Kurome's Eight Arms Reload was currently filled with corpses, but none of them were master swordsmen like Ashura Doji. Most of them were Sea Kings and wild beasts. After coming to the pirate world, perhaps due to Akame's persuasion, Kurome had released her former friends.
The pirate world indeed had many strong individuals, far surpassing the world of Akame ga Kill! and even the ninja world. However, the number of truly top-tier figures wasn't as high as one might think. Moreover, many of these individuals were Devil Fruit users, and their abilities would disappear upon death.
Under these conditions, Ashura Doji, as a master swordsman, was an excellent puppet. Plus, he was their enemy. Controlling corpses to fight might be criticized in the ninja world, but in the pirate world, few people cared. For example, Gecko Moria's Shadow-Shadow Fruit could also control corpses, and during the Marineford War, no one from the "righteous" Navy said a word about it.
However, for Daniel, it was better to control the corpses of evil individuals, such as Ashura Doji and Edward Weevil, who was known as the "Second Whitebeard."
For someone like Luffy, hearing that Ashura Doji was one of the Red Scabbards would immediately make him a trusted ally. The civilians who had been killed by Ashura Doji and his men were completely forgotten—dead for nothing. Many of them were from Kuri's Kuri Village.
Since Wano was Kaido's territory, Ashura Doji didn't dare to go too far. He could only rob the poor, as Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi wouldn't care about them.
"Let's go to the Flower Capital."
Daniel sensed that Kikunojo was hiding nearby, but since he didn't plan to reveal himself, Daniel didn't expose him. Afterward, they didn't return to Kuri Village but headed straight for the Flower Capital.
Shortly after Daniel and the others left, Kikunojo anxiously emerged from hiding, trying to find Ashura Doji. Unfortunately, apart from finding some shattered blades, he discovered nothing else.
"Lord Kin'emon, please come back soon."
Not finding Ashura Doji's body gave Kikunojo some relief, but the appearance of Daniel and the others, especially their overwhelming strength, filled him with a sense of foreboding. He couldn't help but whisper Kin'emon's name.
Among the Red Scabbards, Kin'emon had the highest prestige and was the one who had formulated the plan to counter Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido. Unfortunately, this time, before meeting Luffy and the others, he had encountered Akame and her group.
"The Flower Capital truly lives up to its name—a place where cherry blossoms bloom."
Arriving at the Flower Capital from the air, Daniel looked down at the scene of cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind. He understood why this place was called the Flower Capital. Compared to the poverty they had seen elsewhere, the Flower Capital was incredibly prosperous, even more so than during the time when Kozuki Oden's father was the daimyo.
If one only looked at this place, it would be hard to imagine that most of Wano's citizens were starving and struggling to survive.
However, knowing the policies of the Flower Capital, its prosperity wasn't hard to understand. Kurozumi Orochi had decreed that only the wealthy could live in the Flower Capital. The poor were driven out.
"One has to admit, the people of Wano know how to enjoy life."
The Flower Capital had a very conspicuous building—the residence of the daimyo. It was a pavilion located on a peculiar mountain, with a massive, uniquely shaped tree at its peak. The entire pavilion was surrounded by the tree.
Waterfalls cascaded down the mountain, with exquisitely crafted bridges on either side. The base of the mountain was surrounded by cherry blossom trees. Living in such a place was indeed a form of luxury.
"Another Oninesta?" From the air, the Flower Capital looked beautiful, but upon landing, that beauty vanished. The area around the Flower Capital was filled with slums, and the rivers were filthy. The so-called prosperity was nothing but an illusion.
This situation reminded Leone of the Empire's minister. Indeed, the two were somewhat similar in certain aspects—both were powerful officials. Although Kurozumi Orochi was the shogun of Wano, his authority in the country was less than Kaido's.
Simply killing Kurozumi Orochi wouldn't be enough to rule Wano. Kaido had to be dealt with as well.
Wano once had six daimyos, but now, apart from the shogun, there were no current daimyos left.
"If Kurozumi Orochi had a different script, he could have been the protagonist."
To avenge his family, Kurozumi Orochi endured humiliation, starting as a servant and gradually climbing to the position of shogun of Wano. His story deeply embodied the saying, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—don't bully the young and poor."
Although he later became corrupt, he had enjoyed twenty years of luxury. During those years as the shogun of Wano, Kurozumi Orochi lived in extreme opulence, with fine food and beautiful women at his beck and call. Despite his ugly appearance, his power and status made him desirable.
If Luffy and the others had appeared twenty years earlier, perhaps the Straw Hat Pirates would have allied with Kurozumi Orochi to overthrow the Kozuki clan. Of course, this was just a joke.
Thus, Kurozumi Orochi didn't get the protagonist's script and instead became the villain who usurped Wano.
"The Clone-Clone Fruit—this Devil Fruit nearly toppled two countries."
The Clone-Clone Fruit played a crucial role in the overthrow of Wano by Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi. Crocodile's plan to take over Alabasta also relied heavily on the Clone-Clone Fruit. If not for an unexpected turn of events, he might have succeeded again.
Both users of the Clone-Clone Fruit were not particularly strong, proving that even small individuals could be formidable when pushed too far.
"Coming here made me realize something—I haven't been using transformation techniques to their full potential."
Thinking about Wano's upheaval, Daniel realized that he hadn't been making full use of transformation techniques in the pirate world. In the ninja world, transformation techniques were low-level jutsu, and while useful, there were ways to see through them. However, in the pirate world, where strength often overshadowed strategy, such techniques could be incredibly effective.
In the ninja world, battles often relied on tactics and intelligence, especially before the Otsutsuki clan appeared. In contrast, the pirate world's battles were more about raw power.
"What should we do now?"
"It's simple—just deal with Kurozumi Orochi."
With insufficient strength, one would need to proceed cautiously. But with the strength of Daniel and his group, even if Kaido showed up, it wouldn't matter, let alone a mere Kurozumi Orochi.
Even if Kurozumi Orochi had the strength of a Four Emperor, it wouldn't change the outcome. Based on estimates, Kurozumi Orochi was at most at the level of one of the Three Disasters of the Beasts Pirates, and that was including his Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit ability.
Before coming to Wano, Daniel and the others had discussed the situation and how to take over the country. The first method was to act in the name of the Kozuki clan, eliminate Kurozumi Orochi, and then place Kozuki Hiyori on the throne as daimyo, with Daniel taking the position of shogun and holding the real power.
As outsiders, it would be difficult to immediately take control of Wano. Even Kaido had chosen to install a puppet ruler.
While they could rely on overwhelming strength to suppress resistance, that would be too troublesome. Strength alone couldn't bring peace, as demonstrated by the World Government's actions.
The second method was to control Kurozumi Orochi and manipulate him from behind the scenes. After all, Kurozumi Orochi had ruled Wano for twenty years. Despite his cruelty, he still held some authority. By having him publicly declare his repentance, implement an open-country policy, and ensure the people no longer starved, they could take control of Wano after subduing Kaido.
For the common people, it didn't matter who ruled them—whether it was the Kozuki clan, the Kurozumi clan, or someone else. As long as their lives improved, that was all that mattered.
The Kozuki clan's resurgence was largely due to Kurozumi Orochi's own actions. His policies in Wano and his decision to plant a spy among the Red Scabbards had backfired. If he had acted earlier, as Kanjuro had done by ambushing Kikunojo, things might have been different.
With Kanjuro's strength and the camaraderie among the Red Scabbards, a sneak attack would have been highly effective.
After careful consideration, Daniel decided to go with the second method. Using the first method to place Kozuki Hiyori on the throne would mean dealing with the Kozuki clan's Red Scabbards. Daniel was here to take over Wano, not to restore the Kozuki clan.
Their ideologies were too different. Rather than dealing with conflicts later and having to eliminate the Red Scabbards, it was better to ignore them from the start and let the Kozuki clan fade into history.
In fact, if it weren't for Wano's abundant reserves of seastone, Daniel wouldn't have bothered with the country. Seastone was a crucial strategic resource, and having control over it was essential.
Without seastone, Daniel would have simply chosen an island to establish a kingdom. In the pirate world, founding a country was relatively easy. As long as you had enough money to pay the Heavenly Tribute, the World Government would recognize you as a member nation, just like Wapol, the user of the Munch-Munch Fruit.
After making a fortune with his Devil Fruit ability, Wapol reestablished the Kingdom of Drum, became its king, and even married a world-famous celebrity. He was truly a winner in life.
Daniel's reason for founding a country was to prepare for the future. As the Revolutionary Army he supported grew stronger, the World Government, the Celestial Dragons, and the current Navy would inevitably collapse. When the new world government emerged, being a pirate would no longer be suitable. Becoming a king was the best option.
The pirate world couldn't be unified, unlike the world of Qin's Moon. There was no cultural foundation for a unified world. The World Government, despite its power, had never achieved global unification.
In truth, Wano was only a temporary base for Daniel. Eventually, he would move to the Red Line, the continent that spanned the entire planet. It was a waste that such a vast land was only inhabited by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
During his discussions with Dragon about the future, they had considered this. To prevent the rise of another group like the Celestial Dragons, the Red Line would have to be opened to all nations.
"He's mine. Since we're here in the Flower Capital, you all should take some time to enjoy yourselves." Dealing with Kurozumi Orochi was something Daniel could handle alone.
"He really knows how to enjoy life. Compared to him, I'm far behind." Daniel arrived alone at Kurozumi Orochi's palace, where a banquet was in full swing. The most beautiful courtesans of the Flower Capital were doing their best to please Kurozumi Orochi. The entire hall was filled with women, with Kurozumi Orochi being the only man.
After killing Kozuki Oden and under Kaido's protection, Kurozumi Orochi's daily activities consisted of hosting banquets, sometimes even orgies.
However, even such a man as Kurozumi Orochi didn't force himself on Komurasaki, which surprised Daniel. Perhaps he was too bored and wanted to play games.
Of course, Denjiro's protection might have also played a role. Ruling a country wasn't simple, and even Kurozumi Orochi couldn't completely ignore certain rules, or everything would fall into chaos.
Even someone like Ying Zheng couldn't disregard such rules.
"That's Komurasaki. She's truly beautiful. No wonder so many people are infatuated with her. Even one of the Three Disasters is smitten with her." Komurasaki, the Flower Capital's oiran, was a famous figure. Many had been ruined by her, losing their fortunes and being driven out of the Flower Capital.
It had to be said that people often lost their minds when faced with beauty. Even those who made their living through unscrupulous means, such as loan sharks, would willingly hand over their wealth after seeing Komurasaki's smile. They were nothing but simps, and in the end, simps came to no good.
"This melody is quite impressive. It's a shame Kurozumi Orochi doesn't recognize the killing intent within it." Komurasaki had a unique skill—she was an exceptional musician. However, every time she played, she wore a mask, which puzzled many.
But Daniel knew the reason. She wore the mask to hide her tears. This melody reminded her of Kozuki Oden.
"This is truly enviable. Well, it's the last time you'll enjoy this."
When Komurasaki was present, Kurozumi Orochi behaved himself, wanting to win her heart. But after she left, his true nature emerged, and the hall quickly descended into an orgy. Daniel found this utterly ridiculous.
Fortunately, the people of this world had incredibly strong constitutions, and as the shogun of Wano, Kurozumi Orochi not only had great strength but also access to numerous resources. Otherwise, such a decadent lifestyle would have killed an ordinary man long ago.
With such a lifestyle, even if Kurozumi Orochi had the strength of a Four Emperor, it would have diminished over the years.
"The Oniwabanshu—ninjas."
Daniel had no interest in Kurozumi Orochi's orgies—it would give him nightmares. As soon as things started heading in that direction, he shifted his attention to the Oniwabanshu guarding the hall.
These individuals had once been Kozuki Oden's subordinates, but they betrayed him at the first sign of trouble, switching their allegiance to Kurozumi Orochi and becoming his trusted aides.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 120)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter][+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]