Silas felt this soul seal thing was no longer part of this world. But actually, who could say for certain?
Don't look at Shimotsuki Ryuma being dead already—decades later, there would still be a guy called Gecko Moria who would dig up Ryuma's corpse and turn him into one of his zombie soldiers.
Right, the zombie soldier with the Shadow-Shadow Fruit that Ripley and others encountered at Sabaody Archipelago, used by that Holy Knight. Though Silas had caught that Holy Knight then, he couldn't kill him—only freed the shadows he had taken.
However, years later, that Holy Knight might die. Then his fruit would be lost, finally creating that embarrassment even among the Seven Warlords.
In any case, this Wano Country trip's main goal was training his crew members. If he could truly cross time to fight Shimotsuki Ryuma, that would be completely unexpected joy.
After all, Shimotsuki Ryuma had once repelled World Nobles who invaded Wano Country. If nothing unexpected happened, Ryuma likely also mastered the Haki to break immortal bodies.
"Now this becomes interesting."
Silas's mood lifted, and even his view of Shimotsuki Shinko and Shimotsuki Kouzaburou became more favorable.
Meanwhile, Shimotsuki Shinko also collected herself. Just as Kouzaburou felt pained that Toki was already married, Shinko somewhat regretted that Silas already had a wife.
After all, Silas surpassed all males she had seen in Wano Country in both strength and appearance—how could she not be moved as a girl in her prime?
But having met such an excellent man before even leaving Wano Country, surely after leaving she would encounter even more men to her liking?
Thinking this, Shimotsuki Shinko grew more eager about the outside world.
"Silas-kun, now it's your turn to tell us about the outside!"
As agreed earlier, Kouzaburou would introduce Wano's current situation while Silas told them about the world beyond. Hearing Shinko mention this, Silas naturally wouldn't refuse.
"Haha, where should I start?"
Silas thought, then called his crew members.
"Meeting is fate. If you're not rushing to leave, let's rest here and explain slowly."
"Mm-hmm!"
Shimotsuki Shinko's eyes sparkled. She had no idea that the man before her had built one of the world's most powerful forces.
Not mentioning Sphinx's training guard army, Silas alone might equal their entire Wano Country. These seas ultimately valued strength above all!
Nearby, Kouzaburou hesitated. He wanted to say Silas was dangerous, but they had already agreed to this exchange. Leaving without hearing anything would seem cowardly.
Moreover, his sharp eyes noticed the two swords at Silas's waist. He didn't recognize the snow-white one, but the other was very familiar.
Kouzaburou was somewhat shocked. "The sword at your waist—could that be Kitetsu!?"
"Oh, you mean this one?"
Silas patted the black blade at his waist, smiling. "This is spoils of war from battling a swordsman."
"Speaking of which, that swordsman might have some connection to your Wano Country."
"Connection?"
Kouzaburou and Shinko looked at each other. The swordsman Silas mentioned was naturally Saint Nusjuro among the Five Elders. From the name alone, the man definitely had some connection to Wano Country—likely a Wano native from years past!
However, Saint Nusjuro had probably left Wano long ago, so Shinko and Kouzaburou had no impression of him.
But as a swordsmith, Kouzaburou couldn't fail to recognize this blade. Kitetsu! One of the Twelve Supreme Grade Swords!
In this era, there was only one Kitetsu model—no so-called Second or Third Generation Kitetsu, just the original prototype in Saint Nusjuro's hands. Also the most famous one!
After all, Second Generation Kitetsu was only among the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords. The Third Generation Kitetsu didn't even belong to the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords—just ordinary skillful grade.
So seeing Silas actually possess a Supreme Grade sword, swordsmith Kouzaburou's heart itched unbearably. After all, his life's work was only two Great Grade swords, one left in Wano Country while the other—Wado Ichimonji—was at his waist.
His reason for wanting to sail was seeking inspiration. Supreme Grade swords were that inspiration. If he could forge a Supreme Grade sword in his lifetime, he could die without regrets!
Being a samurai was just living. Sword forging was passion!
Seeing Kouzaburou's thoughts, Silas shook his head with a smile.
"Catch."
"Ehhhh!?"
Seeing Silas toss the priceless Supreme Grade sword to him, Kouzaburou immediately panicked, nearly failing to catch it.
"Didn't we agree earlier? I'd explain this world's situation to you—this sword counts as part of that."
Silas smiled.
"We'll stay in Wano Country for a while. When we leave, just return the sword."
Aren't you afraid I'll steal it and run? Kouzaburou muttered inwardly. This was a Supreme Grade sword—in Wano, a nation of samurai, it could be called a national treasure.
"If you don't have Kitetsu, then you..."
Kouzaburou could see Silas was also a swordsman, just unsure if single or dual-wielding.
"This one's enough for me!"
Silas patted the long sword at his waist. What Kitetsu, what Supreme Grade sword—laughable, completely unfamiliar. Having Frostbite alone was sufficient.
Only then did Kouzaburou notice that not only was the sword in his hands a Supreme Grade blade, but Silas's sword was also a top-tier famous blade.
Frostbite, one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords. Same level as his forged Enma and Wado Ichimonji.
Moreover, as a swordsmith, Kouzaburou had been completely attracted by Kitetsu, ignoring Silas's other sword. This alone demonstrated the sword's character—restraint!
Only when focusing all attention on Frostbite did Kouzaburou vaguely sense a heart-stopping aura from the blade.
Black Blade! If Kitetsu in his hands had reached black blade status through its ancient forging and countless people's tempering, then what about Silas's Frostbite?
Though Wano was isolated, they still knew something about this world's top famous blades. Frostbite had appeared in this world for probably under fifty years!
In just fifty years, Frostbite showed signs of transforming from ordinary Great Grade to black blade—no, not just signs. It was probably only one step from becoming a complete black blade.
To achieve this, what level of powerhouses had previously wielded it?
Kouzaburou felt somewhat terrified. He hadn't considered that Frostbite had been Silas's sword from beginning to end. After all, Silas didn't look aged—at most ten years older than him!
And this was judged from Silas's mature, steady temperament.
Sister... Seeing Shinko already chatting animatedly beside Silas, Kouzaburou's heart jumped. An unmarried woman getting so close to a strange man.
Forget it. Taking someone's gift, eating someone's food. Kouzaburou felt if Silas offered this Kitetsu as betrothal gift, even Father would probably agree to this marriage.
Silas could only say you're overthinking. Though Shimotsuki Shinko was playful and cute, her eyes held the clear innocence of an inexperienced girl, giving off a feeling she could be easily tricked into bed; precisely because of this, such girls deserved proper treatment.
Moreover, Silas wasn't yet moved by a girl he had just met. Toki and Ripley were still nearby!
Poke poke~
Ripley, returned to normal size, sat beside Silas, occasionally poking his back with her finger, eyes carrying slight resentment. After all she had heard earlier, Silas personally acknowledged Toki as his wife. He had never publicly acknowledged her like that!
Jealous girl's jealousy overflowing.
Then without noticing, Ripley found herself in Silas's embrace.
"Let me introduce again—though Ripley is my crew member, she's also my wife. Since we've been sailing continuously, I haven't been able to prepare a proper wedding. That's my failure as a man."
Silas gently kissed Ripley's forehead. In front of everyone, Ripley nearly wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Silas introduced this world's situation while explaining their circumstances. Due to opposing Celestial Dragons, Silas had to be cautious in many matters.
If someday he truly wanted to enjoy happy times with Ripley and others, then Celestial Dragons must die! Since they had already offended them, they must eliminate the roots and prevent future troubles!
World Government, Celestial Dragons. Marines, pirates. Government member nations, non-member nations.
Having been isolated for years, Wano's people understood little about outside information. Silas's explanations helped Shinko and Kouzaburou fill these gaps.
Of course, Shinko definitely remembered Silas's knowledge. But whether Kouzaburou remembered was questionable. Never mind Shinko—with his whole mind on the Supreme Grade sword, Kouzaburou even forgot their original purpose.
So much so that when a vigorous roar suddenly rang out, it startled the absorbed Kouzaburou.
"Kouzaburou, Shinko!!"
Seeing a short-haired man leading numerous samurai charging toward them, he panicked.
"Uncle Fuuya!?"
Even Shimotsuki Shinko, originally sitting beside Silas listening to stories, paled seeing that samurai.
"Father!?"
Right—leading the samurai group was the current Shimotsuki family head, Suzugo region daimyo of Wano Country, and Shimotsuki Shinko's father.
Both Shinko and Kouzaburou had left secretly without telling Shimotsuki Fuuya. Seeing him arrive with a group—how could they not panic?
[Ding, discovered Wano Country Suzugo region daimyo. Defeat to obtain one soul seal.]
Hmm? Seeing the system prompt, Silas looked at nearby Shinko, then at Shimotsuki Fuuya charging toward them. Corner of his mouth lifted.
He suddenly leaned close to Shimotsuki Shinko asking, "Miss Shinko, do you still want to leave Wano Country?"
Seeing Silas suddenly approach, Shinko's heart jumped. But thinking if Father caught her, she might be sent for political marriage with that Kozuki brat.
Thinking this, Shinko gritted her teeth and nodded firmly.
"I want to leave!"
"Haha, then from now on, you're our prisoners!"
Silas's gaze sharpened. Except for Shinko and Kouzaburou, all other Shimotsuki family members wanting to sail collapsed unconscious.
Then he raised his finger. Cold air rings immediately appeared around Kouzaburou.
"What's this?"
Kouzaburou tried touching the cold rings, but upon contact, bone-chilling cold immediately transmitted from them, instantly frosting his entire body.
So cold!
"Haha, I suggest not touching those. This is an ability I specifically developed for imprisoning strong opponents like you."
Simple freezing—too weak might be broken instantly, too strong might cause irreversible bodily damage. So Silas developed these cold air rings.
Without touching the rings, nothing would happen. But once touching them, the more violent the resistance, the more obvious the body's freezing effect.
Hearing Silas's words, Kouzaburou complained, "Then why am I the only one controlled while Shinko's fine?"
"Of course, because she's my important bargaining chip!"
Of course, before negotiating, Silas first had to demonstrate his side's strength.
Shimotsuki Fuuya's strength was decent. As Kouzaburou said, Wano Country had no shortage of samurai stronger than him. After all, though this era's Wano Country had experienced the Kurozumi family rebellion, it suffered far less devastation than later times.
So not just Shimotsuki Fuuya—among that samurai group alone, Silas discovered several strong fighters comparable to Kouzaburou, with Fuuya naturally being the strongest.
As the current Shimotsuki family head and Suzugo region daimyo, Shimotsuki Fuuya's strength approached the 200 million Berry level.
"Ripley, Shimotsuki Fuuya is yours to handle."
"Newgate, Linlin, you two deal with the other strong samurai."
"Shiki, Zephyr, Stussy, Tsuru—the remaining samurai are yours!"
Silas waved his hand, directly assigning tasks to his crew members.
"Eh, I have to go too!?"
Pointing at herself, Stussy looked at Silas incredulously.
"Of course!"
"Then why doesn't Toki have to go?"
"She's injured!"
Stussy paused briefly, then realized what "injury" Silas meant. Toki's "injury" was thanks to her assistance. Thinking this, Stussy nearly ground her teeth to powder.
"Hmph, fine then!"
At least she was close to mastering the Six Powers. With Silas watching, facing some weaker samurai posed no real risk.
Only then did Shimotsuki Shinko react. Silas just planned to use their Shimotsuki family as a stepping stone to attack Wano Country?
Thinking this, Shinko immediately panicked.
"Bastard Silas, you said you had no designs on our Wano Country!?"