Chapter 605: Contact with Frost Moon!
Chrollo and his companions had arrived in Wano Country half a day ago.
The best move would have been to contact Conrad and his people immediately. However, Conrad and the others were currently doing everything they could to support Luffy and his crew. The situation in Wano was already complicated enough, and the Straw Hats simply did not have the strength to handle it smoothly on their own.
More importantly, the Phantom Troupe's mission this time was not to help the Straw Hats.
Their mission was to assist the Shimotsuki clan.
Since they were not moving toward the same objective, there was no need to go searching for Conrad right away.
So Chrollo chose a different path.
First, find the Shimotsuki clan.
Understand their situation and their goals.
Then decide what to do next.
"Take me to the Shimotsuki clan," Chrollo said calmly.
"The Shimotsuki clan?"
Kiichiro froze, confusion written all over his face.
"But before this, weren't the Dragon Hunter Pirates always on the same side as the Straw Hat crew? Why…"
"I'll take you there right away!" Kiichiro blurted out.
He changed his tone instantly the moment he felt the Phantom Troupe's eyes on him.
Whatever these people were thinking was far beyond what a small time thug like him could grasp. Right now, his job was simple.
Do what they asked.
Maybe, just maybe, that would keep a thread of hope alive.
In the next moment, everyone vanished from the spot.
…
Not far away, in a narrow alley of Wano Country.
"Shimotsuki Zero, you have nowhere left to run."
A samurai stepped forward, wearing a smug smile.
"Now all you have to do is hand over the Shimotsuki clan's forging blueprints and tell us where your people are hiding."
"The Kozuki family will definitely give you a way out."
The samurai spoke as if he was offering mercy.
Yet the scene itself was grotesque.
The man standing in front of them had once been someone they looked up to, someone they treated with the utmost respect.
But Wano Country was now ruled by samurai, and the once revered Shimotsuki clan had been ground down until it barely resembled what it used to be.
Those who once bowed their heads with honor now only had one role left.
Slaves.
There was no second option.
Obey, or die.
"Hahaha!"
Despite his injuries, Shimotsuki Zero threw his head back and laughed.
"So the filthy brats from back then have grown up and learned how to bully people with power."
His eyes were sharp, filled with contempt.
"Do you really think the Shimotsuki clan is made of lowly trash like you?"
"You want our forging manuals. You want our whereabouts."
"Keep dreaming!"
To Zero, these samurai were traitors.
Even if he had to burn every blueprint to ash, he would never hand them over.
"What, you want to die?" one of the samurai sneered.
Then his expression twisted.
"But you're mistaken. We won't kill you quickly."
"That Shimotsuki guy last time held on for two whole days before he finally died."
"This time, I hope you last even longer."
One by one, the samurai drew their katana and closed in step by step.
"Stop!"
A sudden shout cut through the alley.
Hearing the familiar voice, the samurai assumed it was some Shimotsuki survivor rushing in to save him.
They turned around and saw…
"Kiichiro?"
The samurai blinked, genuinely baffled.
"What are you doing here, you little punk?"
Kiichiro was a thug in Wano, a fairly well known hoodlum.
His background was clean.
He was definitely not Shimotsuki.
So why would he show up here now?
"All right," Kiichiro muttered, sounding annoyed.
"I told you to lead the way. I didn't tell you to start a show."
Then a deep laugh rolled out.
"Hehehe… are you all samurai under the Kozuki clan?"
A tall man stepped forward.
Each step made the ground tremble.
"Since you love throwing your weight around, let me see what you're really capable of."
The samurai's faces shifted.
"Who are you?"
One of them pointed at Kiichiro, furious.
"Kiichiro, do you have any idea what punishment you'll get for bringing people like this into the country?"
"When our Kozuki samurai…"
Puff.
Before he could finish, a huge hand clamped down over his head.
The samurai's eyes widened in terror.
"Uvogin," the man announced with a wide, hearty grin.
"Combat member of the Second Division of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, reporting for duty!"
He squeezed slightly.
The struggling stopped immediately.
There were no obvious wounds on the outside.
But inside, everything had been crushed into a mess.
Uvogin could feel it clearly.
This power was finally enough to satisfy him.
"The Dragon Hunter Pirates!"
The remaining samurai panicked.
"Aren't you with Lord Momonosuke?"
"Why are you attacking us samurai? We're only purging the remnants of domestic unrest!"
They were terrified, yet they still tried to reason.
Momonosuke had ties to the Straw Hat crew.
The Straw Hats had ties to the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
They knew enough to understand one thing.
When Momonosuke gave orders, he specifically said not to attack the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Even though Uvogin had killed one of them the moment he arrived, the samurai still hesitated, clinging to that order as if it were a lifeline.
"Momonosuke?"
Uvogin spat the name like it tasted bad.
"Who's working with that slimy brat?"
He cracked his neck, grin widening.
"Don't misunderstand. We came here because we heard some samurai were running wild, and I just happened to be itching for something to do."
He swept his gaze over them, mocking.
"Look at you. So confident. So arrogant. So domineering."
Then his aura exploded outward.
And he charged.
Before any of them could even react, they were smashed into the ground.
In only a few breaths, the dozen or so samurai had all lost their lives.
Shimotsuki Zero stared, completely dumbfounded.
One moment ago, he thought he was about to die.
Uvogin's arrival gave him a sliver of hope.
But now, looking at Uvogin's bloodthirsty smile, Zero could not stop the chill crawling up his spine.
With a man like this in front of him, it was entirely possible he would be killed next.
Uvogin walked toward him step by step.
"Shimotsuki Zero, right?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Are you actually from the Shimotsuki clan, or is that just your name?"
Zero did not even consider running.
In the face of an overwhelming gap in strength, any movement would be meaningless.
"I am a member of the Shimotsuki clan," Zero said hoarsely.
"But our Shimotsuki clan and your Dragon Hunter Pirates…"
"Come with me," Uvogin cut him off.
"Our commander wants to see you."
"Commander?"
Zero's eyes widened.
"The captain of the Phantom Troupe, the Second Division of the Dragon Hunter Pirates?"
"I'm a little surprised," he admitted.
He had not expected squad members to appear here.
He had expected it even less that the squad leader would come personally.
Just like Kiichiro had said before.
In Wano Country, Chrollo's reputation was shockingly high.
Especially after Momonosuke promotion, Momonosuke had practically given all the credit for the Dragon Hunter Pirates' growth to the Phantom Troupe alone.
.....
[Check Out My Patreon For Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]