Wano Country, Flower Capital.
"Lord Oric, this is bad! The Den Den Mushi signal in the area you told us to guard has disappeared!!"
A pirate-looking man barged into the hall without even knocking, panting as he delivered his report.
Oric, seated on a tatami mat and washing a wine cup, paused briefly before his expression returned to normal.
"I understand. You may leave."
"Uh... yes!"
The pirate was deeply puzzled. That place was one Oric had repeatedly stressed could not afford the slightest mistake. To make an example, he had even executed a large number of men who had dared to slack off, leaving everyone trembling every day in fear that something would go wrong.
But now that something had actually happened, why was Oric not worried in the slightest?
He could not understand it, nor did he dare to. He nodded and obediently prepared to leave.
The next second...
Pshk!!!
His own hand pulled out a dagger and plunged it into his chest. The pirate's throat moved as though he wanted to say something, but before he could speak, darkness overtook his vision and he collapsed limply to the floor.
"I really need to make those people play fewer pirate games. Honestly... their manners are getting worse and worse. Do they not knock before entering?"
The pirate probably never would have imagined that he would die over something as trivial as failing to knock.
Naturally, servants dealt with the corpse and bloodstains. As they silently cleaned up, Oric warmed the wine, poured himself a cup, and took a small sip.
Watching the cherry blossoms drifting beyond the window, his lips curled upward. "Judging by the timing, it should indeed be these next few days... the day the gate opens."
"I was right, wasn't I, Azure Dragon?"
"I hid