On the walls of the Flower Capital, Kurozumi Orochi stood among trembling civilians, a vicious grin on his face.
His voice rang across the battlefield through a loudspeaker. "Chiaki Setsuna! Take one more step, and these wretches will fall from the walls one by one!"
He seized a child by the collar and dangled him over the edge. "See? Just like this! Guhahaha!"
On the battlefield below, Setsuna watched the performance, speechless. Does this idiot think I'm a fool like Kozuki Oden?
Seeing Setsuna "fall silent," Kurozumi Orochi grew even more excited. He waved his arms and shouted, "If you want these people to live, strip naked and dance in front of everyone!"
"You really have a death wish." Setsuna's voice was calm but commanding. "All forces, attack."
The smile froze on Kurozumi Orochi's face. He could hardly believe his ears. "W-what?" The next instant, battle cries shook the sky.
Setsuna's warriors surged toward the walls like a tide, utterly disregarding the threat to the hostages.
"Wait!" Kurozumi Orochi shrieked in panic. "You don't have to dance naked! Just leave now, and I'll spare these wretches—"
Before he could finish, Ace blasted a breach in the wall with a scorching wave of fire.
Kurozumi Orochi's army collapsed. Soldiers threw down their arms and fled in every direction.
"How can this be?" Kurozumi Orochi fell to the ground, his face deathly pale. "They really don't care whether these wretches live or die—"
Madness flashed in his eyes. "Throw them all off!"
Just as his men raised their blades, a clear voice rang out from atop the wall. "Denjiro, save them!"
A samurai with a blue topknot sprang into action. His blade flashed, and several guards fell clutching their throats.
"Kyoshiro! You dare betray me—" Kurozumi Orochi glared at him, then suddenly