The group followed the two little ones toward Oden's residence, a dilapidated wooden hut that looked like it could collapse with a strong breeze.
At first, the two children refused to lead the way. It wasn't until Ritter roused Oden with what he jokingly called "the touch of love" that they finally relented, sulking as they guided everyone back home.
Inside, Oden lay battered. Toki's eyes welled with tears as she pressed both hands to her mouth. "Whitebeard… what happened to Oden?"
Ritter quickly stepped forward before Whitebeard could answer. "Lady Toki, don't be alarmed. I'm Ritter, captain of the Blood Dawn Pirates. That man over there, I think you already know. As for Oden and the others… well, they had too much to drink and took a nasty spill. Nothing serious, I promise."
But Toki wasn't convinced. Behind Ritter stood ten men each scarred in a different way. Some bore burns like lightning strikes, others blunt force bruises. Oden was the worst of all, his body covered in wounds that looked unmistakably like stab marks.
"Those… don't look like accidents," Toki whispered.
Ritter scratched his cheek with mock innocence. "Well, maybe not accidents exactly."
Blood-mist curled from Ritter's fingertips, wrapping Oden's wounds. It didn't heal them completely, nor did it let him bleed out. Instead, thin threads of congealed blood stitched torn flesh just enough to keep him alive while deliberately leaving the pain raw, ensuring his mind stayed clear.
"Ouch… Ritter," Oden hissed, forcing a grin through clenched teeth. "That fall hurt more than I thought." His tone was cautious, testing the waters, hoping Ritter's anger had cooled. After all, his actions had shamed both the Roger Pirates and Whitebeard's crew.
"Yeah," Ritter replied, eyes on the half-sealed wounds. "If Whitebeard hadn't caught you, you'd probably still be unconscious. Count yourself lucky." He dismissed Marco and Stella when they offered to help "Too rough," he muttered. "I only trust myself with my brother."
Oden's jaw tightened, sweat streaming down his face. Yet his gaze cleared, gratitude slipping through his pain. "Thank you… brother."
"Don't mistake me," Ritter said with a crooked smile, withdrawing the blood-mist. "I just don't want you dying too easily."
Whitebeard sat silently nearby, his massive blade Bisento stabbed into the floor. His sons Marco, Izo, and the others stood behind him, restless but restrained. If their father hadn't spoken, they knew better than to break the silence.
Then Lady Toki stepped forward. Graceful even in weariness, she knelt by Oden's side, brushing his blood-matted hair from his brow. "Please, allow me to explain… Oden's choice was not made in ignorance."
"Choice?" Ritter arched a brow.
She nodded, her voice soft but steady. "The shogun, Orochi, took countless hostages. He swore that if Oden fought here and now, those innocents would die in the crossfire. Orochi promised one dance for one hundred lives. And he claimed that in five years, once his ships were built, he would leave Wano with Kaido. I… was taken to Kuri as leverage against my husband. Faced with the lives of his people, Oden…"
Whitebeard's frown deepened. "So he chose patience?"
"Yes," she whispered.
Ritter's laugh was harsh. "Patience? You mean humiliation. Naked dances, poisoned rivers, a country trampled by Kaido all for the shogun's lies? That's not patience, that's delusion."
Toki closed her eyes, unable to answer.
Ritter turned on Oden, eyes blazing. "You claim to love your people, so you think this farce saved them? No. Every dance stripped you of respect, of authority. No man bows to a clown, least of all a lord. You traded dignity for false promises, and you call that leadership?"
The room went silent.
Oden pushed himself upright, voice ragged. "You're right… I was wrong. I thought if I bore the shame alone, I could win peace for everyone. I thought…"
"Stop," Ritter cut him off coldly. "Spare us the speeches."
Then, to everyone's shock, Oden bowed. He forced his wounded body down until his forehead cracked against the floor. Blood spattered the boards.
"Whitebeard, Ritter… please. Help Wano. I beg you."
Whitebeard stirred, ready to speak, but Ritter held up a hand. He wasn't done.
"Say it, Oden. Say what you want."
Oden's voice trembled, but his eyes flared with long-buried pride. "Help me… help Wano. I still want to be its daimyo."
A grin split Ritter's face. "Finally. That's the fire I was waiting for."
If Oden had begged only for salvation, Ritter would have walked out. But ambition meant there was still something worth saving.
Whitebeard rose, laughter booming like thunder. "Gurararara! That's the Oden I knew. Come, Ritter let's rip that dragon's head off his shoulders!" He hefted his Bisento and strode for the door.
But Ritter, calmly eating the sweets Lady Toki had set out, called him back. "Hold on, old man."
Whitebeard frowned. "What now, brat?"
Only after handing cakes to Perona and Laboon did Ritter answer. "Kaido's gone. He slipped away the moment Oden hit the ground."
"What?!" Oden jerked his head up. "But he was on Onigashima!"
Ritter shook his head. He had cloaked Wano in fog the moment Oden began his shameful dance. It wasn't to hide Kaido it was to test Oden. Beating Kaido meant nothing if Oden himself remained broken.
"My mist was breached," Ritter explained flatly. "That overgrown lizard never intended to face us head-on."
Tesoro scowled. "From what I've gathered, Kaido seeks death. He hurls himself from the skies, crashes into navy ships… over and over."
"Please," Ritter snorted. "If he wanted to die, he'd be gone already. I've given him 'lessons in love' twice now. And look who showed up today me and Whitebeard. That lizard knows the difference between courage and stupidity. Right now, he's just a cowardly beast in hiding."
The room fell quiet again. Oden, pale but resolute, clenched his fists. For the first time in years, the flame of his will burned bright.
And Ritter, watching him, knew Wano still had hope.
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