Chapter 26: 26. Ma'am, You Don't Want....

Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari ---------- Though people spoke cautiously, the news of Kozuki Oden's death spread across Wanokuni, leaving no corner untouched. Even indoors, hushed conversations from the streets filtered in. In the Flower Capital, people were left stunned and bewildered by Oden's strange decisions and his ultimate failure. Many voiced their confusion, some even taking cruel satisfaction in his downfall. "Hearing how they speak of your late husband, Lady Toki... doesn't it anger you?" Alex asked, looking into the shadows of the room. "No. I have nothing to say about it," came her calm reply. "Is that so?" Alex mused, noticing a flicker of restrained fury in her eyes. "It's clear that Oden endured five years of disgrace, all for the people of Wanokuni, only to meet this... humiliating end." Alex studied Lady Toki, her remarkable beauty barely diminished by the simple kimono she wore. Her composed presence spoke to the legacy of the fallen Kozuki clan. In his mind, Alex began weaving a plan. (T/N: Iykyk) "My anger, Alex, is for you and your actions!" Lady Toki snapped, lifting her bound hands, the seastone cuffs heavy on her wrists. "Where is my daughter? Why have you taken us? Why would you even speak of Oden's sacrifice to people who know nothing of the truth?!" Her words burst forth, the raw pain in them clear. Alex stepped closer, unfazed, and replied, "I am not aligned with Orochi, nor with Kaido." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Your daughter is safe, so there is no need for alarm." Then, he tilted her chin to meet his gaze. "The reason I brought you here, Lady Toki... is because I want you." Seeing the fierce intensity in his eyes, Toki struggled, realizing he wasn't joking. "This is... impossible!" "Impossible? And why is that?" Alex's tone darkened, his words laced with malice. "After all, Kozuki Oden did many things... things even more extreme than this." He laughed softly, watching her struggle against him, her anger and frustration nearly breaking through her composure. Finally, he released her chin and allowed his expression to turn serious once more, as though his earlier malice had never existed. "But truly, Lady Toki, your are amazing... and the power to send others into the future, is something more amazing." Kozuki Toki's hands trembled slightly as she held herself still, wary of Alex's unsettling demeanor and the calculated malice he had shown. She wasn't surprised he knew about her Devil Fruit ability; she had expected it might be exposed during her capture at Oden Castle. "Traveling through the future—what an extraordinary power," Alex mused, his arms spread wide in mock admiration. "It offers both an escape from dire situations and the ability to influence the flow of time itself." He watched her closely. "Did you know that across the seas lies Impel Down, the Marine and World Government's prison for dangerous criminals? I spent some time there. The government has a way of keeping Devil Fruit users alive—imprisoned for life—to prevent their powers from reappearing elsewhere if they were to die." Pausing, he added with a smirk, "While I don't need to use your power right now, it's still something I wouldn't want slipping out of my control. So, for now, I'll have to restrict your freedom a bit, Lady Toki." Hearing this, Toki's face paled. She knew of Impel Down, having heard tales of its horrors from her time with Oden, and she was all too aware of the prison's brutal purpose. Here in Wanokuni, the prison in Udon served a similar purpose, holding rebels and dissenters under lock and key. Noting her reaction, Alex smirked. "There's no need to look so frightened. I don't intend to throw someone as influential as you into a prison cell. But... I do need a promise from you, Lady Toki." He lifted her seastone-bound wrists slightly. "These cuffs only restrict your powers, but if you were to, say, consider an escape or even death as a way out... well, that could become quite troublesome." Alex's eyes narrowed as he leaned closer, a hint of menace in his voice. "After all, you wouldn't want anything unfortunate happening to your lovely daughter, would you?" His words struck at Toki's deepest fears. He knew she had sent her allies, the Nine Red Scabbards, to the future, leaving her and Hiyori alone, dependent only on each other. Just as he expected, he saw the hint of resignation and sorrow in her expression—a quiet determination to sacrifice herself if it meant saving her daughter. "You're from overseas, aren't you? So, you must know the strength of Kaido and Orochi. You realize they wouldn't hesitate to come after you." Toki said with a threating tone, "What if I could solve all of that?" Alex countered. He clarified, "What if I could kill Orochi and drive Kaido and his crew out of Wanokuni?" "Impossible," Toki shot back, her voice sharp. "Oden himself failed to defeat them, and he was far stronger than you." Alex merely grinned. "Then let's make it a wager." He leaned in, his voice full of confidence. "If I succeed, then your freedom will belong to me—you won't escape, you won't die. How does that sound?" The audacity of his proposal shocked Toki, and her first impulse was to refuse. But she quickly realized that she might have found an unexpected opportunity. If he truly aimed to challenge Kaido and Orochi, there was a slim chance he could succeed. And if he failed, she and Hiyori could be free of him and might even inspire a future rebellion for Wanokuni. Swallowing her misgivings, she steadied herself and answered before Alex could reconsider. "Very well, I'll take your wager."