Year 1503 of the Sea Calendar.
Wano Country.
Since the year 1502 of the Sea Calendar, Kozuki Oden was shot through the head by Kaido in a boiling pot and cooked to death in hot oil, his nine retainers fled in shame.
His wife, Kozuki Toki, foolishly went to her death. Before she died, she used the power of the Time-Time Fruit to send her 8-year-old eldest son, Momonosuke, and four of his fleeing retainers—Kin'emon, Raizo, Kanjuro, and Kiku—to the future, but left her 6-year-old daughter, Hiyori, to struggle for survival in Wano Country!
After eliminating Kozuki Oden, his greatest threat, Orochi became the legitimate Shogun of Wano Country. He was a tyrannical dictator who enforced a closed-country policy, aiming to destroy Wano Country, and was an ally of Kaido.
Orochi was the last descendant of the Kurozumi family. The Kurozumi family had been wiped out in the past for a failed rebellion, but Orochi survived. To seek revenge against the Kozuki family, Orochi became a retainer of the Kozuki family, and later seized the position of Shogun of Wano Country through conspiracy.
Orochi's hatred for Wano Country and the Kozuki family was not innate. To explain this, one must mention a person—Kurozumi Higurashi.
Kurozumi Higurashi orchestrated a conspiracy to revive the Kurozumi family and defeat the Kozuki family.
Twenty-two years ago, Kurozumi Higurashi found Orochi, instilled in him thoughts of hatred, incited him to seek revenge, and taught him step-by-step how to seize Wano Country. She also gave Orochi a Devil Fruit to protect his life.
Six years ago, Kurozumi Higurashi and Orochi secretly murdered Kozuki Sukiyaki (though Kozuki Sukiyaki did not actually die, but was imprisoned by the two before escaping), and Higurashi transformed into Kozuki Sukiyaki to make Orochi the Shogun of Wano Country.
Afterward, she found Kaido and proposed a collaboration with Orochi to transform Wano Country into a weapons-producing nation.
One year ago, Kurozumi Higurashi intervened in the war between Kozuki Oden and Kaido. When Kozuki Oden was pursuing Kaido, she used her Copy-Copy Fruit ability to transform into Momonosuke as a hostage, leading to Kozuki Oden's defeat.
Although Kurozumi Higurashi greatly helped Kaido, she was killed by Kaido for interfering in his battle with Oden.
The Devil Fruit Kurozumi Higurashi gave Orochi was the Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Eight-Headed Serpent form, which is even rarer than Logia types, allowing him to transform into an Eight-Headed Serpent.
After Kurozumi Higurashi's death, Orochi was continuously exploited by Kaido. In the later decisive battle on Onigashima, he questioned Kaido, enraging him, and Kaido mercilessly cut off his head with a single stroke.
Orochi had only one life left out of his eight.
Finally, his last head was cut off by the undercover Denjiro, and he was burned alive in the raging fire.
Orochi perfectly illustrated what that... what's the word!
...
Daimyo who refused to submit in various regions were purged by Kaido.
From then on, Wano Country entered a dark 20 years.
“Bang bang bang!!!”
“Thud thud thud!!”
A young man, about 3 meters tall, cradled a 9-year-old child and ran desperately, dodging incoming bullets without looking back.
“Don’t let the Shimozuki brat escape… Chase them quickly!”
“They’re over there!” a group of vicious samurai shouted, firing their guns as they pursued.
Omamori Heisaburo dodged left and right, holding the child…
Suddenly, Omamori Heisaburo sensed danger and looked back. A massive downward slash was heading straight for him.
“Clang!”
Omamori Heisaburo swung his sword with his right hand, unleashing a sword aura that blocked the enemy's slash.
A figure appeared; it was Kyoshiro, who had recently replaced the boss of the Flower Capital underworld.
“Kyoshiro!”
Omamori Heisaburo, with a serious expression, called out his name.
Kyoshiro was a tall man with long, narrow eyes and ears, but standing before Omamori Heisaburo, he still didn't seem imposing enough.
After Denjiro adopted the alias Kyoshiro, his hair changed from black to light blue, topped with a large topknot (a wig). He wore a dark blue kimono with circular patterns and a high-collared cloak.
Kyoshiro's lips curved upward, and he let out a maniacal cackle of “Jie jie jie jie.”
His real name was Denjiro, the second-in-command of the Nine Red Scabbards. He was an orphan from the Flower Capital who always admired Kozuki Oden and later became Oden's retainer.
After Oden's death, his appearance changed due to grief, and he went into hiding, emerging as “Kyoshiro.”
Not long ago, he replaced Hyogoro, the boss of the Flower Capital underworld, becoming the new gang leader of the Flower Capital. He submitted to Orochi, guarding his safety, and was known as “Sleeping Kyoshiro.”
Omamori Heisaburo didn't know he was Denjiro; he only knew this was a formidable opponent. Unless he defeated Kyoshiro, neither he nor the child in his arms would be able to escape.
“Thump thump!”
“Whoosh!”
Omamori Heisaburo charged at Kyoshiro with extreme speed, delivering a horizontal slash with one hand. Kyoshiro blocked with both hands on his sword…
“Clang! Clang clang!!”
The two engaged in a sword fight, and dust flew as they exchanged blows.
The evenly matched pair fought for three hours.
“Pfft!!!”
Kyoshiro was sent flying by Omamori Heisaburo’s sword aura, severely wounded…
Omamori Heisaburo and Kyoshiro fought to a standstill. Gritting his teeth, Omamori Heisaburo hugged the child in his arms and escaped under the watchful eyes of Kyoshiro’s henchmen.
...
The next day.
“Shuriken!”
More than a dozen gleaming four-pointed throwing stars spun towards Omamori Heisaburo, whose clothes were stained with blood. The 3-meter tall Omamori Heisaburo looked back, drew his sword with one hand, and unleashed a sword aura.
The sword aura was like a crescent moon, deflecting the throwing stars. The bald leader wearing sunglasses leaped to dodge, but more than a dozen people behind him were sent flying by the sword aura.
“Ah~”
After delivering that strike, Omamori Heisaburo panted heavily. His once neat kimono was now tattered, and the child in his arms had weak breathing, their clothes stained with blood.
Despite his weak breathing, the child clutched an arm tightly in his hand.
It was his own.
Yesterday, Omamori Heisaburo had been fleeing with the child all day. During the night, in the battle with Kyoshiro, the child in his arms had his left arm severed. They had been on the run for a day and a night now.
Omamori Heisaburo was wounded, his face pale, but his eyes were incredibly resolute.
“Submit to Lord Orochi, and you can live, Omamori Heisaburo, but Shimotsuki Lumaru in your arms must die.”
After creating some distance, Fukurokuju said casually.
Omamori Heisaburo, gripping his sword, began to charge left and right, his eyes bloodshot.
“One-Sword Style: Flowing Cloud: Blade after Blade!”
Omamori Heisaburo carved a bloody path ahead.
Omamori Heisaburo fled along the path, but Orochi's subordinates were too numerous, endless to kill or cut down…
Fukurokuju behind him kept trying to persuade him to surrender, but Omamori Heisaburo ignored him.
By noon, Omamori Heisaburo finally collapsed from exhaustion, his voice hoarse!
With a “thud!”
Omamori Heisaburo fell to the ground weakly.
Orochi’s subordinates were growing in number…
Omamori Heisaburo looked at the dark blue-haired child in his arms. This was Shimotsuki Ushimaru’s only son, his sole bloodline, Shimotsuki Lumaru.
As for what Fukurokuju was saying, he couldn't hear any of it. What he was thinking was: even if he had to drain the last drop of blood and the last bit of strength from his body, he would escape with Shimotsuki Lumaru.
“What a strong child, even with a severed arm, he didn’t utter a sound. Truly worthy of being Lord Ushimaru’s son. The Omamori family has served the Ringo Daimyo for generations. How can I, Omamori Heisaburo, bring shame upon the Omamori family…?”
“…I’m just sorry, Young Master Lumaru, that I couldn’t get you out…”
Omamori Heisaburo muttered to himself, not paying any attention to Fukurokuju.
“Omamori Heisaburo, did you hear what I said?!!”
Fukurokuju yelled dramatically, his forehead creased into a tic-tac-toe pattern, completely losing his previous air of a master.
“Noisy!”
Omamori Heisaburo unleashed a crescent-shaped slash directly at Fukurokuju.
Fukurokuju dodged clumsily, but behind him, there were many casualties…
By now, more and more people armed with guns, swords, and spears had surrounded them. Omamori Heisaburo’s body had already reached its limit; that last strike was him overdrawing his strength.
Now he could only use his body to protect the dying Shimotsuki Lumaru as much as possible.
A melancholic background music slowly began to play!
Fukurokuju watched the scene silently, arms crossed, and uttered a single word: “Kill.”
The henchmen raised their guns. Omamori Heisaburo’s arms, holding Shimotsuki Lumaru, involuntarily tightened.
“I’m sorry, Lord Shimotsuki Ushimaru, I did my best!”