Chapter 70: Kozuki Oden
ââThat brutal battle would later become⊠a legend.
"Hey, Oden. Join my crew."
"âŠâŠWhat⊠did you say?"
"If you join my pirate crew, Iâll spare you and your family. Iâll even smooth things over with Orochi. Worst case, my siblingsâ powers can cover it up. âŠSo? What do you say?"
"Tch⊠Thatâs⊠an offer I canât acceptâŠ!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠWORORORO!! Then Iâve got no choice but to kill you!!"
The ferocious battle that unfolded in the depths of Udonâs forest reduced it to ashes, leaving nothing but devastation in its wake.
"!! RAAAAAH!!! Iâm⊠not done yetâŠ!!"
"!! âŠWhat a waste⊠A man of your strength couldâve brought so much more destructionâŠ!!"
"I wonât⊠let you ruin Wano⊠I CANâT afford to loseâŠ!!"
"âI see. But I will destroy this countryâthis whole world! You were strong⊠but this is the end!!"
And so, the clash between the fool of a lord who sought to save Wano and the self-proclaimed "Sovereign" who aimed to conquer it reached its climaxâwith each delivering their ultimate strike.
It was also a gesture of respect. Even as irreconcilable enemies, they poured their full power into their weapons, as if honoring the fight theyâd shared.
"âMomonosukeâs ParadiseâŠ"
"âRoaring ThunderâŠ"
Their Haki erupted, black lightning crackling as it tore through the air, shaking the earth and splitting the heavens.
The two warriors, locked in their final stand, unleashed their all in perfect unisonâsending shockwaves across Wano.
"âTen Sacred Blades!!!!"
"âHakke!!!!"
ââAnd with those world-shattering blows⊠the legend of the "Beast" spread throughout Wano.
The captured Daimyo of Kuri, Kozuki Oden, and his nine retainers were imprisoned in the Flower Capital, branded as "traitors to the Shogun" as they awaited punishment.
The public met the inexplicable incident with cold indifference; no one spared them sympathy.
Even as the samuraisâ fate was sealed, the people of Wano saw only spectacleâeager for the rare entertainment of an execution.
ââThe ten vile samurai would face their sentence three days later!! Before a crowd of thousands!!
ââThey would be BOILED ALIVE!!!
We had triumphed over Wanoâs most formidable resistance.
Oden and his nine samurai retainers were captured and thrown into the prisons of Rakucho District. One escaped, but⊠her, I let go. Sheâll say something amusing later, so I deliberately didnât chase her.
More importantlyâwe won. Kaido won. He crushed Kozuki Oden head-on.
So we celebrated. We drank.
"Ahahaha!! You did it, Kaido!! Youâre the strongest!! No one left in Wano can touch youâor us!!"
"WORORORO!! Flattery wonât change that!! Of course Iâm the strongest!! Thatâs a given!!"
We laughed like fools, reveling in victory. Bandages wrapped Kaidoâs stomach, dressing the sword wound Oden had given himâbut now, it was a badge of honor. Whether it hurt when he laughed, I didnât know. To Kaido, pain meant nothing. Even half-dead, heâd always drink after a fight. Some things never change.
But as pirates, we had work to do. Orochi handled Oden and his samuraisâ execution, then consulted us on the next steps. Simple enough.
"âKaido, Nue. The wounded are treated. And
have returned from patrolling our waters.""WORORORO!! Good work, King!!"
"King, once the executionâs over, take the Numbers and burn down Kuriâs castle, will you?"
"Yeah, I know."
As Kaido and I drank, King arrived with updates. Weâd left post-war cleanup to himâalongside managing the Beasts Piratesâ territories. Queen and Joker had their own tasks too.
The All-Stars and their "Tobiroppo" subordinates ran the crew efficiently. Kaido and I just set broad directives; the All-Stars handled the rest. They were captains in their own right, leading divisions of a thousand or more, mobilizing fleets or allied crews as needed.
Power flowed to the strongânewcomers could rise to officers overnight if they proved themselves. (The Numbers? Think of them as elite enforcers I loan out for defense or raids.)
ââThatâs how we operate! Smooth, free, meritocratic!
"Also, Joker and the Oniwabanshu report the other daimyo and yakuza are preparing for war in secret."
"Oho~!! Theyâre still scheming?! But theyâre nothing compared to Oden!"
"Crush them now?"
"If they attack~!! âOh, King, youâre curious about that swordsman⊠Shimotsuki Ushimaru, right?"
"WORORORO! Then heâs yours!"
"! Gladly."
King sought approval to handle the remnants. Kaido, still riding high from killing Oden, waved him off. I was in a good mood too. Ushimaru? A famed swordsman, but beneath Odenâs tier. Weâd stomp themâpersonally, because rebels deserve special attention.
ââDays later, after feasting and drinkingâŠ
"Kaido! Nue! Welcome! Iâve reserved the best seatsâfine drinks, fine food! Enjoy the show!"
"Yeah, Orochi."
"Morning~! Youâre chipper!"
"Why wouldnât I be?! You crushed that fool, and now we get to execute him!!"
Execution day. Kaido and I joined Orochi in the Flower Capitalâs square, seated in the VIP section.
Orochi was giddy. Beside him, Higurashi and Semimaru smirked at the massive potâfilled to the brim with oil. Boiling alive was a rare spectacle, and the crowd flocked to see it. How delightful. These Wano citizens shared my tastesâthereâs joy in watching the weak suffer. Theyâre smarter than Odenâs lot, at least; they know not to bite the hand that feeds.
Orochi hates hypocrites who pretend to be righteous. Me? I love them. Their screams when the tables turn? Priceless.
"Oh! Did you prepare what I asked?"
"Hm? Oh, that. Itâs ready⊠but whatâs it for? Want it served after?"
"Ehehe~ Itâs a secret âĄ"
"WORORORO! Donât ask, Orochi."
"Huh? Oh, sure, whatever."
I practically skipped with glee as I collected the item Iâd asked Orochi for, then took my seat at the VIP stageâOrochi, Kaido, and me, in that order. A server poured us drinks, and my personal feast arrived (Orochi and Kaido got nothing, but hey, their loss).
"You two arenât eating?"
"Wait, youâre seriously gonna eat during an executionâŠ?"
"WORORORO! Only this brat could treat death as a damn side dish."
"Ehhh?? Whyâs everyone acting like Iâm the weirdo? Itâs just like pairing booze with sufferingâmisery makes food taste better! Todayâs menu: Human Despair!! Misfortuneâs sweeter than honey!!"
"I mean⊠I get it, butâŠ"
I lectured them on the culinary joys of othersâ agony, but Kaido just laughed, and Orochiâwhile admitting he "understood"âclearly lacked the appetite. Tsk. Wasteful.
If they can drink, they can eat. Orochiâs still shackled by ethics. Pathetic. Moralityâs the biggest buzzkill in life. Being "good" can be fun, but you donât need rules for that. True evil, though? That demands total freedom. Ditch the guilt, and the worldâs your playground. Maybe Iâll write a self-help book: Nueâs Guide to Unshackled Joy. Instant bestseller.
"âLet the public execution of Kozuki Oden and his nine retainers⊠COMMENCE!!"
Ah, showtime! Odenâs crew was dragged in, cuffed and guarded. Honestly, they couldâve snapped those chains anytime. I wouldâve escaped after some fun⊠but no, theyâre too honorable. What a shame. With their strength, theyâd have made perfect lieutenants for our world-ending spree.
"So even the âFool Lordâ couldnât beat KaidoâŠ"
"I thought he was the real deal⊠What happened?"
Pfft. Wrong. Oden was strongâjust not strong enough. I respected that. Even now, as he glared at us and barked:
"Give me a chance!! I must surviveâ!"
Sigh. Shouldâve joined us. Greedâs fine, but weaklings canât afford principles. Powerâwhether political, intellectual, or brute forceâis the only currency that buys survival. Oden had the best kind: strength. But he bet against the stronger house.
"Quit begging and GET IN!!"
"GYAAAHâ!!"
"Huh?"
A guard, shoving Oden, slippedâplunging into the boiling oil. I zoomed to the edge, stretched out my handâ
"Lemme justâ"
"âUgh, warn me next time! I wanted to SEASON you first~!"
"!!"
I dusted his half-submerged torso with salt and pepper. Wouldâve preferred batter or breadcrumbs, but fine. Quick fry it is. I jabbed him back under with my spear.
"âGLURKâŠ"
"Hmm. High heat means fast cooking. Donât wanna overdo itâ"
"W-Whatâs that girl DOING?!"
"Sheâs⊠barbaric!!"
âUgh, noisy. Iâm busy monitoring crispinessâOH!
"Oops. Burnt. Here, you take it."
"E-Eh?! Y-Yes!!"
I skewered the charred guard and handed him off. Donât drop him! Gravel ruins the texture! Use a cloth or something! Waste not, want notâno leftovers allowed!
"Iâm baaack~"
"Hey, Nue. The crowdâs turning green."
"Meh. First-timers always overreact. Fearâs an acquired taste."
Honestly, if boiling alive shocks them, their lives mustâve been dull. Itâs fun! Like deep-fryingâexciting at first, then just⊠Tuesday. Mmm. Now I want
."âAll ten of us will enter!! If anyone lasts the full time⊠YOU SPARE THEM!!"
"Lord Oden�!"
"Last? In this?!"
"Itâs INSTANT death!! MUDHAHAHA!!"
Oh? That kind of game. Yeah, survivalâs possible. Nostalgic, really. Reminds me of when Kaido and I took a dip in boiling oil. Heâs already barking orders:
"Bring a clock!!"
"Yes, sir!"
"âONE HOUR!!"
â!â
âWororororo!! Letâs see you endure this!! You've been in there long enough to pass out in a normal bath!!â
Oh, thatâs actually a pretty reasonable amount of time. Yeah, staying in an oil bath for an hour really is tough. Even if youâre used to hot baths, thatâs enough to make you lightheadedâitâs dangerous. You could get dehydrated. Gotta drink water afterward. I tend to soak in the bath for a long time too, so I usually have a glass of water or a bottle of fruit milk afterward. Whoâs-Who brings me fresh milk, so I use that to make it myself.
âYouâre not taking that back, are you?â
âOf course not!!â
âSuch stubborn pride...!â
âStill clinging to your dignity at the bitter end... pathetic.â
Yep, seems like the crowd isnât thrilled. Well, I guess they never really thought heâd survive this. Honestly, maybe me or Kaido could take it, but for someone like Oden, whose body isnât exactly built for this, it might be pushing it... Hm, maybe Iâll coat the other stuff in tempura batter while I wait.
Anyway, looks like itâs finally time for the execution. If they were really going to dunk everyone in, Iâd have them all dipped in batter firstâbut of course, thatâs not how this is going to go...
âWAAAAAHHHHH!!â
âDonât leave our lord alone!!â
âWe follow him!!â
âWeâll see you in the next life, brothers!!!â
âââAll of you, stay on that plank!!!â
â!?â
Oooh... Yep, Oden jumped in first, then lifted the plank with all the samurai on it right onto his shoulders. The others are shouting, saying it should be them instead, but Oden just orders them to stay put. And if itâs an order, retainers canât disobey. That part of him... is actually pretty cool.
âWhat the hell!? The retainers arenât even touching the oil!!â
âWororororo!! Technically, there are ten of them in the pot!! Youâre not breaking the rules, Oden!!â
âYep yep!! Just like he said, so thereâs no problem!!â
Kaido and I laugh, impressed. It sounds like a stretch, but hey, he did say ten people in the pot, and here they are. Carrying them like that probably is the best move, considering they wouldnât keep their word otherwise. I mean, itâs not ideal, but itâs smart. He shouldâve made that call earlier, but stillâheâs grown. Good for him!!
âOden-sama!! Please, put us down!!â
âWorororo!! Whatâs wrong, it hasnât even been a minute yet!!?â
Munch munch... mmm~⥠The sashimiâs deliciousâĄ
Always best to start with the fresh stuff. No good letting it sit out, especially outdoors. I dip piece after piece into soy sauce and eat. The fish from Wano is so good, it makes my cheeks puff up with happinessâI canât help but press a hand to them.
âWhatâs with that guyâs skin?â
Iâm not sure itâs a skin thing... But who knows? Maybe with enough training, anythingâs possible. The Oniwabanshu should probably toughen up too. Theyâre ninjas, after all.
âThe heat alone is enough to roast us alive...!!â
âIf you start whining like that again, Iâll slap you, Raizo!! Weâre just hitching a ride!!â
âDonât move, Neko!! Youâre shaking the plank!!â
Seriously, though, they are ninjasâthey should train harder. Canât they figure out some way to use Haki or jutsu or something to deal with this? Anyway, I should eat the ramen before it gets soggy.
Slurp slurp Thereâs so many kindsâsoy sauce, miso, tonkotsu, salt... theyâre all so good I canât pick a favorite! And there are even more types, too! Though lately, Iâve really been into spicy miso tonkotsu. That rich flavor is amazing. Ahâbut thereâs udon and soba too. Maybe I shouldâve started with those? The flavors are stronger... But itâs fine! Iâll just rinse my mouth with water and keep going!!
Pwaah~âȘ âMmm~ Food tastes amazing today too~ So happy~âĄâ
âThey said itâd be over in an instant, but this is kind of underwhelming...â
âI expected more screaming. Something more dramatic.â
âHonestly, that girl... what was her name, Nue? Watching her eat is more...â
â...Yeah, her appetiteâs weirdly satisfying. It's making me hungry, even at a time like this...â
âWeâve got places to be. Iâm not wasting any more time watching this âfool lord!â Letâs go grab a bite ourselves!â
ââŠâŠ!!â
As Iâm happily enjoying my meal, her anger finally boils over, sparked by the jeers from the crowd. Ahaha, here it comes! This is the fun part!!
âWhoâre you calling a fool lord!!! Say that again and Iâll kill you!!!â
âWhaâwhatâs with that woman!?â
âSheâs got a sword!! Look out!!â
âA kunoichi!?â
Haa... haa...
Haa... haa... Huff, huff Mmm, the stewâs simmering nicelyâit smells so good. The executionâs finally getting to the juicy part. This is where the big reveal starts.
âGuh... stop it.â
âYouâre the fools, not him!!!â
â!!!?â
âCaptain, itâs Shinobu!â
âThat woman... what the hell is she doing!?â
She tackles the heckler and shoves a blade to his throat, shouting at the top of her lungs. The Oniwabanshu and samurai notice. This is itâthe start of her solo exposĂ©. This is when the publicâs view of Oden starts to change.
You could call it the ultimate redemption speech. Honestly, if you came to enjoy a public execution, your moral compass is already offâbut recognizing your mistake and seeing the truth about Oden? Thatâs still a good thing. Mhm, this isnât going in our favor at all...
ââWell, it wouldnât, under normal circumstances⥠Now letâs see how well this works out.
âWho do you think you owe your peaceful lives to!? If Oden-sama dies here, youâll all see what he was holding back!! Just how much misery he kept from falling on you!!!â
Shinobuâs speech begins, and I sit back grinning, watching. I even feel several people in the crowd shift as I extend my Observation Haki.
âOrochi isnât a âshogunâ or a âtyrantâ!! Orochi doesnât want power for its own sake!!â
Then she starts recounting the day Oden stormed the castle. That Orochi only became shogun to destroy this countryâto take revenge on its people.
ăYears agoâmy grandfather committed a crime and was forced to commit seppuku!! The family fell from grace!! I couldâve lived with that!! But even the relatives he left behind were hunted down by âchampions of justiceâ they didnât even know!! Beaten! Thrown into rivers!! Killed!! I was so scared of those idiots I couldnât sleep at night!!!âă
The Kurozumi family once lost in a political struggle, condemned for their crimes and cast down.
But the one executed back then was just the family head. The rest of the clan survived.
Mercy, maybe. Or just oversight. Whatever it was, it allowed them to liveâand thatâs when their tragedy really began.
ăThe criminal who started it all was already dead!! But even children with the name âKurozumiâ were treated like criminals!!ă
ăâŠâŠ!!ă
ăThatâs why every last soul in Wano deserves to be punished!! This is the mess you made yourselves!!!ă
ââSo yeah, Orochi and the Kurozumi family actually do have a kind of twisted logic behind them. Shinobu lays it all bare.
âAnd what came out of that back room was a tribute to Kaido!! A mountain of weapons and hundreds of kidnapped people!! Once handed over, that was itâtheir lives as human beings were over. Lord Oden was furious!! But right then, Orochi made a proposal.â
Ahh, yeah, that did happen, didnât it? That tribute was pretty decent. The weapons came in handy, and the people? They were fun enough. We did let them go properly afterward. Just recently wiped out a whole bunch and made some money off it, so it worked out. Too bad he quit dancing, though. A broken dealâs a broken dealâweâve got no obligation to keep our end. Not like we ever promised anything in the first place. Orochi just stopped handing them over, so we went and took them. Simple. Itâs not like weâre his subordinates. Weâre pirates. If Orochiâs not sending tributes anymore, weâll just take what we want.
âThe enemy isnât even interested in this country. Theyâre just âavengers.â Itâs obvious youâll lose more than just the fight.â
Hmm? But, like, if theyâd fought back then and actually won, wouldnât they have saved a ton of people? No use talking in what-ifs, I know, but since they brought it upâI canât help but think it. Iâll bring that up later too.
âThatâs why Lord Oden accepted the deal!! Even if he lost everything, by doing a naked apology dance at the same time every week for the Kurozumi clan, he could save a hundred lives each time!!â
Yeah, except⊠he didnât save anyone. Ohâugh, too much wasabi. That stingâowwwwwâŠ!!
âThey made a promise: that once the ship they were building was done⊠theyâd set sail from this country five years later!!â
Come on. Believing in a promise like that was the first mistake. They shouldâve had a backup plan for when it got broken. Sure, there were spies everywhere, so that wouldâve been trickyâbut thatâs no excuse. Having zero contingency? Thatâs just dumb. I mean, theyâre weak, after all.
âEvery week, heâd travel through the regions to check in and make sure nothing had changedâŠ!!â
Yeah. If there was any point to it, itâd be just that. Because Oden was making the rounds, they couldnât do anything too major. Thatâs probably the only meaningful part of the dance. The patrols mattered more than the dancing.
âOden-sama kept protecting this country the whole time!!! Whoâre you calling a fool lord!!? Say it again!!!â
â!!!â
âAnd with that, Shinobu finishes her confession.
The crowd buzzes. Emotions are shifting.
Thereâs definitely a part of them thinking, âWe were wrong.â Thatâs there⊠but itâs not all. Theyâre still wavering. Still thinking. Still trying to make up their minds.
They could go either way. People are easily swayed. The shock of the confession and the tension in the air are pushing them toward believing itâeven if theyâre not sure itâs true.
Give it a few more seconds, and the crowd might just believe herâbut the worldâs not that kind.
âWhat!? The whole time!!? Donât give me that crap!! That âfool lordâ was doing whatever he wanted and causing this country nothing but trouble!!â
â!! What did you say!!?â
From within the crowd, a man steps forward and says it boldly, loud enough for everyone to hear. Bold timing, strong delivery. His malice is showing through, but you gotta hand it to the Kurozumi clanâtheyâve got some real actors. Not just Devil Fruit users, but real talent for theatrics.
Shinobu, seething with rage, rushes toward himâbut the man, disguised as an old hag, doesnât stop talking.
âProtecting the country, huh!!? He left the country just because he wanted to go out to sea! He abandoned us for years!! You think we didnât suffer while he was gone!?â
âYou⊠after being protected, how dare you say thatââ
âIf heâd done his duty as heir from the start, Orochi wouldâve never taken over in the first place!!â
ââŠ!! ThatâsâŠâ
Oof, harsh truth, huh? It stings when someone hits you with facts you canât argue against, doesnât it? Bet that shut them up. Heh, things are getting juicierâitâs making the food taste even better. I sip and chew while watching this improv theater unfold.
âAnd thereâs no proof any of that story is even true!!â
âWhat!? Are you saying sheâs lying!? There are people alive today because of Oden-samaââ
âNo, I know the truth!!! When Kuri was attacked, that fool lordâs retainers didnât even fightâthey holed up in the castle like cowards!!â
âWhatâŠ!?â
âKuri was attackedâŠ?â
Kawamatsu and the others are speechless at the old hagâs words, question marks forming above their heads. So? How are they gonna recover from that?
âWhat are you talking about!!? Thatâs ridiculousâŠ!!â
âI used to live in Kuri!! I saw it with my own eyes!! Those samurai and their families came out of the castle without a scratch!! And later I heardâthey were sitting around sipping tea in there while the rest of us suffered!!â
â!? No!! Thatâsââ
âWhatâs ânot true,â you traitor!!? Thereâs more!! That fool lord of yours was paid huge sums every time he did those stupid naked dances!!â
â!!â
Inuarashi tries to protest, but the hag cuts him off with another bombshell. Damn, sheâs ruthless. The way she talksâitâs not just fast, itâs relentless. Keeps the other side from ever catching their breath. The Kurozumi clanâs manipulation game is on point.
âActually⊠yeah, I heard something like thatâŠâ
âYeah, I remember a merchant from Kuri mentioning it too, rightâŠ?â
"That damn fool's been lining his own pockets with the money he got from themâŠ"
"Whatâ!? Don't be ridiculous!! Who's saying that crap!? It's all nonsense!!"
"But even one of the castle maids said it!! That Oden's in league with the Beasts Pirates!! Word is, the pirate ship he sailed on used to belong to one of Kaido's crew!!"
"...!!"
Shinobu couldn't respond. She probably didnât even know the full truthâand besides, the claims were a twisted mix of lies and half-truths. Thatâs what made them hard to refute. The fact that the people had already heard those rumors made it worse. The crowd in the square began voicing them, one after anotherâwhispers of Oden and his retainers' supposed misdeeds. Not that any of them were our operatives. Their stories ranged from exaggerated to completely fabricated. I couldnât help but chuckle and say to the maid at my side as she poured my drink, âAhahaha!! Isnât this hilarious? What do you think, dear maid âĄ?â
âHehehe... All I can say is, there are some truly wicked people in this worldâŠâ
The maid beside meânone other than Stussy the Joker, one of my top executives and an agent of CP0âsmiled knowingly as she watched it all unfold with me. Ahh, really, Iâve got to hand it to her.
Stirring up rumors, fanning the flames, dividing a nationâitâs all standard fare for CP, the World Governmentâs intelligence branch. And I added just a pinch of my own spice. Everything went so perfectly, I canât stop laughing. I mean, come onâthe other sideâs been way too careless. They didnât counter the rumors, didnât take a single step to counter our moves. Oden even accepted our money.
Honestly, it was too easy. Sure, he used the money to rebuild Kuri, and yes, IÂ did give it from the heart, you could sayâbut still, the fact remains: he took it. And itâs also true we had a peaceful tea party.
Well⊠maybe not entirely peaceful. I did beat him bloody, gave him a few nice scars. But he stood tall, fought with prideâso I healed him, made sure the wounds wouldnât even show. I'm just so kind, arenât I? âĄ
Still, the people misunderstood. They thought it meant something else. And so, my good deed backfired ⥠So tragic⊠I mean, itâs so tragic, I just canât stop laughing...
ââShinobu. Do not confuse the people.â
â! FukurokujuâŠ!!â
Oh? A surprise appearanceâand Fukurokuju cuts in at just the right moment! Notably, without denying the accusations. Sharp move. He knows exactly whatâs going on, even though weâre improv-ing the whole thing. Compared to him, Shinobuâs still so green. Doesnât know what to do, does she? Doesnât know whether the rumors are true or false, and that makes it impossible for her to defend against them. Not like she can make something up either.
âDonât act on your own.â
âGrr⊠Iâve already chosen!! I shared life and death with them!! I am a retainer of Lord Oden!! I wonât follow you!! If anything happens to themâIâll die with the Kozuki!!â
Oho⊠Look at her go. Must be Odenâs influence, huh? The guy's got a real talent for pulling people inâeven those with no real debt to him. Thatâs the mark of a Conqueror. Heâs got that charisma. Too bad nothing he does ever works out.
ââŠNo. This time, weâll all live. And this timeâweâll bring you down!!â
ââA dream.â
ââŠ!!â
Ahahaha, now even Fukurokujuâs laughing. Poor little Shinobu, she's so pitiful itâs delicious. What a fun reaction. Well thenâI suppose itâs time to âcook,â and maybe tease her a little while Iâm at it. As I approached her with that in mind, the jeers from the crowd got even juicier.
âThat fool of a daimyo⊠Was he really that much of a scumbagâŠ!?â
âO-Orochi-sama!! Pleaseâcancel this execution!!â
âY-Yeah⊠I mean, what if itâs all trueâŠ?â
âWhat the hell are you saying!? Kill him!! Let him die already!! People have suffered because of him!!â
âThatâs right!! Stop screwing with the country just to satisfy your ego!! Just die already, you damn fool!!â
âYou bastardsâŠ!!!â
Ahaha, looks like weâve passed the point of no return. Some still believe Shinobu, but others believe Higurashiâs words and the rumors we planted. Sure, those who liked Oden from the start might side with herâbut plenty of others donât. No, noâsheâs just too pitiful. Iâve got to torment her more.
ââGeez, Shinobu-chan, you really shouldnât go around saying weird stuff like that âĄâ
âNnghâŠ!!â
âYou sure seem to be taking Odenâs side, but do you really understand? That he never gave a damn about the people?â
âShut up!! Donât spew nonsense!! Lord Oden fought alone for years to protect the people!! He cared about them!!â
Oh, still got some fight left in her. Thatâs great. That makes it more fun for me.
âSo he acted on his own for yearsâand that was supposed to be for the people? If he really cared, he wouldâve stayed a daimyo and protected the country instead of running off to be a pirate.â
âThere werenât invaders like you back then!! If it werenât for you⊠if you and Orochi hadnât shown upâŠ!! Youâre the ones who ruined everything!!â
âIf we hadnât shown up? Ahahahaha!! Thatâs rich. If weâre going back to the beginning, then maybe Oden shouldâve just stayed home. Maybe someone shouldâve made sure Orochi never had a reason to seek revenge. Orâmaybe itâs just because youâre all too weakâĄâ
â!!â
Yeah, thatâs right. From where Iâm standing, this is all because the Kurozumi were weakâand now theyâre getting their revenge. The people of Wano are stupid, pitiful, and helpless. Itâs no oneâs fault but their own.
âMaybe we did do itâbut the fact that no one could stop us? Thatâs your failure. Blaming the ones who act won't make them stop. If you donât want to suffer, get stronger and protect yourself. Simple, right? Why not try to get rid of us with brute force?â
It doesnât matter if youâre a kid, a civilian, or anyone else. If no oneâs around to protect you, how do you defend yourself from those who want to hurt you?
Wait for the Navy to arrest them? After youâre already dead?
Punishing someone after they kill you doesnât help you. Thereâs no guarantee anyone will protect you. No certainty the guilty will ever pay.
Thatâs why, if someone threatens you, you have to fight back yourself.
Even if youâre weak. Even if youâre a child. If not, youâll just die.
If you're okay with dying, then donât fight. But if you want to liveâyou have to fight.
Humans are beasts too. In the end, you have no choice but to protect yourself and your people with your own strength. The only way to drive off the predators tearing into whatâs yoursâis power.
So donât talk to me about who's right or wrong. Thatâs all nonsense. The ones who lose always cry about fairness, but the truth is simpleâthey shouldâve just not lost. Shinobu doesnât get it. The people donât get it. None of them do. They still think this world is peaceful.
ââŠWe failed. But next timeâ!!â
âSure, sure. Thatâs great and all. But your kindâso noble in your idealsâare all brainless weaklings. And in the end, youâll just rush ahead and get even more people killed, wonât you? Wouldnât it be more fun to give up on all that and just accept our rule instead?â
âYouâre saying we should be slaves!? Never!! Iâd rather die than be a slave!!â
ââŠAhahahaha!! âRather die than be a slave,â huhâŠ? My, how noble~~â
I laughed before I could stop myself. Slavery? This counts as slavery? Rather die than submit? Hah⊠That takes me back. I get the feeling. I really do. Iâve been there. But now⊠itâs just a bit off the mark.
ââŠYouâve never been a slave.â
â!!?â
I leaned in and whispered it by her ear. Her face went pale. Ahaha, sheâs scaredâreally scared. But she still doesnât know true fear, not yetâŠ
âSo how many years do you think you could last?â
âWhâŠWhat are youâŠ!?â
âHehehehehe⊠Youâll find out soon enough. Iâve got a special gift just for you. Later, though. This oneâs still the main course. Youâre up after âĄâ
ââŠâŠâŠ!!â
I left Shinobu frozen in horror and soared down to where Oden was, ready to prepare my masterpiece.
âUgh, I swear⊠itâs so hard to control the heat when itâs this highâŠâ
â!!? Youâwhat the hell do you think youâre doing!!â
The samurai were visibly startled by my actions. I just gave them a casual shrug as I fished out what Iâd dropped into the oil with my long chopsticks.
âIsnât it obvious? I felt like eating some tempura, so I thought Iâd make some ⥠I mean, with all the oden broth soaking in, I bet itâll be extra tasty âȘâ
â...!!â
âSheâs actually doing this⊠right in front of Lord Oden, whoâs fighting with everything he has...!!â
âAhahaha!! Look at that, youâre so mad! No need to get all worked upâmunch ⥠Mmm, not bad, actually. You guys hungry too? I donât mind sharing a last meal with you before you die~ âȘâ
âW-We donât need itâŠ!!â
âHow far will you go to mock usâŠ!!â
Oh, come on~ Iâm being pretty nice, you know. If you're hungry, Iâll give you some. I mean, if your meat gets too skinny, itâs no fun to eat and doesnât even taste good.
âCâmon, Oden, you want some too? Itâs really good tempura~ and for a limited time, Iâll even feed it to you myself! Wow, what a blessing, right~? Say âahhâ âĄâ
âTo even mock Lord Oden like this... damn it, Fukurokuju, let me go!! Iâm gonna kill herâŠ!!â
Just as I held out the tempura to Oden, Shinobu erupted again. So predictable. Itâs like watching a yappy little puppy throwing a tantrum. You know what they sayâweak dogs bark the loudest.
But then, something totally unexpected happened.
â!!â
âAh!!?â
âLord Oden!!?â
To everyoneâs shock, Oden leaned forward⊠and took a bite of the tempura I offered. Whoa. I didnât think heâd actually eat it. The samurai were stunned. Honestly? Even I was a little surprised.
âSo? Was it good?â
âgulp... Yeah!! It was greatâand just what I needed... now Iâve got a little strength back...!!â
âLord OdenâŠ!!â
Well damn. That was cool. He just ate it and thanked me like it was nothing. Now thatâs the difference between him and his samurai. I mean, this is the guy who boiled oden over a fire meant for cremating corpses. Sure, the retainers are all up in arms about what Iâm doing, but heâs no better himself. Iâm basically just following in his footsteps hereâthey should be praising me for it!
And just as I was thinking that, voices rang out from the crowd.
âWhat the hell are you doing, Oden?! Just die already!!â
âQuit clinging to life, you dumb lord!! Die already!!â
âHey! Donât say that! He mightâve been trying to protect us!!â
âAnd how do you even know thatâs true?! Honestly, maybe it wouldâve been better if that idiot hadnât been heir in the first place!!â
âExactly!! He and his retainers are all criminals!! Itâs because of their stupid actions that weâre all suffering!!â
âBut he tried to help us, didnât he!?â
âWhat good is trying if it doesnât save anyone!?â
âYou ungrateful bastard, acting like you werenât being protected!!â
âWanna say that again, punk!?â
âHey, cut it out!!â
âNo fighting!!â
Looking over, I saw the crowd had split into two factions and were now openly brawling. The debate over Odenâs character had ignited into a full-blown fightâthose defending him and those condemning him.
Ahhh, and just like that, Oden becomes the cause of civil unrest. At this point, watching this all play out feels like enjoying a tragicomedy. What a performance.
They squabble over whoâs right, whoâs to blame, pointing fingers, punching the ones they declare evil, convinced they themselves are justice. And of course, itâs always the weak onesâthe so-called criminals like Oden and his retainersâwho get branded and cursed out.
Orochi, who once spat the words âfilthy trashâ with hatred, is now vindicated in the eyes of these so-called citizens. And Oden, who wanted to protect these very people, is forced to watch as they spit venom at him and rip each other apart because of his actions. And heâll die seeing it all. No wonder his loyal followers cry for him. Some burn with rage toward his enemies and toward fate itself.
Right now, emotions are swirling violently in this placeâa true storm of chaos. And watching it unfold sends a shiver down my spine. I canât stop laughing.
âAhahahaha!! What a talented bunchâthis countryâs people really know how to put on a show!!â
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. Seriously, Wano folks are hilarious when you mess with them. They always show you something new, something dramatic. And the best part? This act isnât even over yet. I flew into the air, ready to return to my seat, but turned to Oden for one last word.
âWell then, do your best to hang in there âtil the end, okay~? If you can really become a proper oden like you're supposed to, Iâll make sure to gobble you up real nice later âĄâ
â...Haa... HaaâŠ!!â
âHm? No reaction? Hmm... oh!! Iâll make sure the oil covers your upper body too, just to keep it nice and even âȘ Here we go, splash splash~ âĄâ
âUgh⊠grghâŠ!!â
âLord Oden!!â
âYouâŠ!! Stop this right now!!â
âNope, not happening~ ⥠Splash splash splash~ âȘ Oops, did it get in your eye? Ahahaha!! You look so delicious~ Iâll add a bit more oil just in case. Canât have you getting cold, now can we~? Ehehe âĄâ
âY-YouâŠâ
I used my spear to gently pour oil over Odenâs face and any spots that hadnât been soaked yet. But he just silently endured it. Honestly, itâs impressive. His stamina, his willâunshaken. He barely flinched even with all that provocation. Though the samurai up top were gnashing their teeth in frustration. That part was a joy to watch.
Still, the fun part is knowing itâs all in vain. When a tragedy is just too perfectly staged⊠you canât help but laugh. And boy, does food taste better when itâs served with this kind of entertainment!!
â...You allâŠ!! If I survive this boiling⊠I want to open this countryâŠ!!â
âEh!?â
Right then, as I was heading back to my seat, Oden blurted that out. Huh. Well, not that it matters, but from this distance, itâs easy to eavesdrop. Not that I need toâI can pretty much guess what heâs going to say.
ââTo sum it up: long ago, the Kozuki Clan sealed off Wano to protect it from some massive power. But now, having learned the truth of the world, Oden believes the countryâand the world itselfâhas been waiting 800 years for a certain someone. And he wants to open Wanoâs borders so that it can be ready to welcome and support that person.
If heâs so eager to take on the world, though, why not just join us? Weâre trying to bring the whole system crashing down too, so our goals basically align. Then again, maybe itâs not just about truthâmaybe itâs about will, or destiny, or whatever. But honestly, who cares? We could just smash the world anyway. That not allowed? Not that theyâd tell me even if I asked.
âââIâll say it straight⊠Haa... Theyâre going to kill me today. No matter what.â
"!!!"
"No wayâŠ!! But if he really manages to withstand the boiling!! A third of the time has already passed!!"
Oden declared it clearly, and his retainers were stunnedâbut yeah, that's how it is. Honestly, Kaido and I wouldnât mind sparing him if he agreed to join us. Itâs not like we need to kill him. But Orochi? No matter what, heâs dead set on killing them. This execution, the decision over Oden and his men, thatâs all Orochiâs call. Weâre just here to watch. If you want to put it simply, weâre here to enjoy the taste of victory. A small show to celebrate the completion of our conquest of Wano. And every scene leading up to that is like watching a masterpiece of theater unfold.
"I want you to open Wano in my place!!"
When Oden said that, his retainers responded. If itâs your dream, then itâs ours too, they said. Then, with a fearless grin, Oden clenched his teeth and kept enduring.
Well, when someone like him is about to die, itâs hard not to feel somethingâregret, admiration. So from here on, Iâll watch the end of Odenâs story, right alongside Kaido, and commit it to memory.
Weâve bested this man. Surpassed him. And now heâs going to die. Of course thereâs joy in victory⊠but an ending always leaves behind a strange emptiness. I mean, we put him through hell, and now itâs over. The feeling of watching a worthy enemy meet their end⊠itâs more complicated than you'd think.
"Why is he still alive!?? Raise the heat!!!"
ââ30 minutes remaining. The flames grew even more intense.
Oden wouldn't die. No matter what. Orochi yelled to raise the heat, wondering why it wasnât working⊠butâŠ
"âŠHey, Kaido. You see it too, right?"
"âŠYeah. He should be long dead by now."
"Right?"
I exchanged a glance with Kaido. Thatâs rightâOdenâs body should have long since shut down, pushed past its limits.
But he still lived. Itâs not that the fire wasnât working. It wasâhis body had already died. And still, he lived on.
ââThen 20 minutes left⊠15⊠10⊠5⊠3⊠1⊠inching closer to the moment of truth.
"30 seconds left!! Hang in there, Lord Oden!!"
"Why the hell are you still alive!! Just die already!!"
"Stupid lord!!"
"Just die already, you damn plague on Wano!!"
Only a few voices flipped to cheer him on. Most still jeered, hurling abuse at Oden.
And so, surrounded by this ugly crowdâwhether cheering or booingâ15 seconds⊠10⊠5⊠1 second.
ââFinally, the clock hit the promised mark.
"He made it through the boiling alive~~~!?"
"What kind of man is heâŠ!!"
"Thank goodnessâŠ!! Lord Oden!!"
"This sucks! Just die already!!"
The crowd erupted. Their reactions were all over the place, but surviving an hour of boiling was undeniably a feat.
His retainers were overjoyedâthough, it was all for nothing.
"Say what you willâwe endured it!! Prepare yourself, Kaido!!!"
"You idiot!! Donât provoke them, Neko!!"
"What for!? A winâs a win, ze!!"
Well, I see how it is. If you say it was their taunt that triggered what happened next, then I can understand why Inuarashi was angry. And if it sounded like they were defending the enemy, I can see why Nekomamushi was pissed too.
Not that I know what âprepare yourselfâ was supposed to mean. Are they planning to oppose us again after surviving the execution? After the sentence has been carried out, provoking us again could easily get them slapped with high treason. And another death sentence. Honestly⊠animals are so dumb.
"Iâve decided⊠a minute ago⊠weâre switching to execution by firing squad. And the whole family dies too!!"
"!!?"
"Thatâs just childish nonsenseâŠ!!"
"You broke your promise!! Lord Odenâ!!"
Called it. The moment they pushed back, the officials raised their guns and surrounded Oden and his men. The civilians who tried to object were gunned down without hesitation. Orochi doesnât hold back, huh? Actually, deciding here and now to kill the whole family makes me wonder if that wasnât the plan from the start.
But yeah, it always was. Announcing it here just gives it a sense of legitimacyâmakes it easier for the people to accept. If you leave survivors, they might grow up into another Orochi. So maybe⊠maybe Orochiâs actually being merciful? In this situation, surviving would be a greater hell.
"I leave it to you!! All of youâŠ!! Open Wanoâs borders!!!"
And then, at last, it happenedââOden flung the wooden plank as far as he could, giving his nine samurai retainers a chance to escape. In the confusion, even Shinobu got away, though Fukurokuju fumbled the catch a bit. But thatâs fine. Weâll just catch little Shinobu later. Now then⊠looks like itâs almost over.
"Come on now, hurry up and chase after them~âȘ"
"Sir!!"
"Gun them all down!!!"
"After them!!"
âErase the name of Kozuki!!â
He barked the order to his men, sending the samurai fleeing in all directions. Kaido and I were headed to Kuri anyway, but this came first. Kaido took a gun from one of his subordinates and spoke to Oden.
âHmph⊠You played your hand wellâbut it doesn't matter. Your bodyâs already as good as dead. Think of this as a mercy. Iâll be the one to shoot you.â
âSheesh⊠what a waste. It would've been fun if youâd joined us. But youâre the enemyâand you lost. As the victor, the least I can do is watch you to the end.â
âYeah. This is the end of the Kozuki era!! Every last one of you will dieâŠâ
â...Yeah, I lost. But donât you dare underestimate my samurai!!! Even if they survive and scatter⊠someday, I swearâI swear it, Kaido, NueâŠ!! My retainers will return, with allies at their side⊠and theyâll come for you!!â
Oden glared straight at us and smiled. A look of absolute convictionâhe truly believed in what he said.
Seeing thatâhearing thatâboth Kaido and I reflexively stiffened.
â...Iâll remember you. The one who dared to scar me. Your strength will be spoken of for generations.â
âForget me if you want⊠hahh... but my soul will live on⊠hahh...â
Oden said this, breath ragged, voice strainedâbut still facing us head-on.
âStill⊠losing stings. So Iâll be training in hell⊠waiting for the rematch. Next time, Iâll win⊠hahh⊠hahhâŠâ
âLet it be enough to become a tale shared over drinks.
âDie, you damn fool of a lord!!â
âDrop dead, idiot lord!!â
âFool!! Fool!!â
Surrounded by jeering crowds, Oden spoke his final words.
âYou boil to beâŠâ
Kaido aimed the gun and placed his finger on the trigger.
The people didn't echo his words. All that filled the air were cries of âfoolâ and a few faint gasps.
And before anyone could hear the end of Odenâs last line, Kaidoâ
ââOden, after all!!!â
ââ!!â
âdid not pull the trigger.
Oden did it himselfâhe shouted the final words, then Kaido fired.
The bullet tore through Odenâs skull, and his body sank into the pot.
Even with Observation Haki, it was clearâOden was dead.
With a heavy heart, I waited for Kaidoâs reaction. He stood in silence for a few seconds, face unreadable, then casually tossed the gun back to his subordinate.
âHeâs dead. Letâs go.â
âWe going after Odenâs men?â
âYeah. Letâs end this in Kuri.â
âOkaaay.â
With just that brief exchange, Kaido and I headed to Kuri. Though we werenât among those who loved Oden, we still felt the weight of his lossâsomething cold and vast left behind by the death of the strongest samurai in this land.
âAnd so, immediately following Odenâs execution, tragedy upon tragedy began to unfold across Wano.
The Beasts Pirates and the Kurozumi family launched the final phase of their takeover.
âWhat the hell is that monster!!?â
âIs it going to devour usâŠ!?â
âGokikigokiki!!â
âStop as many of them as you can!!â
âRight!!â
Four of the men who would later be known as the Nine Red Scabbards stayed behind to hold off the pursuers.
But the Oden Castle in Kuri was set ablaze. Kaidoâs men lit the fires and surrounded the grounds.
Before the Scabbards could arrive, Kaido and Nue stormed the castle, slaughtering samurai and cornering the Kozuki survivors.
âYour name?â
ââŠHahhâŠ!! UghâŠ!! hahh⊠hahhâŠâ
âYour father⊠was a fool.â
Kaido grabbed Kozuki Momonosuke by the neck, lifting him off the ground. He said this before killing him.
âThe Kozuki line dies with you.â
âNoâŠ!! HicâŠ!!â
Kaido was curious. Curious about the boy who was the son of the man who had wounded him. But what he sawâŠ
âFather wasâŠ!! A great samurai⊠and⊠hic... IâIâll one dayâŠ!! Carry this country⊠on my shoulders!!â
Kozuki Momonosuke⊠was just a child.
A trembling, snot-nosed kid who could do nothing but cry before Kaidoâs terrifying presence.
âSo that dream⊠was just something you were told to sayâŠ? Heâs this youngâŠ?â
âUwaaahhh!! Fatherrrrr!!!â
How could this kid be Odenâs son? Kaido couldn't understand it.
Oden had been strong even as a child. But this boy had nothingâno presence, no fire. Kaido found himself doubting they were even related.
He lost interest immediately.
Meanwhile, as Kaido was speaking to Momonosukeâ
âYouâre Hiyori-chan, right? âĄâ
âWaah⊠MamaaaâŠâ
Nue, who had come to the castle with Kaido, gently approached Kozuki Hiyori, who was trying to wake her mother, Kozuki TokiâOdenâs wife.
But her intent wasnât much different from Kaidoâs. It was simply curiosity.
âMamaâs okay. Sheâs still alive, and the injuries arenât too bad. âĄâ
â! R⊠ReallyâŠ?â
âItâs true. But Iâm going to kill her soon, just like your daddy. âĄâ
ââŠ!!â
In some ways, she was even crueler than Kaido.
Nue saw potential entertainment in the girl. So she decidedâon a whimâto ruin her life. With a sweet, cheerful smile, she spoke with chilling malice.
âEveryone you love is going to die now, okay? ⥠Isnât that just so sad? âĄâ
"Why� Why would you do something like this�"
"Because you, your mommy and daddy, your big brother, and all your retainers are weak, Hiyori-chan⥠You see? The reason doesnât matter at all⥠Knowing our goal wonât help you stop it anywayâĄ"
Nue spoke kindly, gently stroking Hiyoriâs head as if explaining something to a small child. There was no malice or murderous intent in her gesture.
But inside, she was brimming with cruelty disguised as curiosity. Nue answered the little girl's innocent words with soft affection.
"I⊠I donât want that⊠I donât want anyone to die⊠No⊠nooo!!"
"Doesnât matter if you donât want it, Hiyori-chan⥠Words alone wonât stop anything. Misery will come crashing down no matter how you feel. The people hurting you wonât care about your feelings. Because theyâre not you. Theyâre the ones who get to feel good without suffering, so why would they stop? Itâs like eating a cow. Even if the cow begs you not to, people still eat it, right?"
"âŠâŠ!!"
Those words were far too toxic for a girl of only six to hear.
A child just barely beginning to understand the world. Still too young to fully grasp what it even means for someone to die. There was no way Hiyori could give the "right" answer to Nueâs twisted question.
ââAnd yet⊠whether by bloodline, by fate, or mere chance, Kozuki Hiyori hesitantly opened her mouth to speak.
"âŠThen, does that mean I have to get strong and fight back?"
"! Thatâs it!! Amazing, Hiyori-chan!! Youâre sharp!! So smart!! Is that your daddyâs blood showing? Yes, exactly! You have to get strong and use forceâthereâs no other way!!"
ââTo grow stronger and protect herself. That was the answer Nue had wanted all along. The fact that a six-year-old girl had reached that conclusion made Nue clap her hands in delight, showering Hiyori with praise like a teacher thrilled her student had solved a difficult problem.
But perhaps because of the praiseâor the meaning behind itâHiyori cast her eyes down. Her voice trembled with anxiety.
"I canât⊠I donât want to hit peopleâŠ"
"Well, you might find it fun if you give it a try? Ahaha, though I guess that depends on your personal taste. You're such a kind girl, Hiyori-chan⥠But the world around you isn't kind. Itâs full of people who want to hurt you and everyone you care about. So tell meâwould you rather be the one who gets hit, or the one who hits?"
"âŠI donât want eitherâŠ"
"Then I guess that means you, your mommy, and your big brother are all going to die⥠Youâd rather let them die than raise your hand to protect them, huh?"
"! No!! Thatâs not true!! I donât want that!!"
Nue slowly, methodically cornered the young girl. She blocked off every escape route, one by one, until the girl had no choice but to walk down the path herself. Forcing her wouldnât work. It wouldnât last. Only when people choose for themselves do they truly become strong.
"Then what do you think you should do?"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
Hiyori fell silent at Nueâs question. She was still just a child, but she was a child of the Kozuki clan. A samuraiâs daughter.
She would find the answer. Almost as if to meet Nueâs expectations, she hesitated, then finally said,
"âŠThen I should get strong and protect them myselfâŠ?"
"ââPerfect answerâĄ"
Nue beamed as she praised the girl for arriving at that conclusion. Still, Hiyori looked up at her with uncertainty and asked,
"But⊠Iâm just a kid. And they said girls should learn the arts, not fightingâŠ"
"Being a kid or a girl doesnât matter⥠Even little girls get attacked, you know? Sure, learning the arts and dressing up all pretty is important, but itâs not the only thing you can do. You can get strong tooâĄ"
"But girls canât beat boysâŠ"
"Thatâs not true⥠Iâm living proof! And I had a former comrade named Charlotte Linlin-chanâwhen she was just five, younger than you are now, she was stronger than giants as big as mountains. Now sheâs one of the strongest people in the world⥠Girls can be strong tooâĄ"
"âŠReallyâŠ?"
"Really, really!! So if you want to survive, you have to get strong yourself!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
Just as Hiyori was beginning to take Nueâs words to heart, Kaido burst into the room and flung Momonosuke inside.
"! Big Brother!!"
âââHey, Nue. Weâre leaving.â
âAh, roger that~.ââSee you, Hiyori-chan⥠If you survive, letâs meet again~âĄâ
Hiyori rushed over to where Momonosuke had been thrown onto the tatami floor. Kaido ignored her and simply called to Nue before flying off.
As Nue gave a final, sweet farewell to Hiyori and followed Kaido, he muttered to her as if talking to himself.
âSo thatâs Odenâs sonâŠ? What a letdown. Burn and die along with the castleâŠâ
âI heard the stories too, but it really seems like Momonosukeâs just a kid. In a situation like that, if he had it in him, he shouldâve shown even a flicker of Conquerorâs Haki or something. But nopeâjust crying. Maybe he really doesnât have any talent.â
âThe Kozuki clan⊠Even Oden had it rough. If thatâs his heir, thereâs no future for them anyway⊠You, thoughâyou looked like you were chatting with the daughterâŠâ
âHmm~ I dunno if sheâs got talent, but I did plant a seed or two. You shouldâve been a little gentler with Momonosuke, Kaido. Who knows? Maybe he wouldâve awakened something.â
âDonât be stupid. Hmph⊠What a waste of time. Iâm going to drink again when we get back.â
âAww, câmon. If youâre gonna play the good dad, maybe you should start practicing now? Like, âLook whoâs your widdle papa~⥠Peek-a-boo~âȘâ Try rocking him to sleep or something~â
âLike hell I will.â
âEhehe, too bad. That wouldâve been hilarious. âŠWell then, once weâre back, maybe Iâll have a little fun with Odenâs corpse and that kunoichi girl~âȘâ
Kaido and Nue left the burning castle in Kuri behind and returned to Onigashima.
ââBut immediately after, Kozuki Toki, having regained consciousness, and the Red Scabbards who had arrived, began to change the course of fate.
âWith the power of this mysterious Toki-Toki ability⊠Iâll send you all to the future.â
The Devil Fruit that Toki, born 800 years ago, had eatenâthe Toki Toki no Mi.
Its power was to travel forward through time.
With that power, she sent Kinâemon, Raizo, Kanjuro, Kikunojo, and Momonosuke into the future.
She entrusted Hiyori to Kawamatsu, and then, stepping out from the castle herself, left behind a final message:
âââYou are the moon, unaware of the dawn. Should the desire be fulfilledâŠâ
âââOn a moonlit night woven over twenty years, nine shadows shall be castâŠâ
âââAnd you shall become the one who ushers in the dazzling dawn.â
With those final words, Kozuki Toki passed away.
ââAnd less than a month later, the Beasts Pirates and Orochi had taken control of the entire country.
The coalition of the remaining daimyĆ and yakuza families who rallied after Odenâs fall was crushed with ease.
They burned villages to the ground, killed countless people, and those who survived were capturedâleft to torture, enslavement, or execution in an endless cycle of torment.
Even great figures like Shimotsuki Yasuie and Shimotsuki Ushimaru were slain by Kaidoâs subordinates. The leaders of the various provinces were taken prisoner and made into slaves.
And once again, someone was caught and subjected to this fate.
It was a kunoichi.
âThis woman⊠Is she that kunoichi they mentioned?â
âMuhaha! So what, we making her a prisoner too?â
âNo. Orders are to take her somewhere else.â
âGh⊠I wonât⊠Iâll never break under any kind of tortureâŠ! NeverâŠ!!â
At the Beasts Piratesâ base, Onigashima, the bound kunoichiâone of Odenâs retainersâwas surrounded by the Lead Performers, awaiting her sentence.
Torture or execution, it didnât matter. Whatever they did, she swore she wouldnât yield.
But her captors only smirked at her resolve. Once taken out to sea again, she glared at her escort and demanded:
âGh⊠Where are you taking meâŠ!?â
âOrders are to teach you what it means to be a slave. So starting now, youâll be living in the Land of the Gods as oneâĄâ
â!!?â
âTry not to act too uppity and get yourself killed, okay, dummy⥠Though honestly, youâll probably end up wishing you were dead.â
ââAnd so, the kunoichi was shipped out of Wano and sold off to an unknown place.
At the same time, in the wider world, having fully conquered Wano and seized numerous islands in the New World, the Beasts Pirates were officially recognized as one of the Four Emperors.
Countless pirates across the seas feared themâfeared the Beasts Piratesâand yet still aimed for the Grand Line, for the New World.
âââFeels like we finally made it. But the real game starts now, Kaido.â
âYeah⊠But weâre still a long way from building the strongest pirate crew. Gotta raise more hell.â
The two of them clinked sake cups on their own island, smirking with wicked satisfaction.
They had risen this far.
Feared as emperors on the worldâs most brutal seas.
Theyâd once met on this ocean as young deckhands under the strongest crew of their time. From the belly of that ship, theyâd built their own pirate crews, gathered comrades, ships, territoriesâeverything. It had taken over twenty years to come this far from nothing.
But their pirate journey was still only halfway through. They had only just reached the starting line of the real battle.
âTo enjoy ourselves⊠weâll tear it all down!!!â
âWorororororo!!! No matter who stands in our way, you and I will crush them!!! Weâre the ones whoâll become the worldâs strongest pirate crew and take the world!!!â
Yes, the Great Pirate Era was only just beginning.
ââTo reach the summit. From that prison where it all began, the vow they once made in the bowels of a shipâthey reaffirmed it now, and drained their cups.
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