Yamato felt that instead of asking about everything before acting, it would be better to simply let Brother Rei take charge. That way, she could relax a bit and learn by watching from the side.
Hearing Yamato say this, Kurosaki Rei couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. What kind of ruler is this? he thought. Still, he was genuinely moved by Yamato's trust and could only steel himself to help her clean up Wano's mess as best he could.
"So you're Strategist Rei, then. I'll immediately have someone fetch the latest roster for you to review."
Fukurokuju was exceptionally good at reading the room. He had already noticed that although the Bright King's daughter was the new shogun, she clearly lacked strong opinions of her own and followed Kurosaki Rei's lead in almost everything.
In other words, Kurosaki Rei was likely to be their direct superior for the foreseeable future. Sucking up to him was definitely the right move.
"Mm. Have the shogun's palace cleaned properly—get rid of all those strange smells. Also, besides the ninja roster, bring me a list of Orochi's original inner-circle subordinates."
Kurosaki Rei stared straight into Fukurokuju's eyes.
"Don't try anything funny."
Fukurokuju was certainly a powerhouse. In the original story, he could fight Raizo—one of the Akazaya Nine—to a standstill. In terms of raw strength, he was undoubtedly stronger than Kurosaki Rei.
But for someone like him, personal combat strength wasn't what truly mattered. Power and authority were far more tempting.
Now that Yamato had become Wano's new shogun, Kurosaki Rei stood as second only to her—one man above all others. Behind them stood the Beasts Pirates. Under such circumstances, Fukurokuju could only lower his head and obey.
"Please rest assured, Strategist Rei. I will immediately order the capital sealed off. Not a single remnant of the Kurozumi faction will escape."
The old man's face looked vicious, as though he deeply loathed the Kurozumi Orochi faction. Anyone unaware might even mistake him for some righteous hero.
"Just arrest the people on the core chain. No need to rush the executions—I still have use for them," Kurosaki Rei said calmly.
He had no intention of plunging the Flower Capital into constant chaos and panic.
"Understood. I'll see to it at once."
After receiving his orders, Fukurokuju waved his hand. The ninjas present vanished swiftly, silent and efficient, just like in a ninja animation.
"Brother Rei…"
After the ninjas left, Yamato spoke hesitantly. "Is this really okay? These people were all Orochi's lackeys. Don't we need to get rid of them?"
"Yamato, if you put it that way, then almost everyone living in the Flower Capital is tied to Orochi in some way. Should we kill them all?" Kurosaki Rei explained.
"Besides, if we wipe out all the ninjas, who's going to work for us? Do you think your father will send us manpower?"
Yamato froze. "Wouldn't he? The Beasts Pirates have a lot of people, and I feel like everyone's usually just lazing around."
Kurosaki Rei rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Yamato, why do you think your father never had the Beasts Pirates directly govern Wano?"
"Isn't it because he made a deal with Orochi…"
She stopped halfway, sensing something was wrong. If Kaido truly intended to honor the deal, he wouldn't have sent them to kill Orochi in the first place.
"The fact that the Beasts Pirates didn't directly govern Wano shows your father still has some sense," Kurosaki Rei said. "How could pirates possibly manage a country well? Orochi was scum, yes, but he came from a ruling family and at least understood some administration. His subordinates, too, were still domestic officials. Do you really think bringing in a bunch of pirates would do better than Orochi?"
He continued, "Think about how pirates usually behave. It's fine when power is divided, but if they became Wano's administrators, they'd completely run wild."
"So that's how it is… I didn't expect Father to think so far ahead. How humiliating," Yamato said awkwardly.
"Don't underestimate your father," Kurosaki Rei replied. "He's a Yonko. His life experience is far beyond yours."
"Now that he's letting us clean up Wano, it's both a test and an experiment. In the early stages, we probably won't get any manpower support. Governing a country can't rely on pirates anyway—we need to select a group of normal people."
"Do those ninjas count as normal people?" Yamato asked.
Kurosaki Rei shook his head. "Of course not. But they aren't administrators—they're just our hands and feet. People like Fukurokuju only submit to authority. As long as our position is secure, he won't betray us. He's very useful."
Yamato suddenly understood. Without the ninja corps, they'd have no eyes or ears and would have to do everything themselves—which was unacceptable.
"Then what about the other layers of Orochi's management?" she asked.
"Kill them all," Kurosaki Rei said coldly.
"Every last one. They're all parasites who bleed people dry. They didn't turn rotten because of Orochi—they were rotten from the start."
Orochi's goal as shogun was to destroy Wano. The kind of people he chose as officials was obvious—he deliberately selected those who would oppress and exploit the populace.
While Yamato consulted Kurosaki Rei in the shogun's palace about future policies, Kaido, over on Onigashima, also received the news through his observers.
"That fast? How did that kid pull it off?" Kaido asked in surprise.
He knew how troublesome the Barrier-Barrier Fruit user at Orochi's side was. Among the Beasts Pirates, only Kaido himself could break through it head-on.
He had originally wanted to see how that clever kid would solve the problem. If Kurosaki Rei failed, Kaido was even prepared to personally kill Orochi and install Yamato as shogun.
But he hadn't expected that on their very first night in Wano, Yamato and Kurosaki Rei would already have killed Orochi.
"Reporting to the Governor: after Kurosaki Rei and the Ghost Princess arrived at the shogun's palace, they moved immediately. Kurosaki Rei used some unknown method to pass directly through the barrier and beheaded Kurozumi Orochi in a single strike," reported the observer, Black Maria.
"Passed through the barrier? But he doesn't have a Devil Fruit ability…" Kaido frowned slightly.
Still, he didn't press the matter. He assumed it was some strange technique from Kurosaki Rei's homeland. After all, oddities were common on the seas—an ability that bypassed barriers wasn't particularly shocking.
He had expected Kurosaki Rei to rely on schemes and stratagems to kill Orochi, but instead the man charged straight through. Kaido felt a bit disappointed—yet his appreciation for Kurosaki Rei only deepened.
"Pass the order. Speed up the grain shipments. Also, make arrangements—I'll attend the ceremony tomorrow as the Bright King and personally endorse Yamato's position as shogun."
As Wano's Guardian Bright King—a role akin to a national protector—Kaido naturally had to appear. Orochi was dead, his daughter would take the throne tomorrow, and his presence was necessary.
After his subordinates left, Kaido grabbed a jug of liquor and downed it, then walked to the cave entrance and gazed at the bright moon.
"I'm actually looking forward to it," he muttered. "What kind of place Wano will become."
...
Early the next morning, after an all-night discussion, Kurosaki Rei and Yamato walked out of the shogun's palace together.
The Flower Capital was shrouded in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. There were far fewer pedestrians, and households kept their doors tightly shut—clearly, news of Kurozumi Orochi's death had spread, leaving people deeply uneasy.
The previous night, the Oniwabanshu had mobilized en masse, arresting officials under the Kurozumi faction. The security forces sealed off all entrances and exits to the capital, plunging the city into turmoil.
Although martial law had been lifted that morning, the populace remained anxious.
Most locals had some stake in the Kurozumi group's interests—otherwise they couldn't have lived such affluent lives in the Flower Capital.
Amid the panic, the security forces began spreading the official "truth" through the streets.
The news that Kurozumi Orochi had rebelled and been slain by a righteous individual quickly circulated, leaving many utterly baffled.
Rebelled? Against whom? Wasn't he the ruler himself?
Later, when people learned that the new shogun would be Yamato, their fear only grew.
They realized that the Beasts Pirates were no longer content to rule from the shadows—they were stepping onto the stage themselves.
Who was Yamato? Many didn't know. But once her identity was explained, the news spread instantly. Kaido's daughter—she directly represented the Beasts Pirates!
People sighed that Wano truly suffered endless calamities. First, Orochi devastated the country. Now it was even worse—pirates were ruling openly. Many felt that this was even worse than Orochi.
Moreover, many in the Flower Capital had benefited from the Kurozumi group. They now deeply resented Yamato and the so-called "righteous individual."
As news spread and time fermented, unease steadily rose. People outside the capital also learned that the country had changed hands.
At noon, under the blazing sun, a major event took place in the Flower Capital.
All officials of the Kurozumi faction were brought to the busiest central market and executed publicly before countless onlookers.
Many in the capital saw the legendary Ghost Princess Yamato for the first time. They also left with a deep impression of the stern black-clad man standing beside her.
It was that man who coldly gave the order, sending over a thousand heads rolling to the ground. There was no ceremonial seppuku—only direct beheadings.
Witnessing such a brutal spectacle, the crowd broke out in cold sweat. Those who had relied on close ties with officials to run gray-area businesses were especially terrified, fearing they would be next.
Such iron-blooded measures shattered any lingering illusions. People either prepared to flee the capital and live under assumed names, or resolved to wash their hands clean and start anew.
In the afternoon, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, a majestic azure dragon burst through the clouds and descended from the sky.
Its overwhelming presence inspired both terror and awe.
Under the witness of Wano's Guardian Bright King, Yamato officially became the nation's shogun, ruling Wano from that day forward.
In Kurosaki Rei's eyes, the entire ceremony was extremely perfunctory—hardly legitimate at all.
But this world ran on fists. The victor was king, the loser a bandit. Now they could say whatever they wanted about Orochi, just as Orochi once smeared the Kozuki clan.
At present, most of Wano's populace resisted and feared Beasts Pirate rule. They yearned for the gentle governance of the Kozuki era. But Kurosaki Rei would soon make them forget the Kozuki name altogether.
The masses had the shortest memories. In the end, it didn't matter who sat at the top. All they wanted was enough food, warm clothes, and a decent life.
Throughout history, a ruler who let the people live well was a good ruler. One who didn't would be overthrown, replaced by another—over and over again.
If, under Yamato's rule, people gradually found themselves living better than they ever had under the Kozuki, would they still worship the Kozuki clan and call Yamato a pirate usurper?
Of course not. Once people grew accustomed to good lives, no one would pine for the poor, backward days of the past.
"Well done, kid," Kaido said after the ceremony, patting Kurosaki Rei on the shoulder. His smile suggested he truly regarded Kurosaki Rei as one of his own.
"King will deliver the grain tomorrow. This time, allocate it properly. I don't want any problems at my factories."
"Rest assured, Governor," Kurosaki Rei replied with a smile. "It won't affect the operation of our crew's business. I'll also win Wano's support as quickly as possible. With time, factory output may even increase."
Every word hit Kaido exactly where it mattered. And Kurosaki Rei wasn't just flattering him—if things went according to plan, Wano would gain popular support and productivity would rise, benefiting the factories as well.
Kaido's smile widened. He took a box from a subordinate behind him and tossed it to Kurosaki Rei.
"This is your reward. Eat it, and serve Yamato well from now on."
Kurosaki Rei caught it and looked inside.
It was an Animal-type Devil Fruit.
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