Oden's Return

No description for this page.

After Roger returns from Laugh Tale, Redtaro asks him several questions and then begins to cry. The narration turns outward: with the birth of the "Pirate King," the whole world is in an uproar, and the Navy immediately takes action. Roger is now named by the world itself. People shout, "'Wealth,' 'fame,' 'power.' The man who obtained everything, 'Pirate King' Gold Roger!!" Others laugh at the title, saying, "It's Gol D. Roger!! ...But 'Pirate King' isn't bad at all!!" and "Seems that's what the World Government is calling you now. If they're hiding your name like that, they must know its true meaning...!!"

The world starts calling Roger's treasure "ONE PIECE!!" though Roger and his crew know that outsiders have no idea what they are talking about. Roger laughs, "They have no idea! Hahaha haha!" and tells his crew, "The whole world is after us, Roger... but thanks to that title, that treasure is all ours!" The age of pursuit begins instantly: pirates scream, "Guys! Let's kill Roger!" "Locate Roger, now!" and "We'll take everything Gold Roger has!" Yet Roger faces his crew with gratitude, saying, "Looking back, it's a total miracle. I didn't have much time left, yet we came this far!! It's all thanks to you guys!" When someone calls him formal, the men answer in their rough way: "You're making us blush! You bastard!"

Roger gives the words his crew has been waiting for and fearing: "The Roger Pirates!! Are hereby disbanded!!" His men collapse into tears, even while someone urges, "Well, say it already!!" and "C'mon, Captain!! We can take it!!" Far below the sea, the Sea Kings speak of the future. They say, "Our kings are soon to be born... They'll be born!!" Another voice says, "Looks like one will come from a far away sea..." and "I'm sure the whales will be happy too... On the day our two kings finally meet again..." They have waited so long, but the time is still ahead: "Even if it takes ten years until they're born... Even if they take another fifteen to grow strong... This time, things will surely work out... Now it's just a little longer..."

The same voices convince Roger and Oden that they are too early. Someone asks, "Who's there?! Where's that voice coming from?!" and Shyarly's prophecy is remembered: "Hey Shyarly, maybe you could tell us when Poseidon will be born?" "10 years." The voices say, "Those voices... they must be telling the truth. Someone will be born that is going to surpass even us!" Roger states plainly, "We... were too early." He wonders about the treasure: "One Piece... who do you think will find it?" and then answers with absolute faith, "Why, my son obviously!" Oden asks where he is going to find a son, and Roger laughs that he can always make one. Then he gives Oden his order: "After that, take Oden back to Wano Kuni!" and the crew drinks again as Roger says he will be first to get off and head to a sea with no Marine in sight.

Before leaving, Roger asks whether Izo is going back to Wano too, but Izo says no. He wants to meet "Whitey-chan" one more time before he bites the dust, and Roger accepts it: "He is part of their family now. Tell him to take care of Whitey-chan for me." Roger receives words from "Dark King" Rayleigh, his first mate, and a large amount of medicine from the ship's doctor, Crocus, though Oden notes that the illness is already beyond curing. Then Roger departs. The farewell is a man's farewell: "There should be no tears." "The men of the Pirate King's crew... do not cry!" The words are proud, but the faces show grief anyway.

At the coast of Wano, the ship confronts the violent waterfall and whirlpools guarding the isolated country. One man calls it "an impressive mess" just from trying to enter Wano. Oden explains that if a ship chooses the wrong current, it will be destroyed before reaching the country, but those waters also prove that Wano's closed borders exist for a reason. He declares, "The day 'Joyboy' finally appears...!!! But they will open those borders..." Oden leaves the crew smiling, not because he expects safety, but because he believes they will meet again: "It's not like I'm going to die. So of course... I left with a smile on my face. Because we knew, one day we would meet again!!"

Oden returns to Toki and the children, and the reunion is full of relief. Toki calls, "Oden-san!!" while others cry, "Toki-chan!!" and "We missed you!!" Oden embraces Momonosuke and Hiyori, calling their names, and says, "I missed you guys as well! Finally, we are together again...!!" Momonosuke greets him with unexpected politeness: "Yes, father!!" Oden notices immediately, "You have grown so much, Momonosuke!!" and then "Huh...?! So polite!!" The retainers greet him less gently: "Welcome back, scum." When Oden asks, "Speaking of manners... where are yours?!" they fire back, "Are you really in the position to demand respect from us?"

The people of Kuri welcome Oden with joy: "Oden-sama!!" "Oden-sama! Welcome home!!" "Oden-sama!!" Kin'emon tells Toki, "This is wonderful news, Toki-sama!!" Oden is surprised by the warmth: "I did not expect such a warm welcome. I assumed my people would be far more critical..." The retainers explain that Toki changed everything. Kin'emon says, "You have Toki-sama to thank for that!" and another adds, "Toki-sama is incredible... As soon as she was able, she assisted the villagers in any way possible." She never used her status as Oden's wife to her advantage, and every day she worked while telling everyone about Oden's adventures. Now Toki and the children are the most popular people in the country, and no one speaks about Oden's past actions anymore.

Toki explains that Inuarashi and Nekomamushi have already told her what happened, and Oden is sure Izo will be happy too. The retainers admit they wanted to be loved by Oden as well, complaining, "It's not fair! I want to be popular too!!" but the villagers insist, "No, please, we did it because we truly love Oden-san." The conversation turns darker when Oden asks about Denjiro and Ashura. He is told, "We have not spoken in a year after all..." Ashura has returned to his bandits in the mountains, while Denjiro, because of his con artistry, never stays in one place for long. Still, the region endured without its daimyo. The retainers say they would like to start from the beginning, and add, "Kuri was left without its daimyo, but it endured thanks to the support of it's people."

Oden learns that his father's condition was worse than he imagined, and he says, "I truly regret not being there for him in his final moments...!!" But the real shock is the successor. The retainers explain, "The problem is with the chosen successor... For some reason, Sukiyaki-sama appointed Orochi as the new Shogun..." Oden is confused, because the story he knows is different: "Orochi is like a brother to me?! I only ever lent him money out of respect for Yasu-san!" He remembers Orochi begging, "Please lend me some money..." and notes that Orochi never even returned what he owed. The betrayal deepens when they reveal that Orochi is a member of the Kurozumi family, and Oden can only stare at the idea that Kurozumi Orochi was appointed to lead in his stead.

Oden has already seen signs of Wano's ruin on the way home: weapon factories have been built in every village, each with its own supervisors. Under the Shogun's orders, people are forced to work in them, and their pay is so feeble they cannot feed themselves or their families. Oden asks the obvious question: "But why?! Why did anyone take orders from Orochi to begin with?" The retainers answer that Orochi only commands because he relies on Kaido. That pirate's strength is like that of a monster, and they tried to fight back but failed. Six months earlier, a man refused to work at the weapon factory; in response, Orochi executed him and his family. The story is so awful that Kin'emon stops the others and tells Raizo, "Take Momonosuke-sama and Hiyori-sama outside!"

The retainers reveal the attack that followed Orochi's violence. Further pushed by Orochi's continuous brutality, they could no longer control their anger and left to stage an attack on Orochi at the Flower Capital. But Kaido's forces were already in Kuri. Their goal was to kill the next successor of the Kozuki clan, Momonosuke-sama, and then they raided the castle. Fortunately, Kawamatsu and Inuarashi had stayed behind and repelled them, but the cost was severe. Toki used her body as a shield and was struck in the leg by the initial arrow. The retainers kneel and say, "Because of our thoughtless actions, we allowed your family's safety to be jeopardized!! We cannot atone for our failures!" They add that Toki has suffered a permanent scar on her leg.

Oden sees Toki's scar and is horrified: "An arrow did this?!" Toki tries to calm him, saying, "It is fine, Oden-san, it's already healed!" but Oden thanks her through his fury: "Thank you for protecting our children!! You have endured so much pain...!!" Toki warns him, "Oden-san, you must not let a trivial thing blind your judgment. If you fight them... the enemy will retaliate!" Oden answers that she does not understand his infamy. He admits he was never good with long-winded or worthy speeches, but he understands Orochi's methods. He gathers his retainers behind him and gives a direct command: "I am fully aware of Orochi's dirty methods!! You guys!! Protect my family!! Protect Kuri!!"

Oden understands one thing clearly: "The land of Wano has fallen into the hands of scum!" Toki begs, "Please wait, Oden-sama!!" but he has already decided. To him, Orochi is "a coward, who solely relies on strong pirates," and what Orochi is doing is "abusing this country's isolationism." Oden sees that if Orochi is not stopped, "He'll turn Wano into a living hell!" The castle and the Flower Capital loom ahead while Oden charges through the land. His anger is no longer personal alone; it is the rage of a man who finally sees what has been done to his home while he was away.

The Flower Capital panics as the news spreads: "It's Kozuki Oden!!" "Contact the Flower Capital!!" "Oden-sama has returned?!" "The true successor is back!?" "Will he take over as 'Shogun' again?" People shout, "Report it to Orochi!!" while others wonder whether Oden has finally come to reclaim Wano. Oden storms through the capital toward the castle, leaving bodies and wreckage in his path. Guards cry, "Orochi...!!" and "Orochi-sama, please respond!!" but the rush of his attack has already broken through the outer defenses. The page turns Oden's return into a direct invasion of Orochi's seat of power.

Orochi receives the news in terror: "Kozuki Oden has invaded the castle!!" A guard reports, "All of our soldiers have been annihilated! You must flee, immediately!" But Oden is already there, breathing hard and carrying his blades. Orochi pleads, "Wait!! Oden-sa...Oden! Please, think about this!!" and threatens him with Kaido's wrath: "Cut me down, and you'll face Kaido's wrath! Think about what that means for the land of Wano!!" Oden does not stop. The narration states, "Orochi now faces Oden's blade!" Orochi thinks, "Oh right... this guy is insane!!" as Oden declares, "Your death comes before anything else!" and brings the blade down.

No description for this page.