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Chapter 1204: Step Down from Your Position
Chapter 1204: Step Down from Your Position
"You people always rely on others when you can't finish the job—old men, young ones, it's all the same. But everyone's dreams are different, Kaido."
Kuro tilted the bottle upward, his throat working as he took a few swigs of liquor. His voice was calm.
"As for me, I just want to live my life in a safetypeace place. Ambitions, dreams... those don't exist for me. If you all just want to play around, I wouldn't interfere. But someone of your scale causing chaos would send shockwaves across the world. One Whitebeard was already more than enough—no one could handle more of that."
He had absolutely no interest in Kaido's proposal.
Such temptations? He'd faced them countless times before. None of them stirred even a flicker of interest anymore.
"Wait here for your execution", Kuro continued. "Once everyone arrives, you'll die publicly in front of Wano Country."
As Kuro stared at Kaido, on the fourth floor where two of the Disaster were imprisoned, another figure lay discarded between the two colossi—a short, grizzled middle-aged man bound in Seastone chains.
On his left, the hulking, obese Quinn adjusted his tiny sunglasses and glanced at him. "You're still alive? Giant serpent, I thought Kaido cut you down with one blow. Was it some ability?"
Kurozumi Orochi shot Quinn a glare. "That's not important! What matters is you failed, you disgraceful oaf!"
Crash!
Quinn's mountainous body suddenly collapsed, crushing Kurozumi Orochi beneath it.
"Augh! Painful, painful!!" Kurozumi Orochi's voice squealed from under the weight. "Get off me! You know I can't use my abilities with Seastone!"
"Die again, bastard", Quinn ignored his protests, continuing to pin him down.
Nearby, the white-haired man with a shattered mask—his face revealing brown skin and tribal tattoos—glanced at Quinn but said nothing.
Soon, a group of Navy soldiers rushed over, dragging Quinn off like a massive bulldozer.
"Damn you!" Kurozumi Orochi gasped, struggling to breathe. "He tried to murder me! Navy, execute him faster! Get me out of here—I'm Wano Country's Shogun! Do you want me to join the World Government as a member state and have you all arrested?!"
"You'll be waiting a long time."
A voice echoed from the stairwell.
Klah approached, dressed in a crisp black dress uniform and navy hooded cloak. Sunlight poured through a hole in the ceiling, casting his silhouette in a dramatic glow as he stopped before Kurozumi Orochi.
Kurozumi Orochi instinctively looked up at the cold-eyed man.
"Who are you? Where's the Golden Lion? Bring him to me!"
Klah adjusted his glasses without answering. He turned to Kurozumi Orochi's side. "Frankly, if not for the skin tone, I'd have mistaken you for someone from the Luo Family."
The other man considered this. "That assassination clan from West Blue? I've heard of them, but we're not the same breed."
Nodding, Klah ignored the man's wings and dark skin. The Grand Line had plenty of freaks—this one wouldn't be missed. He didn't care what race this was.
Glancing at Kurozumi Orochi, he ordered the Navy, "Take him."
Soldiers dragged the struggling Shogun away. "What are you doing?! I'm the Shogun of Wano Country! You can't kill me! I'm the—"
His protests died as they shoved him into a secluded chamber. Navy officers exited, leaving Klah to follow. Drawing his flintlock pistol, he aimed at Kurozumi Orochi.
"No! Don't kill me!" Kurozumi Orochi screamed.
His abilities already drained—Seastone ensured this death would be final.
"I can't die! Wano Country hasn't been annihilated! I can't die!!" His face contorted in terror.
"Want to live?" Klah stepped closer, the pistol inching forward.
Kurozumi Orochi nodded frantically.
"Want Wano Country annihilated?"
Another desperate nod.
"If it's just annihilating 'current' Wano Country..."
Klah lowered the gun, locking eyes with him. "I have a proposition. I'll spare your life—and help you annihilate Wano Country."
"What?!" Kurozumi Orochi gaped. "What are you planning?!"
"Simple." Klah's voice was measured. "I've studied your intelligence. You became Shogun because the former Kozuki Sukiyaki made you a proxy Shogun before passing the position to you. Though that 'Kozuki Sukiyaki' was fake. But if that scheme worked for your Kurozumi family, why not use it on others?"
Before entering Wano Country, Klah—the professional strategist—had gathered intel as a matter of course. As Vice-Captain of 'Sword' and Admiral under Kuro, acquiring information was easy. While most intel went unused, he prepared meticulously, unwilling to face Kuro's wrath for unpreparedness.
Centuries ago, the Kurozumi family had schemed to seize the Shogunate from the childless Kozuki Sukiyaki. Though their coup failed after Kozuki Sukiyaki's heir was born, they remained despised in Wano Country—like vermin.
If such a hated family could rule Wano Country, an outsider with no emotional ties could certainly do better...
"Let's make a bargain." Klah's eyes glinted coldly. "Your life and Wano Country's annihilation... in exchange for your position."
If the former Shogun could create a "proxy Shogun", current Shoguns could too. Kurozumi Orochi had been defeated, but his position remained. Let him "voluntarily" relinquish the title...
Then Kuro could fulfill his task—becoming Wano Country's new Shogun.
(End of Chapter)
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