"Nani?!!!"
At first, the CP0 agents did not understand what the sly and smirking Kurozumi Orochi standing before them was referring to.
But once they connected his words to Doflamingo, then further upward…
"How is that possible…"
Cold sweat streamed down the faces of the CP0 members. Seeing this, Orochi became extremely pleased. He clapped his hands and stood up laughing loudly, looking utterly ridiculous.
"This is the truth."
"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm going to attend the banquet."
After saying that, Kurozumi Orochi headed toward the banquet hall.
Robin and Kozuki Hiyori were already there, preparing to participate in the feast.
Perhaps life had been going too smoothly lately, or perhaps boasting about the so-called "World Government" had inflated his ego — Orochi was now extremely smug. Holding Hiyori, who served as the oiran, in his arms, he raised a bowl of sake and was already slightly drunk.
"The Kozuki clan… that's already a thing of the past, isn't it~"
"Even that Kozuki Oden is already dead!!!"
Everyone at the banquet listened to Orochi's drunken and arrogant rambling. They could only smile along politely; no one dared to say anything.
Kyoshiro sat below, his lowered face bulging with veins, clearly suppressing something.
Hiyori leaned in Orochi's arms, while Robin sat calmly among the guests. Both maintained composed expressions, watching Orochi brag endlessly.
Until they heard a certain sentence.
"...Hic… Kaido? That guy is indeed terrifying…"
"But compared to my true backing, he's nothing more than a minor branch~"
"That is… even here in Wano Country, one occasionally hears his honorable name and deeds — the name Kaido shouts countless times while drunk…"
"The true ruler of the New World seas—"
"Orin!!!"
Many years ago, Kurozumi Orochi had already been psychologically scarred by the young Orin, who demanded tribute of Seastone for use in the underworld.
From that moment onward, Orochi secretly tried through the Beasts Pirates, through Doflamingo who handled shipments, and through other channels to investigate who Orin truly was.
Only then did he learn just how terrifying a figure he had encountered.
Not even mentioning distant events — just within recent decades.
About ten years ago,
[Black Gun]Orin personally came to Wano Country, beat Kaido into unconsciousness, and even abducted the Kozuki retainer Shinobu during the process.
That was the moment Orochi truly witnessed what despairingly overwhelming power looked like.
Kaido, known as the [World's Strongest Creature], who had forced even Kozuki Oden into a bitter struggle…
Was defeated directly by that man at the cost of only minor injuries!!!
It completely shattered Orochi's worldview.
From then on, he desperately sought connections with the [Black Gun] faction. He even secretly shipped large amounts of Seastone behind Kaido's back.
And that man who laughed "Fufufufufu" would always accept them with a smile, saying he would convey Orochi's respect to Orin-sama — yet Orochi never saw any results…
But that did not stop him from borrowing the tiger's prestige as his banner.
"Hahahahahahahaha!!!"
Orochi burst into unrestrained laughter.
Many people present had personally witnessed ten years ago how Orin fought Kaido in the Flower Capital, subdued him with only light injuries, and exchanged hostages with the Beasts Pirates.
Fear rose in their hearts once again.
After becoming shogun, Orochi had already indulged in extravagance and tyranny. Now not only did he have the Beasts Pirates as backing—
Even that man whose strength inspired absolute despair…
Robin's face turned pale; the plectrum she used for playing the shamisen slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.
Hatred flashed across Hiyori's eyes.
So it was true…
The scene where he once saved her mother and family — all of it had been fake!!!
The proof was obvious: as her father's former crewmate, he clearly possessed the power to defeat Kaido but chose not to.
He even abducted Shinobu afterward…
Bearing the hatred of losing both parents and the destruction of her clan, Kozuki Hiyori burned with anger inside, yet she could do nothing.
All she could do was continue the role she had played for over ten years — acting as an oiran who sold art but not her body, deceiving men for money while leaning in Orochi's arms and drinking.
Even she herself did not understand why she continued to endure.
She could not cooperate internally and externally like Kyoshiro to strike back, nor could she gather intelligence like Robin.
It was as if…
As a descendant of the Kozuki clan, she truly only knew how to play the role of an oiran.
...
"Speaking of it, Wano Country appears many times in historical records…"
While researching the new Black Gun weapon, Vegapunk's vast brain naturally yearned to absorb new knowledge.
While reading the Ohara archives, he noticed that Wano Country was repeatedly mentioned in connection with the lost history.
"If I remember correctly, there was a samurai from Wano aboard Pirate King Roger's ship, right?"
Hearing this, Orin nodded.
"Yeah. That's no secret anymore. Oden sailed with the crew across the seas for more than a year~"
"But honestly, I didn't really like that guy. I have a bit of an intolerance toward stupidity…"
Orin valued loyalty and bonds, because such people often created meaningful stories and connections.
But Kozuki Oden was different.
He came from Wano — a country Orin did not particularly like — and both his retainers and children were full of troublesome personalities.
Although Oden valued emotions and loyalty, he behaved like an overgrown child. Combined with their short time together, there was never much friendship between them.
The only bit of camaraderie from their time aboard ship had already been repaid — Orin had given him warnings and even stalled Kaido briefly to protect Oden's wife and children at the moment of his death.
Anything beyond that…
Orin could only say he had no obligation.
He had always acted according to his own will.
"Wano Country… I really don't understand that nation very well. Orin-san, what kind of place do you think it is?"
Vegapunk sat across from Orin, clearly interested in the closed-off nation.
The two were old acquaintances, so Orin spoke freely.
"Wano, huh… a country that worships the Kozuki clan. Extremely rigid and outdated."
"It has occasional bright spots, but overall it's hard to feel much affection for it. Besides, I happen to have some ideas — I'd like to play around in Wano a bit~"
Orin smiled faintly as inspiration flashed through his mind.
Seeing that familiar smile, Vegapunk felt an ominous premonition and silently mourned Wano Country for several seconds.
"You mean…?"
"Let's see whether the so-called Kozuki savior can truly rescue Wano — a place living rather comfortably — from disaster~"
As he spoke, Orin snapped his fingers. Several Den Den Mushi appeared before him — seemingly a grand gift prepared for the three-party alliance in Wano.
The first call connected.
Vegapunk clearly heard Orin say:
"Tiger, I'll leave Wano's Seastone to you. Make a trip there~"
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