Boom! Boom!
"What an intense fight! I wish I could jump in right now!"
Thunder rumbled, the ground trembled, and waves of Haki clashed outside.
After just a few short hours, Luffy—who had taken a direct hit from "Thunder Bagua"—was already bouncing around after tearing off his bandages, drawing shocked looks from those around him.
That recovery speed…
"Is your captain a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user? Some kind of Mythical Zoan…?"
"No, just a Paramecia-type—the 'Gomu Gomu no Mi,' that's all."
What?! With that kind of recovery, and you're telling me it's not a Zoan-type?!
"Speaking of which, I'm more curious about your abilities…"
Hearing Roman's pointed words, the bandaged deputy commander fell silent.
After all, Devil Fruits were rare treasures, yet every single one of these "rebels" had powers. It was impossible not to be suspicious.
Especially because…
Roman himself possessed the ability to "grant" others powers!
This situation felt way too familiar. Looking at these so-called rebels, they seemed just like… The White Knight!
"Well, whatever. That's your group's secret."
Even though they called their leader the "Unruly Commander," Roman wasn't naïve enough to think these people would be completely open with him. That was just unrealistic.
As long as they gave their all in the fight against Kaido, that was enough for Roman.
As for their secrets?
In this vast ocean, who doesn't have a few of those?
If you dig too deep, you might end up with no friends at all.
"As long as we take down Kaido, we'll leave Wano. After that, you can do whatever you want—though I don't know if a 'bad commander' like me has the right to give orders."
Hearing Roman's teasing, the bandaged vice commander stayed silent for a moment before responding, "Rest assured, Supreme Commander. The entire faction will give everything we've got in this battle!"
That's good. But—
"Luffy, Zoro, why aren't you two out exploring?"
If the aftermath of distant battles was enough to scare Usopp and Chopper into staying put inside Roman's makeshift buildings, then Luffy and Zoro—who feared nothing and always rushed toward any fight—shouldn't have been sitting still here.
"What's there to see? Whether it's the scavenger villages nearby or Bakura Town, nobody is happy there."
Luffy's words were already putting it mildly.
How could people living in patched-up clothes, with sunken faces, surviving off scraps from big towns, possibly be happy?
And the saddest part of this world?
Ordinary people don't even have a chance to fight back.
Back in Roman's previous life, when desperate farmers couldn't survive, they could still rise up in rebellion. Sheer numbers alone could overwhelm soldiers and generals.
But here?
For commoners who can't survive, the most realistic choice is to tie a rock to themselves and jump into the sea—because most of the time, they can't even make their enemies bleed.
Back when Roman was just a small-time pirate in East Blue with a measly 10 million bounty, he could easily slaughter hundreds of common people.
Now?
Ordinary people were no better than ants. No, worse than ants.
At least ants could bite.
Against someone like him, normal people couldn't even scratch the surface.
"One man fights across a thousand miles, his fists alone stopping an army of ten thousand."
That was the kind of strength Roman had reached.
And Wano was exactly that kind of place.
Swordsmen with bounties in the tens of millions filled the land. Skilled warriors worth close to a hundred million weren't rare, and there were even greater swordmasters worth hundreds of millions.
How could ordinary people possibly resist?
Forget learning martial arts for revenge—they couldn't even find enough food to eat.
"I don't like it here either."
Zoro sighed, looking disappointed.
"Whether it's the poisonous animals or the polluted water, for us, at most, it's just an upset stomach. But…"
For the people living here, it was deadly poison.
Over the past twenty years, the number of ordinary people who died from eating toxic food or drinking contaminated water wasn't just in the thousands—it was far beyond that.
How could Luffy and Zoro still be in the mood to 'go on an adventure' in a place like this?
"Just hold on a little longer. It's almost over."
As Roman closed his eyes, he sensed the arrival of their final allies.
The battle was about to begin.
——————
"Don't we need to catch some koi fish?"
Hearing Duke Inuarashi's question, the white dove shook its head.
"No need."
"Besides, after Big Mom's crew forced their way through, every entrance to the waterfalls is heavily guarded."
Wano was supposed to be a closed-off country, surrounded by natural barriers.
And yet, in the 'original story,' aside from Big Mom's crew clashing with the Beasts Pirates, everyone else—the Straw Hats, the Minks, Law, even that little troublemaker Kid—came and went as they pleased.
Sneaking in was laughably easy.
Roman didn't even know what to say about it.
Was Big Mom's crew the only group that didn't come with built-in "Invisibility Fruits"?
"We're going in from here."
"This…?"
Looking up at the towering cliff ahead, even the elite warriors of the Mink Tribe were unsettled.
But they were elites.
Even as their ship sailed straight toward the sheer rock face, no one spoke.
That earned a nod of approval from the white dove.
As expected of Zou, a land where everyone was a warrior.
The closer these nations were to the Grand Line's end, the stronger they were.
Then—
*Whoosh!*
The white dove expanded, transforming into Roman as he crouched on the deck and clapped his hands together.
"Paper Dance: Light-Heavy Rock!"
*Boom!*
As Roman activated his ability, the ship lifted off the water, gracefully soaring through the air toward Wano's inner sea.
Duke Inuarashi and Nekomamushi watched in amazement.
As warriors who had once sailed under Whitebeard and Roger, they weren't shocked by something as simple as making a ship fly.
But this ability…
"This is just like that old geezer Golden Lion's 'Float-Float Fruit' ability, isn't it?"
Compared to the calm and composed Duke Inuarashi, Nekomamushi was much more straightforward, always saying exactly what he felt.
And he made no effort to hide his dislike for the ruthless Golden Lion.
"Yeah, I just used my own power to mimic it."
As the 'Zou' ship soared over Wano's inner sea, Duke Inuarashi and Nekomamushi suddenly turned their heads sharply toward the south.
"Over there is..."
"Oh, that's just Kaido and BIG MOM 'warming up.'"
Hearing Roman's response, both the cat and the dog twitched their mouths.
"Roman, are we planning to wait until Kaido and BIG MOM weaken each other before we suddenly strike...?"
"No."
As Roman stood up, the 'airship' beneath him slowly descended into the sea.
"We'll wait for the Fire Festival, then take down Kurozumi Orochi, the Beasts Pirates, and the BIG MOM Pirates all at once on Onigashima!"
"?! Little Roman, are you saying we'll be fighting two Yonko crews at the same time?"
Even the bold and fearless Nekomamushi couldn't help but dig his ears in disbelief. To be honest, while Jack ultimately took down Zou by using poison, before that, he had single-handedly held off both him and Inuarashi in a prolonged battle. In terms of strength, Jack was clearly above either of them alone.
Yet, despite Jack's strength, he was still just the 'youngest' among the Calamities. Not to mention Kaido, the so-called 'strongest creature'...
Before, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi had been prepared to risk everything in a desperate battle. But now, with the BIG MOM Pirates in the mix too...
How were they supposed to win this? This wasn't about bravery anymore—it was the difference between fighting and throwing your life away!
"Don't panic. There's an old saying: 'After three days apart, look at someone with fresh eyes.'"
"We've been away from Zou for a week. Of course, we're not at the same level we were before."
...It wasn't just the other warriors of Zou—both Inuarashi and Nekomamushi stood there, stunned.
Roman shook his head.
Perspective. That's the problem. Do they really think they can judge the Straw Hat Crew with ordinary logic?
Since leaving Zou, the Straw Hat Crew had crashed BIG MOM's wedding, fought and defeated Katakuri and Smoothie, and obtained rubbings of three Poneglyphs. Then, they encountered the Red the Aloof, and after splitting up, each member faced former enemies from their past.
After two high-level battles, everyone had grown significantly stronger!
Especially Luffy—he had mastered both 'future sight' and 'Conqueror's Haki infusion' back-to-back, pushing his combat power close to Yonko level!
To Roman, such rapid progress made perfect sense. But to others, it was shocking.
"So don't worry. Kaido and BIG MOM are our problem. You guys should go settle your score with Jack—that's what you really want, isn't it?"
"Of course!"
If it had been a fair fight, they would have accepted the outcome, win or lose. But Jack had used poison...
The stronger warriors had endured long enough for the Straw Hat Crew to intervene, but the elderly, the sick, and the weak...
The warriors of Zou would never forget this grudge!
Good. Compared to these mysterious 'outsiders,' the warriors of Zou were at least reliable.
Now, all that was left was...
Inside a hidden chamber within the towering castle of the Flower Capital.
"Guhaha... Buying weapons from pirates, then using them against pirates..."
"The middleman, 'Joker'... Now that Doflamingo has fallen, you must be having a tough time, huh?"
The one speaking was a large, grotesque-looking man with a wide face, a protruding jaw, and a bald head. He wore a crooked crown and a yellow kimono patterned with black crescent moons. Over his shoulders, he draped a black cape with intricate designs.
Kurozumi Orochi—Shogun of Wano.
A Mythical Zoan user of the Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata-no-Orochi.
Arguably the weakest Mythical Zoan in the world.
But as the ruler of a 'peaceful' country, Orochi didn't need personal strength.
Loyal subordinates and powerful backers were more than enough to let him sit back and enjoy his throne.
"Without your 'white gloves' to handle things, you have no choice but to negotiate with me. But right now, it's a seller's market—"
Kurozumi Orochi was despicable, greedy, and weak, but he wasn't stupid.
After all, he had started out as a powerless servant and still managed to manipulate a warrior as strong as Oden to his death. Sure, Oden had been naive, but Orochi's political skill was undeniable.
"My Wano can sustain itself. I don't need to do business with you at all."
In negotiations, whoever panics first loses.
"Right now, I only want the latest model warships. Next time, I'll demand Vegapunk himself!"
"That's impossible—"
The CP0 leader, wearing a black-and-white mask, immediately objected, but the response he got was—
Bang!
With the sound of a gunshot, the long-armed man in a white, expressionless mask standing behind him was shot right in the forehead. His red-and-white-striped hat flew off and landed on the ground! Of course, a CP0 elite wouldn't be taken down by a single bullet, but—
"I'm not asking for your opinion!"
Kurozumi Orochi, with his shifty eyes and sly grin, arrogantly faced the three agents who represented the highest power of the World Government, showing them no respect at all.
"The Celestial Dragons? The Marines?"
"I'm not afraid of you at all! Even if you work together, you still can't do anything to me!"
"My Wano Country is a land blessed by the heavens. Even your so-called 'gods' can't do anything about the chaotic seas surrounding it. And behind me stands Kaido!"
"...Sigh, I wonder if 'Joker' falling is a blessing or a curse..."
The three CP0 agents left on an unhappy note, walking toward their guest room while whispering to each other.
"Stop complaining. Our job is just to negotiate this deal and keep the flow of weapons going to the sea. As for 'Joker,' that's only a temporary issue. It won't be long before another ambitious man takes his place. Compared to the threat he posed to the higher-ups—?!"
"Who's there?!"
The masked man with black-and-white eyes suddenly threw open the guest room door, only to see a figure standing inside, holding their top-secret transponder snail.
"?! You CP0 are still this useless? What an embarrassment to us."
That familiar, commanding voice—
The figure turned around, revealing a strikingly handsome face.
Roman.
(End of Chapter)
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