After staying on Korija Island for nearly half a month, Kaido and his group finally received the message from Kurozumi Higurashi. They set sail immediately, their course set for Wano Country.
As the ship gradually entered the waters surrounding Wano, the environment began to change dramatically. The once-calm sea grew rough and turbulent, the current speeding up. The sky darkened as thick, oppressive clouds rolled in, making it hard to breathe. The entire sea area was shrouded in a suffocating, heavy atmosphere.
"Wororororo! Wano Country, is it? It's finally beginning." Kaido stood at the bow, guzzling a large mouthful of sake before letting out a booming laugh. His signature laughter echoed in the sea wind, sounding especially bold.
Behind him, King, Queen, Bullet, Urouge, Moria, and the others gathered on the deck, staring intently at the increasingly fierce currents in the distance. Each wore a different expression, but all held a degree of gravity.
"The weather in the New World changes way too fast! It was clear skies just a moment ago, and now it's completely overcast," Moria, experiencing the New World for the first time, couldn't hide his astonishment as he looked up at the gloomy sky.
"Muhahaha! This has nothing to do with New World weather patterns!" Queen chomped on his cigar, shaking his portly frame proudly. Seeing the confused looks from the others, he continued to explain. "I've heard before that the sea currents around Wano are like this all year round. It's one of the reasons Wano's been able to maintain its isolationist policy for centuries."
"All year round?!" Not just Moria, almost everyone who heard this showed expressions of shock. Only Kaido remained unfazed, a faint, knowing smile playing on his lips—as a transmigrator, he of course knew the real reason behind this phenomenon.
The pirate ship sped forward with the raging current. Soon, a towering waterfall that seemed to reach into the clouds appeared before them. The waterfall poured down from the cloud layer, majestic and imposing, like a natural barrier.
"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" a young pirate shouted, eyes wide with disbelief. "There's a waterfall ahead of the current? The water's flow makes no sense at all!"
But no one answered his question. At this moment, everyone on board was struck speechless by the incredible sight before them. Even the normally unflappable Bullet couldn't help but frown. "At this speed, stopping the ship is impossible..." As he spoke, he instinctively looked toward Kaido, clearly believing only Kaido's ability could get them to Wano safely.
"Captain Kaido! Quick, use your power to make the ship fly! Otherwise, we're going to crash into the waterfall!" Queen stomped his feet anxiously, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Wororororo! Don't rush." Kaido, however, appeared confident and assured. He pointed at the sea's surface. "Look. Our 'helpers' have arrived."
Several giant carp suddenly leaped from the sea. Their golden-red scales glittered under the dim light, their elongated bodies carving graceful arcs through the air.
"These are... carp? How can there be carp in the sea?" King narrowed his eyes, his tone full of doubt.
"In this world, nothing is impossible," Enel said excitedly, clenching his fists, a fanatical light shining in his eyes. "Hahaha, this is incredible!"
"King, have the men prepare ropes to lasso these carp," Kaido ordered calmly. "They'll pull us up the waterfall."
"Understood." King immediately turned and commanded a few pirates. "You there! Go prepare sturdy ropes right now!"
"Yes, sir!" The named pirates quickly ran below deck, returning shortly with several ropes as thick as a baby's arm.
Through everyone's concerted effort, they successfully lassoed two of the largest carp. The carp seemed to understand their mission and began swimming upstream with all their might. Pulled by their astonishing strength, the entire pirate ship actually began climbing up the waterfall!
"Kishishishi! The mysterious New World lives up to its name!" Moria exclaimed excitedly, almost dancing. "To witness the spectacle of a pirate ship climbing a waterfall!"
Gale-force winds mixed with spray battered their faces. The ship groaned and creaked under the violent motion. Everyone clung tightly to nearby fixtures, watching this unbelievable scene with a mixture of nervousness and exhilaration.
Soon, the pirate ship reached Port Idate in Kuri.
To call it a port was generous; it was essentially an abandoned dock, bearing little resemblance to a functioning harbor.
As the pirate ship arrived, several Wano natives 'coincidentally' saw the ship dock and hurriedly ran toward Oden Castle.
Just as Kaido's pirate crew was climbing the waterfall by ship, another scene was playing out inside Oden Castle in the Kuri region of Wano Country.
Kurozumi Kanjuro had gone to great lengths to send away all of Kozuki Oden's other retainers. Now, the vast room held only the two of them. Oden was intently studying a yellowed sea chart, a light of longing shining in his eyes. "Beyond the sea, there must exist creatures of unimaginable size! I truly want to see them with my own eyes, to have a real encounter with the world!"
"Oden-sama, please refrain from speaking such impractical thoughts," Kurozumi Kanjuro said slowly, sipping his tea. "The Kuri region cannot do without your governance."
"Damn it! Had I known, I never should have accepted the position of Daimyo," Oden grumbled in frustration, scratching his head, his face etched with discontent.
As the two conversed, a man dressed as a samurai hurriedly pushed open the doors. "Oden-sama! Kanjuro-dono! Something terrible has happened!"
"What is it that has you in such a panic?" Kurozumi Kanjuro asked, frowning, pausing the teacup in his hand.
"We've just received an urgent report! A pirate ship has appeared at Port Idate!" The samurai had sweat beading on his forehead, his voice trembling.
"What? Pirates?!" Kurozumi Kanjuro shot to his feet, knocking over the tea set.
In stark contrast to Kanjuro's shock, the tense expression on Kozuki Oden's face suddenly relaxed into a hearty laugh. Without a word, he grabbed his swords, Ame no Habakiri and Enma, and charged out the door like a gust of wind.
"Oden-sama! Where are you going?" the samurai called after his retreating back.
"The port!" Oden's voice came from far down the corridor; he had already vanished from sight.
Once Oden was gone, Kurozumi Kanjuro immediately regained his composure and issued orders to the samurai present. "Implement martial law across the Kuri region immediately. Investigate all suspicious persons. You all remain at Oden Castle. I will go to assist Oden-sama."
"As you command!" the samurai chorused, springing into action. Kurozumi Kanjuro looked in the direction Oden had departed, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, before quickly following.
***
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