Wano Country?
Where the heck is that? Sakura Haruno had no clue.
Ever since Captain Roger spoke up that day, Oden stopped bringing up the topic with her.
Maybe he thought pinning the dream of opening Wano to the world on a kid was a bit embarrassing.
So, during the journey that followed, Oden took extra care of her, even teaching her some swordsmanship here and there.
In Sakura's eyes, as a comrade fighting side by side, Kozuki Oden was someone she could trust with her back.
But as a leader—or rather, as a politician—his naivety, recklessness, and downright foolishness… well, one day, those traits might just become the blade that pierces his heart.
It's not like Sakura hadn't tried to convince Oden to stick to being a pirate or to return to Wano and live as a heroic samurai. But every time the topic came up, it ended with Oden's long, heavy silence.
Maybe that was just the mindset burned into him as a samurai of Wano, something he couldn't escape.
The sea breeze carried the pirates' cheerful songs, and the waves stirred up breathtaking vistas across the vast ocean.
Reverse Mountain, Sky Island, Water 7, the Bridge Kingdom, the Sabaody Archipelago, Fish-Man Island…
A tapestry of dreams and fantasies unfurled before Sakura's eyes.
"The world's so huge! I really want to sail my own ship and explore those unknown places!"
Sakura's emerald eyes sparkled as she gazed at the island ahead, her childhood longing for adventure stirring once more.
The waves swallowed the tremors of her dreams, the sky roared with laughter in the storm, and the girl laughed along with it.
"Isn't that obvious?!"
Roger's voice boomed from behind her as he ruffled her neatly combed hair.
"This world is endlessly vast, so dream as big as you want!"
"As long as you're willing to take a step toward your dreams, the will of freedom will never lose!"
Roger's aura surged, his Conqueror's Haki almost tangible, enveloping everything and commanding the scene.
Despite his body being ravaged by illness, despite needing Dr. Crocus' medicine just to walk or sit, Roger's Haki radiated an overwhelming, unyielding strength.
Dark lightning tore through the storm clouds, clearing the wind and rain from the Oro Jackson's path.
At last, they reached an island rumored to hold the secrets of the Poneglyphs.
—New World: "The Furnace and the Icebox," Vulcan Island.
According to intel gathered by their officer Spencer, this place used to be a winter island. But a meteor strike apparently awakened an underground volcano, creating a bizarre landscape where glaciers encircled a fiery peak.
"Ugh, why'd I get stuck with Uncle Jabba?"
Wrapped in a fur coat, Sakura trudged through the snow, playfully teasing Jabba behind her.
After landing on the island, Roger suggested splitting up to search for clues about the Poneglyphs. Sakura ended up paired with Scopper Gaban.
"Hmph, I haven't even complained about being stuck with a little tagalong like you!"
Jabba, who often looked after the kids on the ship, scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it down the back of Sakura's coat in retaliation.
"Brr!" Sakura shivered.
She whipped around to see Jabba snickering behind his hand.
"You jerk, you're done for!"
Sakura balled her fists and charged at him.
"Hey, you can't catch me!"
Jabba dodged nimbly, flipping forward and sticking out his tongue at her.
As the two goofed around, a flash of red Observation Haki glinted in their eyes.
Sakura glanced at Jabba, who nodded back. She dropped the snowball in her hand.
On the snow-covered ice field, a sudden explosion of smoke erupted from the ground, blocking their vision entirely.
A searing spear, stained with dark red blood, pierced through the smokescreen, its glowing tip aimed straight for their vitals.
"Let's do this—use the move I taught you," Jabba said.
His hand reached for the axe at his waist, fingers gripping the handle and pulling it free.
The sharp axe spun through the air, landing in Sakura's hand.
"Seriously, what kind of grown man teaches a girl to use an axe?"
Sakura grumbled but raised the heavy axe high, her fingers gripping tightly, knuckles cracking.
"Quit yapping. Here we go!"
Black lightning crackled across Jabba's axe, his intimidating aura shaking the snow from the air.
Guided by her senior's Haki, Sakura swung her axe in sync with his.
"Eighty—Owl Strike!" 2
Their voices overlapped.
The axe's light sliced through the storm, their Haki shaking the battlefield.
Boom!!!
In that instant, a slash infused with Conqueror's Haki collided with the searing spears.
Unimaginable force tore the spears apart and sent the ambushers—clad in white animal furs—flying.
They soared backward, tumbled, and skidded across the snow, none left with the strength to fight.
"See? I told you your strength isn't suited for swords!"
"You've been training with Roger and the others for so long and still haven't become a swordmaster. That path's just not for you."
Jabba chuckled as he walked over, taking the axe back from Sakura.
"Ugh."
Deep down, Sakura knew he was right. With her giant royal bloodline, swordsmanship wasn't her calling.
The refined combat techniques of Elbaf's giants, honed over ages, were her true destiny.
But come on, what kind of girl wants to lug around a giant club and swing it all over the place?
—That's not happening!
Crack… crack, crack, crack…
"Huh? Did you hear something weird?"
The sudden sound made Jabba frown.
In that moment, his face darkened as if he'd realized something.
"Sakura…"
Before he could finish, the ice beneath them—weakened by their earlier Conqueror's Haki-infused attack—shattered.
"Whoa, aaaaah!"
Sakura froze for a split second before the familiar sensation of falling from a height hit her.
The massive crack in the ice opened like a gaping maw, swallowing Sakura and Jabba into the darkness, their voices buried in the howling snowstorm.
After a dozens-of-seconds-long fall, Sakura and Jabba crashed into the bottom of the icy crevasse.
"Hey, Sakura, you okay?"
Jabba gritted his teeth against the pain, pulling himself up and scanning for her.
Poof!
Sakura's head popped out of a nearby snow pile, shaking off the snow caked in her hair.
"I'm fine!"
She grabbed Jabba's outstretched hand, letting him pull her out of the snow.
"Where the heck did we end up?"
Sakura looked around, surrounded by dark rock walls.
Faint light seeped from the stones, illuminating a smooth rock tunnel.
"Look at this!"
Jabba, stroking his chin as he examined the wall, pointed to it.
Sakura stepped closer, her green eyes reflecting several massive murals.
From left to right, there were four distinct carvings, each coated with a strange, glossy layer.
The first showed a snow-covered volcano. One day, a great flood swallowed the mountain, and an island formed at its peak.
The second depicted people bringing a large, square stone to the island, using advanced techniques to build a grand ruin to house it.
The third showed their technology fading. The new generation revered the old techniques, treating them as sacred.
The final mural portrayed a strange plant growing under their worship. The people donned animal furs, wielding their ancestors' weapons as guardians of the ruins.
"Is this the island's history?"
Sakura, who knew a bit about the truths the World Government hid, gasped.
"Haha, no way. Probably just some local tribe's fantasy," Jabba scoffed, picking his nose casually.
A flood that could swallow mountains? If that was history, Jabba would eat his axe right now!
"Wanna go check it out? The Poneglyph Captain Roger's looking for might be in there."
"Let's go!"