Who's-Who's voice was so soft it was almost impossible to hear.
His breath brushed past her ear, carrying the smell of some dangerous plan.
"As for the taxes... I suggest you go look for Jack. That fool has been obsessed with the casino lately, and his money records are a total mess."
After speaking, he raised his cup in a big, dramatic way and shouted.
"A toast to the Shogun!"
Surrounded by the cheers of the pirates, a flash of golden light vanished without a trace.
She squeezed the note tightly, her heart pounding like thunder.
The night wind swept up loose cherry blossom petals, brushing them against her face.
She looked out the window toward the Flower Capital, where everything was pitch black.
To save oil, the people did not even dare to light their lamps.
Only a strange red glow flashed weakly in the northern sky, where the sugar factory's chimney was burning dead bodies.
"Who's-Who, what is it you truly want..."
In the pitch-black night, the sea breeze blew through the loose hairs on her forehead.
She had no idea what Who's-Who was planning, but to rescue the trapped Kawamatsu, she had to show up to the meeting tonight.
Back at the party, the dim, mysterious lighting cast a blurry glow.
Pirates sat around tables piled high with delicious food, cheering, bragging, and laughing together.
Yet Yamato felt like she was in another world, sitting there completely lost in thought.
The fake politeness and forced manners washed over her like sickening, heavy waves, constantly attacking her ears.
Her stomach turned, and she wanted to escape this fake place right away.
So, she made up an excuse that she was feeling sick, stood up quickly from her seat, and hurried away with fast steps.
She left behind a trail of confused looks.
Their eyes stuck to her back like sticky spiderwebs, making her feel deeply uncomfortable.
Just as the midnight bell rang, Yamato arrived right on time at the meeting spot.
Moonlight spilled into the empty, abandoned mine, making the already broken-down cave look creepy and scary.
The area was so quiet that only the sound of waves crashing against the shore could be heard.
Spotty moss and worn-out mining tools lay messily scattered along the mine walls.
She carefully looked around, her stare as sharp as a torch, but only a dead, empty quiet met her eyes—there was no sign of Who's-Who.
"What trick is this guy playing?" Yamato whispered to herself, her voice almost swallowed by the sea breeze.
Without thinking, her hand tightened around the club at her waist.
The weapon that had stayed by her side through countless battles now felt like her only safe anchor.
Just then, a quiet footstep echoed from behind her, sounding surprisingly clear in the silent mine.
Yamato spun around with a fast, smooth movement, only to find Who's-Who standing three steps behind her.
It was as if he had appeared out of thin air.
The moonlight shined brightly on his body, while shadows twisted like ghosts as the look on his face changed, sending chills down her spine.
"Right on time." Who's-Who grinned, showing off his sharp teeth.
His voice was low and rough as it echoed through the mine shaft.
He totally ignored Yamato's defensive pose, acting like the invisible wall she had put up between them meant nothing at all.
He said plainly, "Getting me to help you save Kawamatsu is simple—just tell me the secret of the Thunder Bagua."
His eyes shined with a greedy hunger, burning like a bright flame.
Yamato's eyes went wide, and she took half a step back in shock.
A flash of pure disbelief crossed her eyes, as if she had just heard the craziest thing in the world.
"Have you lost your mind? That is Kaido's signature move! If he finds out you are trying to steal it..."
She knew exactly how incredibly powerful the Thunder Bagua was, and she knew Kaido's terrible temper all too well.
If Kaido found out what Who's-Who was doing, it would mean total death for him.
"Afraid to die?" Who's-Who cut her off, a flash of madness shining in his eyes.
That shine was like a sudden shooting star flying across the night sky—short but bright, showing the desperate willpower hiding deep inside him.
"I am a genius among geniuses. All I need is to understand how the power is applied so I can mix it into my Rokushiki martial arts. Even Kaido would not be able to tell."
He rolled his wrist, making his joints crack loudly.
Yamato bit her lower lip, lost in thought.
Her lips turned a little pale from the pressure, her mind spinning with battling thoughts.
The night wind whipped at the edges of her clothes, the white fabric flapping loudly like a waving flag.
In the distance, a lighthouse flashed on and off, its blinking light matching her unsure heart.
Every extra day Kawamatsu spent in prison meant he was in more danger.
Plus, she held onto a much bigger dream—to save the Land of Wano and become a great hero like her idol, Kozuki Oden.
To reach that goal, she was willing to pay any price, even if it meant facing unknown fears and dangers.
"Fine, I agree." Yamato finally lifted her head, her stare becoming completely firm. "But you must promise you will make your move tonight."
Who's-Who's smile grew wider, his teeth shining a creepy white under the moonlight.
That smile looked like that of a winning demon, giving off a chilling charm.
"Deal. So, shall we begin?"
He dropped into a fighting stance.
His feet were planted firmly on the ground, and his body leaned forward just a little bit like a leopard ready to pounce.
His eyes were filled with a deep hunger for power.
Yamato took a deep breath, her mind calming down as she tightened her grip on the spiked club in her hand.
"Watch closely."
"…"
...
High above, the biting cold wind roared like an angry beast, howling wildly.
The strong wind carried an icy chill that felt like it could stab through anything, freezing everything in the world in this endless winter.
Ron sat calmly with his legs crossed on top of the giant Dragon's head, his body perfectly steady.
Beneath him, the Dragon was covered in pitch-black scales.
Each scale looked polished like fine metal, shining with a cold, metallic glow as the beast flew through the clouds.
They had just flown over the Red Line.
From high above, the holy land that stood for the peak of the world's power—Mary Geoise—was built into the earth below.
Mary Geoise was brightly lit up, with thousands of lights mixing together to make the whole city shine with a blinding glow.
In the heart of this city, the Celestial Dragons ruled the world from high above.
They enjoyed endless wealth and special rights, controlling the fate of the entire world.
"I really want to burn it all to ashes right now..." Ron narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold look flashing in his stare that was hard to hide.
However, in just a second, he quickly pushed the thought down.
He knew perfectly well that even though the Eternal Divine Kingdom was growing incredibly fast like a rising sun, full of life and energy, it was still far from ready to fight the massive World Government head-on.