In the cauldron, Kozuki Oden gritted his teeth.
He held his arms high, supporting the plank, and on the plank were the Akazaya Nine.
"All of you stay up there and don't move, it will be over soon!"
The nine samurai cried bitterly.
A commotion arose from the surrounding crowd, shocked by Kozuki Oden's actions.
One of the female ninjas clenched her fists, her face full of sorrow.
Backup Group: 89 (3) 9 (6) 4 (4) 0
She knew the truth.
Five years ago, after Kozuki Oden returned to the country and stormed into the General's Castle, when he made the "Naked Dance Promise" with Orochi, she had been hiding in the ceiling.
To protect a hundred hostages, Kozuki Oden compromised.
"Oden-sama…"
Shinobu's eyes were filled with tears, red-rimmed.
The ignorant public around them did not understand the truth and occasionally mocked him.
This made her extremely angry.
This woman…
Edie noticed her in the crowd.
"I remember she's a Shuku Shuku no Mi Ability User?…"
The Paramecia-type Shuku Shuku no Mi allows the user to instantly ripen any object they touch, and can also help ripen people.
However, only the physiological age matures, the psychological age remains unchanged.
This ability is very useful.
Edie's current two subordinates, Monkey and Kuzo of the Twelve Earthly Branches, are only "children," with a physiological age of about 10 years.
Using her ability, he might be able to ripen artificial humans.
"Can artificial humans grow? Can they become stronger after growing? It's worth experimenting…"
Edie thought.
He withdrew his gaze and turned to face Kaido and Orochi.
Compared to the Shuku Shuku no Mi, it's better to send Orochi to his death first.
"Kaido-sensei, I'm not very interested in executions. I'm here today because there's something I must say."
"Hmm?"
Kaido paused his drinking: "What is it?"
"Some time ago, something was stolen from the Research Institute."
"Stolen?"
"It's not important research data, just a type of medicine."
Medicine?!
Orochi's heart skipped a beat.
He had only received NHC10 from Kurozumi Higurashi yesterday and was a bit sensitive to the word "medicine."
Regarding this contraband, he had tested it on death row prisoners yesterday, and it was indeed a fierce poison.
Edie spoke calmly: "The medicine's scientific name is NHC10. I asked Queen to purchase it through special channels a year ago."
Upon hearing this, Orochi immediately became nervous.
Could it be… that Kurozumi Higurashi's bottle of medicine was stolen from the Research Institute?
Damn old hag, why didn't she say so earlier!
Glancing at Kaido, seeing that he hadn't spoken, Orochi immediately interrupted:
"It's just a small matter of a little medicine being stolen. There's no need to bring it up. Now is execution time, don't disturb everyone's enjoyment!"
"Hehe…"
Edie chuckled and said: "The medicine being stolen is indeed a small matter, but last night, my subordinate already caught the thief."
A thud.
Orochi had a bad premonition.
"The person who stole the medicine is Kurozumi Higurashi."
Edie didn't give him a chance to react and immediately said: "I interrogated her this morning, and I didn't expect to hear some terrifying conspiracy from her mouth."
Hearing this, Orochi's expression changed.
Kaido frowned: "That old hag? She's still not dead."
"Bring her in."
As soon as Edie's words fell, a tall man in a gray cloak and a Ghost Face Mask (oni mask) walked over, carrying "Kurozumi Higurashi" with one hand.
"Kurozumi Higurashi" was covered in blood and barely breathing, clearly having suffered brutal torture.
Seeing this person, Kaido was full of displeasure.
"Oh ro ro ro, it's hard enough to survive on the battlefield, you look truly ridiculous."
"Kai, Kaido…"
Monkey trembled all over, her voice shaking, unable to hide her fear.
Equally fearful was Orochi.
"This dead old hag wouldn't have revealed the plan, would she…?!", Orochi's pupils constricted.
"Speak. Now, tell me again, why did you steal the medicine?" Edie, with his hands in his pockets, walked up to Monkey and questioned her.
"I…"
Monkey opened her mouth, looked at Kaido, then at Orochi, and gritted her teeth, saying: "I… didn't steal it, I didn't do it."
Damn it!
Orochi's face was ashen. Isn't this a case of protesting too much? If she was caught, she might as well die!
Kaido also noticed something was amiss and couldn't help but glance at Orochi, speaking in a low voice:
"What exactly is going on?"
"You won't say? Then I'll say it."
Edie released Monkey's hair and said loudly: "NHC10 is a World Government contraband, it is a poison."
"This old hag's purpose in stealing it…"
At this point, he paused, then suddenly looked at Orochi, questioning him: "Orochi, why did you tamper with Kaido-sensei's drink?"
The forceful question made Orochi tremble all over.
Some of the wine in his cup spilled out.
A murderous aura came from beside him, and he hurriedly shouted:
"Don't talk nonsense, I didn't poison it!"
"I just said 'tampered with,' and you confessed yourself?" Edie was surprised.
Orochi's face turned pale.
Boom!!
A burst of Haki suddenly erupted.
Kaido narrowed his eyes, his tone unfriendly: "Orochi."
"No, it's not!"
Orochi's face turned pale, and he stood up with a jolt: "Kaido, you have to believe me, I really didn't poison the drink, it's all this kid's slander!"
"Still not giving up at this point? Kurozumi Higurashi already confessed your plan."
Edie shook his head, selflessly stepping forward to speak fairly: "NHC10 is addictive. Small doses won't poison someone. You planned to slowly get Kaido-sensei addicted, making him a heavy drinker, and then, when the time was right, give him a strong dose all at once to poison him to death. Isn't that right?"
Damn Kurozumi Higurashi!
That stinky old hag really confessed their plan!!
Orochi was angry from fear, his face flushed red, and he stared intently at Kurozumi Higurashi.
Thank goodness…
Thank goodness!
He had tested the medicine's potency on a prisoner yesterday and had not followed Kurozumi Higurashi's instructions to poison Kaido on the day of the execution.
Therefore, he truly had not poisoned him, he was innocent.
At this point, he could only push the blame onto Kurozumi Higurashi.
Anyway, the old hag was about to die, so she might as well exert some residual warmth before she died.
In this critical moment, Orochi's mind was extremely active, and he instantly found a way out.
"Kai, Kaido, listen to me!"
"She did steal the medicine. Yesterday, she came to me and told me that you were going to kill her just because she interfered in your fight."
"She was helping you, though, so she wanted revenge on you! It was all her doing! I didn't listen to her and poison you!"
The drama on the execution platform instantly drew everyone's attention.
At this moment, no one cared about Oden, who was being cooked in hot oil.
Even Kozuki Oden and the others were stunned by the scene unfolding before them.
"Ohohoho… Poison me to death?"
Kaido looked at the wine glass in his hand and sneered, "Just a little poison?"
He was still in the early stages of his venture; the Beasts Pirates had just completed their initial capital accumulation.
He wasn't like twenty years later, where he found the world boring and sought death everywhere.
Jumping from ten thousand meters in the sky… seeking death.
But he also couldn't be killed by poison.
"Bring me all the poisoned wine!"
Kaido snorted coldly, then gulped down the wine in his hand.
He was incredibly dashing.
Orochi was terrified, cold sweat pouring down his back, and he quickly said,
"Kaido, I really didn't poison it! There's no poison in the wine!"
"How ugly, Orochi," Kaido said, his expression cold.
As for Orochi, or rather, why the Kurozumi family wanted to poison him, Kaido understood with a little thought.
Because he could kill Orochi at any time.
The world of pirates was full of betrayal.
It was nothing new.
However, he couldn't die; poison couldn't kill him.
If there was a poison that could kill him, he really wanted to try it.
"Wait, Kaido-sensei."
Edie took a few steps forward and mused, "Let me say a few fair words. Since Orochi said he didn't poison it and he's not convinced, then let's have someone test it to see if there's any NHC10 in the wine."
"Yes, yes, yes! Doctor Edie is right!"
Orochi nodded like a pounding garlic, quickly agreeing to the proposal.
At this moment, he suddenly felt that Edie wasn't entirely without good points; standing up to speak fairly at such a moment, not believing the one-sided story of that useless old woman Kurozumi Higurashi.
Kaido's expression darkened.
He didn't like to use his brain much, but his strength was too great.
But at necessary moments, he would also make his own judgments.
"Is that so… Queen."
As soon as he finished speaking, a plump figure leaped from a distance onto the execution platform.
"Lord Kaido, do you need me to test it?"
Queen grinned; he was enjoying the show immensely and didn't expect to have a chance to participate.
It was truly interesting.
As a Headliner of the Beasts Pirates and a high-ranking officer of the Four Emperors, he was very aware of Kaido's strength; a mere bit of NHC10 couldn't kill him.
"Go."
"Understood."
Queen took the wine glass from Kaido's hand and turned to Edie, saying, "Lend me your laboratory for a moment."
"Please do," Edie nodded.
Immediately, Queen left.
Orochi breathed a sigh of relief; this crisis was over.
Although Edie was the one who caused the trouble, he didn't blame him, as this matter was entirely caused by that old hag.
Fortunately, he didn't poison it today.
On the contrary, he had to thank Edie for speaking fairly.
Hmm… after the execution, he should invite him for a drink to resolve their past grievances.
Thinking of this, Orochi looked coldly at Kurozumi Higurashi.
She should just die by herself, instead of dragging him down with her.
Monkey dared not meet his gaze, lowering his head like an ostrich.
Edie smiled at Orochi, "Kaido-sensei is still very reasonable. He won't wrongly accuse you of something you didn't do."
"Doctor, thank you," Orochi surprisingly showed a good attitude.
"No need, you haven't proven your innocence yet."
Edie waved his hand and turned to chat with Kaido, "Kaido-sensei, you truly are a hero of this great sea. You dared to drink the wine even knowing it might be poisoned. I admire you."
"You did very well this time, Edie. Although a mere poison is useless against me, I don't like being ambushed," Kaido grinned.
"If you die, no one will fund my research, and I'll have a huge headache."
"I won't die!"
Approximately five minutes later, Queen returned.
He immediately reported the test results, his tone quite peculiar:
"Lord Kaido, residual components of NHC10 were indeed detected in the wine glass."
"Wha…!?"
Orochi widened his eyes in disbelief and roared, "Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! Queen!! Are you trying to frame me!?"
"Huh?" Queen looked at him with disdain, "What are you?"
"Impossible! Impossible! I didn't poison it! Who did it?!"
Orochi's face instantly turned ashen.
Everyone in the hall fixed their gaze on him.
At this moment, he felt like a clown on a stage.
Even Edie, who had spoken fairly earlier, now had an unpleasant expression.
Kaido, however, remained calm:
"King."
A dark shadow descended from the sky, flashing by rapidly.
King, holding a huge katana, appeared and instantly swung his sword at Orochi's head.
"Save…!" Orochi only had time to scream.
"Barrier!"
The hidden guard, Kurozumi Semimaru, activated his ability instantly.
A transparent wall, like glass, appeared.
Thud!
King's sword struck the barrier but failed to break through its defense.
"Hah… hah…"
Orochi collapsed onto the ground, terrified.
It was too fast.
Everything happened in a flash of lightning.
He was almost beheaded!
"Tatsunagi."
Edie gave the command indifferently.
The next moment.
Tatsunagi behind him vanished from his spot; he appeared behind Orochi and pierced his chest with one blow.
"Pfft!"
Orochi coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He widened his eyes and looked behind him; behind him… there was only a man wearing a ghost mask.
No barrier.
The barrier was in front, blocking King's attack.
But he didn't expect that the ghost-masked man, ignored by everyone, would suddenly attack.
Kurozumi Semimaru, hidden behind the screen, was stunned.
The scene instantly fell into silence.
Kaido surprisingly glanced at Tatsunagi.
Edie stepped towards Orochi, his voice filled with regret:
"I actually thought you didn't poison it… Throw him into the oil pot."
Tatsunagi said nothing, withdrew his right hand that had pierced Orochi's chest, grabbed the other's head, and flung him.
With a splash.
Orochi fell into the oil pot.
However, incredibly…
Despite his heart being pierced.
Orochi, who had fallen into the oil pot, suddenly screamed in agony.
"Ahhhhhhh! So hot! So hot!! So hot!!!"
Resurrected from the dead, he desperately cried out:
"I really didn't poison it!!"