The One Piece title page for Chapter 968: Oden's Return displays the series logo at the top. Below it, a large dynamic panel shows a frantic man in a dark outfit and hat sprinting across a Wano-style town street while carrying a large barrel, shouting "HELP!" in a speech bubble. A person lies sprawled on the ground in the foreground wearing a wide hat and cloak. In the midground, another figure with a "正" symbol on their back runs away. Background buildings, clouds, and scattered townspeople fill the scene. At the bottom, a caption reads: "Gang" Bege's Oh My Family Vol.17: "Save the lady! Gotti!!!" Side text notes the volume sale and climax of the Wano Arc. Author credit reads EIICHIRO ODA.
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Narration boxes recount the past: "Asked him several questions... AND THEN BEGAN TO CRY..." and "AFTER ROGER RETURNED FROM LAUGH TALE, REDTARO... THE TREASURE HE LEFT BEHIND..." The Navy took action with multiple warships at sea. The world fell into uproar with the birth of the "Pirate King," shown via a fluttering newspaper and distant town. In a lively crowd, people react excitedly: "SEEMS THAT'S WHAT THE WORLD GOVERNMENT IS CALLING YOU NOW." "IT'S GOL D. ROGER!!...BUT 'PIRATE KING' ISN'T BAD AT ALL!!" "PIRATE KING" GOLD ROGER!!" "WEALTH," "FAME," "POWER." THE MAN WHO OBTAINED EVERYTHING," and "IF THEY'RE HIDING YOUR NAME LIKE THAT, THEY MUST KNOW ITS TRUE MEANING...!!!" A figure in a dark coat stands with back turned amid the cheering crowd.
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A large panel shows the Oro Jackson sailing as narration states "ONE PIECE!!" and "THE WORLD STARTED REFERRING TO WHAT ROGER HAD OBTAINED AS..." Roger Pirates on deck celebrate: "THE WHOLE WORLD IS AFTER US, ROGER..." "BUT THANKS TO THAT TITLE," "LAHAHA HAHA!" "THEY HAVE NO IDEA!*" Below, the crew reacts in chaos. One shouts "WE'LL TAKE EVERYTHING GOLD ROGER HAS!" Another yells "THAT TREASURE IS ALL OURS!" "LOCATE ROGER, NOW!" "GUYS! LET'S KILL ROGER!" A crewmate complains "WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUTI DON'T BE SO FORMAL, IDIOT CAPTAIN!!" "YOU'RE MAKING US BLUSH! YOU BASTARD!" "SCUM!" Roger replies "I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT, YET WE CAME THIS FAR!! IT'S ALL THANKS TO YOU GUYS!" "LOOKING BACK, IT'S A TOTAL MIRACLE."
Gol D. RogerRoger Pirates crew
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Gol D. Roger stands tall with a fierce grin, declaring, "THE ROGER PIRATES!! ARE HEREBY DISBANDED!!" as his crew reacts with shock and tears. A voice pleads, "WELL, SAY IT ALREADY!!" while another shouts, "C'MON, CAPTAIN!! WE CAN TAKE IT!!" Roger laughs heartily amid the emotional outburst. The scene shifts to reflective narration and visions of the sea: "ON THE DAY OUR TWO KINGS FINALLY MEET AGAIN... I'M SURE THE WHALES WILL BE HAPPY TOO... LOOKS LIKE ONE WILL COME FROM A FAR AWAY SEA... THEY'LL BE BORN...!! OUR KINGS ARE SOON TO BE BORN..." Roger and Oden appear in close-up, with Roger growling, "EVEN IF IT TAKES TEN YEARS UNTIL THEY'RE BORN... EVEN IF THEY TAKE ANOTHER FIFTEEN YEARS UNTIL THEY'RE STRONG... THIS TIME, SURELY WILL WORK OUT... NOW IT'S JUST A LITTLE LONGER... WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SO LONG..."
Gol D. RogerKozuki Oden
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Oden listens intently as voices echo: "THOSE VOICES... THEY MUST BE TELLING THE TRUTH. SOMEONE WILL BE BORN THAT IS GOING TO SURPASS EVEN US!" A young girl with a crystal ball appears in a vision, with someone asking, "HEY SHYARLY, MAYBE YOU COULD TELL US WHEN POSEIDON WILL BE BORNI" while another demands, "WHO'S THEREI! WHERE'S THAT VOICE COMING FROMI!" Roger and Oden converse on the ship: "WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND A SONI WHY, MY SON OBVIOUSLY... ONE PIECE... WHO DO YOU THINK WILL FIND ITI WE... WERE TOO EARLY." The crew erupts in celebration as Roger announces, "I WILL BE THE FIRST TO GET OFF! AFTER THAT, TAKE ODEN BACK TO WANO KUNI! AND HEAD TO A SEA WITH NO MARINE IN SIGHT!! ALRIGHT, MEN! LET'S DRINK! I CAN ALWAYS MAKE ONE!!" The ship sails onward with laughter and cheers.
Gol D. RogerKozuki OdenShyarly
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Roger speaks with his crew about family ties: "HE IS PART OF THEIR FAMILY NOW. TELL HIM TO TAKE CARE OF WHITEY-CHAN FOR ME." A crewmate asks, "IS IZOU GOING BACK TO WANO TOOI" while Roger replies, "I WANNA MEET THAT 'WHITEY-CHAN' ONE MORE TIME BEFORE I BITE THE DUST." The narrative recounts Roger's departure: "HE HAD BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF MEDICINE FROM THE SHIP'S DOCTOR, CROCUS. ALTHOUGH, HIS ILLNESS WAS ALREADY BEYOND CURING. THEN HE DEPARTED. ROGER GAVE 'DARK KING' RAYLEIGH, HIS FIRST MATE, A FEW WORDS ALONG THE WAY..." The crew weeps openly as Roger shouts, "DO NOT CRY! THE MEN OF THE PIRATE KING'S CREW... THERE SHOULD BE NO TEARS. IN A MAN'S FAREWELL..."
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The crew approaches the turbulent coast of Wano as narration states, "...AND JUST FROM TRYING TO ENTER WANO! WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE MESS..." A crew member scans the dangerous waters. Roger reflects, "BUT THEY WILL OPEN THOSE BORDERS... THERE IS A REASON FOR WANO'S CLOSED BORDERS. THE SHIP WILL BE DESTROYED WITHOUT GETTING ANYWHERE CLOSE TO WANO. IF YOU CHOOSE THE WRONG CURRENT, THE DAY 'JOYBOY' FINALLY APPEARS...!!!" Oden stands proudly among the cheering crew, declaring, "BECAUSE WE KNEW, ONE DAY WE WOULD MEET AGAIN!! I LEFT WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE. SO OF COURSE... IT'S NOT LIKE I'M GOING TO DIE." The Roger Pirates bid farewell amid crashing waves and rising tension near the Land of Wano coast.
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Toki rushes forward with tears of joy, shouting "ODEN-SAN!!" as she embraces her husband. Kin'emon and the others cry out "TOKI-CHAN~!!! WE MISSED YOU!!" Oden laughs heartily while holding his family close. Momonosuke and Hiyori leap into the reunion, with voices calling "MOMONO-SUKE!! HIYORI!!" Oden declares, "I MISSED YOU GUYS AS WELL. FINALLY, WE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN....!!!" The family tumbles together on the grass amid large impact effects. In the next panels, a stern figure confronts Oden, asking "ARE YOU REALLY IN THE POSITION TO DEMAND RESPECT FROM USI" while another snaps "SPEAKING OF MANNERS... WHERE ARE YOURSI!" Oden replies calmly, "WELCOME BACK, SCUM." Momonosuke answers politely, "YES, FATHER!!" The figure sweats and stammers "HUH...I! SO POLITE!!" as villagers watch in the background.
Oden stands shocked as the entire village erupts in celebration. Crowds cheer wildly: "ODEN-SAMA!! ODEN-SAMA!! WELCOME HOME!! ODEN-SAMA!!" A villager exclaims, "THIS IS WONDERFUL NEWS, TOKI-SAMA!!" Oden sweats nervously while holding Momonosuke. In the following panels, retainers discuss the warm welcome. One says, "TOKI-SAMA IS INCREDIBLE... AS SOON AS SHE WAS ABLE, SHE ASSISTED THE VILLAGERS IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE!" Another notes, "YOU HAVE TOKI-SAMA TO THANK FOR THAT!" Oden reflects, "I ASSUMED MY PEOPLE WOULD BE FAR MORE CRITICAL... I DID NOT EXPECT SUCH A WARM WELCOME." A dog-like retainer growls, "NO ONE SPEAKS ABOUT YOUR PAST ACTIONS ANYMORE!" while others add that Toki and the children are now the most popular people in the country. Oden looks moved as the group surrounds him.
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Toki smiles and says, "OH, INU-CHAN AND NEKO-CHAN ALREADY TOLD ME! I AM SURE HE WILL BE HAPPY! I SEE!" Kin'emon replies about Izo. Oden grins while holding his son, responding to the crowd's cheers with "NO, PLEASE, WE DID IT BECAUSE WE TRULY LOVE ODEN-SAN. RIGHTI THANK YOU, EVERYONE!" In the next section, Oden observes, "THEY HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR OLD LIFESTYLES, I SEE. THAT'S NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF." A furry retainer reports, "ASHURA HAS RETURNED TO HIS BANDITS IN THE MOUNTAINS. MEANWHILE, DENJIRO DUE TO HIS CON ARTISTRY, NEVER STAYS IN ONE PLACE FOR TOO LONG." Oden asks, "WE HAVE NOT SPOKEN IN A YEAR AFTER ALL... WHERE ARE DENJIRO AND ASHURAI" The scene shifts to a meeting hall where retainers state, "KURI WAS LEFT WITHOUT ITS DAIMYO, BUT IT ENDURED THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF ITS PEOPLE. AFTER YOUR DEPARTURE, WE'D LIKE TO START FROM THE BEGINNING." Oden answers, "YES... WE ARE OVERJOYED TO HAVE YOU BACK FOR ANOTHER REASON AS WELL."
Kozuki OdenKozuki TokiKozuki MomonosukeKin'emon
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Oden clenches his teeth in anguish, declaring, "I TRULY REGRET NOT BEING THERE FOR HIM IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS...!!!" Sweat flies as he continues, "IT SEEMS FATHER'S CONDITION WAS WORSE THAN I IMAGINED..." A retainer explains, "FOR SOME REASON, SUKIYAKI-SAMA APPOINTED OROCHI AS THE NEW SHOGUN... THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE CHOSEN SUCCESSOR..." Oden reacts with shock. Further narration reveals, "EVEN MORE SURPRISINGLY, HE IS A MEMBER OF THE KUROZUMI FAMILY. HE NEVER EVEN RETURNED WHAT HE OWED ME." Oden adds bitterly, "OROCHI IS LIKE A BROTHER TO MEI! I ONLY EVER LENT HIM MONEY OUT OF RESPECT FOR YASU-SAN! THEIR STORY THREW ME INTO GREAT CONFUSION." In the hall, a retainer states, "KUROZUMI OROCHI... TO THINK OF ALL PEOPLE, HE WAS THE ONE APPOINTED TO LEAD IN MY STEAD." A desperate voice pleads from the side, "PLEASE LEND ME SOME MONEY..."
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A stern-faced man declares, "AND THEIR PAY IS SO FEEBLE THEY COULD NEVER FEED THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILIES!" Nearby, another explains the harsh system: "UNDER THE SHOGUN'S ORDERS, ALL OF THE MEN ARE FORCED TO WORK IN THEM. EACH HAS THEIR OWN SUPERVISORS. WEAPON FACTORIES HAVE BEEN BUILT IN EVERY VILLAGE." An unseen speaker adds, "I AM SURE YOU SAW IT ON YOUR WAY HERE..." The discussion turns to Orochi's rule. "OROCHI ONLY COMMANDS BECAUSE HE RELIES ON KAIDO... THAT PIRATE! HIS STRENGTH IS LIKE THAT OF A MONSTER!" Another voice questions, "THAT WOULD BE... BECAUSE OROCHI HAS THE SUPPORT OF A PIRATE CALLED 'KAIDO'. BUT WHYI! WHY DID ANYONE TAKE ORDERS FROM OROCHI TO BEGIN WITHI!" A flashback shows a castle under attack. "...THAT'S RIGHT!! WE ATTEMPTED TO FIGHT BACK BUT..." The narration continues: "IN RESPONSE... HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE EXECUTED BY OROCHI!!" Six months earlier, a man refused work at the weapon factory. Raizo shouts, "RAIZO!! TAKE MOMONOSUKE-SAMA AND HIYORI-SAMA OUTSIDE!" A desperate voice cries, "NO! DON'T SAY ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT!!" Others yell, "NO, SPEAK UP!! WHAT HAPPENEDI!" and "UNDERSTOOD!!"
A young woman with a headpiece reacts in shock, "!!I" as a man recounts, "WE WERE SHOCKED TO FIND THAT KAIDO'S FORCES WERE ALREADY IN KURI!" He continues, "WE COULD NO LONGER CONTROL OUR ANGER! WE LEFT TO STAGE AN ATTACK ON OROCHI AT THE FLOWER CAPITAL, BUT...!" Another adds, "FURTHER PUSHED BY OROCHI'S CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE..." The speaker explains their failed plan: "FORTUNATELY... KAWAMATSU AND INUARASHI HAD STAYED BEHIND, AND THEY MANAGED TO REPEL THEIR FORCES. HOWEVER... THEIR GOAL WAS TO KILL THE NEXT SUCCESSOR OF THE KOZUKI CLAN, MOMONOSUKE-SAMA!" Explosions rock the scene as the castle is raided. "THEN THEY RAIDED THE CASTLE...!!" A wounded figure lies on the ground while someone laments, "BECAUSE OF OUR THOUGHTLESS ACTIONS, WE ALLOWED YOUR FAMILY'S SAFETY TO BE JEOPARDIZED! WE CANNOT ATONE FOR OUR FAILURES!" Toki-sama used her body as a shield and was struck by the initial arrow. She now bears a permanent scar on her leg.
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Oden stares at the arrow wound and exclaims, "AN ARROW DID THISI!" Toki reassures him, "IT IS FINE, ODEN-SAN, IT'S ALREADY HEALED!" while shielding a child, "TOKI-CHAN, PLEASE SHOW IT TO ME...!!" Oden warns her, "ODEN-SAN, YOU MUST NOT LET A TRIVIAL THING BLIND YOUR JUDGMENT! IF YOU FIGHT THE ENEMY WILL RETALIATE!" Toki replies, "YOU HAVE ENDURED SO MUCH PAIN...!!!" Oden thanks her: "THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN!!" He adds, "TOKI-CHAN, IT SEEMS YOU DO NOT KNOW OF MY 'INFAMY'... A TRIVIAL THING!I" In the chaos, Oden charges forward shouting, "PROTECT KURI!! I WAS NEVER GOOD WITH LONG-WINDED OR WORDY SPEECHES... I AM FULLY AWARE OF OROCHI'S DIRTY METHODS!! YOU GUYS!! PROTECT MY FAMILY!!"
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Oden roars, "THE LAND OF WANO HAS FALLEN INTO THE HANDS OF SCUM!" as he leaps into battle. Toki watches in horror. He continues, "PLEASE WAIT, ODEN-SAMA! BUT I UNDERSTOOD ONE THING. A COWARD, WHO SOLELY RELIES ON STRONG PIRATES. IS ABUSING THIS COUNTRY'S ISOLATIONISM." Oden attacks fiercely amid explosions and debris. "HE'LL TURN WANO INTO A LIVING HELL!" A massive impact erupts with the sound "A!!!!" as an onlooker mutters, "THAT FOOL..."
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Panic erupts across Wano as citizens and samurai react in shock. "WILL HE TAKE OVER AS 'SHOGUN' AGAINI" "THE TRUE SUCCESSOR IS BACK!I" "ODEN-SAMA HAS RETURNEDI!" "CONTACT THE FLOWER CAPITAL!!" "IT'S KOZUKI ODEN!!" one man yells while another orders, "REPORT IT TO OROCHI!!!" A massive explosion rocks the Flower Capital, the blast sending debris flying as a distant scream echoes, "GYAAAAH...!!" Inside a ruined chamber, fallen guards lie scattered amid wreckage. A desperate voice cries out, "OROCHI-SAMA, PLEASE RESPOND!!" while another shouts, "OROCHI...!!"
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Orochi sits in terror, sweat pouring down his face as reports flood in: "ALL OF OUR SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN ANNIHILATED! YOU MUST FLEE, IMMEDIATELY!" "KOZUKI ODEN HAS INVADED THE CASTLE!!" he screams, "HUHI!" A samurai stands over him with blade drawn. Orochi pleads, "ODEN-SA...ODEN! PLEASE, THINK ABOUT THIS!!" The warrior retorts, "THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE LAND OF WANO!! CUT ME DOWN, AND YOU'LL FACE KAIDO'S WRATH!" A narrator box states, "OROCHI NOW FACES ODEN'S BLADE!" Close-ups show the samurai's intense glare as he declares, "YOUR DEATH COMES BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!" Orochi recoils in fear, "THIS GUY IS INSANE!!"
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End of chapter19 pages
Discussion
p6Roger's illness was beyond curing despite Crocus medicine.