" Wano Country!"
Roy tossed a few gold coins onto the counter.
"I need to know the true situation in Wano Country, especially Wano Country current internal situation."
The old man tapped the gold coin lightly with his fingers, not putting it away immediately, but instead revealing a meaningful smile.
" Wano Country... that's a hot potato."
Young man, why are you asking about this?
"That doesn't seem to be part of the deal," Roy said calmly.
"Hehe, you're right."
The old man put away the gold coins, took out a thick booklet from under the counter, and handed it to Roy.
"This contains intelligence on Wano Country over the past few years, including details of the Kurozumi family's usurpation of power, the attitudes of various daimyo, and the distribution of military forces."
"Information on key figures... and some scattered information about Kaido's forces."
Roy took the booklet and quickly flipped through it.
The contents are surprisingly detailed, including not only the comparison of military strength, but also detailed records of local taxation and the living conditions of ordinary people.
What bothered him even more was that the last few pages of the booklet mentioned sensitive information such as "there are still resistance forces in the Kuri region" and " the Shimotsuki Yasuie is secretly accumulating power."
"This intelligence is very new." Roy looked up. "How did you get it?"
The old man revealed a sly smile.
"I have my own channels."
"However... the information in the booklet is only updated to three months ago. If you want the latest information, especially regarding the Kurozumi family and Kaido's recent movements..."
He rubbed his fingers together again.
Roy placed a few more gold coins on the table. "Speak."
" Kaido left Wano Country three months ago, supposedly to handle a major matter, and has not returned since."
" Wano Country is now under the complete control of Kurozumi Orochi, who has been frantically plundering resources, seemingly to build some kind of large-scale facility."
The old man said in a low voice,
"Furthermore, there are rumors that Kozuki Oden is still alive, which makes Kurozumi Orochi very uneasy, and he has recently strengthened his control over various regions."
Roy raised an eyebrow slightly.
Oden is indeed still alive and is currently on Roger's ship.
This intelligence broker's ability to obtain such accurate information suggests he has a very powerful background.
Roy asked the information broker for a Den Den Mushi), and left the bookstore as dusk approached.
Observation Haki to scan the street, he discovered that Tesoro and his group had finished their shopping, and that Savi and Stella's auras were moving towards the docks.
Roy quickened his pace and headed towards the dock.
Just got back to the dock,
They saw Savi and his group happily carrying a large pile of things back home.
Enel was holding a spinning top that glowed.
Charon was carrying several bags of specialty snacks.
Savi had a giant, colorful lollipop slung over his shoulder.
The Pea was holding a pot of strange plants it had never seen before.
"Boss Roy! Look what we bought!" Savi waved his lollipop excitedly.
Roy shook his head helplessly and turned to Tesoro.
"Have you bought everything?"
"Almost."
"The equipment the doctor needs is too specialized. We only found a small portion on the island; the rest may need to be purchased from a larger trading center."
"However, we have enough basic construction materials, food reserves, and daily necessities."
"That's good." Roy looked at Ark Maxim.
"Now, board the ship and prepare to set sail."
As everyone boarded the ship, the Ark Maxim was activated once more.
Seven days later, the Ark Maxim sailed to a peculiar sea area.
The seawater here is a deep, inky blue, with swift currents and distant, rumbling sounds.
This is it.
Stella consulted the information provided on the nautical chart.
"The entrance to Wano Country is just ahead--"
The massive Knock Up Stream and waterfalls mean that conventional boats must wait for specific schools of carp to swim upstream.
The group reached the bow of the ship and saw the horizon in the distance.
A white line of water shot into the sky, reaching hundreds of meters high, like a water bridge connecting heaven and earth.
The roar of the waterfall could be heard clearly even from this distance, and the water vapor formed a magnificent rainbow in the sunlight.
"It's beautiful!"
Pea was perched on the boat railing, her eyes sparkling.
Savi and Enel also came over, marveling at this natural wonder.
"Spectacular."
Hawk Eyes commented that even he, who had seen many spectacular sights, was awestruck by the scene.
"What's even more spectacular is the world behind the waterfall."
Roy's eyes were deep.
"A country that has been closed off from the world for hundreds of years hides countless secrets."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's fly up there!" Bullet flexed his wrists.
No rush!
Roy gathered everyone together and told them the information he had gathered from ' Market Island '.
"This time, we will not directly rule Wano Country."
Ideally, we could cooperate with Kaido, remain hidden behind the scenes, and build a base here, providing the Doctor with a safe place to conduct research.
Bullet, however, was somewhat annoyed. "Hiding behind the scenes? That's so boring!"
"It's not about hiding, it's a strategy."
" Wano Country is merely a springboard, a place where we can accumulate strength."
"Furthermore, Kaido's Oni bloodline and the physical constitution of his Lunarian Tribe can provide Dr. Gracia with even more material."
"That guy doesn't seem like someone who would cooperate easily."
"Don't worry!" Roy patted Hawk Eyes on the shoulder.
"If they won't cooperate, then let's give them a beating. Our strength is our biggest bargaining chip."
"Hehe..." Bullet grinned, still vividly remembering their brief encounter in the Sabaody Archipelago.
" Kaido's strength is indeed formidable."
"Good!"
"Then it's decided," Roy turned his head, " Tesoro!"
"Yes!"
Tesoro immediately went to the cockpit and took off with the Ark Maxim.
The golden-red boats climbed steadily, heading upstream against the waterfall.
The rainbow was almost within reach, and the water vapor left long trails on both sides of the ship's hull.
Aini, Lusa, and Pea excitedly poked at the mist outside the window.
And every now and then, they would reach out as if trying to grab the rainbow in the sky.
The group looked expectantly at the top of the waterfall.
As the Ark Maxim bursts through the surging white spray at the top of the waterfall, a completely different world suddenly unfolds before your eyes.
The first thing Roy noticed was the change in temperature; the muggy, humid air below was instantly replaced by a crisp, slightly chilly atmosphere.
What lay before us was not a flat coastline or harbor, but a rugged, steep cliff.
The waterfall's water rushes down from the edge of this towering cliff.
The inner side of the island features rolling mountains covered in lush vegetation.
The sky took on a deeper blue hue.
However, this was disrupted by the black smoke that occasionally billowed from the island.
"This is... Wano Country?" Savi, leaning on the ship's railing, stared wide-eyed.
"It looks even more precipitous than it does down below."
Hawk Eyes scanned the terrain.
"Just as Roy said, this place is easy to defend and difficult to attack; it's indeed a good location to establish a base."