Before long, Jack brought Kanjuro to the mining camp in Udon.
"Lord Jack, please. Lord Queen is waiting for you," his subordinates said, immediately opening the gates to welcome the group inside.
"You're here, Jack," Queen said as he walked out, a cigar clamped between his teeth. At the same time, his men were dragging a heavy black cloth bag that clearly held a struggling prisoner.
"Third Brother, is this the one?" Jack asked, gesturing toward the bag.
"That's right, he's inside. It's that fellow called Ashura Doji. I haven't let him have a full meal in all these years; I've only kept him barely alive. Now, this person is handed over to you. I'll keep the other one here as bait for now," Queen said with a shrug. At his signal, the guards tossed the bag over to Jack's men.
Jack walked up and pulled the top of the bag open to check the contents. It was indeed Ashura Doji. However, the man was a shadow of his former self. He had grown gaunt from years of starvation, his ribs visible even through his rags. Yet, despite his physical weakness, Ashura Doji's eyes burned with a defiant fire.
"Ashura Doji, it's been many years. Let me introduce someone to you," Jack sneered.
Kanjuro stepped forward from the shadows.
"Ashura, it's been a long time. Do you still recognize me?" Kanjuro looked down at the prisoner with a strange, unsettling smile.
The moment Ashura Doji saw Kanjuro, his eyes widened in shock. "You— you are— Kanjuro!"
"I didn't expect you to still recognize me," Kanjuro laughed.
"Why are you here? Could it be that you were captured too? And what about Kin'emon and the others? Are they safe?" Ashura Doji was visibly agitated, never imagining for a second that Kanjuro was anything other than a fellow victim.
Kanjuro's expression turned cold. "Ashura, you can't even save yourself right now. Don't waste your energy worrying about others."
"That's right, Ashura Doji. You probably don't know yet, but this Mr. Kanjuro is one of us," Queen added, letting out a high-pitched, mocking laugh.
Hearing this, Ashura Doji froze. It took several seconds for the weight of the words to sink in, his face contorting with disbelief. "Kanjuro, you— did you betray us?"
Queen, Jack, and the surrounding pirates burst into collective laughter.
"Betrayal? It's not like that, Ashura. I was never your comrade from the very beginning, understand?" Kanjuro knelt down, his chilling smile inches from Ashura Doji's face.
Ashura Doji stared intently at him. The truth was out; there was no room for misunderstanding. "Are you a mole? Answer me, Kanjuro!" he roared in fury. He began to struggle against his bonds, but long-term starvation had left him powerless. He could only tremble on the ground, looking pathetic in his helplessness. After his shout, he panted heavily, looking as if he might pass out.
"How pitiful, Ashura. To think you were once the strongest among us, and now look at you. Don't worry, you'll soon reunite with Kozuki Oden in the afterlife, carrying your regrets with you," Kanjuro laughed.
"Kanjuro—" Ashura Doji lay on the ground, gnashing his teeth. He felt a searing heartache. To learn that the comrade he had trusted for decades was a spy made his chest feel like it was being pierced by a blade.
"Alright, take him away," Jack said with a wave of his hand. His subordinates tied the bag tight and loaded Ashura Doji onto a carriage. "Third Brother, I'll deliver him first and then head back."
Queen nodded. "No problem. I hope things get lively here too; it'll surely be interesting then."
Jack and Kanjuro left Udon, heading for the outskirts of the Flower Capital. Once they reached the edge of the city, Jack handed the prisoner over. "He's in your hands. Remember the plan; wait for the results on our end first."
"No problem, I'll follow the plan. I'll keep him hidden for now and hand him over to the Shogun later," Kanjuro replied.
Jack left with his men, leaving Kanjuro alone with the bag. He revealed a cold smile. "Ashura, don't blame me. It's just my fate to be born a Kurozumi." Then, he carried the bag into the city.
The next day, news spread like wildfire: the Beasts Pirates had captured one of the Nine Red Scabbards and imprisoned him in Udon. In Ebisu Town, Kin'emon and the others heard the reports immediately.
"Has someone been captured? If this is true, it must be Ashura Doji, Kawamatsu, or Denjiro," Kin'emon said, his voice heavy with concern. Even if it was a trap, they couldn't ignore the possibility that a comrade was in danger. "Let Raizo go take a look."
Raizo moved into action that night, using his ninjutsu to sneak into the high-security mining camp.
"What? It's actually true! Raizo, who is it?" everyone asked when he returned.
"I've confirmed it; it's Kawamatsu. Moreover, he said Ashura Doji was also captured, but I didn't find any sign of him inside," Raizo reported.
"Even Ashura Doji!" Kin'emon's face turned solemn. Two comrades captured, and one a traitor.
"What should we do, Kin'emon? Should we try to rescue Kawamatsu?" Kiku asked.
Kin'emon pondered for a moment. "We must rescue him, but we have to wait for the right timing. There are currently two All-Stars in Udon. We need to plan carefully. This news was likely released intentionally to lure us into a trap."
"I agree. Udon is a giant trap right now; anyone who crawls in shouldn't expect to come out," Law added.
"They're way too sinister," Usopp said, swallowing hard.
"They're the enemy; there's no such thing as 'sinister.' By the way, Robin and Franky went to pick up Luffy, right? Was it successful?" Law asked.
Usopp scratched his head. "I don't know if I'd call it successful. They found the crew, but one is still missing. Luffy and the Sunny were both swept away by the sea currents."
"It's fine. Anything swept away by the currents invariably washes up on the coast of Kuri. We just need to go there to find him," Kin'emon comforted. Law, however, didn't look relieved. He knew Luffy was a magnet for trouble.
"I'll head to Boro Town myself to meet them," Law decided.
Flower Capital, Shogun's Residence.
When Orochi heard that one of the Nine Red Scabbards had been caught, he was ecstatic. "Finally! One of those damned ghosts is in chains! Contact Udon immediately. Tell them to send the prisoner to me; I will hold a public execution here!"
Queen received the message but gave a calculated response. "No problem, but we'll send him over in two days."
According to the plan, they would let the prisoner stay in Udon for three full days to see if the others would attempt a prison break. If not, he would be sent to Orochi.
On the second day, news reached Onigashima that someone was causing a massive ruckus in Boro Town.
"Is it Straw Hat?" Yamato asked Haruko.
"That's right, Young Master. He's arrived, and his first mate, Roronoa Zoro, is with him," Haruko replied. "Do we need to tell Jack or Queen?"
"No need. They won't stay in one place long enough for reinforcements to catch them. We'll stick to the plan," Yamato said. Her goal was to have Orochi and the samurai clash. Until then, she wouldn't waste effort on the pirates.
Three days passed. Udon remained quiet.
"Time's up. Escort the prisoner away. Jack, I'm leaving it to you," Queen said, looking bored.
"No problem. It won't be easy for anyone to snatch him," Jack said.
A group emerged from Udon, led by Jack and over a hundred subordinates. In the center was a prison cart holding a green-skinned Fishman in shackles: Kawamatsu the Kappa.
"Is this a trap to lure Kin'emon out? With only one All-Star, they might be underestimating us," Kawamatsu thought. He didn't realize the lack of security was intentional.
As the convoy entered the desolate wasteland, a murderous aura suddenly filled the air. Jack's eyes narrowed. "They're here. They really couldn't wait."
A voice rang out: "Go!"
Figures rushed out from behind the rocks. "Our goal is to save him! Don't get bogged down in a fight; end this quickly!" Kin'emon shouted.
Jack met Kin'emon and Kiku head-on, swinging his blades with terrifying force. "You want to save him? It won't be that easy!"
"As expected of an All-Star. Even with both of us, we can't gain the upper hand," Kin'emon was shocked. He had never fought Jack before and was surprised by the new Calamity's power.
"Don't linger! Reinforcements could be anywhere!" Kin'emon yelled.
"You don't need to worry about that. There are no reinforcements, but you still won't take him," Jack said as he transformed into his Hybrid Form. His fists, coated in Armament Haki, smashed into their guard.
"We need to hurry! Jack is too strong!" Franky called out as he and the others cleared the guards around the cart and began driving it away.
"Kin'emon, Kiku, we have him! Retreat!"
With the rescue successful, the alliance retreated into the distance. Jack didn't pursue them. He watched them flee with a cold, knowing gaze.
"Hmph, run for now," Jack muttered. "But there's still one more prisoner in the capital. Let's see if you're fast enough to save him. If not, prepare to collect a corpse."