"I wonder… will Wano Country even exist after today?"
Rain's gaze lingered on the battlefield where Bullet and Kaido clashed, the land itself groaning under their blows. A sinister smile tugged at his lips.
The thought alone stirred his curiosity. Whatever becomes of Wano in the end… what does that have to do with me?
"Damn it! This woman… she's a monster!"
Kin'emon and the others, once so full of confidence, were now on the brink of despair.
They had come with seven of Oden's strongest retainers and tens of thousands of samurai at their back. Victory had seemed inevitable.
Yet reality was cruel.
Their foe was just one girl. But her strength was overwhelming. Their numbers collapsed like paper before fire. Hundreds had already fallen, cut down in an instant.
And worse—she fought with the vigor of someone only just warming up. Even after butchering so many, Mira's eyes still burned with the hunger for more.
"This is insane…" one retainer muttered.
Asura Dōji bared his teeth, fury and desperation twisting his face. "Then we throw everything at her! Even if it kills us—we'll grind her down to death!"
There was no path of retreat. Even if they wanted to, honor bound them forward.
But deep down, unease gnawed at every one of them. If we lose so much strength here… how will we ever face Douglas Bullet himself afterward?
A chilling thought slithered into Kin'emon's mind: Maybe… today, we truly die here.
Yet retreat was not an option.
"Oden-sama… forgive us. Perhaps we'll be joining you sooner than expected."
With that vow, they steeled themselves and charged.
Across the field, Mira's eyes gleamed. These seven… they're the true threats. Cut them down, and the ten thousand left behind won't matter.
Her gaze locked onto Kikunojo as he rushed toward her, blade raised high.
"Conqueror's Haki."
Mira's eyes snapped wide. A wave of crushing will exploded outward.
The impact hit Kikunojo squarely, staggering him mid-step.
But Mira's control was precise enough that the other retainers were untouched, left to stare in shock as their comrade faltered under her targeted will.
"What?!"
Kikunojo, blade raised high, froze mid-swing. His pupils shrank violently as Mira's will slammed into him like a thunderclap.
"C-Can't move… can't move…"
His body locked up instinctively under the crushing weight of her Conqueror's Haki. Just a moment of fear, just a moment of stiffness—against someone like Mira, it was fatal.
And Mira wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away.
"Die!"
Her right hand pressed against his chest, and magic surged forth.
BOOM!
The violent energy ripped through Kikunojo's body, shattering his heart in an instant. His blade slipped from his hand as he collapsed, lifeless.
"Kikunojo!!!"
Kin'emon and the others howled, rage and grief twisting their faces.
But Mira gave them no chance to mourn.
"Die!"
Another burst of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, slamming into the remaining six retainers at once.
"Shadow Maelstrom!"
A whirlpool of dark magic tore through the battlefield like a spinning blade, cleaving across the positions of Kin'emon and the others.
In a single instant—
Their necks were severed.
The six strongest retainers fell where they stood, their bodies collapsing to the earth.
"Impossible…!"
"Kin'emon-sama… the others… they…"
"How could they die here?!"
"W-what do we do?!"
The surviving samurai faltered, their voices breaking.
But then, someone roared through the despair:
"We are the samurai of Kozuki! Even if we die—we must kill the demon in front of us!"
"Kill!!!"
Their battle cries rose again as they charged, fanatical, into what was clearly suicide.
Mira watched their desperate rush with cold eyes.
"The strength is too weak."
Her tone was sharp, but her heart was steady. She wasn't cruel for cruelty's sake—she had simply found a method of fighting that suited her perfectly. And in this moment, she was satisfied.
Her lips curved into a beautiful smile.
"As a reward for your loyalty… I'll let you live."
The irony of her words was lost on them. None of these men could see beauty in the face of a demon.
"Conqueror's Haki!"
This time, Mira didn't hold back. She unleashed it all.
Her will roared outward in a single devastating surge.
Tens of thousands of warriors—every last one—were caught within its range.
And then… they all collapsed, lifeless and broken under the weight of her spirit.
The battlefield fell silent.
"Rain!"
After wiping out the enemy, Mira rushed over with bright eyes, her face filled with expectation as she looked at him.
"Well done, Mira."
Rain didn't hesitate. He gave the words she wanted to hear.
"Heeheehee!"
Mira laughed proudly, glowing under his praise.
BOOOOM!!!
The ground split open as Douglas Bullet crashed down beside them like a cannonball, carving a massive crater in the earth.
"???"
Rain and Mira stared silently at the pit, their expressions blank. What now?
"Cough… cough…"
Bullet climbed out of the hole, dust clinging to his bandages. Even for him, the landing was awkward enough to be embarrassing.
"I've… got injuries."
It was the only excuse he could think of to salvage his pride.
"Yeah, yeah, we know."
Rain and Mira both nodded quickly, smiles twitching at the corners of their lips. But their smiles were the kind that made even Bullet feel strangely insulted.
Rain tilted his head. "So, want to tag me in? You look about ready to switch out."
"…Fine. I'll leave it to you."
Bullet wasn't one to admit weakness easily, but even he knew his body couldn't handle Kaido's pace right now. Better to hand it off than waste strength.
Rain stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "Then the next battle belongs to me."
Kaido loomed ahead, his massive frame casting a shadow over the battlefield.
"…Changed opponents?"
His draconic eyes studied Rain curiously. For a moment, surprise flickered across his face.
"Bullet's injured," Rain said calmly. "So I'll be the one fighting you now."
Kaido's lips curled into a feral grin.
"Why waste time with words?!" he roared, muscles bulging as he swung his kanabō down with the force of a thunderclap.
"If you want to stand before me, you'd better prove you can survive this strike!"
The mace screamed through the air, carrying enough power to shatter mountains.
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