The stillness of the Flower Capital shattered as a colossal ship descended from the skies. Painted in a striking blue-and-white pattern and adorned with a seagull emblem, the imposing vessel loomed over the city, casting an ominous shadow.
Darius and his companions stared in stunned silence. The sight of the airship sent a ripple of shock through their ranks. For a moment, none of them could speak, their eyes locked on the massive ship above.
"Vice Admiral Luffy…" Darius muttered, lowering his head as if searching for guidance, only to realize that Luffy had vanished. He hadn't noticed when their leader had left, but it was clear that he was no longer among them.
Gulping nervously, Darius turned to Dev and the others, his expression hardening. "Don't panic! That ship is the Vice Admiral ship. Protect the bodies of our fallen comrades at all costs. We must ensure they remain unharmed."
"Yes, sir!" his subordinates chorused, their voices resolute despite the unease that gripped them.
The arrival of the Stormbreaker did not go unnoticed. Residents of the Flower Capital, unaccustomed to such advanced technology, were thrown into chaos. Many had never even imagined machines of this magnitude. Panic swept through the streets as people scrambled for safety, their frightened cries filling the air.
As the Stormbreaker descended to a manageable height, its engines hummed before stabilizing. The hatch opened, releasing a wave of figures who leapt from the ship with precision, using Moonwalk to scatter across the city. The scene was surreal, and Darius and his group couldn't believe their eyes.
"Are those... all Marines?" Dev whispered in disbelief as he counted the figures soaring through the air. "How is that even possible?"
Darius, too, was struck speechless. Among the many Marines stationed in Wano, fewer than twenty had mastered one or more of the Six Powers. Yet here were hundreds, perhaps thousands, effortlessly executing Moonwalk. The sheer scale of their competence left him in awe. This was the true strength of Vice Admiral Luffy's guerrilla unit.
Above the sky of Flower Capital, a commanding voice rang out. "Disperse! Avoid harming civilians, but arrest anyone who resists!" Cook's authoritative tone left no room for hesitation.
The moment he finished speaking, Cook transformed mid-air, his body contorting into the Carnotaurus form. His massive figure smashed into the streets of the Flower Capital with an earth-shaking impact, sending plumes of dust and debris skyward.
"ROAR!" His bellow echoed like thunder, a primal sound that sent waves of fear through the samurai and townsfolk alike. Smoke swirled around him, but the force of his roar cleared it instantly, revealing the terrifying figure of the ancient beast.
The samurai who had rushed to investigate stopped in their tracks. Their faces paled, and some dropped their weapons in terror. But among them, one leader stepped forward, his fear masked by a grim determination.
"Do not falter! His Highness, the Shogun, is watching over us! Follow me!" he shouted, raising his blade high. With a battle cry, he charged at Cook, his courage inspiring a handful of samurai to follow.
Cook tilted his massive head, his reptilian eyes narrowing as he watched the pitiful attempt. With a flick of his tail, he sent the leader flying backward. The man crashed into his comrades, scattering them like leaves in a storm. More than a dozen fell, groaning in pain.
Cook snorted disdainfully, his voice booming. "ROAR! Lay down your weapons and surrender, or—"
"We surrender!" one of the would-be samurai interrupted, dropping his blade as his knees buckled. The rest quickly followed, throwing down their weapons and kneeling in submission.
Cook blinked in mild surprise before letting out a huff. "Good choice. Stay there and don't move. I don't have time to deal with prisoners right now."
The defeated men nodded frantically, too terrified to do anything else. With a final glance, Cook stomped away, his massive legs shaking the ground with each step as he headed toward his next target.
Across the Flower Capital, chaos reigned. The disorganized forces of Kozuki and his allies—comprising hastily assembled ronin and thugs—were no match for the Guerilla squad. Within moments, large pockets of resistance had been crushed. Surrender and retreat became the dominant strategies among the Shogun's forces.
At a small house on the edge of the city, Denjiro had been deep in discussion with his fellow retainers when the commotion outside reached his ears. Bursting through the door, he looked up and froze at the sight of the massive ship dominating the skyline. His heart sank, and sweat beaded on his brow.
"This… this is bad," Denjiro muttered, his voice shaky. He clenched his fists, but his usual confidence was nowhere to be found.
The retainers who had followed him outside were equally shaken. Fear etched itself onto their faces as they stared at the Marines descending upon the city.
"It's hopeless," one of them said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We can't win against this. We need to retreat—take the Shogun and flee while we still can!"
Several others murmured their agreement, their loyalty to the Kozuki family faltering in the face of overwhelming odds. A few even abandoned the group entirely, rushing back to their homes to gather belongings and escape the city.
Denjiro gritted his teeth, torn between his duty and the grim reality before him. His instincts screamed at him to protect the Shogun, to flee and regroup. But the shame of abandoning the Flower Capital gnawed at him.
As he debated his next move, a strange sight caught his eye. A Marine with green hair and three swords strapped to his waist approached. The man's face was calm, even casual, as if he were strolling through a park rather than a battlefield. His eyes scanned the unfamiliar streets with mild frustration.
"Hey,you with the blue hair" Zoro called out, his voice breaking the tense silence. "I'm looking for someone. Where's the Shogun's residence?" He asks for once again he had lost his way.
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