Chapter 72: I Didn’t Make a Mistake, I’m Targeting You!

"Wororororo! Boy, I recognize you!"

"Come on! Kill me, and everything you desire will be yours!"

Kaido the Beast, driven to madness, roared with unrestrained fury. His bloodshot eyes locked onto Lucas as he swung his kanabo with reckless abandon, his battle spirit burning fiercely.

Lucas smirked. "Kill you? Now why would I do that?"

With a sneer, he sheathed his legendary blade, Shisui. The power behind his slashes, though formidable, wasn't enough to put Kaido down for good. Against a monster like the King of Beasts, a being with near-invincible durability, he needed brute force to wear him down first.

Both of Lucas's fists crackled with the white aura of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, his Armament Haki coating them like iron. With a resounding shout, he launched himself at Kaido, fists flying.

The battle had reached a fever pitch.

Wano Country – The Flower Capital

In the distant Flower Capital, Kurozumi Orochi, the current Shogun of Wano, stood atop the city walls. His beady eyes anxiously watched the escalating battle between Lucas and the Beasts Pirates.

Beside him, the leader of the Oniwabanshu, Fukurokuju, approached cautiously. "Lord Orochi, should we send aid to the Beasts Pirates?"

Orochi scowled. "Kaido is one of the Four Emperors, the so-called 'Strongest Creature in the World.' Do they really need our help?"

It wasn't that Orochi cared about the casualties of the Beasts Pirates—far from it. What troubled him was the thought of losing his own forces unnecessarily.

Despite his outward buffoonery, Orochi wasn't entirely foolish. He understood that his alliance with Kaido was built on mutual exploitation. If things went south, he needed to have an escape route ready.

His personal bodyguard, Kyoshiro, stepped forward. "Lord Orochi, Kaido's opponent is Lucas, one of the strongest figures in the world. A fellow Emperor of the Sea. Their battle will be brutal. Without reinforcements, the Beasts Pirates may suffer greatly."

Orochi's expression darkened. "So you're saying they can still win? Then there's nothing to worry about! Let's continue drinking and enjoying ourselves."

Fukurokuju's face remained passive. "But if the Beasts Pirates take heavy losses, Kaido may blame you for standing by and doing nothing. Worse still, if they are defeated…"

A muscle in Orochi's jaw twitched. He clicked his tongue in irritation. "Ugh, what a pain! Fine, we'll send reinforcements! But tell them to protect themselves first. We're here to 'help,' not die like fools."

Fukurokuju nodded before turning to Kyoshiro. "My ninjas specialize in stealth, not direct combat. The real work will fall to your Yakuza forces."

Kyoshiro bowed his head slightly. "Understood. Leave it to me."

As Orochi's forces prepared to march, Kyoshiro walked away, his lips curling into a smirk. Finally, the moment he had been waiting for had arrived.

Kyoshiro was not merely Orochi's bodyguard. He was Denjiro, one of the Nine Red Scabbards and a loyal vassal of Kozuki Oden.

For years, he had played the role of an underworld leader, biding his time, earning Orochi's trust while secretly gathering allies. Now, at long last, it was time to strike.

He clenched his fists. "Lady Toki… your prophecy was right after all. If I had waited any longer, I might've lost my patience."

Swiftly, he returned to his quarters, rallying the samurai who had sworn loyalty to him.

"Brother!" one warrior shouted excitedly. "Shall we storm the Shogun's Palace and cut Orochi down?!"

Another samurai echoed, "Yes! If we strike now, we can keep Orochi from sending reinforcements to Kaido!"

Kyoshiro's expression hardened. "Idiots! If that were our goal, why would I have persuaded Orochi to send troops? Listen well—Kaido is the true enemy! Orochi is just a puppet. We must first eliminate the Beasts Pirates."

Though Kyoshiro lacked formal education, he understood battlefield strategy well. Wasting energy on Orochi while Kaido still stood would be foolish. The correct approach was to focus all efforts on a single target first.

His forces nodded in understanding.

As Kurozumi Orochi's reinforcements surged onto the battlefield, they made their presence known with loud cries.

"Beasts Pirates! We've come to assist you!"

A relieved cheer erupted from the Beasts Pirates' ranks. One of their commanders called out, "Great timing! We could really use the backup! Thank you, you— huh?!"

Shing!

Before the commander could finish his sentence, a blade slashed across his torso, cutting deep.

The commander stumbled backward, clutching his wound, his face contorted in shock. "Wh-what the hell?! You attacked the wrong people!"

The 'reinforcement' samurai sneered. "No mistake. We're targeting you."

A stunned silence washed over the battlefield as the reality set in.

Then, chaos erupted.

"Damn it! We've been betrayed!"

A frantic cry rang out. "Lord Kaido! Kurozumi Orochi has turned against us!"

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