Chapter 210: Volume 2 – Chapter 112: The Kozuki Clan

Wano Country...

Staring at the striking outline of that mysterious land on the map, a flood of thoughts surged through Daren's mind.

The timeline he'd arrived in was hazy at best, and even with his knowledge of most of the original events, he couldn't quite grasp the current situation in Wano.

One thing, however, was clear—if Kaidou had taken him to that unfamiliar island instead of Wano, it meant Kaidou's influence hadn't yet extended into the country.

"So... I wonder if that 'invincible heartthrob' Kozuki Oden has already set out to sea..."

A samurai's figure rose in Daren's mind, and a mocking sneer curled at the corner of his lips.

He'd never had a favorable opinion of the Kozuki family in the original story.

Oden's father, Kozuki Sukiyaki, was weak and dim-witted, losing his throne to Kurozumi Orochi's scheming.

After escaping from prison, he lacked the courage to either fight back or take his own life. Instead, he stood by and watched as Wano fell into the hands of Orochi and Kaidou, dooming countless citizens.

Call it twenty years of endurance if you want—but to Daren, it was nothing more than cowardice.

If he truly had the loyalty and pride of a samurai, even if it meant standing alone against the tide, he should've died fighting in the streets, or at the very least, died with honor through seppuku. Anything less was a disgrace to the title of shogun.

And Kozuki Oden?

In his youth, he was reckless and lawless—setting fires, gambling, chasing women. He kidnapped local girls to build a harem, stirring public outrage.

As an adult, he abandoned his home and people for the sake of so-called freedom and dreams, leaving behind the very country that raised him.

A muscle-headed fool so naive it was nearly brainless. Despite having overwhelming power and backing from all-star allies like the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates, he allowed himself to be easily manipulated, reduced to performing a humiliating naked dance on a rooftop.

No preparation, no backup plan—just a desperate gamble with the Nine Red Scabbards that ended in complete failure.

And Kozuki Momonosuke? Even more of a hopeless case.

He buckled at the first sign of adversity, eager to surrender. When things went his way, he flaunted the credit. Lecherous and useless, he contributed nothing throughout the Wano arc. He only became shogun thanks to his father's legacy and a puff of Flame Clouds.

Worse still, he rewrote history, painting himself as the "savior" of Wano.

Three generations of the Kozuki line—and not a single one worth admiring.

With rulers like these, the people of Wano were truly cursed.

Daren shook his head.

Just then, a conversation at a table in the corner of the tavern caught his ear.

…

"That's really something... never thought a prize like that would end up in the hands of the Hall brothers."

"With that kind of quality, she'd fetch a sky-high price, no question."

In the corner of the tavern, a group of middle-aged men dressed like pirates drank and joked loudly.

Their fingers glittered with colorful gemstone rings, cigars clenched between their teeth—everything about them screamed nouveau riche.

"But seriously, that woman must be an idiot. She actually believed what the Hall brothers told her? Hahaha! They said they were taking her to Wano Country? How naïve. Even Marine warships won't dare sail into Wano's waters..."

"So what's really going on in that country? There's not a single word about it from the outside world..."

"Who knows? All I know is, you don't mess with them. I heard an Underworld Emperor once sent a ship to investigate—over a hundred people aboard. Not a single one came back. The Underworld Emperor didn't even dare say a word about it."

"Tch... But that woman—her clothes clearly match Wano's style..."

"Doesn't matter. There's no way the Hall brothers are actually taking her to Wano. They probably snatched her on some deserted island nearby, locked her up, and plan to flip her to some traffickers for a fat profit."

"Exactly. I've never seen a woman that gorgeous before, especially with that natural light green hair... damn..."

"Yeah, yeah, and that flawless baby-smooth face... hehehe..."

Their laughter grew more perverse, their expressions twisted with sleazy grins.

Then—

Bang!

A bottle of strong whiskey slammed down onto their table.

"Hey, mind if I ask where the woman you were talking about was taken?"

The men froze, instinctively following the arm holding the bottle upward.

A young man with tousled black hair and a bold, handsome face looked back at them, smiling.

Wearing a white shirt, he gave them a friendly grin.

"Drink's on me. Let's be friends."

The group went silent for a beat.

Then—

"Pffft—Hahahahaha! Friends!?"

They burst out laughing, shoulders shaking like they'd just heard the world's funniest joke.

"Drink!? Who the hell do you think you are!?"

One bald man suddenly stood up with a twisted grin, yanked a dagger from his waist, and slashed it straight at Daren's neck.

"I'm—"

Clang!

The blade hit Daren's skin—and bounced off like it had struck solid steel, sending sparks flying.

Crack! The dagger snapped in two.

The bald man's words died mid-sentence. His grin froze in place.

"Shhh—!"

The entire tavern gasped as one.

Several onlookers even rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

Did that knife just... break on a man's skin?

"What... what are you!?"

The bald man and his companions went pale, staring at Daren in horror.

"Sigh..."

Daren let out a small sigh, sounding almost disappointed.

"If you don't want to be my friend... then that only leaves one option."

The instant he spoke, the men felt the world spin—

Boom!

Their bodies were hurled backward in a blur, crashing to the ground.

Crack—crack—crack...

The sound of ribs snapping echoed around the tavern. All of the bald man's companions were already out cold, coughing up blood and unmoving.

Silence fell like a curtain.

No one in the tavern dared move.

"N-no, please don't kill me... I'll talk, I'll tell you everything, just don't kill me..."

The bald man collapsed to his knees with a heavy thud, shaking all over.

Daren sat down casually at the table, smoothly unscrewing the bottle of whiskey. He smiled at the trembling man,

"So... still want that drink?"

The bald man blinked, then nodded furiously like a bobblehead. He crawled over, took the bottle with both hands, and tipped it back in a frantic gulp.

His face quickly flushed red, whiskey spilling from his nose, tears leaking from his eyes—

But he kept drinking, terrified to stop.