Chapter 118: The Road to Wano!
[Zou - The Whale Forest Border - Night]
The bonfire crackled loudly, casting long, dancing shadows against the ancient trees of the Whale Forest. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat, woodsmoke, and the heavier, invisible weight of a destiny being rewritten.
Suzaku sat calmly on a log, wiping grease from his fingers with a napkin. Opposite him sat the two Kings of Zou, their expressions a mixture of relief and lingering suspicion.
"Rest assured," Suzaku said, his voice calm and steady, cutting through the emotional turmoil of the Mink leaders.
He spoke not as a conqueror dictating terms to the defeated, but as a man stating a simple, immutable fact of nature—like the sun rising in the east or the tides turning.
"We have also made an enemy of Kaido because of Jack. A confrontation is inevitable sooner or later. The Beasts Pirates will not forgive the death of a Calamity, and I do not forgive those who target my territory or threaten my crew."
He looked down at Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, his eyes gleaming with a cold, iron resolve that sent shivers down their spines.
"You will definitely have the chance to avenge yourselves. To avenge the suffering of your people. To avenge Oden. To reclaim Wano. I promise you this."
This casual promise, delivered without theatrics or shouting, was like a warm current flowing into a frozen heart. It instantly soothed the last traces of resentment and humiliation in the hearts of the two Kings.
They exchanged a glance. The antagonism of the past—the petty Day and Night feud that had divided them for twenty years—vanished in that instant. In its place was a heavy sense of shared determination.
They stood up together, their massive frames casting shadows over the fire.
Thud.
They bowed deeply and solemnly toward Suzaku. It wasn't the bow of the vanquished pleading for mercy; it was the bow of subordinates acknowledging their new Liege.
"Lord Suzaku," Inuarashi said, his voice thick with emotion and gratitude. "From this day forward, our Mink Tribe is willing to serve you! Our claws and swords are yours to command."
"Garahahaha!" Nekomamushi laughed, wiping a tear from his feline eye with a massive paw. "We'll bite the throat out of that dragon for you, Boss! Just point the way!"
This was not all.
After straightening up, Inuarashi adjusted his small sunglasses. He looked around to ensure no one else was listening—especially not the younger Minks. Then he leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Lord Suzaku, since we are now under your command... the secret that the Mink Tribe has guarded for generations should also be revealed to you. It is our greatest treasure, the burden we have carried for eight hundred years."
He pointed toward the massive, whale-shaped tree that dominated the center of the forest, looming like a dark god against the starry sky.
"Hidden inside the holy Whale Tree... is a Poneglyph that we have guarded for generations! It is a stone that holds the history of the world! The Kozuki Clan entrusted it to us!"
He had thought this would be enough to draw the attention of the Mink Tribe's new sovereign. Every pirate in the New World lusted after these stones. Even Gol D. Roger and Whitebeard had treated it with the utmost reverence.
However, Suzaku merely gave a disinterested "Oh."
He picked up another skewer of meat, took a bite, and casually replied, "A Poneglyph, huh... I have no interest in that thing. What the history of the past was like doesn't really interest me. The Void Century? Joyboy? Ancient Weapons? Boring."
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were stunned on the spot. Their jaws dropped.
No interest?
This was the key that all the world's powerhouses were desperately searching for! The key that revealed the truth of the world! And he dismissed it like a common rock found on the roadside?
Seeing their first "pledge of allegiance" offering about to be so lightly dismissed, the more impulsive Boss Nekomamushi panicked.
He quickly stepped forward, waving his paws urgently, his tail twitching.
"It's different, Lord Suzaku! You don't understand!"
Nekomamushi practically roared the words, spitting saliva in his haste.
"Ours... is RED! It is the legendary Road Poneglyph! There are only four in the entire world! Collecting all four allows one to find the coordinates to the final island, Laugh Tale! It leads to the One Piece!"
He waited for the reaction. The shock. The greed. The ambition.
"Oh, a Road Poneglyph," Suzaku's reaction remained calm. He rubbed his chin, as if evaluating a dispensable collectible like a rare stamp or a limited edition figure.
"Fine, then it's marginally useful."
He shrugged.
"Although I have no interest in searching for Laugh Tale or becoming the Pirate King... keeping it as a bargaining chip later isn't bad. Big Mom or Kaido might pay a good price for it. Or maybe I can use it as a paperweight for my desk."
Hearing this, Nekomamushi nearly choked on his own saliva.
A paperweight?!
The legendary final island... the dream of every pirate for the last twenty years... was just a "bargaining chip" or furniture in his eyes?
This man... is he insane? Or is his ambition just beyond the Pirate King? Does he seek to rule something even greater?
"Lead the way," Suzaku commanded, standing up and dusting off his pants. "Let's see this rock."
[The Whale Tree - Interior Chamber]
Under the complex and nearly numb gazes of Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, the group—Suzaku, Madara, Rem, and Nami—was led deep into the Whale Forest.
They climbed the spiral stairs hidden within the massive hollow trunk of the Whale Tree. The air grew stale and ancient, filled with the dust of centuries and the smell of resin. Torches flickered on the walls, casting long, dancing shadows.
Finally, they reached the secret chamber at the heart of the tree.
There it was.
A massive, ominous crimson cube, inscribed with ancient text that glowed faintly in the torchlight. It radiated a heavy, historical pressure that made Nami shiver.
The Road Poneglyph.
"This is it," Inuarashi whispered reverently, bowing his head. "The guide to the end of the world. The legacy of the Kozuki."
Nekomamushi was about to detail its origin, its indestructible nature, and the unbreakable bond between the Minks and the Samurai. He opened his mouth to speak.
"No need to say anything," Suzaku interrupted him with a casual wave of his hand.
Suzaku walked up to the stone. He touched the cold, red surface. It felt smooth, unnatural.
His gaze finally showed a hint of genuine interest. But his focus was completely off track.
"You said it... is very hard?" Suzaku asked, tapping it with a knuckle.
"Uh..." Inuarashi blinked, confused by the question. "Y-yes. It is indestructible. Neither explosives nor Haki can scratch it. It has survived for 800 years without weathering."
"How hard?"
"Invincible."
"Oh?"
Suzaku's eyes curved in a delightful, mischievous smile. He turned his head to look at Uchiha Madara, who had remained silent on the side, looking bored by the history lesson and the dusty room.
"Madara," Suzaku called out. "Sounds like a decent training tool! A punching bag that doesn't break? Finally, something we can use."
Madara's ears perked up. He turned around, his armor clanking. He glanced at the massive stone with sudden interest. His Sharingan spun, analyzing the material.
"Indestructible?" Madara scoffed. "There is no such thing. Only insufficient force. Even the Truth-Seeking Orbs could break."
"Let's test it," Suzaku grinned.
The next moment, to the absolute horror of the Mink Kings, the two men walked up to the sacred Poneglyph almost simultaneously.
There was no earth-shattering aura pre-load. No screaming of technique names. Just casual, brutal violence.
Madara clenched his gloved fist. He didn't use Chakra. He used pure physical strength honed by decades of war.
Suzaku coated his fist in black Armament Haki.
They punched.
"Hah!"
DONG!!!
A dull, massive thud that sounded like a temple bell being struck by a falling meteor resonated through the hollow tree. The sound wave was so intense it nearly stopped the hearts of everyone in the room. Dust fell from the ceiling in a sheet. The floor cracked under their feet.
But the Poneglyph...
It remained completely still.
Not a scratch. Not a chip. Not even a speck of dust fell off the red surface. It absorbed the force perfectly, indifferent to their power.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Their fur stood on end.
They were not shocked that the stone was unharmed—they knew it was indestructible ancient technology.
They were shocked that... these two men truly treated the world's most sacred secret treasure as a testing sandbag!
"Ha!"
Suzaku retracted his fist, rubbing his knuckles. A truly happy smile spread across his face.
"It really is good stuff! It didn't even vibrate. Excellent feedback. Better than Seastone."
"Hmph," Madara grunted, looking at the stone with begrudging respect. "It is sturdy. Sturdier than the Uchiha Stone Tablet. Acceptable."
Suzaku turned to the blue-haired maid who was waiting quietly by the door.
"Rem."
"Yes, Lord Suzaku?"
"Find a way to get it onto the Pola. Put it in the training room. Madara and I need something to hit during the voyage to Totto Land. It will keep us entertained."
"Understood!" Rem chirped, purple gravity waves forming around her hands. "Rem will lift it immediately! I will be careful not to scratch the floor!"
"WAIT!"
Nami screamed from the back, her eyes turning into Berry symbols. She rushed forward, shielding the stone with her body.
"That's valuable! That's priceless! Don't use it as gym equipment! We can sell the information! Or rub it! Don't hit it! You might lower its value!"
The two leaders of the Mink Tribe watched as the group excitedly began figuring out how to transport this "high-quality sandbag."
Their worldviews were repeatedly crushed, reshaped, and crushed again, all within a single hour.
These people... are not normal pirates. They are monsters who play by their own rules.
Suzaku did not give them much time to reflect on the absurdity. He turned back to business mode, his face serious again.
"Albedo."
He spoke into the air, knowing she was listening via their mental link with Zunesha.
"Yes, my Lord?" Albedo's voice echoed in his mind.
"Communicate with Zunesha. Tell it to prepare to change course. We are steering the island."
"Target?"
"Wano Country."
Inuarashi gasped. "Wano?! You're going straight there?"
"Yes," Suzaku nodded. "We're going to knock on Kaido's front door. But Zunesha moves slowly. It will take time."
He turned to the Cat.
"As for Nekomamushi, select some elite Musketeers and Guardians. You're coming with me on the Pola. I need guides who know the terrain of Wano and the secret paths."
"Gahahaha! With pleasure!" Nekomamushi roared, slamming his spear on the ground. "I've been waiting twenty years for this! I'll claw Kaido's eyes out!"
"Inuarashi, you stay here!"
Suzaku looked at the Dog King.
"Zou Island currently needs a clear-headed administrator to lead everyone and protect the civilians. If Kaido sends another fleet to look for Jack, you are the defense. Keep the island safe until we call for you. Zunesha will obey your defensive commands through Albedo's proxy."
"I understand," Inuarashi bowed. "I will guard the home front. I will not let you down."
A series of unquestionable orders were rapidly issued. The crew moved with military precision.
Suzaku looked at the two leaders before him and added one final detail.
"However... we aren't going straight to Wano. We have a detour."
He checked his wrist (or the position of the moon).
"We will first attend a predetermined 'Tea Party.'"
Suzaku grinned, a predator's smile.
"After handling some minor matters—like eating wedding cake and terrorizing a Yonko—we will meet up with you in Wano Country!"
"Get ready, Kings of Zou. The stage for your revenge is about to open!"
The "Tea Party" he spoke of was mentioned so lightly, as if it were just an ordinary afternoon social event with neighbors.
But Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were simultaneously struck by a terrifying realization.
What this group referred to as a "Tea Party"... could only be the Tea Party hosted by the Yonko "BIG MOM" Charlotte Linlin!
"He's going to Big Mom's territory first?" Inuarashi whispered, sweat forming on his brow. "Is he planning to fight two Emperors at once? Is he mad?"
"As expected of Lord Suzaku!" Nekomamushi laughed maniacally. "He's crazy! I like him! He's going to eat the old hag's cake and then punch Kaido!"
The two leaders watched Suzaku casually outline the plan to destabilize the entire New World.
Looking at the strong individuals surrounding Suzaku—the Demon, the Hollow, the Ninja, the Assassin—they grew increasingly expectant of the future.
The dawn they had waited for... might be a storm instead. But it was finally here. And it was led by a man who treated history as a punching bag.
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