"Oroororo... That's more like it!"
Seeing Caesar take down Orochi with a few Finger Pistols, Kaidou let out a sinister laugh.
"This is how it should be, crushing the enemy head-on, right? Fukurokuju?"
As Kaidou's murderous gaze swept over him, Fukurokuju's heart trembled.
"This is a huge misunderstanding, Lord Kaidou!"
Fukurokuju quickly prostrated himself, trembling as he spoke, "Orochi is a cunning and deceitful man. I truly had no idea he possessed such bizarre abilities!"
"Oh?"
Kaidou tilted his head slightly, glancing at Caesar.
The message was clear: whether to kill or spare them was Caesar's decision.
Considering that they would soon take over Wano Country, the forces that once belonged to Kurozumi Orochi were still a significant power. If they could be taken over, it would be for the best.
But since it was Caesar who would be using them, the decision had to be his.
Noticing Kaidou's reaction, Fukurokuju quickly turned his hopeful gaze toward Caesar.
Caesar didn't say anything, just smiled brightly, his tongue lightly licking his sharp canine teeth, his thumb making a gentle slicing motion across his neck.
Squelch—
In an instant, blood sprayed from the necks of Fukurokuju and the other Oniwabanshu members as they fell one after another.
Caesar reached out, and the Blood Mist gathered into a river, slowly disappearing into his hand under the horrified and despairing gazes of Fukurokuju and the others.
This was an ability he had developed after his previous ambush on Who's-Who.
The principle was to assimilate and control part of the enemy's blood after they inhaled the Blood Mist, then absorb their blood from a distance after causing damage.
This method of remotely absorbing blood would lose most of its vitality, but since it was an AOE skill, there was no shortage of lives on the battlefield.
Like the Thralls, powerful Haki and the isolation of seawater would render this ability ineffective.
Additionally, flames could effectively disperse the Blood Mist, but only if it hadn't been inhaled yet.
"Hey, hey! You killed them all?"
Ulti placed her hands on her hips, her high heels lightly kicking Fukurokuju's dried-up corpse. What a despicable tactic! I'm warning you, don't use this on me or Page One!"
"Too late, you've already been hit."
Caesar's voice was eerie. "If you take off your clothes in time, you might save your life!"
"Huh?!"
Queen's face immediately turned panicked. "Does that mean everyone will see my voluptuous figure?" That's not good!"
"Shut up, you idiot!"
Ulti's face darkened as she pointed at Caesar. "You jerk, are you messing with me like Yamato?"
Hearing this, Yamato, who had been about to undo her belt, stopped in surprise. "Nani? So it was a lie?"
"If it's this ability, a seawater bath should fix it."
Black Maria helped Yamato adjust her clothes, smiling gently. "Would you like to join me, young lady? I can teach you some tricks unique to women, like how to quickly capture a man's... heart~"
At this, Yamato's face turned red, her fingers fidgeting as she struggled to find words.
"Someone as foolish as you shouldn't try to seduce men!""With the Eight Precepts slung over her shoulder, Kaidou, no longer as cold as before after Orochi's death, asked in confusion, 'Why did you kill these guys?""
"Kurozumi Orochi's direct subordinates should all be dealt with. These guys have been aiding and abetting his tyranny, a bunch of opportunists. Keeping them around won't add much to our strength, but eliminating them will quickly win over the people and allow our plans to unfold swiftly."
Caesar's gaze swept over the others. "Listen up, everyone. Don't underestimate the citizens just because they seem powerless. In reality, these common folk are the cornerstone of governance. Once we have their hearts, the rule of Wano Country will firmly fall into our hands!"
"Unlike the wars of pirates, what we're undertaking now is a scheme to seize a nation. If we succeed, the Beasts Pirate Crew will never face resource shortages again. So, make sure to keep your subordinates in check—no more pirate-like behavior! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
"Got it!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Boom—
Thunder roared in the sky, and a cold wind howled.
Amid the surging waves, dozens of warships sailed majestically toward Wano Country.
Dragons roamed the skies, and beasts landed on the shores. Gunfire and waves painted the night's ukiyo-e...
————
"Once, Kurozumi Orochi of the Kurozumi family plotted a rebellion, using despicable means to steal the shogun's position. He then bewitched our Beasts Pirate Crew with deceitful words and Bewitchment, inciting us to fight against the Kozuki Clan..."
"Fortunately, Yamato, the daughter of Kaidou, inherited the will of the Kozuki Clan, helped us break free from the Bewitchment, and executed Orochi, purging the corrupt government..."
Early the next morning, in the Flower Capital.
Yamato, dressed in formal attire, sat solemnly on the high platform, while Caesar stood before her, reading out the prepared speech.
Below the platform, Ulti, Black Maria, and others, along with their pirate subordinates, maintained order. The surrounding streets were already packed with the citizens of Wano Country.
As Caesar's words echoed, the crowd stirred.
"Is it true? Was Orochi really killed?"
"Kaidou's daughter? Inheriting the will of the Kozuki Clan? Is this some kind of new joke?"
"Keep your voice down! Don't drag me into this!"
"So, the ruler of this country has changed from Orochi to Kaidou, huh?"
"Sigh... It's all the same anyway."
"It's not the same at all! Don't compare us to that scoundrel Kurozumi Orochi!"
Hearing the murmurs around her, Ulti, already impatient with the tedious proceedings, suddenly shouted.
"We're pirates, but we're not as despicable as that Kurozumi Orochi!"
"Huh?! Are you even listening to yourself?"
The man who had just spoken widened his eyes in disbelief, as if he had heard something utterly absurd.
"Um... Sir!"
From the crowd, a woman in a kimono timidly called out to Caesar.
"My name is Caesar."
Caesar stood with his hands behind his back, smiling gently. His handsome face made the woman blush slightly.
"Sir Caesar... So, does this mean Wano Country will now be ruled by pirates?"
Caesar replied calmly, "After deliberation, the Beasts Pirate Crew will continue to exist in the form of the Nation-Protecting Fleet. The former captain of the Beasts Pirate Crew, Kaidou, the Nation-Protecting King of Wisdom, will serve as the governor, responsible for the nation's armed defense. All forces under his command are strictly forbidden to plunder or harass the citizens. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
"Did you hear that, you idiot!"
Ulti immediately yelled at the man who had questioned her earlier. "We're here to maintain order!"
"So... does this mean that from now on, Lord Kaidou will be the one ruling this country?"
"Exactly."
"But... was Lord Kaidou truly bewitched by some kind of bewitchment?"
The woman's voice trembled with unease, yet she mustered the courage to ask.
"Does it matter?"
Caesar's smile faded. "In the past, Kozuki Oden left the country for his own selfish reasons, allowing Wano Country to fall into the hands of Kurozumi Orochi. Because he foolishly believed the lies of his enemies, the people suffered for years. Now, Oden is dead, Orochi has been executed, and the only force capable of ruling this country is our Beast Pirate Crew."
"But isn't this just another form of violent rule, just like that scoundrel Kurozumi Orochi?" someone in the crowd shouted indignantly.
"Do you think the positions of those daimyos were earned by dancing naked? What do you think those samurai, with their blind loyalty, are for?"
Caesar sneered. "So what if it's violent rule? Wano Country has been isolated for centuries, its people impoverished and its economy in ruins. Even if the land wasn't polluted, would the common folk have enough to eat?"
"You should be grateful that Kozuki Oden was a fool, but his intentions weren't entirely bad. It's precisely because of this that we were influenced by him."
"From this day forward, the polluted lands of Wano Country will be restored! The people of Wano will no longer suffer from hunger! And they will have the freedom to set sail!"
"My words today will be broadcast across all of Wano Country! This is also the promise made to this nation by your new shogun, Yamato, the daughter of Kaidou!"
Caesar's voice echoed through the live broadcast, reaching every corner of Wano Country. People's eyes turned to the beautiful woman seated behind him.
"The new shogun... is a woman?"
"Wow, she's so beautiful! I want to be the shogun's dog!"
"Your loyalty is way too fickle!"
"A woman as shogun? What a joke... Even if she's just a puppet, couldn't they at least find a man?"
Yamato sat nervously on the high platform, her fingers tightly clutching the fabric of her wide sleeves, her heart pounding. Her Observation Haki allowed her to sense the people's reactions.
Only when she saw Caesar turn slightly and give her an encouraging look did she feel a sense of calm. Slowly, she stood up.
"My name is Yamato, daughter of Kaidou! From this day forward, I will assume the position of shogun of Wano Country!"
Her Spiked Club, Ken, struck the platform with a heavy thud as Yamato confidently surveyed the crowd. "What Caesar has said is my promise to all of you!"
"She's really bold, that idiot..."
Ulti pouted. "Isn't it all just Caesar's ideas?"
Black Maria chuckled behind her hand. "Well, they do have a good relationship. Are you jealous?"
Ulti snorted. "Who would be jealous of that idiot? I don't want to be shogun anyway."
Across Wano Country, people were abuzz with discussion.
"Restoring the land, freedom to sail, and enough to eat?"
"Can they really do it?"
"Even if they can't, they'll probably try their best, right?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's just another scheme..."
"Hey... look over there! What's that?"
Rumble...
The ground beneath their feet shook violently as massive treasure ships, loaded with mountains of food, were transported to various parts of Wano Country.
In the Flower Capital, Kuri, Udon, and even in the rundown village of Okobore Town, treasure ships sailed into the village.
"It's food…"
"It's food!"
Across Wano Country, people grew restless, gathering around the treasure ships, their eyes gleaming with fervor.
Beside the treasure ships, pirates maintained order. Even if they were accidentally pushed over, they didn't get angry, as this was a strict order personally given by Kaidou.
"All this food was taken from Kurozumi Orochi and his underworld forces. General Yamato has decided to return all the wealth taken from the people back to her citizens!"
On the high platform, Caesar waved his hand grandly: "From today onward, Queen will lead the scientific research team to restore the land with the highest efficiency, shutting down most of the polluting factories!"
"Is this true, Mom?"
In a poor little village, the villagers gathered around the curtain near the treasure ship. A little girl gently tugged at her mother's sleeve.
"If they say so, it must be true…"
Compared to the relatively healthy-looking little girl, her mother appeared very thin, her kimono patched all over.
"Sir Pirate…"
The elderly village chief leaned on his cane, tentatively looking at the leading pirate: "Is this food really for us?"
"Tch, didn't Caesar-sama already say so? Listen carefully, old man!"
The leading pirate waved his hand impatiently: "But let me make this clear, you bastards! This food is to be distributed equally to every household! Although Kaidou-sama has ordered that no harm come to the citizens, if anyone dares to take more than their share, I'll chop off their head! Understood?"
"Understood! Understood, sir!"
"Hmph, open the treasure ship and distribute the food!"
As the food was handed out to each household, the doubts on people's faces gradually disappeared.
"It's really true!"
"They're really giving out food!"
"Hooray! Mom, look, we have food now. We can eat Red Bean Rice Cake Porridge for a long time!"
"Mmm…"
The woman gently stroked her daughter's hair with one hand while covering her mouth with the other, tears the size of beans rolling down her cheeks.
"Sir Pirate…"
The village chief, holding the food, tremblingly stepped forward.
The pirate leader spoke impatiently: "What now? Didn't we already give you the food?"
"Thank you for distributing the food. Please allow this old man to offer you some hospitality…"
"Ah—? What did you say? You're making me feel touched, you bastard!"
Similar scenes unfolded across Wano Country. On the streets of the Flower Capital, more and more people took to the streets, looking in disbelief toward the direction of the shogun's residence.
"Is it really true? They're really giving out food!"
"Are these still pirates?"
"Who cares!"
"Hey, hey! More people are coming outside, saying they're in charge of the land improvement team!"
"Such a casual name…"
It was like a carnival. As the food was distributed, more and more laughter and cheers echoed throughout Wano Country.
Caesar's voice reverberated across Wano Country through the broadcast equipment.
"From now on, the land of Wano Country will be arable, and the seas will be navigable. Under the shogun, all citizens are equal!"
"All you need to do is eat your fill, work hard, and live well! Offer your loyalty to General Yamato!"
"Ooooh!!!"
For a moment, the crowd responded with overwhelming enthusiasm, their deafening cheers almost lifting the entire Wano Country off its feet!
"Loyalty to the Shogun!"
People shouted in unison, and some who had endured hunger even shed tears of excitement.
Seeing this, Caesar seemed to recall something and suddenly raised his hand with a mischievous grin, his voice booming across the sky: "Loyalty!!"
"Loyalty!!!"
"Shogun Yamato!"
"The Female Shogun!"
"The Shogun!"
Yamato struggled to suppress her smile, her face flushed with excitement.
Suddenly, she reached out, pulled Caesar close, and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Caesar! You're amazing!"
"Hey, hey!"
(End of Chapter)