Chapter 137

"Enough!" Oden roared, sending a chill down the spines of his retainers. "As Miyamoto just said, I will not have any of you insult Ross-dono." He turned to me again, an earnest plea in his eyes. Although he was reluctant, he was willing to lose the two blades that had accompanied him throughout his life in exchange for Shusui, which was the national treasure of Wano.

"Sigh! I am sorry, Oden-san. I firmly believe that every sword has its own spirit. As much as we choose our weapons, the weapon chooses us. I feel a connection with Shusui, and I am not willing to make that exchange. So, I ask you once again: the sword or the corpse? However, if you think you can best me in a duel, you can have them both," I remarked, my hands firmly gripping Shusui.

Just then, one of the retainers stepped up, unsheathing both his katanas. "Oden-sama, let me face him in a duel. I will retrieve what belongs to Wano!" he said confidently.

But before Oden could say anything, I unsheathed Shusui. A blinding flash of lightning tore through the ground, slicing through the katanas and shattering them. A large tear formed right next to where the retainer stood. If I hadn't changed the trajectory of the slash at the last second, he would have been split in two. Sweat drenched his back as he realized how close he had come to death.

"Sigh! Ross-dono, forgive my men. They only mean well. I understand that you are not willing to part with the blade, so I will request that you return Ryuma-sama's corpse to us. Just like you pointed out earlier, we do not own Shusui. If the sword has chosen you, I will not stop you," Oden finally decided.

"Oden Sama, you can't! That's Shusui!! The blade of the Sword God Himself!" Kinemon tried to intervene, but Oden simply stopped him with a gesture. "Let him take it," Oden said with a determined look in his eyes. "Think about it; such a mighty blade has been buried for centuries and neglected; now that it has resurfaced, it must be wielded by someone worthy."

He had many reasons for making this decision. He wanted to open Wano's borders in the future, and to do so, he would need the support of outside forces. Someone like Ross, who had reached such a level of strength at a young age, would likely reach a terrifying level of power in the future.

He felt an aura similar to Roger emanating from the young teen and still remembered Roger's words about Ross, who had served under Garp: "Mark my words, Oden. Someday that kid will achieve something that even I couldn't."

Oden's retainers were visibly conflicted but respected their lord's decision. As I carefully unwrapped the second bundle, the retainers' eyes widened in shock and reverence at the sight of Ryuma's preserved corpse.

"Thank you, Ross-dono," Oden said, bowing his head slightly. "Wano will remember your kindness."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Take care of your people, Oden-san. Wano will need a strong leader in the days to come."

Oden's retainers moved forward to retrieve Ryuma's body. Meanwhile, I kept Shusui securely at my side, feeling the sword's spirit resonate with mine. As the rain poured down and thunder echoed in the distance, I knew this blade would serve me well, just like how Kitetsu had served me all these years.

---

Back in the shelter of the samurai's temporary camp, the mood was jubilant. A massive banquet had been arranged to celebrate the victory. Oden had invited me to the banquet, and I handed Gecko Moria over to him. Moria would be tried and punished for his crimes, while Orochi, who had also been captured, would be sentenced in the center of the Flower Capital plaza, with death being his only judgment. As for Moria, I was not worried; I just wanted the news of his capture to spread to the Marines and the World Government.

After spending a few hours at the banquet at Oden's request and getting acquainted with his family, I decided it was time to set sail. Oden had taken it upon himself to raise the young child I had rescued, as the kid expressed his desire to stay in Wano.

As I turned to leave, Miyamoto Uzuki approached me, bowing deeply. "Ross-dono, I wish to join you. I owe you my life and the fulfillment of my promise to protect my brother and Udon. Now, I seek a new purpose and a new journey."

I regarded Miyamoto with a thoughtful expression. "Very well, but remember, Miyamoto-san, Wano will no longer be your home once you join us. If you are okay with that, you can follow us."

"Ross-dono, please wait!" Just then, as I was about to leave, Oden called me from the side. "Can we speak in private for a minute?" he requested. I couldn't help but raise my brows, but then I accepted his request. We moved away, and Oden handed me a bag. I curiously opened it to check its contents, and within it lay half a dozen thick, ancient-looking books.

"Ross-dono, I do not know if what I am doing is right, but my instinct says that you will play a huge part in the future. These books have been safeguarded by my ancestors for centuries. I do not know how much you know about the truth of the world, but I will tell you this: there is a storm coming, and the whole world will be engulfed in it."

"Only the Kozuki clan has the knowledge to read the poneglyphs. Now, with these books, you will be the first person outside the Kozuki clan to have the knowledge of how to decipher these Poneglyphs, Ross-dono. Just promise me that these books won't fall into the wrong hands."

I felt the weight of his words and the responsibility he was placing on me. "Oden-san, I promise to keep these safe and to use this knowledge wisely. You have my word."

Oden nodded, seemingly reassured by my promise. "Thank you, Ross-dono. I trust you will honor this."

With that, I tucked the bag securely and prepared to leave. The banquet continued behind us, with the samurai celebrating their hard-won victory. Oden's retainers, though initially wary of me, now looked on with respect and curiosity. I had gained an ally in Oden and a powerful tool in the ancient knowledge of the Poneglyphs.

Soon enough, despite Wano's closed borders, the news of the clash between the samurai and the Beast Pirates spread like wildfire throughout the New World. The retreat of Kaido, a contender for the position of Emperor of the Sea, sent shockwaves across the seas. Even more shocking was the news that one of the Seven Warlords, Gecko Moria, had been captured by the warriors of Wano and would be tried in the Flower Capital after their former Shogun, Orochi.

The capture of a Shichibukai was a blatant slap in the face for the World Government. Even worse, they had lost all their grip on Wano. Despite Wano being ruled by Orochi earlier, the World Government had maintained ties with the country through various underground channels, relying heavily on them for their supply of modern weapons and seastone.

The weapons provided by the Beast Pirates were generations ahead of any other sources. Additionally, Wano held many secrets that the World Government wished to bury forever, and having Wano united under a strong leader was not in their best interests.

Back in Wano, preparations for the trials of Orochi and Gecko Moria were underway. The Flower Capital was abuzz with activity as samurai and civilians alike awaited the historic event. Oden, now firmly in control, stood resolute in his decision to bring justice to those who had wronged Wano.

Meanwhile, in the New World, the notorious pirates were reacting to the news. Big Mom, in particular, was intrigued. "Mamamama! So, that moron Kaido finally hit an iron plate and was defeated by those samurai. Interesting. They are even planning to publicly sentence a Warlord directly appointed by the World Government. This should be fun to watch because I am sure the World Government will not let this slide without a proper challenge. Perhaps it's time to pay Wano a visit and see what opportunities arise from this chaos."

On the main ship of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Moby Dick, Marco, the young man recently appointed as the first division commander, read the latest intelligence report they had gathered.

"Gurararara!" A proud laugh bellowed from Edward Newgate, the strongest man in the world. "That's my brother Oden for you! Did that brat Kaido think he could best my brother? I would have ripped his head off if not for Oden asking me not to intervene. Now that Oden is planning to put one of the Warlords on trial, the Marines will move, and alongside them, the rest of the vultures who are after Wano will use this as an opportunity to exploit it. Maybe even that brat Kaido will try to regain control."

Edward Newgate stood up majestically, slamming his naginata on the deck with a resounding boom, his aura spreading out in waves. "My brother stands alone amidst countless enemies. How can I still not act? Marco, have the Whitebeard Pirates mobilize. Let the world know that Wano doesn't stand alone—they have me by their side."

Whitebeard's command made the blood of his crew boil. After establishing themselves as the first Emperor crew in the New World, they had been securing territories with no major clashes. Anyone would be foolish to challenge Edward Newgate. But with Wano now being the center of attention, Whitebeard decided to move to his brother's aid.

Even Ross did not expect that the simple spark he had lit to attract the attention of the Marines and the World Government would brew such a storm.

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Room of Authority, Holy Land

In Mariejois, the Five Elders gathered to discuss the recent developments. Their faces were grim as they considered the implications of Wano's newfound strength and freedom. The Kozuki clan had been a thorn in their side for over eight centuries, and the recent turn of events did not sit well with them.

"This cannot be allowed to continue," one of the Elders said, slamming his fist on the table. "Wano cannot be left unchecked. If they sentence or, worse, execute Moria, then our Shichibukai program will become a joke."

Elder Warcury clasped his hands and narrowed his gaze toward the two Marines standing at attention. It was none other than Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku. The Elders knew that Kong was grooming Sengoku as the next Fleet Admiral, and a man like Sengoku, who followed their orders, was an agreeable replacement for Kong in the future.

"Were you Marines not asked to monitor the movements of the Shichibukai? Gecko Moria not only challenged Kaido but also lost and got himself captured. You should understand that this is your Marines' fault. You should have stopped him before he made such a stupid move," Elder Nusjuro reprimanded.

"What explanation do you have regarding the matter?" Elder Mars questioned.

However, it wasn't Kong but Sengoku who responded. "Sir, there is no point in talking over spilled milk. But this might not all be bad. We can use this situation to our advantage. We have always wanted to create a relationship with Wano. Now that its rightful ruler is reinstated, we can extend a helping hand. I am sure they will accept if we are sincere." Sengoku was still not used to all the intricacies of power play.

Elder JuPeter's face soured. "Rightful ruler? Did you just address a pirate who was a crewmember of that cursed Roger as the ruler? Wano may not be affiliated with us, but that doesn't mean Kozuki Oden's crime will be overlooked. Increase the bounty on Oden's head and mobilize a Marine force. With the recent turmoil, Wano will be weak for now, especially after Oden clashed with Kaido. Kaido is no pushover, so the damage must have been substantial. Sengoku, you will personally mobilize and take the three admiral candidates alongside you as well. Bring Wano to its knees."

"But, sir!, Wano is not affiliated with the World Government. Why would we use such an aggressive manner when we can choose dialogue and build a relationship with them? And what reason are we going to give the masses for attacking Wano?" Sengoku's face soured, and he couldn't help but question. This was not justice; this was simply tyranny. If Oden was a pirate, then they should be targeting Oden, not the entirety of Wano.

"Sengoku, did you not just hear what we said? As for the reason, just use any that's convenient. They have weapon factories that are supplying weapons to rebels and pirates, directly harming the interests of the World Government. They even harbor dangerous pirates, like the crew members of Roger Pirates. All these should be ample reasons enough," Elder Warcury commented.

Elder Saturn, who had been staying silent since the start, finally spoke. "Building an amicable relationship is not our concern, and like you said, Wano is not affiliated with us. The presence of Oden and the Kozuki family is a direct threat to the authority of the World Government. Now that they have decided to try a Shichibukai affiliated with us, this is a direct challenge. We need to show them that our authority is not to be challenged. I authorize a Buster Call. If Wano is not willing to surrender both Oden and Moria, sink Wano if that's what it takes. I don't think Oden alone can safeguard Wano like Shimotsuki Ryuma once did."

He slammed his staff, giving the Marines an ultimatum. In the eyes of Elder Saturn, everything else was inconsequential as long as he managed to take out Oden, who knew about the truth of the world. The longer Oden solidified his power in Wano, the greater the threat he would become. He did not want anyone else to repeat the feats of Roger, as the Kozuki line was all that was left who could decipher the Poneglyphs.

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