After chatting for a bit, Roger suddenly stood up. "Another large group of enemies is coming. This time, leave them to us."
Clearly, he had sensed something again.
Roger had a habit of keeping his Observation Haki active at all times, afraid of missing any "voices" worth hearing.
Because of that, his Observation Haki was exceptionally sharp—though it was often overshadowed by the sheer prominence of his Conqueror's Haki.
Valthior didn't object. He figured it was probably the remaining samurai of Wano arriving. Aside from Kozuki Oden, he had no interest in the rest, so he said, "Then I'll stay here and continue discussing ancient knowledge with the doctor. You guys go ahead."
Professor Clover, who hadn't had much chance to speak, nodded. "Please, go on."
Soon, Roger led Rayleigh, Gaban, Bullet, and the other combatants out.
...
Meanwhile, outside Hakumai Castle, within the frozen world created by Valthior's ability, Wano's Shogun, Kozuki Sukiyaki, stood with a coalition army gathered from various regions. Their faces were filled with shock and grief as they looked upon the brutal scene before them.
Even with the Shogun present, the ice here could not be melted.
Following the daimyo and samurai of Hakumai, Kuri had also been completely wiped out.
Not only that—his only son, Kozuki Oden, the man hailed as the strongest in Wano, was dead.
And not just dead—utterly shattered.
"This is identical to what happened at Habu Port… and Oden only set out at most half an hour before us…" said the daimyo of Kibi, Fugetsu Omusubi, in a heavy tone.
"Shogun, the enemy is likely an unprecedented fiend, possessing terrifying strength. What lies ahead is undoubtedly hell itself. I advise that you do not enter Hakumai—return immediately to the Flower Capital and coordinate the rear!" a samurai stepped forward and urged.
The implication was clear—he wanted Sukiyaki to retreat and preserve himself.
The other samurai seemed tempted by the suggestion.
Pirates had no fixed base, and the Roger Pirates were especially known for never settling anywhere. Most likely, they would wreak havoc in Wano and then leave.
When that time came, Wano would still be Wano, and the Shogun would still be the Shogun.
Having already witnessed the terror of the Roger Pirates, there was no need for someone as important as the Shogun to risk his life here. Better to remain in the Flower Capital and reemerge after they were gone.
Of course, as samurai, they themselves would not retreat. No matter how powerful the enemy, they would press forward and fulfill their duty.
As the samurai spoke, the daimyo also began urging the same.
Kozuki Sukiyaki was no brainless fool. In the original timeline, even after being usurped and forced into hiding—watching his son get boiled alive by Kaido—he hadn't recklessly rushed out to challenge him.
It was clear he had the instincts of a political survivor.
Now, after hearing his subordinates, he calmed down and found their reasoning sound.
But just as he was about to speak, movement came from ahead. Roger and his group had already appeared in the distance.
"The enemy who killed my son and invaded my country stands before me. As Shogun, how could I turn a blind eye!?" Sukiyaki declared in a deep voice.
It wasn't that he didn't want to leave—it was just that he clearly couldn't anymore. At that point, he might as well say something bold to boost morale.
...
"Damn… Valthior's ability is getting stronger. It's freezing out here, yet when we were eating just now, we didn't feel the temperature drop at all. He's clearly reached a deeper level of mastery," Roger remarked, looking at the icy landscape ahead.
"Well, his ability was given by the Five Elders. It's definitely not something simple," Gaban clicked his tongue.
Spencer added, "I talked with Valthior about this. Recently, he's started investigating something called the 'Galleila Band,' along with a figure from about five hundred years ago—the ancient giant leader known as the 'Continent Puller,' Oars, who was said to have frozen to death in Land of Ice."
"The Galleila Band? Continent Puller Oars? What are those?" Roger asked curiously.
They strolled forward as they chatted, acting as if the Wano forces ahead didn't exist.
Spencer continued, "Back in Ohara, when Valthior attended that scholar exchange, he obtained some information buried by the World Government. It's said that hundreds of years ago, in Elbaf—the land of giants—there was a group of incredibly powerful warriors. Among them were ancient giants like the current Giant King Harald.
"They weren't just fighters—they were also exceptional shipwrights. Valthior and I once discussed that the massive ship Noah at Fish-Man Island might have been built by them.
"In any case, this group of powerful warriors suddenly vanished at some point in history. The World Government deliberately covered it up, but rumors still spread. Some say they didn't die, but were frozen somewhere, waiting to be awakened when needed.
"And Valthior once mentioned that when he obtained his ability, his old man told him it had once played a major role in a certain era—a power no less terrifying than the Azure Dragon Fruit. But that event had been erased from history by the World Government.
"Five hundred years ago, Oars was called a 'demon' by outsiders, but among giants, he was a legendary warrior. His ancient giant bloodline was extremely noble. So why did someone like him freeze to death in Land Of Ice?
"He was known for dragging entire islands across the sea, earning the title 'Continent Puller.' Could it be that he was searching for something?"
At this point, Spencer paused, slowly drawing the blade at his waist. "It's possible Valthior's ability is part of the answer to that mystery. The fact that his old man gave it to him might carry deeper meaning… In any case, it's definitely not an ordinary Mythical Zoan—though Mythical Zoans are rarely ordinary to begin with."
...
"Hey! You damn pirates!"
"The Shogun of Wano stands before you—surrender at once!"
On the other side, Sukiyaki and his forces had begun shouting threats.
But the Roger Pirates paid them no mind. They drew their weapons and suddenly accelerated, charging forward.
The battle erupted instantly—and it was obvious from the start that the Roger Pirates held overwhelming superiority. It was nothing short of a massacre.
Some of the stronger fighters barely even paid attention to the battle, continuing their discussion about Valthior.
"Valthior and those noble types really are different from us common folk… Even eating a Devil Fruit comes with layers of hidden meaning behind it?" Roger grumbled as he casually cut down a samurai.
"Foundation—that's what you call foundation! The Celestial Dragons are world nobles who possess everything!" Bullet replied excitedly, smashing a samurai's head apart with a single punch.
"Has Valthior uncovered anything useful yet?" Rayleigh asked, his blade still dripping with blood.
"Not yet. I've been helping investigate too, but nothing's come up. It's been centuries—at least five hundred years if we use Oars as a reference point. It might even trace back to the Void Century. And the Poneglyphs don't mention it either… makes it extremely tricky. He's probably discussing this with Professor Clover right now," Spencer answered, driving his sword through a samurai's chest.
Not far away, Gaban split Kozuki Sukiyaki clean in half with a single axe strike, then said excitedly, "So Valthior's deeply connected to the giants? If he wants answers, he'll eventually have to go to Elbaf, right? Hahaha! I knew it—ever since I first saw him, I felt we were destined! I'm going with him to Elbaf when the time comes!"
"Oh? You've got something to investigate there too?" Roger asked curiously.
"Something like that… yeah, I've got some thorough investigating to do," Gaban replied, his old face turning slightly red with embarrassment.
And just like that, before their conversation even finished, they had already slaughtered all the samurai, nobles—even the Shogun of Wano.
...
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