Enel nearly burst out laughing from his hiding spot near the ceiling.
These foolish monkeys of the Blue Sea were actually pinning Ace's jailbreak on Who's-Who, too!
He watched with pure joy as Who's-Who's face twisted into panic-filled rage—the look of pure horror on the former CP9 elite's face was truly a masterpiece.
"Bastards! It wasn't me!!" Who's-Who roared.
He violently swung his claw blades, sending several flying slashes down the hall to force the guards back. B
ut more guards had already sounded the alarm, and the piercing, loud sirens began echoing through the entirety of Udon Prison.
Kawamatsu gripped his sword handle nervously and delivered a perfectly timed line.
"Who's-Who, what do we do now? Should we kill them?"
"Shut up! Just follow me!" Who's-Who snarled through gritted teeth.
Right now, he wished he could slice this stupid kappa into a thousand pieces.
And Fire Fist Ace had been freed, too?! Damn it!
But for now, all he could do was run for his life and try to explain everything to Kaido later.
With a burst of speed, Who's-Who grabbed Kawamatsu and bolted down the hall like a streak of light!
Enel stayed perfectly still, his mocking stare locked firmly onto the two figures desperately fighting their way toward the exit.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, a bright flash of amusement dancing in his pupils.
He looked like a man watching a perfectly written comedy play out right in front of him.
This sudden "misunderstanding" was like a heavy stone thrown into a quiet lake, the ripples of chaos rapidly spreading outward.
With the seed planted, Enel slowly crouched down, gently adjusting his grip on the unconscious Ace.
Then, in a flash of blinding light, he transformed into a streak of lightning and shot straight up through the ceiling, speeding off into the distance.
Flying through the clouds as pure electricity, Enel felt exceptionally pleased with himself.
This unexpected chance to frame someone else was far more entertaining than just doing a boring rescue mission.
He could already picture the serious face of Ron, and he could easily imagine the proud smile that would spread across his captain's face when he heard the news.
"Let the Beasts Pirates tear each other apart," Enel mumbled softly, his voice carrying a tone of absolute certainty and total disrespect.
Wrapped in roaring thunder, a clear, tricky grin spread across Enel's face.
He could already see it—this unexpected "betrayal" was like a quietly lit fuse, one that might just become the final straw that burns the Beasts Pirates to the ground.
...
Elsewhere...
The midday sun poured down like melted gold, mercilessly roasting every inch of the Flower Capital.
The heat turned the streets into a giant oven, with heavy, boiling heatwaves rolling through the air.
Izo led the group, his footsteps steady and totally calm as they walked through the city gates carrying twenty years of heavy memories.
As they walked deeper into the city, Kin'emon's footsteps grew heavier and heavier.
Each step seemed to pluck at his heartstrings, stirring up massive waves of emotion in his chest.
"Here... everything is exactly as it was, completely unchanged..."
Kin'emon's voice carried a slight shake as his rough fingers gently brushed against the familiar cherry blossom tree sitting by the side of the road, acting as if he were petting the memories left behind by time.
The last twenty years felt like they had been crushed down into a single second.
All the beautiful memories from before Kaido's reign of terror rushed into his mind like a flood—
The dango shop run by the sweet old woman at the corner of the street, the loud laughter and drinking songs from the tavern where the samurai used to hang out, the carefree sight of children playing in the town square... each memory felt as clear and real as if it had just happened yesterday.
Momonosuke's small body shivered violently.
His eyes grew wide, reflecting a street that looked both incredibly familiar and totally foreign at the same time.
His pink kimono blew gently in the soft breeze, making him look incredibly small and fragile.
"Father... Mother..." His childish voice cracked with a heavy sob as tears fell from his eyes like broken pearls, silently rolling down his cheeks.
"Waaah—!"
Suddenly, a heart-wrenching, ugly cry tore through the quiet street.
Momonosuke collapsed onto his knees on the hard stone road, pounding the dirt with his tiny fists as if trying to punch all the pain and unfairness right out of his chest.
"Why... why am I still just a child?!"
He sobbed uncontrollably.
The total helplessness of traveling twenty years into the future, mixed with the crushing agony of losing his parents, finally exploded out of him like a broken dam.
Villagers nearby were drawn over by the sudden, loud crying and slowly gathered around, forming a tight circle.
An old man with pure white hair squinted as he looked closely at Momonosuke.
Suddenly, as if recognizing a ghost, he gasped sharply.
His shaking finger pointed directly at the crying boy, his voice packed with total shock and confusion:
"That hair color... and those eyes... Could it be..."
"Lord Momonosuke?!" The old man selling dango instantly dropped his bamboo skewers into the dirt.
Tears welled up in his cloudy eyes, his voice shaking with total disbelief and overwhelming joy.
"The young master... of the Kozuki family?"
With that single shout, the crowd completely exploded.
Loud gasps and whispers swept through the people as the entire street was swallowed by a sudden wave of shock and raw emotion.
On the slightly worn village street, the elderly villagers seemed to be pulled forward by an invisible force, urgently pushing their way to the front of the crowd.
Their wrinkled faces were carved with pure disbelief.
Their stares locked tightly onto the crying boy sitting in the dirt, their eyes showing a messy mix of confusion, joy, and total shock.
His eyes and eyebrows looked exactly like Oden's, as if they had been carved from the exact same mold, carrying that same natural stubbornness.
And that kimono, proudly wearing the Kozuki family crest, its beautiful patterns swaying gently in the breeze...
"It really is Lord Momonosuke!"
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