The coastline of Wano Country was bustling with voices. A group of samurai received their daimyo's summons, hastily grabbing weapons and armor, then rushed to the Flower Capital. Finally, after racing against time, they arrived at their destination.
The imagined scene of dark clouds pressing down on the city, with Shimotsuki family samurai fighting enemies for a day and night until reinforcements arrived, didn't appear. There were only a group of defeated remnants.
Over a hundred Shimotsuki family samurai were bound by white cold air rings, their wounds simply bandaged, some still bleeding, looking utterly wretched.
"Those are Shimotsuki family samurai!"
"That's the Suzugo daimyo—even he was defeated?"
"What happened here?"
Everywhere were fallen trees, earth cracked as if by earthquakes, and various traces of sword cuts. They saw the Shimotsuki family samurai. The Shimotsuki samurai had lost.
But where were the enemies?
Besides the Shimotsuki samurai, they only saw a massive pirate ship and several strangely dressed outsiders, clearly not Wano natives. Were these the true culprits behind this invasion?
Over ten thousand samurai gathered densely on this coastal edge, each radiating an impressive aura.
"I feel like any one of them isn't weaker than me," Stussy said, shrinking her head.
Earlier, she had fought that Wano female samurai for ages without deciding victory, only winning when others had finished and the distracted samurai showed openings.
Actually, except for Ripley, Newgate, and Linlin, White Wolf Pirates' remaining five were like drops of water in the ocean among Wano's samurai army. Generously speaking, they were Wano's backbone forces. Harshly put, they were small fry.
And what was small fry's fate?
Looking at Wano's massive army, feeling the powerful aura radiating from those samurai, Shiki's expression darkened. He had thought he had grown stronger, but in just this one country, there were so many powerful enemies.
They had given their all fighting a hundred people earlier. Now with ten thousand—how could they fight?
But Shiki noticed that whether Ripley or Newgate, these White Wolf Pirates veterans showed no wavering despite Wano's gathered force. They even had leisure to discuss whether carp was better grilled or boiled.
Finally, Linlin ended such discussions. "Why can't we have both?"
Reasonable, clear-cut—this was White Wolf Pirates' chief glutton.
The three veterans' relaxed attitude gradually eased Shiki's mood too. But before his heart could settle, massive pressure enveloped him, freezing his smile.
Terrifying, powerful, suffocating. Even though he felt only that pressure's remnants, his heart felt squeezed by a giant hand.
Dark clouds rolled, the previously clear sky suddenly became gloomy and dim, as if some pressure forced clouds to sink and churn.
A man appeared before Wano's samurai army. Wano samurai had rainbow-like momentum, but this single man standing there possessed enough aura to match all of Wano's samurai corps.
One man, one sword.
"I am Silas, captain of White Wolf Pirates. I'm here to make a deal with you."
Silas's voice wasn't loud, but every samurai present heard clearly.
White Wolf Pirates? A deal?
Initially, samurai were intimidated by Silas's terrifying aura, but after he spoke, they remembered they weren't alone. They were an entire army!
At the front were not only their Wano shogun and daimyo, but also their country's strongest swordsman. What did they have to fear?
"A deal? We don't accept deals!"
"Outsiders! Get lost!"
"Whatever despicable means you used to defeat the Suzugo daimyo, if you want to leave alive, obediently release them!"
The samurai spoke excitedly. How many years had Wano faced foreign invasion? By now they could see those who defeated Shimotsuki Fuuya weren't some massive army, just this small-numbered pirate crew, making them feel absurd.
The Shimotsuki family, so-called Wano's premier samurai clan, seemed nothing special after all.
"Silence!"
An elder nearly three meters tall, robust but gray-haired, shouted loudly, striking his scabbard on the ground and releasing an impressive aura. The entire samurai army immediately fell silent.
Samurai could disrespect the defeated Shimotsuki family, but couldn't disrespect this elder—Wano's only great swordsman. Tentsuki Takiichi, the Toki family's descendant, also Wano's currently only great swordsman.
The elder looked solemnly at distant Silas. He wore no armor, only white sword training clothes. Unlike his subordinate samurai, the moment he saw Silas, his mood became extremely grave.
"Yasui, sorry, I may not return."
If this were thirty years earlier—no, even twenty years—perhaps he would have fighting strength. But now, Tentsuki Takiichi could only sense the decaying aura constantly emanating from his seemingly robust frame.
He was old.
Only Takiichi among those present perceived the terrifying power hidden in Silas's not-tall frame. Besides him, the other two daimyo merely felt Silas was strong, but didn't know how strong.
Like ants couldn't distinguish whether what stood before them was a twig or an ancient tree—the more powerful one was, the more powerless they felt.
Fortunately, Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki didn't immediately order an attack. Whether considering the Shimotsuki family behind or Silas's strength, anyway, Sukiyaki played it safe.
"You mentioned a deal? What kind of deal do you want with our Wano Country?"
"Lord Shogun?"
"The Suzugo daimyo is still in this pirate's hands. If it's not excessive, listening won't hurt."
Sukiyaki's face showed composure. Initially receiving Fuuya's distress message, he had been startled, fearing Wano might perish under his watch. He had thought much.
Who would invade Wano? The legendary World Government? Celestial Dragons? Marines or other powerful sea nations?
What the hell were pirates!?
Sukiyaki nearly laughed angrily. Had their years of isolation made outsiders forget Wano's power? A mere pirate dared invade their Wano Country!?
"Well, though I'm a pirate, since many of my subordinates need food, I want to establish a sea trade route spanning the entire Grand Line. I think this would benefit not just us, but Wano Country too."
Silas ignored Sukiyaki's thoughts, simply outlining his purpose—hoping to include Wano in the sea route from Fish-Man Island to Elbaf.
However, the result didn't surprise Silas.
"Impossible!"
Sukiyaki refused without hesitation. "Wano Country has been isolated long. We won't have any dealings with outsiders. If that's your purpose, you may leave."
"Won't you consider it?"
"No consideration needed!"
With ten thousand Wano samurai behind him, Sukiyaki was confident. The only concern was the Shimotsuki family. If this pirate threatened them with the Shimotsuki, they might need concessions.
After all, of Wano's five great families, only four remained. One was even on extinction's edge.
"Seems negotiations failed."
Silas sighed, somewhat regretful. "I originally wanted ordinary negotiations, but that won't work. I'll have to use harsher methods."
The instant Silas finished speaking, Sukiyaki's heart jumped.
"Lord Shogun, be careful!"
Takiichi's voice rang out. In one blink, Silas before Sukiyaki vanished. When he reappeared—
Clang~
Blinding blade light bloomed right before Sukiyaki.
"Oh, there's an interesting fellow here."
Sukiyaki only saw Takiichi suddenly appear before him, drawing his sword to block Silas's surprise attack. No one expected that facing so many samurai, Silas would charge alone—most crucially, without Takiichi's timely reaction, Sukiyaki might already be dead.
That instant's speed exceeded even the two daimyo beside Sukiyaki.
"Lord Shogun, be careful!"
"Enemy attack!"
The two daimyo hastily shielded Sukiyaki behind them. Wano's shogun was merely symbolic. Though possessing Wano's highest status and position, Sukiyaki's strength was about average for samurai.
Realizing he had just walked through death's door, cold sweat soaked Sukiyaki's back.
"You—what are you doing? Quickly capture this madman!"
Sukiyaki shouted in embarrassed anger.
"Don't worry, Lord Shogun," the Uzuki daimyo comforted. "Lord Takiichi is all of Wano's strongest samurai. Though aged, he can still easily defeat me."
"Right," the Fugetsu daimyo agreed. "With Lord Takiichi's strength, he'll surely capture the enemy easily!"
The Uzuki and Fugetsu daimyo's reassurances eased Sukiyaki's tension, but they missed Takiichi's flushed face.
You brats—if he were that strong, wouldn't he know? Bragging needs limits! Couldn't they see the enemy was single-handedly pressing his two-handed defense without even breathing hard?
"Uzuki Kazuyo, Fugetsu Shiro, what are you standing there for? Help this old man!"
Finally creating space from Silas, Takiichi roared. Forget great swordsman dignity. When gaps were large enough, if they didn't unite, were they queuing for death?
While Takiichi spoke, Silas watched with a smile.
"Old man, decent strength. Ten years earlier, I'd at most fight you to a draw."
Ten years earlier was before Silas gained his system. Sixty-five-year-old Silas versus this elder—the gap wasn't large. But Silas's words seemed like humiliation to Takiichi.
After all, Silas looked young. Ten years ago, he would have been around thirty. Matching him at that age—had his whole life been lived in vain?
As a great swordsman, Takiichi had his pride. But Silas's strength prevented such pride.
"Uzuki Kazuyo, Fugetsu Shiro!"
With Takiichi's roar, the two daimyo realized he wasn't joking but had truly encountered an unbeatable enemy. Facing a mere pirate, they needed numbers?
Whoosh!
But when they saw Silas casually block Takiichi's attack, look toward them, and then raise his slash, their expressions changed.
Without experiencing it, they couldn't perceive it. Since learning Observation Kill, Silas's aura control was perfect. Unless he wanted discovery, even top fighters would think him ordinary.
But once releasing his aura—
Roar~
Uzuki Kazuyo and Fugetsu Shiro seemed to see a sky-devouring giant wolf. Silas's sword was the wolf's claw. The wolf raised its claw at them—wind and blizzard followed.
Sukiyaki was behind them. Kazuyo and Shiro could only charge forward. Freezing blade light like winter wind.
"Frost Bite!"
Under countless samurai's horrified gazes, Silas's unremarkable slash fell, raising winter snow in hot summer. Kazuyo and Shiro maintained sword-gripping poses.
But after Silas's strike, both were covered in ice, becoming silent ice sculptures.
Bang bang!
Only after a while did the sculptures tremble as they broke free. If Silas had casually added another strike, the frozen pair would never wake again.
Only then did they realize Silas's terror.
"All samurai capable of slashing attacks, join us! This man is a demon, definitely no ordinary pirate!"
Slashing-capable samurai had at least mastered Ryuo—Haki. Wano had hundreds of such fighters. Hundreds together—he didn't believe they couldn't beat one Silas!
"Others, rescue the Shimotsuki daimyo!"
Fugetsu Shiro shouted. Now he understood why Fuuya had requested aid. Encountering such a monster, he would call for help too!
But Shiro hadn't expected that even now, he saw only Silas's tip of the iceberg.
"Rescue?"
Facing attacks from all directions, Silas chuckled. "Do you have spare manpower?"
The world's most powerful Conqueror's Haki erupted. Before top-tier fighters, numbers meant nothing. Because if you couldn't pass my Haki judgment, how could you oppose me?
One second. Of ten thousand Wano samurai on the coast, only two thousand remained. The rest collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
In the next second—
"Winter Country!"
Silas's long blade swept, instantly covering the entire battlefield in freezing breath. Of remaining samurai, nearly ninety percent were frozen. Half the remainder, though not frozen, nearly lost fighting ability.
Two seconds. Of ten thousand Wano samurai, fewer than a hundred remained.
Seeing this scene, Kozuki Sukiyaki was dumbstruck.