Ann only felt her insides moving around. She threw up blood and was blasted farther away by the shaking in her body.
Boom…
The huge force destroyed the streets along the way, but it was this power that made her get away from Toguro and the others faster.
Of course, they didn't care.
Because Ann was badly hurt, and even if she got away from them, they weren't worried. The badly hurt Ann couldn't escape them.
Kozuki Oden quickly got closer with Toguro and his men. The road ahead was ruined, and dust blocked their view.
Kozuki Oden smiled cruelly. Since Ann didn't want to be his follower, he would take his time.
As long as she stayed with him long enough, she would be influenced by his power, and then Ann would become his follower.
Thinking this, he led his people closer, but when he got there, his face turned pale.
Because…
Ann was gone from the big hole!
"Where did Ann go?!"
He held back his anger and said coldly to Toguro and his men,
"This…" Toguro came over then. He frowned at the hole made by his power. "Someone rescued her. Didn't you clear everyone else out?"
Kozuki Oden said angrily, "Yes! No one here should be able to help that woman! That's why I'm saying she disappeared!"
Toguro said in a low voice, "I don't know, but I suggest we lock down Flower Capital. I don't think they can escape in such a short time."
Kozuki Oden looked at Toguro with his black eyes, and then at his eight retainers. They were all walking on thin ice, nervous. Only one person had a different emotion other than these…
"Kanjuro…!"
Kozuki Oden walked over right away, almost face to face with Kanjuro. Kozuki Oden's face looked like he wanted to eat someone. The anger in his eyes was clear even in his dark eyes.
He gritted his teeth and roared at Kanjuro, "What did you do?! Did you betray me?!"
He felt regret and annoyance besides fear in Kanjuro's emotions, which was different from everyone else. So he grabbed Kanjuro's collar and lifted him up.
When the others heard Oden's words, their eyes widened. They looked at Kanjuro being lifted up by Oden and said angrily, "Kanjuro, did you betray Lord Oden?!"
"Lord Oden…" Kanjuro said with a sad smile. "I can't hide it from you. I… I was going to say this was the last time I would help them, and from now on, I would be a true Kozuki retainer, but… I am still deeply guilty."
"Please… kill me."
He seemed ready to die. Kozuki Oden couldn't believe that Kanjuro had really betrayed him!
He had used his power to influence Kanjuro. Even someone who had nothing to do with him would become his loyal follower after being influenced, unless they had a deep hatred for him. Otherwise, they couldn't betray him again.
But…
What was wrong with Kanjuro?
"Who exactly are you? Who are they?!" Oden roared. "Who could make you betray me?!"
"I'm… I'm sorry, Lord Oden," Kanjuro said softly. "My family name…"
"Is Kurozumi."
?!
Kozuki Oden's eyes shrank, and he threw Kanjuro away right away.
Kurozumi Kanjuro was thrown aside like trash. He didn't get up, as if he had lost the will to live.
The other 'companions' looked at him like trash at this moment, but Oden didn't kill him after all.
Kurozumi, how could he not know this name?
Before his father was even born, Kurozumi was also the Daimyo of Wano Country, but the entire clan was killed for treason.
So, it made sense that the Kurozumi family hated him.
But he didn't expect that there were still members of the Kurozumi clan left, and they had gathered together, and even had Kanjuro sneak into his ranks!
"Very good, Kurozumi clan…"
Kozuki Oden said through gritted teeth, "You will all die, you will all die!"
"Lord Oden…" Kinemon knelt down quickly. "What should we do with Kanjuro?"
"Take him back and question him thoroughly."
Oden said coldly.
But, he wasn't feeling too bad.
Although he didn't catch Ann and missed out on an Admiral, he did catch a traitor in his ranks and found out about a rebel force. It made up for the loss of Ann.
He believed that with his power, Kurozumi Kanjuro would quickly give in. After all, he had trusted these eight people and stopped using his dark power on them. Now it seemed that he still needed to keep them under his dark power.
That way, he would be sure.
And as long as he kept changing him for a while, even if Kanjuro was from the Kurozumi clan, he would be devoted to him. Then he would wipe out the so-called Kurozumi clan remnants, and he would even have Kanjuro do it himself.
Thinking of this, he felt better and prepared to search the entire city. As long as Ann and the Kurozumi clan members didn't escape the city, they would never escape his grasp.
"Ann took one of my punches and needs at least a week to recover," Toguro said coldly. "But the fact that the Kurozumi clan members were able to rescue her in such a short time proves that they also have skilled people."
They were relaxed after Ann was hit by Toguro's punch and flew out. At that time, they thought Ann had lost her ability to resist, and the dust that rose when she fell made them lose track of Ann for a short time.
In that short time, they lost track of Ann.
Kurozumi clan…
Or the allies they found, they did have skilled people.
"Yes, so I need you to do this."
Oden patted Toguro's shoulder. "The Daimyos of the other villages are almost here. Our plan is only one step away. We can't make any mistakes."
Toguro didn't say anything, but walked further down the ruined street.
"I need to keep increasing my power."
Watching Toguro leave, Oden's face darkened again.
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