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Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Wano Country

After casually finding a nearby island, Orin and Crocodile temporarily disembarked from the ship.

Dragging them around the world for fun and adventure had certainly increased his presence and aura. His Conqueror's Haki was now leagues ahead of his peers.

However, the strength of the two hadn't seen any qualitative leap.

As for Crocodile, she hadn't moved forward at all. While she technically could use Haki, it was so weak it was laughable. Orin had already taught her the Ryuo technique. The rest would have to be up to her.

"As for you..."

Orin looked at the utterly confused Enel, rubbing his chin a few times.

Using a special Vivre Card made by Vegapunk, he attached a tracker to him, then dumped him on Sammi, handing over the training techniques for Armament Haki as well.

"Work hard."

"...Okay."

He saw it—that special card would always point toward him.

Looks like he really couldn't run.

Might as well take this chance to see the vast expanse of the Blue Sea and find out if monsters like Orin were common out there.

If there were many, he'd just keep lying low.

If there weren't, then God himself might just start going "Yahahahaha!"

As for the Armament Haki Orin had taught him—he said he used it to grab the body of the Thunder God—well, Enel might as well reluctantly give it a try.

When Sammi was handed this rebellious brat, she froze for a moment, then quickly brightened and began assigning a bunch of tasks.

Enel, completely unaware, was about to come face-to-face with a being even more evil than God—

A Capitalist!!!

...

In the days that followed, Orin no longer sailed around high-profile on the Oro Jackson.

Instead, he handed the ship over to Rayleigh and went off to wander on his own.

For the next few months, Orin, unusually, gave up his trending fame and quietly went around experiencing local customs and culture.

Sometimes he'd hitch a ride by paying in Belly or fists; other times, he'd just teleport across the sea with the Warp-Warp Fruit.

Same as always.

...

New World waters.

A pirate ship slowly drifted across the endless ocean.

It looked like they were having a banquet—lively and loud.

Only the lookout wasn't joining the party, keeping a vigilant eye on the sea.

"Huh?? What is that…?"

"A person? You gotta be kidding me!!!"

The lookout holding the telescope suddenly noticed something unbelievable and shouted toward the deck where the others were partying:

"Captain!!! Someone's walking on the sea!!!"

"Nani?? What nonsense are you spouting?!"

A man with two twisted braids for a mustache walked to the side of the ship with a puzzled expression. When he looked closely—

Even someone as seasoned as he was couldn't help but be shocked, jaw dropping.

"No way?!"

On the surface of the sea, a tall figure with a backpack, wearing a dark red suit and a black trench coat, was strolling calmly.

Each step landed on the water as if it were solid ground.

And clearly, the man had noticed them too.

"Finally found a ship."

In a flash, the tall figure appeared on the deck.

The sudden arrival startled Zeff into instinctively lifting his leg to counterattack.

"Red-Leg Zeff, if I didn't know you, your leg would've snapped just now."

Orin didn't move. He simply looked at the leg suspended in midair, unable to budge, and walked around him, then sat down to start eating.

"You bastard, are you here to pick a fight?!!!"

"Hey… You're joking, right? Wait, wait..."

Some hot-tempered guys were ready to draw their blades, but they were quickly held back by their companions.

"You haven't recognized him yet? That man's identity!!!"

"That's..."

"The Black Emperor!!!"

"..."

"Eh!!!!???"

...

Orin hadn't expected that after wandering the sea for so long, the random pirate crew he stumbled across would actually be someone he knew.

The other future adoptive father of his godson—

Red-Leg Zeff.

From the looks of it, he must've suffered some setbacks in the New World and was already planning to return to the first half of the Grand Line.

Probably it was on the return trip that he'd coincidentally run into the ship Sanji was on, and ended up taking him in.

"What's wrong? The New World tough to survive in?"

"...Yeah."

Zeff understood well that even his full-force kick just now hadn't even ruffled the man's coat.

The gap between them was painfully clear.

He gave up maintaining any hostility.

Orin dutifully sampled the food Zeff prepared, then let them go.

After all, they had their own mission, and Orin's destination was the opposite.

He was heading to Wano Country, while they were returning to Paradise.

With a wave of his hand, he saw them off.

This encounter was later recorded in Zeff's sailing log:

[Sea Calendar Year 1503]

[It was supposed to be a calm and sunny day, but then a big name came aboard our ship—the legendary Black Emperor, Orin. I foolishly attacked him. Hahahahaha. I almost died.]

*[...] *

[He was heading to Wano. It was a peaceful encounter, but strange… how did he know me? Before leaving, he said, "Take care of Sanji."]

[Who is Sanji? Why entrust him to me? I got no answer. That legendary man just left.]

...

Onigashima.

A massive man sat at the head of the table, raising a gourd of sake and guzzling it down.

Beside him, King, Queen, and many other officers and subordinates were all gathered.

As for the future Tobiroppo, they either hadn't joined yet or were still just kids.

"The spy's sent word—Kozuki Oden is planning a surprise attack."

King walked to the front with the intel in hand, reporting to Kaido.

That foolish "Your Highness" had been dancing for five years while Orin had already risen from a kid to a sea emperor.

Now, finally realizing something was wrong, he wanted to lead a surprise attack on Kaido.

Unfortunately, that idiot had never once escaped Kaido's calculations.

Still, this was Kozuki Oden, the man who had once sailed with Roger and Whitebeard. Even knowing in advance, they had to prepare.

After all, he was a man who could go toe-to-toe with Kaido!

You could call him stupid—but never weak.

With the current favorable situation, they couldn't afford to be caught off guard and let things flip on them.

"Relax. Our forces outnumber them massively—not to mention Kaido-sama is with us."

Orochi smugly emphasized their advantage. From every angle, it was a guaranteed win.

He'd even prepared a particularly despicable "trick" just in case.

Oden was doomed to lose!

"King, Queen, you two handle the ambush planning. All I want now… is to go all out in a brawl with Kozuki Oden!!!"

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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