Flower Capital, General's Residence.
"Komurasaki… right?"
Just as Komurasaki was leaving through the front gates accompanied by attendants, she suddenly heard someone call her name. It was unlike the hoarse shouts of her admirers, calm, with a touch of amusement, but also carrying a chilling tone that resembled… a command?
Yes, a command!
Though it was just four short words, Komurasaki could clearly hear the unwavering authority in the speaker's tone.
"How dare you! Do you even know who this is? I---"
Shlick!
A burly bodyguard hadn't even seen the opponent's face clearly before he began shouting. But before he could finish his sentence, a flash of green light swept past, and Lirisk had already bypassed him and appeared right in front of Komurasaki.
Huā lā lā…
The body split cleanly into two halves behind them, falling to the ground on either side. Luckily, Lirisk's tall frame obscured most of the gruesome sight, sparing others from the full horror and wickedness of it.
"L-Lord Lirisk!"
Recognizing who it was, Komurasaki took a sharp breath to mask her panic and asked quickly, "What business does your lordship have with a humble woman like me?"
The father and son duo from the Nibelung Family family were synonymous with terror in Wano Country.
Orrick had once forced hundreds of samurai to commit suicide without even lifting a finger; their blood stained the streets. Lirisk had severely injured or killed four out of the infamous Flying Six, spreading fear like wildfire.
Though they had since allied with the Kurozumi General, their savage reputation preceded them. Few had the courage to speak to them calmly, especially this one.
He exuded a cold, venomous aura, like a snake, and when he looked at her with emotionless eyes...
"Interested in grabbing a drink?"
'Was that… an invitation?'
Just as Komurasaki was momentarily stunned, one of the maidservants, who had clearly heard of Lirisk's infamous name, cried out anxiously:
"Lady Komurasaki, you still have flower arrangement practice today. You should---"
Shlick…
Before the words finished leaving her mouth, her severed head, etched with a look of urgency, flew into the air, she didn't even realize what had happened. Blood sprayed from her neck, spattering across everyone's faces, its warmth making it all the more real.
"R-Run! Run!"
Lirisk's cruelty went far beyond what the attendants could imagine. They fled in terror, completely abandoning their mistress.
Oddly, it was Komurasaki who, after a brief moment of shock, clenched her fists and scowled with barely concealed fury.
"Y-You wicked man!"
"Didn't your Nibelung Family family already renounce your Celestial Dragon status? Why do something like this?!"
Lirisk turned to look at her, puzzled.
"What does renouncing Celestial Dragon status have to do with what I just did?"
He glanced at the stunned Komurasaki, then took out a handkerchief and, quite gentlemanly, wiped the blood off her face. The crimson, the color of fading life, had seeped into her skin, distorting her makeup into something bizarre yet eerily beautiful.
"I'm merely exercising a strong man's right to strip the weak of their right to live. Asking your opinion is just a courtesy as a man.
She interrupted our conversation, that was pure ignorance of her place."
"It's not because she tried to refuse me on your behalf and insulted my dignity as a Celestial Dragon."
"So... does that explanation satisfy you?"
So that was the real reason?
Komurasaki snapped out of her daze and realized he was right. Whether it was the earlier attendant or this maid, both were killed the moment they spoke.
Not because they said anything offensive, but because, in Lirisk's eyes, they had no right to speak at all.
But… that kind of reason, "You bastard!"
Smack!
She slapped him hard across the face.
Though it felt like she'd just hit a stone slab, and her palm stung, striking Lirisk was no small matter.
The two guards at the General's gate finally couldn't take it anymore. Komurasaki was just a personal indulgence of the General, no one would care if something happened to her. But Lirisk was different. He was an important ally!
"Keep an eye on things here. I'm going to report this to the General."
One of the guards turned and dashed into the residence.
Back at the gate, Lirisk blinked in surprise, as if savoring the sensation on his face. Under Komurasaki's shocked gaze, he asked:
"Why are you angry?"
"Huh? Are you kidding me?!" She shouted, furious: "Why should the strong be superior and decide who lives or dies?! Do you have any idea how hard we work just to survive?!"
"No, and I'm not interested in knowing." Lirisk answered plainly, then grinned: "Why shouldn't the strong be superior? Do you have any idea how much we've sacrificed to become stronger?"
He returned her question in kind, and Komurasaki suddenly fell silent, unsure how to respond.
He was right. How many times had the strong walked the edge of life and death just to grow stronger? So why shouldn't the power they gained entitle them to superiority?
"This world is absolutely fair. The weak don't want to grow stronger, yet demand equal rights. What makes them think they're entitled to that?"
"Allowing them to live is already mercy from the strong. What gives them the right to interfere with me?"
"That's just your twisted view! There are plenty of strong people in the world who value and respect life!"
Komurasaki retorted stubbornly.
However, Lirisk still nodded calmly.
"Yeah, that's absolutely true. But… what does that have to do with me?" Looking at Komurasaki, Lirisk said flatly: "How one lives is up to them. So why are you using other people's values to judge me?"
"I…" Komurasaki was momentarily speechless.
Morality?
Law?
Public approval?
Were those really absolute truths?
"But you've reminded me of something."
Just then, Lirisk suddenly took Komurasaki's hand and began slowly kneading it in his palm.
"Earlier, I had this feeling of familiarity. The way an ordinary person strikes is different from how a warrior strikes, even if the force is the same, the effect is completely different."
"You've taken good care of yourself… I can't even see a single callus."
As he said that, Lirisk keenly noticed Komurasaki's muscles tense up for a brief moment, a sign she was about to strike.
He remained calm, and then suddenly exerted force with his fingers. Caught off guard, Komurasaki had no time to react as his fingers dug deep into her flesh.
"Ah!!!"
With a scream, all of his fingers drove into the center of her palm, grasping it from the inside.
As Komurasaki collapsed, Lirisk lifted her effortlessly with one hand and expressionlessly asked:
"Now, are you interested in having that drink with me… Lady Komurasaki?"
…
"Not bad defense. So many hidden sentries."
Outside the borders of Wano Country, Rowen crouched behind a massive boulder. His Heavenly Network ability was in full swing, detecting and picking off every concealed sentry one by one.
Even during wartime, and despite having Heaven's Peak for protection, Wano Country's defenses were far from simple.
"A dozen or so… wrap this up in three seconds."
Saying that, Rowen cracked his knuckles, preparing to act.
But just then, Santoryu: Three Thousand Worlds of Suffering!!
Shuā!
A sweeping storm of sword energy, several meters in diameter, sliced across the coastline. The hidden sentries were instantly alarmed, and Rowen keenly heard their shouts:
"Watch out, the Straw Hats have broken through! Don't let them escape!"
"Over here! I found th, argh!"
What had been a quiet coastline suddenly erupted into chaos. Then, Boom!, a bizarre, elongated arm snaked out, wrapping itself several times around the boulder Rowen was hiding behind.
"No… no way…"
Rowen's lips twitched. His eye twitched. His entire body twitched.
Sure enough, "Hey! Zoro, Nami, this way!"
"Let go of me, you jerk! Are you trying to kill me?!"
"There's a rock ahead! Rock, rock, watch out!!"
Even from dozens of meters away, Rowen could feel the despair in Sanji's voice, the same despair he felt right now.
Thud!!!
With a dull crash, the boulder exploded into rubble. A group of familiar figures came tumbling out right in front of Rowen.
The smallest of them, a young man in a red vest, sprang to his feet, hands on his hips, grinning proudly.
"Hehehe, here we are! Hey everyone, you all okay?!"
Clang! Thud! Smack!
Three people punched the grinning Straw Hat idiot to the ground in perfect sync, baring their teeth and roaring:
"Shut up, you moron!"
Then, sensing another presence, they slowly turned, their eyes locking with his.
Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Rowen:
"..."
((--)--)--)(-ι-｀)
"Huh? Thunderous Ojisan, what are you doing here?" Luffy bounced back up, full of energy and confusion.
In response, Rowen glanced at the terrified Wano Country samurai in the distance, who had obviously just noticed his presence. Without a word, he pulled out a cigar and lit it.
Hiss…
Exhale…
"Honestly… I really want to kill you right now."
"Count us in!" ×3
"Hey! Zoro, Sanji, he's the enemy!!"
Luffy shouted in shock, his jaw dropping to the ground.
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 90 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.p*treon.com/darkshadow6395