The entire fight seemed to last less than thirty seconds…
And just like that, Kozuki Oden was crushed by Ares with thunderous force, utterly overwhelmed.
From Ares, Sukiyaki saw only one thing: invincibility.
His heart tightened.
"Ares… Ares's strength…"
"Which samurai in Wano could possibly stop him?!"
"Unless…"
Unless Wano's Sword God, Ryuma, crawled out of his grave and returned to his prime.
Only then might Ares be defeated.
That was the only warrior Sukiyaki could even imagine standing against Ares.
No one else.
Beside him, Shimotsuki Ushimaru's pupils trembled. His fist clenched, loosened, clenched again as he finally sighed.
"I have to admit it… we're not Ares's match."
"And did you notice something?"
"The move Ares used to defeat Oden looked like Oden's self-created Oden Two-Sword Style."
"Oden wouldn't teach his swordsmanship to Ares."
"That can only mean one thing Ares learned it during their fight."
"And that means Ares's talent in swordsmanship…"
"…is terrifying."
Shimotsuki Yasuie's face went pale.
"Exactly. And he doesn't even need a blade."
"His body alone already rivals a famed sword."
"His physique, his strength…"
"He's a monster."
A foe like that made despair creep into his bones. He couldn't see any hope of beating Ares at all…
At least not in a one-on-one.
If it became many against one, perhaps there was a thread of possibility.
But…
Yasuie knew the reality.
Ares already commanded tens of thousands of fighters. On top of that were the drifters, bandits, and thugs of Kuri, plus Ashura Doji the very same headache Wano had never been able to solve.
And then there were the recent newcomers flocking in after hearing Ares's name…
The number of battle-capable men under Ares was absolutely not small.
All of it…
was the nightmare weighing on the daimyō and on Sukiyaki himself.
Their hearts sank to the bottom.
Then
"Sukiyaki!"
A voice like a great temple bell boomed across the field, deafening and heavy.
Sukiyaki jolted, eyes wide, staring at Ares.
Confused.
"He suddenly called my name… why?!"
Ares's gaze was domineering and razor-sharp, locking onto him without mercy. Even during the battle, he'd already noticed Sukiyaki's presence.
Now he seized the moment, refusing to let it slip.
In front of everyone, he roared:
"Sukiyaki! Wano has sealed itself off for centuries because your power isn't enough to protect it!"
Sukiyaki's expression twisted instantly, turning ugly beyond words.
In front of so many people…
this bastard was making him lose face.
He snapped back, furious:
"That's not true! Closing the country is a rule, a warning passed down by our ancestors "
Before he could finish, Ares cut him off.
"You're not enough. That doesn't mean everyone isn't."
"With me, Ares, here, Wano will become stronger!"
"Wano will open its borders!"
"The people of Wano will finally see how vast the world truly is, instead of living like frogs at the bottom of a well!"
"Your strength can't protect Wano."
"But mine can!"
…
That voice brimming with confidence and tyranny shook every person present.
And that towering, unyielding silhouette burned itself into their memories, impossible to erase.
After all…
Ares had just crushed the mighty Kozuki Oden with brutal speed, establishing an unmistakable aura of absolute dominance.
Hearing Ares's words, Kaido split into a grin.
"Wororororo ! Ares-brother is right."
"With enough strength, who would dare covet Wano?!"
"Exactly!" Ashura Doji echoed, stepping forward with a cold bite to his voice. "You great families have held Wano in your grip for generations. You never gave anyone else a chance to climb."
"Kuri became hell, and none of you cared!"
"Every region of Wano is crawling with gangs!"
"And now even your so-called samurai are this weak."
"You don't have the ability to protect Wano at all!"
That struck a nerve.
The people of Kuri those who had lived through filth and misery like it was the natural order felt their blood boil in agreement.
Voices rose.
Accusations.
Denunciations.
Sukiyaki was so furious it felt like smoke was pouring from his seven orifices. His eyes went bloodshot, murderous intent surging as if he wanted to kill Ares on the spot just to vent.
Fukurokuju threw his arms around Sukiyaki, forcing him back.
"Sukiyaki-sama, now isn't the time to fight Ares!"
"If Ares moves, we can't stop him…"
They were only twenty or thirty men.
Ares alone looked like he could wipe them out.
And that was without even counting his men.
Shimotsuki Ushimaru spoke with helpless restraint.
"Sukiyaki-sama, calm down."
"If you strike at Ares now, you'll fall straight into his trap…"
"And drag Wano into real danger!"
Under everyone's desperate attempts to hold him back, Sukiyaki finally forced himself to calm down.
But his face was black as the bottom of a pot.
Ares had defeated his son in public…
and now, in front of this crowd, he'd openly condemned him.
The Shogun of Wano was burning with rage.
He turned away and barked harshly:
"Back!"
…
At that moment, Ares shouted toward all the spectators:
"Listen up!"
"If you dream of Wano opening its borders, you can join Kuri!"
"Come build a better Wano with us!"
The words lit something in many young people's eyes.
They were at the age where blood runs hot, where ideals can make you reckless.
Plenty of people didn't want to spend their entire lives trapped inside Wano.
Over the years, countless had already smuggled themselves out in secret.
Then a red-haired, ugly-faced samurai stepped forward and bellowed at the top of his lungs:
"My name is Kanjuro!"
"I want to join Kuri follow Lord Ares, open Wano's borders, and make the name of samurai thunder across the seas!"
That one shout
pushed many more young men to join.
A flicker of surprise flashed deep in Ares's eyes.
Kanjuro?
"Isn't this guy from the Kurozumi clan?"
Interesting…
Ares knew Kanjuro well. In the original course of events, Kanjuro was supposed to be a spy within Kozuki Oden's ranks, feeding information to Kurozumi Orochi and sabotaging Oden's plans time and time again.
He'd even nearly gotten Kozuki Momonosuke killed.
Ares could guess Kanjuro's motives immediately.
A man like that didn't join with a clean heart.
But…
Kanjuro's move did help Ares right now. And Ares could also use the man's "spy" nature to leak certain information on purpose.
Ares thought calmly:
"I'll keep you around for now."
"When the time comes to deal with Orochi… maybe you won't have a master to spy for anymore."
As Sukiyaki was leaving, Kanjuro's words reached his ears.
Instantly, a mouthful of blood surged up his throat.
He swallowed it down by force.
His expression turned darker than night.
Inside, he cursed Ares until his thoughts were drenched in venom.
"You bastard!!!"
"Why did you have to come to Wano of all places?!"
"Why couldn't you just let Wano stay the way it was?!"
And regret followed right behind the rage.
"If I'd known…"
"I wouldn't have come to watch in person."
"Then Ares wouldn't have…"
"…humiliated me until I lost all face!"
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