Redfield picked up the Wano Country snail. He had seen Shakky, Antonio, and the others buy this exclusive communication device before. It was similar in principle to a Den Den Mushi, just a bit more outdated.
Wano Country's snails were divided into two types: large snails with heads and "smart snails." The smart ones were portable, each about the size of two human fingers combined. However, they had a major flaw—their thought waves were too weak. Every smart snail had to send signals to a lead snail in each town first, which would then relay the message across the network.
It was like old-school telephone systems—where you dialed a switchboard before connecting to your target. The fatal weakness? If the lead snail was compromised, communication in that entire area would be under control.
Before Redfield could ask how to use it, the long, smart snail popped its head out and a strange voice echoed.
"Dear Thunder Lord, I am the God of Fortune from Kuri Castle, Ji Fukugami. I'm currently managing the entire Region. May I ask why you're attacking us?"
"The entire Kuri region has already been leased to the Hell Pirates by the Shogun of Wano. That means Kuri Castle—where you're standing—is our territory now!"
"So, the faction you belong to… will you follow orders from the Shogun's Mansion in the future?"
"I don't know. Depends on what our captain decides."
"If we swear allegiance to your captain, will he protect us from the Shogun's oppression?"
"What? You want to surrender? Only those who truly join the Hell Pirates will be protected. We can easily sniff out fake loyalty. Are you sure you want to surrender?"
"I hope your word is good. Come to Kuri Castle and take control. Also, I hope you can protect the Fukugami and Chiyo families."
Right after that, the north gate opened—leaving Redfield and Hanazhi stunned at how quick Ji Fukugami acted.
"Lord Redfield, the Fukugami and Chiyo clans once followed the Kurozumi family in a coup decades ago… and fled to Kuri after their failure," Hanazhi quickly explained the political and historical context of Wano.
"So they're asking for asylum?" Redfield muttered.
He knew Brook had his eyes on more than just Kuri. Taking in a few outcast clans wasn't a big deal and wouldn't stir up much trouble with the Shogunate.
He waved his mercenary warriors forward into Kuri castle. Hanazhi led his gangster brothers and a group of hired goons from the ruined town in behind them. Redfield entered last.
He saw the guy who ran Kuri—a man with an abnormally long head, like he was from some rare race.
"Lord Redfield, the Fukugami clan all have long heads," Hanazhi explained from the side.
The so-called God of Fortune, Ji Fukugami, bowed deeply the moment Redfield showed up. He could feel the powerful aura radiating from this thunder-wielding man—it was as intense as that of Shimotsuki Toramaru, Wano's most feared samurai.
"Sir, the other noble families of Kuri Castle have already fled out the east gate. Our Fukugami and Chiyo clans are ready to serve you!"
"You want to overthrow the Kozuki family by using us? Bold move," Redfield whispered in his ear.
He actually respected it. The Kozuki loyalists had made taming the samurai forces a pain in the ass, but now, with two rebel clans defecting, things were finally shifting.
Ji Fukugami was stunned that Redfield had seen through his plans so easily. So this is what it means to see through people's minds… He bowed even lower.
"Fine, take us through Kuri Castle and show us everything. Summon the other underworld bosses too. And let our other two teams in."
Redfield entered the main government building of Kuri Castle and started sorting out the power structure. Those worth keeping, he kept. The rest? Off to work the mines.
South and west gates were also opened after getting the signal from the smart snail. Newgate entered from Atama, while Golden Lion Shiki flew in from Pineapple Town.
Soon, Redfield, Newgate, and Shiki reunited inside the Kuri government building.
"What the hell?! Wano's supposed to be a mess. They surrendered this fast without even a fight?!" Kozuki Oden yelled in disbelief. Ji Fukugami spotted the Shogunate son and the Oniwa Samurai Squad and felt a rush of complex emotions.
The Imperial Court samurai glared at the defected Fukugami and Chiyo clans with pure contempt.
"So many families ran off. Why the hell are you still here? Chase them down!" Shiki barked, clearly annoyed.
Golden Lion Shiki didn't waste time. He stormed out of the government office alone, climbed up his hill, and gave chase. Kozuki Oden and Newgate followed right after.
As for the Ashura family's Doji and Peng Nan—they hesitated, waiting for Redfield's decision alongside the Fukugami and Chiyo members.
"Keep your men in line and wait for the captain's arrival. Anyone causing chaos will be sent to mine in the mountains," Redfield said coldly.
Then he released a wave of Conqueror's Haki, silencing the crowd in an instant.
"He's got that kind of aura?!" Doji and Pengnan looked at each other, shaken. Redfield's aura felt even stronger than Shiki's.
Ji Fukugami and Clan Leader Chiyo had already seen Redfield unleash his Haki to blow away Haki-infused arrows embedded with Sea Stone—one of the main reasons they'd surrendered so fast.
If even a cadre of the Hell Pirates had kingly presence like this, what kind of monsters were their top brass?
Redfield knew exactly what they were thinking—and loved it. His Conqueror's Haki worked wonders on these thugs. Brook may not have it, but his spirit-based intimidation was just as terrifying.
Meanwhile, far beyond the east gate, a convoy of fleeing underworld families ran into a giant woman standing atop a cloud of black mist.
The samurai of Wano Country froze in terror. Some dropped to their knees, thinking they'd encountered a deity. Even the most seasoned underworld patriarchs stared grimly at the two figures on the cloud.
That towering woman… her pressure was insane—on par with the dreaded Shimotsuki Toramaru. Was she another monster-level warrior?
-------------
Brook and Charlotte Linlin spotted the luxurious convoys—massive trucks pulling smaller vehicles, stacked with cargo. It didn't match Kuri's poor reputation at all.
"Brother Brook, are those refugees?"
Charlotte Linlin tilted her head, eyeing the convoy filled with crates and bags like they'd packed up everything they owned.
"Looks more like a noble family running away," Brook muttered. "Probably the wealthiest people in Kuri. Did the local leaders just let them escape?"
High above, the three mafia heads—Hattori, Sarutobi, and Saemon—spotted the two figures in the sky watching them. Uneasy, they couldn't tell whether they were about to be attacked.
The Hattori family head signaled to the others. A group of archers gathered, drawing their seastone-tipped arrows and aiming at the two floating powerhouses.
Seastone bows and arrows—deadly to Devil Fruit users. Even if their targets weren't, the hardened seastone tips could still pierce through Armament Haki defenses.
The giant woman in the sky was clearly a Devil Fruit user. No need to second-guess.
"Linlin, watch out! Those are seastone arrows!"
Brook instantly unsheathed the Seven Star Sword, releasing a slicing shockwave. Prometheus, the sun homie, flared up in rage, spitting a wall of fire to block the incoming arrows—even if they were wood-based, the tips were deadly.
"Why the hell are you attacking us?!"
Charlotte Linlin roared, her Conqueror's Haki exploding outward. If anyone had been nearby, they'd have dropped instantly under the pressure.
"Another blast of Conqueror's Haki?! What the hell is with all these monsters?!"
First the Thunder man, now this towering woman unleashing fire and pressure like a demon queen—just how many monsters were crawling out of the woodwork?!
Bodies dropped like flies. By the time Linlin's roar faded, less than 30% of the convoy was still standing. Out of thousands, only two or three hundred were left upright.
"Great ones, please—have mercy! We were foolish to attack. We'll offer half our fortune as tribute—just spare us!"
The Hattori clan leader bowed low, voice trembling. Any slower and he might've ended up dead or looted dry.
"Yohoho, if your little ambush had worked, we'd be dead," Brook said coldly. "Now you think half your treasure is enough to buy your lives? Think again."
He summoned his Soul Reaper avatar. Its chilling presence swept the battlefield. Over two hundred more collapsed from the spiritual shock, leaving fewer than sixty survivors.
"That wasn't just Conqueror's Haki… it's something darker—like death itself…"
The three mafia bosses were frozen in fear. Charlotte Linlin's pressure was already terrifying, but Brook—this thin man perched on her shoulder—was even worse. His aura carried death. Their bodies trembled just from standing near him.
"Please, great ones! Let us live! We'll serve you, follow you—be your vanguard if needed! Just don't kill us!"
Hattori dropped to his knees, the other two following instantly. They were all mid-level swordsmen at best—nowhere near Brook or Linlin's league. Fighting wasn't even an option.
Against other fighters, they might draw swords without hesitation. Hell, even if a daimyo stood in their way, they'd rush him. But against monsters like these? Suicide.
"Hmm… Smart. You're quick to read the room."
Brook raised an eyebrow, amused. "What are your names?"
"I'm Hattori Hachizo, part of the Kuri Castle Elders' Council. These are Sarutobi Usuke and Zaemon Nagi—also elders. If you're thinking of taking over Kuri Castle, we could lend a hand…"
Hattori's words were smooth, but sweat ran down his back. If these two were allies of the Thunder man, then they were completely screwed.
"Ohh~ So you guys are the big shots of Kuri Castle!"
Brook suddenly grinned. "I remember now… You're the ones who ran when Redfield showed up."
The mafia bosses flinched. That name confirmed it—these two were part of the same terrifying force.
"Sir… do you know a man who can summon lightning?"
Hattori asked cautiously, already mentally cursing his luck. How could this one group have so many freaks?!
"Yeah, that's my little bro," Brook said with a chuckle. "And speaking of which, another one of our guys is coming."
He pointed to the sky where a floating island rapidly approached. Of course, it was Golden Lion Shiki.
"A flying mountain?! The one who controls floating earth? That monster?!"
The mafia bosses nearly pissed themselves. Resistance was no longer even a joke.
"Please, take us in! We'll follow your orders, serve your crew—just don't destroy us!"
All three hit the ground, groveling. Better to live as lackeys than die with empty hands.
"Yohoho~, good timing. If you'd hesitated even a bit more, those two murder machines would've wiped out all of you!"
Brook waved it off casually, but the fear in the three men's eyes didn't fade. They'd narrowly avoided getting wiped off the map.
The flying mountain finally descended. Seeing the mafia convoy stalled, with their leaders on their knees before Brook and Linlin, Shiki and Kozuki Oden exchanged glances.
"Well damn. Guess we missed all the action."
The Imperial Court Samurai watched the whole thing unfold. In mere moments, these outsiders had crushed the chaos of Kuri—a problem Wano had failed to solve for centuries.
Their overwhelming strength sent chills down spines across the land.
If they chose to storm the Flower Capital… even the shogun and four daimyo might not be able to stop them.
And now that they'd absorbed the major mafia families and bandits of Kuri… this group's power may have just surpassed every force in Wano combined.
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