Thick fog blanketed the sea, hiding the approaching fleet.
Sailing silently through the dark waters, the allied ships maintained a tight formation. The heavy bassline of the music had faded into quiet anticipation as the massive skull dome of Onigashima grew closer.
Standing on the figurehead of the Thousand Sunny, Luffy peered through the mist.
Two large, armored Beast Pirate ships drifted near a rocky outcrop, blocking the main sea route. Heavy cannons lined their decks. Above the ships, small stone watchtowers dotted the coastal cliffs, serving as an early warning system for the fortress.
The captain looked over his shoulder.
"Ussop, Franky, Take them out,"
Stepping forward instantly, Usopp and Franky moved to the front railing.
The sniper reached into his satchel. Pulling out a sleek, compressed metallic baton, he flicked his wrist. The metal expanded rapidly, clicking and snapping into the shape of a highly advanced, curved bow. Tapping a small button on the grip, a thin wire of glowing blue energy formed the bowstring. Reaching back, he drew a specialized arrow with a blinking red arrowhead.
Standing beside him, the cyborg raised both arms.
Thick metal plates on Franky's forearms shifted outward. Internal gears whirred quietly. The hands retracted entirely, replaced by massive, glowing barrels. The arms locked into the shape of twin heavy cannons.
"Leave it to us, bro," Franky grinned, aiming the right cannon toward the patrol ships.
Drawing the energy bowstring back, Usopp aimed toward the cliffside outposts.
Releasing the breath from his lungs, the sniper fired. The arrow shot into the fog with zero sound. Approaching the watchtowers, the single projectile split into six smaller, secondary arrows mid-flight. The quiet explosives struck the stone outposts simultaneously. A muffled flash of light consumed the towers, crumbling the stone instantly without creating a loud shockwave.
A split second later, Franky fired.
Two bright, concentrated beams of blue light shot from the heavy arm cannons. Striking the hulls of the Beast Pirate ships just below the waterline, the sheer force punched massive, clean holes through the thick wood and iron plating.
The targeted vessels sank like stones. Water rushed in too fast for the crews to even shout a warning. Within thirty seconds, the blockade vanished beneath the dark waves.
Lowering their weapons, the sniper and the cyborg shared a victorious high-five.
Silence held the deck of the Sunny for a moment before awe erupted.
Luffy, Chopper, and the young lord Momonosuke pressed their faces against the wooden railing. Massive, sparkling stars replaced their eyes. Their jaws hung wide open.
Across the water, the crew of the Polar Tang shared the same reaction. Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin gripped the metal railing of the submarine, their eyes shining with worship.
"So cool!" the fanboys cheered in harmony.
Before the excitement could draw attention, a massive fleet of ships broke through the fog behind the alliance.
Dozens of traditional Wano vessels sailed into view, flying flags bearing the Kozuki crest. Standing on the prow of the lead ship, a tall samurai with a large pompadour and narrow eyes offered a respectful bow.
Denjiro had arrived.
Bringing the hidden strength of the Kyoshiro Family and thousands of samurai loyalists cultivated secretly over the last two decades, the final piece of the army locked into place.
A few minutes later, the leadership gathered on the grassy deck of the Thousand Sunny.
Spreading a rough map of Onigashima across an empty wooden barrel, Law took control of the briefing. The surgeon adjusted his spotted hat, looking around at the gathered samurai and pirates.
"The island is heavily fortified," Law explained, pointing to the drawn features of the skull dome. "A direct assault from a single direction will result in heavy casualties. We will split the forces into four separate groups."
Tracing lines across the parchment, he outlined the strategy.
"Group one and two will approach from the left and right flanks," Law directed. "Kin'emon and Denjiro, you will lead those divisions. Navigate the mountain paths and attack the dome from the sides."
The two samurai nodded firmly, accepting the critical roles.
"Group three will remain on my submarine," Law continued. "The Scabbards will board the Polar Tang. We will dive underwater, bypass the coastal defenses and surface at the rear entrance to infiltrate Kaido's personal castle."
Moving his finger to the very front of the skull dome, the surgeon let out a long, tired sigh.
"Group four makes up the frontal assault," Law finished, his tone turning incredibly dry. "I am assigning the Straw Hat Pirates to this route, because I already know they will ignore the plan and charge through the front door anyway. You will draw the majority of the enemy forces, allowing the flanking groups to slip inside."
Stepping out from behind the group, Ben walked over and patted the surgeon firmly on the shoulder.
"Excellent planning," the magician praised sincerely, adjusting his dark glasses. "You finally understand how to create a strategy involving this crew. Just point them at the front door and let the chaos happen."
Muttering curses under his breath, Law rubbed his temples. The surgeon turned his head to gauge the captain's reaction to the frontal assault assignment.
Sitting on the grassy deck, Luffy had fallen fast asleep. A large snot bubble expanded and shrank rhythmically with his breathing.
A vein popped on Law's forehead, but he refused to yell. Screaming at the sleeping rubber man wasted precious energy.
Returning to their respective ships, the alliance resumed their approach. Sitting on the bow of the Sunny, Usopp and Franky continued to pick off isolated guard posts and coastal sentries from distance, ensuring a silent arrival.
Inside the central cavern of the skull dome, the festival had reached its peak.
Golden cups overflowed with premium sake. The massive hall echoed with the sounds of cheering, singing, and terrible music.
Sitting at a long banquet table, Orochi laughed uproariously, surrounded by geishas. The Shogun celebrated his perceived victory over the ghosts of the past, unaware of the massive fleet anchoring outside.
At the head of the cavern, Kaido and Big Mom drank from massive barrels, their new alliance officially cemented.
Queen the Plague stood on a high stage, singing loudly into a microphone while firing laser beams into the ceiling to hype the crowd. The Beast Pirates roared in approval, raising their weapons and drinking heavily.
The heavy wooden doors of the cavern opened.
Six incredibly dangerous figures walked into the banquet hall. The Tobiroppo had arrived. Page One, Ulti, Sasaki, Black Maria, and Who's-Who stepped into the light, ignoring the celebrating grunts. X Drake followed closely behind, keeping his expression entirely neutral.
The arrival of the Flying Six signaled the beginning of the most important meeting of the night.
Outside the fortress, the Polar Tang sank beneath the dark waves. Law and the Scabbards vanished into the depths, heading for the rear entrance.
The remaining ships of the alliance reached the rocky shores of the front entrance.
Dropping anchor, thousands of samurai and pirates poured onto the jagged coastal rocks. Moving quickly and quietly, they subdued the remaining few guards who had fallen asleep near the outer Torii gates.
Standing near the shoreline, Ben raised his hand toward the Thousand Sunny.
Opening a large spatial tear, the magician guided the beloved galleon safely into his pocket dimension, keeping the ship protected from the impending crossfire.
Turning toward the massive fleet of wooden samurai ships, Ben prepared to store those as well.
A bright orange glow suddenly illuminated the rocky beach.
Crackling loudly, flames quickly engulfed the wooden hulls of the Wano vessels. Thick smoke billowed into the night sky.
Lowering his hand, the magician stared at the burning fleet.
Standing near the shoreline, Kin'emon held a burning torch. The leader of the Scabbards watched the ships burn with a look of resolve. The samurai retainers stood proudly behind him, nodding in firm agreement with the action.
"Kin'emon," Ben asked slowly, tilting his head. "Why did you just burn the fleet?"
Turning to face the magician, the samurai struck a heroic pose.
"To show our resolve!" Kin'emon declared, his voice filled with unwavering determination. "We have come to this island with no intention of retreating! There is no turning back! We either win this war, or we die on this soil! Burning the ships proves we fight with everything on the line!"
A heavy silence fell over the thousands of warriors standing on the beach.
"Wait a minute," Usopp muttered.
"Kin'emon," Ben started again, keeping his voice calm and analytical. "If we defeat Kaido... and we defeat his entire army... how exactly are we going to leave the island?"
The silence deepened.
Thousands of samurai stopped cheering. Slowly, the entire army turned their heads. They looked at the blazing, sinking ships in the water. Then, they turned their heads back, staring directly at the leader of the Scabbards.
The heroic expression melted off Kin'emon's face instantly.
A massive drop of sweat rolled down the samurai's forehead. His eyes widened in panic. The realization hit him like a blow. He had just stranded thousands of warriors, including the future Shogun, on an enemy fortress surrounded by treacherous ocean currents.
"Ah," Kin'emon squeaked, his voice cracking violently.
Watching the samurai freeze in pure terror, Ben couldn't hold it in.
A loud laugh escaped the magician. Chuckling at the stupidity and accidental bravery of the moment, he shook his head and adjusted his dark glasses.
"Don't worry," Ben assured the sweating leader. "The Beast Pirates have hundreds of ships docked on the other side of the island. Did you guys forget about those?"
The panic vanished instantly from Kin'emon's face.
Standing up straight, the samurai cleared his throat. He smoothed the front of his heavy armor, adopting a look of wisdom.
"Ahahaha! Of course!" Kin'emon laughed loudly, waving a hand dismissively. "That was my plan all along! If we are leaving this island, we will leave as victorious conquerors upon the ships of our defeated enemies! Burning our own vessels was merely step one of that brilliant strategy!"
The samurai retainers cheered loudly, convinced by the blatant lie.
"Amazing, Kin'emon-dono!" a samurai wept, wiping away tears of admiration. "Such tactical genius!"
Shaking his head in amusement, Ben did not expose the bluff. The morale was high, the forces were gathered, and the front door to the fortress stood wide open. The time for sneaking had officially ended.