"Sunacchi!" the samurai roared in unison.
Wood and stone splintered as the execution platform collapsed. Plunging to the ground floor of the Live Stage, the Red Scabbards drove katana blades deep into Kaido's flesh. The ambush's momentum forced the Emperor backward. He tried to brace his feet, but the combined weight of the retainers shoved him over the edge.
"You carry his will!" Kaido yelled, his voice a mix of shock and rage. "But you are not Oden!"
"We carry his soul!" Kin'emon screamed back, twisting his blade deeper. "And that is enough to take your head!"
They crashed into the stone floorboards, rattling the entire cavern with a shockwave that kicked up a thick cloud of dust. Cracks spider-webbed across the foundation, sending Beast Pirate foot soldiers tumbling to the ground.
Luffy stood firmly on the floor. Facing the fallen King of the Beasts without hesitation, the rubber captain raised a fist. The dust settled around him, revealing the determination set in his jaw.
"We're not here to sneak around anymore!" Luffy shouted, his voice echoing through the dust and silencing the panicked shouts of the surrounding grunts. "We're here for an all-out war! We'll defeat you, crush Big Mom, and smash Orochi's forces!"
Pushing up from the rubble, Kaido wiped a trace of blood from his chest. He looked at his hand, staring at the red smear. Cold calculation replaced the drunken stupor in the Emperor's eyes. Looking at the samurai and the young pirate, the pieces of the puzzle finally clicked into place.
Kaido rumbled, a dark chuckle vibrating in his chest. He pushed himself up to his full height, casting a shadow over the Scabbards. "A flawless infiltration. You've brought an army right to my doorstep."
"We brought your executioners," Denjiro corrected, stepping forward and leveling his blade. "Twenty years of suffering ends tonight."
"Pirates betray, samurai," Kaido mocked, looking down at them. "When the battle turns against you, this boy will run. That is the nature of the sea."
"I don't run from fights!" Luffy yelled back. "And I don't abandon my friends!"
Accepting the challenge for a war without quarter, the Yonko expanded rapidly. His human flesh gave way to azure scales, his jaw extending into a fearsome snout as he shifted into a colossal, mythical dragon.
"If it's a war you want, Straw Hat, follow me!" Kaido roared, his voice now a booming hurricane.
Smashing directly through the skull dome ceiling, the azure dragon soared into the night sky, taking chunks of the roof with him.
"Don't let him get away! Grab on!" Kin'emon ordered.
Refusing to let the target escape, the retainers clung tightly to massive scales, riding the beast upward. Raizo and Kiku secured their grips near the tail, while Inuarashi dug his claws in to hold steady. Breaking through to the fortress roof, freezing wind bit at the samurai's armor.
Waiting patiently in the moonlight, Nekomamushi stood near the dome's edge. Knowing the battle's trajectory, the mink leader had brought Zou's entire fighting force directly to the summit.
"We've been waiting for you, Kin'emon!" the massive feline purred, drawing his spear.
A heavy thud of boots announced enemy reinforcements as Jack the Drought lumbered onto the roof alongside the giant Number, Nangi, and a small army of Beast Pirates.
"You filthy minks never learn," Jack growled, drawing his twin shotel blades. "I left your country in ruins. Now I'll leave your bodies on this roof."
"You only won because of poison gas, Jack!" Wanda yelled, gripping her sword. "Tonight, the terms are equal!"
Looking up at the clear night sky, silver moonlight washed over the mink tribe. The clouds parted perfectly.
"Show them the true power of the full moon!" Pedro cried out.
The Guardians and the Inuarashi Musketeer Squad unleashed true forms. Brilliant white hair lengthened as crackling electricity danced across fur. Entering the feral Sulong state, the minks launched themselves at the Beast Pirates for a brutal, high-speed clash. Wanda vanished from sight, reappearing behind a group of Gifters and slashing through their weapons before they could react.
Down on the Live Floor, chaos consumed the banquet hall. Searching the ruined stage, Big Mom spotted the rubber captain standing in the dust. Furious at the earlier disrespect, the giant woman summoned her most dangerous Homie. A dark thundercloud crackled with electricity, hovering directly over Luffy's head.
"You dare ignore me?!" Big Mom roared. "Die, Straw Hat! Thunder...!"
Before the lightning could discharge, an engine roar tore through the screaming crowd. Revving a hovering motorcycle, Franky sped across the cavern.
"Super clear the way!" the cyborg yelled.
Utilizing anti-gravity tech, the vehicle launched off a broken stone ramp. Flying through the air, the metallic chassis slammed directly into the giant woman's face, knocking her backward onto the floorboards.
Simultaneously, a chilling breeze swept past the thundercloud. Landing lightly on skeletal feet, Brook sheathed his cane sword. A line of ice appeared across Zeus's form, slicing the Homie in two and dissipating the lethal attack.
"Excuse me, madam," Brook noted politely, tipping his hat to the fallen Emperor. "But I cannot let you fry our captain just yet."
"You impudent pests!" Big Mom yelled, struggling to sit up as Prometheus flared with fire beside her. "I'll take your souls for that!"
"I'm afraid I don't have any organs to go with my soul, Yohohoho!" Brook laughed, stepping back to avoid a swipe of her hand.
All around the Live Stage, the main battle commenced. Leading newly armed Udon prisoners, Boss Hyogoro clashed directly with armored Beast Pirate foot soldiers.
"Push forward, men!" Hyogoro shouted, his sword sparking against a steel shield. "Reclaim Wano!"
"Don't let them break the line!" a Beast Pirate commander ordered. "They're just starved prisoners!"
"We ate well today, thanks to the Straw Hats!" an Udon samurai yelled, driving his spear through the commander's armor.
Spotting Yamato nearby, Luffy delegated a crucial task.
"Yamato! Watch over the alliance!" the captain ordered, pointing toward the struggling samurai forces holding the center floor. "Help them hold the line!"
"Leave it to me, Luffy!" Kaido's rebellious son replied, gripping an iron club and charging into the fray. "I will protect Oden's followers! Narikabura Arrow!"
Yamato swung the club upward, releasing a shockwave that sent a dozen Beast Pirates flying backward into a stone pillar.
Leaving the floor battle behind, Luffy sprinted toward the performance area's center. Zoro arrived a second later, cutting down a path of Gifters to reach the rendezvous point.
"Took you long enough," Luffy grinned, looking up at the gaping hole Kaido had torn in the ceiling.
"Shut up, there was traffic," Zoro retorted, flicking blood from his blades.
Ignoring Queen, the two pirates bent knees and leaped upward, aiming straight for the roof.
Shifting rapidly into a towering Brachiosaurus, Queen extended a massive neck, intercepting their path.
"Where do you think you're going?!" the All-Star roared.
Snapping jaws shut, Queen caught the pirates mid-air. Shaking violently, the dinosaur spat the intruders back down to the ground. Crashing into wooden floorboards, Luffy and Zoro groaned in frustration, realizing the route upward was heavily guarded.
"You brats aren't going anywhere near Kaido-san!" Queen laughed, shifting back into his hybrid form to light a cigar.
"We're going to have to clear a path," Zoro muttered, wiping dust from his face and drawing Sandai Kitetsu.
Tremors suddenly shook the banquet hall's outer edges. Lumbering through wide archways, ten monstrous brutes entered the cavern. Wielding iron clubs and spiked maces, the Numbers laughed drunkenly. They stood nearly as tall as the dome's arches, their distorted features resembling twisted oni.
"Gagagaga!" the brutes bellowed, swinging weapons wildly to crush tables, pillars, and grunts alike. Hatcha, wearing the number eight, swung a mace the size of a galleon, sending both samurai and Beast Pirates scattering.
Answering the challenge, four figures stepped out of the shadows. Shedding dark cloaks, Dorry, Brogy, Oimo, and Kashii stood at true, colossal height. The warriors of Elbaf raised their weapons.
"Leave these fakes to us," Dorry laughed, a booming voice vibrating through stone walls. "We'll show them the true might of Elbaf!"
"Gegyagyagya! Don't take all the fun, Dorry!" Brogy added.
"You Numbers think size is all that matters in a fight?" Oimo shouted, rotating his club over his shoulder. "We'll teach you about warrior spirit!"
"Let's break their toys, Oimo!" Kashii agreed, readying his battle axe.
Brogy did not wait for the enemy to close the distance. Swinging his broadsword, he clashed directly with the lead Number, Juki. The impact created a shockwave that blew surrounding Beast Pirates off their feet. Juki pushed back, trying to use his superior bulk, but Brogy shifted his stance, planting his back foot and parrying the club to the side.
"You swing like a child with a stick!" Brogy laughed. He brought his shield up, bashing Juki in the jaw. The Number stumbled backward, dropping his weapon.
To the left, Dorry engaged Hatcha. The Number laughed his signature "Hachacha!" and brought his mace down in a vertical crush. Dorry raised his sword, catching the spiked mace on the flat of his blade. The metal groaned under the force, sparks showering down on the samurai below.
"Brogy! Clear the center!" Dorry ordered, pushing upward with his legs and throwing Hatcha off balance.
"Already on it!" Brogy yelled. He spun, driving his axe into the back of Juki's knees, forcing the monster to fall to the floor with an earthquake-like thud.
While the captains handled the vanguard, Oimo and Kashii moved to the flanks to intercept three more Numbers trying to encircle the samurai. Goki, a Number with sharp fangs and a wild mane of hair, charged Oimo.
"I won't let you pass!" Oimo yelled. He swung his club in a wide horizontal arc. Goki ducked, surprisingly fast for his size, and rammed his shoulder into Oimo's chest. Oimo slid backward, his boots carving deep trenches into the stone floor.
"Oimo! Don't let him pin you!" Kashii called out.
Kashii sprinted forward, leaping over a pile of rubble. He swung his axe down, aiming for Goki's shoulder. Another Number intercepted the blow with a large iron shield. The clang of metal echoed through the hall.
"These fakes have some coordination!" Kashii grunted, struggling to push his axe through the guard.
"They're just brutes!" Oimo replied, regaining his footing. "They don't train. They just eat and destroy!"
Oimo dropped to one knee, dodging a swing from Goki. From the lower angle, Oimo drove the butt of his club upward, striking Goki square in the chin. The Number's head snapped back. Taking advantage of the opening, Kashii abandoned his lock with Number spun around, and delivered a devastating kick to Goki's ribs. The Number crashed into a support pillar, bringing down a section of the balcony.
"Two down," Oimo panted, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Don't celebrate yet," Kashii warned.
Jaki roared in anger, swinging his shield like a battering ram. He slammed into Kashii, knocking the Elbaf warrior into the wall. Oimo yelled and charged, bringing his club down on Jaki's back. The Number ignored the hit, turning to grab Oimo by the throat.
"Get your hands off my friend!" Kashii yelled. He threw his axe like a boomerang. The spinning blade struck Jaki's wrist, forcing him to drop Oimo.
Back in the center, Dorry and Brogy were pushing their advantage. Hatcha had recovered his mace and swung wildly, destroying the floor and scattering debris. Dorry stepped inside the swing's arc.
"Your reach is long, but your form is sloppy," Dorry stated.
He drove the hilt of his sword into Hatcha's stomach, doubling the beast over. Brogy stepped in from the side.
"Hakoku!" both captains shouted in unison, though holding back the full power of the attack to avoid destroying the entire dome. They swung their weapons together, launching a shockwave of air pressure that struck Hatcha and Juki simultaneously. The force blasted both Numbers across the room, embedding them in the far wall of the cavern.
"They rely on tough skin," Dorry noted, resting his sword on his shoulder. "But they feel the shock beneath the flesh."
"Just keep hitting them until they stop getting up!" Brogy laughed.
The remaining Numbers hesitated, looking at their fallen comrades. Oimo and Kashii regrouped with their captains, forming an impenetrable wall of giant muscle and steel between the Numbers and the smaller alliance fighters.
"Let's show them the pride of the Giant Warrior Pirates!" Oimo shouted, raising his club.
The giants pressed the attack, driving the monstrous brutes backward and completely containing the threat away from the fragile samurai forces.
Regrouping from the fall, Luffy stood up in the Live Stage's center. One by one, separated groups of the Straw Hat crew fought through the crowd, converging on the performance spot. Zoro and Sanji took positions on either side of the captain, brushing dust from their clothes as the illusion wore off.
"Took a beating already, moss-head?" Sanji taunted, lighting a cigarette. "Maybe you should sit this one out before you get hurt."
"Worry about yourself, curly brows," Zoro shot back, sliding a sword back into its sheath. "Your nose is bleeding just from watching me fight."
Usopp stood ready with his Kabuto sling, eyes scanning the balconies. "I've got the snipers covered! Just point me at the target!"
Nami gripped her Clima-Tact firmly. "We need to clear out these grunts fast. I'll prep a thundercloud."
"I'm ready for medical support and combat!" Chopper declared.
Robin crossed arms with a serene smile. "This looks like quite the party. I see at least fifty officers in the crowd."
Franky flexing heavy cannon arms. "Don't sweat the small fry. I've got enough power to blow a hole straight through this fortress!"
Brook tuned his violin, adjusting his posture. "Shall we play a requiem for the Beast Pirates?"
Vivi held a silver spear at the ready, her eyes determined. Beside her, Caroo squawked fiercely, wearing Iron Duck armour.
Bonney wiped grease from her chin, cracking her knuckles. "Let's just smash these guys and find the kitchen. I'm starving."
Merry and Sunny stood shoulder-to-shoulder, holding their weapons tight. Looming behind the gathered crew, the four giants maintained their defensive wall, easily holding the remaining Numbers at bay.
"Luffy!" Zoro called out, looking back up at the hole in the roof. "We still need to get up there."
"I know," Luffy replied, cracking his neck. "We'll just have to beat everyone in our way first."
The entire Straw Hat alliance stood united in the very center of the enemy stronghold. Only one member remained absent; the magician had not shown himself since the raid began, keeping hidden from the battlefield.
High above the chaotic Live Floor, a secluded guest room remained untouched by violence. The sounds of battle were muffled by thick stone walls and heavy wooden doors.
Sitting in quiet darkness, three masked agents of CP0 monitored a glowing chessboard. Moving small, carved pieces, they tracked the shifting numbers of the battling armies. White pieces represented the samurai and pirate alliance, while black pieces represented Kaido's forces.
Holding a secure, encrypted Den Den Mushi, the lead agent delivered the latest status report directly to Mary Geoise.
"The invasion has commenced," the agent spoke softly. "The Straw Hat crew is fully assembled on the ground floor. Kaido is currently engaged with the samurai retainers on the roof. The casualty rate climbs steadily on both sides."
He moved a white knight piece forward on the board, representing the Straw Hats' advance, then knocked over several black pawns.
"The alliance's momentum is higher than anticipated," a second agent noted, leaning over the board. "The giants of Elbaf have neutralized the Numbers, preventing mass casualties among the samurai infantry."
Inside the Room of Authority, the Five Elders listened to the broadcast.
"Are all key targets accounted for?" Saint Jaygarcia Saturn asked, his voice echoing through the snail.
Looking over detailed reports provided by spies scattered through the castle, the CP0 agent frowned beneath a white mask. He checked the list twice, verifying the visual confirmations.
"Negative, Excellency," the agent replied. "We have visual confirmation on every Straw Hat Pirate, except one. The Magician has not been spotted yet."
A tense silence fell over the encrypted connection. The sound of a cane tapping against the floor of the Authority Room could be heard through the speaker.
"That man does not hide without a purpose," Saint Marcus Mars noted grimly. "His tactical foresight has disrupted our operations before. If he is not on the battlefield, he is positioning himself for a checkmate."
"Keep a close eye on the battlefield," Saturn commanded, a tone leaving no room for failure. "If the opportunity presents itself amidst the chaos, ensure Straw Hat Luffy is eliminated. But remain on high alert. The Magician is likely preparing something catastrophic. He utilizes technology and strategies outside our normal parameters. Do not let him catch you off guard."
"Should we dispatch assets to locate him?" another agent inquired, holding a black rook piece above the board. "We can sweep the lower levels and the armory."
"No," Saturn replied sharply. "Do not divide your focus. If you search blindly, you will walk into his traps. Wait for him to reveal his hand, and when he does, strike with lethal force."
"Understood," the agents replied in unison.
Disconnecting the call, the masked intelligence officers turned their attention back to the chessboard. The lead agent placed a single, unmarked piece on the edge of the board, representing the unseen threat, and waited for the perfect moment to strike from the shadows.