One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

The black charcoal serpent's lips trembled, unable to utter a word.

Just then, a disdainful snort rang out.

"Tch, trash."

The sound came from the shadows in the corner of the hall.

An elderly man, white-haired yet sprightly, wearing a naval justice cloak.

He was sitting there with his legs crossed, holding a bag of rice crackers and chewing them noisily.

Naval hero, Monkey D. Garp.

"Mr. Garp!"

The giant black serpent, as if grasping at a straw, scrambled forward.

"You, you're here too! That's great! You're a hero of the Navy! You can definitely handle Roy, right?!"

"Please, please save me!"

Garp rolled his eyes, not even bothering to look at him.

"My mission is Kaido, not to protect a little snake like you."

The black charcoal serpent was struck as if by lightning, and the color drained from its face instantly.

The CP0 leader slowly stood up and walked to Orochi.

Looking down at him.

"Lord Kurozumi Orochi."

His voice remained calm, yet carried a chilling edge.

Please recognize this fact—

"From this moment on, you have no other choice."

"Partnering with us is your only way out."

"If we abandon the cooperation—"

The CP0 Chief leaned slightly closer to Orochi's ear, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear.

"Do you think Kaido would let someone who betrayed him go unpunished?"

"Or do you think Roy will pity you?"

Kurozumi Orochi's body trembled violently, his lips turned white, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The CP0 chief straightened up and gave him a brief, indifferent glance.

"Stay obediently in your mansion and don't go anywhere."

"We'll handle Roy's matter."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the hall.

After taking a few steps, he stopped again, turned around and looked at Garp.

"Mr. Garp, please make sure you protect Kurozumi Orochi."

"This is the order from the Five Elders."

Garp, chewing on a senbei, glanced at him disdainfully.

"Tch, don't try to intimidate me with the Five Elders."

"My mission is Kaido, not this little snake."

"As for protecting him—"

Garp pointed at Orochi.

"You can't even protect your own people, and you expect me to?"

"Besides, aren't you supposed to be the CP0 Chief? You can't even handle Roy?"

The CP0 chief's eyes suddenly turned cold.

The air around him seemed to freeze.

But Garp remained seated, legs crossed, munching on senbei, completely unconcerned.

After a long silence, the CP0 chief withdrew his gaze and said coldly,

"Mr. Garp, I will report your words and actions to the Five Elders truthfully."

"as you like."

Garp rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, this isn't the first time I've been scolded."

The CP0 chief didn't say anything more, turned around and strode away.

The black charcoal serpent slumped in the chair, its body covered in mud.

Garp stood up, dusted the cookie crumbs off his hands, and walked toward the door.

"Wait, wait a minute!"

The black charcoal serpent struggled and cried out.

"Where are you going?!"

Garp didn't even turn his head.

"Go where you need to go."

"As for you—"

His voice came from outside the door, tinged with disdain.

"Good luck to you."

Orochi's mansion fell into a deathly silence.

Only Orochi remained, slumped in the luxurious yet cold hall, shivering.

In the distance, the faint sound of the night wind rustling through the treetops could be heard.

To him, the sound was like the footsteps of death.

Meanwhile, deep in the mountains west of the Flower Capital, in a secluded camp.

Garp strode into the camp, where several vice admirals immediately came to greet him.

"Mr. Garp!"

"How is the situation?"

Garp waved his hand.

"That CP0 chief is incredibly stubborn."

"But it doesn't matter, our mission remains the same—keep an eye on Kaido."

A lieutenant general hesitated.

"But Roy is already here..."

"So what if they're here?"

Garp grinned.

"It'll be a good opportunity to teach those CP0 guys a lesson."

"We'll just wait here and watch the show."

"It's not too late to make a move after they've had their fill of fighting."

The lieutenant generals looked at each other, and in the end could only nod.

Night was falling.

On the land of Wano Country, three forces are stirring up trouble in the shadows.

............

Meanwhile, in Kuri, at Oden Castle.

Unlike the luxurious Flower Capital, Kuri, as the fiefdom of Kozuki Oden, exudes simplicity and ruggedness.

But at this moment, this simple city is gathering a power powerful enough to shake up the entire Wano Country.

Inside the main hall, more than twenty people sat in a circle.

At the head of the group was a burly man with a strangely styled bowl-shaped haircut.

It was Kozuki Oden.

At this moment, the arrogance and unruliness he had displayed on Roger's ship were gone from his face.

Instead, there is a settled solemnity and perseverance.

Two years of nude dancing, two years of humiliation, two years of forbearance.

It transformed him from a spirited "foolish prince" into a man who truly understood the meaning of responsibility.

"Gentlemen."

Oden spoke, his voice deep and resonant.

"I've gathered everyone here today to announce something important."

Below, all nine members of the Red Scabbards are present.

Kin'emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, Kikunojo, Izo, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Kawamatsu, Denjiro—every face was filled with loyalty and expectation for Oden.

In addition, there were two other equally imposing figures.

Hyogoro Hana no Hyogoro, a big boss in the underworld.

Although he was old, his muscles were still well-defined, his eyes gleamed, and his aura was in no way inferior to any of the young people present.

Shuoyue Kang family, Bai Wu's name, the head of Shuangyue family.

Dressed in simple samurai attire, with a lean face and gentle yet profound eyes, he possessed wisdom refined through trials and tribulations.

Behind the two were dozens of warrior leaders from various places, each of whom was a powerful figure capable of standing alone.

Oden took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the center of the field.

Then, to everyone's astonishment—

He knelt down, his forehead slamming heavily against the floor.

Boom-! ! !

A dull thud echoed through the main hall.

"Oden-sama!!"

Kin'emon exclaimed and was about to step forward, but Oden stopped him by raising his hand.

Oden remained kneeling, his forehead pressed against the floor, his voice low and hoarse.

"Gentlemen..."

"I, Kozuki Oden, was utterly foolish!"

"Two years ago, I naively believed Orochi and Kaido's promises, thinking that as long as I danced naked for two years, I could save the hostages' lives and keep Wano Country from war..."

"But I was wrong."

"The hostages...were all killed."

"They gave their lives for my foolishness."

"In the past two years, I have disappointed the people of Wano Country, and I have disappointed the samurai who trusted me."

This disappointed... those who died for me.

"I am not worthy to be the shogun of Wano Country."

Boom-! ! !

Another resounding thud.

The hall was deathly silent, and all eyes were on the kneeling man.

There was shock, heartache, reluctance, and... a deeper trust.