Chapter 393: Bonds and Reunion! Tears Spanning Twenty Years

Wano Country, Kuri.

A chilly, foul-smelling sea breeze blew from the gloomy sea surface, brushing past Luffy’s Straw Hat.

Facing the familiar name that O-Tama had spoken, Luffy set aside the confused expression he had just been wearing while tilting his head.

He sat cross-legged on the beach in a very casual manner, one hand pressing down on the Straw Hat being blown by the wind, while his mouth spread into a grin.

His smile was as bright as sunlight piercing through the hazy sky:

“What’s that? So you know Ace!”

“That guy is my brother, you know!”

“And he’ll be coming to Wano Country to find us soon, so you two will be able to meet then!”

“You are Ace’s brother… Ace will be coming here soon…” O-Tama was stunned.

Her dirty little face was filled with astonishment, and she muttered the words, which sounded like heaven, over and over again.

In the next second, her large eyes, which had originally been dim from hunger, were instantly filled with scalding tears.

Over these past few years filled with hunger, oppression, and poisoned water,

she had countless times in the cold deep of night, hugged her knees and desperately fantasized about Ace’s return.

That young pirate who always laughed heartily amidst the flames was the only light and hope she had on this barren land.

Now, hearing the definitive news of Ace’s imminent return from the mouth of this brother wearing a Straw Hat, it was like a spring thunderclap splitting the darkness in her heart.

“Plop.”

The wooden bowl O-Tama was holding slipped from her hands onto the beach.

She could no longer suppress the surging emotions in her heart. She covered her mud-stained cheeks with both hands and began to wail without restraint.

In this heart-wrenching cry, there was mixed the grievances suffered over these years, the torment of waiting, and the expectation of finally seeing the clouds part to reveal the moon.

She vented all the pain suppressed in the bottom of her heart, her thin shoulders twitching violently.

The members of the Straw Hat stood quietly on the side; no one made a sound to disturb the little girl’s catharsis.

Because they all understood the weight of this long-awaited response.

Luffy remained sitting cross-legged on the beach, watching O-Tama wail, a warm and inclusive smile hanging on his lips the whole time.

Just as everyone was silently comforting the emotionally broken O-Tama,

a burst of urgent and chaotic footsteps suddenly came from the withered and desolate forest beside them.

Accompanied by hoarse calls full of anxiety:

“O-Tama! Where are you!”

“Don’t run around! It’s full of wild beasts and villains out there!”

Before the words fell, a tall swordsmith with a long-nosed Tengu mask on his face and a pair of huge wings on his back—

Hitetsu, stepped on geta sandals and rushed out of the forest, panting.

He had originally discovered that O-Tama had snuck out of the ruined temple to quench her thirst, and had tracked her all the way here in a panic.

But the moment he rushed out of the forest and saw the scene on the beach, he froze in place.

He saw more than a dozen “Gifters” from the Beasts Pirates lying scattered on the beach.

These monsters retained various deformed characteristics of wild beasts and usually ran rampant in Kuri, with no one daring to provoke them.

Having lived in Wano Country for many years, he knew better than anyone how brutal the strength of these monsters who had consumed artificial Devil Fruits was.

However, this group of outsiders, who had just crossed the sky-high waterfall and were dressed in various clothes, had actually killed all these monsters in seconds without a scratch!

This overwhelming power made Hitetsu feel deeply shocked by the origins of this group of outsiders.

He swallowed hard, suppressed the fear in his heart, and subconsciously shifted his gaze away from the Straw Hat, trying to find O-Tama’s figure in the crowd.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

His line of sight passed over the pirates in front and locked firmly on the two figures in traditional kimonos at the back of the crowd.

It was Kin’emon, and Momonosuke, whom he was protecting at his side.

Hitetsu’s hands trembled.

The eyes under the mask were instantly blurred by scalding tears at this moment.

Even his breathing became extremely rapid, his chest heaving violently, as if a ball of fire was burning in his heart; he couldn’t believe his eyes.

He stumbled forward two steps, his knees suddenly softened, and he smashed heavily onto the hard beach.

He paid no attention to the mud and gravel on the ground, kowtowing his head deeply, his voice hoarse to the point of being unrecognizable due to extreme excitement and sorrow:

“Kin’emon… and, Young Master Momonosuke!!”

“Is it you? Is it really you?!”

“Am I not dreaming?”

Hearing this familiar voice, Kin’emon’s body shook, and his eyes instantly turned red.

He walked up quickly and forcefully helped up the wailing Hitetsu who was prostrate on the ground.

The two grown men, who together were decades old and had experienced the vicissitudes of life, held each other’s wrists tightly on this desolate beach, unable to stop crying.

Hitetsu was streaming with tears and snot, crying to this former colleague who had crossed twenty years of time about how Wano Country had gradually fallen into an Asura hell over the past twenty years.

After a long time, the emotions of the two finally calmed down a little.

Hitetsu turned his head, looked at O-Tama, who was gulping down the clean water brought by Sanji, and let out a deep sigh.

With a gloomy expression, he revealed the miserable current situation faced by the civilians of Wano Country to everyone.

Hitetsu pointed to the huge chimneys emitting black smoke in the distance, his voice filled with endless sorrow:

“The reason O-Tama is so weak, and even almost starved and fainted, is all because of this cursed land.”

“The water source in Kuri has long been completely polluted by the toxic wastewater discharged by the weapons factories that Kaido’s men work day and night to build.”

“This child is so thirsty that she can’t stand it. To survive, she can only drink that toxic river water.”

“Toxins accumulate in her body, and every day she is painfully overdrawing her young life in the midst of excruciating abdominal pain!”

Hearing this cruel truth, young Momonosuke bit his lip tightly.

His small hands clenched into fists, and his body couldn’t stop trembling.

At this moment, he truly felt his responsibility as the lord of the Kozuki clan.

Because of the family’s failure, what kind of hellish suffering his people had to endure.

Kin’emon on the side was even more sorrowful to the extreme.

His hands were clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh.

His hatred for Kaido and the Orochi gang climbed to its peak at this moment.

Kin’emon took a deep breath, raised his head, and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve.

He turned around, his expression becoming incomparably solemn.

He faced Hitetsu and O-Tama and began to formally introduce the Straw Hat beside him, as well as the identity of the young Captain wearing the Straw Hat—Monkey D. Luffy.

Kin’emon straightened his back, his voice filled with unprecedented pride and firmness:

“Hitetsu! O-Tama! No need to despair anymore!”

“The Lord Luffy standing in front of you has already established a resounding reputation on the sea.”

“He is a top powerhouse on the same level as ‘of the Beasts’ Kaido — the ‘Fifth Emperor of the Sea’!”

“Moreover, they crossed the waterfall to come here this time just to launch a frontal challenge against Kaido and liberate Wano Country from the darkness!”

When they heard that this group of outsiders had actually come to crusade against the invincible monster Kaido.

And that this young Captain actually possessed the power of an Emperor at the same level.

Hitetsu was instantly stunned, as if he had heard a fantasy.

O-Tama, who had just finished drinking water, opened her mouth even wider in surprise.

She opened her watery eyes wide, looking at Luffy’s figure, which was not particularly tall, and let out a heartfelt, awe-struck murmur:

“So amazing…”

Just as everyone was immersed in this shocking conversation, Zoro, who was standing on the side, suddenly had his sharp intuition as a top swordsman flare up.

His gaze, like a falcon, locked firmly onto a katana worn at Hitetsu’s waist.

It was a katana with a simple scabbard, yet it exuded a sinister, demonic aura.

Zoro frowned and closed his eyes to think for a moment.

He used his heart to feel the violent fluctuations emanating from the sword’s body.

He discovered that this bloodthirsty aura actually had the same familiar feeling as the “sandai kitetsu” worn at his own waist.

“O Wazamono Grade — ‘Nidai Kitetsu’.”

After confirming that this was a peerless demonic sword rare in the world.

Zoro’s eyes lit up suddenly, and his fingers subconsciously rubbed his sword hilt.

At the same time, Hitetsu, who had just barely recovered from the shock, was also secretly sizing up the core members of this “Emperor Crew” who claimed to be able to challenge Kaido.

When Hitetsu’s gaze inadvertently fell on the waist of the Vice Captain Tatsuya.

Seeing that black sword resting quietly there, especially the unique black-purple blade pattern on the blade.

He jumped up from the beach as if electrocuted.

Hitetsu pointed his finger directly at Tatsuya, his voice under the mask carrying undisguisable disbelief:

“That… that sword!”

“That is the national treasure of Wano Country,’Shusui’!”

“Is it the sword of the legendary Sword God Ryuma?!”

“Why… why is this national treasure, which should have been stolen decades ago, on you?!”