The so-called "pawn" referred to an outside force that acted according to his instructions.
If Cavendish chose to leave the crew but still obeyed Ren's orders, then he would be a pawn.
Tesoro counted as a pawn too. Before he fully joined Ren's group, that was what he was.
This was part of Ren's definition of a pawn.
However, to Kozuki Hiyori, rather than a pawn, it was closer to a vassal. It could even be called a "slave."
No rights of autonomy, no future, no hopes of her own. Merely a tool in the middle, used to uphold the interests of those above her.
In a certain sense, it was no different from Kurozumi Orochi.
"…"
Kozuki Hiyori pressed her red lips together, her hand unconsciously settling over her chest.
She had almost instantly been forced into a corner and wanted to fight for a chance in her own way.
But… when her gaze fell upon that incomparably beautiful woman, Hiyori could no longer make that move.
Her own beauty was unmatched throughout Wano. No one could compare to her.
She had always believed that.
Until now.
The appearance of this unfamiliar woman shattered that fixed belief.
Even the beauty of Wano's greatest belle seemed slightly inferior before that woman.
Amid that hesitation, Hancock, who had originally been somewhat displeased, could not help curling her lips upward. Rarely, she found herself in a pleasant mood.
Ren did not turn around. He chuckled softly and said, "It seems you still have some kind of bargaining chip. But I imagine you've realized its value isn't enough to move me."
At this point, he stood up and walked closer, looking down at Hiyori, who was kneeling in seiza.
"Of course, I'm not some devil either.
"What I need is a stable territory, one capable of satisfying everything I want.
"Perhaps that isn't what all of you want, but it will certainly be better than living under Kurozumi Orochi's rule.
"At the very least, people won't be unable to eat. They won't have to wear nothing but patched clothes. Even the harsh environment will no longer remain the same."
His indifferent tone calmly laid out the contents.
Kozuki Hiyori hesitantly raised her head, but did not answer.
Ren continued, "This is the final leeway. If you can't accept even this, then I have no need to consider what becomes of all of you.
"When that time comes, how the situation develops and what ending you receive will be decided and accepted by yourselves.
"But I believe someone capable of defeating Kaido and the Beasts Pirates should also be capable of suppressing every person in Wano."
That was a fact.
A completely irrefutable fact.
Was the greatest reason Wano's suffering had yet to change not precisely because they lacked the power to resist?
Kozuki Hiyori clenched her delicate fists, desperately thinking of whether there was any other choice.
But the answer she arrived at was despair.
The other party did not need her to display any great value. He merely intended to use her as a tool to manage Wano.
Even without her, before that absolute strength, there would be no issue in supporting someone new—someone who was not of the Kozuki family—as the ruler.
At most… it would be a little more troublesome.
Thinking this far, Kozuki Hiyori slowly loosened her fists. Her red lips parted slightly.
"Can you guarantee your promise?"
"Of course. You may not understand me, but I have always kept my promises."
Ren shrugged, then turned his head to look at Hancock behind him.
The latter rolled her eyes, but afterward, she still gave a slight nod.
Of course, in Kozuki Hiyori's eyes, they were all on the same side.
Even so, she had no choice but to believe them and nod.
"I agree to your demands, if… you can allow the people of Wano to escape their suffering."
This was the natural choice.
She was not someone obsessed with ruling status or personal gain. More than that, she had fought for the suffering this country endured.
If she could take revenge and change the circumstances of the people of Wano, allowing them to live days that were not so terrible…
Then even if she became a tool to uphold another's rule, she had no way to refuse.
Most importantly…
It had been too long.
She had waited for far too long.
She did not know when the prophecy her mother left behind would come to an end.
Even though she firmly believed it would definitely happen, that was merely a straw clutched by someone drowning.
Compared to a hand reaching into the water, that hope was not worth mentioning.
"Then that's that."
Ren nodded, counting this negotiation as complete.
Hancock raised her brows slightly, then directly stood up and quietly slipped away.
She did not want to continue serving as Ren's pillow.
Although this man's scent was not foul and instead carried a somewhat strange fragrance, the shame that had yet to fade still made it impossible for her to accept.
After Hancock left, Kozuki Hiyori seemed to realize something. She gently loosened the upper part of her kimono a little, her probing gaze turning toward Ren.
"?"
A question mark seemed to appear above Ren's head. Then he understood what Kozuki Hiyori meant.
This woman was Wano's oiran, after all.
But immediately afterward, he still shook his head.
"No need. I don't have time for that right now.
"What you need to do next is turn those prisoners into your own strength, then form an organization…"
After explaining a series of things she needed to do, Ren sent Kozuki Hiyori away.
Because next, there was still an important matter.
A collective enhancement!
The matters he had arranged earlier were already fully prepared.
Ren brought everyone to the secluded training location, then unfolded the Space-Time: The Creator Domain.
One of the gains from the Marineford War was a massive number of Time Units.
And all the core combatants within Ren's group were here.
Nami, Nojiko, Zoro, Vivi, Kuma, and… Hancock.
Yes.
Hancock had also joined them.
This was the "benefit" Ren had proposed. While letting Hancock witness the methods and ability at his disposal, she would also receive benefits in terms of improving her strength.
You could not expect a horse to run without feeding it grass.
Necessary benefits still had to be given.
Of course, the greatest reason was that their time spent together would increase in a disguised form.
The amount of time Ren prepared this time was two years!
As for the corresponding real-world time, it would be seven days—roughly a time-flow ratio of 100 to 1.
"Let's begin."
Ren unfolded the Space-Time: The Creator Domain, then brought everyone inside.
At present, all external crises still needed time to ferment.
For example, Big Mom's great fleet. By the time he finished and emerged, it would probably be about ready to appear.
As for the crisis on Kaido's side, there was no need to consider it for now.
Whitebeard was not someone who swallowed a loss without striking back.
A pale-golden domain spread open.
Standing within it, Hancock's red lips parted slightly as she looked at the world outside the domain.
Everything, no matter what it was, presented an unbelievable sight within her vision. It was all moving with extreme slowness, as though the world had been pressed into slow motion.
"This is…"
"It isn't that the world has slowed down. It's that we've become faster."
Ren stood to the side, looking as if this was only natural.
"Without enough ability, how would I dare challenge the World Government, which has stood for eight hundred years?"
"…"
Hancock did not know what to say.
This was the first time she had witnessed Ren's unimaginable methods.
The things she had seen before were still within the range of comprehension.
But something unbelievable involving time?
Forget seeing it herself. She had not even heard of it in legends.
From this man, she could only feel the utmost terror—and something difficult to put into words.
If this person truly possessed such unbelievable power…
Then was overthrowing the World Government really, as he had said, something with a great possibility of success?
There was no conclusion, but Hancock instinctively began to believe so.
"That guy is plotting hard."
Nami crossed her arms and said to Nojiko and Vivi beside her, "But I don't really like her. Her personality is too extreme. She definitely won't get along with us."
"You seem quite opposed to her?"
Nojiko laughed. "Or is it that you feel your position as the legal wife is being challenged?"
Vivi snickered at the side, her shoulders trembling.
Nami rolled her eyes and said, "It's because her personality is awful. Even if Ren eats her up, I still don't want her joining us.
"A person like that will only bring more trouble. The little bit of Ren-related pressure she saves might not even match the trouble she causes."
"I think so too."
Nojiko thought for a moment, then still supported her little sister's view.
"Same here."
Vivi also nodded. She had no objection to Nami's position as the legal wife.
Rather, it was this legal wife herself who had actively pushed her into having something happen with Ren.
She still could not do something like backstabbing her.
"How boring. Are all women such troublesome creatures?"
Zoro glanced at the farce over there and paid it no further attention.
At this moment, he occupied a corner of the training ground, preparing to temper his swordsmanship seriously and solemnly.
Having reached this stage, Zoro roughly understood what he lacked in order to become stronger.
There was only one thing.
Time!
His talent required time to be cashed in. Only then could he step onto his own peak.
In theory, this sort of path of improvement should have no shortcut.
However, he had a captain who could accomplish all sorts of unbelievable things.
Thus, miracles became within reach.
Even intangible time could be turned by his captain into a beneficial force.
However, this power was not without cost.
The requirement and consumption of Time Units, along with the conditions for collecting them, meant that this power could not possibly be used without limit.
That was why he treasured this group training session all the more.
'After this, I should probably reach a peak period. When I reach that state, I wonder if I'll be able to cross swords with Mihawk.'
Zoro wiped Wado Ichimonji, thinking about that matter.
'In Ren's plan, he needs me to make contact with Mihawk.
'Through a transaction, in a specific environment, we'll draw Mihawk over to our side.
'In other words, to the great force the captain is about to establish.
'At that time, fighting Mihawk… Will I… No. If I think like that, it means I've backed down.'
His gaze became resolute.
If he did not want to meet an inevitable defeat, then he had to train even harder.
Until he possessed the strength to challenge Mihawk.
At the very least, he had to make Mihawk feel pleasantly surprised!
With that thought, Zoro began his daily training.
The dull, repetitive practice swings in his hands looked as though they were some endlessly enjoyable pastime. No matter how long they continued, not the slightest bit of rhythm was disturbed.
After that came equally dull and tasteless conditioning, continuously increasing the gravity in the area where he stood.
He tempered his body and his will, which was as strong as steel.
Occasionally, he would take some time to use Ren, Nami, and the others as practice opponents.
But more often, he replayed the images in his memory, carefully examining every movement Mihawk had made back then.
It seemed… he had already begun to understand the level of swordsmanship Mihawk had displayed at that time.
And this was only the beginning of this collective training.
(End of Chapter)