"Kah, kah, kah, Whitebeard seems to have lost. Izo, aren't you going to check on your father?" Kanjuro laughed heartily as he watched the battlefield.
To him, the retainers of the Kozuki family were not a significant threat. After all, they had known each other for over twenty years. His real concerns were Nicholas and the Whitebeard Pirates. Those monsters could potentially ruin his grand finale, and having Nicholas and Whitebeard as witnesses to the fall of the Kozuki clan would make the spectacle even grander.
Faced with Kanjuro's taunts, Izo was torn between checking on Whitebeard and protecting Momonosuke. His heart ached with the dilemma.
"Kah kah kah, how pathetic, Izo. If you had left Wano, why come back to this mess? Is this brat really worth sacrificing your future?" Kanjuro sneered, gripping Momonosuke's neck.
"You wouldn't understand loyalty and honor!" Izo gritted his teeth, glaring at Kanjuro.
Next to him, Kiku, realizing that Kanjuro had betrayed them, struggled to stand. Using his only remaining arm, he drew his sword and pointed it at Kanjuro, determined to sever their past ties.
"Smoke!" Raizo's voice rang out as several smoke bombs rolled to Kanjuro's feet, enveloping him in a dense fog.
"Denjiro, Nekomamushi, Inuarashi, Kiku, hurry and rescue the young master!" Raizo called out.
Denjiro and the others leaped into the smoke. Kanjuro, wary, used his Devil Fruit powers to create small animals around him that would alert him if anyone approached. He also drew several fake Momonosuke figures, mixing them with the real one.
However, Denjiro's observation haki immediately identified Kanjuro's and Momonosuke's positions, while Nekomamushi and Inuarashi relied on their keen sense of smell.
Soon, the smoke filled with the sounds of battle. With only one arm, Kanjuro struggled to keep up. As the smoke cleared, Kanjuro knelt, wounded, with Denjiro, Nekomamushi, and Inuarashi standing around the rescued Momonosuke.
"Denjiro, kill that traitor," Momonosuke commanded without hesitation.
"As you wish." Denjiro, after a moment's pause, raised his sword to strike Kanjuro.
Just as the blade was about to fall, a lead bullet shot towards Denjiro. He parried it and looked in the direction it came from, his expression darkening as he saw Nicholas's group. The shooter was one of Nicholas's snipers.
Kanjuro, who had resigned himself to death, looked surprised. He couldn't understand why Nicholas had intervened.
Behind Nicholas stood Whitebeard and his men. Whitebeard, with bandages wrapped around his chest, looked as if nothing had happened.
"Izo, as agreed, we're leaving Wano. Are you coming?" Marco asked Izo.
Marco suspected Izo's decision but wanted to give him the choice.
Seeing Whitebeard and the familiar faces of his comrades, Izo shook his head. When he chose to serve Oden, his life belonged to the Kozuki clan. Missing the battle years ago was already a failure; he couldn't miss this decisive fight for the Kozuki family's survival.
Izo knelt and bowed three times to Whitebeard, expressing his gratitude for the care he had received.
Whitebeard said no more and led the Whitebeard Pirates towards the Moby Dick.
Just like when Oden chose to board Roger's ship, Whitebeard supported each of his sons' decisions.
"Nicholas, are you really going to exterminate us?" Denjiro asked, gripping his sword and glaring at Nicholas.
"Exterminate? No, no, no. I'm just curious about this prophet. Can you hand him over to me? If you do, I promise your safety," Nicholas replied with a smile, looking at Momonosuke behind Denjiro.
Nicholas was intrigued by the concept of fate and destiny. This kid seemed to have the ability to hear the Voice of All Things, much like Roger and Luffy, although he could only hear Zunesha. This made him valuable for research. Even if he couldn't figure it out himself, he could always rely on Vegapunk, who might uncover something useful.
Hearing Nicholas's words, Momonosuke panicked. To him, Nicholas's smile was that of a devil's.
At that moment, the ground beneath everyone suddenly trembled. The Whitebeard Pirates, who were about to leave, stopped and looked towards the source of the sound. Soon, a massive cavalry appeared on the horizon, followed by a large infantry.
"Those are the soldiers from Hakumai," Marco recognized the leader and the banner of Hakumai.
"Unbelievable..." Jozu muttered. The Kozuki clan, supposedly the legitimate rulers of Wano, were on the brink of defeat with no one to support them. Yet, the so-called rebels from Hakumai seemed to be on the side of justice. If Dragon were here, he would probably say, "The hearts of the people are with you; the righteous are invincible."
Seeing the sudden appearance of the Hakumai army, the faces of Toki and her group darkened. This meant their chances of survival were even slimmer.
Ashina Isshin soon arrived in front of Nicholas and his group. He dismounted and knelt on one knee. "Lord Nicholas, Ashina Isshin of Hakumai presents fifteen thousand soldiers in support!"
"Stand up. Your presence is appreciated."
"You ungrateful traitor! Have you forgotten the pride of the samurai of Wano? How dare you submit to pirates!" Denjiro shouted in fury.
"The pride of the samurai? That meaningless nonsense was discarded long ago when the people of Hakumai were starving! Moreover..." Isshin took out a scroll.
"After consulting the opinions of the residents of Hakumai, Udon, Kibi, Ringo, and the Flower Capital, all of Wano's citizens have decided to exile the Kozuki clan! Wano no longer welcomes you!"
"What!" Toki, Kiku, Denjiro, and Izo were all in disbelief. They couldn't accept this outcome. Their ruler, exiled by the people? What a disgrace!
"I cannot agree to such deceit!" Raizo, usually silent, suddenly sprang into action, rushing at Isshin to seize the humiliating decree.
Faced with Raizo's sudden attack, the sword saint of Hakumai, Ashina Isshin, did not draw his sword. Instead, he covered his leg with Armament Haki and, as Raizo approached, kicked him square in the face. The impact distorted Raizo's features, pushing his face in like dough and producing the sound of bones cracking. Raizo flew back, landing on the ground with a thud, and, after a brief struggle, lost consciousness.
"Raizo!" Denjiro shouted, his face showing extreme concern. At this point, every bit of their strength was crucial.
[AN- Sad but deserved!]