Chapter 1161: Blow the Sky? Ascend First...
Chapter 1161: Blow the Sky? Ascend First...
"Who are you?!" Peach Dragon shouted upon spotting the newcomer. "I've never seen you before!"
Yamata no Orochi, however, was stunned. "Navy?! Wait, you're Golden Lion! How did you get here?!"
"Shhh." Kuro raised a finger to his mouth. "Don't make noise. I'm here for backup. You two keep fighting—I'm just an observer. Lida, you continue."
"Right", Lida's voice crackled through the Transponder Snail. "Kuro, that Hikomae guy seems to be heading to the underground armory. Yamato said it'll trigger an Explosion and blow this entire place sky-high. What can you do about it?"
"Huh?" Kuro narrowed his eyes. "Why are you talking to Kaido's daughter?"
"Pure coincidence—we just ran into each other. Wait, you asked 'what can you do?'" Lida replied dismissively. "Blowing up the armory? Easy. Leave it to me. Guarantee it won't affect us. I'll just watch the show. You two keep playing."
After ending the call, Kuro looked at the dragons and snakes and tilted his chin. "Carry on with your fight."
"Hey!" Yamata no Orochi barked. "What are you doing here in Wano Country?!"
Kuro lit a cigar, blowing out smoke lazily. "What, a pirate gets to come but the Navy doesn't? I'm here to settle old scores with Kaido. Tell me where he is, and I won't interrupt your little duel."
"Hah! Golden Lion, I know your game!" Yamata no Orochi cackled. "Got wind of this and came to grab me, did you?! Doesn't matter! Once Hikomae blows the armory, you'll all die together! That device is unstoppable—it's the blackest resentment of the Kurochi clan! Only through destruction will this hatred disappear!"
"Which is why", the pink dragon thundered, "I, Momonosuke, will stop you!"
"Momonosuke?" Kuro blinked. "Aren't you just a child? Wait—some kind of power?"
Momonosuke knew he was still a youth in appearance, but the aura radiating from him now was unmistakably mature.
"I was matured by the Mature Fruit!" the Peach Dragon roared. "To help Luffy defeat Kaido! I believe in Luffy—he'll win! And I'll end this feud with the Kurochi once and for all!"
"Ha! You think you can end it?!" Yamata no Orochi's seven snake heads writhed grotesquely with his broken body. "I'm the Shogun of Wano Country! You're just a brat who grew up overnight! How can you possibly erase our clan's hatred? You understand nothing! Nothing!"
His expression twisted into self-destructive madness. "When it explodes, you're all dead! Originally meant for Kaido, Big Mom, and those rebellious samurai, but having the Navy here too? Perfect! I can't die—I've got eight lives to waste!"
Blackbeard's Giant Serpent chuckled darkly. "I can't die at all—maybe I'll just waste another life!"
"Whatever", Kuro said, raising his hand to press downward. "Blowing the sky might be tricky, but sending this castle flying? That I can do."
Boom!
Before they could react, the entire castle began shaking violently.
Outside, at the castle gates, Marco froze mid-fight with Perospero. Both turned as the massive fortress, roots and all, lifted into the sky like it had snapped free of chains.
"What the—?!" Perospero's long tongue flopped as he gaped. "Why's it flying? Kaido?! But there's no Flame Cloud!"
Marco grimaced. "Kuro's here. He's cleaning house."
"Wait, you said 'Kuro'!" Perospero screeched. "You mentioned someone by name—Who?!"
"You know, Perospero", Marco shrugged. "The Navy's interference runs deeper than you think."
Perospero bolted, but a wisp of blue flame intercepted him—Marco's kick sending him flying. "Trying to find Big Mom? Not happening. You'd ruin their duel."
"Get off me, Marco!" Perospero spat sugar as he stood. "Kuro's here! Don't you know what that means?! If he gets the chance, we're all dead! You've never seen his true terror—I have!"
Two years ago, Kuro had come knocking after Perospero's failed assassination. Only Big Mom's intervention had saved them. Without her now, facing him again...
Marco had heard tales, but Perospero had seen Kuro's power firsthand—continent-sized attacks falling from the sky.
And now, Big Mom was locked in battle, their ten-day war still raging. Kuro had just arrived.
Perospero shuddered. He needed to find Big Mom. Fast. Or the Big Mom Pirates might really end up under Katakuri's command.
...
Inside the Iwato Chamber, Lida watched the floating surroundings with a nod. "Clever. Hikomae wanted to blow the castle, but if we rise with the second-level armory, the explosion only affects the pirates outside."
Yamato gaped. "How's it flying?! Kaido?!"
Only Kaido could use Flame Clouds to lift the land. But he was fighting Luffy...
Robin swallowed. "Not Kaido. Another man. The one we knew would come."
Wano Country's Shogun Castle Tower floated—cutting off all retreat for those inside.
(End of Chapter)
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