A Few Days Later
Second Half of the New World
Using the Vivre Card given by Baron, Wilhelm and the civet cat Pato traveled smoothly to Wano Country. They rode on Finley, who had taken the form of a vulture.
Instead of climbing waterfalls or using the secret passages controlled by the Beasts Pirates, Finley flew straight in from high above.
Thanks to his Devil Fruit ability, Wilhelm captured a Beasts Pirates member hiding in a bunker on a cliff.
"Whoosh!"
Half a day later, a giant hawk soared through the sky, its wings spread wide.
Wilhelm stood on its back, his long silver hair flowing in the wind, his robes fluttering.
Pato lay on his shoulder, curiously watching the scenery below.
"Master Wei... Wilhelm, that's the Flower Capital!"
The captured pirate, pale with fear, pointed ahead.
The towering castle of Wano stood out among the buildings like a crane among chickens. The town below was filled with traditional Japanese-style houses, bustling with life.
The pirate trembled as he spoke, recognizing Wilhelm's identity. He never expected such a terrifying nobleman to appear in Wano.
Cold sweat dripped down his face.
"Air Door!"
Wilhelm raised his right hand and pressed it into the air.
A flashy, gaudy ring on his finger glowed silver.
A circular portal suddenly appeared.
Inside, a strange green dimension stretched endlessly, looking eerie yet transparent enough to see the outside world.
"Whoosh!"
The pirate barely had time to speak before Wilhelm threw him inside.
The portal shut instantly.
Banished to another space.
Finley flew swiftly over the Flower Capital.
"Run hee hee~ Boss Wilhelm, is this Wano's capital?" Pato, the civet cat, perched on Wilhelm's shoulder, his eyes shining with curiosity. "It's so beautiful!"
Wilhelm spread his powerful Observation Haki across the area.
With his unique scanning ability, he quickly located the Shogun's mansion and locked onto Kurozumi Orochi.
"Finley, wait for me up here." Wilhelm spoke calmly.
He pressed his right hand into the air again.
A circular portal opened.
Taking Pato with him, he stepped into the strange green space.
"Clank—"
The portal closed behind them.
The sky returned to normal.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
Flower Capital – Shogun's Mansion
"Hehehehe~..."
In the grand mansion, an ugly man with a massive head far too big for his body laughed loudly.
He was surrounded by beautiful geisha, enjoying himself without a care.
Despite wearing an extravagant kimono, he looked nothing like a ruler. More like a clown wearing a monkey's crown.
Yet, by a cruel twist of fate, this man was the shogun of Wano—Kurozumi Orochi.
Suddenly, without warning—
An invisible force swept through the room.
The geisha and guards outside the hall collapsed instantly, their eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness.
"Who's there?!"
Orochi's face twisted in shock.
He turned sharply—
His pupils shrank.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
Behind him—
A circular portal had appeared from nowhere.
It led to a strange green space, eerie and unsettling.
A young man with long silver hair, unbelievably handsome, stepped out at a steady pace.
A civet cat sat calmly on his shoulder.
"Who are you?!"
Orochi's face contorted with rage.
"Guards! Escort me!"
"Fukurokuju!!!"
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
One by one, Orochi's elite guards—the Orochi Oniwabanshu—rushed in.
But the next moment—
"Whooosh!"
A violent windstorm swept through the room.
The ninjas, each wearing strange and unique outfits, collapsed into pools of blood.
Every single one of them had been decapitated.
Heads rolled across the floor one after another.
Wilhelm flicked his right hand, his razor-sharp nails dripping with fresh blood.
"What!?"
Kurozumi Orochi's face twisted in horror.
His bulging eyes nearly popped out of his ugly face, and his whole body trembled.
He couldn't believe it. The personal guards he had always relied on—so strong that even the samurai seeking revenge couldn't do anything to them—had been wiped out in an instant.
Wilhelm looked down at Orochi, who was paralyzed with fear, and spoke calmly.
"Before I kill you, let me ask... Where is Kurozumi Semimaru, the one with the Barrier-Barrier Fruit?"
Orochi flinched. "Kurozumi Semimaru? You're here for him? He... he's dead!"
Desperately, he continued, "Not long after that old hag was killed by Kaido, the old man followed. If you want revenge, I... I can give you his body!"
"He's dead?"
Wilhelm sighed in disappointment. "What a waste..."
He had already suspected it when he couldn't sense Semimaru's presence, but hearing it confirmed still left him frustrated.
The Barrier-Barrier Fruit would have been extremely useful to him in the future.
Now, he would have to search for it elsewhere.
At that moment—
Orochi's body suddenly changed.
His form shifted at an incredible speed, transforming into a monstrous eight-headed serpent.
A terrifying presence filled the room.
With blood-soaked fangs bared, he lunged at Wilhelm, his mouths snapping violently.
A twisted grin spread across his faces as he howled, "Hehehehe~! Die, you bastard!"
The next second—
"Slash—!"
Blood sprayed into the air.
Seven snake heads flew off in an instant.
Wilhelm didn't even draw a sword—his claws alone had sliced through them effortlessly.
"Run hee hee~, this idiot actually thought he could attack the boss..." Pato muttered, looking at the grotesque, severed heads in disgust. "So ugly!"
Wilhelm glanced down at the twitching remains.
"Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamato no Orochi, huh?"
His cold gaze locked onto Orochi, who was pretending to be dead.
"Don't bother playing dead. You have eight lives—I know that."
He stepped forward and stomped on the last remaining head.
Orochi's body jerked.
Wilhelm smirked. "Let me make this clear—I'm very thorough when it comes to making sure someone stays dead. Not only will I destroy your body, but I'll also toss every single one of your heads into the ocean."
His tone turned mocking. "Let's see you resurrect after that."
Orochi, still faking death, felt his entire body go cold.
If Wilhelm really threw his remains into the sea, no amount of extra lives would save him. He would drown, trapped in an endless, helpless struggle before finally dying for good.
His fear overwhelmed him, and in an instant, his body transformed back into its human form.
He kicked and flailed under Wilhelm's foot, struggling to break free.
"Y-You can't kill me! I'm Kaido's ally! I'm the Shogun of Wano!" He shouted desperately. "If you do this, the Beasts Pirates and all of Wano will hunt you down!"
Wilhelm scoffed. "What a waste of time."
He turned to Pato. "Pato, Transform Leaf."
"Beaver hee hee~, leave it to me!"
Pato handed Wilhelm a Transform Leaf, which Wilhelm took and used as a brush, writing the name "Red Earl" on it.
The moment he tossed it—
"Boom!"
A cloud of smoke exploded, and when it cleared, a lone, crimson figure stood before them.
"Eh?"
Orochi's face paled as he stared in disbelief.
"Wh-What is this?! Just like that damn Kanjuro… can you summon people's abilities?!"
Wilhelm ignored him and gave his command.
"Use your advanced Observation Haki—read his mind. Find out where Kozuki Oden's body is buried. And check if he knows anything about other Devil Fruits."
The Red Earl said nothing.
Expressionless, he stepped forward, placed his hands on Orochi's head—
And began.
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