Chapter 200: To Momonosuke – Noble Phantasm · Sage Pendant

Adrian had his reasons for wanting to meet Kozuki Oden.

The most direct and fundamental reason was that Adrian wanted to see if he could trigger an S-rank or A-rank challenge quest from Kozuki Oden.

Experience points were secondary; the key was the ability rewards attached to these challenge quests.

Although Adrian didn't have the best impression of Kozuki Oden personally, that didn't stop him from wanting to acquire Oden's abilities!

It's similar to how Adrian really, really disliked BIG MOM, but that didn't prevent the "Heavy Strike Specialization" skill from being incredibly attractive!

And when you carefully consider the abilities Kozuki Oden possessed, there were quite a few that were worth Adrian's pursuit.

Leaving aside Oden's basic physical abilities, there was the Oden Two-Sword Style, not to mention the Conqueror's Haki, which he hadn't unlocked yet, and especially the "Voice of All Things" ability!

Although Adrian still didn't know what use the Voice of All Things ability had.

Even in the original story, this ability seemed to only add an "antenna" that could receive special frequency signals.

But having it was better than not having it, right?

Moreover, this ability was vaguely related to the ultimate secret of the sea!

Hearing Adrian's words, both Ashura Doji and Raizo immediately became tense.

They couldn't help but feel nervous!

Before knowing Adrian's "achievements," these two Red Scabbards could still regard him as an ordinary expert from overseas, vaguely connected to the Shimotsuki family.

But after learning his specific achievements, they understood that this so-called "Ordinary Expert" was a "Peerless Devil" who could knock Kaido out of the sky in a short time without suffering a scratch himself!

This was terrifying!

Even the Nine Red Scabbards had to acknowledge Kaido's strength, which was definitely on par with their lord Kozuki Oden!

This was already a super expert standing at the top of the strength pyramid of the sea!

Even if he wasn't a gold medalist, he could easily win a silver medal.

Raizo gulped slightly and asked seriously, "I wonder what, ahem! I wonder what business you have with Lord Oden?"

Adrian pointed to the Shuxue and the Yubashiri beside him and casually explained.

"As a swordsman, I once heard some legends about Kozuki Oden, so I wanted to seek some advice."

Does this reason make sense?

It makes a lot of sense!

At least in the samurai culture of Wano Country, it's quite reasonable.

Neither Ashura Doji nor Raizo could find any reason to refuse.

At this time, Shimotsuki Yasuie stepped forward to smooth things over, smiling.

"Mr. Momoya, didn't you say before that you wanted to go to Kuri to find Kozuki Sukiyaki to get a new sword? Why not postpone the challenge with Oden for a bit?"

Shimotsuki Yasuie didn't want this "Honorable Gentleman," who had just informed them of the overseas clan, to fight with his cherished Kozuki Oden within Wano Country.

However, Adrian just waved his hand and said, "No problem. Changing swords on the spot might affect my performance. Besides, I usually use Shuxue to face my enemies; Yubashiri is used less frequently nowadays."

"Moreover, isn't Kozuki Oden the Daimyo of Kuri? Kozuki Sukiyaki, the swordsmith, also lives in Kuri, so it's on the way."

Now even Shimotsuki Yasuie had nothing more to say.

Ashura Doji and Raizo exchanged glances and helplessly shook their heads.

Under Adrian's strong request, Shimotsuki Yasuie and his party had to leave the Daimyo's palace in Hakumai and head toward Kuri.

In the past two or three years, since Kozuki Oden agreed to Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido's terms and promised to dance naked in a loincloth under the castle tower once a week.

Even the ordinary citizens of Wano Country were used to it.

When they saw Shimotsuki Yasuie, Ashura Doji, and Raizo passing by, people sighed.

"These retainers of the Kozuki family are really persistent, bringing out Lord Yasuie again..."

"Everyone knows that foolish lord is beyond hope..."

"Why won't Lord Yasuie give up..."

These scattered words reached the ears of Shimotsuki Yasuie, Ashura Doji, and Raizo, making them embarrassed as they glanced at Adrian, who remained calm and composed.

Adrian couldn't care less about the Wano citizens' opinions of the Kozuki family!

How to say this?

A lord must endure for the sake of his retainers!

The group traveled quickly and soon arrived at the Daimyo's palace in Kuri.

And Adrian finally met Kozuki Oden.

This was a tall, muscular adult man, nearly four meters tall, with almond-shaped eyes and thick eyebrows, his black hair styled into a large round flat top, resembling a black flat hat. He wore an orange kimono with a crescent moon emblem on the chest, large purple and white ropes tied around his shoulders and waist, and two swords, Ame no Habakiri and Enma, at his waist.

In his youth, Kozuki Oden was an unconventional, free-spirited, and unruly person.

Logically, after experiencing the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates, this free-spirited side of him should have been amplified.

But the Kozuki Oden standing before Adrian now was just an ordinary middle-aged man with a calm face and eyes, exuding a faint sense of despair.

"Another great figure who has lost his spirit?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"But what reason does Kozuki Oden have to become like this? I can't figure it out at all!"

"Moreover, it's very strange why, after being defeated by Kaido and imprisoned, Kozuki Oden would still tell that Wano Country would face a long winter and that the person who would defeat Kaido and open Wano Country would appear in twenty years?"

"It sounds like he understands Wano Country's future better than his wife, a Prophet!"

At this moment, Ashura Doji and Raizo explained Adrian's intentions to Kozuki Oden.

"A 'swordsman' who defeated Kaido?"

A hint of interest flashed in Kozuki Oden's eyes, but it quickly turned to an imperceptible melancholy. He waved his hand with a smile.

"Forget it, Mr. Momoya. I haven't dueled anyone in a long time."

"Lord Oden!" x2

Ashura Doji and Raizo looked at Kozuki Oden in shock.

As samurai of Wano Country, to voluntarily refuse another's challenge?!

This was an indelible shame for a samurai!!

"Oden!"

Even Shimotsuki Yasuie knew the gravity of Kozuki Oden's words and looked at him sternly.

"Please spare me, everyone." Kozuki Oden waved his hand nonchalantly, speaking boredly, "Instead of thinking about how to face others' challenges, I'd rather think about what ingredients to use for today's oden."

At this moment, a noisy commotion came from the palace entrance.

Soon, a young boy with a shaved head except for a topknot at the back, wearing a pink kimono, ran in.

"Momonosuke!"

Kozuki Oden greeted his son happily.

Adrian narrowed his eyes slightly, a friendly smile appearing on his face.

He pretended to look puzzled at Shimotsuki Yasuie, who immediately understood and softly explained Momonosuke's identity.

"So this is Kozuki Oden's son..."

Adrian sighed meaningfully, taking out a blue sapphire pendant glowing faintly from his pocket and tossing it to Kozuki Oden.

"Although it's a pity that your father declined my challenge invitation, I'd still like to give you a small gift."

Kozuki Oden quickly caught the sapphire pendant.

Instantly, a sense of emptiness and peace filled Kozuki Oden's mind, and all the trivial worries from the past were thrown aside.

A few seconds later, Kozuki Oden broke free from this feeling, looking at Adrian calmly.

"What is this necklace?"

"This is a special necklace I created using my abilities. It can make people feel serene and calm, sweeping away those unnecessary worries."

Adrian explained truthfully.

"Sage Pendant, that's its name."

Its full name is — Melancholy Ghost · Sage Moment · Sapphire, Continuous Version!

Back on Fish-Man Island, Adrian had thought about how to continue suppressing the pirates from plundering the mermaid race after he left.

After some thought, Adrian tried to see if he could create an automatic enemy-detecting ghost.

Of course, it failed!

Adrian's crafting skills weren't that great yet!

However, after searching through the materials provided by King Neptune, Adrian unexpectedly discovered a material highly compatible with his ghost abilities — gems.

Adrian forgot its exact name, but since it looked like a blue gemstone, he called it sapphire.

The [Sage Pendant] was a product of Adrian infusing ghost energy and ghost abilities into the sapphire, even recognized by the system panel.

[Sage Pendant - Item: This is a special necklace with a sinister intent, capable of making men fall into a state of peaceful detachment. Intelligence +5, with a slight chance of tobacco addiction. Lifespan: 4 years.]

[Note: Mental castration is the most lethal.]

Thankfully, Kozuki Oden didn't know Adrian's inner thoughts.

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Our second century.

I have removed many things, which had some next level shit. i have modded sentences, speech... but everything is directed to author's thinking.