"Very good. Please remember that logic."
Ren continued, "To summarize, that means as long as someone can defeat Kaido and open Wano's borders, anyone can be 'Kozuki Oden.'
"Even if he does not call himself Kozuki Oden, that is still fine. And you are someone who will become that person's woman.
"You will not doubt him. You will regard his words as truth and carry them out. Correct?"
"...Yes."
This time, Yamato hesitated for a very long time, but she still nodded in the end.
"Very good. Your condition has improved a lot. Next comes long-term treatment."
While collecting data, Ren continued deepening the alteration of Yamato's thoughts.
This particular subject had appeared in Ren's research very early on, and he had achieved a major breakthrough with Monet.
In later applications, he had controlled Caesar and the others, and it had even shown results during that Buster Call.
For example, how had Stussy turned the other Cipher Pol agents?
The answer was her own methods, Ren's technical support, prize items, and factors such as financial corruption.
Cognitive Alteration had contributed to that as well.
But Cognitive Alteration had shortcomings. Ren had never used this method on the truly strong before. The wills of strong people were mostly incomparably tough.
To alter their thoughts was as difficult as ascending the heavens. That had been his thinking back then.
But as his methods improved, he began stretching his demonic claws toward stronger targets, such as Yamato before him.
She was very strong. She could use Conqueror's Haki Infusion, and her Haki attainment was also extremely impressive.
She was roughly on the same level as the Three Disasters.
As for why Ren would go through so much trouble to obtain the ability to alter minds when he already possessed his current level of strength?
Naturally, it was one of the countermeasures he was preparing for the immortal Five Elders.
The other method was Sugar, who had already begun moving.
Both directions were measures prepared on the assumption that the Five Elders could not be killed.
Of course, Ren himself was more inclined toward simply killing Imu and the Five Elders together, ending everything once and for all.
But out of caution, he still had to prepare plans for different possible situations.
Several hours later, Ren dispelled the domain of the Space-Time: The Creator card, then said to Yamato, who had awakened, "Welcome to the resistance army. Next, I need to tell you a fact."
"What..." Yamato still looked somewhat dazed.
"Wano has already been opened."
Ren explained what he had done earlier and took the disbelieving Yamato with him.
After returning to the resistance army's base, she finally understood, through the explanations of others, just what major event had happened back then.
At the time, she had thought it was a tsunami or something similar. She had never imagined that it was actually the commotion caused by Wano being forcibly opened.
"So next, you plan to overthrow my father's rule?"
At this moment, inside the residence, Yamato stared at Ren with an expectant expression.
"Yes."
Ren shrugged. "I do not think it will be much of a problem."
"Then..."
Yamato suddenly grew dejected. Since the other party had already completed half of it...
Then she no longer had the chance to become Kozuki—no, she was someone who would become "Kozuki Oden's woman."
Her corrected cognition immediately made her stop feeling disappointed.
'At this level, it can basically be called adjustment mode, right?'
Ren took all of this in, then said, "Yamato, did you want to say something?"
"N-No, nothing."
A blush rose across Yamato's cheeks. She seemed somewhat at a loss, displaying an extremely rare, almost girlish demeanor.
"I see. Do you still remember what you said last night?"
Ren suddenly asked, "Do you think you are a woman or a man right now?"
"Uh..."
Yamato frowned. A contradiction appeared within her.
Although she now knew that she was supposed to become the woman of the person who defeated Kaido and opened Wano's borders...
It seemed like she had always been a man.
No, Ren said she was...
"Do you think I'm a man or a woman?" Yamato suddenly raised her head and threw the question back at Ren.
"What do I think?"
Ren thought for a moment, then got up and moved closer, sitting beside Yamato. "I think we can test it."
As he spoke, he calmly reached his hand through the opening of her sleeveless kimono and grabbed the lower curve of her chest, pale flesh spilling between his fingers.
Mm. It felt very good. The elasticity was astonishing.
"..."
Yamato stared blankly at him, a little confused. "Why are you grabbing my pectoral muscle?"
"To observe your reaction."
Ren answered with a perfectly serious expression, then pinched that point. "From how it looks now, you should still be a man."
"This..."
Yamato's expression became somewhat uneasy. She was supposed to become the woman of the person who defeated Kaido and opened Wano's borders.
But if she remained a man the whole time, then she would not be able to become one, right?
"Do not worry. You can change over."
Ren soothed her with his actions. "I will teach you how to become a woman."
As he spoke, he left clear five-finger marks on the mountain peaks.
(Author Note: Forget it. This feels weird. I'll stop writing the lewd stuff for now and get back to the main story. Battle!)
Although Yamato's figure was absurdly good, and the contrast between her mind and body almost made even Ren lose control and act.
Because he had already gone through two rounds of fierce battle before this, Ren ultimately stopped after merely exploring the mysteries of the peaks.
He handed Yamato over to Hiyori, gave a few instructions, then returned to the Cross Guild's headquarters on Totto Land's Whole Cake Island.
It was a fortress-like palace complex.
In the central main hall, on an upper floor, Mihawk abruptly opened his eyes. At some unknown point, a figure had appeared beside him.
"Observation Killing?" Mihawk asked.
"Yes."
Ren walked over and sat down in front of him. "About Red Hair, I am sorry."
"From the moment he refused me, I knew this would be the result."
Mihawk's expression was somewhat complicated. "There is no need to worry that I will do anything because of it. We are all adults. Everyone has to pay the price for their own choices."
"The final battle is about to begin. Do you plan to participate?"
Ren asked, "The current situation is already very clear, isn't it? In my view, there is almost no problem. At most, we only need to think about how to maximize our gains."
"What do you plan to do?" Mihawk asked.
"I will leave the Marines to you."
Ren said, "As for the remaining fellows, leave them all to me."
"You plan to handle them alone?"
Mihawk frowned slightly, somewhat unable to understand what he meant.
"No. More precisely, I intend to display my fist."
Ren grinned. "I have told you about my ideal, haven't I? Since I intend to become the sole being who establishes the new order and the new world...
"If I do not display a power that absolutely cannot be defeated, how can I make the world act according to my will?"
"...That is true."
Mihawk fell silent for a moment before nodding.
He did not ask what confidence Ren had. After learning that the source of that rising and setting sun was Ren himself, he understood that the other party already possessed power no one could reach.
When the blazing sun descended, who could say no before that absolute authority?
"I will leave the Admirals to you."
After saying that, Ren left and headed to where Monet and Sugar were. He intended to use the Space-Time: The Creator card to help Sugar improve a little.
As for the fact that excessively powerful Haki could cause Devil Fruit abilities to fail—just exhaust their Haki, then.
The Five Elders? Emperor-level fighters?
Was that supposed to be impressive?
The world had finally welcomed a relatively peaceful period. Of course, that did not mean nothing happened.
It was simply that compared with all the great events before, those things could only be considered minor skirmishes.
However, minor skirmishes did not mean they had no impact.
For example, because the Angel Legion had been slaughtering pirates across the New World on a large scale, many pirates were stuck at Fish-Man Island, the Sabaody Archipelago, and even other places along the Grand Line. They did not dare risk advancing, afraid that they would die the moment they entered the New World.
This caused untold suffering for civilians in many places. The "passing grandfathers" of the past had now become murderous villains.
The most terrifying part was that the Marines did not dispatch large forces to suppress them.
On one hand, several defeats had nearly hollowed out their internal strength. Even the World Military Draft could not immediately make up for it.
On the other hand, it was because an even more secret plan was underway.
For example, the Marines had been gradually transferring their remaining elites to Marine bases in the New World.
At this very moment, inside New Marineford, the new Marine Headquarters, a group of high-ranking Marine officers were holding a meeting over a sudden development.
Many people were present, including Fleet Admiral Borsalino, Kizaru.
Marine Admiral Ryokugyu, Aramaki, who had been directly promoted through the World Military Draft.
Marine Admiral Chaton, Tokikake, who had been promoted from within the Marines from Admiral candidate.
Marine Admiral Momousagi, Gion, who had also been promoted from Admiral candidate within the Marines.
There was also a group of new and veteran Marine vice admirals, as well as Vice Admiral Tsuru, the evergreen veteran.
Tsuru first swept her gaze over the officers, nearly an entirely new lineup.
A trace of complexity flashed through her eyes. Then she took out the major matter for this meeting.
"Take a look at this. It is the Cross Guild's declaration, released through the World Economic News. The information has already been confirmed as fact. The Cross Guild has already begun moving."
Everyone took the documents and read through them, roughly understanding what had happened.
The Cross Guild—had begun acting against the last two Emperors!
A declaration called the Hunting Order had shaken the world!
"With Wano as the hunting grounds, anyone who kills any pirate within its borders may obtain the qualifications to join the Cross Guild and receive ten times the bounty of the slain target.
"Attacking any civilian is forbidden. Those who violate this order will be treated as pirates within the territory and executed on the spot."
That short sentence summarized the lengthy thousand-word declaration.
"How terrifying. That guy really is terrifying."
Borsalino sighed. Ever since becoming Fleet Admiral, he had not had a single peaceful day to slack off.
First, because of the Cross Guild's actions, war had broken out everywhere in the New World. Many Member Nations had requested aid, forcing the Marines to put out fires everywhere.
Then there was Teacher Zephyr's NEO Marines rampaging around, forcing him, as a student, to personally send his teacher off.
Before things could finally settle down, all sorts of orders from the World Government came next, absurd to a level that was almost impossible to imagine.
The World Government joining hands with pirates!
After he had finally dealt with all of that, another major incident broke out: Red Hair and Demon Ren clashed.
They hurriedly confirmed it, only to confirm an even more terrifying piece of news.
Red-Haired Shanks had died at the hands of Demon Ren. Hachinosu, the battlefield, was left with nothing but a sinkhole that had yet to be filled by seawater even now.
That alone had already pressed a small mountain down on their hearts.
And now came another massive operation from the Cross Guild, intending to thoroughly sweep away Kaido and Big Mom.
Although it looked like a conflict between pirates and pirates, did the Marines really dare to keep watching from the sidelines?
If they continued watching, perhaps the next Hunting Order would be issued against New Marineford!
Even so, as Fleet Admiral, Kizaru still chose to give up trying.
"I think we should just report this upward and let the Five Elders decide.
"As for the previous matter about Demon Ren's bounty, you can decide for yourselves.
"If there really is no other option, just add Whitebeard's bounty and Red Hair's bounty together and issue that as Demon Ren's bounty."
Everyone present looked at one another, once again missing that diligent Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Compared with this current Fleet Admiral Kizaru, who had given up to such an absurd degree, the former was far, far better.
"Then let us do that."
Tsuru sighed helplessly, then said, "Everyone, remain at Headquarters as much as possible during this period. There may be a large-scale operation later."
This was obviously not meant for Kizaru, but for the vice admirals whose clearance was insufficient.
"Is something going to happen?" Vice Admiral Doll could not help asking.
"It depends on the Five Elders' decision."
Tsuru did not reveal too much. What she was naturally referring to was the matter of the World Government joining forces with the two Emperors.
Because it was disgraceful to say aloud, disgraceful to hear, and even more disgraceful to do, the Five Elders had demanded that all involved parties be bound by a secrecy-related Devil Fruit ability. This was to prevent information from leaking, ensuring they could thoroughly kill Ren in one strike.
And from Tsuru's perspective, since the Cross Guild had begun a large-scale operation, the time had come for both sides to cooperate and kill Ren.
Under these circumstances, they could not sit back and watch the two Emperors be purged.
"Yes, ma'am!"
After receiving their orders, the vice admirals began moving. Then, the entire New Marine Headquarters followed.
Although they had suffered several crushing defeats in succession, the Marines at this moment could still assemble an elite fleet of roughly ten thousand soldiers, armed with fierce firepower.
The people from the World Government also participated in this pre-battle mobilization, wanting to remain as hidden as possible before taking action.
However... the Cross Guild had long since made preparations.
The top combat forces had each received their own missions.
"Aramaki, huh?"
Kuzan looked at the photograph in his hand and thoughtfully committed his target to memory.
According to Ren, the other party was a Logia-type Woods-Woods Fruit user, and his strength was extremely formidable.
Forests were a source of life on par with the sea, so the user of the Woods-Woods Fruit was nature itself.
Not only could he create all kinds of different plants and freely control their growth, changing them into whatever form he wanted, he could also turn his own body into plants, including flowers that allowed him to fly and vines that stole nutrients and moisture from others.
Wherever Ryokugyu passed, a green trail of flourishing flowers, grass, and trees would form.
When Ryokugyu merged with plants, even if those plants were burned to ash by an opponent, he could regenerate through a new sprout.
(End of Chapter)