Flower Capital, Overseas Trade Promotion Association.
As the organization responsible for Wano's foreign trade and circulation, this association was originally founded by Kozuki Toki.
Later, as Wano gradually accepted the idea of overseas trade, Toki handed the association over to someone else.
After generations of successive reform by different chairmen, it had become one of the most important institutions in Wano.
And the sign of its importance…
Was that whenever Kozuki Oden, as Shogun of Wano, summoned the daimyō from all regions to the Flower Capital for a meeting, the chairman of the Promotion Association was also required to attend—holding a status equal to a daimyō.
"All five daimyō of Kuri, Kibi, Udon, Ringo, and Hakumai have already arrived?"
"Looks like it's about time for me to make an appearance as well."
Inside the chairman's office of the Overseas Trade Promotion Association, an old and venomous voice sounded.
If Michael were here, he would immediately recognize…
That the person sitting in the association chairman's seat at this very moment was the true culprit behind all of Wano's suffering—
Kurozumi Higurashi, the user of the Clone-Clone Fruit.
Back then, it was she who pushed Orochi to revenge in order to destroy the Kozuki family, helping him seize the position of Wano's shogun…
And it was also her idea to let Kaido settle in Wano.
Originally, in the canon timeline, she should have been disposed of by Kaido—used and then discarded—after helping him defeat Kozuki Oden.
But due to the shift of the worldline, she managed to survive.
However, her dream of reviving the Kurozumi clan had completely collapsed.
Kurozumi Orochi was beheaded, Kurozumi Kanjuro was imprisoned to death.
The only surviving remnant of the Kurozumi clan was this old hag herself.
So…
Reviving the Kurozumi family?
That was nothing but nonsense.
Now, she had only one wish left—
To drag the entirety of Wano into the abyss of destruction.
If I can't have it, then everyone dies with me!
"Now then, I should head to the meeting."
Her right hand touched her own face, and in that instant, her body shifted, transforming into a bald, big-bellied fat man.
Her previously loose clothing puffed up tightly.
This appearance belonged to the fourth chairman of the Overseas Trade Promotion Association.
"Kurozumi Higurashi… this time, I must gather as much information as possible. Lord Kaido is already poised to strike…"
"Hmph, Kaido is really far more timid than he was in the old days…"
"This isn't timidity. It's simply avoiding unnecessary effort."
From the shadowy corner of the office, a man stood with arms folded.
He was tall and muscular, wearing a black mask over his face, with a sword and a four-bladed axe at his waist.
"X-Drake, call it what you want. In any case, this time Kaido had better finish everything in one decisive stroke… I've waited far too long for this day."
Disguised as the fourth-generation chairman, Kurozumi Higurashi snorted coldly, then put on a benevolent, businesslike smile, and waddled out of the office.
X-Drake frowned as he watched her leave, letting out a long exhale.
Then he took out a Den Den Mushi and a white anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi.
"Vice Admiral Rosinante, it is now confirmed—Kaido's inside agent in Wano is the last surviving remnant of the Kurozumi clan… Kurozumi Higurashi."
"Drake, you've done well… Continue monitoring Kaido's every move."
"Yes!"
Drake answered quietly, hung up the Den Den Mushi, and then naturally walked out of the office toward the port.
On the other side, after hanging up, Rosinante looked toward all members of the SWORD Confidential Special Unit.
At this moment, the entire confidential unit was gathered in a meeting room at Marine Headquarters.
And the topic of the meeting…
Was Kaido's movements.
Because this involved Wano and the current largest pirate force—the Beasts Pirates—even Stella and Crocodile had rushed back from Egghead.
"You all must have heard the contents of the call just now."
"With someone like Kurozumi Higurashi acting as an internal agent, and with the recent series of movements around Kaido's Raijin Island…"
"We can conclude that Kaido has already begun rallying his allies, preparing to invade and completely dominate Wano once again."
Rosinante, as the current commander of the SWORD Confidential Special Unit, stood before the projector Den Den Mushi and explained.
The SWORD members, sitting in tiered seats, all wore solemn expressions.
After all, the name Kaido echoed like thunder across the entire sea.
No one would ever doubt his strength.
"This should be the first time we've had to face an opponent of Kaido's level on our own since Vice Admiral Michael left, right?"
"If it were only Kaido, that would be one thing… but according to intel from various sources, Kaido has quite a few allies this time."
"At the very least, that Marshall D. Teach—who recently betrayed and fled from the Whitebeard Pirates after killing someone—was chased onto Raijin Island by that big oaf Weevil… And from the current situation, it looks like Weevil has already been captured by Kaido."
"Kaido really isn't afraid of Whitebeard?"
"To be precise, the Whitebeard Kingdom has only just been established. It doesn't have the national strength to go to war with Kaido… And even Whitebeard himself might not necessarily be able to crush Kaido."
A group of officers—all at least Rear Admirals or Vice Admirals now—began discussing noisily.
Their intel on Kaido was still incomplete, which left them somewhat restricted.
Raijin Island, with its natural defenses and strict secrecy, was practically impossible for ordinary intelligence gatherers to infiltrate…
Today, Raijin Island was the most mysterious place in the entire sea.
So all they could do was make reasonable inferences based on activity around the island.
"But… has anyone told Michael about this?" Smoker, who had been spacing out, suddenly turned his head.
"I remember both the Whitebeard Pirates and Weevil have pretty good relations with Michael, yeah?"
"Don't even bring it up. None of us have contacted Vice Admiral Michael since the Egghead incident…"
"After all, the Navy is getting closer and closer to that critical point… Fleet Admiral Sengoku is getting more sensitive by the day… Let's just avoid poking that hornet's nest right now, okay?"
"Hina is very confused. Why didn't Michael just talk it out openly with Fleet Admiral back then?"
Hina crossed her long—longer than some men's life expectancy—legs onto the table before her.
"After all… the destination is the same, isn't it?"
"Talking about that now won't help."
Enel pointed at the projected image of Kaido.
"Our target right now… is this guy's head."
"Nothing more than a monster… Monsters can also fall before the blade." Mihawk raised his head, sharpness flashing in his eyes. "Just cut him down."
Everyone: "Bruh. How many times have we told you—stop talking big."
Mihawk: "…I'll cut you down, you bastards!"
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg