"Samurai???"
Hearing Orin's words, the two who had been arguing froze and turned toward him.
He was sitting casually on Kaido's head, smoking, as if chewing something in his mouth. The wounds on his body were rapidly healing.
"Yeah. A samurai from Wano," Orin said lazily.
"One of Kozuki Oden's former retainers — a woman named Shinobu."
Queen gritted his teeth, his expression slightly doubtful.
Kozuki Oden?
That name felt like a memory from ages ago, yet he still remembered it. Many of Oden's samurai were still resisting in hiding.
But Orin naming one of them so specifically? That was odd.
Was it to rescue her, or did he have another motive?
When Oden died, Orin had been in Wano — he clearly had the power to intervene, but didn't. So it couldn't be out of any old "crewmate sentiment."
Then what was it for?
Queen was still secretly pondering this, but King wasn't thinking that far ahead.
Looking at Kaido — eyes rolled white, fast asleep under Orin's backside — King instantly responded,
"We'll find that kunoichi and bring her to you..."
"I hope you'll keep your word, Black Gun!!!"
Orin shrugged.
"Unlike Kaido, I never lie."
"Of course, if you want to try solving this with brute force, go ahead — try taking Kaido back from me."
"..."
At those words, King finally gave up the idea completely.
After giving Orin a deep look, he grabbed Queen and flew off into the distance.
They had to mobilize everyone — all troops and manpower — to capture that woman called Shinobu.
King vaguely remembered her.
During Oden's execution, that woman had shouted to the crowd, explaining Oden's greatness and his patience.
"Inform Orochi immediately. Mobilize all his subordinates!!!"
...
Watching Orochi — who had just lost a life and crawled out of the rubble — get seized by King for the search operation, Orin stretched lazily.
"Hiss... Damn, these internal injuries sting!"
Though he looked calm and composed, it definitely hurt. He wasn't made of steel, after all.
It had been a long time since he'd fought at such a high level — burning everything in one ultimate move was not something his body had missed.
"Alright..."
Orin stood up and brushed himself off, the Seagull King still perched on his shoulder.
He stepped out of the meteor crater and glanced at the unconscious azure dragon within, showing no intention of standing guard.
Because King was a smart man.
He knew that even if he managed to take Kaido back now, unless he fulfilled Orin's demand, Orin could simply return and take him again.
And that would never end well.
If there was anyone to blame, it was Kaido himself for crossing Orin.
Besides... wasn't that what an Emperor's right-hand man existed for — to clean up the messes left by their unreliable captain?
...
Orin wandered through the ruins of the Flower Capital. Most of the city was now rubble; the few surviving areas were filled with terrified citizens.
He simply stopped to try a few local snacks.
"Uh... y-you..."
The stall owner was petrified. He'd been hiding inside his shop — how did Orin suddenly appear outside, right in front of his stand?
"Don't be nervous. I just wanted some dango."
Orin grabbed several skewers with both hands and munched happily, completely ignoring the cold sweat on the vendor's face.
Just then—
From the far end of the street, a young girl came running full speed.
"Hahaha!!! It really is you!!!"
"Hmm???"
Orin was too busy enjoying his food to use Observation Haki, but when he heard the familiar voice, he glanced up — and immediately smiled.
"Oh!! It's Yamato!!!"
The same cute little horns, the long white-and-blue hair, that delicate face — not a trace of Kaido's roughness on her.
Even as a teenager, Yamato already had the charm and brightness she'd show in the future.
She wasn't wearing a kimono, though — instead, she had on a strange mix of clothes: black boots, military-style pants, and a short-sleeved shirt that didn't quite fit, revealing a hint of skin.
Given this was Wano, that was probably the closest she could get to Orin's style.
In fact, the boots and pants had been stolen from Kaido's stash.
The contrast made her look rather striking.
"What's with that outfit, Yamato?"
Orin chuckled, catching the girl as she leapt into his arms. Despite having grown, she still felt small in his embrace.
Yamato rubbed her cheek against his face, grinning brightly.
"I knew it was you! I heard it from some of the Beasts Pirates!!!"
Orin set her back down and handed her a few skewers of dango.
Yamato's eyes sparkled as she accepted them. With the Beasts Pirates in chaos, she'd finally been able to sneak out — normally, she wasn't allowed anywhere near the capital, much less eat treats like this.
"So good!!!"
Orin had nothing urgent to do, so he took her hand and strolled through the surviving parts of the Flower Capital.
...
"If you like, I'll send you a few outfits later — ones like the kind I used to wear."
Orin rubbed his chin, glancing at her outfit, then shook his head.
"Really?!!!"
Yamato's face lit up. Among the Beasts Pirates — a crew full of rough, muscle-headed men — no one ever cared about clothes.
Their plundered loot never included things like suits or dresses.
Orin nodded.
Given how wealthy he was, he bought clothes by the handful.
And no, that didn't mean five pieces at a time — it meant if he pointed down one side of a shopping street, he'd buy everything on it.
Not because he was some fashion addict, but because clothes in the world of pirates were genuinely stylish.
Just look at Luffy's crew — dozens upon dozens of costume changes, every outfit distinct, especially in the movies where each got their own unique "skin."
Orin had plenty of those himself.
Suit Orin.
Tuxedo Orin.
Floral Shirt Orin.
Trench Coat Orin...
Each one worth at least 98 Belly, easily.
He could send as many as he liked — even via seagull mail for precision delivery.
The two wandered leisurely down the street.
Up on the second floor of a nearby building, a man with a slanted gaze and a sword at his waist stood beside a girl in a kimono.
The girl's eyes were fixed sharply on the street below — on the figure walking beside Kaido's daughter.
"To destroy Wano like this... and now he's taking Shinobu away too..."
Her teeth clenched tight.
Kyoshiro beside her broke into a nervous sweat, terrified that Hiyori might do something rash.
Sure, Orin had once sailed with Oden — but that didn't mean they could afford to provoke him!