaning loudly, Queen rolled his eyes and took a long drag from his cigar.
"Those drunken idiots?" Queen complained, exhaling a thick cloud of gray smoke. "They have zero table manners. They always drink too much, break the furniture, and ruin the entertainment. Keep them away from my stage."
"Manage them yourself," King replied coldly. "I am heading to the main hall. Kaido summoned the Lead Performers."
Turning away, the pteranodon user walked down the corridor. Muttering another string of insults, Queen followed closely behind, eager to see what the Emperor wanted right before the festival began.
Reaching the heavy wooden doors of the central cavern, the two commanders pushed them open.
The atmosphere inside the massive hall defied all logical expectation.
Dozens of Beast Pirate grunts cowered behind the stone pillars lining the walls, shaking in terror. Broken weapons and shattered rocks littered the outer edges of the room, evidence of a recent brawl.
In the very center of the cavern, the King of the Beasts sat cross-legged on the floor.
Sitting beside him, Charlotte Linlin shoved a piece of roasted meat into her mouth. The amnesiac Emperor had regained her memories. Freed from the sea-prism stone chains, she wore a fresh kimono and looked unbothered by her recent capture.
The two Emperors were not fighting. They were drinking together.
"Grab another barrel!" Kaido roared, slamming his empty gourd onto the floorboards.
Laughing loudly, Big Mom swallowed the meat and reached for a massive jug of sake. "Mamamama! Your alcohol is good, Kaido! But your sweets are terrible!"
Stopping just inside the doorway, King and Queen stared at the bizarre scene. The two monsters had fought for days, splitting the sky and destroying half the island in their clash. Now, they shared food and drink like old friends.
Noticing his top commanders arriving, Kaido stood up.
The massive dragon user wiped sake from his beard and grabbed his spiked kanabo. Walking to the front of the hall, he looked out over the terrified grunts hiding behind the pillars. Big Mom stood up as well, resting Napoleon on her shoulder and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her former comrade.
"Listen up!" Kaido bellowed, his voice echoing through the entire skull dome.
The Beast Pirates peaked out from their hiding spots, waiting for the inevitable order to attack the rival Yonko.
"We have made a decision!" Kaido announced, raising his iron club into the air. "The Beast Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates are joining forces! We have formed a pirate alliance!"
A stunned silence crashed over the cavern.
Queen dropped his cigar. The burning end hit the floor, but the cyborg did not move. King remained still, processing the massive geopolitical shift. The grunts stared with wide, unblinking eyes.
"Mamamama!" Big Mom laughed, her voice carrying an edge of terrifying ambition. "It has been decades since we sailed together! We are going to take the Ancient Weapons and find the One Piece!"
Slamming his kanabo against the ground, the impact shook the foundation of the island.
"We are going to conquer the entire world!" Kaido roared, a dark, vicious grin spreading across his face. "We will plunge this boring world into the greatest war it has ever seen! And once we have crushed the World Government and taken everything..."
Turning his head slightly, Kaido looked down at the giant woman standing beside him.
"Then, we will go back to trying to kill each other," Kaido finished.
"Agreed!" Big Mom cheered, raising her sake jug to toast the promise of future betrayal.
The sheer absurdity and terrifying scale of the announcement finally registered with the crew.
A collective scream of shock erupted from the Beast Pirates. Grunts grabbed their heads in panic, processing the reality that two of the four Emperors of the Sea had just united into a single, unstoppable military force.
The balance of the world had shattered, and the resulting chaos was scheduled to begin tomorrow night.