What is the most valuable thing in this world?
It is time.
And what is the least valuable thing?
It is also time.
As if nothing was done, and yet as if much was accomplished, time quickly passed, bringing us to a month later.
What can be done in a month?
For Kokorudo, it was enough for its remaining people to migrate to Guse.
Meanwhile, Brettes had completely vanished from the sea.
After all, the island had been severely damaged, and even its foundations had shattered in the explosion. If they hadn't migrated, the people on it would have sunk into the ocean along with the island.
Guse.
An island even larger than Kokorudo.
Since it was less than a day's voyage from Kokorudo, the migration went smoothly.
Unlike the birdsong and fragrant flowers of Kokorudo, this was a summer island, with vast sandy beaches surrounding it, and a towering mountain in the center.
The original nation on Guse Island, the "Guse Kingdom," was built on the mountainside.
Since the Guse Kingdom had disappeared twenty years prior, the island's structures were heavily dilapidated. The pirates who occupied Guse typically lived in the coastal port towns, so the central Guse city on the mountainside now appeared extremely desolate.
Even the royal palace, built on the peak of the mountain, was covered in moss, looking like an ancient structure.
However, with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people from Kokorudo, Guse, a barren island, underwent a dramatic transformation in half a month.
While the buildings remained the same, the island now possessed a sense of human life.
As long as there was vitality, it was believed that the island would soon return to its appearance from twenty years ago.
As for the pirates who originally remained on the island?
Needless to say, with Kōta and his crew arriving, could they possibly escape?
Of course, their souls were all sent to hell, and their bodies were buried in the soil to fertilize the land, contributing to the development of Guse!
The mountain peak.
At the very top of the royal palace castle, a large flag fluttered, depicting a yellow windmill, clearly the flag of Kōta's crew.
And at the entrance of the port towns surrounding the island, such flags were also hung.
This was the second country to which Kōta had granted his flag.
After all, Kokorudo was no longer a member nation of the World Government.
If they didn't find a powerful backing for protection, even with tens of thousands of soldiers, this place would become a paradise for pirates after they left.
And with his current reputation, it was believed to be sufficient to protect them, deterring passing pirate crews from making rash moves upon seeing their flag.
And after they left, he would seek out Doflamingo, and Whitebeard, to fulfill Zoro's promise of becoming the strongest in the world, and he would also seek out Kaido.
As time passed, his reputation would only grow stronger.
He believed that no pirate crew would be foolish enough to trouble an island under his protection.
…
On top of the castle.
Kuina was sitting cross-legged, with Kōta's head resting on her lap, chatting with her casually.
"Hey! Kōta."
Kuina's delicate, fair thumb pressed against Kōta's temple, gently circling and massaging him.
"What?"
Kōta's closed eyes opened slightly, and he looked at Kuina, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
"You said..."
Kuina looked up, gazing in the direction of the sea, and murmured with anticipation, "What kind of country is Wano Country?"
"Is it beautiful there?"
"I heard it's all samurai, so are there many swordsmen?"
In this life, with Kōta, Kōshirō had clearly explained their family's origins to them.
They were from the Shimotsuki family of Wano Country.
Strictly speaking, her true name should be Shimotsuki Kuina.
Kōta looked at Kuina's expectant expression, pondered for a moment, but ultimately decided not to reveal the current state of Wano Country.
Since they were going there anyway, she could experience it firsthand and participate then.
As for those swordsmen...
Well...
They had already completely declined. After Oden Kōzuki died, it wasn't that there were no strong individuals among the samurai; there were, but there were no strong individuals capable of carrying the burden of Wano Country. They were all like the Akazaya Nine, who, while not bad, could only remain at a mediocre level of strength.
On the seas of this New World, there were countless individuals like them.
Therefore, it was not an exaggeration to say that Wano Country had declined.
As for Oden Kōzuki, in his eyes, that guy was a fool.
Despite being incredibly powerful himself, he insisted on pinning his hopes on twenty years later. He didn't know what he saw when he followed Roger to the final island, Laugh Tale, that made him become like this.
But a powerful individual, a world-class powerhouse, gambling the future of a nation on an unverified prophecy was foolish enough.
As for his initial agreement with Orochi Kurozumi and Kaido upon returning to Wano Country, he wouldn't comment much.
After all, he didn't know if his father was still alive. Orochi Kurozumi had threatened him with his father and many civilians. Whether out of filial piety, concern for the common people, or a flicker of hope,
he made an agreement to give up his dignity, perform a naked dance once a week beneath Orobchi's castle to free 100 people, and five years later, build a ship for everyone to sail away from Wano Country.
It was this agreement that completely ruined his popularity in Wano Country.
He couldn't understand why this guy was so stupid. Did he not even check if Orochi would release people after each dance?
If people were released, how could he lose all his popularity?
And if people weren't released, this guy danced for over four years. Four years, a full four years, before realizing that Orochi and Kaido were tricking him. What kind of person is this if not foolish?
While he was dancing for those four years, Orochi and Kaido were persecuting those who were still waiting for his awakening. By the time this guy finally awakened, he found that only the Akazaya Nine remained by his side.
In the final battle, if there had been more forces willing to fight alongside him against Kaido, such as the common people like Byojuro who were not persecuted, and more samurai who had not lost faith in him.
This final battle might not have ended in such a devastating defeat.
After all, if you really thought about it, Oden Kōzuki was not inferior to Kaido at all. Due to the sharp attacks of his swordsmanship, his offensive power even surpassed Kaido's.
In a fair fight between the two, it was truly uncertain who would win or lose.
Judging from Kaido's apprehension towards Oden Kōzuki, perhaps Oden Kōzuki would have been the victor in the end.
Otherwise, Kaido wouldn't have gone to so much trouble.
One had to admit that although Kaido looked rough and violent, his mind was among the top of the Four Emperors.
Possessing both courage and cunning, that guy was a true pirate, willing to do anything to achieve his goals, a pirate emperor with genuine ambition.