[RLOP] Chapter : 19 - Lucci's plan for Wano

“What’s this? Hey, anyone here know how to read?”

“What? Let me see—I can read.”

“This is… an Edict to Exterminate the Kozuki Clan!?”

“Denjiro, huh… tch. I knew resisting Kaido was hopeless.”

A tall, pink-haired man swallowed a mouthful of cheap liquor, shoulders sagging in defeat. With a bitter laugh, he crumpled the notice and tossed it aside like garbage.

“How could this be…”

Nearby, an old man hunched beneath his tengu mask clutched the same notice with trembling hands, his wrinkled face frozen in shock.

“I should… I must take responsibility, take charge of this chaos!” His lips quivered, but moments later, his courage collapsed. “No… no, I cannot die… forgive me…”

“Uncle Tonoyasu! Look at this notice! It says if you report a Kozuki retainer, you get a hundred gold!”

A scrawny boy dropped to his knees, desperation in his wide eyes.

“With that money… my mother won’t starve, right?”

Standing before him was a short, middle-aged man with an explosive blue pompadour.

“Uncle! Please! You must know something! I don’t want to betray anyone… but I want my mother to live!”

Two weeks later

Time had already reshaped Wano.

The Shogun’s Residence—once reduced to rubble—now stood taller, more magnificent than before, its brilliance surpassing its old glory.

But the power within its walls had shifted hands.

From the samurai to the Beast Pirates.

From Orochi… to Rob Lucci.

And yet, none of this earth-shattering change leaked beyond the residence’s walls. Lucci kept it all tightly sealed.

Creak.

The faint sound of a door opening.

Lucci stood with his back turned, facing a massive map of Wano spread across the wall.

Maria stepped inside, knelt gracefully, and held out a dark, gleaming dagger with both hands. “Lord Lucci, your dagger.”

Without turning, he asked quietly, drawing a red circle on the map, “How is Orochi?”

“All the seastone pillars brought in have been driven into his body. He clings to life only by his most basic functions.” She hesitated, then added, “But… he’s been begging to see you. He claims he’ll trade Wano’s secret treasures for a small boat to escape.”

“Then this knife is yours. It’s served its purpose.”

Pulling a scabbard from his waist, Lucci tossed it to her without another glance.

As for Orochi’s pleas, he dismissed them entirely. The man’s knowledge of Wano was a puddle compared to the ocean of secrets Lucci had already uncovered.

The Red Road Poneglyph buried deep within the land.
Pluton—the Ancient Weapon, the so-called “God” of destruction—hidden underground.

Maria caught the scabbard, stunned, then quickly bowed her head, joy glowing on her face. “Thank you, Lord Lucci.”

She carefully slid the dagger into its sheath, the warmth of the handle making her cheeks flush.

Lucci glanced at her. “Be careful. You’re already a Devil Fruit user. That blade is seastone.”

Her lips curved faintly. “Mm. I know. Thank you for worrying about me, Lord Lucci.”

About a week ago, Lucci had given her the Spider-Spider Fruit, Ancient Zoan.

He’d expected envy—maybe even rebellion—from his crew. He even prepared to crush discontent if it arose. After all, if morale fractured, no one would fight to the death for him again.

But instead?

They congratulated her. Offered blessings.

Lucci could hardly believe it. Pirates… showing something that almost resembled nobility?

After days of listening to their gossip, he finally understood.

It wasn’t about Maria—it was about him.

His youth terrified them.

Many pirates despaired, thinking, We can’t follow him for long. He’ll leave us behind.

The ambitious doubled their efforts, desperate to keep pace. The weak simply gave up.

So they pinned their hopes on someone with talent who could walk alongside him.

And Maria—towering at four meters, horns crowning her head like Kaido’s kin, and only a year younger than Lucci—fit that role perfectly.

“Puru puru puru…”

The Den Den Mushi rang.

“Gacha.”

A hushed, respectful voice reported through the line. “Big Brother Lucci, I’ve infiltrated the Kozuki remnants. They’re gathering supplies, heading south-southeast…”

“I understand. Be careful.”

“Yes! For Big Brother!”

The line cut off.

Lucci calmly marked the report’s location on the map. For two weeks, this was his rhythm: answer calls, log movements, chart them with precision.

Monotonous work, but he controlled Wano without ever leaving his seat.

“Lucci! I’m here!”

“Oh, sister, your voice is too loud! You’ll disturb Big Brother Lucci~”

“Shut up, Page One! I’m your sister—you’re not allowed to take his side!”

The door burst open. Ulti stomped in, eyes immediately darting to Lucci. Once she confirmed he was there, she shifted her gaze to Maria kneeling by his side.

Her expression screamed, I knew it.

Dragging Page One with her, she plopped down nearby with a huff.

“Hey, Lucci~ when can we go out?”

“Anytime.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really!?”

“Just say you escaped from prison.”

Her face soured instantly. What’s the point if you’re not coming with me?

Crossing her arms, she huffed, “Forget it then. Page One says he doesn’t want to go out anyway.”

“Huh?” Page One blinked. When did I say that!?

“Hmm?” Ulti narrowed her eyes dangerously. Didn’t you say that?

The weight of her glare crushed him. Page One caved instantly. “Uh—y-yeah! There’s… uh… lots of pollen this season. My nose acts up, so better to stay indoors.”

Inside, he sighed bitterly. Ever since Ulti realized Maria’s always by Big Brother’s side, she refuses to leave them alone. And I keep getting dragged along as her excuse…

Page One wants to see you.
Page One has a question.
Page One this, Page One that.

But lately… she’s been a little easier on me. That’s thanks to Big Brother Lucci. So please, Big Brother… work harder. My freedom from my sister depends on you!

“Pollen allergy?”

Page One froze at Lucci’s sudden calm question.

“Eh? Y-yeah! My sister and I sneeze whenever we smell strong flowers.”

“Mm.”

Lucci gave a small nod, filing the information away, before turning back to the map.

The room fell quiet again, the weight of his presence drawing all focus back to him.

Page One sat frozen in a daze.

Maria’s eyes softened as she gazed at Lucci, while Ulti bristled like a wild little beast, glaring daggers at her rival.

So this is the strength of Wano’s samurai…

Staring at the map marked with his careful symbols, Lucci sank into thought.

On the surface, Kaido’s alliance with Orochi had crushed Wano under their heel. But beneath that suffocating control lurked samurai still burning with resistance.

Individually, they were nothing. Together, they could be dangerous.

Ashura Dōji and Denjiro, proud Red Scabbards who had survived the old era.
Kozuki Sukiyaki, the former Shogun, hiding in plain sight as the masked craftsman Tenguyama Hitetsu.
Shimotsuki Yasuie, once Daimyo of Hakumai, now a humble farmer.
And Hyogoro of the Flowers, the yakuza boss whose call could once rally thousands.

Each one carried the potential to ignite rebellion.

If they had united, Lucci might have had no choice but to spread his wings and flee. Especially since, a week ago, all communication with Kaido and the All-Stars had gone silent.

But fortune favored him.

Ashura Dōji abandoned his fight. Denjiro fell.
Sukiyaki clung to secrets, refusing to move.
Yasuie concealed himself, laying low.
And Hyogoro rotted in Udon’s quarries, crushed under Kaido’s chains.

Some hid. Some died. Some were broken.

In the void left by their absence, only scattered remnants remained, too fractured to be anything more than bandits.

Lucci’s “Edict to Exterminate Kozuki,” proclaimed through Orochi, twisted the knife deeper.

A bounty of one hundred gold for reporting a Kozuki survivor—an irresistible temptation.

The downtrodden commoners, long abused by samurai, began to awaken. Many had no hesitation in turning collaborator. Their resentment outweighed any sympathy.

Even if some Kozuki had been just rulers, who cared?

When the people despise you, laying down your sword is the only path. Draw it against them, and you lose their hearts forever.

The Kozuki remnants lacked that awareness.

And Denjiro’s betrayal, as Oden’s once-trusted right hand, broke what little faith remained.

Small skirmishes erupted into massacres. Citizens denounced Kozuki loyalists. Kozuki remnants struck back at villagers. Orochi’s men retaliated against both.

Amidst this chaos, the Beasts Pirates fanned the flames, following Lucci’s every signal.

Two hundred of his men spread across Wano.
Those who wanted to be heroes “protected” commoners from both samurai and Orochi’s soldiers.
Those who enjoyed shadows infiltrated both sides, masked as samurai or guards, stoking bloodshed.

And soon, under the guise of feeding the hungry and shielding the weak, the Beasts Pirates became the “light” in the people’s eyes.

Money. Food. Protection. Adoration followed naturally.

By contrast, the remnants, scavenging and plundering without production, became villains in their own homeland.

The slogan spread like wildfire: “Please, Lord Beasts, liberate Wano!”

To Lucci, watching the country collapse into civil war was deeply satisfying.

And yet… once the first sparks were lit by disguised pirates, the chaos fed itself. Wano was tearing itself apart without his hand.

Now it was a wasteland of fire and betrayal.

“Where are you hiding?” Lucci murmured to the map. “Are your so-called secrets truly worth more than everything else?”

His plan had always been simple:
The samurai would die.
The Kozuki would be branded traitors.
Orochi would take the blame.
And the Beast Pirates would emerge as saviors.

And indeed—
The samurai lay broken.
Orochi and his forces would be executed when the time came.
The Beast Pirates held the people’s hearts.

Only the Kozuki heirs escaped his grasp. Neither Hiyori nor Sukiyaki had surfaced.

That fact gnawed at him.

Flap flap—

The sound of wings echoed through the veranda.

“Lucci, new report, coo~”

Hattori swooped in and landed neatly on his shoulder, a scroll clasped in his talons.

Lucci unrolled it smoothly, the motion practiced, almost ritual.

It was news of Yamato.

Since the day she stormed out, he had quietly arranged for her path to lead through villages destroyed by samurai and towns where Beasts Pirates clashed with rebels to protect civilians.

Some scenes were staged. Many were real.

Day by day, Yamato saw the same picture: pirates fighting to save people, samurai painted as butchers.

The latest updates showed her already fighting alongside the Beast Pirates.

Carrier pigeons were the safest way to keep this secret. Den Den Mushi could be intercepted, and the children around him—volatile and emotional—knew nothing of this plan.

“Page One, what does that stupid pigeon keep bringing him? Can’t he just use a Den Den Mushi?” Ulti demanded.

“Uh… maybe it’s, uh… a love letter? From some girl?”

“Ha!? What did you just say!?”

“Cough—! Sister, let go! I’m sorry!”

Lucci barely acknowledged them.

Maria, however, lowered her lashes and smiled quietly to herself. Children. They can’t possibly compete with me. If Lord Lucci is silent, then the quiet one will win…

Then—

“Coo! Coo! Coo!”

Lucci suddenly stood, startling even Hattori.

A faint smile crossed his face as he searched for coordinates on the scroll, then circled a spot on the map with green ink.

“I’ve found you.”