"King, you finally came! I almost died there."
Orochi's severed arm had long been destroyed during Moses and Kyoshiro's battle. Neither of them cared about such worthless debris.
Seeing King's belated arrival, Orochi rushed forward with snot and tears streaming down his face, clutching King's leg with his remaining left arm as he wailed pitifully:
"You must avenge me! I've shed blood and sacrificed everything for Lord Kaido!"
King looked down at the already bandaged Orochi, his eyes beneath the helmet flashing with contempt. With a shake of his right leg, he dislodged Orochi and offered measured consolation:
"Don't worry. Lord Kaido already knows about your situation. We'll send people to protect you. Since you're unharmed, I'll go investigate the attackers outside first."
With that, he departed from Orochi's hideout.
Seeing King leave so casually instead of providing personal protection until reinforcements arrived, a venomous glint appeared in Orochi's eyes. The Yamata no Orochi fruit granted him eight lives, but seven heads had already been blown off today.
This meant he had only one life remaining, and his severed arm would never regenerate. Consumed by furious rage yet unsure of his attacker's identity, his thoughts turned to Kyoshiro.
"It's all his fault! Why didn't he arrive sooner? Why did he slash at me? Just you wait - I'll make you pay for this!"
Not a shred of gratitude toward Kyoshiro crossed Orochi's mind.
To Orochi, subordinates were merely tools.
As the shogun and ruler of this country, everything here should obey him unconditionally.
Such was his heartless nature - a man who placed himself above all else.
A white-headed eagle with three-meter wingspan soared overhead. Twenty minutes later, Moses arrived at Kuri, the westernmost peninsula of Wano Country.
This land once belonged to Kozuki Oden.
Now it stood as a ruined wasteland of factories and polluted waterways.
Moses landed in a grove of towering green bamboo, transforming into a Panda Person.
From his mouth emerged Ushiwakamaru and Onimaru, followed by Bear Cub extracting Moses himself.
Ushiwakamaru wore a dejected expression. Had Moses not protected him, Orochi would certainly be dead by now.
"I'm sorry. If I'd been faster..."
Moses waved dismissively, interrupting without concern:
"No need. I didn't expect such a strong opponent to appear either."
Ushiwakamaru's face twisted in confusion. Was that person really strong? It had seemed like Moses was dominating the entire fight.
Crunch!
Crunch!
Hearing the noise, Moses turned to see Bear Cub happily munching through thick bamboo stalks.
"Bear hungry. Used too much energy earlier," the cub explained between bites.
Moses sighed. "Fine, eat up. You three stay here - I'm going back to scout."
Ushiwakamaru's eyes lit up. "Are you going after Orochi again, Moses?"
"Nodding, Moses confirmed, "This time I'll go alone. Less conspicuous that way."
Through Observation Haki, Moses sensed numerous animals in the bamboo forest. He added:
"If you get hungry, hunt something here and roast it yourselves."
Moses waved his hand and turned to walk toward the Flower Capital.
Concealing his presence under the moonlight, Moses arrived outside the shogun's residence in less than half an hour.
Synchronizing his aura with the surrounding environment, he glanced at the densely stationed guards of the Oniwabanshu before weaving through the estate's structures in a stop-and-go manner.
Before long, Moses sensed Orochi's presence once more.
This time, the man wasn't in the highest pavilion of the estate but hiding in a side chamber below.
A dozen guards lurked in the corners of the chamber, with even the roof being watched.
The security was undeniably tight.
However, in Moses' perception, none of these individuals possessed particularly strong auras.
Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body in an instant—an invisible wave swept out, precisely enveloping the area around the side chamber.
The next moment, a series of thuds followed as bodies collapsed.
Moses appeared at one of the chamber's windows.
With a light push, the window swung open, and he slipped inside.
His eyes immediately locked onto Orochi, who had been gloomily drinking and snacking at a low table but now stared at him in terror. Moses grinned and dashed forward.
In the blink of an eye, he stood before Orochi.
Cold Dew traced an arc in his right hand. Orochi's eyes widened in panic as he hurled his wine cup at Moses.
Dodging with a tilt of his head, Moses slashed—a thin red line appeared across Orochi's neck.
All physical prowess, zero combat skill.
"Guh—what… did I ever do… to you?" Orochi clutched his throat, blood frothing at his lips as he glared with bloodshot eyes. "Tell me… huh?"
Moses remained silent, merely stomping on Orochi's chest and pressing him down. Power surged from his foot, delivering a crushing force.
Crack!
Ribs shattered, piercing his heart.
Orochi's life force rapidly faded.
[Obtained C-Grade Soul Crystal ×1]
Gazing at the lifeless Orochi, Moses pondered briefly before pulling out a B+-grade Luck Card from his pocket and crushing it.
Hazy golden motes materialized, enveloping him before merging into his body. A peculiar, indescribable sensation settled in his mind.
Simultaneously, he understood—for the next minute, his luck would skyrocket.
Probability-related phenomena would be drastically altered…
The next second, Moses' eyes widened.
On the low table before him, a dragon fruit was undergoing a transformation.
Its dark purplish-red skin bore spiral, scale-like Arabesque patterns, while eight rounded, arrowhead-shaped green leaves crowned its stem.
[Zoan-Type, Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Yamata no Orochi (Mythical Zoan) (EX)]
Picking up the Yamata no Orochi Fruit from the tray, Moses' eyes gleamed with excitement.
"If I get more Luck Cards in the future…"
Shaking off the thought, since Orochi was dead and he had gained something new, Moses prepared to leave.
After a quick search around the room, he spotted a slightly larger-than-head-sized treasure chest tucked in a corner by the bed.
It had a lock—yet, it didn't.
Moses stepped forward and picked it up, opening it the next moment to see inside the treasure chest. Lined with a thick layer of red silk, atop it lay an exquisitely carved piece of jade.
As white and delicate as mutton fat.
The jade, the size of two palms, was shaped into the figure of a beautifully sculpted maiden.
Every detail was meticulously rendered.
Her clothes were half-undraped.
With ample bosom and rounded hips.
Moses' face darkened.
Only because.
[Detected the presence of an item with legendary attributes.]
Item Rating: C
Moses held the jade in his hand, and with a thought, plundered its merits.
[Merit Points +5000]
At that moment, Moses' eyes narrowed as he turned the jade over, spotting a name inscribed on the smooth, lustrous right foot.
"Toki."
His brow furrowed slightly—wasn't this the name of Oden's wife, who hailed from over 800 years ago?
But it made sense.
If it was an antique passed down for over eight centuries, it might indeed accumulate merits.
Just like the Poneglyphs.
Moses looked at the jade in his hand, pondering—should he destroy it or simply leave it here?
Ah, forget it. He'd already taken the merits, so it was a favor owed. Since the original owner was dead anyway, he might as well find a good feng shui spot in Kuri to bury it later.
But Orochi's tastes were truly... unique.
Or perhaps it was the Kurozumi or Kozuki clan that had peculiar preferences.
Come to think of it, Oden's old man had that strange hobby of collecting wooden figurines of beautiful girls.
Moses shook his head, dismissing the thought. He examined the treasure chest again and, finding nothing else out of place, sighed in relief.
He placed both the Yamata no Orochi Devil Fruit and the jade back inside.
Carrying the chest, Moses quietly left the capital.
Shortly after, the situation here was discovered, and alarms blared.
Not long after, King arrived at the scene. Surveying the room where Orochi lay neatly arranged, his lifeless eyes wide open, King's expression beneath his helmet turned grim.
Not because of Orochi's death.
But because he had lost face, failing to complete the task Kaido had entrusted to him.
After scanning the surroundings and finding nothing, King radiated an aura that warned others to stay away before leaving without a backward glance.
...
Kuri.
Setting foot here again, Moses exhaled deeply.
His mood was excellent.
The harvest had been plentiful.
Moments later, he arrived at the vast bamboo forest.
Extending his Observation Haki outward.
Moses frowned slightly. "Where's Bear Cub and the others?"
His Observation Haki had already enveloped the entire bamboo forest, yet he couldn't sense Bear Cub or the others within.
His expression darkened as he expanded his sensing range.
Soon, Moses turned his head toward another direction—the location of Kuri's daimyo residence, Oden Castle.
Having pinpointed their whereabouts, Moses quickened his pace, sprinting toward them.
He traversed mountains and valleys.
Leaping over rivers and ravines.
In less than ten minutes, Moses had covered a significant portion of Kuri, arriving outside a town.
Boro Town.
A village situated below Oden Castle.
In an abandoned settlement on the western edge of the town, near the forest, inside a wooden hut, Ushiwakamaru stared at the grubby little girl before him.
Her emerald-green hair just reached past her shoulders, styled in the princess cut of this era (hime-cut), with delicate features. Compared to six years ago, apart from growing a bit taller and losing the baby fat on her face, she looked almost unchanged.
"Kozuki Hiyori?"
Ushiwakamaru gazed at her with a cold expression, his voice icy. Hiyori's eyes widened momentarily before lighting up. "Brother Ushiwakamaru?"
But upon seeing his indifferent expression, the light in her eyes dimmed.
Her lips pursed in a pout as she apologized with a look of grievance:
"I'm sorry."
She knew that because of her father's failure, many people had died—including the father of this boy she once knew, who was the same age as her.
Their families had interacted before, and she recognized him, though they hadn't met often or spoken much.
But now, encountering him under these circumstances, she couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow.
Yet his current coldness.
Pierced her deeply.
At this moment, Hiyori forced a smile onto her delicate face and turned to Kawamatsu:
"Kawamatsu, where did you find Brother Ushiwakamaru?"
This was a man with a straw hat, orange hair cascading down to his waist, and a face that resembled both a frog and a River Imp—his green skin and beak-like mouth not frightening but rather endearingly comical. His name was Kawamatsu, a member of the Fish-Man race.
A retainer of Oden, one of the Red Scabbards.
Seeing Hiyori address him and sensing Ushiwakamaru's coldness toward her, Kawamatsu finally found a chance to interject. He rubbed his nose awkwardly and chuckled:
"Lady Hiyori, I was patrolling the area earlier while hunting and came across Lord Ushiwakamaru. I was quite shocked, so I took the liberty of bringing him back.
But why are you still awake? It's very late."
Just as Kawamatsu finished speaking, his expression suddenly changed. He pushed open the door and rushed outside, his eyes locked onto Moses standing beneath the moonlit withered tree fifty meters away.
Haa—
He exhaled sharply.
Moses frowned slightly as he observed the figure—or was it a River Imp? A monster?—bursting out of the house. "What's going on today?"
「Appraisal」
Strength Rating: B-
Who was that again?
Another one of those Red Scabbards or something.
Called Kawamatsu? Or was it Yokozuna Kawamatsu?
"Who are you?" Kawamatsu asked, his brow furrowed.
Moses replied flatly, "Looking for someone."
Kawamatsu subtly unsheathed his sword halfway, its blade gleaming coldly under the moonlight.
Moses raised an eyebrow at the clear hostility, his eyes narrowing.
"Looking for a fight?"
Kawamatsu's voice was low and threatening:
"There's no one here you're looking for. Leave now, or I won't hold back."
Moses grinned.
He tossed the treasure chest in his left hand into the grass nearby.
With his right hand, he drew a shortsword from his waist—Cold Dew—its blade gradually darkening as Armament Haki enveloped it.
Seeing this, Kawamatsu's eyes turned fierce. In one fluid motion, he fully unsheathed his sword, a brilliant arc of light flashing like a stream of water—a Flying Slash hurtling toward Moses at blinding speed.
"River Imp Style: Draw Slash."
Moses kicked off the ground, his figure flickering past the slash.
In the span of a Breath, he closed the distance between them, a lightning-fast slash exploding in Kawamatsu's vision.
Clang!
Their weapons collided violently.
Moses was forced back by the impact.
Kawamatsu instantly stepped forward, his blade lights slashing like the rapid currents of a great river—continuous, beautiful, yet brimming with lethal intent.
Moses charged against the tide, his Cold Dew Short Sword standing firm like a solitary reef amidst the storm of blades, precisely parrying each strike with unerring accuracy.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Under the immense strength of Kawamatsu, a fish-man, Moses was forced back step by step.
Amidst the dazzling sparks, their figures blurred like phantoms, entwined in a deadly dance.
Moses' right arm bulged with muscle, his entire body tensed as he channeled all his strength into his blade. Thick Armament Haki rippled across the sword like waves.
Moisture in the surrounding air began to gather.
With each measured Breath, Moses' eyes gleamed as he studied Kawamatsu's techniques, learning from his opponent's strengths with every clash of their weapons.
Gradually, Moses' swordplay softened, becoming fluid like undulating water—calm on the surface yet concealing turbulent power beneath.
The more they fought, the more unsettled Kawamatsu became. Something felt off. The boy before him had changed.
For a fleeting moment, it was as if he were fighting himself.
Like two mighty rivers colliding, neither yielding, locked in an eternal struggle.
It was suffocating.
In their next exchange, Kawamatsu abruptly leaped back, his brow furrowed as he stared at Moses.
"How do you know my River Imp Style?"
Moses' gaze remained cool, his Breath steady like gentle waves. The Cold Dew Short Sword shimmered with a watery glow.
The rhythm of water pulsed.
Adjusting his own Breath to synchronize with it, the Armament Haki coiled around his blade followed suit.
Disguise.
Mimicry.
Convergence.
Using the Haki's undulating frequency as a guide, he drew in the surrounding moisture, aligning its vibrations with his own.
Haki flowed like water.
Haki, formless by nature.
Moses glanced at the Cold Dew in his hand—the dark sheen of Armament Haki had vanished.
Haki released outward.
Invisible energy enveloped the blade like liquid, extending its reach.
Amidst the shimmering aqueous light, the Haki contracted.
The Cold Dew Short Sword elongated into a three-foot blade, now encased in solidified water.
Raising the sword, Moses traced his left hand's Sword Fingers along its length.
"With the fluctuations of all things as the source, Haki as the fuel, I summon and bind the forces of nature—wielding them with mortal hands."
Kawamatsu stared blankly, utterly baffled by Moses' cryptic words.
But in the next instant, his eyes sharpened.
Moses moved.
With a surge of water-lik
e Haki beneath his feet, Moses shot forward, his body trailing aqueous ripples as he appeared before Kawamatsu in an instant.
The Cold Dew descended in a watery arc.
Kawamatsu hastily raised his blade to block.
Crack!
At that moment, the upper portion of Moses' sword phased through Kawamatsu's weapon like a wave—only to reform instantly.
Splurt!
A watery flash sliced down.
Blood sprayed through the air.
Moses reappeared behind Kawamatsu.
And now, the extended portion of the Cold Dew's blade, stained crimson, dissolved into droplets that pattered onto the ground.
Plop.