Chapter 246: The Ancient Weapon Pluton is in Wano Country!

Chapter 246: Chapter 246: The Ancient Weapon Pluton is in Wano Country!

......

In the light screen.

Green Bull looked at the samurai in front of him who didn’t know what was good for them. His face was full of impatience: "I’ll say it again."

His voice was as cold as ice, completely devoid of any human warmth.

"Move!"

Hearing Green Bull’s threat, the Nine Red Scabbards didn’t move. Their hands tightly gripped their sword hilts, flames burning in their eyes, filled with resolve.

Luffy had helped them liberate Wano Country, helped them defeat Kaido, helped them take back everything they had lost for twenty years.

Helped them welcome a new tomorrow.

Now someone wanted to cause trouble for their benefactor — it was their turn to protect Luffy and his companions.

Even if the opponent was a Marine Admiral. Even if they might die.

So what?!

They had already died once before.

Twenty years ago, on the day Lord Oden died. They had survived for the sake of waiting for this day. Now that their great revenge had been achieved, they had no more regrets!

"Very well."

Green Bull looked at the resolve in these people’s eyes and knew that words were useless. He would speak with strength!

He pressed both hands to the ground and activated his technique: "Forbidden Hatred Woods."

In an instant, his body began to change dramatically.

His skin turned into tree bark, his hair into vines, and his limbs into branches!

His entire being transformed into a gigantic tree man!

That tree man’s body was so tall it blocked out the sky and sun. Countless roots plunged into the ground, and countless vines danced in the air.

Flowers bloomed all over his body. Those flowers were beautiful yet eerie, emitting a faint ghostly glow.

Logia-type Woods-Woods Fruit. This was Green Bull’s ability.

He was the embodiment of the forest, the spokesperson of nature, a walking ecosystem.

"Come on!"

Green Bull the tree man’s voice came from above, low and hollow: "Let me see how long you samurai can last."

The battle erupted instantly. The Nine Red Scabbards surrounded and attacked Green Bull.

Blade light flashed, sword shadows crossed!

But they were facing a monster. A monster that could extend countless vines from its body at any time, summon roots from underground at any time, and absorb nutrients from its opponents at any time!

One slash cut through a vine — ten vines immediately wrapped around them.

One thrust pierced the trunk — the wound instantly healed.

Bullets struck the tree body — their power was completely absorbed.

This was the strength of an Admiral.

This was the uncrossable gap between them and a true powerhouse!

"Damn it!"

Raizo gritted his teeth and formed hand seals, trying to use ninjutsu to restrain Green Bull. But the next second, a vine shot out from underground and directly pierced through his body!

"Ah!"

Raizo let out a miserable scream as his body was instantly entangled by vines. He could feel his nutrients being frantically drained — stamina, moisture, and life force!

All of it flowed along the vines toward that tree man.

Shinobu rushed forward to save him, only to be entangled by vines as well and drained dry.

Both of their bodies rapidly withered. Their skin wrinkled like dry tree bark, and they turned into mummified corpses!

"Raizo! Shinobu!"

Denjiro’s furious roar echoed across the battlefield.

He madly swung his blade, cutting through vine after vine. But there were too many vines — he couldn’t cut them all. He simply couldn’t cut them all.

The others had also fallen into a bitter struggle.

Kawamatsu’s legs were entangled by vines. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were separated and attacked...

This was the gap!

An irreparable gap...

"A bunch of ants who don’t know what’s good for them."

Green Bull’s voice came from within the tree man, carrying undisguised contempt: "You think you can stop me with just this?"

"Ridiculous."

He raised his hand...

No, he raised a gigantic branch!

Just as he was about to deliver the final blow to these samurai, Yamato charged over and smashed her kanabo into Green Bull’s head, barely buying them some time!

And at that very moment, on the sea near Wano Country, a pirate ship appeared in everyone’s view outside the light screen.

On that ship’s flag, behind the skull, two swords were crossed. The skull’s left eye had three long scars.

The moment that flag came into view, everyone was stunned...

Because the newcomers were none other than Shanks’ Red Hair Pirates. Red-Haired Yonko Shanks.

That man who shared a special bond with Luffy!

"Red-Haired Shanks?!" Some citizens outside the light screen began to exclaim in shock.

"Why would he come here?!"

For a moment, opinions varied.

Some thought Shanks had come to save Luffy.

After all, the light screen had previously shown the promise between him and Luffy, his expectations for Luffy, and the moment he entrusted his straw hat to Luffy.

But others believed things weren’t that simple.

"Red Hair is a Yonko! How could he come to Wano Country just to save Luffy?!"

"Kaido just died. Wano Country is now a power vacuum! Whoever takes this place will control this country’s resources!"

"He’s here to seize territory!"

...

Both opinions had their own logic. But on one point, everyone was certain — Wano Country was about to descend into chaos.

One Marine Admiral. One veteran Yonko.

Plus the Straw Hat crew, who had just finished a victorious battle and were greatly weakened, along with Kid and Law...

What kind of intense conflict would erupt when these factions clashed?!

The people outside the light screen held their breath, staring fixedly at the screen. Then, someone noticed another detail.

Red Hair Pirates Vice-Captain, Ben Beckman, was holding a newspaper in his hand!

The front-page headline of that newspaper, written in huge font, read:

"Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff Sabo brutally murdered Nefertari Cobra, King of the Kingdom of Alabasta!"

"Alabasta..."

A Marine outside the light screen looked confused and muttered to himself: "Wasn’t that the country the Straw Hat kid saved before?"

"Sabo..." Another Marine’s voice trembled.

"I remember... That’s Luffy’s big brother!"

Outside the light screen, there was an uproar.

"What’s going on?! Luffy’s brother killed the king that Luffy saved?!"

"What kind of messed-up relationship is this?!"

"I remember that king of Alabasta was a good person!"

"How could Sabo kill him?!"

...

No one could answer these questions, because no one knew what had actually happened outside.

In the screen, new information appeared.

Sabo had been given the title "Flame Emperor" by the rebels. This title left countless people stunned!

Flame Emperor — that was Ace’s strongest technique. When facing Blackbeard back then, that move Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor was still fresh in everyone’s memory!

It was as if the deceased Ace had left this legacy to the world. Now Sabo had inherited this name.

He had inherited even more of this will — this flame.

At this moment, in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, in the Room of Flowers.

Imu watched the constantly shifting scenes in the light screen, pupils trembling slightly.

Cobra was dead!

The king of Alabasta. A descendant of the Nefertari Family. That person who knew about "history."

That person who might have some understanding of the "Void Century."

He was dead...

Killed by Sabo?

Imu definitely didn’t believe these lies. The only reasonable explanation was that Cobra had died at the hands of the World Government!

In the shadows, the corner of Imu’s mouth curved upward in an extremely faint arc.

But the next second, its smile froze...

Because another scene appeared in the light screen.

Robin, Law, and Kozuki Sukiyaki... Oden’s father, the former shogun of Wano Country.

They arrived at a hidden passage. That passage led deep underground.

There, sleeping, was the Ancient Weapon Pluton!

"What?!"

The Gorosei stood up simultaneously, their faces filled with terror.

An Ancient Weapon?

Pluton?!

That legendary ultimate weapon capable of destroying the world was sleeping beneath Wano Country?!

"Impossible..."

Saint Mars’ voice trembled: "How can this be possible..."

Saint Warcury’s cold sweat instantly soaked through his back: "If this information gets out..."

He didn’t finish, but everyone knew what he hadn’t said.

If this information got out, the entire world would go crazy.

Those ambitious individuals, those pirates, those nations would all swarm toward Wano Country.

To fight over that legendary weapon, to obtain power capable of changing the world — power that could then destroy everything!

At this moment, Imu’s pupils trembled violently.

There was both fear and joy in its gaze!

The fear was unlike anything it had felt in a hundred years. But the joy was also unprecedented!

However, the timing wasn’t very good. Especially since Luffy had already awakened his ability. If Pluton were truly awakened, the price would be too terrifying.

The scene cut back to the battlefield. Denjiro and the others were still struggling to hold on.

Everyone was covered in wounds and felt like they were about to collapse at any moment. But they didn’t retreat. Not a single step.

At this most critical moment, a furious roar came from behind.

"Stop!!!"

Momonosuke’s figure charged into the battlefield like lightning. Seeing that he couldn’t use Heat Breath, he once again opened his mouth wide and bit toward Green Bull’s tree body!

After doing this, Momonosuke hovered in the air, dragon pupils fixed on that gigantic tree man.

"Marine!"

His voice exploded like thunder: "Get out of Wano Country!"

Green Bull raised his head and looked at that pink dragon. His pupils slightly contracted.

Kaido?!

No, it wasn’t Kaido...

Green Bull observed carefully and realized it was just a dragon that looked exactly like Kaido but with a different color.

"Oh..."

Green Bull’s voice came from within the tree man, carrying a trace of amusement: "So you’re that little brat."

He looked at Momonosuke, his eyes full of disdain.

"Just a cheap imitation of Kaido!"

This sentence stabbed into Momonosuke’s heart like a knife.

"You think turning into a dragon makes you Kaido?"

Green Bull continued, his tone full of mockery: "Do you know why no one dared to come to Wano Country before?"

Momonosuke was stunned. Green Bull’s form continued to change. Vines gathered behind him, forming a gigantic, mocking smiley face: "Because Kaido was here."

"You fools. If Kaido were still around, I wouldn’t have appeared here."

"It’s precisely because Kaido was guarding Wano Country..."

Green Bull paused, then spoke with a playful expression: "That’s why this country’s enemies couldn’t approach."

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone’s heads. This was the truth!

A cruel, unacceptable truth.

Kaido was an evil dragon, an oppressor, Wano Country’s nightmare for twenty years.

But Kaido was also a guardian. Because he was too strong — strong enough that no one dared to cause trouble. Strong enough that all forces coveting Wano Country could only watch from afar.

Strong enough that although this country suffered, it hadn’t been completely destroyed by outsiders!

But now that Kaido had been defeated, Wano Country was a piece of fat meat. And all those enemies that had once been blocked by Kaido were about to swarm in!

Momonosuke’s dragon pupils trembled violently. He wanted to refute, wanted to say that Green Bull was spouting nonsense, wanted to say that Green Bull didn’t understand their suffering at all.

But Momonosuke opened his mouth, only to find that he couldn’t say anything. Because he knew — Green Bull was speaking the truth.

"I can’t..."

His voice trembled: "I can’t keep relying on Luffy and the others..."

He thought of those who had fought for him. He thought of those who had died for Wano Country.

Momonosuke thought of his parents. He thought of those who had waited for the dawn only to fall in pools of blood.

"I want to..."

Flames ignited in Momonosuke’s dragon pupils — not flames of fear.

They were flames of anger. Flames of resolve.

"I want to protect Wano Country with my own strength!!!"

He opened his dragon mouth. Scorching energy gathered in his throat. This time, it wasn’t an imitation.

It was his own power!

"Get out of here!!!"

Heat Breath.

A raging Heat Breath.

Exactly like Kaido’s — a Heat Breath capable of destroying everything — erupted from Momonosuke’s mouth with a roar!

The temperature of that flame was shockingly high. The light was so blinding it was impossible to look at directly. It was like a fire dragon, charging straight toward Green Bull!

Green Bull’s pupils suddenly contracted. He wanted to dodge...

But that Heat Breath was too fast.

Fast enough that he didn’t even have time to react!

"BOOM!!"

The Heat Breath struck Green Bull head-on, completely engulfing that gigantic tree man. Flames burned, vines turned charred black, and branches and leaves turned to ash.

Green Bull’s figure completely disappeared within the flames.

The battlefield fell into dead silence.

Then Momonosuke landed back on the ground, panting heavily. His body was trembling, and his eyes were filled with exhaustion.

But Momonosuke had done it. He had repelled the enemy with his own power.

......