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As the anticipated anime series continued airing one after the other, from Attack on Titan, which was nearing its peak, to One Piece, catching up with the manga and currently in the Impel Down Arc, and Naruto Shippuden, the favorite ninja anime, which had just entered a new arc where Sasuke finally freed himself from Orochimaru's grasp and was pursuing Itachi.
Adding to this was the beloved samurai anime, Demon Slayer, which had just concluded its second season.
The world of the seas was experiencing moments of joy, temporarily alleviating the sadness and heartbreak caused by the hiatus of the One Piece manga, which was undoubtedly the primary interest of the inhabitants of the seas.
Although it was only a temporary break of one year, this year felt like decades to the die-hard One Piece fans! The past four months had been excruciatingly difficult for them, and there were still eight long months left to endure—double the time they had already waited.
In any case, there was no choice but to wait. This year of rest was well-deserved for Rob for the hard work he had put in so far, and the inhabitants of the pirate world understood this completely.
After the broadcast of the final episode of Demon Slayer Season 2, the boisterous crowd dispersed, leaving behind a mix of complex emotions and unparalleled excitement.
Sighs could be heard everywhere, especially in any Art Store locations.
…
In Wano, as the massive Art Store screen disappeared into the air, Kin'emon finally regained his composure after sitting on the edge of his seat the entire time, his expression tense and focused.
"They won after such a fierce battle!"
"The Sound Hashira was amazing!"
"Holy hell, I've never seen a demon as terrifying as Gyutaro! As expected of the Upper Moons!"
"Sigh... The power level here is terrifying. I don't even know if I can keep up with one of the Hashira at my level, let alone a demon from the Upper Moon ranks."
Kin'emon was utterly stunned by the escalating intensity of the battles in this anime, episode after episode.
He wasn't the only one. Even Oden had a serious expression as he watched the ending theme… The battle between Sound Hashira Tengen and Gyutaro was horrifying. Even someone as strong as Tengen had almost died fighting this demon. Not to mention Tanjiro, who barely survived by sheer luck.
"If Gyutaro is just the sixth Upper Moon serving Muzan and is already this strong… How powerful must Muzan, the Demon King, be?"
Oden felt an overwhelming desire to enter this world and fight demons! His sword, 'Enma', was practically itching to slice through a powerful demon like Muzan.
Denjiro, Izo, Ashura Doji, Kikunojo, and the rest of the Akazaya had similar desires as well.
"If you want to fight the demons in this anime, that's not impossible, but it'll take some time."
At that moment, Oden and his followers heard a familiar voice and turned one by one.
When they recognized the owner of the voice, spontaneous smiles formed on their faces.
Oden even laughed joyfully as he stepped forward to greet Rob more closely and warmly.
"You've finally visited us! After such a long time of absence, my brother, it's been too long! How have you been?"
Oden patted Rob's shoulder warmly. Rob, with his hands in his pockets, emerged from the Art Store, walking toward the large audience plaza in an elegant black suit, styled like Sanji's. He had long since adopted this fashion.
Rob returned Oden's warm greeting with equal kindness. Oden considered him a brother because of all Rob had done for him and Wano. This truth wouldn't change no matter what. Likewise, Rob saw Oden as a brother.
After greeting Oden, he nodded at Kin'emon and the others as well. These people were still the same as ever. Their competitive spirit remained unshaken, and their loyalty to Oden hadn't wavered despite the peace they were currently enjoying.
Of course, Kanjuro was still acting flawlessly. Having lost hope in avenging the Kozuki Clan, he seemed to have accepted his fate as part of Oden's retinue. But deep down, he remained treacherous, waiting for the right moment to strike—a moment that would never come, at least until his true nature was revealed in the manga.
Rob didn't bother himself with this insignificant traitor. Even if he didn't, Kanjuro's time would be up when Rob eventually depicted the Wano Arc in the near future.
"Is what you said true?!"
After welcoming Rob, Oden finally remembered what Rob had mentioned earlier.
"Of course. I've already told you about the game world, haven't I? In my game world, anything is possible. Just give me time, and I'll make your wish come true. You can fight demons to your heart's content. Although they won't be able to match your strength, only Muzan can give you a real challenge."
Rob smiled as he gave this assessment. He knew exactly Oden's current power level, which was on par with an average Yonko. This level of strength was greater than that of an Admiral but still weaker compared to the likes of Roger and Newgate.
In terms of power levels in the Demon World, only the Demon King could reach the peak strength needed to face someone like Oden in that world.
This was Rob's personal and highly reliable evaluation, even though he hadn't tested it yet.
"That's truly amazing… So your game world is already ready! Is that why you're here?" Oden asked with a smile.
"That's right."
Rob pulled a red invitation card from his pocket and handed it to Oden.
"With this card, you'll be able to enter the closed beta version of the One Piece game world. Only a few lucky people have received this card, which is the only way to access the game's beta version," Rob explained.
"Then I'll treasure it." Oden accepted the card gladly under the curious gazes of his followers.
"Now, let me explain how to enter the game world. The opening will be tomorrow. Listen carefully…"
…
Ohara:
After returning from Wano, Rob spent the evening at his palace with his children and wives, all of whom were on an extended break from work.
The Art Store was operating autonomously, and there was no need for the store's goddesses to manage it. Customers could purchase any drink or food they wanted from the numerous vending machines in the store. It opened at 8 a.m. and closed at midnight automatically, so Rob didn't bother hiring more people.
The current number of store goddesses was more than sufficient.
"So tomorrow is the big day?" Olivia asked with a smile, dressed in a stunning black gown that complemented her silver hair and blue eyes. She looked like a beautiful angel with a radiant smile on her face.
Rob thought to himself that only her appearance as a store goddess in a maid outfit could rival her current captivating and enchanting look.
Snapping out of his daze, he nodded with a smile. "Yes, tomorrow the world will witness my game world. But the official launch will be a month later. For now, I'm only letting the strong people in to test things out and eliminate any bugs I haven't discovered yet."
That was precisely why Rob was organizing this closed beta—to test the game, observe its efficiency, and refine it to perfection to avoid any risks that might arise when the general public joined later. After all, the game world was an open world! Anyone who had never ventured into these vast seas would now be able to sail—and guess what? Without fearing for their lives!
The game world would give this world a massive boost… Even the World Government would feel threatened and troubled. They'd dream day and night about taking the game world away from Rob after realizing its numerous advantages in the near future.
Undoubtedly, even Imu would want to fight for it.
Was Rob worried about this?
Of course not.
"My dear… In the game, will I be able to go back 800 years in history? I mean, does the game world allow selecting a time from 800 years ago…"
At that moment of temporary silence, Toki, who was cradling Hiyori with unmatched maternal tenderness, asked the question.
Rob tapped his finger on the armrest of his chair before sighing and replying, "Unfortunately, that's not possible at the moment, but it will be once I've finished drawing all the manga."
"The time you can enter is limited to what has been explored in the manga so far. The Void Century hasn't been addressed in the manga yet, so that's not possible."
Hearing this, some of the light in Toki's eyes dimmed, but she still held onto hope after hearing it would be possible once the manga was complete.
Rob was well aware of how mysterious Toki's background was, as he hadn't delved into it yet… She was a time traveler, from the Void Century! This was an immense and unimaginable backstory. No one knew this yet, as Toki hadn't shared it with anyone except Rob, and he didn't force her to reveal more details.
For now, all of this remained a mystery to him… At least it would remain so until Toki chose to tell him willingly or until it was revealed in the manga when the Void Century was addressed.
In this regard, Rob was completely patient.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 842: The Black Rooms.
Chapter 843: The Closed Beta of the Game! (Part 1)
Chapter 844: The Closed Beta of the Game! (Part 2)
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