"Please!! Orin-sama!!! As long as you spare my life, I'll do anything, ah!!!"
Inside the Shogun's palace, the man who once sat at the head seat, indulging himself in pleasures and power — the Shogun of Wano, Orochi — now wore a hideous face streaked with tears, groveling like a beaten dog.
"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts… Please, give this humble one a chance!!!"
Orin yawned.
Lounging lazily in the Shogun's seat, one leg crossed over the other, he had the most beautiful geisha in the city trembling beside him, holding a drink.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly.
"Why is your hand shaking so much? Could it be that I'm scary? How could that be…"
Orin honestly thought of himself as rather easy to talk to a gentle person, really.
Taking the cup, he reached out and cupped the geisha's cheeks, gazing at her slightly pouting cherry lips and shimmering eyes, a warm smile on his face.
"I'm just… the type who always returns a grudge."
For a brief moment, the geisha felt dazed, as if she truly was looking at a tall, handsome, and gentle young man.
But the instant her eyes caught sight of the wretched Shogun Orochi lying on the floor, she snapped back to reality.
Yes…
The man before her was no ordinary youth to be trifled with.
He was a monster — one who could slaughter the entire Shogunate without even breaking a sweat!
On the floor before the Shogun's throne, countless samurai knelt.
At the center, right at Orin's feet, was a grotesque beast lying in a miserable heap.
It seemed to be a divine beast of the island nation — the Yamata no Orochi.
With eight heads and, they said, eight lives, it could die eight times. Its combat ability was unimpressive, but its appearance was intimidating enough. At least it was a Mythical Zoan — fiercer-looking than the average Zoan.
But in Orin's eyes, it was nothing more than an oversized snake with extra heads.
Eight long blades were driven through each of its eight jaws, pinning them firmly into the ground.
Blood pooled on the floor — a pitiful sight.
If not for the Mythical Zoan's powerful regenerative ability, it might have already bled to death.
"Kurozumi Orochi, regarding your grudge with the Kozuki clan, I have no intention of interfering. Even though I was once acquainted with Kozuki Oden, the civil strife of Wano has nothing to do with me.
"But tell me… did my lack of involvement make you think that, riding on Kaido's reputation, you could casually provoke me?"
"Who gave you that courage?"
Orin's gaze turned cold. Even the faint, unintentional leak of his Conqueror's Haki Infusion made everyone present feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss, their limbs frozen stiff.
As his frigid words fell, the eight blades pinning Orochi's jaws were driven an inch deeper into the floor by an unseen force, making him scream in agony.
The way he writhed on the floor was like that of a pathetic clown.
"That wasn't my intention — it was my foolish subordinates acting on their own!!!"
"Please, spare me! I'm the Shogun of Wano, I can be useful to you! I can make amends!!!"
Orochi pleaded desperately.
True to his nature as a conniving schemer, he understood the thoughts of powerful men.
And for the sake of survival and preserving his wealth and status, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
Rotten to the core.
When he realized Orin hadn't immediately killed him, a flicker of hope rose in his heart.
Surely, he was still useful…
Just like Kaido hadn't killed him.
In truth, Orin really couldn't be bothered to kill him. Orochi was nothing more than a political puppet, squeezing Wano's people to feed foreign powers.
If anything… he was more useful alive than dead.
"To survive, you'll do anything?"
Orin's gaze was calm, but there was a trace of malice in his eyes, his tone hinting as if Orochi's words had convinced him to relent.
Seeing this, Orochi finally let out a breath of relief.
So… the great Shogun Orochi's life wasn't meant to end today after all!
Thinking this, snot and tears ran down his face as he laughed — a revolting sight.
"Hahahahahaha…"
"As long as it's something you want, I can offer it as compensation, Orin-sama!"
His obsequious display made even the samurai and geisha frown. For Wano to have such a Shogun… it was truly a tragedy.
After all, it wasn't Orochi himself who would pay the price — if Orin made a greedy demand, it would be Wano's citizens who suffered.
"As long as it's what I want?"
A smile finally appeared on Orin's face.
"Then hand over a portion of Wano's seastone mining quota."
If there was one thing in Wano that could catch Orin's eye, it was its vast reserves of seastone.
Orochi's pupils instantly contracted to pinpoints, cold sweat breaking out on his head.
Even in his groveling desperation, Orin was merciless — demanding a share of one of the few resources Orochi couldn't freely control.
The seastone mines were the property of the Beasts Pirates — Kaido's possession!
"What's wrong, Orochi? Didn't you say that as long as it's something I want, you could offer it?"
"What's with that expression?"
Orin narrowed his eyes, looking down at him.
Orochi was at a loss for words.
After a long pause, he said reluctantly,
"That… the seastone mines are managed by Kaido's men. I'm afraid I can't decide on that."
"No — you can."
In a flash, Orin vanished, reappearing right in front of Orochi. A pair of leather shoes entered his view, and looking up, he saw a gentle smile that, to him, felt icy and menacing.
"Wano is your territory. As long as you want to, you'll think of a way."
"No, no, no… Kaido would definitely kill me for that!!!"
"Then do you choose to die right now?"
Orochi: "…"
It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, rendering him speechless.
Yes…
If he refused, he'd die immediately.
"You should understand, shouldn't you? At this point, your backer, Kaido of the Beasts, hasn't arrived. He's probably already decided to abandon you.
"Not that it would matter even if he did come~"
Orochi was a shrewd man. After only a brief hesitation, he made the smartest choice.
"I… I understand. I'll do it…"
Dead either way — but if he did it behind Kaido's back, maybe he could live a little longer. If he refused, he'd die right here.
No one knew this better than Kurozumi Orochi.