Chapter 60: The Foolish Lord of Kuri
ââThe New World, "Wano Country."
The expansion of their influence was progressing remarkably smoothly.
"The ships and the mansion should be finished soon, right?"
"Yes. Wanoâs craftsmen are incredibly skilled⊠Orochi was also grateful that the weapon factories are running smoothly."
"Well, Kaido and I beat the crap out of them, so theyâd better be."
Laughing loudly in the center of Onigashimaâs massive cavern, she watched as construction progressedâwood and materials being hauled in by ship, carpenters diligently at work. For now, they still had to sleep on the ships or relax in the cave with just a sofa and table set up. Hurry it up already. She and Kaido had given the carpenters all kinds of requests for their rooms, and the ships were planned to be massive, high-performanceâno, overwhelmingly well-equipped. Theyâd even gone out of their way to steal a state-of-the-art Marine warship just to show the shipwrights.
Of course, the craftsmen were true professionalsâeager for new knowledge, enthusiastically incorporating it into Wanoâs traditional techniques to build something great. And they werenât doing it grudgingly. Even weapons, like cannonsâthey happily crafted the most viciously powerful ones.
Then again, most of the Flower Capitalâs residents were wealthy. Political instability didnât concern them much. As long as they were safe and happy, it didnât matter if the Kozuki or the Kurozumi ruled. The suffering of other regions? Irrelevant. They werenât suffering. Thatâs just how people wereârarely capable of true empathy.
Not that I mind. A world full of mediocrity would be boring anyway.
Lying sprawled on the sofa, she nibbled on skewered snacks while scribbling in her notebook.
Then, a female crewmate nearby hesitantly spoke up.
"Um⊠What are you writing?"
"An org chart~"
"Org chart?"
"Planning ahead for when the crew gets bigger. Chain of command, structure, that kinda stuff. Like, the Whitebeard Pirates divide their forces under commanders, and Big Momâs crew ranks her kids as Ministers, then fighters like âKnight,â âBishop,â or âRook,â plus the Homies from Linlinâs powersâkinda like a mafia setup, yâknow?"
Still focused on her notes, she answered casually. No reason to hide itâshe was in a good mood. She even raised her voice so the younger crewmates and apprentices nearby could hear.
"All the big pirate crews do it. Takes weight off the captainâs shoulders, and giving ranks motivates the underlings, right? Plus, itâs fun to think about~ âȘ"
"O-Oh, I see! So, more officers meansâŠ"
"Yep~ Still deciding who gets promoted, so no peeking! If you wanna be an officer, get stronger and prove yourselves~ âĄ"
"!! YesâŠ!!"
Mhm. The crewâs motivation visibly spiked. Good. As expected of meâIâm great at firing people up.
That said, few here were officer material yet. Most still had a long way to go. Maybe some would blossom after eating a Devil Fruit, but sheâd prefer ones strong enough without one. It was annoyingâRoger and Whitebeardâs crews had barely any Devil Fruit users, yet their overall strength was insane. She didnât think they lacked combat experience, but somehow, they still lost. Even if the top officers were stronger, the overall power gap made things tough.
Hence, the focus on ships for their baseâand lately, recruiting more crew. Crushing enemies and recruiting them, over and over. Once numbers were solid, sheâd restructure everything. Sheâd already discussed it with Kaido.
Officers would be called "Shinuchi." The six strongest among them? "Tobi Roppo." The "Numbers" would be a separate groupâancient giant combatants.
Above them, the fleet and army commanders: the "All-Stars." Naturally, "King," "Queen," and "Joker" were locked in. She wanted a fourthâ"Jack"âbut that could wait.
And at the very top? "Governor" Kaido. Sheâd be "Vice Governor," probably. No need to overcomplicate it.
âŠStill, turning this org chart into reality would take years. The mansion and ships werenât ready, and crew numbers were still lacking. The times were shifting, and she wished she could speed things upâ
Just then, a crewmate rushed in.
"âLady Nue!! Todayâs newspaper!!"
"Ah, thanksâ âŠHm? You look pale. Something wrong?"
"N-No, itâs justâŠ!!"
"?"
Tilting her head at the panicked underling, she took the paper. Wano was a closed-off nationâoutside news didnât reach here.
But exceptions exist. Sheâd arranged for papers to be smuggled to Onigashima, so the only ones in Wano who got outside news were the Beasts Pirates and the Kurozumi.
She skimmed the headlines. Oh! "Warriors of the Sea: Sora" updated! It went on hiatus after the author got sick, so this was a nice surprise. Sheâd have to mess with its real-life inspirations someday~ âĄ
But firstâ
"Alright, whatâs todayâs juicy news⊠Whoa!! âConqueror of the Grand Line!! The man who reached the final island, "Laugh Tale," and obtained it allâwealth, fame, power: "Pirate King" Gol D. Roger!!â âŠHuh? Big deâ âŠWait."
!!!?
For an instant, time froze for everyone present. Even her thoughts stutteredâthe shock was too sudden, her brain struggling to process it.
In that brief silence, she took a deep breath. Glancing around, she saw the same stunned disbelief on every face.
"HmmâŠ? Ah⊠Uh, letâs see⊠âThe unprecedented circumnavigation of the world⊠The greatest pirate crew, the Roger Pirates⊠All that the "Pirate King" Roger obtained⊠It isââ"
âWhat did you just say?â
â!!!â
âAh!â
Just as I was about to read it out loud, a thunderous, intimidating voice boomed from behindâand the newspaper was snatched right out of my hands. Hey, I was reading that! Not that I mind, but still! He couldâve at least said something! I mean, I guess he didâwhich is probably why all the underlings are practically tripping over themselves in terror.
And of course, the only one here with enough presence to scare everyone like that is none other than my comrade-in-armsâa giant of a man. The captain of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido of the Hundred Beasts.
Kaido grabbed the paper and stared at it, teeth clenched, eyes locked onto the page. He ground his teeth audibly, rage radiating off of him like heat.
ââPirate Kingâ Gol D. RogerâŠ?! The greatest pirate crew in the world, they sayâŠ?!â
And with that, he tore the newspaper to shreds in fury. Ahhâhey!! I hadnât finished reading that yet!!
âYouâve gotta be kidding meâŠ!!! Hey, what the hell are you all doing!?â
âY-y-yes sir!! Doing what exactly!?â
Clearly furious, Kaido barked out his command.
âSet sail! Weâre gonna take Roger down!!!â
âEHHHH!? Waitâwhat?! Weâre talking about Roger here! The Pirate King!!â
âSo what!!! That bastardâŠ!!! Iâm gonna kill him!!! Move it!!! Find Roger!!!â
âYes, sir!!!â
With a roar that could only be described as a beastâs howl, Kaidoâs fury shook the entire ship. His crew had no choice but to obey. Defy him, and they wouldnât just get yelled atâthey might not survive. And whether itâs lucky or not, heâs drunk right now, too.
But still⊠looking again at the article on the torn paper, I canât help but feel a chill.
The birth of the Pirate King. Itâs not just usâthis news must be causing an uproar across the world.
And if you're a pirateâor even a marine or a civilianâthereâs no way you wouldnât be intrigued by that âtreasure.â
That name I was about to read aloud⊠it was printed right there in the newspaper.
Yes. From now on, what Roger found at the end of his journey around the world would be known by this name:
âThe One Piece.â
No doubt about itâthis was the biggest news in decades.
âThe Roger Pirates actually did it!!â
âThey completed the full Grand Line route! The first crew in history!!â
The news reached all corners of the world: the four seas, the Grand Line, every country, city, remote island, and tiny village.
After all, âpiratesâ are defined as those who sail the seas without the approval of the World Government or its member nations.
Many raise skull-and-crossbones flags, committing theft, murder, and other crimes. But even if they donâtâif they sail without permission, theyâre pirates.
This has been the global lawâand common senseâever since the World Government was founded about 800 years ago.
No one in this world is allowed to freely cross the seas. The World Government has always crushed that will. And in those 800 years, no one ever achieved what Roger did.
But he made it happen. Thatâs why he earned the titleâPirate King. The man who attained everything the world had to offer.
And thatâs exactly why the world erupted.
âRoger⊠he really did it, huhâŠ!!â
Naturally, the Navy caught wind of it too. Though they claim to protect the seas, their true mission is to uphold the order of the World Government. So the Navy began to moveâaggressively.
âFind Roger at all costs!!â
âSend word to all branches! Every available ship and marine is to prioritize tracking down and capturing the Roger Pirates! Ignore all other pirates!!â
âFleet Admiral Sengoku is waiting for you, sir!! Admiral!!â
ââŠIs this the will of DâŠ?â
âSir? What did you just sayââ
ââŠNever mind. Iâm heading out.â
From the Holy Land of Mariejois to Marineford, and through every base in the Grand Line and the four seas, the Navy mobilized. From top brass like admirals and fleet admirals, down to the lowest-ranking sailors, they all set out to find the Roger Pirates.
An overwhelming show of force. But those few marines who had even a glimpse of the bigger picture⊠they couldnât help but feel conflicted.
And with the rise of the Pirate King, it was only natural for pirates to take action as well.
âHey, Pops!! Roger did it!!â
âGurararara⊠Roger⊠that fool actually pulled it offâŠ!!â
Pirates existed all across the world. Some chased treasure. Others, fame or power. Some just hated being tied down, while others were simply villains at heart. Some set out in pursuit of adventureâand were labeled pirates because of it.
Countless pirates roamed the four seas and the Grand Line.
âWeâre taking Roger down!!!â
âHead for the Grand Line!!â
âThey say heâs got everything!!!â
âWho would've thought a Pirate King would rise from these seas!!?â
âIâll kill him and take the title of Pirate King for myselfâŠ!! Letâs go, to the New World!!!â
Every pirate turned their sights on Roger. They searched for him. Hunted him.
But no one could claim the prize. No one found Roger. Or his crew.
Worseâthose who tried were crushed by even stronger pirate crews hunting Roger themselves.
No matter how hard they searched, the Roger Pirates couldnât be found. They had vanished⊠and rightly so. Rogerâs crew had secretly disbanded.
One by one, legendary pirates left the crew and disappeared to different islands. As marines and pirates chased them with desperate eyes, countless battles broke out, and the toll was heavy.
But unaware of the chaos he left behind, another manâonce part of the Roger Piratesâreturned to his homeland.
Parting from his comrades with a promise to meet again someday, this man stepped back onto the soil of his homeland. His nameâKozuki Oden.
The heir to the shogunate of Wano Country. A powerful daimyo of Kuri. Once a commander under the infamous Whitebeard Pirates, and later a crewmate of Roger, who came to know the world's greatest secret.
Now, the man had returned with a new dreamâto open the borders of his country. And so, after many long years, he came face-to-face with his people once more.
âOden-sama!! Weâve missed you so much!!â
âToki~~~!! Momonosuke!! Hiyori!! I missed you all so muchââ!!â
Oden embraces his family for the first time in a year.The reunion truly brings a wave of emotion.
But... the sense of wrongness sets in soon afterâtriggered by the reactions of his retainers.
âWelcome back, Lord Oden...!!â
âYeah!! It's been a while, hasn't it!! Heyâwhatâs with those faces? Haha, are you crying 'cause you're that happy to see me back?â
âUgh... no, it's just...â
âHmm? Why so hesitant?â
Oden tilts his head, puzzled by their odd behavior. Kinâemon, Raizo, Kawamatsu, Kanjuro, Kikunojo, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi are all thereâeveryone except Ashura and Denjiroâbut a sense of guilt clouds their faces, and they look unwell.
â...Oden-sama, the thing is...â
âToki! Whatâs going on with everyone? Honestly, I thought theyâd tease me a bit more than this...â
âOden-sama... whatever you see from here on out... please, donât blame them.â
âââHuh? Blame them? Me?â
Even Tokiâusually so strong, bright, and composedâlets a shadow fall across her face.
Oden doesnât yet understand what that means.Not until they reach the outskirts of Kuri.Noâmore precisely, not until he sees what remains of what used to be Kuriâs castle town.
âWhaâWhat is this...!!?â
Oden is at a loss for words.
Kuriâs castle town.The bustling Hakumai he built alongside his dependable retainers.The joyful idiots he loved.
It had all reverted... into a land of ruins.
âWhat on earth happened to make the town end up like this!?â
âForgive us!!! Our... our careless actions led to this disaster...!! We failed to protect the domain entrusted to us...!!â
âUgh... ughhh...!!â
âH-Hey, donât cry!! Explain it to me!! Something mustâve happened!! Was it a quake? A tornado? Some natural disaster!?â
â...Oden-sama. Weâll explain everythingâstep by step... but for now, please, letâs go to the castle.â
âToki... alright.â
The townânow a cluster of ramshackle huts and straw homes.It was livable, barely. Still under construction. But the smiles that once filled it were almost all gone.
As his retainers cried out apologies and Oden tried to calm them, Toki suggested they head to the castle, and so Oden made his way home.
But along the way, the people of the town reacted to him in different ways.
âLord Oden is back...!!â
âBut if only heâd done his duty properly back then...!!â
âIf itâs Lord Oden... maybe he can...!!â
âNo way. No one can stand up to them... no one...â
â............â
Oden canât bring himself to say anything. He doesnât know what he could say.
Some voices welcomed him with joy.Others spoke in bitter whispers, casting resentful glances.
Still, Oden had expected harsher wordsâcurses, even.Heâd always been treated that way. It never really bothered him.But this time was different.
Even the hopeful voices were laced with fear. Like prayers.And the bitter ones? Like curses drenched in despair.
It was just like the Kuri of old.A lawless, impoverished wasteland.A dumping ground for criminals.
Why had it come to this?What happened while he was away?
Once back at the castle, Oden finally heard the truth from his retainers.
Ashura wasnât present because he was keeping the thugs in check.Denjiro was traveling the country, gathering money and workers.And the reason for all thisâ?
âSo my father truly was in poor health...!! I regret not being there at the end...!!â
âYes, and to make matters more complicated... his recommended successorâwas Orochi.â
â!? What!? Why would that happen!?â
âEven we donât understand... apparently Lord Sukiyaki claimed Orochi, your âlittle brother,â was worthy to act as Shogun's stand-in...â
Oden is shaken.He knows Orochi, sureâbut heâs not a âlittle brother.â Just an acquaintance.He only lent him money as a favor to Yasuiâs retainer, nothing more.
Itâs a complete shockâand the news only gets worse.
âNow, several weapons factories have been built across the regions of Wano... the men of each village are being forced to work under strict watch, for wages so low they can barely survive...â
âWhat the hell!? Why is everyone listening to a snake like Orochi!?â
Odenâs rage boils over as he learns the details about the smoke-belching buildings he saw earlier.But once again, the retainersâ faces grow dark.Some shake, some avert their eyes in shame.Yet they answer.
âOrochi has the backing of a pirate named Kaido...â
âHis strength is monstrous... and if anyone dares oppose him, Kaidoâs subordinatesâknown as âCalamitiesââmake an example of them...â
âOrochi uses this to do whatever he wants... and we, unaware of the true threat, also...â
The retainers fall silent, guilt thick in the air.
But then, Toki steps in.
âOden-sama!! They were trying to protect the townspeople... to protect me and the childrenââ
âNo, Lady Toki!! No excuses!! No matter the reason... we failed to protect them. Thatâs the truth. We are prepared to accept any punishment...!!!â
âB-But...!!â
ââŠâŠ? Hey! Donât skip over things! Tell me!! What happened!?â
Oden demands the full story.
âAbout six months ago... a man who refused to work at the factoryâand his entire familyâwere executed.â
Yes.They had tried to protect them.
Orochiâs repeated tyranny had finally pushed them over the edge.Consumed by rage and righteous anger, they took up their swords and marched on the Flower Capital.
But that... was the beginning of the tragedy.
âAs we stormed Orochiâs strongholdâKaidoâs forces slipped into Kuri through the back...!!â
âThey infiltrated the castle... and aimed to take the life of Lord Momonosuke, the rightful heir...!!â
At that, all the retainers fell to their knees in unison. They pressed their foreheads to the tatami mats, their bodies trembling.
âEven those of us left to guard the castle... were defeated by the enemy...!!â
â!!? You lost!? You guys...!?â
âWe have no excuse...!!â
Inuarashi and KawamatsuâOden knew well the strength of those who had stayed behind. Their skills far surpassed ordinary samurai. It was no exaggeration to call them the strongest in all of Wano.
And yet, theyâd been beaten. Not by Kaido, but by his subordinates. That fact alone stunned Oden.
And the result... was clear to see.
âLady Toki was wounded by an arrow... and right before our eyes, a strange flying disc destroyed the town...!!â
â!! Let me see, Toki!!â
âNo, Oden... It's true I was injured, but the woundâs already healed. âNot even a scar is left... perfectly smooth and clean...â
âDonât lie!! Thatâs impossible!!â
Oden rushed to check her body. Toki had indeed said she was hit, but her leg bore no trace of injury. If an arrow had pierced her, there should be a scar. Especially after half a yearâit shouldnât have just vanished. And yet, it had.
âThe enemies who attacked Kuri... treated her injuries. It was a strange girl who used some bizarre sorcery... it mightâve been her doing.â
â!! A Devil Fruit user...!!â
Oden had spent years as a pirate. He understood. What Wano called âsorceryâ was known to the world as Devil Fruit powers.
With such abilities, bizarre and inexplicable things became possible. He didnât know the exact nature of the power, but there was no doubt that it had healed Tokiâs wound.
Why they treated herâwhat their intention wasâremained a mystery. Still, he was glad sheâd recovered. But the fact remained: it was those same enemies who had attacked and devastated the town. Gratitude was not something he could offer.
â...Now I see exactly how Orochi operates...!!â
âOden-sama!!?â
âWhat are you...!!â
Oden gripped his swords. He was furious.
Of course he was. The town they all built had been destroyed. His wife was hurt. His retainers too.
But more than anythingâthe sight of the children, terrified as they listened to the story, sent him over the edge.
Theyâd frightened the ones he loved most. Left them with trauma. Any one of those things alone was enough reason for Oden to explode with rage.
âYou all protect my family!! Guard Kuri with your lives!!!â
âW-Wait, Oden!!â
âOden-sama!!?â
Oden burst out of the castleâliterallyâracing toward the root of all evil. Like a gale, he sped toward the Flower Capital, his whole body surging with Haki, ready to cut down Kurozumi Orochi.
The people of Wanoâthe samurai, the townsfolkâdidnât know. But Orochi and Kaido had stationed their men in each region, ready to relay any incident via smart-tanishi, a local communication network like den den mushi. So, the report came instantly.
âOden is heading toward the Flower Capital!!â
âWeâre trying to contact Lord Orochi, but canât get through!!â
âJust confirmedâwhoa!! Heâs moving incredibly fast!! Heâll be in the Capital any moment now!!â
âWhat should we do!!? At this rate, Oden will reach Lord Orochi...!!â
âSo, they say. What now?â
At that very moment, I heard the report myself on Onigashima. Iâd just gotten backâtalk about timing. Close call. If Iâd lingered a bit longer or been held captive any further, Iâd have missed it. Whew... Taking on twenty Navy warships back-to-back really drained me, but I somehow pulled through. The seaâs been swarming with battleships latelyâprobably searching for Roger. I didnât lose, but I did get captured again. Tortured, sentenced to deathâbut thatâs all beside the point. This is the priority now. If Odenâs back, then the Roger Pirates must be nearby. Roger himself likely isnât. So, I asked Kaido what he planned to do. Odenâs returnedâwhatâs next? Kaido, still fuming, replied:
âSo that bastard Oden from Rogerâs crew is back...! That means Roger himself mustâve been in Wano just a little while ago, damn it...!!! What a goddamn joke...!!!â
âWell, yeah, thatâs right. So what now? Do we let Oden go and wait for him to sail again? Iâm okay with that.â
âDonât be stupid!!! If Orochi gets killed now, itâll be a pain in the ass...!!! And besidesâIâm curious about this Oden guy...!!!â
âSo then?â
ââOf course Iâm going!!!â
"âNow thatâs more like it!!!"
Kaido let out a roar as if unleashing all the frustration he'd been bottling up, then transformed into his beast formâa dragonâand flew out of Onigashima. I followed suit, taking to the skies toward the Flower Capital.
On the way, I used my smart shell, which Iâd painted black and decorated with a little UFO charm, to receive reports from my subordinates stationed in the capital.
âNue-sama!! Reporting from the Flower Capital!! Kozuki Oden just cut through our samurai and stormed into the castle!!â
âFast!! Thatâs Oden for you~! The guyâs on a whole different level when it comes to action! Guess spending time on Whitebeardâs and Rogerâs ships wasnât just for showâregular samurai canât keep up.â
âMore importantly, the townspeople are gathering!! Heâs unbelievably popularâŠ!! The streets are overflowing with people!!â
âEh, just have Queen fire one of his Plague Excite Bullets into the crowd. No oneâs gonna stick around when thereâs a virus flying through the air, right?â
âW-well, surely thatâs a bitâŠâ
âAhaha!! Kidding, kidding!! Donât take it so seriously! The Flower Capital is the heart of Wanoâweâd never go that far. Just shoot a few poison arrows to scare them off or something, yeah?â
âU-understood! Proceeding with that plan!!â
Ah, he totally thought I might actually do it. I mean, fairâdoes sound kinda fun. But the Flower Capitalâs got great food, fun shops, itâs a lively town. It's an essential part of the Beasts Piratesâ lifestyle. I donât want to wreck or terrorize it too much. So Iâll be nice and rule it gently. We can tear up the other regions and islands all we want.
âWhile that was going on, Kaido and I crossed the sea, passed over Udon, and arrived at the Flower Capital.
By the time we got there, the people had cleared out from the streets, all hiding in buildings and peeking out to see what was going on.
âOh dear, it was so lively just a moment ago, and now itâs dead quiet~. Guess Oden really is still beloved by the people.â
âDoesnât matter. More importantlyâthereâs a powerful aura in that castleâŠ!! That must be OdenâŠ!!!â
âOooh yeah, I feel it too. That Hakiâs intense. Looks like thisâll be funâĄâ
âDonât you dare interfere, NueâŠ!!â
âEhh~? Gonna hog him all to yourself? Fine, whatever~â
And so, Kaido and I stormed the castle, headed straight to the main keep where Orochi was waiting. Kaido reverted to his human form, picked up his kanabo club, and charged straight at Oden.
ââSo youâre Kozuki OdenâŠ!!!â
â!!? You⊠you must be KaidoâŠ!!â
Kaido swung his kanabo, and Oden caught the motion in time, blocking with both his swords. Haki clashed between them, bursting into the air like black lightning. Yep, just as I thoughtâheâs got Conquerorâs Haki too. And strong. Itâs been a while since someone could actually go toe-to-toe with Kaido. Last time was probably Roger, Whitebeard, Linlin, or Shiki. Among the Navy, maybe only an admiral or Garp could stand a chance against Kaido. And yet, Oden just blocked that blow head-on. This might actually be roughââI thought, as I casually strolled closer to Orochi.
âAs expected from the invincible Kozuki Oden! Not bad!! But hey, our Kaidoâs not doing too shabby either, right?â
âA girl with wingsâŠ!?â
âCorrectionâbeautiful girl! Get it right~! Iâm the worldâs cutest, coolest, most passionate and mysterious idol pirate, Vice Captain of the Beasts PiratesâFuuju Nue! Donât forget it~âĄâ
ââŠSo it was youâŠ!! Youâre the one who destroyed KuriâŠ!!â
Even though I struck a cute wink and striking pose for my intro, Oden just threw a question at me. So rudeâI said beautiful girl, didnât I? Hmph⊠Oh well, Iâll answer anyway. I smiled sweetly.
âYup, that was me~âȘ But I actually went pretty easy on everyone, yâknow? I didnât kill your men, and casualties among the townspeople were minimal. I even healed your wifeâs injuries. Honestly, I think you owe me a thank you!! Wanna become a fan of mine?â
ââŠâŠ!!â
Oh? Ignored. Well, not exactly ignoredâhe didnât say no. He just didnât respond. Probably doesnât have anything to say about it. Thatâs the kind of guy a leader of samurai is. Heâs not denying or confirming anything, just focusing all his energy and hostility on defeating us. Yep, makes sense. Anyone who sailed with pirates wouldnât bother with words. Pirates donât back down over debates or sweet talk. In the end, itâs about conviction. Strength and will. Thatâs what decides things.
When pirates argue, itâs not really about winning the argument. Itâs about stating your beliefs and sizing up the other personâs. If youâre the type to compromise or bend your ideals after some words, you wouldnât be a pirate in the first place. If someone wants to win with words, they shouldâve been a lawyer. A pirateâs beliefs arenât right or wrongâwhoeverâs stronger forces theirs through and survives. The loser loses everything. Thatâs all there is to it.
And in this world, the one man who followed his belief in freedom all the way to the end was the âPirate King,â Gol D. Roger. Selfish, short-tempered, completely insane in his actionsâbut he kept winning, kept surviving, and became the Pirate King.
The question now is whether the man who once sailed with himâOdenâcan follow through with his beliefs. In the end, that too will come down to strengthââor it should have, but right now, he canât even make use of his full power.
The reason? The man on the throne. Thanks to Semimaruâs Barrier-Barrier Fruit, Kurozumi Orochi is safe inside an impenetrable barrier. Surrounded by weapons and hostages, he made his offer. âUgh, whatever. Iâm getting hungry. Maybe Iâll bring some takeout home later.
âYou want to stop the kidnappings? Go to war with us, and youâll lose more than you can imagine.â
"What...!?"
A flicker of hesitation appeared in Odenâs eyes. He never looked away from Kaido, but he was listening closely to Orochiâs words. âAnd while weâre at it, I wouldnât mind if the cute little rat hiding in the ceiling decided to join us too. If Stussy were here, she mightâve caught it by now, but sheâs busy elsewhere and canât make it. CP is fully mobilized trying to track Roger, so theyâre all tied up too. I mean, the guyâs been this hard to catch even with so many agents on the moveâjust how high is his stealth stat? Makes you wonder if heâs hiding some kind of secret... Well, anyway, I guess weâll leave the ceiling rat be. Sure, we could catch them, but letting them listen in might make things more entertaining. Besides, theyâre not really a threat. Propping my chin in my hand, I float there listening to the exchange between Orochi and Oden.
âEvery week, same time...!! As an apology to the Kurozumi clan, youâll perform a naked dance!! For each time you do it, Iâll release a hundred hostages!!â
â...Is that really true...!?â
âMuhaha!! Thinking of agreeing, are you!? Do that, and your pride, your popularityâtheyâll be dragged through the mud!!â
âJust answer the question...!!â
Oden glared behind him. He didnât turn his head, but the sheer force of his presence was clearly aimed at Orochi. Hm. What a waste. Heâs this strong, and yet he clings to that naĂŻve idea of saving everyone without letting anyone die. And now heâs actually considering giving in to this offerâanother sign heâs not cut out to lead. If he were willing to accept sacrifices, maybe he could save more lives in the end. But no, itâs not the method thatâs wrongâitâs the fact that someone weak is choosing that method. If it were someone like Roger or Whitebeard, their strength alone could carry that kind of idealism. Everyone would call them great men. But Oden doesnât have their strength, so when he chooses that path... itâs just foolish. Fools like that dance in the palm of the wise. Just like Oden is doing now.
âWhen the ship weâre building is finished... yes. Five years from now, Iâll leave this country.â
â...So until then, youâll keep dancing?â
âYeah. If you want to protect the country, then show us how sorry you are...!! Do that, and Iâll even give up on revenge...!!â
â...Fine.â
Oden paused a long time before nodding at Orochiâs words. He sheathed his sword, walked past Kaido, and started to leave.
Heâs such an idiotâitâs not like theyâre going to keep their promise. I was honestly a bit disappointed. Still, I figured this might turn out to be entertaining in its own way, so I decided to stick around and watch. âBut just before Oden passed him, Kaido muttered something under his breath. I caught it.
âTch... spineless fool.â
â!â
Oden mustâve heard it too... but he didnât stop walking. He just continued out of the castle.
Left behind were Orochi, Higurashi, Semimaru, and the rest of the Kurozumi clan. Only Kaido and I remained with them.
âKukuku... That idiot really agreed to the terms...!!â
While Orochi and his lot laughed, mocking Oden, Kaido sighed, clearly unimpressed. The whole thing had felt like a letdown.
âHe really left, huh? Were you hoping for a fight after all?â
âIf we had fought, it wouldâve been a tough one. But... in the end, heâs just like Roger and Newgate. Strong, but soft... pisses me off. Guys like that are better off being laughed at.â
âWell, yeah. Even if weâre fine, our underlings wouldâve been dropping like flies. ...So, wanna stay and watch the naked dance?â
âHmph. Yeah, sure. Once thatâs done, weâll head back and drink some more.â
With that, Kaido and I looked down at the castle town, waiting for the moment. Man... events just keep piling up lately. Once we get back, weâll need to start the hunt again. Still, I couldnât help but feel a quiet sense of anticipationâthinking about the new age thatâs about to begin.
âAnd a little while later, in front of the castle, before a huge crowd... Oden, naked, danced like a fool.
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