"Wait! Oden!"
Seeing Kozuki Oden charging out, overflowing with murderous intent, Rayleigh and Gaban's expressions shifted slightly. They both shouted to stop him.
"Don't be reckless!"
But Kozuki Oden, ever the bold and headstrong one, acted as if he didn't hear their warnings. Instead, he only moved faster, vanishing down the connecting corridor of Ryugu Castle in the blink of an eye.
"This is bad!"
Rayleigh's heart sank. He could no longer afford to exchange pleasantries with Neptune. Grabbing his longsword, he rushed after Oden, anxiety etched across his face.
If it really was Daren from the Marines, Oden would be walking straight into a disaster if he faced him alone!
After all, that Marine brat had taken down Shiki. Even if luck had played a part, his strength was undeniable.
On the other hand, Kozuki Oden had lost an arm. Though after a period of rest and recovery he'd gradually adapted to fighting one-handed — his swordsmanship not just undiminished but seemingly even stronger — but with the state he was in now, there was no way he could bring down that Marine!
Seeing Rayleigh act, the rest of Roger's crew immediately tensed, drawing their swords and other weapons.
Shanks and Buggy, especially, turned a little pale, as if recalling something unpleasant.
...
I must kill that man!
Kozuki Oden darted between the buildings of Fish-Man Island, running at full tilt.
A sharp wind whipped against his face, tearing at his cheeks and the hem of his samurai robes.
Scenes from the past flashed violently through his mind, like a nightmare slideshow:
The searing pain of losing his arm; the mocking, twisted smile of that Marine; the shame of having his beloved sword, Enma, stolen; and…the fleeting image of that gentle girl with long, light green hair.
The flood of memories churned in his mind, his vision blurring with rage and bloodlust.
A nightmare!
Although everyone aboard Whitebeard's and Roger's ships had been careful not to mention that Marine's name to spare Oden more pain, and Oden himself had put on a show of indifference to keep them from worrying...
But!
Only he knew — every night, without fail, the memory of losing his arm and his sword returned to torment him, waking him from his dreams in a cold sweat.
The name Rogers Daren had already become a thorn buried deep in his heart — a chasm in his will!
And he knew full well:
If he couldn't pull out that thorn, if he couldn't cross that chasm, his strength would forever be trapped, unable to advance even a single step!
In the sword training traditions of Wano Country, they called this kind of thing a "heart knot"—the inability to unleash the full force of one's will!
What was even more terrifying was that every time Kozuki Oden heard news about that Marine, every time he glanced at the latest headlines, it was always about some earth-shattering feat:
Destroying Shiki's flying pirate fleet on Coin Island; turning the tide in the great battle at Marineford; receiving high honors under the gaze of the entire world; launching a blitz assault on Totto Land...
And just recently, personally hunting down Shiki the Golden Lion, the legendary Great Pirate, in the North Blue!
Everything pointed to one brutal reality:
His enemy — that Marine — was growing stronger at an astonishing pace.
His fame, his power, his status, his influence, and his strength — all rising without end!
The more dazzling Daren became, the heavier the nightmare weighing down on Oden grew, tightening around his heart like a vice until he could barely breathe.
There was only one way!
Only by killing him —only by killing that damn Marine, reclaiming Enma, and taking back everything he'd lost —could he break free from the crushing pressure and terror binding him!
This was the only path forward!
Only then could he shatter the heart knot within him…
Otherwise, he would spend the rest of his life shackled by the shadow of that man!
As for whether he was actually a match for Daren in this coming battle...
"I can't worry about that anymore!"
Kozuki Oden gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot, letting out a low, beast-like growl.
The muscles in his arm gripping Ame no Habakiri swelled visibly, veins bulging across his skin.
A flow of dark, lacquered blackness, like falling cherry blossoms, surged rapidly up his hand, finally coating the entire blade in an ominous sheen.
Getting closer...
Kozuki Oden raised his head, his gaze locked firmly on the entrance of Fish-Man Island in the distance.
There, hundreds of Ryugu Palace guards were kneeling on the ground, clutching their heads and wailing in agony.
Smoke and gusts of wind churned around them, and even from such a distance, Kozuki Oden could make out a rebellious figure slowly stepping out of a metallic submarine.
The man wore a sharp black suit, polished black military boots, and a wide white cape billowing behind him. His gaze was fierce, hands casually tucked into his pockets, a lit cigar clenched between his teeth.
He looked like a demon god, descending to conquer this undersea world.
Conqueror's Haki burst from his body like crashing waves, stirring a storm across the area. In the distorted air, faint black and red lightning flickered through the void.
Such overwhelming Conqueror's Haki!
It had faintly touched the realm of physically manifesting will!
Feeling the suffocating pressure, Kozuki Oden's pupils contracted sharply.
He was no longer the reckless youth who had fled from Wano Country.
After voyaging with both the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates, spending countless days alongside the world's mightiest, training and sparring, both his strength and perspective had grown immensely.
Naturally, he understood the depths of Conqueror's Haki better than most.
The mastery of Conqueror's Haki could be roughly divided into three stages, based on the strength of one's spirit and will:
The first stage bursts forth uncontrollably when emotions are high, intimidating targets within a range but lacking precision.
The second stage allows conscious control, with significantly increased power.
The third stage—the peak—allows one to crush opponents directly with sheer will!
A true ruler who had mastered mind, technique, and body!
Such an individual could freely release Haki at any time, constantly radiating power.
Their very presence could shake ships, and even seasoned warriors could collapse just from brushing past them.
Among those Kozuki Oden knew, Whitebeard and Roger—those legendary pirate captains—were true masters of this realm.
And the pressure and aura from the Vice Admiral ahead gave him the distinct sense that he too had nearly stepped into that same domain of rulers!
"Damn it!"
Kozuki Oden cursed under his breath, but he didn't slow down.
Closer...
Closer and closer...
No matter how overwhelming that Marine's aura was,he knew—he had to strike!
Because if he hesitated and backed down now, he would never surpass this man in his lifetime!
To draw his blade against a stronger opponent—that was the way of the samurai!
"Oden...Ittō-ryū!"
With a sharp shout, Kozuki Oden gripped Ame no Habakiri tightly with his single arm.
The Meito, famed as the "Sky-Slashing Sword," vibrated with a fierce hum, its intense Haki igniting like flames, twisting the air with ghostly flickers.
"Demonic Aura..."
His eyes turned blood-red as he bit down hard and leapt forward!
But just then, a sudden shock pierced through his mind.
He caught a glimpse—
That Marine, who had unleashed the Haki that overwhelmed Ryugu Palace's forces, had turned and was now looking straight at him, with a mocking half-smile.
Then...
"Shoot him down, Enma."
The man spoke with a cold grin.
More More Fiftyfold Speed—Hell Slash!
The moment the words fell—
Kozuki Oden's pupils contracted into needle points.
An icy, bone-chilling killing intent swallowed him whole.
Familiar yet terrifying, it tore through the void with a screech.
A flash of black light streaked across the air—
"Enma!?"
Kozuki Oden roared, his bloodshot eyes bulging.
He swung his blade with all his might!
Clang!!
Boom!!
A wild shockwave exploded outward, sweeping everything within a kilometer.
Buildings and coral reefs were uprooted in an instant, debris flying everywhere.
Kozuki Oden spat out a mouthful of blood, his palms cracked and bleeding...
The impact from Enma's assault sent him hurtling backward, smashing through over a dozen structures and flying several kilometers, before finally crashing back into the banquet hall he had come from.
Boom!
A huge crater tore open in the ground, and all of Ryugu Castle shook violently, as if struck by an earthquake.
Dust and debris filled the air.
Rayleigh and the others, who had just set off to chase after him, froze in place.
What they saw was—
Kozuki Oden, furious and murderous, had charged out full of fury...
And less than ten seconds later, he was sent flying back even faster.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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