A magic merchant infiltrating Fairy Tail

King turned to Kaido: "Do you need me to tell Orochi to show them some respect? Otherwise, given their personalities, we might be next to receive news of Orochi's death."

Kaido was about to agree, but then he thought about how he had gained nothing from his trip to Whole Cake Island, but instead lost many of his subordinates, lost face, and lost the Road Poneglyphs. He immediately felt depressed and irritable.

Even if I lose the duel, it won't make you feel comfortable!

"Don't worry about it! If that guy dies, we can just replace him with another one!"

After saying that, Kaido fell backward and fell asleep.

King silently withdrew. Although Kaido had told him not to tell Orochi about this, he still had to remind Queen first.

……

After some time of investigation, Crocodile soon learned about the history of the country and the legendary figures who appeared in it.

"I just can't understand it!"

"Why are the people of this country so obsessed with that idiot named 'Kozuki Oden'?!"

Kozuki Oden, son of former shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki.

As a teenager, he was absurd and nonsensical, causing constant turmoil in Wano Country, which resulted in him gaining a bunch of brainless fans; as a young man, he ignored national policies and his father's advice and went to sea; in middle age, he returned to Wano Country, but was unable to drive away the enemy, and placed his hopes for protecting the people on the mercy of pirates and enemies, and danced naked for five years in a row.

During the dance, he did not stockpile supplies, gather fighting forces, or seek help from outside, allowing the enemy to act recklessly against his country. After everyone lost faith in him, he gathered his remaining nine subordinates to launch a rebellion, only to be defeated with a single blow and publicly executed.

And yet, this very person is regarded as a hero by the locals!

Crocodile found it absurd; his worldview had never been so shaken. He stood there quietly smoking several cigars before he recovered.

Not only Crocodile, but even his men expressed similar sentiments.

"Compared to what happened here, I even find the sudden appearance of those mages and their subsequent defeat of Kaido and Big Mom much easier to accept..."

"Could it be that these people have inhaled too much harmful air and eaten too much toxic food, causing their thinking and even their brains to become distorted?"

"I think it's because of the long-term isolation and seclusion that the people here have developed irreversible genetic defects..."

"I never knew what it felt like to be surrounded by an atmosphere of stupidity. It was so suffocating! I miss the outside world so much!"

"..."

Crocodile suddenly realized that his newly recruited subordinates seemed to be unexpectedly sharp-tongued.

Just then, a henchman rushed in, panicking: "Boss... Boss...!! Something terrible has happened!!"

"What's wrong? Speak properly!"

"Magicians...!! Magicians have appeared!! They've arrived in Wano Country!!!"

"What did you say?!"

Chapter 970 The Coup in Wano Country

The culture and customs of the Kingdom of Fiore are more similar to those of medieval Europe, while Wano Country is different, which is why Natsu and his companions are very interested in the environment there.

So the group took the Hope Airship directly to the Flower Capital. After getting off the airship, they walked around, stopping and looking at things along the way. With their skillful troublemaking techniques, they quickly attracted the attention of the local thugs.

These thugs are all loyal to a man named Kyoshiro, who is a favorite of the general Orochi. He allows his men to commit evil deeds everywhere, and the thugs are afraid of Orochi's punishment, so they have always dared not speak out against him.

But Natsu and his friends weren't afraid of these people. They were used to helping those in need and didn't need to weigh the pros and cons or even think before they did these things.

After teaching them a lesson and destroying four or five houses in the process, the group realized they had gone too far. But it didn't matter; after their reasoned argument, the troublemakers deeply understood their mistake and stepped forward to compensate those who had suffered economic losses.

These news quickly reached Kyoshiro's ears, and he promptly reported them to Shogun Orochi, saying that someone was rebelling against his rule. Orochi believed it and ordered the Oniwabanshu to capture Natsu and the others. However, before he could even finish a meal, he received news that the Oniwabanshu had been completely wiped out.

Kyoshiro looked at the powerless and furious Orochi and felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

His true identity is Denjiro, one of the nine retainers of the Kozuki family. Because he missed the time travel train and had to protect Oden's daughter, Kozuki Hiyori, he changed his appearance, fabricated a new identity, and infiltrated Orochi's side.

Kyoshiro firmly believes in the prophecy made by his mistress, Kozuki, that the Nine Red Scabbards will reunite in two years, defeat Orochi and Kaido, and reclaim Wano Country.

Before that, everything those people below do will be in vain.

Therefore, he strictly played his role as a villain who aided and abetted evil, using the name Kyoshiro to commit evil deeds in Wano Country, attempting to ruin Orochi's reputation.

Even if he occasionally encountered those who rose up in resistance, he would forcefully beat them down and send them to the quarry to dig stones.

Because in his heart, without his master Kozuki Oden, or his young master Kozuki Momonosuke leading the team, no matter how many people he gathered, it would be useless.

Conversely, once a 'monarch' is established, those who oppose Orochi can be quickly united into a powerful force, and then the country can be restored and power seized, returning Wano Country to the rule of the Kozuki clan.

When Kira told the group what had happened, Natsu and the others reacted exactly the same way he had when he first read the manga.

"I really... can't understand it!"

"This can't be simply described as blind loyalty anymore...?"

"I think Harpy's IQ is higher than theirs!"

Even Katakuri, who was watching the show from the sidelines, couldn't help but express his opinion: "To gamble the hope of restoring the country on a vague prophecy is just as foolish as gamble the stability of Wano Country on the mercy of Orochi and Kaido!"

"Truly worthy of being master and servant, is it really a lineage passed down through generations?"

After a long string of complaints, Kira finally voiced his opinion: "So I have an idea: Wano Country should be opened to the world!"

"Open the country? How?" Erza and the others asked curiously.

Katakuri also looked at Killer. He had long heard about Wano Country's 'closed-door policy,' but over the years he had also seen that it was not completely isolated from the outside world, so he had always scoffed at this policy and thought that the claim was simply false.

Kira spoke eloquently, using drawings to explain the specific topography of Wano Country to everyone: "Wano Country is actually a country built on the mountainside, and the surrounding seawater was formed by the accumulation of rainwater over many years."

"The so-called 'opening of the country' means destroying the mountains surrounding Wano Country and bringing back the original site of Wano Country, which was submerged by the sea hundreds of years ago, to the world."

At the same time, this would also allow Pluto, the 'King of the Underworld', to appear in the world!

Moreover, after the country was opened to the outside world, communication between Wano Country and the outside world became much easier. The people of Wano Country could go to sea at any time, and they would no longer be starving and freezing under Orochi's rule. At least they would have hope of survival.

Katakuri pondered for a while before asking, "What...is there any point in doing this?"

"It means nothing! I just like to cause trouble." Kira puffed out his chest, looking proud.

What are you so proud of?!

Katakuri thought to himself, then asked, "But Kaido won't just stand by and do nothing about meddling in Wano Country's politics, will he? We just formed an alliance!"

Killer waved his hand casually: "Don't worry about that. Kaido doesn't care who the shogun of Wano Country is. He only cares whether the people here can provide him with enough logistics."

"Believe me, in the coming new era, a completely new Wano Country will be far more useful than this sick place we have now!"

Katakuri thought about it and realized that Kira made sense.

Even if he felt it was unreasonable, he had neither the standing to oppose it nor the power to stop it.

If their own pirate crew was driven out of Whole Cake Island, why is Kaido's Wano Country safe and sound?

With this in mind, he fawned over Kira's opinion.

"What do you plan to do with that giant snake?"

"Is there any need to say anything? Just take care of it and then throw it to those samurai."

The group had no objection to Kira's decision. After all, he had caused such devastation to the area, and they couldn't stand by and watch. It was fine for them to punish him, but ultimately they still had to hand him over to the locals to deal with.

"What will happen to the position of Shogun of Wano Country then? We can't be without a leader!"

Katakuri added, "With a change of regime, Kaido might turn a blind eye, but if this place descends into chaos and production is affected, he will definitely come after us!"

"Why not just give them a general?" Kira said casually.

Anyway, the people here have always liked to be loyal dogs. They want a master, so they send one out to be their master. Once that person makes life in Wano Country better, they will naturally forget their original master.

Two years of wonderful life were enough for them to forget about the Kozuki clan.

"Kaido will not allow our people to settle in his territory!"

"I do have a good candidate here..."

Kira said, turning his head and beckoning behind him, "You've been listening for so long, it's time for you to come out, Old Sand!"

After the voice fell, the air was silent for a long while. Then the sand on the ground began to move and slowly gathered into a human shape, which was Crocodile.

When did you find me?

"From the moment you arrived, you idiot!"

Actually, Crocodile had already arrived when Killer and the others started chatting. He and Katakuri had both noticed his arrival, but they simply didn't take him seriously.

"So, Crocodile? Interested in becoming the boss of Wano Country?!"

Crocodile felt a little itchy inside, but he still pretended to be nonchalant: "Do you think you can decide this? Kaido isn't someone you can easily talk to!"

“I can give him a copy of the Road Poneglyphs he’s missing. It’s just a matter of changing the master of Wano Country. I think with your abilities, you can definitely do a better job than Orochi. Kaido shouldn’t refuse.”

Crocodile thought about Ayu, who had been kind to him, and after a moment's hesitation, he nodded in agreement.

"You can't just give me a country for nothing! Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

"What you're saying... I may be a businessman, but I don't consider profit in everything I do! Purely doing things for fun and entertainment, isn't that just fine too?"

Crocodile couldn't refute it; he didn't have Kira's power, so he couldn't imagine what it felt like to be so strong that you were bored out of your mind.

This is similar to how a poor person can never imagine the extent to which a rich person can squander money.

……

Soon, with Killer's help, Crocodile easily defeated Orochi and the Oniwabanshu, successfully seizing Wano Country and becoming the new shogun.

As Killer had predicted, after Kaido learned the news, he chose to ignore Killer's group's actions in Wano Country after receiving Crocodile's assurance that "it will not affect production" and a copy of the third Road Poneglyph. He even instructed Queen to lead the Flying Six, the True Fighters, and the Headliners to cooperate as much as possible.

When Orochi fell, the entire population of Wano Country wept with joy and cheered.

Although they didn't get the Kozuki clan, once Crocodile opened the granaries and allowed the people of Wano Country to have enough to eat, they felt that whether or not the Kozuki clan existed was no longer important.

At this point, Crocodile's reputation, which he had previously accumulated in Kuri, came in very handy.

Thanks to the propaganda of those people, the people of Wano Country quickly gained a clearer understanding of Crocodile, a perfect hero who saved the people of Wano Country from suffering.

After Orochi's downfall, Kyoshiro quickly came knocking on his door.

He first expressed his gratitude to Crocodile for overthrowing Orochi, and then shamelessly asked him to return the position of 'Shogun' to the Kozuki clan, and revealed the true identity of the courtesan Komurasaki—Kozuki Hiyori.

Crocodile laughed. Why would he hand over a country he had already acquired?

As expected, Kyoshiro was dealt with by Crocodile that very day, executed in front of everyone in Wano Country as Orochi's lackey.