Flower Capital.
Outside the Shogun's Palace gates.
Sukiyaki paced back and forth like a man sitting on hot coals. The moment he saw Fukurokuju, he rushed up and demanded
"Fukurokuju! Did Ares agree?!"
"He agreed."
In an instant, delight bloomed across Sukiyaki's face. "Good! Good, good, good! As long as he agreed. Show me the letter now!"
Fukurokuju produced the notice and unfolded it. The instant Sukiyaki saw Ares' signature, the boulder weighing on his heart finally crashed to the ground.
Just then, another ninja came sprinting over. In his hands was a blade so ornate and exquisitely crafted it looked almost unreal.
"Shogun Sukiyaki!" the ninja reported urgently. "We've retrieved Shusui from the shrine!"
Sukiyaki accepted the sword one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Blades and the sheer heaviness of it hit him the moment it settled into his palm, far more weighty than other famed blades.
He placed a hand on the hilt and drew it out an inch.
The spine was jet-black and thick, the edge a deep black-purple with jagged crimson patterns. Under the light, it flashed with a glare sharp enough to sting the eyes.
"Shusui…" Sukiyaki murmured, filled with emotion. "Even after centuries, it still ranks among the greatest of famed blades this sharpness…"
"Just how powerful was Ryuma back then…?"
How he wished Wano could produce another warrior like Ryuma.
If someone like that existed… perhaps they could stop Ares.
Clang.
Sukiyaki sheathed Shusui and turned to Fukurokuju. "Go. Summon the daimyō from every region."
"And gather every top physician in Wano. Get them treated and recovered as fast as possible."
"We have two months."
"I want them stronger. Stronger than they've ever been."
"Yes!" Fukurokuju answered, then hurried off.
Two days later.
Kuri.
Ashura Doji came running to where Ares was training. Every time he witnessed the boss's methods, his scalp still tingled and every hair on his body threatened to stand up.
Standing on a hillside, he shouted down
"Boss Ares! The Seastone shackles are finished! I brought them!"
In the bowl-shaped crater below, Ares set down the spiked kanabo in his hands and grinned.
"Bring them here."
Overhead, the dark clouds that had gathered dispersed rapidly. Ashura Doji pushed a heavy wooden cart down to Ares and said eagerly,
"Boss, just like you ordered these cuffs and chains are made with Seastone purities of 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100%!"
Ares noticed the carved numbers on the shackles at once.
He reached for the 50% set.
The instant he lifted them, he felt it his power inside being pressed down, as if something had thrown a blanket over his strength. A wave of weakness crawled through his limbs.
When he locked the anklets around his legs, sweat already started beading on his forehead. But his eyes those huge, bronze-bell eyes lit up with excitement.
"So it really does suppress my ability and my strength…"
"In this state, I can force out more of my body's raw power and potential…"
Then came the handcuffs.
A weight he would normally dismiss as nothing suddenly felt heavy.
Ares couldn't help thinking of Dragon Ball's gravity training chambers.
Once I become Wano's Shogun… I won't just expand and strengthen Wano.
I'll also find a way to gather Devil Fruits.
Ideally… the Zushi Zushi no Mi.
Or even a Mythical Zoan some kind of vampire model…
In the future, whether it was the Beasts Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, or even Doflamingo's Donquixote Family, plenty of Devil Fruit users existed.
Many Devil Fruits were purchased from the Underworld or traded away by people desperate for treasure.
As for the Zushi Zushi no Mi, Ares didn't know where it was.
But he did know the "Mythical Zoan: Vampire" was in a place called Sleepy Town.
If he could acquire that vampire model…
The War God Pirates would gain yet another Mythical Zoan user.
Calling them a "Mythical Zoan Pirates" crew wouldn't even be an exaggeration.
And as for the Zushi Zushi no Mi Ares wanted it, badly.
Gravity training.
Seastone suppression.
Stack training methods on top of training methods, day after day
and he believed his physique would reach the level he wanted sooner rather than later.
A body that surpassed even the Supreme Grade Blades.
Maybe…
It would become the anime-world version of
a mortal body ascending to godhood.
Seeing Ares wearing Seastone cuffs and actually looking strained, Ashura Doji offered carefully,
"Boss… should you start with the 30% purity first?"
"No," Ares said, thrilled. "This purity is perfect."
"Go handle your own work."
He reached for the kanabo planted into the ground.
Veins bulged across his arm, thick and twisted like old tree roots knotted together ugly, brutal, terrifying.
When he lifted the club, he tried to draw out his Haki.
But his Armament Haki felt like it was trapped in a swamp heavy, sluggish, refusing to respond.
"Hah !"
Boom!
The kanabo slammed into his reddened, darkening muscles. With every strike, he forced himself to trigger Armament Haki.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Meanwhile, in the Flower Capital of Wano, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, Yasuie, Oden, and the others had healed enough to begin sparring and training against each other.
All to prepare for the duel on the night of the Fire Festival two months from now.
In the blink of an eye
a month passed.
Ares gathered his men and announced, "I'm leaving for a while."
"Everything in Kuri big and small will be in your hands."
Chinjao replied confidently, "Boss, don't worry. Kuri's basically built up now. The crops are about to come in."
"With us here, nothing will go wrong."
"Good." Ares nodded. "I shouldn't be gone long. I'll be back before you know it."
Then Ares transformed into a blue dragon, shot into the clouds, and vanished.
Somewhere else.
Marco sporting his golden pompadour that looked like a pineapple crown asked curiously,
"Pops… is this your hometown? Sphinx Island?"
Beside him stood a towering, broad-shouldered man with golden hair and a crescent mustache that curled upward. In his hand was his naginata, Murakumogiri.
"Gurarararara!" Newgate grinned. "That's right. This is my home."
Jozu only a few years old, yet built like a ten-year-old boy with a round belly and thick waist gaped in awe.
"Pops, your hometown is beautiful!"
Vista, a few years older and noticeably more composed, took a slow breath. "The air's so fresh. Feels like it clears the mind."
Hearing Jozu's praise, Whitebeard's eyes narrowed slightly. "It wasn't always like this…"
Years ago, Sphinx Island had been chaotic a place that couldn't afford the Heavenly Tribute and constantly fell into disorder.
But with Whitebeard sending treasure back again and again, the island had changed completely.
It became peaceful, tranquil, almost untouched by the world.
As they walked inland, Marco asked, "Pops… that Ares you always talk about why haven't we seen anything about him in the newspapers for so long?"
Vista frowned as well. "Didn't you say he caused a huge scene at God Valley and freed all those slaves? The World Government shouldn't have let him go so easily."
Recently, they'd heard plenty about Ares from Whitebeard himself, and their curiosity had only grown.
Yet ever since the God Valley Incident, Ares had seemed to disappear.
No news.
No headlines.
Nothing.
Whitebeard smiled faintly. "Gurarararara relax."
"Ares isn't the type to fade into silence."
"Sooner or later… he'll shock the world again."
Whitebeard couldn't help recalling how Ares had changed at God Valley.
Compared to the old Ares who was single-mindedly determined to forge his body beyond even a Supreme Grade Blade
the Ares at God Valley had been different.
More mature. More rational.
And after God Valley, Ares had struck Marine G-1 and raided Hachinosu.
Those weren't random acts.
They felt purposeful.
Marco, smaller and skinnier than the others, muttered, "Pops always says Ares has the strongest body on the seas… I'm kinda curious what that even looks like."
Round as a boulder, Jozu puffed up and declared, "No matter what, after hearing about Ares… I'm training my body too! I'm gonna make it tougher and tougher!"
Suddenly
Whitebeard stopped.
Thump!
Marco, still chatting as he walked, slammed right into Whitebeard's leg and fell flat on his butt.
"P-Pops! Why'd you stop all of a sudden?!"
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