The New World.
The sky loomed dark and heavy, torn open by streaks of pale lightning.
Raging winds whipped the sea into monstrous waves, while torrential rain lashed down on sails and deck without mercy.
In the midst of this storm, the Oro Jackson—the most free-spirited pirate ship on the seas—was tossed violently by the waves, as if hurled again and again by some invisible giant. Its creaking hull groaned in agony, pushed to the brink.
"AAAAAAHHH!! We're done for this time!! We're seriously going to die!!"
On the deck, Buggy clung to the mast like a terrified koala, shrieking like a banshee.
"Captain Roger! Maybe we should just agree to their demands?!"
"At this rate, the ship's going to be wrecked, and we'll all die!"
He gasped for breath, his face deathly pale, his body trembling.
"Dahahaha, relax Buggy. If the ship gets wrecked, we'll just fall into the sea. Not like we'll die immediately."
Next to him, Shanks laughed and tried to sound reassuring, his short sword still in hand.
Buggy glared at him furiously, gritting his teeth.
"If I fall into the sea, I'm dead for sure! I'm a Devil Fruit user, remember?!"
Shanks blinked, slapped his forehead, and muttered,
"Oh right... I forgot you're cursed by the sea."
"You bastard Shanks!! How could you forget that?! I only became like this because of you!!"
Buggy screamed, going ballistic. His detached hands grabbed Shanks by the collar in a rage.
Their antics drew laughter from the rest of the crew. For a moment, the storm clouds hanging over them seemed to lift just a little.
But then—
"Roger!! Hand over the Poneglyph!!"
A thunderous roar ripped through the clouds above, rumbling like a cannon blast and shaking the air itself.
"Not again..."
Buggy's face fell as he trembled from head to toe.
The rest of the Roger Pirates instantly tensed up, their expressions hardening.
In the sky behind them, a colossal figure emerged from the thick clouds, so massive it seemed to blot out the heavens.
Purple lightning danced across its enormous body. Fiery red mist curled around its huge talons as it soared.
Scales of bluish-brown shimmered with a cold, steely sheen under the lightning flashes. A head the size of a mountain peak pierced the clouds, bringing fierce winds with it.
The legendary creature—the Azure Dragon!
"The strongest creature on land, sea, and air"... Kaidou of the Beasts!
"Hahahaha! You little lizard—you fly pretty fast, huh? You actually caught up to the Oro Jackson!"
Roger stepped forward, black hair whipping wildly in the storm, his crimson cape flaring behind him as he let out a roaring laugh.
"Hand over the Poneglyph? Not a chance. You want it? Come take it!"
Kaidou, now in his dragon form, sneered as his blood-red eyes flared with savagery.
"Then I'll bury all of you right here!"
As the words left his mouth, the massive dragon slowly opened its jaws, rows of razor-sharp teeth glinting menacingly.
Visible currents of air rushed into its mouth as its chest swelled. Crimson light gathered violently within, pulsing with destructive power.
"Die!!"
Kaidou's voice boomed like thunder. A torrent of scorching flame surged from his jaws, like a tsunami of fire crashing down toward the Oro Jackson.
"Bolo Breath!"
Endless crimson engulfed the sky as searing heat surged forth.
"Tch... Talk about disgusting dragon spit."
Roger's hand settled on the hilt at his waist—but just as he prepared to strike, rapid footsteps echoed behind him.
Clack. Clack. Clack...
The sound of wooden sandals hitting the deck rang out as a one-armed samurai suddenly leapt into the air.
"Oden-san!"
Shanks shouted in shock.
Kozuki Oden soared high into the sky. His temples had begun to gray, and there was a quiet sorrow in his silhouette.
With his one arm, he gripped a long black blade.
The sword shimmered with black and violet hues, its edge etched with jagged red patterns.
His robes fluttered wildly as Kozuki Oden faced the oncoming wave of dragon fire...
And slashed!
"Oden Ittō-ryū: Rengoku Oni Giri!"
Shhhk!
A blinding arc of blade light erupted like a waterfall.
The roaring torrent of dragon's fire split cleanly in two!
Boom!!
The searing flames exploded to either side of the ship, hurling smoke and waves dozens of meters high into the air.
Kaidou clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Annoying samurai!"
Step.
Kozuki Oden landed firmly on the deck and calmly sheathed his blade.
"So strong!"
"Oden-san's power... it's completely returned!"
"That slash... it actually cut through a dragon's breath attack!"
"..."
Everyone's eyes lit up at the sight, cheers breaking out.
But Kozuki Oden merely shook his head and sighed.
"It's not me. This is thanks to Shusui."
He looked down at the thick-bladed black sword in his grip, his fingers tightening subconsciously.
The black blade Shusui—one of the 21 Great Grade Meito, once wielded by the dragon-slaying samurai Ryuma... a national treasure of Wano Country.
After losing Ame no Habakiri in battle, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi had secretly left the ship, snuck back into Wano, and retrieved this sword from Ryuma's grave... placing it back in Oden's hands.
At the same time, they also uncovered a terrifying truth.
Their homeland—Wano Country—had fallen under the joint rule of Kaidou and Kurozumi Orochi!
Oden had once considered leaving the Roger Pirates to return to Wano and drive Kaidou out. But in the end, he knew he was just one man. Taking on the entire Beasts Pirates alone would be suicide.
Wano was heavily fortified by nature—an impenetrable fortress. A frontal assault was nearly impossible.
Reluctantly, he had set that plan aside... for now.
Wiping the cold rain from his face, Oden glanced at Roger, who was laughing wildly, and sighed inwardly.
Captain Roger's journey was coming to an end.
And he would walk with him to the very last step.
This great adventure had to be completed.
...
"Mamamama! You think you can take down Roger and his crew all on your own, Kaidou?!"
A sharp, shrill voice rang out from across the sky like a witch's cackle.
The expressions of the Roger Pirates instantly changed.
"Damn it! That crazy hag caught up too!" Rayleigh cursed.
From that direction, a figure with a voluptuous frame came hurtling in atop a massive black thundercloud.
Her long legs were clad in boots, her skin a healthy bronze tone, her navel boldly exposed. Wind whipped her flowing pink hair as she carried a massive sword slung over her shoulder, its surface twisted into a sinister smile.
Big Mom—Charlotte Linlin!
"You're late, Linlin!"
Kaidou scoffed.
Charlotte Linlin leapt gracefully from the thundercloud and landed squarely on the dragon's head.
"Mamamama, enough chatter, Kaidou... Let's wipe them out already!"
"Damn it! You old hag—get off my head!"
The dragon let out a roar of protest.
"Mamamama, don't forget—it was me who gave you your Devil Fruit!"
Big Mom laughed it off without a care.
"Let's go!"
With a wave of her hand, the enormous thundercloud shot upward into the sky and vanished into the sea of clouds.
A moment later, a storm of purple lightning surged from above, exploding into the sky like a sprawling electric web.
Bolts rained down on the sea in dense clusters, nearly blanketing the entire heavens.
"Tenman Daijizai Tenjin!!"
Simultaneously, Kaidou—still in dragon form—opened his jaws and unleashed a deafening roar.
Countless massive wind blades howled forth, slicing through the air and ocean like a hurricane of flying sickles.
"Kaifū!"
In that instant—
Lightning and wind fused and intertwined, turning the sea for kilometers around into a hellish maelstrom.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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