Wano Country received the news soon after.
What they had not expected, however, was that all of their preparations had been directed toward the wrong target.
For a long time, they had assumed that anyone seeking a Road Poneglyph would set their sights on Wano Country itself. After all, Zou's Road Poneglyph had remained hidden for centuries without incident. Few people even knew of its existence.
Compared to the rumors spreading across the seas, the information arriving in Wano was far more detailed.
Members of the Mink Tribe had come in person.
"Clang!"
A wine cup slipped from someone's hand and shattered on the floor. Fine sake spread across the polished wood.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi stood frozen.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
Then reality struck.
The expressions on both Minks twisted with rage as terrifying auras burst from their bodies. Sparks of Electro crackled uncontrollably around them.
"Kaido...!"
Nekomamushi clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked.
"That beast!"
Neither of them could accept what they had just heard.
When they learned that visitors from Zou had arrived, they had thought their countrymen had simply come to visit. Instead, they brought news of catastrophe. Their homeland had been devastated.
More than half of the Mink Tribe had perished. The tribe's strongest warriors had nearly been wiped out.
The Road Poneglyph had been stolen.
Each revelation struck like a bolt of lightning.
The Beast Pirates had invaded Zou and left behind a wound that would never heal.
The fury radiating from Inuarashi and Nekomamushi was so intense that everyone present could feel it.
"Lord Inuarashi! Lord Nekomamushi!"
A surviving Mink knelt on the floor, tears streaming down his face.
"Please return and take charge. The Duke, the Musketeers, and most of our warriors have already fallen."
The two Minks instinctively wanted to agree.
Then they remembered their positions.
They were retainers of Kozuki Oden.
The sharp sound of wooden geta echoed through the hall.
Oden slowly stepped down from the raised platform.
"Inuarashi. Nekomamushi."
His voice was calm and low.
The shadows beneath his lowered head concealed his eyes.
Yet everyone present could feel it.
The atmosphere had grown heavy.
The retainers and ministers of Wano all understood one thing.
Their lord was furious.
"You should return to Zou immediately," Oden said quietly.
"Your homeland needs you more than I do."
For a moment, gratitude overwhelmed the two Minks.
Their eyes reddened.
"Lord Oden!"
They lowered their heads and knelt deeply.
Had Oden refused, they would have faced an impossible choice. But Oden had never disappointed them.
Over the years, many things had changed.
Yet at his core, Kozuki Oden remained the same man.
Memories surfaced in his mind. The warm hospitality the Mink Tribe had shown him.
The smiles.
The celebrations.
The bonds they had forged.
And now, because of a Road Poneglyph, such tragedy had occurred.
The Mink population numbered only in the tens of thousands. Recovering from losses of this scale would take generations.
Oden did not concern himself with how the secret had been exposed.
Very few people knew about the Road Poneglyph.
Even among the Minks, only a handful were aware of its existence.
Someone had clearly discovered the connection between Wano Country and Zou and deliberately targeted the tribe.
A trace of guilt surfaced in Oden's heart.
He felt partially responsible.
Although he had always known about the existence of the two Road Poneglyphs connected to the Kozuki Clan, he had only learned their true significance after sailing with Gol D. Roger.
He understood exactly what they represented.
Slowly, Oden reached for his swords. Steel sang as one of the blades left its sheath. The weapon had remained dormant for a long time.
Now it thirsted for blood once more.
"Wano Country is officially at war with the Beast Pirates."
Oden's voice echoed through the hall.
"We will recover what belongs to Wano."
"We will avenge our allies."
"We will avenge the Mink Tribe."
The Road Poneglyph's importance was no longer a secret. The entire world now understood its value. There was no way Oden could allow it to remain in the hands of someone he did not trust.
Just as he had once acknowledged Roger, he intended to one day entrust the Kozuki Clan's legacy to the person he deemed worthy.
That was his responsibility.
His mission.
"Yes, Lord Oden!"
The answer came immediately.
There was little room for debate.
The Road Poneglyph belonged to Wano Country.
It had been stolen.
That alone was reason enough for war.
Wano had never feared conflict. This would simply be the first major offensive war in the nation's modern history. As Shogun, Oden's prestige had long since reached its peak.
Once the decision was made, no one questioned it.
"Nekomamushi. Inuarashi."
Oden turned toward them again.
"You two should return to Zou and rebuild the tribe."
"The Mink Tribe has lost too many warriors."
"Aside from the two of you, the rest would only become casualties on the battlefield."
His words were blunt.
But they were true.
The Minks had the desire for revenge. What they lacked was strength.
"We understand."
The two nodded.
They knew revenge required power.
Without power, charging into battle would only lead to more deaths.
The Mink Tribe needed time to recover.
Only then could they seek justice.
Soon afterward, Wano's war council began.
A massive map of the New World was spread across the table.
The territories of the Nightfall Pirates, the Beast Pirates, and Wano Country were clearly marked.
Oden pointed at the map.
"The biggest issue is distance."
"There is a vast sea between us and the Beast Pirates."
His finger traced a route across the map.
"The shortest route passes directly through Nightfall territory."
The room fell silent.
"The Nightfall Pirates cannot be bypassed without taking a massive detour."
"A war fought across such distances would put us at a severe disadvantage."
"Wano has always fought defensive wars."
"We have terrain."
"We have isolation."
"We have natural barriers."
"But an offensive campaign is something entirely new."
The retainers nodded.
No one could deny the truth of Oden's assessment.
"Fortunately," Oden continued, "our relationship with the Nightfall Pirates remains stable."
"We have trade agreements."
"We have years of cooperation."
"And Hunter Gar remains one of their senior executives."
"They should not reject our request to cross the Sageros Sea."
When mentioning the Nightfall Pirates, Oden briefly paused. The Whitebeard Pirates and Nightfall Pirates were currently at war. As Whitebeard's former crewmate, the matter was complicated.
Yet Oden was no longer merely a pirate. He was the Shogun of Wano.
He could distinguish between public and private matters.
He owed Teach a favor. At the same time, Wano needed the Nightfall Pirates. Mutual noninterference was the ideal outcome.
"Our next priority is intelligence."
Oden looked toward the assembled retainers.
"We need detailed information on the Beast Pirates."
"We must prepare for war."
Naturally, there was another objective he did not state openly.
By attacking the Beast Pirates, Wano would indirectly reduce the pressure on the Whitebeard Pirates.
After all, Whitebeard and Kaido were enemies as well.
As for the war between Whitebeard and Teach, Oden had no intention of becoming involved.
Nor did he possess the ability to influence its outcome.
Wano Country immediately began mobilizing.
Under Oden's leadership, large-scale troop movements quickly attracted attention from intelligence agencies throughout the world.
Not long afterward, the truth behind Kaido's newly acquired Road Poneglyph was revealed.
The World Economic Journal published the story.
Photographs of Zou's devastation accompanied the article. Details regarding the relationship between the Mink Tribe and the Kozuki Clan were also exposed.
Following Kaido's acquisition of the Road Poneglyph, the World Economic Journal had launched a full-scale investigation.
Within only a few days, they uncovered the entire story.
Their intelligence network once again demonstrated why it was feared throughout the world.
Combined with Wano's ongoing military mobilization, the conclusion became obvious.
Under Morgans' enthusiastic promotion, news of the impending war spread like wildfire.
The president of the World Economic Journal feared nothing more than peace.
Conflict sold newspapers.
War sold even more.
A clash between Wano Country and the Beast Pirates instantly became one of the hottest topics in the New World.
For a time, it even overshadowed the war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Nightfall Pirates.
On one side stood Kaido and the rapidly expanding Beast Pirates.
On the other stood Wano Country, an ancient nation with deep foundations, led by the legendary samurai Kozuki Oden.
Their collision promised spectacle on an entirely different level.
After all, Whitebeard and Teach had yet to personally enter their war.
Meanwhile, a confrontation between Kaido and Oden seemed almost guaranteed.
The attention of the world shifted accordingly.
Night Palace.
"Wano Country sent a message?"
Teach looked up from his desk.
"That's right."
Redyat smiled.
"They want permission to pass through our territory."
"They're also requesting logistical support from us."
Teach raised an eyebrow.
"They know we're currently fighting the Whitebeard Pirates, don't they?"
Supporting an additional war effort while already engaged in a major conflict would place pressure on any power.
Naturally, Teach knew there was more to the proposal.
"They offered compensation, I assume?"
Redyat nodded.
"Of course."
Both men understood Wano's intentions.
The request would allow Wano to maintain a secure supply route while also placing additional logistical pressure on the Nightfall Pirates.
In theory, this could indirectly benefit the Whitebeard Pirates.
Unfortunately for Wano, they had badly misjudged the Nightfall Pirates' industrial and economic capabilities.
Their war potential vastly exceeded what outsiders imagined.
"Wano can't afford to pay entirely in Berries," Redyat continued.
"So they're offering Seastone equivalent to the remaining value."
"There are also large shipments of master-crafted swords."
Such a deal would be extremely profitable.
Wano possessed some of the world's finest craftsmen and the largest source of Seastone.
Although exports remained restricted, the quantities involved were still substantial.
Teach smiled.
"There is no reason to refuse."
"Accept the proposal."
"The Nightfall Pirates will provide logistical support within reasonable limits."
Then he added another instruction.
"Inform the Beast Pirates."
Redyat laughed.
"As expected."
To the Nightfall Pirates, Wano was a valuable trading partner.
Their relationship was mutually beneficial.
The Beast Pirates were also strategic partners in the campaign against Whitebeard.
One relationship did not invalidate the other.
People were selfish.
Pirates especially so.
As for the war between Wano and Kaido, Teach genuinely did not care. His attention remained fixed on Whitebeard.
Furthermore, he was not optimistic about Wano's chances. Although Wano's overall military strength was formidable, they could not commit their entire force.
The homeland still required protection.
More importantly, Wano possessed very little experience in naval warfare.
The world had changed.
Cannons and firearms dominated the seas. Launching an invasion meant abandoning their greatest advantage.
Meanwhile, the Beast Pirates would be fighting on familiar ground.
Their artillery ranked among the strongest in the New World.
After annexing a kingdom famous for cannon manufacturing and gaining Queen's scientific expertise, their firepower had only become more terrifying.
Wano's weaknesses were equally obvious.
Their industrial foundation was practically nonexistent compared to the outside world.
Their productivity lagged far behind modern nations.
Though sword exports generated significant revenue, sustaining a prolonged war would place enormous strain on the country.
That was why they needed Nightfall support.
In a sense, it was a system of mutual restraint.
If the Nightfall Pirates suddenly cut off supplies, Wano would suffer catastrophic losses.
Likewise, provoking Wano unnecessarily would damage Nightfall's interests.
There was simply no reason to do so.
According to Teach's calculations, the war would not last very long.
Eventually, Wano would withdraw once casualties became too severe or victory appeared impossible.
The Road Poneglyph was important. But not more important than the lives of Wano's people.
Soon afterward, the Beast Pirates received the intelligence transmitted by the Nightfall Pirates.
King calmly read the report.
"Wano Country will cross the Sageros Sea and enter Beast Pirate territory through the shortest route."
"The Nightfall Pirates will also provide logistical support."
Crayel frowned.
"I don't understand."
"If the Nightfall Pirates intend to oppose us, why would they tell us?"
King shook his head.
"They aren't opposing us."
"For the Nightfall Pirates, our war doesn't matter."
"Their focus remains the Whitebeard Pirates."
"There is no reason for them to offend us for Wano's sake."
He folded the report.
"There was probably some trade agreement involved."
At the head of the table, Kaido drank deeply from a massive sake gourd.
Then he burst into laughter.
"Worororororo!"
"Teach!"
"It seems you have a lot of confidence in us!"
He slammed the gourd onto the table and rose to his feet. His eyes burned with excitement.
"Prepare for war!"
The terrifying aura of the Strongest Creature spread through the hall.
"I want to see just how sharp that samurai's sword really is!"