Kaidou was determined to take Wano, a resolve that wouldn’t change regardless of anyone else’s attitude.
Although it had started as a casual suggestion from Caesar, that was simply how pirates operated—once an idea took root, they acted on it immediately.
Even if Yamato refused to become Wano’s shogun, Kaidou’s adopted daughter Ulti would likely have been pushed into the position instead.
Neither Ulti nor Queen had expected Kaidou to agree to Caesar’s proposal so readily.
Did this mean that nearly half of the crew’s core leadership would now take orders from Caesar?
Ulti looked at Kaidou, then at Caesar, her eyes darting between the two several times before she suddenly clapped her fist into her palm.
“Ah!
I get it—he’s your actual son, isn’t he?!” “Huh?!
Really, Caesar?” Yamato gasped.
“You actually believe her, idiot?!” Seeing Yamato’s panicked face, Caesar’s expression darkened.
“Worororo…
My son?” Kaidou burst into hearty laughter, turning to size Caesar up.
“Speaking of which, you brat are only eighteen this year, aren’t you?
How about becoming my foster son?
I’ll treat you just like my own!” Caesar waved his hand dismissively.
“No thanks!” “Such a blunt rejection!” Sasaki stared at Caesar in shock, feeling a wave of jealousy.
Though he had joined only after being defeated by Kaidou, he held immense respect for the captain.
Among the core members, everyone else had either followed Kaidou from the very beginning or had been raised by him.
Only he and Caesar were latecomers.
Emotionally speaking, newcomers like them were bound to be less trusted than the original crew.
Who’s-Who had also been in the newcomer camp, but that guy had been carelessly ambushed and killed by Caesar.
Now that Caesar was receiving so much favor from Kaidou, Sasaki felt like an absolute outsider.
‘Damn it, I was here first!’ “Eek…” Caesar suddenly shuddered.
“Did I just feel some perverted obsession aimed at me?” Ulti shot him a strange look.
“Pervert?
You mean Kaidou?” Caesar shook his head.
“No…
it’s probably just my imagination.” “You two brats!
Stop rambling over there!” Kaidou’s face darkened.
Having been rejected by Caesar and mocked by his adopted daughter in quick succession, he felt a sting of embarrassment turning into anger.
He raised fists several times larger than clay pots and delivered two swift thumps, gifting both Caesar and Ulti steaming knots on their heads.
“Ouch!” ×2 Both clutched their heads and squatted on the floor.
Ulti had tears brimming in her eyes, while Caesar winced as he sucked in a cold breath.
His Observation Haki hadn’t allowed him to dodge, meaning those strikes had definitely incorporated Future Sight.
‘You have Future Sight and you use it to hit kids?!’ “Hey, Caesar, are you okay?” Yamato asked with concern, then turned to glare fiercely at Kaidou.
“Hey!
Stinky Dad, why are you hitting people?!” Black Maria let out a fond, amused chuckle at the sight.
Kaidou snorted, not bothering to waste words on his foolish daughter.
“Anyway, I’ll leave the arrangements for Wano to you, Caesar.” Kaidou said coldly, “Do whatever you want with it.
I just want to see the money!” Caesar stood up while holding his head.
“Of course.
But I still need to get a clear picture of Wano’s current situation first.
Also, is there a solution for the land pollution yet?” “It’s already taken care of!” Queen pulled out a test tube of liquid.
“A special nutrient serum crafted by yours truly!
As long as it’s diluted and sprayed over the land, it neutralizes the harmful substances in the soil and turns them into nutrients!” Caesar immediately passed the buck: “Is that so?
If anything goes wrong, responsibility falls on you.” Queen flew into a rage.
“There’s a limit to looking down on people, you damn brat!
I used to be a member of MADS, you know!” “Then all that’s left is to take out Kurozumi Orochi.” Caesar nodded.
Though he didn’t put much faith in Queen’s scientific skill, it was an assignment from Kaidou, so Queen wouldn’t dare mess it up.
……
As time went on, the atmosphere on Onigashima grew increasingly lively.
The Fire Festival was a traditional Wano holiday.
Having been entrenched in Wano for years, the Beasts Pirates naturally adopted local customs.
According to past tradition, the high-ranking members would gather in the main banquet hall, while Queen led the lower ranks in hosting the Golden Kagura, indulging in wild revelry.
After the banquet ended, low-level officers would assemble at the pleasure hall, while grunts gathered in small groups, sneakily seeking out lone geisha or female crewmates to engage in sordid affairs…
“Pirates…
really are a degenerate bunch.” On the day of the Fire Festival, Caesar leaned against a window frame, taking casual sips from a liquor bottle.
Inside the elegant traditional room, Ayu, dressed as a geisha, plucked at a shamisen with crisp notes, while Yamato sat nearby reading manga and munching on snacks.
“Not all pirates are like that, Caesar!
The Roger Pirates weren’t like that!” Hearing Caesar’s remark, Yamato spoke up to clarify.
“Don’t project noble fantasies onto a whole group just because of a few individuals.
Roger once slaughtered an entire country’s army simply because someone spoke ill of his crewmate.” Caesar gave a light smile.
“Besides, people who set sail purely to seek treasure are extremely rare.
Strictly speaking, those people should be called explorers.” “Uh…
well, Oden’s journal didn’t mention that.” Yamato scratched her head.
“So, Caesar, are we going to become pirates later?” “Even if I don’t want to, the World Government will almost certainly designate us as pirates.” Caesar picked at his ear, finding the sound of the shamisen grating.
“Ayu, it’s too noisy.” “My apologies, Lord Caesar.” Ayu hastily put down the shamisen, resting her hands respectfully in front of her.
“My skills are unrefined.
Please forgive me, my lord.” “It’s just not to my taste.
You may leave.
Don’t wander around tonight—stay inside the building.” Caesar looked into the distance beneath the Senbon Torii gates, where Kurozumi Orochi and his entourage were approaching the main building.
Tossing a gold coin to Ayu, Caesar stood up, adjusted his collar, and pulled Yamato out of the room.
Today he wore a wine-red suit with peak lapels over a black shirt, a style that perfectly complemented his persona.
Yamato had also shed her usual sleeveless kimono.
Black Maria had applied subtle, refined makeup to her face and dressed her in a white kimono featuring blue porcelain patterns.
It was Caesar’s first time learning that kimonos came in different styles.
The long, trailing sleeves Yamato wore were called nagafurisode, a variant of the furisode kimono.
The furisode was a kimono style reserved exclusively for unmarried young women.
Married women wore standard kimonos, while special occasions demanded specific attire—such as the shiromuku for brides or black kimonos for funerals…
In other words, to tell whether a woman was an unwed maiden, a married wife, a bride, or a widow, one only had to look at her kimono.
Come to think of it, Caesar had seen plenty of kimonos before crossing over into this world, though his attention had rarely been on the clothes themselves…
The lights of the Fire Festival illuminated Onigashima until it was bright as day, and crowds surged beneath the Senbon Torii.
Kurozumi Orochi’s palanquin moved forward slowly surrounded by guards.
His winter-gourd-shaped head beneath a golden crown looked gloomy yet ridiculous.
“Lord Kurozumi has arrived—!” As Bao Huang’s voice echoed, the doors to the banquet hall slid open slowly.
Kaidou lounged bare-chested on a raised tatami platform, one hand resting on his sake gourd.
Showing no intention of standing, he merely grinned.
“Worororo!
This year’s Fire Festival is even livelier than usual.
Did something good happen?” Kurozumi Orochi didn’t mind Kaidou’s rudeness at all.
His eyes scanned the faces of the room’s occupants before alighting on Caesar and Yamato nearby.
“Oho, new cadres?
I heard you gained a powerful newcomer.
That would be this gentleman here?” “Quite the silver tongue…” Caesar looked at Orochi with a cheerful smile before suddenly blurting out, “Gourd-head.” “Pfft…” Yamato and Ulti both burst into snickers, causing Orochi’s ugly grin to freeze on his face.
“Insolent fool!” Before Orochi could react, Fukurokuju, standing like a shadow behind him, snapped sharply.
“Enough!” Kaidou raised a hand, his tone laced with impatience.
“Cut the nonsense.
I’m in no mood for your bickering.
I brought you here tonight for one main reason…
the matter of Wano’s ownership.” As the words fell, a loud slam echoed through the hall as the doors shut tight.
Behind Kurozumi Orochi, the Oniwabanshu ninjas’ expressions turned pale, and they quickly gathered around Orochi.
The Beasts Pirates, meanwhile, maintained condescending postures, looking down as if Orochi and his men were already in the palm of their hands.
“Owner…
ownership?” Kurozumi Orochi froze for a moment, then seemed to realize what was happening as his face slowly turned rigid.
“Hey, wait…
What is the meaning of this?
Kaidou!
Ownership of Wano?
You bastard…
are you trying to lay your hands on Wano?!
Don’t be ridiculous!
Don’t forget that we’re allies!” “Allies?” Kaidou let out a burp of liquor and slowly stood up, his colossal frame towering down over Orochi’s group.
Thump!
Hassaikai slammed heavily against the floor tiles, sending spiderweb cracks branching directly to Orochi’s feet.
Looking at the gruesome cracks and the overwhelming monster of a body in front of him, Orochi’s back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
He scrambled backward two steps in a panic and tumbled onto his backside.
In a daze, his vision seemed covered by a faint haze of crimson, and a subtle metallic scent of blood filled the room, sending a chill of pure terror through Orochi’s heart.
“If it were Oden, I might still offer a modicum of respect.
But a mere puppet like you…” “A mere puppet?!” As if he had heard something absurdly funny, the frantic Orochi suddenly found a surge of nerve, letting out a twisted grin.
“Kaidou!
Do you really think brute force alone can swallow Wano?!” “Oh?
Or should I rely on that gourd of yours?” Seeing Orochi act this way, Kaidou seemed amused, curious to hear what grand speech this spineless parasite had to offer.
“I am not a gourd!” Orochi shrieked, “I am Kurozumi Orochi!
The rightful heir to the seat of Shogun!
By virtue of the Kurozumi name alone, no matter how despicable I am, my rule is far more legitimate than you outsiders!
I didn’t plot for all these years just to lay the groundwork for you, Kaidou!” “Hmph.
Rightful, my ass…” Expecting some clever revelation, Kaidou merely snorted with contempt upon hearing Orochi’s words.
In the next instant, he swung Hassaikai down without hesitation!
BOOM—!
Dark red lightning erupted as a wave of violent Conqueror’s Haki swept across the banquet hall in a flash.
The next moment, the golden crown shattered into pieces.
The spiked club struck Orochi’s head with crushing force, bulging his eyes, shattering his teeth, and jamming his gourd head straight down into his chest cavity.
As the stench of blood spread, the Oniwabanshu led by Fukurokuju stood frozen around Orochi’s corpse, their faces pale with terror as they stared at Kaidou.
Kaidou cast an icy glare toward them.
“You lot—” “We are naturally more than willing to submit to Lord Kaidou!” Fukurokuju raised both hands without a second’s hesitation.
While Wano tradition preached absolute loyalty, his allegiance to Orochi was limited at best.
Helping Orochi escape was one thing, but standing up to Kaidou…
Sorry, impossible.
“We swear our allegiance to the Beasts Pirates!
The noble register of the Flower Capital, the armory maps, secret passage blueprints, and treasury keys can all be handed over tonight to assist Lord Kaidou in pacifying Wano!” Fukurokuju declared tremulously, and behind him, the Oniwabanshu ninjas dropped to their knees in unison.
“Worororo…
At least you know what’s good for you.” Kaidou sneered, stepping forward to crush the golden crown fragments beneath his heel.
“Starting today, my daughter Yamato will take over the title of Wano’s daimyo!
From here, all we need to do is raise our banner, right, Caesar?” “That’s correct.” Caesar stepped forward with a smile, his eyes fixing on Orochi’s corpse.
Suddenly, he leaned down and hoisted the headless corpse by its collar.
“However, Master Fukurokuju, could you kindly explain why, even though Kurozumi Orochi is supposed to be dead, the vitality in his blood hasn’t drained away at all?” The moment those words left his mouth, a sudden mutation occurred!
Under everyone’s shocked gazes, several sinuous shadows violently burst out from beneath the corpse’s kimono, red eerie eyes gleaming with murderous malice as they lunged straight at Caesar!
“You damned bastard!” An agonizing roar echoed as Caesar took a step back, effortlessly dodging the striking head of the Yamata no Orochi.
“My ambitions!
My Wano!
I haven’t even taken my revenge on those bastards yet!” Fully transformed into his Beast Form, Orochi was like a demonic creature, his voice shrieking like a vengeful spirit: “It’s because of you, isn’t it?!
It’s all because of you!
You ruined everything I worked for!” Although Orochi usually looked short and stubby, he was actually quite tall.
In his normal state, he was over three meters tall, and after transforming, his heads brushed the ceiling.
Up close…
…he still wasn’t particularly intimidating, though.
Caesar was no longer the weakling he had been when he first arrived on Onigashima.
During this recent period, he had been pondering what exact conditions were required to manifest Armament Haki.
According to King, Caesar’s biggest flaw was a lack of confidence in his physical toughness.
Whenever he fought strong opponents, he instinctively dodged damage, which prevented his Armament Haki from manifesting.
‘But who the hell do you think you are, Orochi?’ Buzz— A unique power surged continuously from within his body.
Unlike Conqueror’s Haki, which burst from the brow to project the user’s absolute will, this power seemed to spring from every single cell in his body.
As this energy burst forth, Caesar’s hand became coated in a metallic black sheen.
Acting on sudden intuition, he raised his hand.
“Armament…
Shigan!” Pew!
Pew!
Pew!
Sharp whistle sounds tore through the air.
Orochi’s frenzied body froze mid-motion before crashing heavily to the ground.
On each of his remaining heads, a small hole spouting blood was punched right between the eyes!
Seeing this, Yamato’s eyes lit up.
“Armament Haki!” Nearby, King crossed his arms and let out a soft grunt, a faint smirk forming beneath his mask.
“Took him long enough…”