"I... I actually defeated Kaidou," Ryuma murmured, a sudden, breath-taking chuckle escaping his lips. "Unbelievable..."
A swell of excitement surged through his chest.
Yet, behind the initial relief, Ryuma knew that things were about to get far more complicated.
Slaying Kaidou meant the global balance of power was officially shattered. The fall of one of the Four Emperors was an earth-shattering event that would send shockwaves across the seas!
Outside the hall, the three Lead Performers stared at each other, their minds reeling in pure disbelief.
"How... how could this happen?!" Queen stammered, his usual dramatic flair replaced by sheer astonishment.
Though they had secretly hoped for Kaidou to meet his end, witnessing his lifeless body with their own eyes felt almost surreal.
And for good reason—Kaidou was an absolute force of nature!
In all their years following him, Kaidou had stood undefeated and invincible. Never had they seen him pushed into a corner, let alone broken.
Calling it "broken" was a massive understatement.
Kaidou had been slain by Ryuma, a warrior whose power surpassed his own.
Moments later, Ryuma limped out from the ruins of the Shogun's palace.
His left arm hung limp at his side, clearly shattered beyond immediate use.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Ryuma looked up at the trio with a firm expression. "Rest assured... I'll live. You three, take Kaidou's head and hang it over the gates of the Flower Capital for three days. Let the world see the price of invading Wano Country."
The three Lead Performers exchanged startled glances, unable to process the command right away.
"What?" Ryuma raised an eye, his voice cold despite his trembling frame. "Are you disobeying me?"
Even in his weakened state, neither Jack, Queen, nor King dared to make a hostile move.
Deep down, they knew any one of them could easily strike Ryuma down right now. Yet, looking at the man who had brought down Kaidou, they saw a future far brighter than anything Kaidou had ever offered them.
Nodding in quick succession, they immediately divided the task and set to work.
Watching them retreat, Ryuma let out a long, quiet sigh. At least my efforts weren't in vain.
He was fully aware that his victory over Kaidou was fueled by a stroke of pure luck and tactical gamble—a miracle that might not happen a second time.
Since I bear the spirit of Wano's legendary Sword God, Ryuma thought, I must take this nation under my wing.
The Kozuki Clan was currently broken, scattered, and in no position to govern or defend Wano against external threats.
Having merged with the memories of the ancient samurai, Ryuma felt a deep, ancestral bond to this land.
He swore an oath then and there to protect Wano with his life.
The black blade Shusui was more than just a legendary sword; it was an old friend reunited. And Wano, though centuries had passed and familiar faces were long gone, was still his homeland.
How could he ever abandon it?
At the exact same time, in a far-off location.
Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, a sharp-eyed man sat comfortably, sipping black coffee as he scanned the morning newspaper with a heavy sigh. "Gol D. Roger... his public execution date is approaching. We can't afford a single slip-up on this."
The man was none other than Fleet Admiral Sengoku!
Known throughout the world as "Sengoku the Buddha," the Fleet Admiral hailed from the South Blue. A veteran commander who had clashed with the likes of Whitebeard and Shiki the Golden Lion for decades, he held absolute authority over the Marines, embodying "Reigning Justice."
Sitting beside Sengoku was a broad-shouldered old man, casually munching on a bag of rice crackers.
With a wide, boisterous grin, a mop of dark hair streaked with silver, and an easygoing posture, his rugged presence commanded natural respect.
The old man burst out laughing. "Gwahahaha! Capturing Roger is a huge win, isn't it? Once we execute the greatest pirate alive, maybe these young punks will think twice about taking to the seas!"
He casually tossed another rice cracker into his mouth, crunching loudly.
Sengoku stared at him blankly before saying with quiet emphasis, "Garp, I know for a fact that's not what you're actually thinking."
The old man froze, a rice cracker slipping from his fingers and tumbling to the floor.
That old hero was Garp himself!
Monkey D. Garp, Marine Vice Admiral and chief instructor—a legendary figure revered as the "Hero of the Marines."
Decades ago, he single-handedly halted the unstoppable Rocks Pirates at God Valley, allying with Roger to dismantle the crew entirely and earning legendary acclaim.
Though his rank remained at Vice Admiral, even the Admirals treated him with immense deference.
In terms of seniority and raw capability, Garp stood equal to Sengoku. He had simply turned down promotions to Admiral time and time again, preferring the relative freedom of a Vice Admiral.
When it came to combat prowess, Garp's Armament Haki was widely considered the absolute pinnacle within the Navy—a force of nature no one dared underestimate.
Garp gave a low chuckle, his grin turning somewhat complex.
"Well... he was an old opponent, after all," Garp muttered, his fist tightening until the remaining rice crackers in his palm crumbled into dust.
"Sigh... Roger's impending execution has the entire headquarters running in circles," Sengoku said, rubbing his temples. "Every other intelligence report is being sidelined. That's a dangerous blind spot."
"My, my... Fleet Admiral, your instincts are sharp as ever~"
A drawling, relaxed voice echoed from the doorway as a tall man stepped into the office.
He wore a yellow-striped suit under a crisp white Marine coat adorned with the word "JUSTICE" across the back. With short, wavy hair, a light stubble along his jawline, and a permanent, half-mocking pucker to his lips, his presence was instantly recognizable.
It was Admiral Kizaru!
One of the Marine Headquarters' ultimate military forces and wielder of the Logia-type Glint-Glint Fruit, Kizaru lived by his philosophy of "Unclear Justice." His dazzling speed, lethal kickboxing, and precision marksmanship made him an elusive powerhouse.
Kizaru walked over and slapped a fresh intelligence dossier onto Sengoku's desk with a light thwack.
Watching the paper land, Garp narrowed his eyes slightly. Whatever Kizaru's bringing, it's definitely not good news.
"What's this?" Sengoku asked, picking up the document.
The moment his eyes scanned the header, Sengoku froze entirely, turning as rigid as stone!
Kaidou is dead?!
How is that possible?!
How could one of the Four Emperors—a monster deemed virtually immortal—be slain so suddenly?!
Accompanying the report was a photograph: Kaidou's severed head hanging prominently above the gates of the Flower Capital in Wano!
Sengoku took a sharp breath, reading further down the report.
The warrior responsible for slaying Kaidou was a young man named Ryuma!
Ryuma...?
Sengoku combed through his vast mental database, yet the name brought up no recorded pirate or outlaw of this era...
Perplexed, Sengoku pondered the implications.
What kind of monster was Kaidou?
Even if all three Admirals joined forces, taking Kaidou down would be an agonizing, uncertain battle.
Garp leaned over to read the report, falling silent for a moment before remarking, "To think an unknown newcomer took down Kaidou..."
Garp knew all too well that Kaidou's sudden death was bad news for global stability.
The Seven Warlords, the Three Admirals, and the Four Emperors existed in a delicate, fragile equilibrium.
Once that balance was disrupted, unpredictable chaos was bound to follow.
Sengoku looked up at Kizaru, his tone grave. "Kizaru... do you have any background data on this 'Ryuma'?"
Kizaru's lips curled into his signature smirk. "My~ To think there's something Fleet Admiral Sengoku doesn't know. Well... since you asked so nicely, I'll enlighten you... Ryuma is indeed from Wano Country, but he's a figure from centuries ago—the legendary 'Sword God' who reportedly slayed a dragon single-handedly. Legend says he never lost a fight in his lifetime and was laid to rest at the Ryuma Shrine."
Sengoku felt a ringing sensation in his ears.
"A historical figure from centuries ago? He should be long dead! How is he walking around slaying Emperors?!"
"Tsk, tsk... Beats me~" Kizaru drawled smoothly. "Though according to intelligence leaks from local sources, he appears to wield multiple Devil Fruit powers simultaneously. Whether that's true or exaggerated remains to be seen."
Hearing this, Sengoku felt as though he were staring into an abyss.
Multiple Devil Fruits?!
It was a fundamental law of nature that a human body could only digest a single Devil Fruit. Consuming a second was supposed to cause a person's body to explode and die instantly!
That wasn't a matter of scientific debate; it was an absolute physical limit that no one in history had ever broken.
After a long pause, Sengoku forced himself to remain calm. "These news rags will print anything for sensationalism... Anyone with half a brain knows that's physically impossible... Still, if he's an ancient figure brought back to life, some unknown Devil Fruit ability must be involved."
Sengoku paused, pacing behind his desk before making a swift decision. "Enough speculation. Kizaru, take Akainu with you and set sail for Wano Country immediately!"
Kizaru's brow furrowed slightly. "And what are we supposed to do in Wano?"
"Investigate whether this rumor about multiple Devil Fruits holds any truth," Sengoku instructed coldly. "If it's real, we need to know how it works. Even if he isn't our enemy right now, a man who can slay Kaidou is a hundred times more dangerous to world stability... Wano has remained isolated from the World Government for centuries. Your objective is twofold: verify his abilities, and press Wano to officially join the World Government."
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