By Your Side

Chapter 36

Another enemy ship showed up with more reinforcements. I noticed how Zoro immediately went on the defensive, keeping his guard up, making me think he knows the man who just showed up.

I watched as the man unsheathed his sword, but what I wasn't expecting, was for him to slash the enemy ship beside him in half. "Wha- What the hell..."

"Akazaya Samurai! I am a yakuza from the Flower Capital, people call me Napping Kyoshiro! My Kyoshiro Family is 200 strong and we would like to help you with your raid!"

"Does he want to join our side?" Sanji spoke up, just as confused as the rest of us.

"I thought he was an enemy." Brook stated.

"He was supposed to be..." I turned to look at Robin as she trailed her sentence off.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" I asked, hoping for an answer, but was only met with a simple head shake to say no.

I turned back to the scene in front of us as Kiku asked why he'd want to join us. "I owe the Kozuki Clan an immeasurable number of favors and debts... I often remember you, Kin-San!"

He began talking about an incident that happened 40 years ago in the capital, something about Kin'emon taking a baby boar and the mother rampaging in the city.

"Are you Denjiro?!" Kin'emon shouted desperately, as if he wanted it to be true but needed confirmation.

"That is right! I am the Kozuki Clan's retainer and one of the Alazaya Nine! Denjiro!" The man, now identified as Denjiro, exclaimed, taking off the hair piece that was on top of his head.

Due to Denjiro staying under the enemies nose all this time, he knew about the plan to sabotage Kin'emon's rendezvous plan. He was able to bring all the allies we had been waiting on with him, now with a total of 5,400 soldiers to back us up.

In the midst of everything, Kanjuro was trying to make an escape with Momonouske. Sanji started to jump into the air, heading towards the bird they were on.

"Luffy! Kanjuro was the enemy's spy!" Chopper shouted out to Luffy, point up towards them. "He's taking Momo away!"

"What?! Are you sure?!" He replied, shocked at the news. "Does that mean he's been fooling us?!"

"He's flying into the clouds!" Franky spoke up.

"I'll shoot him down!" Usopp said as he began to take aim. "Special Attack! Green Star Plantanus Shuriken!" The shuriken flew in the air, yet Kanjuro managed to block the attack.

With the opportunity of his attention being directed to us, Sanji went in for an attack, surprising Kanjuro. The two began to go back and forth, Kanjuro getting the upper hand and managed to get away by sending a bunch of arrows to rain down.

The rest of us began to dodge the arrows, as they began causing damage to everything. I took out my sword and began deflecting as many as I could, cutting some apart here and there. "Damn, they just keep coming!"

"Can you hear me!" Momonouske's voice began to erupt, catching everyone's attention. "All of you, stop worrying about me! This is exactly what they want! I can escape on my own, so I want you to bring down Kaido and Orochi, and save the Land of Wano!"

"That's right, Momo! You... are just a chicken-hearted stupid brat, but you always boss people around, you squirt with a funny topknot!" Luffy shouted up to Momonouske. "Survive however you can, I'm gonna rescue you! Because you're my friend."

I let out a small chuckle. "We'll, he could've said it a different way, but I guess this work too."

Without another word, we began to make our way towards Onigashima. An enemy ship that fled, began to fire its cannons, damaging a couple ships. Turns out they had a long-range cannon.