Wano Country, Kuri, Daimyo Residence Reception Room.
After reaching agreement on the basic terms, the forces from the outside sea and the Kuri daimyo's faction finally avoided conflict. To be precise, Oden's side had no choice but to yield.
Shimotsuki Yasuie glanced at Oden's retainers, then directly chose to accept the demands from the opposite side.
He was the clearest-headed among them all.
As the daimyo of Hakumai for decades, he had a sober understanding of the people of this country. He also had a certain understanding of Orochi, who had once disguised himself under his command, and of that pirate from the outside sea.
Wano now stood on the edge of a cliff. The prosperity on the surface was nothing but an illusion. One wrong step, and everything would shatter.
Kurozumi Orochi had managed to suppress the Kozuki because of the military power he relied on the Beast Pirates.
And this pirate from the outside sea… it wasn't as if Yasuie knew nothing about him.
Three years ago, the Beast Pirates fought another pirate crew in Ringo. That had been Wano's chance. But…
Shimotsuki Yasuie glanced at Oden.
The Revolutionary Army wasn't entirely wrong. Oden possessed the bearing of a ruler, but lacked the decisiveness required of one in power.
But no matter what, he was still Kozuki. He was still this country's rightful lord.
Oden had refused to seize that opportunity, just as he had refused to tell anyone the truth behind his humiliating dance. He believed Orochi and Kaido would keep their promise.
And this time, if Shimotsuki Hikogoro and the Revolutionary Army had arrived even one day earlier, Oden would not have agreed to this alliance. He would still have believed Kaido and Orochi.
The enemy had already begun gathering their high-level forces. This was intelligence brought by the samurai—and it was also why Yasuie had asked Oden to go to Hakumai earlier that day.
"...Haa."
Letting out a breath, Shimotsuki Yasuie looked across the room and spoke,
"Neither I nor Oden-sama are people who cling to power. Wano, as it is now, needs your help. Please."
He emphasized the words "as it is now."
Kin'emon and the others' expressions tightened, but in the end, they lowered their heads and stepped back.
During the five years Oden had been dancing, they had visited Hakumai many times. This man, who had supported Oden since his youth, was someone they chose to trust.
"Since we've reached a basic agreement, let's move on to the next matters," Rowan said.
"We need intelligence on the Beast Pirates. Specifically, we must know whether their mid- and high-level forces are gathering or dispersing."
"At present, our arrival should be completely unexpected. With Wano being closed off and the ports under their control, there are very few in this world capable of flight."
"In other words, we can launch a surprise attack. Even with four thousand troops, mobility through flight allows us to maneuver effectively."
"Finally, we need to determine the battlefield. A clash between top-tier fighters will devastate the surroundings, so we must know when they will gather at Onigashima."
Faced with these questions, Kozuki Oden, seated at the center opposite them, looked completely lost.
For the past five years, all he had thought about was letting those years pass as quickly as possible, so that Kaido and Orochi would leave and Wano would no longer be oppressed.
He had never considered what to do if he had been deceived. At most, he would have grabbed his swords and charged in alone.
"In fact, they have already begun gathering their mid- and high-level forces recently," Shimotsuki Yasuie said.
He glanced at Oden. "This afternoon, we already discussed their actions, which clearly show they have no intention of honoring their promise. Now it seems… the timing is just right."
"During this period, even Kaido himself has remained on Onigashima, guarding against Oden-sama. His two All-Stars are also stationed there."
"Regarding detailed intelligence on the Beast Pirates, I have a more thorough analysis here, including information on certain 'sorcery' abilities. After this meeting, I can hand it over to you."
Rowan nodded.
He had to admit this round-faced old man looked far more like a true ruler than Oden.
Rowan himself had no real experience with large-scale warfare. After exchanging a glance with Dragon, whose forehead was covered in sweat, he handed over the rest of the planning to him.
After all, this world was different. With supernatural abilities in play, high-level fighters had to be properly contained.
Otherwise, just one blast breath from Kaido even with dispersed formations could leave nearly a hundred people unable to fight.
In that regard, Dragon and Kuma, who already commanded the Revolutionary Army's Southern forces, were the real professionals.
Dragon swallowed a plate of sashimi in one go, then wiped his sweat.
"Next time, just bring large chunks of grilled meat. I really can't get used to this stuff."
Then his expression turned serious.
"Before this, the Revolutionary Army has already gathered a fair amount of intelligence on the New World. Now that the Beast Pirates' high-level forces have gathered, things are much easier."
Kuma glanced over.
"The old method?"
Dragon smiled.
"Golden Lion Shiki was able to move unhindered with the Float-Float Fruit and earn the title of Pirate Admiral largely because of the mobility of the Flying Pirate Fleet.
The old method… works, doesn't it?"
At this moment, Shimotsuki Hikogoro brought over a map of Wano. The seven of them gathered around it.
Dragon pointed at Onigashima, located below Udon and Hakumai.
"Mr. Spark will use his teleportation ability to create a king-versus-king situation. I'll deploy five ships at these entry points of Onigashima to launch a direct assault."
Rowan immediately understood this meant he would enter first and establish teleportation coordinates.
But that limitation of his ability wasn't something to be discussed here.
"In a direct king-versus-king confrontation, once we break through the center, their mid- and high-level fighters won't be able to wear down our forces. Then Kaido…"
"I'll handle him," Rowan said.
Oden looked up, frowning.
"You… that won't be enough. If I join you, it should be more reliable."
Dragon was about to speak, but Rowan raised a hand to stop him.
"Let him come. Wano's side can be left to the samurai."
That statement made several people's expressions shift slightly, but no one objected.
Dragon continued,
"Five ships, nearly two thousand troops. After that, we'll maintain communication via Den Den Mushi. Depending on the situation, I'll deploy the remaining two thousand."
"Additionally, regarding the operation against Orochi how many combat-ready samurai can you gather?"
Shimotsuki Yasuie hesitated for a moment.
"Three thousand."
Dragon narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Then once Orochi's forces are suppressed, I want the samurai to prepare large ships as well, ready to reinforce Onigashima at any time."
Yasuie understood immediately and bowed slightly.
"Rest assured. The samurai will eliminate Orochi as quickly as possible."
Dragon nodded.
"That's the general plan. Kuma and I will oversee the army's mobility, and we'll move in for support at the final stage. Maintain constant communication."
"The main force arrives tomorrow. We rest for a day while I organize intelligence. The operation begins the day after."
Rayleigh and Roger exchanged a glance.
"Then leave the Beast Pirates' mid-tier fighters to the two of us," Rayleigh said.
Roger grinned, stretching his arms.
"This body's a bit lacking… otherwise I'd like to have a proper fight with that brat Kaido. Back during the Rocks Pirates, he was just a kid."
Time passed gradually, and night fell.
The Revolutionary Army was assigned living quarters, while Dragon was still eating nonstop. Shimotsuki Yasuie even took out the funds he had been saving for emergencies.
In another courtyard, Yasuie sat cross-legged, while Shimotsuki Hikogoro was being questioned below him.
"So that Mr. Spark already has quite a reputation in the outside seas."
Yasuie looked at the bounty poster in his hand just over two billion. Truly impressive.
"Three years ago, he already mentioned that Lord Oden would continue dancing that humiliating dance for another three years… Hikogoro, do you think that gentleman can really see the future?"
Hikogoro lowered his head and replied,
"Mr. Spark should have that ability. I heard some things from Mr. Rayleigh when he first attacked a Celestial Dragon at Sabaody Archipelago, he used three different abilities."
"Is that so?"
Yasuie tapped his fingers lightly, thoughts racing through his mind.
From Hikogoro's account, combined with his own investigations of the Beast Pirates over the years, he had come to understand some things about the outside world.
The most basic source was the newspapers from beyond Wano. Because of the country's isolation, news-carrying seagulls had long stopped coming here. But in these past five years, due to the presence of the Beast Pirates, some deliveries had resumed.
Three abilities this could not be sorcery.
According to available intelligence, if a Devil Fruit user consumes another fruit, the powers would clash within their body, ultimately causing them to explode and die.
If he wasn't a Devil Fruit user, then the limits of his teleportation ability were still unknown. Even Wano's specialty, Seastone, might not be able to restrain him.
So after the war ended, there would only be one path left.
The gap in strength was too great. Those four thousand troops might not even be all of their forces. Combined with their ability to float and fly, the earlier open display was likely a warning.
Wano's natural defenses useless.
That masked man, Mr. Spark, had the confidence to face Kaido alone. The other two who enabled flight also felt extremely powerful.
One was Rayleigh.
The other masked individual…
Judging from Lord Oden's reaction, he seemed to recognize him so perhaps he was a former member of the Roger Pirates.
No matter how he calculated it, the Revolutionary Army's strength exceeded Kaido's.
In that case, only another approach remained.
At this thought, Yasuie turned his gaze toward Hikogoro. The latter was not from the main Shimotsuki family.
"Just now, Lord Oden and the Revolutionary Army have already reached a cooperation agreement. You heard the bottom-line conditions."
Hikogoro did not respond, but tension had already filled his heart.
Yasuie continued,
"After the Revolutionary Army liberates Wano, the positions of Daimyo and Shogun will no longer be hereditary. Terms will last four years. Four years passes quickly and you, having brought reinforcements to Wano this time, have rendered great merit."
"I am already old. In four years, I will be even older. For the sake of Wano's stability, power has never been something I cling to. But you are still young, and you have seen the vast world beyond the seas."
"Are you willing to take on the position of Daimyo of Hakumai in four years' time, Hikogoro?"
As those words fell, no matter how much Hikogoro tried to remain calm, he couldn't suppress the turmoil in his heart.
Daimyo of Hakumai this was one of the highest authorities beneath the Shogun in Wano.
How should he answer?
Bringing the Revolutionary Army here… was equivalent to saving Wano, wasn't it?
"Then…"
Just as he was about to respond, a distant memory suddenly flashed through his mind.
The era of the Kurozumi clan's rebellion, and the brutal purge that followed their defeat.
The man seated before him had never been soft-hearted.
He was not from the main Shimotsuki lineage.
Branch families kept their place. Samurai had their own path.
Retainers devoted themselves to their lord.
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