"You've finally come, Lord Oden. Your wife has been waiting here for you for quite some time."
Kurozumi Orochi watched Kozuki Oden's face contort with rage, and a surge of twisted delight filled his heart.
It nearly made him pull the trigger on Grey right then and there.
Fortunately, he managed to hold himself back and didn't let things escalate.
"Orochiiii!"
"I'll kill you!"
How could Kozuki Oden possibly hold himself back? The tatami beneath his feet shattered instantly as his Haki roared. His twin blades turned black as his figure tore through the air, the afterimage stretching and warping behind him.
Oden Nitoryu!
— Togen Totsuka!
He opened with his strongest technique right out of the gate. His twin swords crossed in the air, forming a scissor-like shape aimed directly at Orochi's throat, intending to decapitate him in a single stroke!
CLANG!
A crisp sound rang out. Kozuki Oden's blades, which had never failed him before, came within a hair's breadth — only to be blocked by a green barrier.
His full-power strike hadn't produced any effect whatsoever. The only result was that the room had been reduced to utter devastation.
The force rebounding from the barrier made both his arms tremble. Only then did Kozuki Oden notice an old man sitting nearby with his eyes closed, his hands formed into a peculiar seal.
This was — a Devil Fruit ability!
His entire body shook, teeth chattering — not from fear, but from fury. Yet the situation before him forced him to calm down. He understood that even if he raged like a wild beast, he wouldn't be able to so much as scratch a hair on Orochi's head.
"Orochi, why are you doing this?!"
"If you wanted this country, you've already succeeded! Why would you do something like this?!"
He roared in a low voice, his fists still gripping his swords as he slammed them against the barrier, demanding answers.
Inside the barrier, Orochi looked perfectly at ease. His grotesque face wore a look of feigned confusion, as though he genuinely couldn't understand why Oden was so angry.
"Now, now, don't be so upset, Lord Oden. During your absence, I've taken wonderful care of your wife," he said with a wheeze.
"For three whole months, not a single meal was missed — three meals a day, every day. Isn't that enough to satisfy you?"
At that moment, Oden's wife let out a muffled sob. "Uu... Oden..."
Her tear-filled eyes gazed at the man outside the green barrier. The barrier's color cast a green tint over his entire figure, like looking through a colored filter.
This tore at Oden's heart — a mixture of anguish and guilt.
All of this was his fault. If he hadn't left her there in the first place, none of this would have happened.
'I knew full well that the Flower Capital was Orochi's territory, and yet...'
He didn't blame Grey. He only blamed himself — and he hated Orochi!
"Orochi, what is it you actually want?!" he roared. "I'll give you anything — just release my wife and children!"
"My goal?" Orochi let out a cold laugh, looking at Kozuki Oden.
"You should let me tell you, then. My name is Orochi — Kurozumi Orochi!"
The sound of that name hit Kozuki Oden like a physical blow. His entire body jolted.
"Could it be — that Kurozumi..."
"That's right. The very same Kurozumi clan that plotted rebellion and was stripped of their name by the Kozuki."
Kurozumi Orochi spoke slowly. "Now, you should understand where my hatred for you comes from."
"Can you even begin to imagine what my past was like? Growing up under the cold stares and abuse of an entire nation — all of it, courtesy of the Kozuki clan!"
Kurozumi Orochi's voice rose to a shriek, his emotions growing more frantic, until his whole body trembled and he seemed to deflate, drained of all energy.
"Sorry about that. I got a little carried away."
He slowly stood and wearily seated himself back on the tatami. But his eyes, as they fixed on Oden, gleamed with renewed intensity.
"Grey!" Oden hurled himself against the barrier with everything he had.
The force made the entire mansion shake, but it was utterly futile. His hands were left bloodied and raw from the impact.
"Hehehe... Just watching you look like that is pleasure enough for me," Orochi chuckled. His words brought Oden back to a semblance of calm.
Kozuki Oden drew a deep breath, forcing his rage back down.
"Orochi, I admit that the Kozuki clan caused the Kurozumi clan harm in the past. But that has nothing to do with me!"
"And it has nothing to do with my wife — she isn't even from this country! If it's revenge you want, then take my life!"
Naturally, he couldn't say that the Kurozumi clan had brought their ruin upon themselves. He could only try to redirect Orochi's wrath solely onto himself.
"Kill you? Do you honestly think your life alone would be enough to extinguish the Kurozumi clan's grudge?" Orochi sneered.
"Only by making you suffer can the wounds of the Kurozumi clan be healed."
But then his tone shifted. "Then again, I suppose I should thank your wife for her company over these past three months. For her sake, I'll give you a chance."
"Starting tomorrow, you will go to the Flower Capital every day and dance the Fool's Dance. Let the people of this country — who worship the Kozuki as gods — see just how ridiculous and foolish their idol truly is!"
"Five years! Dance for five full years, and I'll return your wife and children to you. How about it?"
"Quite a generous deal, wouldn't you say?"
Orochi's expression was one of theatrical reluctance, as though Kozuki Oden were somehow getting the better end of the bargain.
"Of course, you won't participate in any actions against me, nor will you breathe a word of this to anyone."
"Otherwise, I just might take your dear wife on a little trip to entertain the pirates on Onigashima. Or perhaps the filthy drifters wandering the wilderness."
Kurozumi Orochi delivered his threat with a smile.
...
Later, Raizo, who had been sent ahead with the food and supplies, was met by Yasuie upon his return.
"Why is it just you, Raizo? Where's Oden?"
"Lord Oden, he..." Raizo stammered.
Remembering that he needed to keep Oden's whereabouts a secret, he fabricated a lie. "On our way back, we were spotted by Orochi's men. Lord Oden had me bring the supplies back first while he went to draw their forces away."
"I see. I didn't expect such a complication." Yasuie sighed.
"Let's just hope nothing happens to Oden."
"With Lord Oden's skills, even if Kaido himself showed up, I doubt there'd be any need to worry," Ushimaru offered reassuringly. "I'm sure it won't be long before Oden shakes off his pursuers and returns."
Shimotsuki Yasuie nodded, agreeing with his assessment.
[
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