Somewhere deep in a forest on Frost Island.
Snow and ice covered the woods, turning what should have been a green land into a pale white world.
Inside a certain cave, black smoke slowly drifted out, as if a group of people had gathered there.
"Judging by the time, this winter should have ended long ago, yet snow is still falling from the sky. Something is clearly wrong…" A man dressed like a Wano samurai sat beside the campfire, holding a skewer of roasted meat as he spoke in a heavy voice.
"Even the bears have come out. They have no fat left on them, so they can't survive this winter either…" another samurai said in a low voice as he looked at the dry piece of meat in his hand.
Just then, a stronger samurai rushed in from outside the cave and stomped out the campfire with one foot before cursing, "You idiots, why are you lighting a fire here? Are you afraid those pirates won't find us?"
"Chief, this meat is frozen as hard as stone. If we don't roast it, we can't even bite into it!" the samurai could not help saying as he looked at the dead fire.
"Then let them find us. I have had enough of living like this, hiding here and there. At worst, we fight them to the death, and at least we won't shame the name of samurai!" another samurai said.
Hearing this, the chief's expression also became complicated.
They were samurai, once part of Wano's ruling class. But then the Roger Pirates came and killed most of them. After that, people from the World Government arrived and began to enslave them. In the end, Wano became the territory of the Valthior Pirates, and those damned pirates treated them even more cruelly.
In the end, the chief could not endure it anymore. He cast aside the name of samurai, took his followers into the mountains, and became the leader of a rebel group, or more simply, a bandit gang.
At first, life in the mountains was still manageable. There was plenty of wild game, and since all of them were samurai, food and drink were not a problem.
Back then, they still dreamed of gathering in the mountains, bringing together Wano's remaining forces, choosing someone to act in the name of the Kozuki family, and then working with the people in the towns below who still refused to give up. Sooner or later, they believed they would be able to take back the country that belonged to them.
When that time came, they would stand above others once again.
However, once winter arrived, their plan began to fall apart.
This year's winter was unusually long. Normally, it should have passed in two or three months, and spring should have come with warm winds and blooming flowers. Yet nearly half a year had passed, and the bitter winter showed no sign of leaving. In fact, it was only getting worse.
The wild beasts in the mountains could no longer stand it, so they began to attack the villages below more and more often, causing trouble in many places.
They had originally planned to build up their strength, but this winter had pressed them down so hard that their group was growing weaker and weaker.
"The gods must have abandoned us!"
"Idiot, don't say nonsense like that!" The chief glared fiercely at the samurai, then said, "I have already asked around. This endless winter should have something to do with that guy, Jaygar Valthior!"
"What do you mean?" another samurai asked.
"People in the Flower Capital are all saying that Valthior is a Winter God with great power, but in truth, he's probably just a sorcerer—a Devil Fruit user. Out on the sea, that guy is known as the Wrath of Winter. Before he came to Wano, our country was fine. The moment he arrived, winter stopped ending. How could there be such a coincidence? That is why I believe that as long as we cut down Valthior, the climate here will return to normal," the chief said.
"Cut him down, and everything will return to normal?" one samurai muttered in confusion.
It sounded so much like an evil villain.
He had taken over their country, enslaved their people, and turned the changing seasons into an endless winter that made everyone tremble in the cold.
And now, it seemed as though defeating Valthior would allow spring to return to Wano.
"I have already spoken with Yamamoto and Tojo, who are hiding on another mountain. Three days from now, we will join forces. We cannot keep waiting to die. Before this winter drains the last bit of spirit from us, we must fight our way back to the Flower Capital and cut down Valthior!" Chief Tobuiren said in a deep voice.
His words managed to raise everyone's spirits a little.
One samurai pulled himself together and asked, "Chief, what is the name of this plan?"
"It is called the Spring of the Flower Capital…"
The chief nodded and said, "That's right, it is called the Spring of the Flower Capital… hm?"
Who answered just now?
He suddenly came back to his senses and turned to look behind him. Not far away, at the entrance of the cave, a tall figure was slowly approaching step by step, two hunting knives gripped in his hands and a savage smile spread across his face.
Two severed heads hung from his waist. The chief's pupils contracted the moment he recognized them—Yamamoto and Tojo, the very two men who had discussed the Spring of the Flower Capital plan with him just days earlier.
"There are quite a few of you here, aren't there, you hiding rats…" Rengar counted the people, then grinned and said, "We are badly short of people like you as test subjects right now. After all, you are strong and healthy. At one glance, you look like you can endure more than those troublesome locals, and you should also provide more complete data. Caesar, that heartless bastard, will like you…"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rengar rushed forward.
Soon, roars and screams echoed inside the cave.
A few minutes later, Rengar walked out while shaking the blood off his hunting knives. At the same time, another head had been added to his waist, and it belonged to Tobuiren.
Outside the cave, Sphinx had a thin cigarette between her lips while she wiped the barrel of her gun with an oiled cloth. "You didn't kill them all, did you?"
"How could I? I only killed the boss. The rest are still alive," Rengar said with a raised brow.
He waved his hand, and a group of guards who had followed them quickly entered the cave. Before long, one samurai after another was brought out with their hands tied behind their backs, all of them linked together by chains and led out by the guards.
"Sort them out. Those with sound arms and legs who can still work will be sent to the mines. The half-crippled ones will be sent to the research center in the Industrial Park," Rengar ordered.
"Let's go. There is another group next. This time, I will handle it," Sphinx said.
"I should still do it. Last time, when we let you go, you shot everyone full of holes…" Rengar could not help saying.
The samurai were strong and healthy. Even after being worn down by the bitter winter, their bodies were still far better than those of the troublesome locals, making them excellent biological samples for Caesar. They could not let Sphinx kill all of them.
As for how Rengar and the others were able to find these fallen samurai so accurately in the mountains, it was actually very simple.
They only needed to ask the troublesome locals in the villages at the foot of the mountains. Right now, as long as they were given a bag of grain, even if half the bag was mixed with sand, those starving people would sell out anything.
That was how cruel winter was.
The samurai in the mountains were still thinking about gaining the support of the locals and carrying out some plan to restore their country, but in front of this freezing winter, no one could hold on forever.
What restoration of the country?
None of that was as real as a bag of grain.
...
Heaven Capital, Seireitei.
At this moment, Valthior was looking at the latest newspaper in his hand with a strange expression.
Charlotte Linlin and Kaido had officially announced their alliance, forming Totto Land, and establishing the Beasts Pirates under its banner.
Charlotte Linlin became the queen of Totto Land, while Kaido became the captain of the Beasts Pirates and the prince consort of Totto Land.
The Beasts Pirates' base was on Whole Cake Island. Kaido and Charlotte Linlin had also shared a sworn-family cup, forming a true sworn bond as elder sister and younger brother.
"A brand-new giant force is about to appear…" Valthior clicked his tongue and said.
Perhaps the World Economic News Paper had good information channels, or perhaps Totto Land had released some news on its own.
In any case, in Valthior's eyes, this strange and complicated alliance already had the potential to surpass Shiki and Whitebeard in the future.
For example, the vice-captain of the Beasts Pirates was now Charlotte Katakuri.
Alber, who had escaped from the Marine research base together with Kaido, and who was also known as King, had become one of the founding officers of the Beasts Pirates as well.
Besides them, some members of the former Big Mom Pirates had also joined the Beasts Pirates. Queen, one of the core members of MADS, which had recently been shut down by the World Government, had also appeared on Whole Cake Island.
Although they had not fully grown yet, and although some members were still missing, there was no doubt that the two Emperor crews from the original story had now merged into one.
However, Valthior was not afraid of the birth of this monster crew, because the Valthior Pirates were also a monster crew.
"I am really looking forward to the day our two sides clash properly on this sea…" Valthior said with a grin.
In Valthior's view, if things continued to develop step by step like this, Shiki and Whitebeard could already be considered remnants of the old era.
On the other hand, the alliance between Kaido and Charlotte Linlin would become the true rising force of the new era.
Whitebeard might not change, since he was stubborn and proud by nature. But if Shiki could see the situation clearly, he would definitely look for a way to survive even from the edge of defeat.
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