One Piece, Volume 98

Chapter 985
At the rear entrance of Onigashima, Kanjuro impedes the Scabbards' progression, claiming he was already convinced of their arrival due to knowing how persistent they are, despite the lack of evidence for an infiltration. Accompanying Kanjuro, there are Beasts Pirates and two decapitated horsemen created by his ability. On the opposite side, stand Inuarashi, Ashura Doji, Nekomamushi, Kikunojo, Izou, Kawamatsu and Raizo. Izou acknowledges the beheaded samurai, which Kanjuro created to mock the Scabbards.

After Raizo demands Momonosuke's release, Kanjuro tells them how the boy tried to escape by using a dagger, ending up cutting Kanjuro's palm slightly. As a response, Kanjuro knocked Momonosuke unconscious with several punches, enough to later be surprised by the child's survival. Proceeding with his monologue, Kanjuro discloses Momonosuke's imminent public execution. While Kanjuro speaks, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi pay attention to Nekomamushi's new prosthetic gun instead.

Kikunojo puts her mask on, now fully wearing her samurai outfit, and interrupts Kanjuro's speech, claiming the wounds her katana provokes do not fade away in the afterlife, and as snow that remains in the spring, they will torment his soul for eternity. Kanjuro accepts the challenge and prepares for her onslaught. They clash, Kikunojo's sword against Kanjuro's giant ink brush. Subsequently, the Scabbards prepare to engage in combat with the Beasts Pirates. As they decimate their opponents, Nekomamushi observes that Inuarashi's leg is now a sword, which Inuarashi promptly uses to cut his enemies.

At the castle, Kaidou's speech is about to start. Inside the ceiling, Yamato claims that, as Kouzuki Oden, it logically follows that Luffy, as Ace's brother, should give him a ride on his ship. Luffy contests his pretence to be Oden, infuriating Yamato, who then replies that perhaps Luffy is more Oden than him. This confuses Luffy, leading to Yamato explaining he cannot be Oden as long as he is not free, due to Kaidou imprisoning him inside Onigashima by putting explosive handcuffs on him at the age of eight. Yamato shows doubt in the explosive properties of the device, as the one who put them on him is his own father, but reveals the fear of that possibility kept him trapped. Straight away, Luffy offers to remove the shackles and asks if Yamato is ready to fight against his father. Yamato agrees to it and discloses his desire to do so comes from Kaidou beating him multiple times since childhood.

The conversation is interrupted by Kaidou's speech. Yamato and Luffy bend one of the ceiling's slabs to watch the projection. Kaidou initiates by recognizing Whitebeard's war two years ago has caused commotion in the world. He claims that the disbandment of the Seven Warlords means the World Government is confident their new force is capable of stopping them. As such, he has decided to ally with Big Mom to gather the Ancient Weapons.

Hearing her name, Charlotte Linlin appears in courtesan's clothes and with a newly created army of homies, with Prometheus on her left side and Zeus being held by her as a fan. Her rapid appearance throws some Beasts Pirates in the air and terrifies the rest. Nami and Carrot are subjugated by Big Mom; Robin and Jinbe notice them.

Kaidou points out Big Mom's tardiness, but she lively dismisses it, as she is on time. They continue their announcement, now shouting in unison that their objective is to claim the One Piece. Kaidou reveals they plan to create a world of violence with the Ancient Weapons. Orochi is pleased by the announcement. Luffy, on the other hand, is irritated, as the One Piece is what he plans to get.

The second part of Kaidou's speech is addressed at Orochi's followers. As Wano is a land with waterfalls as natural defense, and with the populace of the Flower Capital as a labor force, Kaidou plans to expand the weapons factories and create a paradise for pirates. Orochi is outraged by this, claiming the Flower Capital is his territory and that he is allowing Kaidou to produce the weapons in the first place. Immediately, Kaidou grabs King's sword and beheads Orochi.

Commotion starts as the public sees Orochi falling, and Kaidou gives an ultimatum: in five seconds, Orochi's followers must choose either to rebel or serve him. Kaidou reveals he has no interest in the country's history and punches the cross where Momonosuke is tied to, bringing it to the attention of Luffy, who shouts for the boy's name. As this happens, the ceiling breaks, causing Luffy and Yamato to fall into the Live Floor.

Back at the rear entrance, Kikunojo is crying and her sword is dripping blood. In the castle, Kaidou shouts that he will create a pirate empire with Onigashima as the new Flower Capital and that Wano will cease to exist, renaming it New Onigashima, with his son Yamato as the next shogun. Yamato is infuriated at her father's words and runs alongside Luffy to his location. Luffy is concerned about Momonosuke.

Chapter 986
Kin'emon and Denjiro's group makes it to the rear entrance of Onigashima, and the Guardians wish them farewell as the duo climb up the stairs to Kaidou's fortress. They reach the top to find the other Nine Red Scabbards waiting for them silently, with Kanjuro and his men lying defeated on the ground. The Scabbards shed tears over Kanjuro as they remember the times they shared together in Oden's service, and Kin'emon puts his kasa on his fallen former comrade's head as he walks by him. Izou remarks that he knows this must have been hard for the duo, and Kin'emon and Denjiro are shocked to see him here. Kin'emon greets Izou, who is intent on making his last stand here after missing previous chances for a meaningful death.

Inside the Skull Dome, Kaidou gives Orochi's subordinates the choice between joining him or dying, saying he would praise the samurai if they remain loyal to the deposed shogun as their code dictates and give up their lives. However, both Fukurokuju and Hotei quickly pledge the Orochi Oniwabanshu and Mimawarigumi's services to Kaidou, and Hyougoro openly reacts in anger to their lack of warrior's pride. Big Mom is relieved to have this issue dealt with, and orders her homies to keep Nami and Carrot restrained. Nami places her trust in Shinobu to save Momonosuke, and as Shinobu moves stealthily through the crowd, she notes that Oden knew all along that killing Orochi would change nothing and their real enemy is Kaidou.

Kaidou then addresses Momonosuke, questioning how a cowardly boy like him could be the son of someone like Oden. Since Momonosuke had never answered when he asked for his name 20 years ago, Kaidou gives the boy the chance to confess that he is not part of the Kouzuki Family. Meanwhile, Luffy reveals to Yamato that the boy onstage is Momonosuke and that his retainers are all still alive. Luffy then moves to take off Yamato's handcuffs like he had promised, and he successfully uses his advanced Armament Haki to damage them from the inside, allowing him to tear them off and throw them aside. Meanwhile, Who's-Who and Ulti receive a report that Yamato and Luffy are heading toward the Performance Stage, and elsewhere, Usopp turns around the transformed Brachio Tank V to head toward the stage despite Chopper's worries, telling him to trust in the iron machine's exterior even as Chopper spots giants around them. Some drunken Beasts Pirates spot the Nine Red Scabbards heading toward them but are quickly taken out, and Zoro, Kid, and Law continue to hold their own as well.

Back onstage, Momonosuke remembers his heritage and responsibility and boldly declares that he is indeed Kouzuki Momonosuke, the man who will become the shogun of Wano. The Beasts Pirates immediately break out in laughter, and as Kaidou gets ready to execute him, Momonosuke starts crying as he regrets not being able to be a man worthy of facing his father and mother in the afterlife, as well as not having been able to see his sister Hiyori again. Right then, a massive explosion occurs in front of the stage from Yamato's handcuffs, both Luffy and Yamato are propelled forward by it. Yamato is appalled that Kaidou's threat of killing him was true and declares that he no longer think of him as a father. However, Luffy keeps Yamato from approaching Kaidou in order to wait for the Scabbards to arrive and officially start the battle. Right as he says this, the Scabbards come bursting in behind Kaidou, and the All-Stars are shocked at their arrival. Izou quickly shoots King's sword out of his hand, and as the Scabbards ready their weapons, Nekomamushi is able to hit Kaidou's kanabo out of his hand. Kaidou is surprised to see Denjiro among the Scabbards, and as they charge toward him, he proclaims that their swords can do nothing to him. However, the Scabbards resolve to abandon their name and wits and so leap toward Kaidou with a fury that makes him remember Oden and his fight with him 20 years ago. As the Beasts Pirates realize that the situation is getting serious, the Scabbards shout "Sunacchi" as they force Kaidou off the stage and impale their blades into him.

Chapter 987
As Kaidou is forced off of the Performance Stage by the Nine Red Scabbards, he remembers Kouzuki Oden giving him his lone scar 20 years ago, and then recalls Oden's execution where the samurai enabled his retainers to escape and warned Kaidou not to underestimate Wano's samurai. Kin'emon manages to plunge his sword into Kaidou's body, and the other Scabbards are able to quickly follow suit. The scar Kaidou got from Oden begins throbbing, and the Emperor begins screaming in pain as he realizes the Scabbards are using Oden's Ryuo.

After a long fall, the Scabbards and Kaidou crash into the ground, leaving a large crater. The Beasts Pirates nearby quickly rush to attack, but Hyougoro's forces stand in their way as they cast aside their pirate disguises. As Big Mom looks on at the incident, Yamato goes with Luffy to the scene to help finish Kaidou off. However, Ulti finds Yamato again and attacks with a spiked club, which Yamato parries wielding the kanabo. Ulti says she will have revenge for Yamato's attack against her and wonders why Yamato would do something like that; Yamato replies that this is the day where he will fully become Kouzuki Oden, which only confuses Ulti. The Beasts Pirates then call out to Yamato to inform him of the attack on Kaidou, but Yamato bluntly states that they are no longer allies and there will be no concern of Kaidou's death.

Big Mom then comes running toward Luffy, and when she does, Nami and Carrot quickly take the opportunity to respectively use the Clima-Tact and Electro to free themselves from the homies restraining them. Luffy is not pleased to see Big Mom due to being busy, and she states that she came here just to kill him. Meanwhile, Kaidou emerges from the floor with several stab wounds, but is not much worse for wear. He notes that Orochi's paranoid ideas ended up being reality, with the Scabbards having been able to operate under the shadow of the Straw Hat Pirates. He says that pirates will betray them, though, and that the forces that the samurai have worked to gather will abandon them once it is clear they will lose, with Luffy already having lost to him once. However, Kin'emon denounces Kaidou's words as slander, saying that Luffy will one day stand at the pinnacle of the seas and no matter what happens, he will remain and achieve the promise of daybreak coming back to Wano.

Back on the Performance Floor, Big Mom asks Luffy why he came here, being incredulous that he seriously intends to take on Kaidou. To his allies' surprise, Luffy denies it, but then instead says that he came to defeat all of his enemies here in an all-out war. Big Mom and Queen quickly laugh at this, but Queen is then alerted to thousands of samurai invading through the rear entrance. These forces include the Rasetsu Town prisoners, Udon prisoners, the Heart Pirates, and even Marco and Perospero approaching the entrance. Queen orders all of the Beasts Pirates to grab their weapons, proclaiming that the party is over. Kaidou then shouts out from behind the stage, saying he accepts Luffy's challenge. He proceeds to fly to the roof of the Skull Dome in his dragon form, and as the Scabbards hold onto his body to follow him up, Luffy tells Kin'emon he will catch up with them later. Kaidou faces off with the Scabbards on the Dome Roof, saying he has sobered up and that a battle in open space is best, just like their last one, although now Oden is dead. However, Nekomamushi replies that there is another difference between that day and now, as since they anticipated Kaidou intending to fight outdoors, they have brought the forces of the Mink Tribe with them. Nekomamushi then gazes at the full moon, beginning to activate Sulong.

Chapter 988
Kaidou faces the minks and remembers that the full moon allows them to use their Sulong forms. Jack, several Gifters, and one of the Numbers reach the rooftop. Nekomamushi and Inuarashi step forward to take on Jack themselves, but the Guardians and Musketeers transform and fight Jack instead, so that Nekomamushi and Inuarashi can focus on Kaidou.

Down below, Shinobu tries and fails to free Momonosuke. King grabs her and throws her away. Suddenly, Momonosuke's chains break and the boy floats through the air. King attacks him, but Sanji, who was invisible, blocks the kick. Sanji then throws Momonosuke to Shinobu, and King transforms into a pteranodon and drives his beak into Sanji's stomach. The two crash into a wall.

Even though Yamato is busy fighting Ulti, Luffy tells Yamato to go help Shinobu protect Momonosuke. Big Mom comes charging at Luffy and plans to kill all the invaders so they can restart the party. She swings Napoleon and blasts a hole through the side of Onigashima. She then calls for Zeus, and when he does not appear, she spots Nami running off with the cloud again. Big Mom steals him back and prepares to strike down Nami. However, Brook slices the cloud into two, while Franky drives the Kurosai FR-U IV over Big Mom's face.

Chapter 989
As a distressed Napoleon calls out to the fallen Big Mom, Nami thanks Franky for saving her and Jinbe asks Robin to help him out. With Big Mom out of the way, Luffy resumes heading to the dome roof, and upon seeing Shinobu and Momonosuke running away from Yamato, Luffy assures them that Yamato is an ally. However, the duo are aghast when Yamato claims to be Oden, causing Shinobu to throw a smoke bomb to escape. Big Mom quickly gets up, and the Beasts Pirates start running away with the fear that she will soon rampage; Hyougoro and Yatappe then decide to leave the low-level pirate hordes and go after the Tobiroppo, if only to slow them down. Big Mom recognizes Brook, and Franky introduces himself to her. Nami tells Franky to retreat, as Big Mom is an Emperor of the Sea, but Franky scoffs at that as they are the crew of the future Pirate King.

Franky prepares to fire a Radical Beam at Big Mom, but is then distracted by three Numbers rampaging behind him. Big Mom is excited to see the Numbers, which she reveals to be failed recreations of the Ancient Giants from Punk Hazard. Franky notices that the central Number, Jaki, is holding the Brachio Tank V in his hand, and promptly fires the Radical Beam in Jaki's face, sending him flying back and forcing him to let go of the tank. With Franky's back now turned on her, Big Mom attempts to strike him with Napoleon. However, Jinbe proceeds to jump up and grab her outstretched arm, pulling it behind her to flip her over. Big Mom is sent tumbling onto two rows of arms generated from the floor by Robin, and Robin sends her spinning all the way over the ledge to a lower level. Their attack's success makes Jinbe and Robin happy, though Jinbe knows it has only made Big Mom angrier.

Franky contacts Usopp and Chopper inside the Brachio Tank, and Chopper pulls Usopp out of his scared stupor as the duo excitedly find out that it is time to dock. Meanwhile, Luffy has made it up to the Performance Stage where Queen is and prepares to pull himself up to the dome roof. Right then, Zoro appears next to Queen onstage, and when Luffy tells him he is going to fight Kaidou, Zoro grabs his feet to accompany him up. However, Queen quickly transforms into his brachiosaurus form and grabs Luffy and Zoro in midair with his mouth. King and several winged SMILE users then appear in the air above Queen, cutting off any chance of Luffy and Zoro making it to the roof. Queen spits out the two pirates down to the ground far below. On the ground, Usopp and Chopper are ejected from the Brachio Tank in order for it to dock with General Franky, while Sanji emerges from the wreckage of King's attack with his Raid Suit having held up. As the Straw Hats gather all together, Hyougoro states that although the alliance is surrounded by enemies on all sides, he cannot imagine losing. Luffy tells his crew to back him up as he makes another attempt to get up to the dome roof.

Chapter 990
A group of Beasts Pirates members found Sasaki. The lackeys told him that the battle inside the Skull Dome has already begun. Sasaki wonders how Big Mom destroyed the tree that restrained him. He also told that Kyoshiro betrayed him, as well as his affiliation to Oden's Scabbards. He was also told that the battle between Kaidou's group and the Scabbard-led group has already begun.

At the top of the Skull Dome, the battle continues between Kaidou's group and the Scabbard-led group, with the minks fighting in their Sulong forms. While the minks' combined forces have beaten a number of opponents, Jack and his mammoth form overpowers them. Kin'emon prepares to join the fight but Inuarashi and Nekomamushi prevent the rest of the Scabbards from doing so. The two then transform into their Sulong forms.

On the balcony of Kaidou's Castle, Queen notes that all the prisoners from the Prisoner Mine have escaped. King then bullies Queen for not being able to stop the mass breakout from happening. Queen then wonders if the prisoners threatened Babanuki into saying that the breakout did not happen. King contacts the Tobiroppo through the Den Den Mushi. Meanwhile in one of the rooms inside the castle, X Drake tells Basil Hawkins that Onigashima is in chaos and that this is the best time for anyone to turncoat. Hawkins then replies that he does not need to. He also tells Drake that there's only a one percent chance that an unnamed person survives until tomorrow. Drake then picks up the Den Den Mushi. After picking up, King tells all the Tobiroppo that Onigashima is being intruded by 5,000 people. In comparison, their forces are at 30,000. He then cancels their opportunity to challenge the All Stars after capturing Yamato.

Somewhere within the Live Floor, Ulti reacts to the announcement. Page One tells her that it should be expected. Ulti then asks Page One to give her another piggyback ride after seeing Yamato climb up a wall, much to Page One's dismay. King then tells all the Tobiroppo to prevent the intruding alliance from entering the roof of the Skull Dome. Meanwhile, Who's-Who invites Drake to come with him to meet with Queen to find out who he wants to eliminate.

On the Live Floor, the Udon prison escapees and Denjiro's Yakuza team clash with members of the Beasts Pirates, Mimawarigumi and the Orochi Oniwabanshu. The escapees and the Yakuza tell the Straw Hats not to waste their energy on the lackeys and focus on getting to the castle. However the Numbers notice them. Zoro slices a Number's mace while Jinbe prevents it from crushing them and their allies. Luffy notes that the two Numbers are somewhat similar to Oars, which the Straw Hats barely managed to beat together back in Thriller Bark. He then transforms to Gear 4. Hyougoro notices that his form looks like a Myōō.

Just before Luffy delivers his attack, Drake has been beaten by Who's-Who and Queen after meeting the latter. He was questioned by Hawkins about his objectives, especially with freeing Law. Drake realizes that all three of them wanted to kill him. But before the three can retrieve more information about his intents and dispose of him, Drake manages to escape by destroying one of the castle windows and jumping to the Live Floor. Before he manages to land, he attacks Juki with his saber and four-bladed axe in his hands. At the same time, Luffy delivers his attack.

After beating the Numbers, X Drake expresses his intent to fight alongside Luffy.

Chapter 991
The Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance members recognize X Drake and wonder why he attacked one of the Numbers. As Drake stands before Luffy, he recalls Koby telling him about the pirate, saying that Luffy could attract people towards him to the point of becoming very close friends. In the present day, Drake tells Luffy that he cannot reveal his motives, but their goals are aligned. However, Zoro immediately attacks Drake, considering him as just one of Kaidou's servants like Hawkins. Drake replies that he has been flushed out of the Beasts Pirates, but Zoro, Franky, and Jinbe refuse to trust someone who betrayed their crew that easily. Luffy says that Drake can team up with them, but the other three refuse to agree.

Upon seeing Luffy again, Page One and Ulti activate their Devil Fruit powers and attack the hordes of samurai to try to get to him, but Usopp proceeds to hit Page One with a Midori Boshi: Dokuro Bakuhatsu So. Ulti looks around to see who fired the attack, and Usopp crouches behind Nami and tries to act as her in order to give her the credit for the attack. Nami quickly responds by hitting Usopp, and the duo quickly proceed to run away from the charging Tobiroppo. Meanwhile, Luffy and Sanji move together to get to Kin'emon's group, when Luffy has a premonition of Scratchmen Apoo attacking. He tells Sanji to cover his ears as the Supernova unleashes his Tatakau Music, and this action renders it ineffective. Apoo laments over the defeats of Jaki, Goki, and Juki, being sad that a group of giants powerful enough to lay waste to countless towns would be beaten up while drunk and partying. Hatcha then arrives and picks up Jaki, and Apoo asks if he is sobered up and tells him to show the alliance the power of the Numbers. Luffy tries to go and fight Hatcha, only to be held back by Sanji. Hatcha's eyes then light up in admiration as he sees the General Franky, and noticing this, Jinbe tells Franky to run outside of the Skull Dome in order to lure the giant away from everyone else. Franky does so, and Hatcha chases after him.

Meanwhile, Zoro and Drake continue to clash as the latter continues trying to reason with the swordsman without divulging his true allegiance. However, Apoo then comes running in nearby to call more of the Numbers, and Zoro and Drake quickly team up to simultaneously attack their fellow Supernova. As Apoo dodges and questions Drake's actions, Drake and Zoro reach an agreement to team up against Apoo due to their mutual dislike of him. However, bullets suddenly come flying down onto the Live Floor from above, and Queen calls out to Drake from the Live Stage while holding a Gatling gun. As Zoro and Drake get back up following the onslaught, Drake suddenly becomes very concerned as he realizes what these bullets might be.

On the roof of the Skull Dome, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi have defeated Jack using their Sulong forms, forcing Kaidou to intervene before they can injure him further. Jack apologizes for being too weak, but Kaidou replies that this is not the case; rather, the two minks are extremely strong. Although the minks' assault laid waste to Jack's platoon, Kaidou commends his subordinate for managing to keep all but their two rulers in check and tells him to have his wounds treated. Kaidou then prepares to see how many of his attacks the Nine Red Scabbards can run from as he unleashes a Bolo Breath blast at them, but Kin'emon responds by using Foxfire Style to cut the fire into two streams. His attack also gives Kaidou multiple small cuts around his mouth, and the Scabbards state that they have no intention of running; they are ready to lose their lives so long as they take down Kaidou.

Chapter 992
Charlotte Perospero has reached Big Mom, who affirms that she is indeed in an alliance with Kaidou, revealing that the alliance was her idea. Perospero reminds Big Mom that their crew seeks to make her the Pirate King, but she replies that she knows and asks if her children do not trust her. This seems to assuage Perospero, and he drops the issue. Marco then speaks, noting that the alliance between him and Perospero to take down Kaidou is no more. Big Mom chides Marco for joining the alliance against Kaidou, saying that the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates had lost their way. However, Marco responds that they were no longer bound to Whitebeard's will now that he was dead, and Big Mom understands this and accepts Marco's decision. Meanwhile, Wanda chases after Carrot asking her where she is going, and Carrot reveals that she is going toward Perospero to avenge Pedro's death. Elsewhere, Luffy resumes heading toward the dome roof while the samurai clear the way for him, and Yamato continues chasing after Shinobu and Momonosuke.

Meanwhile, Black Maria and some of her crewmates have hid out in the Tatami Room away from the fighting, and they ask Maria to play a song for them. As Black Maria strums up her shamisen and begins to tell a tale, the Red Scabbards charge toward Kaidou on the dome roof. Kaidou gives a mighty roar, which summons small bolts of lightning that crack the ground underneath the samurai. Nekomamushi scratches Kaidou's head area with his claws, while Kawamatsu performs a circular sword strike around Kaidou's head. To the shock of Kaidou's subordinates, both attacks manage to wound him, though Kaidou is able to knock Kawamatsu into a rock with his foreleg. Inuarashi stabs Kaidou with his prosthetic sword leg, while Kikunojo and Izou respectively strike the Emperor with flying slashes and bullets. Kaidou wonders in bewilderment how the Scabbards are able to hurt him, as none of their attacks resembled Oden's.

Kaidou readies another Bolo Breath attack against the samurai, but Raizo then summons a giant scroll which intercepts the fire blast and absorbs all of it. Saying his scrolls can wrap around anything in existence, Raizo has the scroll wrap around Kaidou's entire dragon body before releasing the fire from it. Kaidou wails in pain as the fire engulfs him, but emerges without any visible damage. Kin'emon then remembers a time when Oden offered to teach the Scabbards his Oden Nitoryu fighting style, but they declined. Oden later wondered why they would not learn his great style, and Toki replied that if they had, they would have fought amongst each other over who would be Oden's top disciple since they all loved him so much. In the present day, Kin'emon, Denjiro, Ashura Doji, and Inuarashi each pull out two swords and stand in a stance resembling Oden's. Kaidou derides their imitation of Oden as cheap as he prepares another Bolo Breath, but the four samurai then leap toward him and simultaneously cut him in the place where Oden scarred him 20 years ago.

Chapter 993
In the Flower Capital, the populace proceed to celebrate the Fire Festival, but as it turns out, the citizens of the only prosperous city in the country also feel oppression and fear under the rules of Orochi and Kaidou, and that the only reason they are still alive is because they have clung to the belief that the Kouzuki Family would be able to save their homeland, even though everyone was merely treating that belief as a means to support their hearts. Several people wish the day would never end as well as the possibility that the battle between the Kouzuki Family and the Beasts Pirates is happening at this very moment, and if Orochi and Kaidou never come back, then they can party away as much as they want, even if they feel like they are only dreaming.

On Onigashima, Zoro, Drake, Chopper, and Robin witness several samurai getting shot by Queen and transforming into ice demons. Queen orders for the doors leading to the other towers to be closed, as what he has just unleashed was another type of virus which he calls "Ice Oni". Meanwhile, Luffy is making his way up the castle from the bottom floor beating up various Beasts Pirates. Sanji, who was with him, takes out several of them before the both of them are confronted by another Shinuchi called Briscola, who ate a SMILE that causes his left hand to transform into the upper half of a gorilla, which the two pirates say is extremely freaky. Offended, Briscola charges at the two of them who dodge. Luffy sees several other strong pirates but Sanji tells him to save his energy for when he confronts Kaidou and to leave the small fry to himself. Luffy retorts that it would take too long if it was just him causing Sanji to yell back that he could take care of them in ten seconds. However, Jinbe arrives and defeats Briscola himself, saying he will escort the both of them to the top of the castle. Sanji gets jealous of him just showing up and warns him to keep his guard up so Luffy does not go off fighting everyone he sees.

Yamato is still chasing after Shinobu and Momonosuke while being watched by a cat wearing a scroll on its face with an eye drawing. Somehow, Bao Huang is able to see what the cat sees and reports Momonosuke's location to King. King contacts the crew and informs them that the majority of the opposing force are samurai with the Nine Red Scabbards being at the core. In other words, this "rebellion" is them trying to reclaim Wano and make Momonosuke the shogun. King orders the Beasts Pirates to kill Momonosuke and bring him his head, believing that the samurai will lose their will to fight, with the pirates being a different story. He then relays their current location. Sure enough, Sasaki encounters Shinobu and Momonosuke and fires at them with his squadron, the Armored Corps. Shinobu uses herself to shield Momonosuke as she begs him to save himself, but the both of them are protected by Yamato, who knocks aside their assailant. Sasaki asks if he is planning to interfere, and Yamato retorts that he is fighting for the Kouzuki Family.

On the Rooftop Dome, Kaidou has fallen to the ground with blood leaking out of his scar. The Scabbards charge at him with full intent of finishing him off but Kaidou starts to get back up. As he does, he tells the samurai that their tenacity almost made him feel like he could see Kouzuki Oden again, and fighting them, he would not have minded dying at their hands, especially since when he thinks about the wound Oden left, he thinks back to their fight. As he expected, though, the Scabbards are not Oden, and there will never be a samurai as capable as him. He yells that their cuts were too shallow, and with their level of strength, they will not be able to reopen his wound. He unleashes a roar of wind scythes as a counterattack, one of which cuts off Kikunojo's left arm.

Chapter 994
Inuarashi orders his men to get away from the roof as Kin'emon uses his Foxfire Style to cauterize Kikunojo's severed arm, who manages to get back up thanks to it. Kaidou says that that is how samurai should behave and states that he likes them, similar to how Roger and Whitebeard did too. He changes back into his human form and says that it is not with the advancement of the times that perfects humans, but in death. He asks if the samurai are ready to finish the fight but Kin'emon retorts that dying at his hand would bring no honor to any of them.

Inside the castle on the first floor, Luffy, Sanji, and Jinbe manage to reach the floor before being confronted by two new Shinuchi named Fourtricks and Hamlet, who have eaten SMILEs that give them the appearances of a chicken and a giraffe, respectively. The two of them confidently say they can take care of the three of them before getting easily defeated by Sanji and Jinbe who yell that the way the animals spawned on their bodies is annoying, as the chicken was sprouting out of Fourtricks' back with his head near its rear and Hamlet's body is the head of the giraffe.

On the Live Floor, Queen's Ice Oni continues to spread to various people, including the Beasts Pirates themselves. Several of them yell to Queen why he dragged them into this but Queen retorts that since they are Pleasures, it gives them a chance to do something other than smiling and laughing. The samurai on both sides try to fend off the demons as Hyougoro sees Omasa has become infected. Omasa attempts to kill himself to prevent himself from injuring his comrades but Hyougoro stops him, saying to not lose hope and to wait until they find a cure, and only when that fails will he give him an honorable death. Chopper, Brook, and Robin try to hold off the demons as Chopper says he will not be able to concoct a cure and administer it to everyone infected in the middle of this fight, but he does know that the one who made the virus is present, and he deduces he must have a cure on him and if they secure it they can mass produce it. Brook acknowledges this to be a difficult task since Queen is an All-Star as Chopper reveals he is more concerned about the after-effects of this virus and the toll it will most likely take on the human body.

Robin asks what will happen if they are left as they are, and Queen answers that all infected will die within the hour, all the while laughing sadistically at this exciting show. Even Apoo is left repulsed by Queen's weapon and tries to escape the floor, but Queen hands him off the only antidote in the world and tells him he will be executed if he lets them get it. Queen announces that he is starting a new game in where everyone can chase after Apoo to claim the antidote and if he escapes within the hour, he will live and everyone dies. Zoro is told by Chopper to claim the antidote while the samurai and pirates gun for it as well to prevent their enemies from recovering. Apoo curses Queen for putting him in this situation.

At the Right-Brain Tower, Sasaki states that Yamato will not be able to escape him and that until Momonosuke dies, their mission will not end. The young boy asks who Yamato is, while Shinobu asks him to protect Momonosuke. Yamato promises to save Shinobu as well and reveals that he was present that day twenty years ago during Oden's execution. Yamato admits to being moved to tears by Shinobu's speech that day and by the story of Oden's life. Yamato is blasted by Sasaki's troops but remains unfazed. He confesses to racing to Kuri Castle to save Momonosuke but could not do anything to help him. He blows away one of the pirates and formally introduces himself as Yamato, and that he is prepared to die for him.