A week ter...

  Wanokuni...

  Another gruesome day for the Daimyo of Wanokuni, Oden dragged his body back to his castle, despite his healthy body, his heart felt quite hurt. he still couldn't forget how the people of Flower Capital treated him on this particur day.

  His muscur body were full of bruises, his hair were messy and some parts looked burnt, various color from disgusting substances sticking on his body from head to toe which hasn't been washed off by him.

  Horrid smell lingers as he walk back towards his home, feeling uneasy to let his family see his current pathetic appearance. He still vividly remembered, for some reason the people who usually supports him just st week doesn't appear today.

  That makes his haters to unleash their inner desire, not only Oden was beaten up, he was also covered by some nasty things from rotten eggs to human excrement!

  despite everything that happened, Oden still couldn't put himself to hate Wanokuni people, he just felt sad and powerless! If only he was powerful enough, there was no way the current Shogun goes by the name Kurozumi Orochi could overthrew his rules with the help of the beast Kaido!

  If anyone were to bme, Oden would put himself first rather than his enemy, this was all happening just because he was not powerfull enough!

  While he was walking, he inadvertently lowered his head as he was deep in contemption. After a while, he saw there was a hairy legs of a man wearing a flip-flop entered his line of sight.

  Oden raised his head quickly thinking there was someone on his way and tried to avoid the ter as his current condition was too awful to look at.

  "HUH!" When he saw the owner of those hairy legs, Oden couldn't help but widen his eyes and excimed in surprise!

  The legs owner was someone he was too familiar with!

  Once was his crew mate, a little brother, someone who he thought as family. Marco the Phoenix! 1st division commander of Whitebeard Pirates!

  Oden was shocked as he never thought that he would meet with his friend once again, together, they once served as Whitebeard Division commander in the past.

  Later he joined Roger pirates as he felt curious on the ter extension of his vision. leaving Whitebeard and everyone behind.

  Regret? yes, a bit. But, when Roger pirates disbanded, he doesn't have a heart to rejoin the Whitebeard once again and chose to return to his home isnd, unbeknownst to him, his father retainer and sve, Kurozumi Orochi had usurped his throne and becoming a new Shogun of Wanokuni!

  Together with Kaido which Orochi invited to Wano, Oden fell in disadvantage as fast as fallen leaves!

  Never he thought that Marco would appear here! in the flesh himself, looking at him with unconcealed anger as to how Oden had become.

  However, rather than feeling happy, Oden was filled with dread instead! Color drained from his face as he took several steps back slowly.

  On the opposite side, Marco was fuming! he scrunched his face trying to keep his calm, as, the scene he saw on the day still lingered in his mind.

  Oden was once part of their crew, he even considered as Whitebeard little brother, someone he admired and strive to looked up for!

  Now, he saw Oden pathetic state he never once imagined it could happen to him, Oden was powerfull, Marco knew to what extent his power could reach. No matter what kind Oden had to face after Roger pirates disbanded, he was sure that Oden will do just fine, and yet...

  When Marco about to open his mouth, Oden excimed, "What are you doing here?! GO BACK!!!"

  Never he thought, the first thing Oden said to him was rejection!

  Marco closed his eyes, pain was an understatement on what he felt seeing his former mighty brother had fallen so low.

  "MARCO!" Oden yelled once again, there was a fsh of unwillingness inside his eyes, as, he tried to concealed it.

  "Why?" Marco asked softly.

  "Why what? This is my choice! it has nothing to do wi....."

  "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU BASTARD!"

  All of sudden, Marco fshed quickly toward Oden, he threw a powerful punch towards Oden stomach!

  *BOOM!

  Oden muscur body was blown away! Marco felt extremely indignant as he dashed forward once more, While Oden tried to hold the pain, he saw Marco hairy feet wearing a flip-flop appeared right on his face!

  Oden immediately put his hand up trying to block the falling kick.

  *Booom!

  It was all futile as rage infused Marco feet blown Oden face to the ground! Not stopping, Marco began to throw barrages of punches towards Oden below him.

  Muffled sounds of flesh hitting flesh could be heard on the silent road toward Oden's castle, Marco seems had lost his mind as he continue to pummel his friend on the ground.

  "ENOUGH!" Oden felt Marco's heavy punches had crossed the line, he yelled as he sweeps Marco with his hand away.

  Feeling danger, Marco took a step back before he dashed forward once again, this time his knee was aiming directly toward Oden's face who tried to sit down.

  *Bam!

  Oden gritted his teeth as he blocked Marco's knee. Next he retaliate with a low sweep kick of his own.

  Marco was taken aback, as Oden swept his feet he didn't have time time to prepare, prompting him to fall backwards.

  Seeing Marco had fallen, Oden quickly crawled on top of the former body, he grabed Marco's neck as his right hand pulled backwards, without thinking Oden throw his fist toward Marco face on the ground!

  *BANG!

  Dust and gravel flew away as his fist had nded right beside Marco's cheek, Oden punch was really powerful as Marco got cut only by it sweeping wind.

  As, Marco doesn't flinch, he gred straight at the naked man who sits on top of his chest, for a while they locked their eyes until finally, tears flowing out slowly from Oden's eyes, streaming his cheek and finally nded on Marco's face.

  "Marco, Please....Please go back, i don't want to involve you nor Edward in my affair..." Oden tried to supress his tears and spoke in his choked voice.

  *Whooosh!

  Blue fme suddenly appeared from Marco's body prompting Oden to jump backwards. Just when Oden feet stepping on the ground, he was being swept away by Marco who by now had transformed into fming blue phoenix!

  *Bang!

  Marco's strike was too fast for Oden, his body was being bsted away once again, it was seems that Marco doesn't want to listen to Oden's plead earlier, he wanted Oden to listen to him for once!

  "You're weak now!" Marco swept through Oden once again from another direction.

  "Cough*...Marco!" Oden spouted a mouthful of blood due to Marco's strike.

  Marco brandished his cw on his feet and swept Oden once again, "Did you still consider us as family?"

  "Marco! Aaaaakh!..." Oden was bsted toward nearby tree. burnt cw mark appeared on his chest.

  Marco doesn't seems want to stop, in his phoenix form, his speed was boosted to unprecedented level, even Oden couldn't put his guards up and passively on the receiving end.

  the nearby pine forest were burned, Marco's fme mowed everything down, he doesn't care if somebody would hear the commotion, now he just wanted to vent his frustration toward this stubborn man!

  After several minutes, Marco felt it was enough and stopped just a few step away from Oden who by now had been charred bck like charcoal, the pine forest was no more! Only two men, one standing and one y on the ground. surrounded by burning trees.

  walking slowly, Marco stood beside Oden who tried to keep himself awake. Sensing Oden was in his st breath, Marco conjured his blue fme on his hand, next he put it on Oden's body.

  Several seconds tter, Oden could feel his strength had return, slowly he tried to get up as Marco put out his blue fme.

  Oden was feeling sad and relieved at the same time, when Marco went all out, there was a point that he thought to just cast everything away and let Marco took his life! And right after Marco healed him with his ability, his mind was jolted awake and remembered his wife and 2 children back home.

  With complicated thought, Oden saw Marco squatted besides him, the ter took a small fsk of liquor from his pouch and handed it to him without saying anything.

  Oden carefully took a sip and hand it back to Marco, the tter immediately downed the content until the fsk is empty! Much to Oden distress, he still need an alcohol after what happened and Marco deliberately emptied the fsk!

  For a while, Oden and Marco just sit there without word, and soon Oden confessed at st,

  "I'm sorry..."

  Marco was still silent. Oden was seen contempting on his charred face, next he began his long narration.