Destruction Falls from the Sky

Flower Capital.

This was both the name of the capital and what the people of Wano Country called the region where it stood.

Compared to the other regions, the Flower Capital was far more developed. It consisted largely of broad plains suitable for agriculture, and for Wano Country, once an agricultural nation, this was its greatest granary.

There were also many towns scattered beyond the capital. Even amid Kurozumi Orochi's tyranny over the past few years, these towns had suffered little damage.

Since the Beasts Pirates had built almost none of their factories in this region, its agriculture had remained much as it had always been. Beyond the towns stretched vast fields, lush and vibrantly green.

God of Wealth Town, a small town not far outside the Flower Capital.

It had earned that name because of its proximity to the Flower Capital, benefiting considerably from it and becoming relatively prosperous.

But that had been several years ago.

After Kurozumi Orochi took power, every town in Wano Country had declined equally. That man had no interest whatsoever in development.

God of Wealth Town no longer had anything to do with wealth. Its residents were all sallow and emaciated, though the fields outside town had not been abandoned. Kurozumi Orochi loved nothing more than extortionate taxes; if they did not work hard enough, it would no longer be a matter of going hungry—they would simply starve to death.

It was morning, and the farmers of God of Wealth Town had already begun work early, tending their crops in the fields.

Naturally, they had heard about what had happened in the Flower Capital these past few days.

Kozuki Oden had been executed.

General Orochi had been killed.

The new shogun—no, the new King—was an eight-year-old child.

But these matters were merely topics for conversation after meals and had no impact on their lives.

At most, while chatting, they would say hopefully, "I hope the new shogun collects less land tax."

The farmers working beneath the morning sun felt the ground tremble.

Rubbing their aching waists, they straightened up, expressions of shock appearing on their faces.

In the distance along the road, a large army was rapidly approaching.

Three mounted Samurai rode at the front of the formation. Heavy hooves shattered the muddy country road, kicking up clouds of dust.

The farmers all stopped working and silently watched as the army passed into the distance.

Only after the army vanished beyond the end of the road did they begin whispering to one another. "There's going to be a war."

Beyond God of Wealth Town, they were already nearing the Flower Capital.

Riding on horseback, Shimotsuki Ushimaru crossed a hill. At the far end of the distant plain, Wano Country's most prosperous city was already visible.

But what he saw more clearly was the force that had already formed up not far out on the plains.

"They're already waiting for us."

Fugestu Mutsuki held the reins in one hand and gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist with the other.

"Looks like there are only Samurai and Ninja?"

Ugetsu Tempura took out a telescope and looked toward the distant army. "The Beasts Pirates haven't come."

"What?"

Fugestu Mutsuki could hardly believe it. "Kaido didn't come?"

"Not just Kaido."

Ugetsu Tempura handed him the telescope. "The Beasts Pirates' officers didn't come either. There are only two little brats!"

Shimotsuki Ushimaru snatched the telescope and looked into the distance.

At the head of the distant force, a black-haired boy sat atop a tall horse utterly disproportionate to his height, looking this way as well.

Behind him was a white-haired girl, her face pressed intimately against the boy's ear as though she were saying something to him.

"Looks like Kaido doesn't take us seriously at all. He's planning to let his child King deal with us."

Shimotsuki Ushimaru's lips curled upward. "Hahaha, we're really being underestimated."

He snapped the reins. "Attack!"

"Attack!!"

Fugestu Mutsuki drew his sword.

"Attack!!!"

Ugetsu Tempura roared.

Wasn't this the perfect opportunity?

Kaido, go ahead and remain careless!

Better yet, keep looking down on us until the moment we drive our blades into your heart!

The three Daimyo charged forward on horseback. The Samurai behind them spurred their horses after them, with the foot soldiers following close behind. The entire army launched its assault.

On the other side.

Ian watched the Daimyo coalition charging down from the small hill in the distance, then smugly tilted his head slightly back. "See? I told you, even if we slept a little longer, we'd definitely make it in time."

"That kind of thing doesn't matter!"

Yamato was itching to give it a try. "Let's go too, Ian!"

"No rush."

Ian watched the Daimyo coalition draw closer and closer. "Let's talk to them first."

"Huh? What is there to talk about with them?"

Yamato pouted. "Wouldn't it be enough to just take them out?"

"If something can be settled with words, there's no need to rush into a fight."

Ian said.

All three Daimyo were quite formidable. It wouldn't be bad if he could bring them under his command, would it?

"Come on. Let's see what they have to say."

The next second, golden light blazed, and the enormous Golden Flying Dragon spread its wings and soared into the air.

"Fukurokuju."

Ian lowered his head.

"Your Majesty."

The bald Ninja respectfully dropped to one knee.

"Launch the attack when you see my signal."

With that, Ian beat his wings and suddenly flew straight toward the rapidly approaching Daimyo coalition.

A signal?

Fukurokuju looked up in stunned confusion.

No, Your Majesty, you hadn't said what the signal was!

Ian flew forward with a flap of his wings, reaching the front of the Daimyo coalition in only a few breaths.

"Is that kid a Devil Fruit user too?"

Ugetsu Tempura reined in his horse and looked up at the Golden Flying Dragon in the sky. "That ability doesn't look harmless!"

"Kurozumi Orochi was personally killed by him."

Fugestu Mutsuki said gravely, "It's said that he possesses the power to control flames."

"Flames?"

Shimotsuki Ushimaru murmured softly.

"It seems this young shogun, like his teacher, enjoys facing enemies alone."

Ugetsu Tempura said, "But he's flying too high. Our bows can't reach him—we can only rely on rifles."

In Wano Country, firearms were called iron cannons.

However, before the three Daimyo could order their men to fire, Ian's voice rang out across the wilderness from high in the sky.

"Though this may be presumptuous, could I trouble you to lay down your weapons and surrender? I think that would be best for all of us."

Shimotsuki Ushimaru said nothing. He merely gazed silently up at Ian, then raised his right hand and swung it down hard.

Bang bang bang bang bang!

A barrage of gunfire erupted. Propelled by gunpowder, bullets shot into the sky and struck Ian's stomach in a rapid rattle.

"Is that so?"

Ian nodded lightly. As expected, even Teacher Kai hadn't managed to make these people submit in the original story. Getting them to surrender really was too difficult. "Is this your answer, then? In that case—"

"It didn't work at all?"

Fugestu Mutsuki sensed that something was wrong.

He had this level of defense even without using Flowing Haki?

"First, I'll make sure none of you run around."

A wild, domineering presence instantly transformed into a hurricane and descended from Ian's body!

In an instant, the gale swept through the entire Samurai formation.

Large numbers of Samurai rolled their eyes back and collapsed where they stood.

Though he still could not control it entirely at will, he could already use Conqueror's Haki.

"That's! Oden's!!"

Shimotsuki Ushimaru's face changed drastically.

He did not possess it, but he had seen it before!

"Then I'll join in too!"

Yamato chimed in as well.

A wild aura erupted from her as well.

Two blasts of Conqueror's Haki crashed down at once, and swathes of samurai collapsed.

Then Ian beat his wings and surged forward.

"Watch out! An attack is coming!"

Shimotsuki Ushimaru roared.

The Golden Dragon swept over the allied forces like the wind, flinging vast sheets of golden fire from its beating wings.

The flames suddenly swelled, blanketing the sky like clouds.

Then they began to rain down below, slanting from the heavens like a waterfall of fire.

It looked incomparably dazzling.

But behind that splendor lay nothing less than utter destruction.

"You bastard!!"

Sweat drenched Shimotsuki Ushimaru as he leaped into the air and swung his blade madly. Slash after slash shot toward the sky, tearing open rift after rift in the flames.

But it was meaningless.

The flames still fell at last, instantly turning the area into a sea of fire.

The samurai who had been knocked unconscious by the impact of Conqueror's Haki did not even know they needed to flee.

Even the samurai barely clinging to consciousness could only scream in the face of the terrifying heat brought by the descending flames.

Fire!

Fire!

In the blink of an eye, golden flames had engulfed the entire allied army, and the terrifying heat instantly drove every samurai into a dead end.

It was not over yet.

Ian wheeled around in midair, flames surging from his mouth.

"Divine Flame Cannon!"

A blazing pillar of fire descended from the sky, sweeping through the sea of flames below from back to front in an instant and forcibly splitting it in two. Explosions immediately connected into a line, their fiery blasts forming a raised mountain ridge.

Ian merely turned his head, and more such ridges had already risen across the battlefield, forming a mountain range.

The flames had already swallowed some of them.

Destruction descended from the heavens!

Ian hovered in the sky, looking down upon the blazing flames below.

Unstoppable, undeniable—I am the Great Cataclysm!