...
At the same time, in a different place—
Deep within a hidden ruin somewhere in Wano Country.
A group of young men stared intently at Ryuma before them. One said, "Boss, when are we moving out? I'm itching to take down Kaido!"
"Yeah! That bastard's already wrecked Wano to hell."
"You're the one who saved us. Don't worry—just say the word, and we'll spill our blood and lay down our lives for you without hesitation!"
Their eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
Ryuma waved his hand dismissively, his face calm and fearless. "Relax… I'm not in a hurry. Victory comes from breaking the enemy's will, not just the body. Warfare is deception. As long as the Calamities are still around, even I'll find it hard to win. What we need to do now is enjoy these few days—eat when we can, drink when we must. The goal is to win without fighting."
His words hung in the air, and the others exchanged puzzled looks.
Most of the group were uneducated and didn't fully grasp what he meant.
But they understood enough: lie low, conserve strength, and wait for the Calamities to collapse on their own after a few days?
How could that be possible?
Though Ryuma appeared composed, his heart was filled with doubt and anxiety. He didn't know what Kaido planned next, but he understood that Kaido's temper was far from gentle… If they lingered too long, the Calamities themselves might be crushed by Kaido's hand.
Ryuma gave a strict order: not a single soul from Udon Prison was allowed to leave. Anyone who disobeyed would be executed on the spot.
And so, they stayed inside the ruins for one day.
Two days.
Three days.
By the fourth day, their food supplies were gone, and even the water in the temple had run dry.
Ryuma took a deep breath and looked at his companions—each one starving and wild-eyed like wolves. With no other choice, he ordered them to go out and search for any supplies they could find to survive.
His heart was heavy with worry. What if Jack and the others were waiting for them outside?
But there was no turning back. Having chosen this path, they would face whatever came—even if it meant a desperate, cornered fight.
When Ryuma gave the order to leave the temple ruins, the group scattered in all directions.
Ryuma followed them, eating a small bite on the outskirts of the Flower Capital, feeling deeply unsettled.
Where were Jack and his two companions?
Logically, the three of them should be leading the Beasts Pirates in relentless pursuit.
Right now, there were two possibilities:
Either they were quietly trying to make a fortune, or they had already been taken down by Kaido—or were on their way to meeting that fate.
After organizing the prisoners, Ryuma watched as the three approached with their own troops—elite soldiers marching past him.
Seeing them, a cruel smile crept across Ryuma's lips.
Excellent.
The fish has bitten the bait all on its own this time!
It really was like searching high and low for something that suddenly fell right into his hands—effortless and unexpected.
"Hmph, it's absolutely infuriating. That damn samurai—he's almost gotten the three of us killed by Lord Kaido!" Jack's eyes were slightly red-rimmed.
No matter how you looked at it, he was one of the Beasts Pirates' top enforcers. He'd been around for so many years, and now because of some nobody, they were all about to be executed… truly, a thousand-mile dam ruined by an ant's nest.
"I'm still puzzled," Jin said, clenching his fists. "That guy just vanished into thin air—where could he possibly have gone?"
"This Wano Country is huge, and we don't have enough men under us. Three days is way too short a time," Quinn said dissatisfied as he pulled out a bowl of bean soup from somewhere.