If these altered forms were attributed to the Gifter class, then their strange appearances made sense. Carl narrowed his eyes. According to data, Gifter refers to the artificial Zoan users granted abilities via the SMILE fruits created by Caesar Clown and distributed by Doflamingo to Kaido. These users frequently display bizarre, incomplete animal-human hybrids—just like these.
"Didn't you hear me?! We're with the Beasts Pirates!" shouted the horse-legged man, Selinei, his voice cracking as fear overwhelmed him.
These men had never seen this stranger before—clad in a white kimono, swords at his waist—and yet, he radiated terrifying, oppressive power. No such samurai existed in the records of Wano Country's known factions. He wasn't one of the Nine Red Scabbards. Not a retainer of Oden. Not even among the samurai who opposed Orochi.
"Beasts Pirates? Just who I'm looking for," Carl muttered, casually digging his finger into his ear. The numeral 'six' in his right eye shifted and locked into the character 'one'.
[Hell Road] – Activate!
A sudden burst of invisible mental force surged into the minds of the three Gifters. Carl, remembering what happened when he crushed Hody Jones with an overpowered strike, carefully dialed back the force to avoid a lethal effect.
Still, in a split second, the trio was consumed by a nightmarish loop of endless psychological torment. Their bodies trembled, and their faces twisted in horror, forced to relive illusions of defeat, humiliation, and death in cycles.
Carl retracted the technique after three seconds. It was enough.
"Ab…a…ba…ba…" The sheep-headed Gifter drooled and trembled. Sweat drenched his body. His eyes were rolled back. His mouth leaked nonsense. It was a pitiful sight.
Carl blinked and waved his hand in front of their faces. "Hey, you alive? Hello? I only dialed it to one…"
Had he overdone it again?
He was certain this level of spiritual pressure shouldn't break a Zoan user, even a low-tier one. After all, these weren't civilians—they were combatants under Kaido, one of the Four Emperors!
Eventually, the sheep-headed man's eyes began to refocus. When he locked gazes with Carl, he let out a soul-piercing scream.
"DEMON! IT'S A DEMON!! DON'T COME NEAR ME!"
Carl exhaled. "Relax. If you can still scream, you're not broken. Now then…"
His gaze sharpened. His killing intent spiked like a blade pressed against the air.
"You answer my questions, clearly and quickly. Or I'll drag your soul back into the nightmare you just tasted."
The sheep-headed man paled and nodded repeatedly, his hooves shaking beneath him. "Yes, sir, I understand! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Carl began questioning. Who were their unit commanders? Where was the nearest base of the Beasts Pirates? Did Kaido have a stronghold nearby? And most importantly—did they carry a log pose or eternal pose pointing toward Onigashima?
As the sheep man trembled and spilled his knowledge, Carl filtered useful intel. Most was predictable: Orochi ruled Wano on the surface, but Kaido held true power, maintaining dominance through the Tobi Roppo, Headliners, and Gifter armies. But… no mention of eternal log poses.
"Tch. So even their fodder doesn't carry navigational tools," Carl muttered.
Still, his understanding of Wano's current power dynamics had improved. That was a win.
"Lord… I answered your questions," the sheep man stammered, forcing a smile. "May I go now…?"
Carl's eyes narrowed. "Sure. I'll let you go painlessly."
[Solution] – Activate.
A slash of compressed air laced with Haki and cherry blossom essence flashed silently. It was a refined technique from Carl's Student Realm: Demon-Fufu Royal Cook, able to operate without domain activation at reduced output.
The sheep man didn't even scream. His body split into soft, petal-like pieces, evaporating into the wind.
"Done." Carl flicked his wrist. "As for these two…"
He glanced at the bat-eared and horse-legged Gifters still trapped in mind-numbed silence.
Carl scratched his head. "Man, I really tried to hold back. You guys are fragile."
With that, he stepped forward—Soru-like speed bursting beneath his feet as he vanished toward Nakasa Village.
When he arrived, the gentle voices of Tengu Yamabako (Tenguyama Hitetsu in the original) and O-Tama greeted him. They stood beneath the towering tree house, chatting excitedly about blades.
"What's going on here?" Carl approached.
"Lord Carl!" O-Tama beamed, her face lighting up like sunshine.
"My master is a master swordsmith! He wants to make a blade for you as thanks!"
Tengu bowed respectfully. "Indeed, young lord. Though I conceal myself as a simple mask-wearing old man… I am the descendant of Kozaburo, famed blacksmith of the sword Enma—a blade that once belonged to Lord Oden himself."
Carl raised a brow. This old man was no ordinary recluse. He was Hitetsu, maker of legendary swords like Kitetsu III and guardian of O-Tama.
"Then I'll look forward to your craftsmanship," Carl said calmly.
And thus, the wheels of Wano's fate turned once more…
The Sandai Kitetsu, the Third Generation Kitetsu, was the cursed blade Zoro obtained in Loguetown, a sword infamous for bringing misfortune to its wielder. Despite that, Zoro wielded it skillfully, even trusting his luck to test it against his own arm. As for the "Deadwood" Carl used—he had yet to fully master its nature.
Then there was Sakura Ten, one of Carl's paired swords, forged from cherry blossom steel extracted from a unique meteorite. It complemented his explosive strength perfectly.
And Tian Yugushan Feiche, the master swordsmith before him, wasn't just any craftsman. He was ranked among the 21 O Wazamono, the Great Grade swordsmen and blacksmiths, standing only below the Saijo O Wazamono, where blades like Mihawk's Yoru or Whitebeard's Murakumogiri resided. His works were said to "cut even the heavens", a phrase once attributed to blades that could clash with the likes of Roger or Oden.
"These are his famed swords…" Carl murmured, eyes lingering on the katana at his waist. He slowly drew 'Deadwood' and handed it to Feiche. "Honestly, this blade never sat right with me."
"Sakura Ten is thick and solid—made for power," he explained, "but 'Deadwood' is slender… It doesn't suit my combat style."
Feiche received the sword with reverence. Even without a word, his trained eyes saw the quality—this was a famous blade, perhaps even cursed, yet teeming with potential.
Meanwhile, young Ayu hesitated. "Sir… may we give the food you rewarded us to others?"
Carl raised a brow.
"The compressed biscuits… They could save many lives. In the entire Wano Country, aside from the Flower Capital under the tyrant Kurozumi Orochi, there's nothing but hunger."
Carl waved off her concern. "Of course. It was a reward for your help. But I'll give you even more."
Ayu blinked, stunned. "Huh?"
Carl strode to the treehouse's door, spreading out his Gourmet Tablecloth, a spatial tool from the system.
"Compressed biscuits, mineral water."
Thump, thump—
Bricks of biscuits and neat bottles of water poured out like a river. In seconds, the entire treehouse floor was buried in supplies.
"Alright," Carl dusted his palms. "That should cover it."
Behind him, Feiche and Ayu gaped. This was no illusion. A mountain of rations had just appeared like a dream.
It was hard to imagine how long it would take to consume it all.
—At the same time—
Grand Line, high above the clouds.
A Sky Island.
A giant figure sat atop a cloud, chugging wine.
Suddenly, his roar broke the silence.
"WHY?! Why won't I die!?"
His muscular frame was bare-chested, showing off his horns, a large X-shaped scar, and dragon-scale tattoos on his right arm. With the expression of a maddened war god, he stood—his presence shaking the sky.
This was none other than Kaido of the Beasts, the Strongest Creature Alive.
Bored of life, suicidal yet invincible, Kaido finished his wine gourd and tied it back to his waist.
"Damn it… This sucks…"
Then, with reckless abandon, he leapt off the Sky Island.
BOOOOM!
A massive island below shattered like clay. A giant human-shaped crater was left in his wake. After a moment, Kaido climbed out, half-dazed.
"Guess I'll head back…"
Whrrr—
His monstrous body expanded, scales crackling to life, transforming into a massive Azure Dragon. Like a storm, he soared back toward Wano Country.
Meanwhile, back in Bianli Village, Feiche and Ayu loaded supplies onto a cart, preparing to deliver them to hidden refugee camps across Kibi and Udon.
Carl, however, walked toward the Flower Capital.
He sensed it. Life in Wano clustered there, like insects drawn to the last bit of light.
Places like Hakumai, Ringo, and Kuri had become ghost towns.
As Carl walked leisurely, the clatter of two swords at his waist echoed faintly. One was Sakura Ten. The other slot was empty—Deadwood had been entrusted to Feiche for reforging.
As he entered the Flower Capital, the atmosphere changed drastically.
It was another world compared to the devastation in Kuri.
Bustling streets, neon signs, theaters, restaurants, geisha, samurai… It was lively, almost celebratory. Yet Carl knew—it was forced prosperity, enforced by fear and oppression.
"Tsk… what a joke," Carl muttered, making his way toward a casino.
All this power, yet Wano was in chains. Orochi was a fool, a puppet. The true problem was Kaido, Wano's so-called protector.
If Kaido had never allied with Orochi, he would have been overthrown by Kozuki Oden or the Nine Red Scabbards twenty years ago. Instead, Kaido's grip had suffocated hope itself.
"Big money! Little money! Place your bets!"
The casino roared with action. Crowds surrounded the tables, eyes red with desperation and greed.
Carl casually scanned the room. He'd done this before—in Rainbase, Alabasta. Blend in, then clean the house.
But this time, his eyes locked onto a peculiar figure in the corner.
A man in a tattered kimono, blindfolded, a katana at his side, scars crossing both closed eyes.
Carl froze.
As if sensing his gaze, the man turned his head.
He did not open his eyes.
But his presence… felt sharp—like a blade drawn but not swung.
"…Why are you here?" Carl whispered.
He approached and sat beside the man on a tatami mat.
"Yo~ brother," the blind man greeted with a lazy smile, his voice calm yet unreadable. "Fun place, this casino, don't you think?"
Carl narrowed his eyes
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