Chapter 245: Swordsmen vs. Samurai
"A pirate ship from the outer seas?"
Kurozumi Murasaki frowned. Wano was an isolated nation—few outsiders even knew of its existence in the New World.
"Could it be an accidental intrusion?"
She hesitated, considering the possibility.
"Did you see the pirate flag?"
Murasaki turned to the warrior who had reported the situation.
"Yes! It was massive, just like their ship! It looked like a fortress on the sea!"
The samurai gestured widely with his hands, emphasizing its size.
Hearing this, Murasaki grew uneasy. Only a powerful pirate crew would have such an enormous ship.
"Draw the flag for me!"
She quickly laid out paper, and the warrior sketched the emblem he had seen.
A skull, impaled by a long sword.
The moment she saw it, Murasaki's pupils shrank.
"Oh no… The Rockefeller Pirates!"
Her face paled as she recognized the symbol.
The Rockefeller Pirates were infamous in the New World. Charlotte, their captain, was not only one of the four most powerful pirates in the seas but also the world's greatest swordsman.
However, what frightened her most was their personal history.
This went back nearly eight years, during their time in the Rocks Pirates.
Back then, she had been the captain of the 7th division, while Charlotte commanded the 8th.
One fateful day, her younger brother, Kurozumi Chanmaru, had foolishly snuck aboard Charlotte's ship, obsessed with women.
He had been caught.
Charlotte, furious beyond words, had nearly cut him down on the spot.
The commotion had shaken the entire Beehive Island.
Had it not been for Rocks stepping in to stop him, Kurozumi Chanmaru would have been executed that very day.
Since then, their relationship had been one of bitter enmity.
And now, Charlotte had arrived in Wano.
Murasaki's heart pounded.
"No! We must inform the Beasts Pirates immediately!"
Without another thought, she turned and ran toward Kaido's stronghold.
Little did she know—her brother was already dead.
---
Elsewhere in the Flower Capital, a drunken Kurozumi Chanmaru sat enjoying his wine.
He noticed a large group of warriors assembling in the streets, looking ready for battle.
"Hey! Where are you guys headed?"
He grabbed a passing samurai by the arm, halting his movement.
"My lord! A pirate ship has arrived at Port No. 3. General Orochi has ordered us to drive them out!"
Hearing this, Chanmaru's face twisted in anger.
"What?! Someone dares invade Wano?!"
He slammed his cup down, his intoxication evaporating.
"Lead me there! I'll kill them myself!"
Fueled by rage, he and his men rushed toward the port.
The people of the Flower Capital, seeing yet another large-scale battle about to erupt, quickly abandoned their work and hid.
The city had barely begun recovering from the devastation of Kaido's conquest half a month ago.
Now, war was breaking out again.
---
At the same time, Charlotte, Esdeath, Kozuki Toki, and a hundred swordsmen arrived at the city's outskirts.
Looking at the destruction, Charlotte frowned.
"Dad! It looks like a battle happened here recently," Esdeath observed, eyeing the ruins.
Charlotte nodded.
He didn't know the exact situation, but the level of destruction suggested the fighting had been fierce.
Suddenly, shouting erupted ahead.
"Make way! Move aside!"
A squad of samurai stormed through the city streets, dispersing civilians.
When they spotted Charlotte's group standing at the town entrance, weapons in hand, they immediately assumed the worst.
"Intruders! Kill them!"
At their leader's command, the warriors unsheathed their swords and charged.
The swordsmen under Charlotte reacted immediately, drawing their blades with cold precision.
There was no fear in their eyes.
How could there be?
They stood behind the world's greatest swordsman.
Charlotte watched the scene unfold with mild amusement.
"Kill them."
The moment the order left his lips, his swordsmen surged forward.
Esdeath's grip tightened around her sword, Holy Realm Sanction.
However, she hesitated.
Her father was beside her—would he let her join?
Charlotte noticed her impatience and chuckled, patting her shoulder.
"Go ahead. Just be careful."
"Yes!"
With an excited grin, Esdeath rushed into battle.
Barrett, standing nearby, cracked his knuckles and prepared to join in.
Charlotte didn't stop him either.
He simply crossed his arms and watched the fight unfold with interest.
Beside him, Toki looked on with growing concern.
"Mr. Charlotte… Why are they fighting?"
Charlotte glanced at her before shrugging.
"How should I know? Either they're idiots, or it's just part of their nature. They like fighting."
His tone was laced with disdain.
Toki fell silent, but the troubled expression on her face remained.
---
Meanwhile, the battle raged on.
Despite being outnumbered, Charlotte's swordsmen held their ground.
Each attack they unleashed resulted in a kill.
But they weren't invincible—some of them fell as well.
Esdeath moved with grace and deadly precision.
With a flick of her blade, she activated her Ice Slash.
A wave of frost spread outward, freezing several samurai in place.
With another strike, the frozen warriors shattered into pieces.
"The enemy is a sorcerer!"
The remaining samurai cried out in terror.
Wano, being isolated from the rest of the world, had no understanding of Devil Fruits.
To them, abilities like Esdeath's were seen as sorcery.
"Sorcerer? This is just the Cold-Cold Fruit," Esdeath smirked.
She immediately bisected the panicked warrior who had spoken.
Blood sprayed across her face, but instead of disgust, her expression was one of exhilaration.
She loved the thrill of battle.
However, at that moment, a loud, arrogant voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Let me see! Who dares cause trouble in my Wano Country?!"
A large group of warriors arrived, led by an old man with a red nose.
Kurozumi Chanmaru.
His bloodshot eyes scanned the battlefield, locking onto Esdeath, Barrett, and the swordsmen.
His expression turned savage.
Another battle was about to erupt.
---
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