Chapter 404 Crushing Udon! Eyes That See Through Real Names

Inside the desolate Udon Quarry,

Faced with Luffy, who wildly claimed he would take over the prison, the Gifter "Warden Babanuki," who was temporarily acting as the warden, was absolutely furious.

He puffed out the massive elephant head on his chest, his eyes filled with the fury of being provoked.

"Reckless pirates! How dare you trespass into the territory of the Beasts Pirates!"

Warden Babanuki roared from the high platform and immediately ordered a suppression.

"All forces, attack! Take down these arrogant fools for me!"

"Prepare to use the Plague Rounds! Let them taste a fate worse than death!"

With his command, hundreds of fully armed guards and various Gifters of different forms surged forward like a tide.

The snipers on the high towers also set up their rifles, their dark barrels aiming at the Straw Hat crew below.

However, before the Straw Hat crew, whose overall strength had long since reached the level of an Emperor's crew,

this could not even be called a battle, but rather a one-sided, ruthless sweep.

Zoro did not draw all of his swords.

He held the sheathed Wado Ichimonji with one hand, his eyes as cold as a blade.

Facing the enemies rushing in from all directions, he gave a casual swing.

The incomparably powerful flying slash transformed into a visible wind of blue wind, sweeping out like an invisible giant blade.

Before the snipers hiding on the high towers could even scream, their internal organs were ruptured by the sword pressure, and they plummeted from dozens of meters in the air.

Sanji lit the cigarette at the corner of his mouth, his figure turning into a streak of black lightning in the air.

He flickered repeatedly in mid-air, his legs leaving scorching afterimages.

Accompanied by a series of tooth-gritting cracks of breaking bones, the beastly bodies that the mutated Gifters were so proud of were shattered one by one by his kicks, sending them flying back with screams and smashing into large areas of rock.

Seeing her companions showing off their great power, Nami stepped forward, holding her delicate Weather Stick.

With a single thought, the weather above the quarry instantly underwent a drastic change.

The originally clear sky darkened in an instant, covered with dense dark clouds.

On the left was "Zeus," who had transformed into a violent dark cloud crackling with lightning.

On the right was "Futo," emitting a blinding white light like a scorching sun.

The two powerful lightning creatures rapidly converged in mid-air, and the terrifying lightning element compressed frantically within the clouds.

"Double Mamaragan!"

As Nami swung her wand downward, a terrifying thunderbolt like divine punishment crashed down.

The interwoven gold and purple lightning instantly engulfed the entire plaza.

Hundreds of fully armed guards were ruthlessly blasted by this force of nature.

Without even having time to scream, they were instantly charred black by the extreme heat, collapsing to the ground in heaps, twitching.

In less than three minutes, the once densely packed forces on the plaza were completely wiped clean.

Seeing this, Warden Babanuki on the high platform broke out in a cold sweat.

Knowing he had kicked a steel wall, he hurriedly took a deep breath, raising the elephant trunk on his chest high in a desperate attempt to make a last stand.

Concentrating all his power, he unleashed his strongest move: "Elephant Sneeze!"

A blast of blazing artillery fire mixed with a destructive wind rushed straight toward Luffy below like a fired cannonball.

Luffy's eyes narrowed, and he stood his ground without taking a single step back.

Armament Haki instantly wrapped around his right fist, coating it with a deep metallic luster.

Facing the massive blast of fire, Luffy threw a powerful punch from a distance.

"Boom!"

The terrifying shockwave of his punch, like a physical warhammer, not only instantly blew away the oncoming flames into nothingness,

but the devastating brute force also penetrated the air, slamming squarely into Warden Babanuki without reservation.

With a miserable shriek, Warden Babanuki, along with the elephant, was blasted directly into the ruins of the high wall, vomiting blood and passing out on the spot.

After clearing out the outer guards, Luffy and the others stepped over the debris and scorched earth, walking straight toward the deepest part of the prison.

In the sturdiest cage of the quarry, they saw the fellow Supernova who was also imprisoned here—"Eustass Kid."

At this moment, Kid was covered in blood-soaked bandages, wearing heavy Sea Stone handcuffs on his wrists, looking gaunt and haggard.

But even as a prisoner, his Red Hair remained wild, and his eyes still flashed with an unyielding wildness.

Seeing Luffy's group walking in as if taking a stroll in a park, Kid, full of arrogance, sneered and spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm:

"Straw Hat? Humph, don't think I'll be grateful to you just because you broke in here."

"I don't need your pity. I'll find my own way out!"

Luffy completely ignored Kid's stubborn words and provocation.

He strode up to the steel cage, under the bewildered and puzzled gazes of Kid and the surrounding prisoners.

Luffy reached out his hands and directly grabbed the thick Sea Stone handcuffs binding Kid's wrists.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of shattering echoed in the dim cell.

Under the force of Luffy's hands, those indestructible Sea Stone handcuffs were actually crushed like fragile crackers, reduced to a pile of fragments falling into the dirt.

Having regained his freedom, Kid froze on the spot.

He subconsciously rubbed his wrists, which were marked with red welts, and looked down at the Sea Stone debris on the ground, a wave of irrepressible horror and shock surging deep within his eyes.

As a Supernova who was once equally famous as Luffy, he knew all too well how hard Sea Stone was.

It was a substance said to be difficult for even great swordsmen to cut.

He clearly sensed that the effortless pressure radiating from the current Straw Hat had already reached a bottomless depth that he could not possibly hope to match.

The gap between the two had, without them realizing it, already become as wide as a chasm.

Meanwhile, Zoro, following a faint scent in the air, walked to a hidden corner in the deepest part of the quarry.

With a single slash, he cut open the thick, sealed door of the secret room.

As the heavy iron door collapsed with a loud crash,

Zoro rescued "Kawamatsu," one of the Akazaya Nine, who had been imprisoned inside for thirteen long years, barely surviving by eating a single poisoned fish every day.

Seeing the light of day once more, Kawamatsu held his sword, tears of revenge glistening in his eyes.

Seeing Luffy display such devastating strength,

the elderly "Old Man Hyo," who had been severely tortured in prison, reduced to skin and bones, and utterly disheartened, suddenly felt the dried-up blood in his body boil once again.

No longer hiding, he stepped forward and stood on the highest stone platform in the quarry.

He revealed his true identity to everyone as "Hyogoro," the former boss of Wano Country's underworld.

Hyogoro shouted loudly, his aging voice carrying a resounding majesty and passion.

He told all the samurai and prisoners who had fallen into despair through torture that the hope of the Kozuki Clan had not been extinguished.

Allies from the outside world had arrived, and the dawn of overthrowing Kaido and Orochi was right before their eyes.

Under the joint call of Hyogoro and Kawamatsu, the eyes of the tens of thousands of enslaved prisoners in the quarry reignited with anger and hope.

They raised high the stones, pickaxes, and broken chains in their hands, letting out a roar that shook heaven and earth.

...

The Flower Capital was as bustling as ever.

Tatsuya was sitting alone in a remote and quiet teahouse.

He took off his bamboo hat and placed it on the wooden table. Holding a steaming cup of fragrant tea, he savored the coarse tea unique to Wano Country, looking completely at ease.

The streets outside the teahouse had been quietly cleared at some point.

Countless grim-faced gang members blocked off all the surrounding alley entrances.

In a tense and solemn atmosphere, Denjiro entered the teahouse alone.

Facing this world-renowned pirate, Denjiro cast aside his usual arrogance and wildness, showing his most respectful posture.

He quickly walked over to Tatsuya's table and bowed deeply:

"Lord Crimson Eyes, I am Kyoshiro, the underworld boss of this Flower Capital.

"Hearing that you and the Straw Hat Pirates intend to subjugate Kaido, I have been solemnly entrusted by Princess Hiyori to represent the Kozuki Clan and request an alliance with your side.

"As long as you are willing to accept us, all the underground forces and samurai in the Flower Capital will be entirely at your disposal..."

Facing Kyoshiro's subservient posture, Tatsuya did not respond immediately.

He quietly picked up the delicate teacup and gently blew away the tea leaves floating on the surface.

Tatsuya took a slow, deliberate sip of the tea, savored it for a moment, and then placed the cup steadily back onto the wooden table.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the curling steam of the tea to land on Kyoshiro's face, which wore a flattering smile.

A playful smile curled at the corner of Tatsuya's mouth:

"Acting as Orochi's lapdog while secretly bearing humiliation to protect the princess of the Kozuki Clan..."

"These past twenty years, you've really had a hard time."

Tatsuya paused, and looking at the other man's instantly stiffened shoulders, he unhurriedly uttered that long-buried real name:

"Am I right, 'Denjiro' of the Akazaya Nine?"

Hearing this, Kyoshiro, who had been bowing in a humble posture, snapped his eyes wide open.

In his shock, his naturally hanging right hand uncontrollably gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.

Just how... did this man know?!