Chapters · Four Emperors (Yonko) › Wano Country

Chapter 965: The Kurozumi Clan's Plot

Arc: Wano Country · Saga: Four Emperors (Yonko) · Released: 2019-12-15 Oden-era flashback .

Summary

Aboard the Whitebeard Pirates’ ship during Oden’s voyage, Oden and Toki muse on the round, sea-spanning world; Momonosuke is born (Oden aged 28, his second year traveling), Hiyori follows, and Izo urges Oden to think about returning to Wano. Whitebeard reorganizes his swelling crew into divisions and takes in another orphan — a boy named Teach. The scene cuts to Wano, where the ailing Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki names Kurozumi Orochi — whom Oden doted on like a younger brother — as his proxy until Oden returns, only for Orochi to confess his hidden Kurozumi blood. A long flashback unspools Orochi’s origin: a destitute Kurozumi boy is found by an unnamed elderly Kurozumi woman who shows him a “vision” of himself as shogun and recounts the clan’s downfall — Orochi’s grandfather plotted to seize the shogunate by poisoning the five daimyo clans, only to be foiled when the Kozuki heir Sukiyaki was born; the grandfather was forced into seppuku and the clan disgraced. The crone reveals the Clone-Clone Fruit (Mane Mane no Mi) and offers Orochi the power to make himself shogun. Orochi borrows and embezzles his way upward, works for Lord Yasu in Hakumai, is vouched for by Oden, and is installed as Sukiyaki’s proxy — shortly after which news of Sukiyaki’s death sweeps Wano. Back at sea, four years after Oden left, the Whitebeard crew nears an island where the wildlife is fleeing: the Roger Pirates have just landed after a battle. Gol D. Roger, sensing his end is near, comes face to face with Whitebeard — “This might be the last time we’ll ever meet, Whitebeard!!!”

New reveals

• Kurozumi Orochi’s full backstory: a Kurozumi orphan raised in poverty who deceived and manipulated his way into the Kozuki shogunate as Sukiyaki’s proxy.
• An unnamed elderly Kurozumi woman is the architect of Orochi’s rise; she wields the Clone-Clone Fruit (Mane Mane no Mi), naming it on-page (p.12). (Her name is NOT given this chapter.)
• The five daimyo clans who served the Kozuki shogunate are named: Fugetsu, Amatsuki, Uzuki, Kurozumi, Shimotsuki (p.9).
• The Kurozumi clan’s downfall: Orochi’s grandfather schemed to take the shogunate by poisoning the rival daimyos; the plan collapsed when the Kozuki heir Sukiyaki was born, and the grandfather was forced into seppuku — lands, castle and titles confiscated.
• A young orphan named Teach is recruited into the Whitebeard Pirates (p.5); Whitebeard reorganizes the crew into divisions (the “Second Division” referenced).
• Momonosuke is born during Oden’s voyage — Oden aged 28, the second year of his travels (p.4); Hiyori follows (both shown aboard by year four, p.15).
• Roger, near the end of his life (“my end is nigh”), comes to meet Whitebeard — the summit begins (p.17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters (shown): Kozuki Oden, Kozuki Toki, Momonosuke (infant), Kozuki Hiyori (infant), Izo (first on-page appearance), Whitebeard, Blackbeard (young Teach), Orochi, Kozuki Sukiyaki (first on-page appearance), Roger, Shanks (young), Buggy (young), Silvers Rayleigh
• Characters (named only): Marco (“Go check it out, Marco!”), Tonoyasu (as “Lord Yasu”), Kin’emon (“I hope Kin and the gang are well”)
• Unnamed but significant: an elderly Kurozumi woman (Clone-Clone Fruit user); Orochi’s Kurozumi grandfather; the previous Kozuki shogun (Sukiyaki’s father)
• Groups / families: Whitebeard Pirates, Roger Pirates, Kozuki, Kurozumi, Shimotsuki; the five daimyo clans Fugetsu, Amatsuki, Uzuki, Kurozumi, Shimotsuki
• Locations: Wano Country, Flower Capital, Kuri, Hakumai; an unnamed island (Roger–Whitebeard meeting)
• Devil Fruits: Mane Mane no Mi (Clone-Clone Fruit)
• Cover: Gang Bege’s Oh My Family, Vol. 15: “Enough Ruckus — You’re Gonna Get Us Spotted Too” — Capone Bege

Notable panels

• p.1 — Cover (color-less): Gang Bege’s Oh My Family, Vol. 15 side-comic; Capone “Gang” Bege looming with cigar and gun over a fallen figure.
• p.2 — Aboard Whitebeard’s ship; Oden and Toki on the round, four-seas world (“the world itself is as round as a dumpling!!”); Toki’s parents were from Wano.
• p.4 — Momonosuke born (Oden aged 28, 2nd year of travels); “Kozuki…”; Izo urges Oden to think of returning to Wano for Toki and Momonosuke.
• p.5 — Whitebeard splits the crew into divisions (“Second Division”); young Teach (Blackbeard) recruited — “another orphan, it seems… Teech!!”
• p.6 — Wano, Flower Capital: ailing Shogun Sukiyaki names Kurozumi Orochi his proxy; daimyos stunned (“Orochi?!”).
• p.7 — Orochi confesses his Kurozumi blood and pledges to atone for his grandfather’s crimes.
• pp.8–9 — The crone’s “vision of the future”; the five daimyo clans named (Fugetsu, Amatsuki, Uzuki, Kurozumi, Shimotsuki).
• pp.10–11 — The grandfather’s failed poisoning coup, foiled by Sukiyaki’s birth; the Kurozumi disgrace; “It was Kozuki Sukiyaki’s fault.”
• p.12 — The crone transforms her face and reveals the Clone-Clone Fruit (Mane Mane no Mi); the fruit itself shown.
• pp.13–14 — Orochi’s climb: embezzling, borrowing, working under Lord Yasu (Hakumai), vouched for by Oden; Sukiyaki names him heir-proxy; Sukiyaki’s death reported.
• p.16 — Roger Pirates land on the island (Buggy, Shanks, Rayleigh shown); “Captain Roger!!”
• p.17 — Roger meets Whitebeard (full-body Roger reveal): “This might be the last time we’ll ever meet, Whitebeard!!!” (visually significant — mirror/splash candidate).

Open questions raised

• Who is the elderly Kurozumi woman with the Clone-Clone Fruit, and what becomes of her? (Unnamed this chapter.)
• Did Sukiyaki truly die — and how? His death is only reported (“news of Shogun Sukiyaki’s death swept through Wano”), not shown.
• Was the elimination of the Fugetsu/Amatsuki/Uzuki daimyo clans the grandfather’s poison plot, and do any survive into the present?
• What “answer” is Oden still searching for at sea (p.4) before he can return to Wano?