Vane had to admit—Orochi's skin was thick. When he'd slit the tyrant's throat earlier, it had taken considerable effort.

Now, Orochi stared at Vane in disbelief, red liquid pooling at his lips, muttering soundless words. His head tilted, his body slumped, and just like that… he was gone.

Rhett Vane didn't care for Orochi. If the man hadn't tried to spy on him, Vane wouldn't have taken action. But leaving pests like him alive only invited trouble.

He was nothing more than a buzzing fly—and Vane had just swatted him.

---

Half an hour later, Vane returned to his temporary residence—a lavish hotel near the Flower Capital. Berries weren't accepted here, but it didn't matter. He had gold. And gold was always welcome.

People said a kind of Pure Gold existed somewhere in the world—capable of extending life itself. Rarer and more precious than anything else. Vane hadn't seen it yet, but the stories intrigued him.

As for Orochi's body? Vane didn't bother to dispose of it. Let the world know he was dead. No need to hide it. If he was going to claim Wano, he needed to start by making a statement.

Yes—he was going to take Wano.

Wano's terrain was a natural fortress. Easy to defend, nearly impossible to invade. Unless one could fly or knew the ancient trick of scaling the cliffs using koi fish to pull a boat, entering was a nightmare. Even Big Mom's crew—the best intelligence network in the seas—might not know every detail.

Last night, the idea had struck him: Why not rule a country? As the Pirate Emperor, shouldn't he have his own territory? His own base of power?

But that meant going up against the Beast Pirates.

Still, Vane wasn't one to avoid confrontation. Even without Wano, a clash with Kaido was inevitable.

"We'll have to defeat him," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Or better yet… make him kneel."

Subduing Kaido. That would be a challenge. The man had lost battles before and still came back stronger. If Vane wanted true control, he'd have to go further.

---

By the time he returned, it was nearly midnight. Before leaving earlier, he had told Esdeath not to wait for him. She and Kalifa were already asleep.

But to his surprise, Gion was still awake.

She waited for him in his room, seated neatly with a tray of hot food.

"It's late," she said, gently. "You should eat, Vane."

He sat down across from her. "Thanks."

"Is it done?" she asked quietly as he picked up his chopsticks.

"It's done."

"What did you do with Orochi?"

Just yesterday, Vane had revealed to Gion that the one monitoring them was none other than Orochi—the so-called shogun of Wano. Gion had been shocked. Why would the country's ruler be so wary of Vane, a newcomer?

Still, she understood. Vane was no ordinary man. His presence alone disturbed the fragile balance of Wano.

"Killed him," Vane said plainly.

"Killed him?!" Gion gasped. "You really…?!"

She hadn't expected him to act so decisively.

"Won't this throw the country into chaos? A ruler's death isn't a small matter!"

Vane looked at her calmly. "Gion, what do you think of Wano's location?"

She blinked at the question. "It's excellent. Few places are this well-protected."

She paused. "I've seen many parts of the world, but few are like Wano. Still, I hate its customs. Its aristocracy is rotten. Outside the Flower Capital, there's only poverty and neglect. The whole country is warped."

The Flower Capital was a place of luxury—home to nobles and the rich. A playground of corruption. But outside its walls, Wano was filled with squalor, starvation, and injustice. It was as if the entire nation had poured its resources into pampering a single city.

"I asked about the location," Vane repeated.

Gion frowned. "Why?"

"I plan to rule it," he said.

Her eyes widened. "What?! You want to rule Wano?!"

"I don't have a territory yet. Wano's perfect. Stronghold, people, history—it's ideal."

"You're insane," she said, stunned. "You don't even understand Wano. Do you think they'll ever accept a foreigner? You'll be rejected, hunted!"

She could already imagine it. Outsiders had never ruled Wano. Their traditions ran deep, and their loyalty to bloodlines and customs was absolute.

"Vane, you're being reckless. You're still too young to understand—"

"Anyone who opposes me," Vane said, his tone turning ice-cold, "will be silenced. I know there are many in Wano already fed up with the nobles in the Flower Capital."

His eyes flashed.

Gion's heart skipped a beat.

She had seen many pirates. Strong ones. Ambitious ones. But something about the way Vane spoke—it chilled her.

She looked away, her expression softening into resignation. "You've already decided, haven't you?"

Vane didn't answer.

She sighed.

Perhaps this was what happened to pirates. They began with dreams. They sailed the seas chasing freedom. But over time, desire grew. Power corrupted. And even the best of them started walking darker paths.

---

I still need y'all's feedback on the two new fanfics I started.

The first one's a Naruto story (point system type, set in the same generation as Minato and Nawaki—pretty dope).

The second one's a One Piece story (MC basically dominates with Conqueror's Haki).

They're both free to read—the only catch is you join as a free member.

Patreon.com/Zphyr_