After his hundredth challenge against Adrian failed, Katakuri, a man of immense strength and pride, finally knelt before Adrian. His only condition for surrendering was that he must also accept the future surrender of other members of the Charlotte family.
What could he say to that? Of course, he happily agreed.
Next day, Adrian summoned all the crew to the new palace.
"Captain, are you planning a big move?" A flattering look suddenly appeared on Shiryu's face as he spoke meekly. "When are you going to get me a new sword? The cracks on my sword are getting bigger and bigger."
During that fight at Punk Hazard, Shiryu had used Raiu to block a light-speed kick from Kizaru, then desperately unleashed a Slash Wave. The resulting crack on the blade was now more than ten centimeters long and would likely cause the sword to break in any high-intensity battle. This made Shiryu anxious, but after being terrified by Bullet's display of power, he hadn't dared to bring it up to Adrian. He was just waiting for the right opportunity.
"You guessed it," Adrian said with a smile. "I am indeed going to Wano Country."
"Great! The Second Generation Kitetsu is finally within reach!" Shiryu nearly jumped for joy. The thought of immediately possessing one of the 21 Great Grade Swords made him feel restless with excitement. For a swordsman, there was no greater happiness than acquiring a fine sword.
Adrian had also promised him that when they met the Straw Hat's swordsman in the future, one of 21 the great grade sword, Wado Ichimonji, would belong to him. This was a fortune beyond his wildest dreams. Even though Shiryu didn't use a dual-sword style, what was stopping him from using one at a time?
"Hehehe, big chin, don't get too happy," Bullet scoffed with a sneer. "I heard the Second Generation Kitetsu is a cursed blade that brings disaster to its wielder. With your strength, I think you'll be dead in a few days!"
"You're full of crap! I've got a tough build," Shiryu shot back, craning his neck. "Even a fierce demon sword will be subdued once it's in my hands."
Had he not been outmatched by Bullet in strength, Shiryu's temper would have led him to draw his sword and attack.
"Captain, does this trip to Wano Country have something to do with that kid Momonosuke that I caught yesterday, and the two samurai from Wano who were killed?" Katakuri asked thoughtfully. Although he didn't know Momonosuke's true identity, he had guessed some clues from the desperate efforts of Kin'emon and Kanjuro.
"That's right," Adrian chuckled, not intending to hide Momonosuke's identity. "Whether this deal with Kaido succeeds or not, this brat is the top priority. Don't let his cowardice fool you—his father was the shogun of Wano Country. Also, the two scars on Kaido that haven't healed yet were left by his father, Kozuki Oden."
Adrian wasn't sure if it was the "butterfly effect" caused by his own actions, but Momonosuke and his companions seemed to have arrived in Dressrosa earlier than in the original story, and were caught by Katakuri.
"What?!" everyone exclaimed, their expressions changing dramatically. Most of them had seen Kaido's defence firsthand. As the most powerful Mythical Beast-type Zoan, Kaido's self-healing ability was almost unbelievable. Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived dozens of execution attempts without injury. The fact that someone had left a permanent scar on him was a testament to Kozuki Oden's strength.
But if that was the case, how could such a man have a son as timid as Momonosuke? Was it possible that an "Old Man" next door had helped his wife out?
"Everyone, get ready. We're going to Wano Country to watch a spectacular show."
A few days later, the ship approached the waters of Wano Country.
"No wonder even the Marines and the World Government can't do anything about this country," Shiryu sighed, looking at the steep, treacherous waterfall that served as a natural barrier. "If it weren't for the Captain's ability, I don't think we would have been able to get in at all."
"Wano Country is the world's only supplier of seastone, and it also has a powerful group of samurai, along with this natural barrier," Katakuri added, his expression showing his appreciation. "It's no wonder Kaido chose this place as his home."
Adrian simply smiled. The situation in Wano Country was far more complicated than it seemed on the surface. While it appeared to be under the thumb of Kaido and Orochi Kurozumi, an undercurrent of rebellion was surging beneath the surface. The samurai of the Kozuki clan, primarily the Nine Red Scabbards, awaited the "return of the king"—their young master, Momonosuke. The rebel forces, lying dormant in various parts of the country, were on standby. These were like explosives that could be detonated at any time, posing a constant threat to Orochi's rule. This was also the main reason they were so desperate to find Momonosuke.
Adrian had come here not just to confront Kaido, but also to see if these "time bombs" could be detonated in advance. Even if he were to take over Wano Country in the future, he would have to deal with these samurai loyal to Kozuki Oden. Why not let them kill each other in the hands of Kaido?
For this trip, Adrian only brought Bullet, Katakuri, Shiryu, and Van Augur. Along with a stunned Momonosuke, the group of six took a large ship converted from a Marine medium-sized warship and soon officially entered Wano Country.
"Intruder spotted!"
"It looks like a Marine warship... but why is the ship flying in the sky?"
"Idiot! That's the power of the Float-Float Fruit!"
"It must be that Warlord named Adrian invading Wano Country! Inform the bigshots!"
"Fire! Shoot them down! Don't let them pass, or Boss Kaido will be furious!"
The members of the Beasts Pirates on patrol on the ground took up their weapons and unleashed a barrage of fire at the warship in the sky. A few Gifters with the ability to fly even flew up to harass the intruders.
"These bugs are really annoying!" The hot-tempered Bullet was ready to go clean up the group of lowlifes.
"Let me do it," Katakuri said, waving his hand lightly. "The Captain is here to renegotiate with Kaido. Killing his men now just means giving him more leverage."
In the next second, Katakuri's eyes narrowed.
Zheng!
An incomparably terrifying pressure erupted from his body, sweeping across the entire coast in an instant.
Plop, plop, plop...
In the blink of an eye, the hundreds of pirates who had been firing indiscriminately fell to the ground in a foamy-mouthed, unconscious heap.