Chapter 156

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Dak is well aware of the situation in Wano Country; the people here are living in dire straits.

Being targeted by Kaido is unfortunate enough, but to also have to deal with an ambitious schemer like Kurozumi Orochi and a brainless ruler like Kozuki Oden is just too much.

When Dak first arrived in this world, he considered how to save Wano Country. However, he quickly abandoned this idea for two reasons:

He didn't have the strength at the time.

He decided that if the Pokémon Breeding House wanted to do business, it shouldn't interfere with the affairs of the sea.

Unless Orochi and the Beasts Pirates actively provoked them, the Breeding House would not act.

But now, there is a reason to act.

"If we suffer another loss like last time, we must thoroughly loot Orochi and the Beasts Pirates when we defeat them. This will allow us to expand our stores and Pokémon Centers significantly," Dak thought as he opened the door to the Breeding House.

Beyond the door was a barren land: Wano Country, Udon, the prisoner mining camp, and the territory of Queen, one of the three Calamities.

This would be the starting point for Dak to win the hearts of the people of Wano Country.

Although Dak could now bring Sceptile and publicly defeat Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi in front of the people of Wano Country, this would not put him in the position of "righteousness."

Without the support and gratitude of the people in this traditionally isolationist country, it would be very difficult to establish a foothold for the Breeding House.

However, if he gained the people's support, they would be willing to lay down their lives for the Breeding House.

The forces in Wano Country can be broadly divided into three groups:

The remnants of the Kozuki clan, led by the Nine Red Scabbards and Shimotsuki Yasuie, including former thugs subdued by Oden and yakuza leaders like Hyogoro of the Flowers.

The ordinary people who, ignorant of the truth, blindly follow whoever sits on the shogun's throne, believing that the disasters are solely due to the Beasts Pirates.

The targets Dak intends to eliminate: Kurozumi Orochi, the Kurozumi family, and the Beasts Pirates.

Dak's key reason for appearing in Udon was to find Hyogoro of the Flowers.

Winning him over would mean gaining control of the entire yakuza underworld in Wano Country.

Although Hyogoro only commands 200 samurai, his reputation allows him to mobilize 5,000 warriors.

Despite being labeled as "yakuza," Hyogoro is a genuinely good person, friendly to the people and highly respected. Even Oden admired him and he was known as a "chivalrous man" in his youth.

However, Hyogoro was imprisoned for refusing to submit to Kaido and Orochi. Ten years later, he becomes a shell of his former self, a coward prepared to die in prison until Luffy reignites his fighting spirit.

Seeing hope, he joins the fight again.

"Hyogoro has only been imprisoned for ten years, so he shouldn't be completely demoralized. He just needs to see hope," Dak mused, rubbing his neck.

He opened a door in the air and stepped through it, disappearing.

In the depths of a mining tunnel, an old man with a blue tuft of hair, wearing sunglasses, was chiseling at the rock face.

"Have you given up?" a voice suddenly asked from behind, making Hyogoro of the Flowers pause. He turned to see a green-haired young man standing there. However, what caught Hyogoro's attention first was that this person had no chains or shackles on him.

Not a prisoner.

"Young man... you don't look like someone from the Beasts Pirates," Hyogoro said calmly, adjusting his sunglasses. If it were him ten years later, he might have been scared to the ground, but now, Hyogoro was not so easily intimidated.

"He's the one who destroyed Kaido and Orochi," Dak said, patting the two Poké Balls on his belt.

"Forget it," Hyogoro said, shaking his head after sizing up Dak. "I don't know how you got in, but you should leave before you're discovered. I'll keep watch outside for you; I can only do that much."

Hyogoro walked out of the tunnel with his pickaxe, signaling Dak to leave.

Dak didn't stop him, just watching him walk out and then looking around in confusion. At this moment, everyone in the prison was unconscious, whether prisoners or guards, all lying on the ground.

"What... is going on?" Hyogoro asked, dropping his pickaxe and turning to Dak in realization.

"You didn't think I snuck in secretly, did you?" Dak spread his hands and pointed to the sky. "Sorry, but we walked in openly."

Hyogoro followed Dak's finger to see a strange creature floating in the sky. The key point was that this creature's single eye was emitting a blue light, its hands stretched out as if using some ability.

Considering that everyone around was still asleep, Hyogoro quickly guessed that the creature in the sky was the cause.

"What is that..."

"That's Darkrai. People on the sea call it the 'Nightmare God,'" Dak said, placing a hand on Hyogoro's shoulder with a smile.

"Nightmare God..." Hyogoro murmured, clenching his fists. From this day on, Wano Country, known for its superstitions, began to have its own "God."

...

Half an hour later, Kuri, Atamayama.

This used to be the territory of gangsters and bandits. Decades ago, these thugs were subdued by Oden and became retainers of the Kozuki family. Ashura Doji, one of the Nine Red Scabbards, is the leader here.

Doji, despite his notorious past, is highly charismatic. Subdued by Oden, he returned to manage the bandits, ensuring they didn't cause trouble.

After Oden's death, Ashura went into hiding, often ridiculing and criticizing the other retainers, but never submitting to Kurozumi Orochi or Kaido. He later died fighting to protect his comrades.

If the Breeding House could secure the support of Ashura and Hyogoro, Wano Country's Breeding House branch would be the safest in the pirate world.

Deep in Atamayama, something significant was happening.

"I said you are not allowed to go!" Ashura, a man as fat as a sumo wrestler, pounded the table in anger, scolding the hundreds of warriors in front of him.

These warriors had grown impatient and decided to attack Onigashima. However, Ashura believed in Toki's prophecy and insisted on waiting for Kin'emon and the others to return.

According to the original trajectory, Ashura failed to stop these warriors, resulting in their deaths and leading him to go into hiding under the alias "Shutenmaru," forming the Atamayama Thieves.

"But Ashura," one warrior began to protest when a voice came from below the mountain.

"Why don't you come with us?" it said.

Everyone turned to see three figures, tall, medium, and short, approaching.

"Who are you?" Ashura demanded, drawing his massive sword.

"Since you sincerely asked, um..." Dak started to answer instinctively but quickly corrected himself, adopting a serious expression.

"Ashura, it's been a while," Hyogoro of the Flowers stepped forward to steady the situation.

"Who is it?"

"Don't know."

"So small."

"Wait, look at his tattoos."

"Could it be..."

"Uncle Hyogoro?!" the hundreds of warriors, including Ashura Doji, were shocked. Wasn't Hyogoro killed by Orochi and Kaido ten years ago?

"Haha, didn't expect to see you here, Ashura," said a tall figure behind Dak and Hyogoro, adjusting his straw hat to reveal a face with greenish-blue markings.

"Kawamatsu?!"

(End of Chapter)