Dawn.
The charcoal in the hearth had long burned out, leaving only a layer of ash-white residual warmth.
The old wooden bed, after a night of intense shaking, had one leg completely askew, propped firmly against the cold earthen wall to keep it from collapsing.
Kozuki Toki lay sprawled across Kane's rising and falling chest, breathing evenly.
Her signature green hair was a tangled mess, with a few strands stuck to her smooth temples by sweat.
On her snow-white back, exposed to the morning air, several crisscrossing red marks stood out starkly.
This was the most peaceful, most defenseless sleep she had experienced since waking from the absurd, mad nightmare of Kozuki Oden.
The ashen, defeated look of a woman who had lost her country, once etched between her brows, had completely vanished. The delicate charm of being thoroughly nurtured and finding new support had transformed her entirely.
All in just one night.
Kane had not only rightfully slept with Kozuki Oden's wife but had also made the victim view it as a great act of mercy for all living beings. With just a few words, he had completely molded Kozuki Toki into his "exclusive shape."
Kane leaned against the headboard, one hand pillowed behind his head.
The other hand gently stroked down Kozuki Toki's slender spine.
He stared at the blackened ceiling beams, mentally planning his next grand move.
Securing Kozuki Toki and gaining 150,000 Disciplinary Points was merely an appetizer.
He had gone to great lengths, infiltrating this isolated, lawless land alone, for the entire Wano Country!
"Madam," Kane suddenly spoke.
The delicate body lying on his chest shifted slightly.
Kozuki Toki didn't rush to open her eyes. Instead, like a little girl with extreme dependency, she instinctively nuzzled her cheek against the man's firm chest muscles, letting out a faint, alluring moan.
After a moment, she slowly lifted her exquisite face. A deep, captivating blush instantly spread from the roots of her ears down to the base of her neck.
"Admiral..." she whispered, her voice hoarse from the previous night's frenzy.
"Call me Kane. Since everything has already happened, there's no need for such formal titles between us."
Kane lowered his head slightly, gently tucking a strand of green hair stuck to her sweaty cheek behind her ear with a curled finger.
His thumb lightly brushed her flushed lips, his eyes perfectly conveying a hint of affection.
Kozuki Toki's nose tingled, and her eyes instantly welled with tears.
She nodded vigorously, wrapping her arms tightly around the man's thick forearm, terrified he might suddenly vanish.
"Ka... Kane..." she bit her lower lip, as if summoning immense resolve, finally uttering the name.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile curled at the corner of Kane's mouth as he smoothly steered the conversation: "Kaido has entrenched himself in Wano Country, recruiting troops and building an arsenal in Kuri."
His tone was calm, guiding.
"His ambition doesn't stop there. He must be secretly searching for something else."
Kane's brow furrowed slightly, perfectly wrapping his ambition in a shell of compassion. "Madam, as the matriarch of the Kozuki Clan, tell me—does this lawless land harbor some dangerous taboo that threatens the balance of the seas?"
Upon hearing this, Kozuki Toki immediately propped herself up.
The cold wind from outside seeped through the window cracks, chilling her bare skin, yet she made no move to cover herself. For this hero who had risked "disciplinary action" to save her, she had no more secrets to keep.
"There is," Kozuki Toki answered swiftly, her gaze clear and without any intention of concealment.
"The ancestors of the Kozuki Clan were Stone Carvers. Within Wano Country, there is a red Road Poneglyph."
She looked at Kane solemnly. "It is the guide to the Final Island Laugh Tale, coveted by every Pirate on the seas."
As Kozuki Toki spoke, Kane remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was laughing maniacally.
Of course he knew about that red stone in Wano Country. But as an outsider, if he had to dig through this vast island to find it, how long would that take? Now, with a Kozuki matriarch falling into his lap, he wouldn't even need to search for the stone's exact location—he could just take it directly!
His inner elation surged like a tidal wave, yet his expression transformed into one of compassionate sorrow.
"A stone is just a lifeless object."
Kane deliberately sighed, feigning profundity. "The innocent man is guilty only for possessing the jade! A mere stone has attracted greedy jackals like the Beast Pirates. But in the end, it's the innocent civilians in the quarries, who can't even fill their bellies with coarse grain, who suffer!"
She looked at Kane's face, troubled by pity for the people, her heart racing.
How could she allow such a noble man to bear this burden alone?
She would reveal the Kozuki Clan's deepest trump card to pave the way for her man!
"Kane."
Kozuki Toki cupped the man's handsome face with both hands, drawing them closer until their breaths intertwined.
"The Poneglyphs are just the tip of the iceberg. Wano Country's true secret lies not on land, but beneath the sea."
Kane raised a single eyebrow, emitting a single syllable filled with pressure.
"Oh?"
Kozuki Toki lowered her voice. "The towering waterfalls surrounding Wano Country—the outside world believes they are natural barriers."
"But in truth, they are not natural defenses at all. They are shackles!"
"Eight hundred years ago, the ancestors of the Kozuki Clan deliberately sealed off the old country, erecting high walls and allowing endless rain to completely submerge the ancient land."
"And in the deepest depths of that sunken old site, a battleship capable of destroying heaven and earth lies dormant!"
Kozuki Toki's breathing grew rapid as she uttered the name, word by word.
"The Ancient Weapon... Pluton! The world knows it better as—Pluton!"
"A single shot can level an island. It is the most vicious killing machine on these seas!"
As her words fell.
Kane's fist, hidden beneath the covers, clenched tightly!
He had taken the bait!!
As long as he obtained Pluton's coordinates, infiltrated the depths to analyze its core, he would be one step closer to entering the Divine Domain and overturning this absurd world ruled by the Celestial Dragons!
His inner ambition and greed erupted like a volcano, yet his expression instantly darkened.
"Bang!"
He slammed his palm down on the broken edge of the bed, the old wood emitting a teeth-grating crack.
"Absurd!" he rebuked sharply, his tone filled with sorrow and fury. "If a warmonger like Kaido were to gain control of Pluton, the entire world would be plunged into a storm of bloodshed! Countless civilians would lose their homes and lives! Such a terrifying weapon must never see the light of day!"
Kozuki Toki was awed by this unyielding, righteous aura, her reverence swelling within her chest.
She abruptly threw off the crumpled blanket, her bare feet stepping onto the cold, dusty floor as she hurried toward the worn square table on the other side of the room.
Rummaging through her belongings, she pulled out a charred piece of charcoal and a sheet of yellowed parchment.
The woman bent over, unconcerned about the risk of exposure, and leaned her perfect, naked body against the tabletop.
The tip of the charcoal scraped rapidly across the parchment, producing a soft, rustling sound.
Complex underwater currents, deep-sea pressure distributions, and the coordinates of that hidden underwater labyrinth entrance...
Relying on her clearest memories, she meticulously sketched it all down.
Half an hour later.
Kozuki Toki walked back to the bedside, holding the still-drying secret map, and presented it to Kane with both hands.
"Now, I am the only one in this world who knows its full details. Kane, if this Pluton can help you maintain peace on the seas, I, Toki, am willing to offer everything!"
Kane extended two slender fingers, firmly grasping the parchment.
His eyes swept over it. The route was clear, every detail accounted for, even the positions of several key submerged reefs were clearly marked.
He truly wanted to hug this woman and give her a fierce kiss—what an exceptional partner!
"Good." Kane's tone was solemn as he carefully folded the priceless blueprint and tucked it into the innermost pocket of his shirt, against his chest.
"Rest assured, madam. I will personally dive to the seabed, seal away this extremely dangerous object, and keep it under my own careful guardianship."
He looked directly into Kozuki Toki's eyes, giving the most solemn promise of a Navy Admiral: "As long as I, Kane, am alive, it will never fall into the hands of pirates!"
(Kane's inner thoughts: That's right, what are pirates worth? This ultimate weapon, capable of reaching the Divine Domain, is destined to be controlled by me alone!)
With that, Kane swung his legs off the bed.
The crisp, white shirt draped over his explosively powerful torso, each button meticulously fastened up to the top collar.
The straight-legged trousers hugged his long legs.
Finally, he grabbed the Navy Admiral coat hanging on the wooden rack, emblazoned with the bold black characters for "Justice."
With a sharp outward flick of his arm.
The coat cut a fierce arc through the dim room, accompanied by a sharp rustle, landing steadily and imposingly over his broad shoulders.
Neat. Stern. Majestic!
Completely different from the sweat-drenched frenzy of the previous night in bed, he had instantly transformed back into that unattainable, life-and-death-wielding, justice-embodying Navy Admiral!
Kozuki Toki casually draped an old garment over herself, leaning against the bedpost as she gazed at him with infatuation.
This was a true man. Even the sight of him pulling up his pants to handle serious business filled her with an unparalleled sense of security.
Kane bent slightly, picking up the pitch-black Soul Slayer Sword, Zangetsu, which had been leaning against the corner of the wall.
He walked to the door, his hand gripping the rough latch.
"Stay here. Take care of Hiyori. Leave the mess outside to me."
He tilted his head slightly. The faint morning light through the window fell on his profile, outlining a cold, perfect silhouette.
Lowering his voice, his tone carried an invincible Haki that seemed only natural.
This Haki made Kozuki Toki blush, moved beyond words.
"Dawn has come. It's time to settle the debt with the Beast Pirates."
"Since we are now husband and wife... I should also go and seek justice for my poor, unseen son... Momonosuke!"
Hearing the words "poor, unseen son," Kozuki Toki tightly covered her mouth, tears once again streaming from her eyes.
This time, there was no despair—only the overwhelming happiness of joy through tears!
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