The next day, the sun rose high in the sky.
On the western road of the Flower Capital, the anti-bandit forces returned triumphant. Though the casualties were heavy, the results were undeniably a great victory. Every member of the procession held their heads high with pride.
"The anti-bandit forces are back?"
The citizens of the Flower Capital, hearing the news, flooded the streets. When they saw the massive corpse tied to the execution frame, they could hardly breathe.
Even from a distance, the sheer power of the fallen foe was evident!
"That's the legendary Shutenmaru!"
"Just as the rumors said—a monstrous giant!"
"Well done, samurai!"
"You've made us proud!"
The murmurs of the crowd quickly swelled into thunderous cheers.
Though they had suffered under the samurai's oppression, bandits were far more terrifying. Compared to the warriors, the people feared the murderous, pillaging thieves even more—especially one who had terrorized Kuri for decades.
Even twenty years ago, when the Kozuki Clan ruled this land, such cruel and greedy bandits should never have existed in this world.
"Haha, such enthusiasm!"
"Brothers, straighten your backs!"
"Damn it, this is the first time in my life I've felt so glorious!"
The samurai of the anti-bandit forces had never received such treatment before. Their hearts swelled with emotion. In the past, if the commoners didn't curse them, it was already a blessing. Now, they were being cheered on both sides of the road.
What a moment of triumph!
Many of them had families in the Flower Capital. They had always dreamed of standing tall and heroic before their loved ones.
And all this glory was thanks to that man.
The samurai turned their gazes toward the towering figure leading the procession, their eyes filled with reverence—and worship.
Soon, the anti-bandit forces arrived at the foot of General Castle.
Orochi hurriedly appeared. Staring at the triumphant army and Shutenmaru's corpse, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"You really killed Shutenmaru?"
Was he dreaming?
According to the reports, the anti-bandit forces had set out at noon the previous day, arrived at Mount Head by evening, slain Shutenmaru that night, and returned the next morning.
It had taken less than a single day!
The thorn in his side that had plagued him for over a decade—gone just like that?
Gurd stepped forward, approaching Orochi.
"General, long time no see!"
"..."
Long time?
Was this guy serious?
Orochi had barely woken up—his subordinates had to drag him out of bed!
Damn it, why hadn't Da Black finished this bastard off?
Orochi's chest tightened with frustration.
Though the death of Shutenmaru filled him with immense satisfaction, the fact that Gurd was still alive soured his mood. The conflicting emotions of joy and irritation twisted inside him.
Gurd stepped aside slightly, gesturing toward Shutenmaru's corpse and the wagonloads of bandit bodies behind him.
A grin spread across his face.
"General, as you commanded, I've brought the entire Mount Head Thieves Group back for you. Isn't this a pleasant surprise?"
"A surprise indeed—an incredible one!" Orochi forced a stiff smile.
Gurd laughed heartily, then lowered his voice deliberately. "Don't get too excited yet, General. There's an even bigger surprise coming."
"Another surprise?" Orochi was stunned.
What could possibly be more shocking than Shutenmaru's death—aside from this bastard dropping dead too?
He couldn't even imagine!
"Guhuhuhu!" Orochi forced out a laugh.
"Brother Gurd, you continue to amaze me. Today, I must share a drink with you—we'll drink until we drop!"
"Fukurokuju, make haste and prepare. Summon all the ministers—I shall host a grand victory banquet for Brother Gurd!"
"And spread the news of Shutenmaru's gang's annihilation across the nation! Let all the people share in this tremendous joy with me!"
Within half a day, thanks to the astonishing efficiency of Den Den Mushi and Flying Arrow Messages, word of the Mount Head Thieves Group's destruction spread rapidly through every village, eliciting both cheers and sighs.
A grand banquet was also held in the General Castle.
In the largest banquet hall, all the prominent figures of Wano Country had gathered, each taking turns to toast Gurd.
"Lord Gurd, you are truly a warrior!"
"Merely a band of petty thieves."
Gurd chuckled as he drank.
When the drinking had gone on long enough, Gurd feigned drunkenness and retired to a side chamber to rest, leisurely sipping tea.
Soon, Da Black arrived.
"Lord Gurd, you summoned me?"
"Sit."
Gurd gestured to the opposite seat.
Da Black sat cross-legged, his gaze deep as he regarded Gurd. If possible, he would rather not be alone with Gurd at all.
His failure to assassinate the man had already displeased Orochi Shogun greatly. Now, if their private meeting were misinterpreted by prying eyes, he might be accused of colluding with the enemy.
"Drink some tea."
Gurd poured Da Black a cup before asking, "Da Black, I want information about that mysterious swordsman from last night."
"Ushimitsu Kozo?"
Da Black frowned.
Information about Ushimitsu Kozo wasn't exactly a major secret, but even the Oniwabanshu knew little about him.
"Yes, him."
A murderous glint flashed in Gurd's eyes.
"That bastard nearly rescued Shutenmaru. If I don't bring him to justice, I won't be able to rest easy!"
"Understood, Lord Gurd."
Da Black nodded and relayed all the intelligence he had on Ushimitsu Kozo.
Gurd looked astonished.
"So, he's a righteous thief?"
"Yes."
A hint of admiration surfaced in Da Black's eyes.
In these troubled times, it was commendable for a samurai to uphold justice—something he himself couldn't claim to do.
"How interesting!"
Gurd smirked playfully.
"A righteous thief who robs the rich to aid the poor, traveling all the way from the Flower Capital to Mount Head to save a notorious, wicked criminal."
"Da Black, does that make sense to you?"
"It doesn't."
Da Black's brow furrowed deeper.
This was precisely what puzzled him the most.
Gurd stroked his chin, unraveling the mystery thread by thread.
"Ushimitsu Kozo risking his life to save a villain is clearly illogical—it goes against his very principles."
"Unless the two already knew each other and shared an extremely close bond!"
"What do you think, Da Black?"
Da Black nodded in agreement.
He had considered this possibility, but with only a night having passed, he hadn't had enough time to fully piece it together.
Gurd continued guiding the conversation.
"Under normal circumstances, a righteous thief and a bandit being friends is impossible. Their natures are fundamentally opposed. So, there must be another connection between them—like blood ties!"
"Lord Gurd, that's impossible."
Da Black shook his head firmly. "The Oniwabanshu know Shutenmaru well. He has no living relatives."
"Good. One wrong answer eliminated."
Gurd nodded.
"It's not blood ties, which means there are other factors binding them together. I recall Shutenmaru was once known as Ashura Doji, who abandoned his life as a bandit during a certain special period."
"He served as Kozuki Oden's retainer!"
"Only during that time could he have formed a strong friendship with a righteous thief of noble character."
Da Black's pupils contracted in shock. "Are you suggesting, my lord, that Ushimitsu Kozo was one of Kozuki Oden's retainers?"
"Just speculation."
Gurd replied coolly, "If both were retainers of Kozuki Oden, then Ushimitsu Kozo would indeed have reason to rescue Shutenmaru. Beyond that, I can think of no other possibility."
"This—"
Da Black's face paled, sweat trickling down his cheeks.
That possibility did exist!
Fifteen years ago, on the day Kozuki Oden suffered the "Boiling Execution," he had been present and participated in the subsequent hunt.
Oden's nine retainers scattered in flight—several fled back to Oden Castle, vanishing in the raging flames, while others disappeared without a trace.
Could it be... they've returned?!
Gurd set down his teacup, his gaze icy.
"Da Black, you should understand well—for us, the Kozuki Clan must disappear. We cannot afford to give them any chance of resurgence!"
"Yes!"
Da Black took a deep breath.
If the Kozuki Clan still existed, they would undoubtedly seek revenge.
Gurd's voice turned frigid. "Da Black, last night you witnessed Ushimitsu Kozo's might firsthand. There are only a handful of samurai in all of Wano Country with such strength!"
"Indeed."
Da Black's expression darkened.
The sheer power of those slashes last night was beyond any ordinary swordsman, especially now that Wano had banned swords and the number of samurai had dwindled.
He also realized Gurd hadn't summoned him merely to recruit him—there was a deeper implication.
Gurd produced several strands of blue hair.
"Last night, Lady Yamato knocked off Ushimitsu Kozo's headband. These are the hairs that fell—I collected them deliberately. They are a crucial lead."
"Blue hair?"
Da Black stared at the strands on the table, stunned for a moment before a figure abruptly surfaced in his mind.
Blue hair was rare to begin with, and a blue-haired samurai of such formidable skill was even rarer—yet the Flower Capital happened to have precisely one such warrior!
Kyoshiro Boss!
Who was currently drinking with Orochi Shogun in the banquet hall!
"That's impossible!"
Da Black shot to his feet, his face a mask of horror.
Everyone in this country knew Kyoshiro Boss was Orochi Shogun's most loyal dog, having committed countless atrocities in his name over the years. How could he possibly be one of Oden's retainers?!
"Da Black, nothing in this world is absolutely impossible."
Gurd dipped his finger in tea and traced a pattern on the table—a bird spreading its wings.
Da Black looked at the symbol and shuddered anew.
It was the Kozuki Crest.
"I've heard the Kozuki retainers tattooed the Kozuki Crest on their backs as a mark of loyalty. Is that correct?"
"Correct!"
Da Black understood Gurd's implication.
To determine whether Kyoshiro Boss was a remnant of the Kozuki Clan, they only needed to verify if he bore the Kozuki Crest on his back.
Wait!
A sudden realization struck Da Black, and he stared at Gurd in horror.
Had he known Kyoshiro Boss's true identity all along?
Yesterday evening, Gurd specifically instructed him to send a message back to the Flower Capital, reporting the victory of severely wounding Shutenmaru. After locating the thieves' hideout, they deliberately delayed until the late hours of the Chou period (1-3 AM) to launch their attack.
Given Kyoshiro Boss's status, he would undoubtedly receive the news immediately and could arrive at Kuri's Mount Atama just before the third quarter of the Chou period.
Everything became clear now!
Looking back, this man's true intention was to use Shutenmaru as bait to lure Kyoshiro Boss into the open.
He wanted to eliminate Kyoshiro Boss!
No—this man's real target was Orochi Shogun!
Da Black broke into a cold sweat, his back drenched.
Kyoshiro was Orochi Shogun's most trusted right-hand man and his strongest warrior. Losing Kyoshiro would deal a devastating blow to the Shogun's forces.
The problem was, if Kyoshiro truly was a retainer of Kozuki Oden, then no matter the cost, he had to be eliminated.
No one could tolerate the sharpest blade hanging over their heads!
"Lord Gurd—"
"Shh! Quiet!"
Gurd raised a finger to his lips, whispering, "Da Black, when dealing with enemies, we must be fully prepared and leave no room for escape. If we let the tiger return to the mountains, it might be us who end up dead in the future!"
"Understood, Lord Gurd!"
Da Black replied in a hushed tone.
He knew what to do now.
As for the power struggle between the two sides, he was just an ordinary ninja—neither capable nor qualified to interfere.
"I'm tired. I need some rest."
Gurd stretched lazily before reclining sideways, waving dismissively. "Go on. Remember to inform the Shogun that if needed, I will certainly lend my strength."
"Lord Gurd, I will relay your message."
Da Black turned to leave when a sudden remark came from behind.
"The captain of the Oniwabanshu is called Fukurokuju, right? Tsk tsk, what a mouthful. Couldn't he have picked a simpler name?"
A hint—no, a blatant hint!
Da Black quickened his pace without hesitation.
Staying here any longer felt like even his iron will could be bent. That man's ability to manipulate minds was terrifying.
"Bang!"
The door shut tightly behind him.
"Ran off pretty fast."
Gurd glanced at the door, shook his head, and rolled over.
He had initially thought it would take days to reach this point, but Orochi's order to suppress the bandits had accelerated the process.
Now, only the final surprise move remained.
By his calculations, it should be arriving soon!
Half an hour later.
"Purururu~ Purururu~~"
The sound of a Den Den Mushi rang from his pocket.
An incoming call.
Gurd drowsily pulled out the snail.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Lord Gurd, we've received word from Kuri's waterfall—an unauthorized pirate ship has entered the country. Based on the flag, it's likely the rising newcomer crew, the Spade Pirates!"
Earlier that afternoon, the Spade Pirates had crossed Kuri's waterfall into Wano Country and defeated the Beasts Pirates stationed there.
A smile flickered in Gurd's eyes.
"Good. Send men immediately to track down the Spade Pirates."
"Yes, sir!"
The call ended.
Kuri, Hakumai Village.
"A pirate ship washed ashore!"
"Grab them!"
"Take all their food!"
Starving villagers shouted as they swarmed the ship, tying up the pirates before cheering and sharing the food and water.
They devoured the provisions ravenously, as if they were starving ghosts reborn.
Under the tree, the members of the Spade Pirates were tied together, watching the villagers snatch their food without showing any anger.
The crew whispered inquiries.
"Captain Ace?"
"Let them finish eating first."
Ace shook his head slightly.
The villagers' tattered clothes made it clear they were impoverished people struggling to feed themselves. He was actually happy to be able to help them.
After the villagers had eaten their fill, flames ignited around the ropes binding Ace's wrists, and his crew used various methods to free themselves.
This scene terrified the villagers.
However, Ace showed no intention of retaliation. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Where can we find some dessert? Nothing beats having something sweet after a full meal!"
"Huh?"
The villagers froze.
This Pirate... seemed like a strange fellow!
[Author's Note: Today's update is a 4000+ word chapter to make an even-numbered chapter count—odd numbers just feel uncomfortable to me.
A quick word about updates:
Since the first recommendation only comes after reaching 100,000 words, followed by 2-3 weeks of waiting for subsequent recommendations, I'm currently limited to two 4000+ word chapters per day.
Once the book goes on sale, I'll be updating at least 6000 words daily.
Thank you for your understanding, dear readers.
Also, I'd like to ask for your votes. I haven't requested any since starting this book, but now that we're on our first recommendation, your support is crucial.
Monthly votes and consistent readership really make a difference—thank you!
(End of Chapter)]