"Ahem, um, did you find Linlin and the others?"
On the giant battleship floating above the Udon Quarry Prison, Shiki looked at the pink-haired girl covering her eyes with her severed arm and coughed.
"They went to Onigashima through the mirror. Also, Kaido is carrying Onigashima and heading toward the Flower Capital."
Sakura lowered her severed arm. The markings of the Creation Rebirth technique extended to the severed edge, instantly growing a new hand. "And you? Why did you bring us here? And why are you dressed like that?"
Shiki before her had changed into a splendid kimono. His makeup seemed somewhat different from usual. His hair was carefully groomed until shiny. The bald spot caused by the ship's wheel in the past was now covered by a wig.
Hearing the girl's words, Shiki showed a mysterious smile. "You'll know in a moment!"
He flicked his wrist. The entire giant island battleship began to descend toward the Udon Quarry Prison. The overwhelming shadow obscured the prisoners and guards below.
The girl in the white, form-fitting Ninja outfit and the old man in the golden kimono descended from the sky, landing steadily among the prisoners.
"The... Higanbana, Golden Lion!!!" The Beasts Pirates' Headliner responsible for operating and guarding the prison turned pale upon seeing their faces.
"Don't be so noisy. Sleep for a while." Shiki, cigar in his mouth, hardened his gaze.
Conqueror's Haki burst from his body. The soul-stirring spirit filled every corner of the prison.
The weak members of the Beasts Pirates and some already frail samurai fainted directly. The entire prison fell into dead silence.
Then he spread out his Observation Haki and walked among the crowd. Before long, he walked up to a short, elderly man with a tattoo on his back and greeted him. "Yo, Hyogoro. Long time no see. You've gotten old!"
Sakura's gaze shifted to Shiki, whose eyes were lit up. She had some answers.
'This guy had come to the Udon Quarry Prison to scrounge for supplies.'
Shiki came from the underworld. His recruitment of subordinates had always followed the principle of 'come one, come all, the more the merrier'.
While this approach allowed Shiki's power to expand rapidly, quickly gathering a large amount of manpower and funds to form a fleet, it also meant that Shiki simply had no strong warriors under his command.
This time, on his way to the Flower Capital, he had specially detoured to the Udon Quarry Prison. His goal was these samurai imprisoned here by Kaido, as well as his old acquaintances… the underworld!
"You're Shishi? How did you..."
The shackled elderly man looked up. Hearing the familiar address and seeing the familiar face, he couldn't help but gape.
"Less talk. I'm going to take Wano by force! You guys come help me!!!" Shiki let out a wild, unbridled laugh, making no attempt to hide his ambition.
"Sigh, you're too late. If you had come ten years earlier..." Hyogoro the Flower sighed. "See if any of the young people are willing to follow you. Let an old thing like me just wither away here."
If it had been ten years earlier, his Haki would not have yet extinguished. His body would not have withered into this state from day after day of going hungry.
He would surely have been able to charge one more time with this old friend. After all, even if it was their gang ruling the country, it would still be better than letting the current Orochi and Kaido continue to wreak havoc.
"Heh, I knew you'd say that. That's why I brought the best doctor on the seas!" Shiki's face lit up as he spoke. He stepped back, offering Sakura up like a sacrifice.
Shiki had been plotting to take Wano for almost half a year. During that time, he had collected intelligence on it. The rebellious forces in the prison were an important part of his future governance. That's why he had specially chosen Sakura, a famous doctor, as his ally.
"Tch. So that's why you dragged me along. Where's the consultation fee?" Sakura's beautiful green eyes held a teasing glint. She extended her little hand and rubbed her index finger and thumb together.
"Hmph, you're so money-grubbing!" Shiki raised his hand and grabbed. A dark shadow from the island battleship behind him rapidly approached the two.
When the shadow stopped before them, Hyogoro exclaimed, "The twenty-one Great Grade Blades, Doujigiri Yasutsuna?"
"There's a girl named Kuina on your ship, right? She practices two-sword style but only has one famous blade." Confident, he raised his eyebrows at Sakura, certain that this bait would hook Sakura.
"Fine. You got me!" Whether it was his attribute as a 'treasure-gifting boy' or his mastery of information, Shiki had really put his money where his mouth is for Wano this time.
Then, she no longer needed to hold back. It was time to show these otherworld natives what a doctor who could change the course of a war looked like.
The girl had Shiki gather the samurai and gang members willing to leave with them. She bit her finger and slapped a summoning symbol on the ground.
Puff!
A huge plume of white smoke shot into the sky. Katsuyu's massive body crashed straight down toward the people below.
Hyogoro, Omasa, Cho, Yatappe, Tsunagoro: ???
'Hey, buddy?'
'Are you here to save people or kill them?'
Many of the timid ones immediately chose to turn and run. Shiki, floating in the sky, couldn't help but show a trace of disappointment in his eyes.
However, the fact that the leaders of several gangs showed no fear still gave him some consolation. Otherwise, the Great Grade blade Doujigiri Yasutsuna would have been given away for nothing.
"Katsuyu, split!"
"Okay!"
At Sakura's call, Katsuyu's massive body split, shattering into thousands of ordinary human-sized slugs that covered the wounded below.
Yang Release Chakra mixed with Senjutsu Chakra infused Katsuyu's body, then used this connector to spread to all those receiving treatment.
In less than five seconds, the injuries and illnesses of the samurai and gang members were all repaired. Hyogoro's body even expanded, once again revealing the sturdy, strong muscles on his body.
"Tch. As expected of you. A medical ability of this level, no wonder the World Government tried to catch you so many times before." Shiki chuckled quietly, not showing his teeth. He himself didn't notice that his voice had taken on a hint of greed.
"Alright. I've healed your people. What's the next plan?" Sakura waved her hand, unwilling to continue delving into this topic.
In fact, many people had vaguely discovered that her power was actually separate from the Devil Fruit ability system. Otherwise, why would the World Government have chased her like a dog after shit when she was weak?
"I've scraped together about five thousand troops from the prison. I'll have Hyogoro and the other gang members lead the men to take control of Kuri, Udon, Kuri, Hakumai, and Ringo. Our two crews will go to the Flower Capital for the final decisive battle with Kaido and Linlin!" After repeated revisions, Shiki finally revealed his plan.
Although there had been too many variables earlier due to the unreliability of the leaders of the two allied factions, the situation had developed, unexpectedly, back toward Shiki's initial arrangement.
Sakura nodded. She had Leviathan, with whom she shared a mental link, use her ability to pick her up and bring her aboard. Facing Ace, Sato Sakura, and the several hundred winged tribe warriors on the ship-
As their king, she used her own desire to point them in the direction to advance.
"Let's go. To the final battlefield!"
"Ooh!" x n