"Who are you people?! There's nothing out here in this desolate wilderness. What is your purpose for coming here?!"
A burly, rugged man whose head and body were wrapped in white bandages shouted in a low voice. He aimed his naginata at Allen's group, glaring at them with a hostile expression.
Before anyone else could speak, the hot-tempered Kid couldn't hold back. He jumped forward and clamored, "Hey! Before asking others, you should state your own name first. That's common sense known to all pirates around the world, isn't it?!"
"What is a pirate? Could it be a type of thief? From your clothes, it's obvious you're from overseas."
Gyukimaru's eyes suddenly turned cold. "Wano Country has been closed off for a long time. For a group of foreigners to sneak around a long-abandoned graveyard, you must have some ulterior motive!"
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Kid was more confused than angry.
Putting a label on them right off the bat was one thing, especially since they didn't come to Wano Country with good intentions anyway.
But for there to be someone in the world who didn't know what a pirate was?!
That was beyond bizarre.
Before the group could react, the rugged-looking man in the white robe suddenly attacked. He leaped high into the air above Kid's head, gripping his naginata with both hands, and slashed down furiously!
"I'd say you're more like grave robbers! Take this!!"
"Magnetism: Resonance!!"
Kid's eyes darkened. Several purple electric sparks shot out from his fingers as he casually released a powerful magnetic force toward the naginata.
*Hum!!*
The large blade came to an abrupt halt right in front of Kid's palm. The blade trembled and hummed. Gyukimaru was frozen in mid-air, gripping the weapon with both hands, unable to break through no matter how hard he gritted his teeth and exerted force.
"Bastard! What kind of sorcery did you cast?!"
Gyukimaru cursed angrily. In the next second, his pupils shrank in shock as he felt the invisible force beneath his blade rapidly expand.
Kid's eyes turned cold. With a flip of his wrist, he altered the nature of the magnetism, and a powerful repulsive force suddenly erupted!
"Magnetism: Repel!!"
*Bang!!*
The naginata was blasted into the sky, and Gyukimaru was sent flying over ten meters backward by the momentum. His feet plowed two deep trenches in the snow as he landed.
"What the hell are you talking about? First grave robbers, then sorcery. And not even knowing what a pirate is—that's just too weird."
Kid stared at him with disdain and said coldly, "You're the one who attacked us out of nowhere. If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I'll bury you right here in this snowy mountain."
"Stop lying! Ever since Kaido took over Wano Country, Ringo has long been abandoned, leaving nothing but graveyards. What else could you be here for besides grave robbing?!"
Gyukimaru shouted indignantly, drawing two more swords from the basket on his back.
Kid completely lost his patience. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he clenched his fingers tightly toward Gyukimaru!
"Magnetism: Sword Prison!!"
*Hum!!*
Instantly, the twin swords in the man's hands, along with all the blades carried on his back, began to tremble uncontrollably.
Gyukimaru's face filled with shock. Under Kid's control, all the swords, spears, and halberds flew into the air and pointed directly at him!
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Dozens of weapons, crackling with purple arcs of electricity, shot down rapidly at Gyukimaru, piercing his limbs and sending blood splattering!
"Argh—!!"
Gyukimaru cried out in agony, his face twisted in pain. His body was firmly pinned to the ground, his blood trickling out and dyeing the accumulated snow red.
A longsword hovered right above Gyukimaru's head. Kid stepped forward, reached out to grab the floating sword, and pressed the sharp edge against his throat. He said coldly, "Not only am I not a grave robber, but I can also conveniently build a grave for you. Speak, who are you? Don't tell me you're one of Kaido's subordinates."
"Wait a minute, Kid."
Petals fluttered, and an arm suddenly sprouted from Kid's hand, pressing down on the hilt to stop him from acting.
Robin walked forward slowly and said calmly, "This country has been closed off for hundreds of years, and its information has long been isolated from the outside world. Judging from his words, he doesn't sound like Kaido's subordinate, but rather a resident of Wano Country."
"Huh? Does a closed country mean prohibiting people from entering and leaving?"
Kid asked in confusion.
Robin nodded and replied, "Not only that, but even their culture is isolated from the mainstream culture of the world. Aside from Kaido's subordinates, no one else can come into contact with the outside world."
"Cultural isolation? Tch, to think there's actually a place like this in the world. Then they're no different from primitive cavemen."
Kid glanced at Gyukimaru with disdain.
Behind them, Allen and the rest of the group walked up. Perona leaned in with a curious expression, sizing up Gyukimaru, and said excitedly, "Is this a resident of Wano Country? His outfit really looks like Ryuma's. I think it's called a samurai outfit, right? It's exactly like what Lord Moria said."
"!!!"
Hearing her words, Gyukimaru's angry gaze suddenly shifted, and his eyes widened in shock.
"Did you just say... Ryuma?! And Moria?!"
"Huh, why are you getting so worked up?"
Perona was taken aback at first, but then she realized something, and her expression gradually grew excited.
"Could it be...! Do you know Lord Moria?! Hey, tell me quickly, do you know where Lord Moria is?!"
Perona grabbed Gyukimaru's collar and shook him vigorously. After two years, hearing Moria's name from someone else's mouth inevitably made her emotional.
The group watched this scene in surprise. Even Allen hadn't expected to hear Moria's name from this man.
Meanwhile.
In the "Kibi" region adjacent to Ringo, within a desolate village where residents relied on scavenging garbage to survive—Okobore Town.
Inside a dilapidated and simple mochi shop, a handsome man dressed in feminine attire walked out from the back kitchen.
Kikunojo looked at the empty hall. There was only one woman sitting alone by the window, carefully observing the movements outside through a small crack.
"Tsuru, I've finished reading my brother's letter. Kin'emon and the others have successfully met up with the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace is leading everyone here to Wano Country as we speak."
Kikunojo walked forward slowly, speaking with a faint smile on his face.
Hearing that Kin'emon and the Whitebeard Pirates had successfully met up, Tsuru closed the window, clutched her chest, and smiled with a look of immense relief.
"Thank goodness. I knew they would be fine. After twenty whole years, this day has finally come."
"Yes, we will soon put an end to Kaido's rule, as long as we have the help of the Whitebeard Pirates."
Kikunojo nodded and chuckled softly, a trace of heartache quietly flashing in his eyes.
To him, who had been sent here by Lady Toki's power, the decisive battle between Oden and Kaido felt as if it had just happened yesterday.
However, for Tsuru, it had been twenty agonizing years of waiting without any news. Only she knew how tormenting those twenty years had been.
Fortunately, all of this would soon come to an end.
Kikunojo's eyes filled with determination. Before Ace and the others arrived, he had to start from within Wano Country and gather all the samurai who still possessed the will to fight.