Visitors from Wano Country

Zephyr's training lasted for a month and a half.

The changes on Hachinosu are visible to the naked eye. The number of Seastone rough stones in the Training Ground has increased from ten to fifteen, and each stone is covered with fist marks and cracks. When Kaido punches it, the cracks on the stone extend from the center to the edge, almost breaking it in two.

"Oh ho ho... almost there!"

"Almost there, but it's not broken yet." Zephyr lashed his back with his wooden sword. "Continue."

Bullet's Armament Haki was compressed to his fingertips, his black nails lasting for thirty seconds. His fist struck the Seastone, leaving no longer a fist mark, but a deep crater the size of a knuckle.

Kuma's coconuts were 500 meters away; he could hit eight out of ten. The remaining two weren't missed because the sea breeze suddenly changed direction. Zephyr said it wasn't a matter of accuracy, but a matter of prediction.

"Your Observation Haki isn't good enough. You can't sense where the wind will blow next."

Kuma nodded silently and continued practicing.

Jin's flames remained a stable blue, and the temperature of his palm could melt steel. He used the Float-Float Fruit to manipulate fifteen giant rocks, arranging them in a circle in the air, with each rock's trajectory not overlapping.

Moria's shadow armor could withstand three punches from Kaido without breaking. After the third punch, he was sent flying, crashed to the ground, got up, chuckled, and then wrapped his shadow armor around himself again.

Inazuma's finger traced a centimeter in front of the steel plate, and a clean cut appeared in it. He could cut it without touching it. But he could only cut steel plates; he couldn't cut through the Armament Haki.

Ginny has changed sniper rifles three times. The first one was a gift from Vegapunk; it had a long range and high accuracy, but the recoil was too great, and her shoulder couldn't handle it. Zephyr had Lin Yuan "borrow" a standard-issue sniper rifle from a Marine Branch; it had less recoil and sufficient accuracy. Ginny used the Glint-Glint Fruit in conjunction with sniping, and was able to hit a coconut from 800 meters away.

Lin Yuan's Spatial Perception expanded to three kilometers, with the accuracy remaining unchanged. His Observation Haki also improved—he could sense where Zephyr's wooden sword was going to strike, and although he still couldn't dodge it sometimes, at least he wouldn't guess wrong.

"I can dodge three out of ten," Zephyr said. "That's progress. But I'll still get hit by seven."

"Smack--"

That noon, just after training ended, another ship arrived from the direction of the port.

It was neither a warship, nor a merchant ship, nor a pirate ship. The ship was small, only big enough for four or five people, and there were no markings on the sail. A young man stood at the bow, dressed in Wano Country attire—a wide robe, wooden clogs, and his hair tied in a bun.

Ginny made a circle with her fingers behind her back.

"Lin Yuan, alone. From Wano Country. He carries weapons, with two Samurai Swords at his waist."

"Warrior?"

"It should be."

Lin Yuan wiped the sweat from his face and walked towards the port. Ginny followed behind him, constantly making circles with her fingers.

Kaido poked his head out of the warehouse, holding a piece of meat in his hand. "Oh ho ho... a samurai from Wano Country? I'll go take a look."

"You keep practicing." Zephyr's wooden sword lashed out at his back.

Kaido retreated.

The young man jumped off the boat and stood on the dock. He wasn't tall, about half a head shorter than Lin Yuan, but he had broad shoulders and strong arm muscles. He had a few shallow scars on his face and bright eyes, and didn't look like someone who had come to fight.

"Excuse me, is this Hachinosu?" His voice sounded a little nervous.

"Yes." Lin Yuan stood opposite him. "Who are you?"

"My name is Kin'emon, a retainer of the Kozuki Family." The young man bowed. "My lord, Kozuki Oden, sent me to pay a visit to Captain Lin Yuan."

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Kozuki Oden, the daimyo of Wano Country, and the Second Division Commander on Whitebeard's ship—no, that's a later development. At this point in time, Kozuki Oden should still be in Wano Country, not yet on Whitebeard's ship. In the year 1472 of the Sea Circle Calendar, Oden was probably in his early twenties, a time of youthful vigor and ambition.

"What does Kozuki Oden want with me?"

"Our lord says he wants to form an alliance with Hachinosu."

Lin Yuan remained silent for a moment.

"Let's go inside and talk."

In the Castle hall, the tea was ready. Ginny stood behind Lin Yuan, making circles with her fingers behind her back. Kin'emon sat opposite him, two swords on the table—the scabbards were closed, but he hadn't let them out of his hands.

Kin'emon spoke first.

"The situation in Wano Country is very chaotic right now. Kurozumi Orochi is colluding with pirates and wants to usurp the throne. My lord says that if no one helps, Wano Country might fall into the hands of bad guys."

So you came to find me?

"My lord said there's a man in the New World named Lin Yuan who can steal things from Rocks and the Navy. Such a person is worth allying with." Kin'emon's tone was sincere. "My lord sent me to ask if Hachinosu is willing to help Wano Country."

Lin Yuan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Why did Kozuki Oden come looking for me? Whitebeard is stronger than me, Big Mom is more powerful than me. Why didn't he go after them?"

Kin'emon hesitated for a moment.

"The lord said that Whitebeard is a friend, but not an ally. Big Mom is a businesswoman, not a partner. He wants someone... different."

"Different?"

"My lord said, 'You're someone who fears no one. You're not afraid of Rocks, you're not afraid of the Navy, you're not afraid of the Celestial Dragons.' He said, 'On this vast ocean, there aren't many who aren't afraid of the Celestial Dragons.'"

Lin Yuan put down his teacup.

"Go back and tell Kozuki Oden Hachinosu will go to Wano Country, but not now."

Kin'emon paused for a moment. "When?"

"Wait until we're ready."

"My lord says the situation is critical. Kurozumi Orochi could make a move at any moment."

"There's no use in rushing," Lin Yuan said. "If we go now and help you win, then what? We leave, Kurozumi Orochi comes back. If we stay in Wano Country and don't leave, then Wano Country won't belong to the Kozuki Family, it will belong to Hachinosu."

Kin'emon's expression changed.

"You--"

"I'm not threatening you. I'm stating the facts." Lin Yuan looked at him. "Kozuki Oden wasn't looking for thugs, he was looking for allies. An ally means something that benefits both sides. What are you offering me?"

Kin'emon opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Lin Yuan stood up.

"Go back and tell your lord that Hachinosu will go to Wano Country, but not now. Tell him to hold on until we arrive."

Kin'emon remained silent for a long time, then nodded.

I will pass on the message.

He picked up the knife, bowed, and turned to leave.

After Kin'emon left, Ginny lowered her fingers.

"What he said is true. He was very calm and didn't lie."

"I know."

"Then why won't you agree?"

"Because I haven't figured out how to help yet," Lin Yuan said. "The affairs of Wano Country can't be resolved with just one battle. Kurozumi Orochi has someone backing him."

He paused. Kaido had somehow emerged from the warehouse, leaning against a pillar in the corridor, holding a piece of meat in his hand.

"Wano Country," Kaido said. "I've been there twice."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"The first time, on a mission. The samurai there were very strong. I almost got killed." Kaido chewed on some meat. "The second time, to steal Seastone. The Seastone there is the best in the world."

You want to go?

Kaido glanced at Lin Yuan.

"I've thought about it, but not now."

"Why?"

"Because there's a man there named Kozuki Oden," Kaido's voice lowered, "He's very strong. If we fight now, I can't win."

Lin Yuan remained silent for a moment.

What if Kozuki Oden were no longer here one day?

Kaido stared at him for a long time.

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything. Just saying."

The two looked at each other but said nothing more.

Kaido turned and walked back to the warehouse.

Evening.

Ginny was organizing files in the Intelligence Room when suddenly her fingers paused. Her eyes gleamed purple— the Glint-Glint Fruit was still blooming.

"Lin Yuan, Kin'emon's ship didn't go directly back to Wano Country."

Lin Yuan walked in from the door. "Where did you go?"

"The direction of Whole Cake Island."

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes. "He went to see the Big Mom?"

"Not sure. But his flight path was definitely heading towards Whole Cake Island." Ginny paused. "The Kozuki Family is looking for both us and Big Mom. This means the situation is more serious than they're telling us. It also means—they're about to collapse."

Lin Yuan stood by the window, looking at the sea.

"Write this down. We'll talk about Wano Country later."

Ginny wrote a line in the ledger, "Kin'emon visited. Also made contact with Big Mom. Tensions are high in Wano Country."

Late at night.

Lin Yuan sat on the Castle roof, looking at the moon. Kaido walked up, carrying two bottles of wine.

"Want some?"

"I won't drink."

"Oh, you're really boring."

Kaido took a swig himself.

"Lin Yuan, what you said today—'If one day Kozuki Oden is no longer here—are you saying you want to kill him?"

Lin Yuan looked at the moon.

"It's not that I want to. It's that if he's in the way, someone else will."

"Who?"

Lin Yuan did not answer.

Kaido remained silent for a long time.

"Wano Country has the best Seastone, the best samurai, and the best terrain." He took a swig of sake. "Whoever controls Wano Country controls half of the New World."

"You want to take it?"

Kaido looked at the moon.

"I've thought about it, but not now."

"After Kozuki Oden is gone?"

Kaido remained silent.

He placed the bottle on the roof and turned to leave.

(End of Chapter 65)