"During the time I was away, there's been quite a commotion here."
At the top of the Tenshukaku, the giant Kaido sat in Orochi's usual seat. Four or five geisha were pouring him sake and singing for him.
Beside him was Charlotte Linlin, wearing her captain's coat, holding a pot of red bean mochi soup and pouring it into her mouth in large gulps.
Sandwiched between the two Emperors was a giant mirror.
Members of the Charlotte Family and the Beasts Pirates, who had previously been led by Kaido to attack the Iron Ore Mine Island, were continuously entering the real world through the Mirror World.
"Mama mama, this red bean mochi soup is so delicious~"
Linlin put down the soup pot, let out a burp, and her eyes turned into hearts.
"If you like it, I'll have Orochi give you the chef when you leave."
Kaido casually grabbed a sake bottle and drank the clear, bright liquid straight from the mouth.
Hearing that his chef was being given away so easily, Orochi called out in dissatisfaction: "Damn you, Kaido, that's my person!"
"How thoughtful of you, Kaido~"
Linlin showed a satisfied smile. The two of them ignored Orochi in unison.
The sound of metal clanking came from the direction of the mirror.
A tall, sinister-looking man holding a trident walked out of the Mirror World.
"Mama, Kaido-san."
The man tightened his scarf and greeted the two. "The six ministers and twenty thousand Homies soldiers have all arrived. Defense of Totto Land is being handled by Perospero-nii and the other two Sweet Commanders."
"Wororororo, your son is really capable, Linlin!"
Kaido put down the sake bottle and wiped the liquid from the corner of his mouth.
Hearing someone praise Katakuri, Linlin showed a proud expression. "Mama mama, Katakuri is the most perfect creation of the Charlotte Family!"
"But speaking of which, Kaido, is this all the troops you have left?"
The giant Emperor turned his gaze to the Mirror World behind him, where three to four thousand scattered Beasts Pirates' members were submerged in the sea of Homies soldiers, and showed a questioning expression.
"Tch! There are still over twenty thousand soldiers on Onigashima!" Kaido clicked his tongue.
When attacking the Iron Ore Mine Island earlier, they had believed that, relying on Wano's natural defenses, no powerful external enemies would come.
Therefore, they had only brought a small number of soldiers for occupying territory and had taken the three Calamities out to sea, hoping to complete their territorial expansion and return as quickly as possible.
But plans couldn't keep up with changes. Kaido had been defeated just outside Wano's gates, directly leading to the high-level combatants and rank-and-file soldiers losing command and communication, forced to be separated in two places.
"Is that so? But how will you gather them?"
Linlin narrowed her eyes, a glint of calculation in her gaze. "Do you need me to temporarily help you take control of the Flower Capital~"
"No need. I'll just fly to Onigashima myself and move the entire island to the Flower Capital. Remember to have your people leave beforehand, so they don't get caught up in it~"
Kaido's face showed a worried expression for her, but in his heart, he had already cursed the old hag before him with every curse word he could think of.
'We're both millennium-old foxes. Don't play pretend with me.'
'Temporarily take control of the Flower Capital? If I let you take the Flower Capital, tomorrow's World Economy News headline would probably be 'The Great Soul Empress Returns to Her Loyal Wano Country'.'
"It's my Flower Capital! What do you pirates want?!"
Listening to their conversation, Orochi felt his nose getting itchier and itchier, as if a little red ball were about to be put on his nose… and eight of them at once!!!
"Forget it. Enough of this. Two powerful outsiders have invaded Wano. Go deal with them!" Orochi shook his head vigorously, pulled out a portrait hand-drawn by his ninja, and tossed it to Kaido and Linlin.
"What? You little punk dare to order us around?"
Linlin was first stunned by the painting hitting her face, then her expression twisted and veins bulged on her forehead.
As she reached out to grab the paper, dark thunder burst from her body. It was hard to imagine that at the advanced age of 64, she still possessed such breathtaking Haki.
But before she could explode, Kaido's hysterical laughter nearby dispelled her anger.
"Just as I thought, just as I thought, wororororo!!!"
Kaido grabbed the two pieces of drawing paper, his gaze locked on the images, awakening that murderer's will that was in no way inferior to Linlin's.
"Kaido, you brat?"
Linlin was surprised by Kaido's change and unfolded the paper in her hand.
When she also looked at the two faces on it, she couldn't help but exclaim: "Haruno Sakura!"
"Yes, she's already here, Linlin!"
Unable to wait any longer, Kaido hoisted his kanabo onto his shoulder and was about to charge out of the tower to renew the battle that had caused his defeat.
"Wait!"
Just as Kaido was about to charge out, Katakuri stood before the balcony railing and released his Conqueror's Haki to stop him.
The spirits of the three Conqueror's Haki users collided in the dim sky of the Flower Capital, stirring up a violent storm. Dark thunder instantly covered every inch of the air, causing the weak within the castle to faint.
"Brat, are you trying to stop my duel?"
Kaido's eyes turned, his beastly pupils filled with killing intent locked onto Katakuri.
"Kaido-san, you've already failed once. What's the point of going to fight her alone again?" Despite enduring the spirits of the two, Katakuri still spoke.
"Then let this old woman come too!"
Her surging Haki also ignited Linlin's fighting spirit. She grinned, revealing a dangerous smile.
"Calm down, Mama."
Seeing the scene growing more chaotic, Katakuri held his head in pain.
"Haven't the two of you considered what would happen if someone else at the same time set their sights on Wano? What about our retreat route?"
"Remember, our goal is to hold our territory, not to go looking for duels!"
After his clear roar, the entire Tenshukaku fell into silence. The two Emperors restrained their Haki, and their massive bodies slowly returned to their seats.
"Continue, brat!"
Kaido's beastly features faded slightly, and he picked up his sake to drink again.
"Send Homies soldiers to surround and suppress Haruno Sakura. After the Homies die, Mother can replenish her materials on the spot." Katakuri made his judgment coldly. "According to Kaido-san's intelligence, Homies, which have no physiological structure, are the most suitable for draining her strength. And by the way..."
Katakuri didn't finish his sentence. His crimson eyes in the shadows turned to the side, leading the two Emperors' gazes to fall upon the hunched-over Orochi.
"Yes! Send soldiers to exterminate those bandits!"
Orochi, who had been too frightened to speak by the three's spirits, now jumped out to echo.
"Wororororo, interesting. Let's do as you say!" Kaido laughed, grabbed Orochi, and threw him out. "Go personally to boost morale and prepare for bandit suppression!"
"Me?"
Orochi's shriek rose again, annoying many of the pirates.
"Mama mama, as the Shogun of Wano, isn't protecting the country and suppressing rebels your duty?"
Linlin, slowly sitting down cross-legged, also raised her head and looked down upon Orochi.
Seeing the light in the eyes of the two famous overseas pirates gradually turn cold, how could Orochi not understand what they wanted?
Pirate firefight, shogun dies suddenly… how pleasing that sounded.
That way, they could finally legitimately replace him and bring Wano completely under the Beasts Pirates' control.
But under the current circumstances, even if Orochi shamelessly holed up in the Flower Capital, did Kaido have no way to deal with him?
He had to remember that beside him sat another bandit, Charlotte Linlin, and they even had a ship full of sorcerers with bizarre abilities!
Go, and there was a chance of death. Don't go, and death was certain.
Did he have a choice?
Orochi swallowed a mouthful of saliva and spoke, trembling:
"I... I'll go!"