Moral Blackmail, the King Yamato Wanted to Become

On the square, bloodshed and deathly silence intertwined.

Kozuki Momonosuke body lay scattered about, while the Sukiyaki corpse was still warm.

The Kozuki Family was completely wiped out in an instant.

"Brother... Brother... No, no!!"

Kozuki Hiyori held Momonosuke's already cold remains, tears streaming down her face, her cries Sky Splitter, heart-wrenching!

Her eyes were bloodshot, as if the whole world had collapsed at that moment.

"The Kozuki Family... our Kozuki Family... is it really over...?"

Kyoshiro's eyes dimmed, and he sighed inwardly. He had long foreseen this day, but he never expected it to be so sudden and cruel.

He threw himself in front of Hiyori, protecting her with all his might, as if guarding the last embers of life.

Kin'emon, Raizo, Kikunojo finally came to their senses. Anger and despair overwhelmed their reason, and they roared like wild beasts:

"Navy!! You clearly have the ability to instantly kill Orochi —why did you stand by and watch him die!!"

"Momonosuke and the Sukiyaki died because of this; you are a sinner of Wano Country!!"

"Your navy keeps talking about Justice, but you just stand by and watch! Hypocritical! Feigning virtue!!"

"The Kozuki Family is the rightful heir to Wano Country! You are not worthy to speak of Justice if you don't save Momonosuke!!"

Their faces were contorted in rage, and their words were filled with irrational roars and accusations.

They didn't even consider who had caused Wano Country to fall to this state, or who had allowed its people to eke out a living under shackles.

They simply blamed all their anger and all their failures on Roy, an outsider!

At that moment, they no longer saw the "hero who defeated Kaido and saved the country," but only the "sinner" who had failed to obey Kozuki's will and had not placed Momonosuke on the Throne.

However, Roy remained indifferent and silent, his eyes as calm as an abyss, unmoved.

His gaze was as if he were looking at a group of clowns, and he didn't even bother to respond.

Just then--

"You bastards—shut up!!"

With a roar, flames and killing intent erupted simultaneously!

Ace's eyes were bloodshot, and flames raged wildly around his body, surging out like giant waves!

Zoro's veins bulged as he unleashed three sword strikes simultaneously, the blades radiating a chilling killing intent that pressed down on the very heart!

"Roy defeated Kaido and saved the entire Wano Country —how dare you trash slander him?!"

Ace roared, his flames coalescing into Fire Fist, which he then unleashed with tremendous force!

"Boom--!"

Raizo and Kikunojo were instantly struck by the flames, screaming as they were sent flying, their bodies charred black, and they collapsed to the ground severely injured!

Almost simultaneously, Zoro flashed by, slicing through the air with three sword strikes!

"Oni Giri--!"

With a flash of light, Kin'emon's sword snapped in two, blood splattering from his chest as he collapsed heavily to the ground!

"Ughhh--!"

Blood splattered everywhere, and the three members of the Red Scabbards were almost instantly severely injured!

Tama's eyes widened, so frightened she couldn't even utter a sound, but she couldn't stop Ace and Zoro.

She trembled, biting her lip tightly, tears welling in her eyes—even as a young child, she understood that these people no longer deserved to live in the present.

"Enough!!"

Kyoshiro his sword to block between Ace and Zoro, protecting the sobbing Hiyori.

The blade trembled, his eyes filled with complex emotions and helplessness. "I... should have known it would turn out this way."

"Please, let them go..."

The square fell silent once more, save for the crackling of the burning flames and Hiyori's heart-wrenching cries.

Yamato witnessed the entire event.

She watched the Kurozumi Orochi's hysterical madness;

Seeing Momonosuke's disgusting and grotesque state before his death;

Looking at Kozuki Sukiyaki, who, even until death, still clung to that ridiculous, arrogant "orthodox" face;

Seeing the surrounding crowd, after a brief moment of shock, fall into numbness again, and some even secretly breathe a sigh of relief;

Watching Kin'emon and his retainers' impotent rage, despair, and bewilderment...

Her fantasy of a "romantic Wano Country" under the leadership of the Kozuki Family, built upon Oden's diary, was utterly shattered.

The Kozuki Clan is rotten to the core.

The so-called "orthodoxy" brings not hope, but endless farces, humiliation, and disaster.

What the people of Wano Country need is never a monarch bearing the name "Kozuki," but rather true "protection" and "order."

A deep sense of powerlessness and nausea welled up inside me, but what followed was an unprecedented clarity.

She walked forward step by step, and under everyone's gaze, bent down and picked up the sword that belonged to Momonosuke and symbolized "General".

Her fingertips trembled slightly, but the moment she gripped the hilt of the knife, a blazing light ignited in her eyes.

His gaze swept across the faces of the people—numbness, fear, longing, and even despair.

She finally understood that these people no longer needed to kneel before a god-like name; they needed a true protector standing before them.

Roy looked at her and said calmly, "Now that you've seen reality clearly, what do you want to do?"

Yamato a deep breath, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying throughout the entire plaza. "I am not Kozuki Oden, and I can never become him."

"The era of the Kozuki Family has come to a complete end with their farcical events."

"But— the Wano Country is not over!"

Her voice gradually rose, her momentum exploding like thunder:

"Kaido ruled this place with violence, Kozuki deceived it with empty legends... Now, it's all over!"

"I will use my strength and will to protect this land!"

She slammed her sword into the ground, sparks flying, her Haki pressing down like a mountain:

"I will stay! In the name of 'Yamato,' not in the name of Kozuki!"

"I will shatter this disgusting cycle and cleanse it of all decay in my own way!"

"I want to build a Wano Country no one needs to kneel before 'gods' or 'generals,' where everyone can eat their fill and smile!"

"This is my 'Nio' way! I will become the Nio who protects this country!"

Her declaration, like a thunderclap, ripped through the silence and resounded in everyone's hearts.

--No longer imitation, no longer fantasy.

This is a path that belongs only to "Yamato".

Roy stared at her, his gaze sharpening slightly.

Just then, Kuina rushed forward and whispered urgently, "Roy... the situation at Marineford has changed drastically... the Five Elders have personally intervened!"

A cold glint flashed in Roy's eyes. He remained silent for a moment, then turned to Yamato: "Since you've made up your mind, then go for it."

"Let me see if your 'Nio' way can truly change these corrupt people."

"However, you must remember— 'Nio' does not mean benevolence."

Yamato nodded firmly, his gaze unwavering.

"I see."

Roy said no more, and the Spatial Ripples suddenly spread out, carrying Zoro, Ace, Kuina, and Tama away into the world.

--Without the oppressive presence of these "foreign powerhouses," the atmosphere in the square changed abruptly.

Seeing this, Kin'emon and the others, who were seriously injured and lying on the ground, seemed to regain some of their confidence.

They gritted their teeth and struggled to stay upright, their faces covered in blood, yet they still roared, "Kyoshiro!! We still have Lord Hiyori!"

"The Kozuki bloodline must not be severed! Wano Country must not be handed over to outsiders!!"

"Lord Hiyori must be immediately enthroned as Shogun!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kyoshiro, and his pupils contracted sharply.

Having spent years lying low, he had long seen through the true nature and corruption of Wano Country, but he still didn't expect that these people would still harbor such delusions at this moment.

He was about to speak—

"Boom!!"

The Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted, sweeping across the entire arena like thunder!

Yamato walked forward step by step, his eyes burning with anger and determination, his voice as cold as a knife:

"As expected, Mr. Roy was right..."

"The Nio is not condoning, much less kneeling before a corrupt bloodline."

"Thunder Bagua!!"