Even a master swordsman would need to gather energy before unleashing a flying slash of this magnitude.
Yet, Brook had casually swung his sword, sending a hundred-meter-long slash through the air.
The Shogun of Wano Country was shaken to the core.
"Is Brook… a Great Swordsman?"
After all, only a Great Swordsman could unleash such devastating sword energy with a mere swing.
In reality, this was simply the innate ability of the Seven Star Sword.
In the original legend, even a one-armed swordsman like Saga could carve sword marks stretching for kilometers.
Now, with Brook's current strength, unleashing a hundred-meter slash was almost effortless.
Seeing all the attention shift to Brook, Shiki the Golden Lion felt a bit depressed.
"Hey, you show-off! You're stealing my thunder!"
It turned out that being flashy could look so effortless.
"Brother Brook, come on! Do you really need to bully the weak like this?!"
Shiki scoffed inwardly.
"You said you'd take it slow. Weren't you planning to learn Ryuo Haki?!"
Meanwhile, Hyogoro, covered in blue flames, was drenched in cold sweat.
"I'm just an 18-year-old street thug boss! Do you have to be this ruthless?!"
Was it because he rejected Brook's offer?
Or was it because Brook's crew scolded him, and now Brook held a grudge?
Hyogoro's high-speed charge collided with the hundred-meter sword energy in an instant.
There was no time for anyone to intervene.
Even Brook was briefly alarmed, realizing he might have gone too far.
With a mournful cry and a violent crash, Hyogoro was blasted backward, smashing into a pile of rubble.
His sword, Sakurabone, flew into the air and stuck into the ground.
"That… was just a casual swing. I didn't even use any strength!"
Brook muttered sheepishly, genuinely surprised by how weak his opponent turned out to be.
Feeling a twinge of guilt, Brook immediately shouted to Crocus, the ship's doctor.
"Crocus! Get over here! Help him before he dies!"
A group of panicked gangsters rushed to dig Hyogoro out of the rubble, crying as they worked.
Crocus came sprinting over, clearly annoyed.
"I'm a doctor! Move it! Let me through!"
He shoved the gangsters aside with ease, hurling them out of the way one by one.
Once he reached Hyogoro, Crocus didn't waste time.
He immediately poured a bottle of 'Lab' brand healing and nutrient potion down Hyogoro's throat, then checked his bones and external wounds.
Within moments, Crocus realigned the broken bones, applied 'Lab' brand impact ointment, and bandaged the injuries.
The treatment was complete in less than a minute.
"All done! Pfft, I'm the best vet around. I've treated whales on entire islands. This? This is nothing!"
Crocus scoffed, casually brushing off the life-saving treatment.
Then, he turned on his heel and returned to his makeshift medical stall, as if nothing had happened.
Under the tearful gaze of his men, Hyogoro slowly regained consciousness.
The moment he opened his eyes, his crew cheered with relief.
"Boss Hyogoro! You're alive! That vet is amazing! He saved you so quickly! We should go thank him!"
Some of the gangsters hurried to Crocus's stall, offering gold and bowing deeply in gratitude.
"Forget the gold. This was our captain's fault. It was our responsibility to save him."
Crocus waved them off with a nonchalant tone, like an enlightened sage.
In reality, he just couldn't be bothered with their small offering.
Ever since striking it rich in Shandora's Golden Land on Skypiea, he no longer cared for petty gold.
In fact, his medicine tools—mortar, scales, and even the weights—were all made of solid gold.
If gold were less soft, even his surgical instruments would probably be made of it.
"Doctor! You're truly a sage, indifferent to fame and fortune! The Yakuza Group will remember your kindness forever!"
One of the gangsters praised Crocus with deep reverence.
However, after bowing in gratitude, he slyly pocketed the gold again.
No point wasting it on someone who didn't want it, right?
The gangsters rushed back to their boss's side.
"Are you alright, Hyogoro?! That was my mistake! Here, take 100 kilograms of gold as compensation. Go home and rest.
But try to gather the seastone as soon as possible—before the Shogun expels me!"
Brook said, handing over Sakurabone and the gold, offering both sincere concern and a subtle order.
Time waited for no one—especially when seastone was involved.
"Sir Brook, you're incredibly strong…"
Despite his injuries, Hyogoro's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"I hope to learn from you again one day—or even become your disciple. I'll fulfill my promise and gather seastone as quickly as possible!"
Hyogoro, now fully treated, felt energized despite the lingering pain.
All he could think about was helping Brook collect seastone.
For Hyogoro and his gang, it was an honor to serve a Great Swordsman.
After all, revering strength was part of a samurai's code.
"Thank you for your help."
Brook smiled, offering genuine gratitude.
"You have great potential yourself. I hope one day, we can explore the world together!"
Brook had a hidden motive—he wanted to recruit the local boss.
After witnessing Brook's power, the gangsters' awe was evident.
The recruitment process would be much easier now.
Hyogoro hesitated, feeling tempted by the offer.
Following a powerful swordsman was a dream for many thugs.
After all, Kozuki Oden had defeated the bandits of Kuri, earning their loyalty and forming the Nine Red Scabbards.
Even Kyoshiro had gained followers by subduing local thugs.
In Wano, strength was everything.
If Brook's crew offered power and protection, it was hard to refuse.
However, Hyogoro's only concern was leaving Wano.
"Hyogoro, join us."
Brook extended his hand, voice steady and persuasive.
"We'll grow stronger together. You don't need to leave Wano—you can work with us from here."
If Hyogoro became their local ally, the Hell Pirates could slowly infiltrate Wano.
By boiling the frog slowly, they could gradually erode the Kozuki Family's influence.
After all, the Kozuki family's prestige was still too strong.
Even Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido had to humiliate Oden with the Five-Year Fruit Dance to diminish the Kozuki family's reputation.
For now, Brook's crew lacked the numbers to challenge Wano's rulers.
But with local bosses like Hyogoro on their side, they could chip away at Wano's foundation.
"Mr. Brook…"
Hyogoro's expression hardened with determination.
"As long as you don't harm Wano, I'll follow you!"
"I swear, I'll help Wano prosper. Everyone will have food, jobs, and peace!"
Brook's smile was reassuring—he had won over his first local boss.
Now, Wano's seastone production was within reach.
-------
Hyogoro felt a bit of yearning when he heard Brook's words. Although the Flower Capital where he lived was prosperous, the rest of Wano was still poor and backward.
There was even an extremely chaotic region called Kuri, where good and bad people mixed together, and the citizens lived in poverty. Even the Shogun and daimyos couldn't suppress the darkness there.
The underworld samurai culture in Wano thrived, with almost everyone carrying a sword. This meant that peace was only relative. A large number of defeated underworld forces fled to Kuri, bringing with them revenge, violence, and chaos. This also led to countless orphans and abandoned children drifting into the region, trying to survive. Kuri was the only area not connected to the Flower Capital.
Kuri seemed to have gathered all of Wano's filth. Even members of the Kurozumi family ended up there, alongside various declining clans seeking refuge. It was nothing more than a lawless territory.
There was also a garbage town called Rubbish Heap, much like the Gray Terminal of the Goa Kingdom in the East Blue. Despite the filth, it was a place where many desperate people found a way to survive.
The Flower Capital, in contrast, was protected by Nozomi, Usagi, Suzuho, and Hakumai. It was the most prosperous city, with all regions paying taxes to the shogun. Gangs thrived there, with casinos, bathhouses, and massive entertainment districts everywhere.
Kuri, however, was far removed from the Flower Capital and its districts, cut off from the influence of the central government. With no administrators or daimyos, it was a land of endless survival struggles.
The gangs in Kuri were no longer just gangs—they were essentially bandits and marauders. The strong enslaved the weak, and murder for profit was commonplace.
"Everyone having enough to eat... what a beautiful dream!"
Hyogoro sighed. In a land where the strong ruled, being bullied was the norm. That was why he became a gangster—to climb the social ladder and escape being preyed upon.
He envied the noble families and wealthy merchants, but he had also grown used to seeing peasants, tenants, and domestic slaves exploited. Despite this, he maintained a small sense of morality, trying not to harm the poorest farmers.
Ironically, this tiny shred of morality made him seem like a saint in the eyes of the common people. It showed just how severe the oppression in Wano was.
In the original tale, Kozuki Hiyori used her status as an oiran to seduce and deceive a wealthy, bald merchant. To pay her ransom and aid the Kozuki cause, she ruined the merchant, who in turn, destroyed many families through his greed.
Hiyori and Kyoshiro thought they were noble by using the stolen money to aid the poor. Yet, the wealth they scammed was already tainted with the suffering of the innocent. Their victims, though still barely surviving, could have held on. However, after Hiyori's scheme, the merchant squeezed them dry—forcing them to sell their homes and daughters, leaving families broken.
Wano was truly a feudal and authoritarian land. The shogun ruled through the daimyos and noble families, caring little for the suffering commoners. The Kozuki clan merely needed to secure the loyalty of the daimyos to maintain control.
··
"How about it, Hyogoro? Have you made up your mind?" Brook asked, his eyes sharp. "I heard there's an extremely chaotic place called Kuri in Wano. If I help pacify it, do you think Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki would lease it to me?
How about joining me? Help me manage it properly. We'll make sure everyone has food and work. Who knows, you might even become a famous official in Kuri."
After showcasing his strength, Brook now painted an enticing vision of fame, wealth, and power.
The chance to become a daimyo—a position of great status—was something Hyogoro had never even dreamed of. Rising from the underworld to the ranks of nobility? It was too tempting.
Who could resist such a lure?
Hyogoro, the 18-year-old gangster, was so fired up by Brook's words that he was ready to roll up his sleeves and pacify Kuri on the spot!
"Lord Brook! From now on, you're my boss—no, you're my patriarch!" Hyogoro declared passionately. "Your name doesn't matter. I only want to pacify Kuri and bring peace to the people there!"
Without hesitation, Hyogoro knelt and bowed his head in devotion. His sincerity was unquestionable.
"Alright, alright. From now on, just call me Brother Brook," Brook said with a grin. "I'll make sure you become a well-known figure in Wano. Becoming the Daimyo of Kuri? It's only a matter of time!"
Brook pulled Hyogoro to his feet and continued to paint a grand vision of their future. After all, the bigger the dream, the more memorable it became. Even Luffy, upon meeting strangers, declared, "I'm going to be the Pirate King!"—firing up those around him with a bold, impossible ambition.
Whether Brook could pull it off or not didn't matter. The dream itself was enough to win people over.
"No, Lord Brook! You are my patriarch. How can I call you Brother? That would be disrespectful!"
Hyogoro, bound by honor and tradition, was unwilling to treat Brook as an equal. In the original story, the Nine Red Scabbards worked hard to shed their gangster status and become samurai retainers of the Kozuki family. To them, calling Brook boss or big brother would be an insult to their dignity.
"Fine, fine. Whatever you like," Brook said with a chuckle. "Now, go back and recover. Collect as much seastone as you can. I'll see if I can negotiate with Kozuki Sukiyaki to suppress Kuri."
Brook smiled confidently. His next step was to demonstrate his power and negotiate the lease of Kuri.
This situation reminded Brook of his previous life's history. The colonial powers of his homeland—Britain and France—once used deception and legal loopholes to lease foreign lands.
He recalled the legend of the bullhide enclosure trick. Though the truth of the story was debatable, a similar scheme actually happened in the Philippines.
Back then, the Spaniards offered a large sum of money to buy a piece of land "as large as a bullhide." The king, unaware of the trick, agreed. However, the Spaniards cut the bullhide into thin strips, encircling a vast plot of land. With this ploy, they gradually took over the area and turned it into a colony.
"Lord Brook, for the sake of Kuri's peace, I will follow you to the end!"
Hyogoro declared resolutely. He gathered his gang and set off to collect seastone. Before they left, Brook handed him a Den Den Mushi.
Turning back to the battlefield, Brook shifted his focus to his crew's fight against the three daimyos.
To his surprise, Shimotsuki Toramaru—the battle-hungry swordsman—was actually teaching Redfield how to wield Ryuo Haki!
Was this the legendary respect for fellow warriors? Had they bonded through battle?
Brook smirked. Has Toramaru been undefeated for too long? Is he trying to cultivate a worthy rival like Dracule Mihawk?
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