PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

At the same time, within Udon Prison in Wano Country—

Dozens of prisoners were relentlessly swinging iron shovels, smashing away at blocks of dense seastone.

Among them was a short, elderly man—Hyogoro the Flower—who, despite his frailty, swung his tool like everyone else.

But unlike the others, his ears were perked up, listening intently to the nearby guards' chatter.

The sudden news from yesterday—a signal calling for the opening of Wano's borders—had taken him completely by surprise.

"That Ashura guy must've gone mad. Sure, the Beasts Pirates have left Wano for now, but trying to open the country at this point? Forget Kaido's fury later—even Orochi's army would be too much to handle! This is no different from that pointless sacrifice ten years ago!"

Hyogoro muttered grimly under his breath.

Though he was a marked man within Udon and treated harshly, it hadn't stopped him from gathering information.

Especially now—with Ashura Doji's sudden rebellion—the news was spreading like wildfire. Even the guards gossiped about it at every break. The entire prison buzzed with it.

"Old Hyogoro, eavesdropping again?" a towering Sheep Mink with a long whip barked as he approached. "You relics keep getting in our way. If not for you, we'd be out fighting in the real war!"

The Sheep Mink snapped his whip.

"Don't get any grand ideas! Even if you're itching to join some foolish uprising, you're all nothing but weaklings. You couldn't even lift a real sword, let alone survive against Kaido-sama."

"There's no warrior in Wano who can rival Kaido-sama. You're all doomed. All we need to do is sit here and enjoy the show."

"Now shut up and get down! Time for your lashes!"

"Watch out, Boss Hyogoro!" a distant prisoner cried out.

Everyone knew the elderly yakuza boss was constantly targeted, his health already failing. One more beating might be fatal.

But with explosive collars locked around their necks, and armed guards watching closely, none of them could do a thing. They could only grit their teeth and watch.

Hyogoro's face turned pale. But he had lived this life for decades—he had grown used to the pain.

He simply closed his eyes, bracing himself.

Crack!

The whip lashed out—but the expected pain never arrived.

The entire prison yard froze.

Hyogoro opened his eyes in confusion—only to see a slender young man standing before him, blocking the blow.

In his hand, a gourd of cheap sake dangled lazily.

"Kid? Are you a prisoner? No—who are you?! How did you even get in here?! This has nothing to do with you. Leave now or you'll be dragged down with us!" Hyogoro shouted in panic.

How this youth had made it into the impenetrable Udon was beyond him—but if he got caught because of Hyogoro, the old man couldn't bear that guilt.

The young man took a sip of his sake and chuckled.

"Don't worry. A place like this can't hold me."

He turned his head slightly, glancing back at Hyogoro and the gathered warriors-turned-prisoners.

"I'm here to rescue you."

"Rescue us?" Hyogoro blinked, stunned. "Kid, are you joking? You're alone. You can't possibly think you can get us all out…"

"And why would you even want to save us?"

The guards and prisoners nearby exchanged suspicious glances.

Who was this bold stranger?

The young man laughed again, swirling the sake gourd in his hand.

"Why save you?" He smirked. "No big reason, really. You're not what I'd call elite forces…"

"But… you do look a bit like Berries to me. Maybe I can get ten thousand apiece if I sell you to Sengoku."

"So yeah, I'll take that deal."

"Ten thousand… apiece?" Everyone froze.

Even Hyogoro was dumbfounded.

Did this guy… just say he was going to sell them?

At ten thousand Berries each?

Was this guy for real?

Even if they escaped, Wano was just a tiny island. Where would they even hide?

But before they could respond, the Sheep Mink let out a furious roar.

"You little punk! How dare you stir up trouble in Udon! I'll kill you myself! Everyone—take him down!"

BOOM!

Two massive shadows dropped from the sky!

A violent gust and cloud of dust blasted outward, throwing the prison yard into chaos.

Everyone turned toward the source—and froze.

Only Hyogoro, once Wano's top yakuza boss, recognized the newcomers immediately.

"Cat Viper and Dogstorm—two of the Nine Red Scabbards?! You're really here? Then… is Ashura Doji's uprising real?!"

"Heh, Hanayagi Hyogoro… or should I say 'Boss Hyogoro'—looks like Lord Luo Yu was right. You really are here," Dogstorm said with a chuckle.

He looked the old man up and down. Frail, battered, but unmistakably the same legend.

"And it's a good thing you still look like Berries. Makes the rescue worth it. Otherwise, we'd never have found this place."

Selling people again?

Everyone was in disbelief.

But then someone looked closely at Hyogoro—and their jaws dropped.

"Boss Hyogoro?! You're the legendary yakuza of Wano?!"

"What the hell?! I thought he was dead! How is he in here?!"

"Those damn pirates and Orochi—they've been torturing him right under our noses for decades?!"

"Quick! Spread the word! Let the others know—Boss Hyogoro is alive!"

"We'll tear those bastards apart for what they did!"

The prison exploded into a frenzy.

To them, Hyogoro wasn't just a man—he was a symbol. A legend. Wano's godfather.

For decades, he had hidden his identity to avoid being used as leverage. He had endured it all to protect the other prisoners.

But now, seeing the younger generation still holding him in such reverence, a rare smile appeared on his worn face.

Until—

He spotted what the Sheep Mink was holding.

His smile vanished instantly.

His eyes went wide in horror.

"Get away from me—NOW! If you don't, you'll die!!"