Chapters · Four Emperors (Yonko) › Wano Country

Chapter 920: For Love of Oden

Arc: Wano Country · Saga: Four Emperors (Yonko) · Released: 2018-09-23

Summary

At the ruins of Oden Castle in Kuri, the Kozuki survivors and the Minks recount Lord Kozuki Oden’s life to the Straw Hats: the boisterous son of Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki, banished from the Flower Capital, who tamed the lawless region of Kuri, beat the “Demon Child” Ashura Doji, was made Daimyo of Kuri at twenty, and built up the land — befriending the washed-up “talking dog and cat” Minks (Dogstorm and Cat Viper) and later charming both Whitebeard and Roger. Oden was taken to the Flower Capital and executed by Orochi — to the survivors, “mere months ago.” The chapter’s central reveal: Oden’s wife Kozuki Toki wielded a Time-Time ability to leap into the future (she herself was born “long, long ago” and traveled forward to Oden’s era). On the night Kaido’s forces burned the castle, Toki used her power to fling Momonosuke, Kin’emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, Kiku and the others twenty years into the future to fulfill Oden’s wish and topple Orochi and Kaido; she stayed behind with their daughter Hiyori. The retainers recount their scattered journey across the timeskip (Zou, Dressrosa, Punk Hazard) that wove them through the Straw Hats. Jibuemon, a retainer of Kibi who waited twenty years, reveals that loyal allies bear a crescent-moon mark on the ankle. The group sets a plan: in two weeks, on the night of the Fire Festival, raid Kaido’s base Onigashima. Meanwhile a lost Zoro, separated from the komainu, reaches a dock.

New reveals

• Oden’s backstory: son of Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki, banished from the Flower Capital for his willful, violent ways; he conquered the lawless region of Kuri, defeated Ashura Doji (“the Demon Child”), assumed command of its ruffians, and at age 20 was made Daimyo of Kuri, building a town, a castle, and the Paradise Farm (p2–4).
• Inuarashi (Duke Dogstorm) and Nekomamushi (Cat Viper) are the “talking dog and talking cat” Minks who washed up at the Kuri shore, were feared as “aliens,” and were taken in by Oden — “our savior… our master” (p5).
• Oden “entranced Whitebeard… and even charmed Roger” (p6).
• Oden was taken to the Flower Capital as a criminal, tried and executed under Orochi — and to the survivors it was “mere months ago” (p6–7).
• Kozuki Toki = Oden’s wife, mother of Momonosuke and Hiyori; she possesses a “Time-Time” ability that lets her leap into the future (never the past). She was not born in their era, but long, long ago, and traveled forward through time, finally arriving at Oden’s era (p9).
• On the night the castle burned (Kaido’s forces beat the rescuers to it), Toki used her power to send the retainers + Momonosuke 20 years into the future; she remained behind with Hiyori (p9–11).
• Toki’s final words foretold the Kozuki revenge in 20 years; the bodies of the Akazaya Nine were never found; she predicted the retainers would reappear two decades later (p13).
• Loyal allies bear a crescent-moon mark on the ankle as a sign of willingness to fight (p13).
• Jibuemon, a former retainer of Kibi, waited 20 years for Momonosuke’s return (p12–13).
• The retainers’ scattered timeskip journey: Raizo to Zou (“Let us meet on Zou!!”), the wrecked ship, Kin’emon & Kanjuro separated, washing up on Dressrosa (Doflamingo’s pursuit), Momonosuke onto a strange boat → Punk Hazard (Caesar), Law cutting Kin’emon to pieces (p14–15).
• The plan: gather ~5,000 allies (Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, Dogstorm’s Mink Musketeers, Cat Viper’s Guardians, and rallied samurai) and, in two weeks on the night of the Fire Festival, raid Kaido’s base Onigashima — “Island of Ogres” (p16–17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Kozuki Oden (flashback), Kozuki Toki (flashback — first appearance), Kozuki Hiyori (flashback child — first appearance), Kozuki Sukiyaki , Momonosuke, Kin’emon, Kanjuro, Raizo, Okiku (“Kiku”), Inuarashi (Duke Dogstorm), Nekomamushi (Cat Viper), Jibuemon (first appearance), Ashura Doji (first mention, flashback), Orochi, Kaido, Whitebeard, Roger, Trafalgar Law, Caesar Clown, Doflamingo, Zoro, Komachiyo
• Locations: Oden Castle, Kuri, Wano Country, Flower Capital, Paradise Farm, Onigashima (first appearance — distant silhouette), Kibi (first mention), Dressrosa, Punk Hazard, Zou
• Devil Fruits: Toki Toki no Mi (first appearance — Toki’s Time-Time ability, named on-page as the “Time-Time ability”)
• Groups: Akazaya Nine (first named on-page), Dogstorm’s Mink Musketeers, Cat Viper’s Guardians, Heart Pirates, Kozuki

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Title page / reader-request art: “Zolo and Sanji fight even in their dreams,” request by Goemon from Nara. Zoro and Sanji brawling in twin dream-bubbles above their sleeping selves in Wano garb. (B/W, not a serialized cover story.)
• Page 3 — Oden’s conquest of Kuri montage; the looming face of Ashura Doji, “the Demon Child.”
• Page 5 — Duke Dogstorm narrates the Minks washing up at the Kuri shore, feared as “aliens” — “King of the Day, Mokomo Dukedom, Duke Dogstorm.”
• Page 9 — Toki cradling the children before a wall of flame; her Time-Time power revealed — “Mankind cannot return to the past… but it can leap into the future!!”
• Page 11 — Momonosuke and the retainers materialize 20 years forward amid aged graves marked “Kozuki Oden.”
• Page 17 — The raid declared: distant silhouette of Onigashima; the final four-panel beat on Kin’emon, Luffy, Momonosuke and Law — “…and carry out a raid!!!” (One Piece off the following week.)

Open questions raised

• How far back was Toki born, and what is the origin of the Toki Toki no Mi? Does her ancient origin tie to the Void Century?
• What exactly were Oden’s “wish” and the secret he learned sailing with Roger?
• Who else bears the crescent-moon ankle mark — how many allies remain after 20 years?
• What became of Toki and Hiyori after the castle burned?