In Kuri, the place where Daniel Davis and his group had previously ascended through the waterfall, Esdeath and the others engaged in a large-scale battle with the members of the Beasts Pirates. This location was of critical importance because it housed the Udon Port, a vital entry point to Wano Country.
The entrance to Wano required ascending a waterfall, which, while manageable for pirates or small groups, would become a significant issue once Wano opened its borders. Opening the country would inevitably lead to an influx of foreigners, and relying solely on the waterfall for entry would severely limit the number of people who could enter. Moreover, merchant ships transporting goods would find it nearly impossible to navigate the waterfall.
The waterfall entrance had its limitations. While smaller vessels could manage, larger ships, such as those of the Whitebeard Pirates or Marine warships, could not ascend it. Marine warships differed significantly from pirate ships in that they were made of steel, a technology tightly controlled by the World Government and the Marines. Other factions, including the Emperors, used wooden ships unless they had captured Marine vessels.
Even Udon Port, while capable of accommodating larger ships like those used in the Beasts Pirates' arms trade, was too narrow to meet the demands of an open Wano. With its unique resources, Wano would undoubtedly attract merchants from around the world once it opened. The country was rich in seastone and gold, earning it the nickname "Land of Gold" in the past.
"With such power, they still lost to the Straw Hat Pirates. It's hard to know what to say." The battle at Udon Port ended quickly, with the Beasts Pirates defeated and the port falling into Daniel Davis' hands. Along with the port, a large cache of weapons awaiting trade also fell into his possession.
Udon Port was essentially Kaido's private harbor, as Kurozumi Orochi had no use for it, leaving the Beasts Pirates to use it as a storage facility. In this battle, Esdeath and the others barely needed to intervene, as the Oniwabanshu and Wano's samurai handled most of the fighting. Orochi, as the shogun of Wano, commanded a considerable force of over ten thousand men, including roughly five thousand ninjas and five thousand samurai. Wano was known for its powerful samurai, and its overall strength ranked among the top ten nations in the world.
With such forces, combined with Kaido's twenty thousand men, their defeat at the hands of the Straw Hat Pirates was largely due to internal strife and overconfidence.
"The arms trade—Kaido was quite clever." Examining the vast stockpile of weapons in Udon Port, Daniel Davis gained a new appreciation for Kaido's business acumen.
While gambling, drugs, and prostitution were typically the most lucrative industries, the arms trade surpassed them all, especially in a world teeming with pirates. Among the Emperors, the Beasts Pirates were the wealthiest, thanks to their involvement in the arms trade. Kaido, often seen as a suicidal brute, was clearly more strategic than he appeared.
In contrast, Doflamingo's human trafficking business, while profitable, was far more despicable. Only in a world ruled by the Celestial Dragons, who demanded a steady supply of slaves, could such a trade thrive. Otherwise, someone like Doflamingo would have been eliminated long ago.
Similarly, among the three vices—gambling, drugs, and prostitution—drugs were the lowest. Selling medicine, which was both profitable and legal, was a far better option. Gambling and prostitution, however, were more respectable. The pleasure districts scattered across the world not only generated substantial income but also served as hubs for intelligence gathering. The World Government, not entirely foolish, had long since taken control of these districts. Stussy, the Queen of the Pleasure District, maintained close ties with various underground figures and powerful pirates, including Big Mom. Few realized she was a member of the CP organization.
As for gambling, the most prominent figure was undoubtedly Tesoro, whose Gran Tesoro was said to hold twenty percent of the world's wealth.
"Distribute these weapons." After assessing the stockpile of firearms, Daniel Davis ordered Akame and the others to arm their forces.
It was baffling that Wano, capable of producing vast quantities of firearms, primarily relied on swords for combat. While firearms were irrelevant to powerful fighters, they were crucial for those of average strength. Even Whitebeard had suffered numerous gunshot wounds and explosions during the Marineford War. Aside from a few exceptional individuals and Devil Fruit users like Luffy, few could ignore the threat of firearms.
In truth, the majority of deaths in the pirate world were caused by firearms. For example, Doflamingo's brother, Corazon, was shot multiple times by Doflamingo himself. Even the Red-Haired Pirates were almost entirely armed with guns, and Marine foot soldiers primarily relied on firearms.
Daniel Davis understood the reason behind Wano's preference for swords. The samurai held a privileged status in Wano, and even if they killed civilians, they could often escape punishment by paying a fine. This sense of superiority led them to disdain firearms as dishonorable. Even after Kaido's Beasts Pirates took control of Wano, this tradition persisted, much like the Marines' blind adherence to their notion of "justice."
This mindset, Daniel Davis thought, was why Kozuki Oden's attempt to open Wano had failed. Even if he had succeeded, the country would have eventually collapsed under the weight of its own arrogance.
This mentality wasn't limited to Orochi's followers; even the Red Scabbards, loyal to the Kozuki family, shared it. Their initial encounters with Luffy and his crew had been marked by condescension, something Luffy's group tolerated but Daniel Davis would not. The Red Scabbards might have been respected in Wano, but in the New World, they were nobodies.
In fact, Trafalgar Law had shown mercy by using his Devil Fruit abilities to cut down Kin'emon without killing him. Otherwise, Kin'emon would never have had the chance to meet Luffy.
"Lord Orochi, you must not open the country! It will bring corruption to our land."
After quelling the internal conflict with the Beasts Pirates, Daniel Davis and his group returned to the Flower Capital, only to find a crowd of people tearfully pleading with Orochi to abandon his plans to open Wano. These individuals were mostly nobles, wealthy merchants, and samurai who had grown accustomed to their privileged status and were unwilling to relinquish it.
Opening a country that had been isolated for centuries was no easy task. The entrenched powers would naturally resist change, much like the situation in Daniel Davis' previous world. Even when Orochi and Kaido had taken control of Wano, their success was partly due to Kozuki Oden's push to open the country, which had cost him significant support.
"How noisy. Take them away and investigate them thoroughly." Daniel Davis had no patience for these remnants of the old regime. Fortunately, the Kurozumi clan and the Beasts Pirates had already eliminated many of Wano's most顽固 elements, saving Daniel Davis the trouble of having to resort to mass executions to maintain control.
Even so, some individuals still dared to resist, prompting Esdeath and the others to suppress them.
"Hyogoro, Kawamatsu, my apologies." While Esdeath and the others dealt with the unrest, Daniel Davis prepared to dispose of Kid, Hyogoro, and the others in the Flower Capital's palace.
Kawamatsu would be reanimated by Akame using her Deadly Eight Trigrams technique, while Kid and the others would be executed, with their Devil Fruits harvested. The Magnet-Magnet Fruit would soon be in Daniel Davis' possession.
Daniel Davis was particularly curious about Hyogoro, who had once been a towering figure but had shrunk significantly with age. This reminded him of Whitebeard, who had grown from a normal-sized man into a giant over the years. The pirate world was full of such inexplicable phenomena, such as Kaido's wife and the offspring of giants and humans.
"Impressive. No wonder Orochi held you in such high regard, Komurasaki."
After driving out the Beasts Pirates, Daniel Davis officially took control of Orochi's palace, with Orochi himself claiming he needed time to recuperate and remaining out of sight.
"You flatter me, my lord." Komurasaki, wearing a white mask, set down her shamisen and prepared to remove it.
Intrigued by Komurasaki, Daniel Davis had summoned her to the palace to perform her famous "Moon Princess" song. Naturally, Kyoshiro had accompanied her.
"Wait a moment. I'm curious—why do you always wear a mask when performing this song? Why not remove it here?" Daniel Davis stopped Komurasaki as she tried to leave. Kyoshiro's expression immediately darkened, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword.
Kyoshiro knew what happened when Komurasaki performed without her mask, and he couldn't risk anyone seeing her tears. Even if her true identity remained hidden, crying in front of a noble could be interpreted as disrespect, punishable by death.
"My lord, Komurasaki—" Kyoshiro began, but Daniel Davis cut him off with a cold command. Instantly, the Oniwabanshu surrounded the hall, trapping Kyoshiro and Komurasaki.
"I'm not the fool Orochi was. I won't tolerate your insolence. Kyoshiro, your concern for a mere courtesan is suspicious. You're always present when Orochi meets her, yet you show no such care for the other women under your charge. Is there something special about her?"
The room fell silent, tension thick in the air as Kyoshiro prepared to draw his sword and the Oniwabanshu readied themselves for battle.
Just as Kyoshiro was about to act, Komurasaki burst into laughter and removed her mask. "My lord, I wear the mask because this song always reminds me of my homeland. I cry every time I perform it, and I didn't want to spoil your enjoyment."
Her performance was worthy of an award, especially with the tear streaks still visible on her face, designed to evoke sympathy.
"Where is your homeland, and why haven't you returned?" Daniel Davis waved his hand, and the Oniwabanshu retreated. Kyoshiro released his grip on his sword, eyeing Daniel Davis warily.
The Oniwabanshu had always been loyal to Orochi, yet Daniel Davis commanded them effortlessly, filling Kyoshiro with unease.
"My family was destroyed. There's no home to return to." Komurasaki sat back down.
"Was it Orochi who destroyed them?"
"You jest, my lord. It was bandits."
Daniel Davis' words sent a jolt through Komurasaki, but years of acting allowed her to maintain her composure.
"Even if it was Orochi, it doesn't matter now. Wano is mine. The Kozuki, Kurozumi, Amatsuki, Shimotsuki, Fugetsu, and Uzuki clans are all relics of the past. Twenty years is enough time for people to forget them."
"Of course, my lord." Komurasaki smiled, seemingly unaffected.
"Did you know? Orochi told me many things, including some about the Kozuki clan and the rumors circulating in Wano. The Red Scabbards didn't die. Not only are they alive, but Kozuki Oden's son, Momonosuke, and daughter, Hiyori, also survived." Daniel Davis watched Komurasaki's calm expression, then continued.
"It's said that Lady Toki, Oden's wife, possessed the ability to travel through time. She sent some of the Red Scabbards and Momonosuke twenty years into the future, while others hid Hiyori in Wano, planning to overthrow Orochi in this era. Unfortunately, they were discovered almost immediately and pursued by Orochi's forces. They fled to the sea, where Kaido's men continued the hunt. They're likely dead by now."
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