Chapter 160: Journey Through Wano: Recovering from His Wounds

Morning broke over Ringo.

The retainers of the Daimyo returned to Shimotsuki Ushimaru’s campsite.

The moment they saw him lying unconscious on the ground, a deep sword wound slashed across his chest, they hurried over in alarm.

"Lord Ushimaru!"

"What happened?"

"That wound... it’s from a sword!"

"Who could possibly injure you? You’re a descendant of the Sword God Ryuma!"

None of them could believe it.

Aside from Kozuki Oden, Ushimaru was regarded as Wano’s greatest swordsman.

Yet he had been defeated and left unconscious in the wilderness.

When they noticed that his two treasured swords had both been broken...

Their shock only deepened.

Entrance to the Flower Capital

The morning sun slowly rose.

Arthur and Cooper, both covered in dust and sand after traveling from Ringo, arrived at the eastern entrance to the bustling Flower Capital.

The ancient streets stretched endlessly ahead, crowded with lively pedestrians.

Against such a peaceful backdrop...

The battered pair looked completely out of place.

"So overwhelming Haki can actually suppress my body’s regeneration...?"

Arthur swayed unsteadily.

Eight days had already passed.

Yet his injuries showed none of the terrifying recovery speed he normally possessed.

Never before...

No matter how brutal the battle...

Had he remained wounded for this long.

He and Cooper sat down outside a ramen stall.

The owner immediately greeted them.

"Five hundred Berries a bowl!"

"How many would you like?"

The Flower Capital bustled with life.

Famous courtesans wandered the streets.

The people lived leisurely, carefree lives.

Unlike the nations beyond Wano...

There wasn’t the slightest hint of tension.

"Two bowls."

Arthur answered weakly.

"One for me."

"One for him."

The previous night’s duel had been anything but easy.

Had Ice Dragon and his Haki not shattered Ushimaru’s swords...

The fight might still have been undecided.

For an accomplished swordsman...

A great weapon could determine victory or defeat.

The shopkeeper stared blankly at Cooper.

"Uh..."

"How exactly is an eagle supposed to eat ramen?"

"Caw..."

"Arthur... this guy’s looking down on me."

"Can I kill him?"

Arthur replied without even looking up.

"Do whatever you want."

Cooper glanced at Arthur’s condition.

Starting a fight here would only attract attention.

That would interfere with Arthur’s recovery.

After taking the payment, the owner simply shook his head.

"As long as I get paid..."

"I don’t really care how you eat it."

Moments later, he returned with two steaming bowls of ramen.

Just then—

A newspaper vendor ran down the street shouting.

"Flower Capital Daily!"

"Special edition!"

"The Daimyo of Ringo has been wounded by a mysterious Great Swordsman!"

"What?!"

"Lord Ushimaru lost?"

"No way!"

Listening to the commotion...

Arthur finished his ramen.

Then immediately collapsed onto the table and fell asleep.

Broad daylight.

Surrounded by crowds.

He ignored everything around him.

After fighting throughout the night despite his injuries...

His body had reached its limit.

Several hours later...

The cheerful laughter of the townspeople woke him.

Arthur slowly raised his head.

The first thing he saw...

Was a nearly naked man dancing wildly through the middle of the street, wearing nothing but a loincloth.

Arthur stared expressionlessly.

Exhaustion and pain still weighed heavily on his body.

The dancer...

Was Kozuki Oden.

He had returned to Wano after learning the truth of the world.

"Caw."

"His dancing’s awful."

"I’m better."

Cooper commented from beside him.

As Oden danced his way through the streets...

His eyes casually swept across the crowd.

Then...

They landed on Arthur.

His ridiculous dance stopped instantly.

Without hesitation...

He walked straight over.

"Get lost."

Arthur looked up lazily.

"Half-naked idiot."

"Or I’ll give you a few more scars."

Oden ignored the insult.

Instead, he pulled a newspaper from his loincloth and compared Arthur’s face with the report.

"Arthur..."

"It’s you, isn’t it?"

"The mysterious swordsman who defeated Shimotsuki Ushimaru."

His expression remained surprisingly calm.

Years earlier...

Kozuki Toki had already foreseen that Arthur would one day arrive in Wano.

"I said..."

"Get lost."

"CAW!"

"Arthur already told you to leave!"

Without waiting any longer, Cooper violently flapped both wings.

A tremendous gust exploded outward.

Caught completely off guard—

Oden was blown straight down the street.

"The Foolish Lord was blown away by an eagle?!"

"He flew so far!"

"Is he okay?"

Hardly anyone sounded concerned.

To many of Wano’s citizens...

Oden no longer deserved to inherit the position of Shogun.

"So noisy..."

Arthur rubbed his aching head.

Then slowly walked toward the Shogun’s Castle.

The quiet there would be far better for recovering than the crowded streets.

Watching from a nearby alley...

Oden’s retainers stood frozen in disbelief.

"Who is that man?"

"Even from this distance..."

"The pressure coming off him is unbelievable."

"Arthur..."

Inuarashi recognized him immediately.

"He sailed with Lord Oden on the Roger Pirates."

Nekomamushi nodded.

"Not long after Lord Oden joined Roger..."

"Arthur stayed behind alone on the Aurora Islands to stop the World Government’s pursuit."

The other retainers were stunned.

They had read about him in Oden’s journal.

The cold-blooded young swordsman...

The one who had left a scar on Oden before Oden had any chance to fight back.

"No matter what!"

Kin’emon suddenly stepped forward.

"Lord Oden is our master!"

"We can’t let that humiliation go unanswered!"

"Don’t go!"

Inuarashi shouted.

"You’ll die!"

"That man’s a monster!"

But it was already too late.

"Come back, Kin’emon!"

Nekomamushi yelled.

"You’re like a praying mantis trying to stop a speeding train!"

Arthur had barely taken a few steps...

Before Kin’emon blocked his path with a drawn sword.

"Sir!"

"Do you even know who you just insulted?!"

Arthur rested a hand against his chin as though seriously considering the question.

"...The Boiling King?"

Kin’emon exploded.

"What ’Boiling King’?!"

"That’s Lord Kozuki Oden!"

"Daimyo of Kuri!"

"The heir to the Shogunate!"

"Cooper."

Arthur sighed.

"Move him."

Cooper immediately stepped forward.

Tilting his head toward Kin’emon, he let out an annoyed cry.

"Caw?"

"Quit blocking the road, you idiot human."

"An eagle?"

Not understanding a word, Kin’emon nevertheless swung his sword.

Before the blade could descend—

BOOM!!

A violent gale erupted from Cooper’s wings.

Kin’emon was blasted away without the slightest resistance.

Despite being prepared...

He ended up exactly like his lord.

Both were sent flying by a single flap of Cooper’s wings.

"Arthur-senpai!"

Nekomamushi and Inuarashi hurried over.

"Please forgive him!"

"He’s just hot-headed!"

The men who would one day become the Nine Red Scabbards all rushed after the airborne Oden and Kin’emon.

Arthur merely watched them leave.

Then continued toward the Shogun’s Castle.

The district surrounding the castle was vastly different from the rest of Wano.

The wealthy looked down upon him from elegant balconies.

Nobles wandered the streets with beautiful women in their arms.

Many openly sneered at Arthur’s ragged, travel-worn clothes.

Arthur ignored every one of them.

Looking up—

He suddenly leaped over twenty meters into the air.

In a single bound...

He disappeared beyond the castle walls.

Inside the castle...

Kurozumi Orochi, who had usurped Wano’s government years earlier, was indulging in a lavish banquet surrounded by beautiful women.

"Caw..."

"Arthur... we’ve been causing too much trouble."

"If we scare all the locals, it won’t be good."

Cooper muttered.

A moment later, he spread his wings and followed Arthur into the castle anyway.

Arthur entered the banquet hall.

Without asking permission...

He casually took an empty seat and sat down.

"Orochi-sama..."

One of the women blinked in surprise.

"Is this honored guest one of your friends?"

"He’s quite handsome..."

"Though those scars are unfortunate."

"Huh?"

Orochi, who had been enjoying himself moments earlier, turned around impatiently.

"A guest?"

"What guest?"

"This banquet belongs exclusively to the Kurozumi Clan—"

His voice stopped abruptly.

The instant he recognized Arthur’s face—

His expression turned deathly pale.

He stumbled backward, knocking over his chair.

Food, sake, and beautiful women all tumbled onto the floor with him.

"Bring me the latest newspaper!"

He frantically shouted at his servants.

"Right now!"

He desperately wanted to confirm whether the man before him was really Arthur.

Arthur calmly poured himself another cup of Wano sake.

"So nervous."

He took a sip.

"I just wanted a place to rest."

"You don’t mind... do you?"

Orochi sneered.

Protected by Kaido, he had no intention of showing fear.

"And if I said I do mind?"

Arthur emptied the porcelain cup in one swallow.

Then casually tossed it toward Orochi.

"I’d kill you."

"And enjoy this luxurious life in your place."

"I’d kill you."

"And enjoy this life of luxury in your place."

With that, Arthur casually flicked the empty white porcelain cup toward Orochi.

The cup shot through the air like a concealed weapon—

Straight for Orochi’s forehead.

Startled, Orochi instinctively threw both arms up to protect himself.

Just as the cup was about to hit—

An elderly man stepped forward.

A translucent barrier instantly materialized before Orochi.

Crash!

The porcelain cup shattered against the invisible wall without leaving so much as a crack.

"Such audacity."

The old man smiled calmly.

"But rest easy, Lord Orochi."

"As long as I’m here..."

"He cannot harm you."

It was Kurozumi Semimaru, the current user of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.

"Hahaha!"

Orochi immediately regained his confidence.

"That’s right!"

"Even that monster Kozuki Oden couldn’t break through this barrier!"

"What can you possibly do to me?"

Arthur merely glanced at him coldly.

Without another word, he continued eating the feast spread across the table.

He made no move to attack.

At that moment, a servant hurried into the banquet hall carrying a newspaper.

"Lord Orochi."

"The latest paper from overseas."

Orochi snatched it up.

His eyes immediately locked onto the front-page headline.

Bounty: 1,500,000,000 Berries

He repeatedly compared the photograph to Arthur sitting only a few meters away.

The face.

The clothes.

The sword at his waist.

Everything matched perfectly.

The little confidence he had just regained instantly disappeared.

His legs gave out beneath him.

"K-Kaido!"

"Hurry!"

"Go to Onigashima and bring Kaido!"

"I’m dead!"

"I’m going to die!"

Arthur couldn’t help grinning at the sight.

"You should trust me."

"If I don’t feel like fighting..."

"Even if Kaido himself comes..."

"He’ll still end up sitting down to drink with me."

"Don’t flatter yourself!"

Orochi shouted.

"Who do you think you are?!"

Arthur calmly picked up two grapes from the table.

He tossed one into his own mouth.

The other to Cooper.

"Unless..."

He chewed leisurely.

"...he wants every plan he’s spent years building to fall apart."

After all...

Whenever monsters of their caliber fought...

It was always the ordinary people who suffered the consequences.

Arthur had only come to Wano to recover.

Even injured...

He wasn’t afraid of fighting the current Kaido if it came to that.

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