One Piece: Lord of Calamity

Time flew by, and three months passed.

In the westernmost part of Wano Country, the Kuri region.

This area, originally ruled by Kozuki Oden, had undergone significant changes compared to three months prior.

Oden Castle, once built on the mountain, had vanished like smoke. Below the mountain, where farmlands used to be, a factory now stood, billowing thick black smoke.

Watanabe Shinnosuke panted, pushing a cart of ore into the factory.

Around him were people just like him.

Three months ago, they were all ordinary farmers.

But that cataclysmic event changed everything.

The invincible Kozuki Oden was killed, along with the daimyo from various regions and all the samurai whose names were known in this country.

Although a man named Kurozumi Orochi suddenly became the new Shogun afterward.

Everyone knew, however, that this country knelt before two individuals: one was Kaido, transformed into a dragon roaring across the sky, and the other was Roa, the dark ferocious tiger accompanied by calamities.

Those two monsters ruled this country.

Factories sprang up one after another, mines were opened, and people who once toiled in the fields were forcibly driven into factories and mines to excavate ore, build factories, and produce weapons for them.

It had only been three months, yet why did it feel like the title "Country of Samurai" was already a distant past?

Watanabe Shinnosuke felt like crying.

But he dared not. In this factory, anyone who dared to slow down production efficiency would face severe consequences.

However, just then, a commotion suddenly erupted at the factory entrance.

"Punish the villains!!"

Then came angry roars and agonizing screams.

Watanabe Shinnosuke's body stiffened.

He knew that it was the Anti-Foreigner Sect that came to cause trouble.

Three months ago, the former Shogun, Kozuki Sukiyaki, handed this country over to the monsters. However, that didn't mean the country would simply submit.

The strongest group of samurai had indeed fallen in battle, but this Country of Samurai never lacked those who could wield a sword.

With burning passion, the samurai drew their blades.

They were called the Jo-I faction.

Unfortunately, they had no power to resist Roa's powerful Calamity Army and were easily crushed into dust.

Yet, aspiring individuals still didn't give up.

They went to the Flower Capital to assassinate those two monsters.

They sabotaged factories and mines in various regions.

Shinnosuke countless times in the night felt his heart swell, thinking he too should join the Jo-I faction, to let those monsters know the backbone of a samurai.

But.

Shinnosuke suddenly lowered his head.

Inside the factory, a group of identically built, burly soldiers marched out in single file.

They wore black military uniforms and held not samurai swords, but powerful rapid-firing firearms.

Many of these soldiers were also equipped with personal rocket launchers.

They were Roa's Calamity Army, easily suppressing all the Jo-I faction's forces.

Sudden, dense gunshots erupted from that side, interspersed with several booming explosions of artillery shells.

Shinnosuke deeply lowered his head, silently pushing his cart forward.

Even Lord Oden and the daimyo are dead. Where in this country are there people who can resist those two monsters?

Outside the gate.

"Damn you mongrels! You never learn!"

A soldier in a black military uniform angrily kicked a samurai on the ground who was spitting blood.

Not just him, the other soldiers around were also very angry.

They seemed to have short tempers.

"It won't end like this!!"

The samurai, with several bullet holes in his body and continuously vomiting blood, shrieked, "Don't underestimate a samurai!"

"Idiot."

A soldier shot the man's head, scoffing. "Lord Roa wants to see this."

Regardless, Wano Country's resistance would not end just like this; it would continue indefinitely.

Flower Capital.

This prosperous city had now also become much quieter.

People from other regions were driven into factories and mines, and the residents of this city were naturally no exception. In fact, there was a weapons factory not far outside the Flower Capital.

A room on a middle floor of the Tenshu Palace in the city center.

"Damn it! I'm the Shogun of this country!!"

Kurozumi Orochi was roaring in anger. "Roa! Kaido! How can you treat me like this!"

But no one paid him any mind.

Several identically built, fully armed soldiers stood behind him. One of them spoke coldly, "Orochi, it's time to start working."

"Bastard!"

Kurozumi Orochi shrieked.

He had indeed become the Shogun, and he did hold great power. Roa and Kaido had no interest whatsoever in this country's internal affairs, except for having him mine, build factories, and produce weapons. They didn't inquire about anything else.

Kurozumi Orochi was excited at first.

However, he soon realized that he could indeed handle state affairs, but only state affairs.

That bastard Roa had him under strict guard.

He was forbidden from any pleasure; every day was nothing but damn work, damn work.

It was better when I was a servant by Yasuie's side!

Work, is it?!

Work, is it?!!

Kurozumi Orochi's eyes were bloodshot. He grabbed a document, picked up a pen, and began to correct it with a distorted face.

I'm going to mess this country up completely!

On one side of the Flower Capital, a tall castle had risen during these three months.

This was the residence of Wano Country's true rulers.

In the plaza in front of the castle.

Doflamingo was running wildly.

His body was covered in a red shell, which appeared to be made of stone.

This was something he had extracted from that red Road Poneglyph using his abilities.

When Roa told him to use that stone, he was somewhat puzzled.

It was only after experiencing it firsthand that Doflamingo became exhilarated.

This kind of stone was almost indestructible. If he combined this stone with himself using his ability, he would be invincible, just like that bastard King!

Unfortunately, because his stamina couldn't keep up, Doflamingo couldn't yet utilize the entire stone.

So, to quickly improve his stamina and hone his abilities, Doflamingo's daily routine, besides sparring with Bullet, involved combining a part of the stone with his ability and then training intensely.

Even more frantic than him was Bullet; he carried a huge iron ingot, speeding across the plaza like a locomotive.

Among Roa's subordinates, he was the strongest, but also the most desperate of them all.

Not far from the two sprinting individuals, King was fighting Dylan.

King wielded the famous sword Ame no Habakiri, constantly clashing with Dylan's black right hand.

On his blade, invisible ripples were already vaguely discernible.

"Now, what you need to do is the same as Bullet,"

Dylan said. "Increase your control over Haki, diligently gather the dispersed Haki, and forge the air currents into a solid iron; that is Armament Haki's hardening."

King nodded silently.

Boom boom boom!

Thunder exploded in the sky.

High in the sky, Roa, transformed into a human-tiger, and Kaido, covered in blue scales, were constantly clashing.

Each collision between the two swords and the iron club unleashed violent Haki lightning, and the deafening roars made the sky seem to tremble.

"Ugyargh! You brat are getting better and better at making me enjoy myself!"

Kaido laughed loudly.

"You've only got these few years left to laugh, Brother Kaido,"

Roa swept in again, sighing. "At my current pace, I'll probably be stronger than you in less than two years."

"Who do you think I am!"

Kaido swung his iron club with all his might.

The two brothers frolicked freely in the sky, colliding again and again until both felt thoroughly invigorated.

Having fought their fill, the two landed on the top floor of the castle. Food was already prepared, but of course, it was only for Kaido; Roa had been eating continuously.

While eating, Roa brought up business. "How is it, Brother Kaido? Is my Calamity Army useful?"

Three months had passed, and the first batch of artificial soldiers had been fully cultivated.

Although they were a degraded version and possessed their own emotions, with physiques far exceeding ordinary humans, absolute obedience, and the powerful equipment of the Germa Kingdom, the Calamity Army they formed was still a formidable force that struck fear into anyone who heard of them.

Suppressing Wano Country's samurai was as easy as pie.

"Very good."

Kaido gulped down his drink, nodding in agreement. "You've really struck gold, brat. An elite force that can be cultivated in a year—no one can ignore that."

Although fodder troops were useless in battles between true powerhouses, it's not like strong individuals should be dispatched for everything, right?

"In that case, shouldn't the cost of employing them be paid?"

Roa rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, displaying a shrewd, calculating expression.

"You brat, didn't you say I was the vice president of your company?"

Kaido said exasperatedly, "Does a vice president also have to pay?"

"Precisely because you are an honorary vice president of my company, you should pay even more,"

Roa said seriously. "Otherwise, it's embezzlement of public funds."

"No money,"

Kaido waved his hand impatiently. "I'll just help you build a few more factories."

The two had agreed that the country's ore would be split equally between them, Wano Country would belong to Kaido, and Roa could build a certain number of weapons factories in the country, with Kaido providing resources, craftsmen, and workers for free.

These factories were now mostly completed and had officially begun production.

It must be said that Wano Country's craftsmen were indeed exceptionally skilled, and the construction efficiency in this world was truly astonishing.

"Alright then."

Roa nodded. "Do you want to employ them for a longer period? I think the unrest in Wano Country won't stop in a day or two."

"No need,"

Kaido shook his head. "My army is almost assembled too."

Yes, an army recruited from Wano Country.

If there were samurai who would die unyielding, there were naturally spineless individuals who yearned for glory.

Without enough pirates under his command, Kaido also had to consider the practical situation and assemble a force primarily composed of Wano Country natives.

"However,"

Kaido glanced at the artificial soldiers armed with weapons guarding the entrance. "You said their lifespan is only ten years? Judge's technology shouldn't only be able to achieve that, right?"

Hearing Kaido's voice, the artificial soldiers at the entrance visibly showed expressions of sadness.

This was a fact they had known since their creation.

After truly coming to know this world and realizing the lifespan of humans, this fact caused them immense pain.

And upon learning that Roa had suggested to Judge to formulate them this way, their feelings became even more complex.

"The splendor of life isn't about its length, Brother Kaido,"

Roa said earnestly. "As long as it's brilliant, that's enough!"

Kaido's lips twitched; he probably understood why.

"Besides, they might not even want it,"

Roa turned and looked at the artificial soldiers. "Do you want the next batch of your comrades to have a normal human lifespan? I order you to tell the truth."

The two artificial soldiers paused, then one of them gritted their teeth and, mustering their courage, said, "No! Lord Roa, we do not!"

"See?"

Roa shrugged. "They say they don't want it."

"You bastard."

Kaido's eye twitched.

"Oh, right,"

Roa remembered something. "Things here are pretty much settled, so I should be taking my leave."