One Piece: Starting with Sharingan, First Mate Uchiha

The blinding morning light instantly flooded into the hall.

That slender figure stood in the bright sunlight, as if she had finally broken free from the darkness that had entangled her for twenty years.

Outside the hall.

Denjiro remained standing guard at the door like a stone statue.

He didn't sleep all night.

When the door suddenly opened, Denjiro's body visibly stiffened.

Upon seeing Hiyori emerge from inside, he instinctively shifted his gaze to the side, not daring to look directly at the princess's face.

"Your Highness, Princess..."

Hiyori looked at the retainer who had protected her for twenty years, but her face showed no shame, anger, or panic.

She remained calm, as if everything that happened last night was simply a private choice that required no explanation to anyone.

"Denjiro."

"What's the situation outside the city now?"

Hearing the solemnity in Hiyori's tone, Denjiro quickly suppressed his distracting thoughts.

He knelt on one knee and reported to his superior in a deep voice:

"According to the intelligence just sent back by our informants outside the city."

"Young Master, Kin'emon, and Captain Luffy of Lord Victor's crew."

"They have led the Udon rebels to the outskirts of the Flower Capital."

"A large number of civilians and wandering samurai joined along the way."

"The army is now at the city gates."

"The people in the city are still unaware of what has happened, and many have begun to panic upon seeing the army in the distance."

Denjiro raised his head and asked cautiously:

"Should we keep the city gates closed and send someone to secretly escort His Highness into the city?"

Upon hearing this question, Hiyori remained silent for a moment.

If it were yesterday, she might have left the decision to Denjiro, or subconsciously turned to ask Viktor.

This time, however, she did not look at the man behind her.

Hiyori walked alone to the edge of the high platform outside the castle tower, looking down at the Flower Capital gradually awakening in the morning.

She saw people running around in panic in the streets because of the commotion outside the city.

They also saw, in the distance beyond the city walls, a formation of warriors approaching like a black tide.

The enormous banner representing the Kozuki family fluttered wildly in the morning glow.

Twenty years of waiting.

Twenty years of forbearance.

Twenty years of blood, tears, and darkness.

Today, there is no longer any need to hide.

Hiyori slowly closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, there was no longer any hesitation in them.

"Open the city gates."

"Tell everyone—"

"Orochi is dead."

"The Kozuki family has returned."

Denjiro's body trembled slightly.

Hiyori turned around and calmly issued Princess Kozuki's first command:

"Take down all the Black Charcoal Clan flags from the city walls."

"Raise the Kozuki family crest to the highest point in the Flower Capital."

"All warriors in the city are ordered not to obstruct the rebel army from entering the city, and are not allowed to disturb or harm any civilians."

"Ring the morning bells throughout the city."

"Tell everyone that the twenty-year-long darkness is over."

Denjiro stared blankly at the princess before him.

At this moment, he seemed to finally see the shadow of Lord Kozuki Oden in her.

It's not because of power.

It's not because of bloodline.

Rather, it is the awareness that one is willing to stand tall and bear everything, even when faced with the weight of the entire nation.

Denjiro's eyes reddened, and he lowered his head heavily.

"Hi!"

"As Your Highness commands!"

After a while.

"Thump—!"

The morning bell of the Flower City, which had been silent for many years, was struck with all its might.

The deep, resonant sound of the bells boomed from the highest point of the Great Serpent City, sweeping across the entire city like an invisible wave.

Countless people who were running around in a panic stopped and looked up in confusion.

Under their shocked and incredulous gazes.

The huge banner hanging atop the castle tower, representing the brutal rule of Kurozumi Orochi, had its ropes severed by several samurai.

The charcoal family crest lost its support and fell helplessly from the sky.

Followed by.

A huge banner, symbolizing the Kozuki clan and sealed away for twenty years, slowly rose in the brilliant morning sun.

"That is..."

"The Kozuki family crest?!"

"How is that possible! Didn't the Kozuki clan already..."

The people on the street stared wide-eyed.

Some elderly people, upon recognizing that familiar flag, dropped what they were holding.

Their legs buckled, and they knelt down in the middle of the street, tears streaming uncontrollably from their eyes.

at the same time.

The two heavy city gates of the Flower Capital, which had been closed for a long time, slowly opened to both sides under the tense and expectant gazes of countless people, accompanied by a piercing sound of machinery turning.

On the hillside outside the city.

Luffy looked at the Kozuki flag that had suddenly risen and burst into a hearty laugh.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Looks like Viktor has taken care of everything inside!"

Five thousand warriors erupted in deafening cheers upon seeing the open city gates.

Kin'emon, Kawamatsu, Hyogoro, and the others did not take immediate action.

They stared blankly at the center of the city gate.

Surrounded by countless armored warriors, a stunningly beautiful woman in a pale purple gown walked alone through the city gate, heading towards the mighty rebel army.

She wasn't walking fast.

Even because his body had not fully recovered, he still had a very slight stiffness when he walked.

But her back remained perfectly straight.

He didn't hide behind Denjiro.

He did not rely on Viktor, who was following behind him.

She stood alone in front of thousands of warriors.

When Momonosuke saw the face that resembled his mother's in his memory, he froze on the spot.

"You...you are..."

Hiyori gazed at her older brother, who in her memory was forever only eight years old and still retained the appearance of a child.

Her resilience, cultivated all night long, finally cracked at this moment.

Those beautiful eyes quickly reddened, and tears silently slid down her cheeks.

But she didn't cover her face and cry like she used to.

Hiyori, with her back still straight, bowed slowly to Momonosuke under the watchful eyes of thousands of rebels and the entire populace of the Flower Capital.

"Elder brother."

Welcome home.

A morning breeze blows.

The enormous banner bearing the Kozuki family crest fluttered above their heads.

At that moment, the Kozuki bloodline, separated for twenty years, finally reunited in the first rays of sunlight rising in Wano Country.