Cherreads

Chapter 304 - Kozuki

Vlad's purpose in coming to Wano Country was to find a man named Kozuki Oden, the current head of the Kozuki family and the reigning Daimyo of Kuri. Vlad had heard of this man not in this world but from information seen in a manga in his past life. This man was not famous worldwide; his reputation was known mainly in Wano and the distant Elephant Island, Zou.

However, Vlad knew this seemingly unremarkable regional lord had an identity that could astonish anyone. Kozuki Oden had once been a pirate. Indeed, it's interesting that a man who would become a high-ranking leader of a country had spent his youth roaming the seas as a pirate.

What's more intriguing is that the captain Oden once sailed under was no obscure figure. Instead, he was a man whose mere mention could excite anyone: Kozuki Oden was once a Gol D. Roger's crew member and had travelled with Roger to the final island. The Duke of Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi of Zou had joined Roger's crew following him; without a doubt, Oden, though not widely famed, was privy to all the world's secrets.

Interestingly, Oden was not initially on Roger's ship; at the beginning, he was a crew member on Whitebeard's ship. In other words, he was poached by Roger from Whitebeard's crew!

This fact was particularly fascinating because the Kozuki clan had been waiting for eight hundred years, along with their vassals, the Mink Tribe, for a man who would bring dawn to the world. Vlad speculated that perhaps twenty years ago when Whitebeard and Roger dominated the seas, the Kozuki clan had already sensed that the man they awaited might have appeared. Hence, Kozuki Oden first joined Whitebeard's ship. However, later, realising that Roger, still seeking the answers, represented the figure he was waiting for more than Whitebeard, who seemed content with family, Oden switched to Roger's ship.

He was anticipating that Roger would fulfil the centuries-old wait of his clan. But the result was unfortunate.

The Kozuki family was not just any samurai noble family; in reality, they were a clan of artisans, specifically stonemasons, looked down upon by others. This family had been among the world's finest stonemasons for ages. Despite their lack of fame, they indeed created remarkable works. Eight hundred years ago, before a hundred years of history were erased—or about to be erased—by the government, for unknown reasons, they inscribed these histories on giant, indestructible stones that only Kozuki stonemasons could work. These stones, engraved with text unreadable to others, were sent worldwide.

These stones are now known as the Poneglyphs. The Kozuki family were the recorders of history.

As mentioned earlier, in the present world, only two people can read the Poneglyphs: the future archaeologist of the Straw Hat Pirates, the survivor from Ohara, Nico Robin, and Vlad's target this time, the descendant of the creators of the Poneglyphs, Kozuki Oden.

Vlad had obtained a Road Poneglyph but couldn't understand it. He wasn't a scholar proficient in ancient texts; like most pirates, he hadn't received much formal education. His literacy was limited to just reading and writing, not counting his past life.

Therefore, to understand the accurate information on the Poneglyph, he must find someone to translate it or teach him the language. There were only two viable choices, and Vlad felt that Kozuki Oden might be more reliable than Nico Robin, especially since the latter, now shrouded in darkness, was not easy to deal with. Vlad didn't possess the charismatic influence of Monkey D. Luffy that could sway her. Remember, Vlad's current status was that of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, nominally subordinates of the World Government that had destroyed Ohara.

But Kozuki Oden was different. Although he had fathered a somewhat troublesome son, if a man could join the crew of the Pirate King, his spirit, character, and beliefs must indeed be top-notch.

Vlad preferred to deal with such a man rather than someone like Nico Robin, who had severe psychological trauma.

Vlad floated in the sky; below him, a contiguous cluster of buildings starkly contrasted with the surrounding low-rise structures. Below was the mansion of the Kuri Daimyo, Kozuki Oden, the highest place in the territory, built atop a small hill. Even at night, the faint glow of lights twinkled, and sword-wielding samurai vigilantly patrolled the building diligently on duty.

This was the information Vlad's Observation Haki relayed to him.

"Hmm!!" Vlad closed his eyes, his Observation Haki working at total capacity, and in just a moment, a 3D panorama had been constructed in his mind.

"Let's see, this is the biggest, most luxurious place!" Vlad opened his eyes, "There are two people inside, one large, one small!"

"This must be the place, right?"

"Muahaha!" Like a bolt of red lightning, Vlad plummeted from the sky, easily evading the samurai stationed at various points, as these warriors, hardly interacting with the outside world, likely never contemplated an enemy descending from the heavens.

"Tap!" Vlad gently landed in a small courtyard with a tiny pond and several cherry trees, now in full bloom. Even though it was a deep night, the cherry blossoms falling in the wind still struck Vlad with their stunning beauty.

"Guest." A voice came from inside.

"What brings you here?"

More Chapters