After Zoro's blunt declaration, the tall Amazon warrior Aphelandra smirked. Her amused voice rang out behind him, drawing the attention of her fellow samurai.
"Oh my goodness, the captain is lost again. He could've reached the shogun castle if he had just followed our instructions."
Zoro froze in his tracks, his body stiffening as her words struck a nerve. He turned slowly, his face flushed with embarrassnt, and yelled back, "Shut up! Who said I was lost? I was following your directions exactly! It's your fault for pointing the wrong way!"
Aphelandra, towering over Zoro at nearly three tis his height, raised her hands in mock surrender, her grin widening. "The captain's at it again," she said, addressing the other Amazon samurai. "Why can't he just admit that he's hopeless when it cos to directions? n really are strange creatures."
Her words drew hearty laughter from the rest of the team. Kikyo, Margaret, and several other Kuja warrior joined in without reservation, their laughter echoing in the air.
Zoro's anger boiled over, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his Wado Ichimonji. The grinding of his teeth was audible as he fought to keep his temper in check. His pride wouldn't let him let this slide.
Across from them, Denjiro and his retainers watched the scene unfold with growing irritation. The casual banter and laughter among Zoro's group made their blood boil. The Flower Capital was in chaos, and here were these strangers treating it like a joke.
Denjiro's piercing triangular eyes locked onto Zoro and his companions. His gaze radiated pure hostility, his murderous intent practically tangible.
Zoro noticed the shift imdiately. Dropping his argunt with the Amazons, he turned his attention to Denjiro, his expression hardening. "What's with that look?" he asked, his voice sharp. "You want to fight? If I beat you, will you finally tell where to find the shogun?"
Denjiro sneered. "Silence! A lowly swordsman like you has no right to et the shogun."
With that, he drew his sword, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. Addressing his retainers, he barked, "Everyone, join ! Capture these fools. With them as hostages, we can ensure His Highness's safe escape from the city."
The retainers nodded in unison, drawing their weapons and stepping forward with nacing intent.
Zoro's lips curled into a feral grin. "Finally, so action." He drew all three of his swords, his movents fluid and deliberate. Biting down on the Wado Ichimonji, he called back to his companions, "The one with blue hair is mine. Don't even think about stealing him from !"
Without waiting for a response, Zoro charged forward, his swords gleaming like streaks of silver in the light.
"Santoryu : Oni Giri!"
Denjiro t Zoro's attack head-on, swinging his blade with practiced precision. "A three-sword style? How ridiculous," he scoffed. "Let show you the true power of a samurai."
The clash of their blades sent shockwaves rippling through the air. Sparks flew as steel t steel, and the ground beneath them cracked from the force of their strikes. The intensity of their duel quickly drew the attention of everyone nearby.
As the leaders of both sides engaged in a fierce battle, their subordinates wasted no ti joining the fray. The retainers and the Kuja clashed in a chaotic lee, their contrasting styles creating a spectacle of skill and ferocity.
One of Denjiro's retainers, a wiry man with a sly expression, ogled the scantily clad Kuja warrior with a lecherous grin. "Hey, hey, what's with these won?" he jeered. "Dressed more provocatively than the girls in the red-light district. Are they trying to seduce us into submission?"
His crude remark elicited laughter from the other retainers, who exchanged knowing looks as they eyed the Kuja with disdain.
The Kuja, however, were far from amused. Years of training under the likes of Hancock and Ain had taught them to recognize and deal with such disrespect swiftly.
Kikyo, the forr captain of the Kuja Guard, stepped forward, her expression cold and unyielding. Without a word, she notched an arrow and drew her bowstring, imbuing the projectile with the power of Haki.
The mocking retainer didn't even flinch. Seeing her ard with what he considered an inferior weapon, he sneered and raised his sword to deflect the incoming arrow.
But his confidence was his undoing. The arrow shattered his blade effortlessly and drove straight into his chest. The man staggered back, clutching at the wound as blood poured from his mouth. "Ryuo…" he murmured, his voice barely audible before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
The other retainers froze, their laughter dying in their throats. The sight of their fallen comrade and the realization of the Amazons' strength left them pale and shaken.
The Kuja warrior, however, showed no rcy. Their eyes burned with determination as they advanced, proving to the retainers that they had severely underestimated their opponents.
Chaos reigned across the Flower Capital as the guerrilla forces and the city's defenders clashed. The once-bustling streets beca a battlefield, with each side fighting for dominance.
anwhile, in the heart of the Flower Capital, Kozuki Sukiyaki, the city's ruler, had just concluded a rather intimate encounter. Adjusting his ornate kimono, he let out a satisfied sigh. "Three minutes," he muttered to himself. "Not bad for soone of my age. My blade hasn't dulled yet."
The woman lying on beside him showed no outward reaction to his self-praise, but the corners of her mouth twitched. Internally, she seethed with contempt. Three minutes? That's all? This pathetic old man can't even last long enough to break a sweat.
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