Kuri, Amigasa Village.
In the middle of the rickety little temple, Kozuki Sukiyaki, wearing a red Tengu mask and a blue kimono, lay on the tatami, fast asleep.
Five years ago, his son, Kozuki Oden, was tragically killed in a battle against Kaido, fried to death. After that, the four daimyos of Udon, Kibi, Ringo, and Hakumai, who had rejected Kurozumi Orochi's offer to surrender, decided to rebel.
At that point, Kurozumi Orochi was already in an unpopular position. After coming to power, he began to impose extremely high taxes and forced the residents of Wano to work in Kaido's weapon factories to survive. Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to eat.
That was why the four daimyos flatly rejected Orochi's immoral requests and rose up in defiance, supported by thousands of people. Facing the "bad Orochi," he quickly asked Kaido for help. At that time, Kaido was 39 years old, at the peak of his power, and had already reached the threshold of a Yonko.
Without a supreme power to match Kaido, the forces led by the four daimyos were helpless. They were easily defeated. Three of the daimyos were captured and died at Kaido's hands, while Shimotsuki Yasuie of Hakumai barely escaped.
Afterward, Kurozumi Orochi began to arrest young people from Udon, Kibi, Ringo, and Hakumai on the pretext that their daimyos had betrayed the country. They were treated as slaves and forced to work day and night in Kaido's factories until they died of exhaustion. To polish his reputation, Kurozumi Orochi even established private schools to twist history, making himself appear as the protector and savior of Wano Country, and continued to brainwash children to secure his future rule.
Initially, Kozuki Sukiyaki was suffering from a serious illness, making him weak and easily imprisoned by Kurozumi Orochi. However, something unexpected happened. Orochi continued to heal his illness and gave him the finest food and wine, all for the sake of enjoying the pleasure of seeing the old shogun humiliated.
After a few years, Kozuki Sukiyaki had fully recovered. He managed to free himself from the chains that bound him and escape, only to witness a Wano Country in ruins. Feeling helpless, he decided to live in seclusion in Amigasa Village, posing as a blacksmith named Tenguyama Hitetsu and also becoming the village priest.
As a famous craftsman who was able to forge a Great Grade sword, he was quite skilled. Thanks to his expertise, he was still able to survive under Kurozumi Orochi's harsh policies.
UH-HUH!
A thin red line split the void, and amidst the spatial ripples, a Spatial Door opened silently. Kozuki Sukiyaki, who had been sleeping, was suddenly awakened and jumped to his feet. He quickly grabbed Nidai Kitetsu, the sword hanging on the wall, drew it from its sheath, and pointed it at the sudden appearance of a mysterious man in a black robe and a white mask in his temple.
"You're Tenguyama Hitetsu, right?..." Sephiroth's voice sounded hoarse.
"Who are you? What's your business with me?" Kozuki Sukiyaki looked at the visitor with caution. His eyes widened when he saw the black sword in the man's right hand. A terrible sword, and it's a black sword... If this sword was forged by this person himself, how terrible is his strength?! he thought to himself.
"That's right. You're the one I'm looking for... Kozuki Sukiyaki!"
Hearing his real name being called, the white-haired old man with the Tengu mask's eyes narrowed in shock. His heart was filled with a sense of dread. My identity has been exposed!? Could it be that he was sent by Kurozumi Orochi to kill me?
"You...!?"
In the next second, before Kozuki Sukiyaki could finish speaking, Sephiroth lunged forward. Without a chance to react, a heavy blow landed on his abdomen.
PLOP!
The blow turned Kozuki Sukiyaki's body black and his legs went weak, kneeling on the tatami. Before he could take a breath, his neck was choked by his opponent, making him completely pass out.
Sephiroth's eyes were indifferent as he stared at the old man. After confirming he was completely unconscious, he took out a huge iron chain and shackles from the temporary space created by his Butcher's Knife. He tied Sukiyaki's whole body after locking his hands. Finally, he put away Nidai Kitetsu. Although this sword was a demon sword, it was still one of the 21 Great Grade Swords. He couldn't use it, but someone else might be able to.
Soon after, he searched the small temple, but did not find the Swords Enma or Ame no Habakiri, Kozuki Oden's two treasured swords. He didn't know whether Kozuki Sukiyaki had hidden them or had not yet found them. Sephiroth searched meticulously, but he couldn't find the whereabouts of the two swords at all. He temporarily gave up, picked up Kozuki Sukiyaki, opened a Spatial Door, and left Wano Country.
Sabaody Archipelago, Island 50.
In the underground laboratory of an ordinary residential building, Sephiroth, with a knife in one hand and Kozuki Sukiyaki in the other, stepped out of the Spatial Door, appearing near an iron cage containing bloody bats.
At that moment, Kozuki Sukiyaki, whose body was bound by chains, opened his eyes with difficulty and looked around. Various metal instruments he had never seen before came into his sight. In the spacious and bright basement, there were several terrariums containing animal carcasses. In one of them, the corpse of a naked man had two rat ears on his head and a rat tail on his butt.
"Who are you? Where is this exactly...?" he asked in a weak voice.
"Here! This is my lab," Sephiroth replied. As he spoke, he placed Kozuki Sukiyaki on the ground, removed his robe, and took the mask off his face, revealing his true appearance.
"A lab... Are you trying to turn me into some weird experimental material?" Kozuki Sukiyaki looked at the preserved rat-man's corpse in the glass container with a trace of fear, his cheeks twitching slightly.
"Turn you into an experimental material for bloodline factors...? Forget it. An old man like you is too boring. If I need experimental material, I'll just catch some young and strong pirates."
As he spoke, Sephiroth took the key and walked to the iron door in the lab. He opened the door leading to a room with thick steel plates on all six sides. He threw a pen and a notebook into the steel cage, shackling Kozuki Sukiyaki's limbs with chains.
"If you don't want to suffer, write down all your swordsmithing skills before tomorrow! I suggest you don't mess around. I also know a lot about swordsmithing."
After that, Sephiroth left the steel cage, locked the door, and ignored Kozuki Sukiyaki's cries. This entire basement was specially designed by him. The sound insulation effect was very good, and the door was welded shut. Even if the old man screamed, no one would be able to hear him.
Like the story? You can read 7 chapters and an exclusive collection at p@treon/Rzzzy!