Chapter 993

In the Flower Capital, the populace proceed to celebrate the Fire Festival, but as it turns out, the citizens of the only prosperous city in the country also feel oppression and fear under the rules of Orochi and Kaidou, and that the only reason they are still alive is because they have clung to the belief that the Kouzuki Family would be able to save their homeland, even though everyone was merely treating that belief as a means to support their hearts. Several people wish the day would never end as well as the possibility that the battle between the Kouzuki Family and the Beasts Pirates is happening at this very moment, and if Orochi and Kaidou never come back, then they can party away as much as they want, even if they feel like they are only dreaming. On Onigashima, Zoro, Drake, Chopper, and Robin witness several samurai getting shot by Queen and transforming into ice demons. Queen orders for the doors leading to the other towers to be closed, as what he has just unleashed was another type of virus which he calls “Ice Oni”. Meanwhile, Luffy is making his way up the castle from the bottom floor beating up various Beasts Pirates.

Sanji, who was with him, takes out several of them before the both of them are confronted by another Shinuchi called Briscola, who ate a SMILE that causes his left hand to transform into the upper half of a gorilla, which the two pirates say is extremely freaky. Offended, Briscola charges at the two of them who dodge. Luffy sees several other strong pirates but Sanji tells him to save his energy for when he confronts Kaidou and to leave the small fry to himself. Luffy retorts that it would take too long if it was just him causing Sanji to yell back that he could take care of them in ten seconds. However, Jinbe arrives and defeats Briscola himself, saying he will escort the both of them to the top of the castle.

Sanji gets jealous of him just showing up and warns him to keep his guard up so Luffy does not go off fighting everyone he sees. Yamato is still chasing after Shinobu and Momonosuke while being watched by a cat wearing a scroll on its face with an eye drawing. Somehow, Bao Huang is able to see what the cat sees and reports Momonosuke’s location to King. King contacts the crew and informs them that the majority of the opposing force are samurai with the Nine Red Scabbards being at the core. In other words, this “rebellion” is them trying to reclaim Wano and make Momonosuke the shogun.

King orders the Beasts Pirates to kill Momonosuke and bring him his head, believing that the samurai will lose their will to fight, with the pirates being a different story. He then relays their current location. Sure enough, Sasaki encounters Shinobu and Momonosuke and fires at them with his squadron, the Armored Corps. Shinobu uses herself to shield Momonosuke as she begs him to save himself, but the both of them are protected by Yamato, who knocks aside their assailant. Sasaki asks if he is planning to interfere, and Yamato retorts that he is fighting for the Kouzuki Family. On the Rooftop Dome, Kaidou has fallen to the ground with blood leaking out of his scar. The Scabbards charge at him with full intent of finishing him off but Kaidou starts to get back up. As he does, he tells the samurai that their tenacity almost made him feel like he could see Kouzuki Oden again, and fighting them, he would not have minded dying at their hands, especially since when he thinks about the wound Oden left, he thinks back to their fight. As he expected, though, the Scabbards are not Oden, and there will never be a samurai as capable as him. He yells that their cuts were too shallow, and with their level of strength, they will not be able to reopen his wound. He unleashes a roar of wind scythes as a counterattack, one of which cuts off Kikunojo’s left arm.