"Lord King, Wano Country's resistance is too strong. We've taken terrible losses."
His deputy, Reynard, ran up to King with blood all over his face and spoke between gasps.
"Hmph. What a headache. I never expected Wano Country to fight back this hard."
"Kill them!" A samurai in Wano Country attire charged at King like a gale. With a swish, his katana came slashing down at King's head.
Crack! King neither dodged nor flinched. His hand shot out and seized the incoming blade.
His fingers tightened, and the katana snapped in two.
His tiger tail swept out immediately after, lashing the samurai's waist like an iron whip. The man spat blood and flew backward.
But the moment he landed, he charged again.
"Oda!" his companions shouted as they surged forward.
King had brought a full six hundred men. He had left a hundred on the shore, but fewer than four hundred remained. Wano Country's samurai came in waves, one after another, fearless resolve written on every face.
Oda was a prized disciple of the One Sword Style. His swordsmanship was formidable, and even after taking a hit from King, he could still fight back with all his strength.
"The Sect Master is here!" someone shouted. The samurai holding the line burst into cheers. They turned, and their spirits soared: Fujita Ichiro, Sect Master of the One Sword Style, had arrived.
He had not come alone. Masters from other schools accompanied him: Jiro Yagyu, the Two-Sword Style Sect Master; Fujibayashi, the Iga Head; Mochizuki Izumo, the Koga Head... Their steps were steady and powerful, and their presence swept across the battlefield. The moment they appeared, everyone was shaken.
Wano Country might have closed itself off, but it had no shortage of elite samurai. Its many schools flourished, and brilliant masters were