One Piece Teases Wano's Fated Return and Opening

As the third act of One Piece's Wano Country arc prepared to kick into high gear as Luffy and the other rebels prepared to make their move on Orochi and Kaido's forces, fans were left on a fierce cliffhanger as it seemed like they have been taken down before everything began. But before the series revealed what the fate of the rebels are after this failed ambush, series creator Eiichiro Oda began a lengthy flashback exploring the past of Wano's former daimyo, the legendary Kozuki Oden, as he spent his final days on Wano.

One Piece unfortunately had to take a brief break due to Oda's sudden bout of illness, which makes the tease from the latest chapter of the series all the more enticing. As the Oden flashback came to an end, Chapter 972 of the series ends with the promise that the series will be returning to the present day as we'll finally see the war for Wano truly begin.

As Kaido and Orochi carried out the tragic execution of Oden, he managed to help his Akazaya Nine escape with their lives. It's here that Oden predicts that 20 years later a huge war will break out for the country as the powerful figures in this war will make their way to the New World. In a letter he leaves to his wife Toki, he mentions how a "long winter" will settle over Wano and those who can stop Kaido will be coming soon after.

Toki rips up the letter before we can see what Oden's final wishes to her are, but there's a brief statement where he wants her to use her power to presumably send the Akazaya Nine and their son Momonosuke 20 years into the future. It's here that she vows to do so, and as fans are well aware of by now, she's successful in that regard as now Momonsuke and the others are leading the charge for the final charge in the war.

The wait for Chapter 973 of the series gets even tougher as we return to Wano proper, and that means some of our biggest questions for the arc will be answered as the series continues. Now it's only looking toward the future! Are you ready to see how the war for Wano Country turns out? What did you think of the Kozuki Oden flashback? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or talk to me directly about all things anime and other cool things @Valdezology on Twitter!