The next day, morning was clear.
Rosse stretched comfortably, glanced at Toki lying lazily on top of him, and said, "Today you'll need to be more energetic. There's plenty to be done later."
"You're really letting me do it?", Toki frowned slightly, forcing down the fatigue in her body, staring straight at Rosse.
The news that Rosse had become Daimyo of Ringo had already spread everywhere in Ringo.
The will to resist in Wano would not stop just because of the bloody slaughter before.
Over there in Ringo, a large number of people who wanted to stop Rosse had long since gathered.
Most likely, before Rosse even reached Ringo, they would all rush up together to try and drive him away.
"No need, just watching is enough. What I want is a fine piece of art, not a broken one," Rosse said with a light smile, pinching Toki's cheek as he spoke.
Today, the people to be killed would be countless. If he really let Toki witness it all first-hand, the shock might drive her directly insane.
After all, making up your mind was one thing, but actually carrying out a massacre was another.
But he had no such worries. From the very first day he came to this world, he had already been prepared for this.
All of Ringo would become the stepping stone for his ascension.
Toki pressed her lips together without saying more, only silently sitting up. She didn't even first mind her own clothes, but instead concentrated on serving Rosse.
These past days, she had long since grown used to this rhythm.
From the day she came here, what she did was already the work of a handmaid.
Today Rosse wore a bright red suit, perfectly matching the day's theme, always making Toki think of a blood-red funeral.
After both were properly dressed, Toki looked at the famed blade Shusui on the table nearby. She hesitated slightly, then walked over, reaching out her pale hand to gently stroke the sheath.
This dragon-slaying sword of Wano had once shone brightly in resisting the world government.
Today, it will become the blade that will slaughter the Wano.
This sword had once opened the land of gold, and because of it Wano had closed itself completely.
Now again, this same sword would end it all. This too was fate in the shadows, perhaps.
Thinking this, Toki no longer hesitated. She decisively picked up Shusui, holding the sheath in both hands, and carried it to Rosse.
Rosse watched quietly. Seeing Toki offering the sword, he only curved his lips in a faint smile, stretched out his hand to take Shusui, and placed it at his waist.
It was said that the Amatsuki clan perished during the turmoil of the Land of Gold, and at that time, the Shimotsuki clan of Ryoma occupied Ringo and Hakumai, becoming the undisputed most powerful Daimyo clan.
Much of the history was vague, but judging by who benefitted in the end, one could guess the truth.
And today, a descendant of Amatsuki offered up Shimotsuki's sword, so he could sweep through all of Wano.
It had to be said. This was karma circling back.
Rosse stroked the hilt lightly and strode out of the residence.
Where they lived was less than a hundred kilometers from Ringo.
In just two hours, Rosse and his group had already reached Ringo's border.
From the start, their carriage hadn't hidden its presence.
Thus, when they arrived at Ringo's border, they were already surrounded from all directions by people, unable to move forward even a step.
"Get out of Ringo!"
"Wano doesn't need outsiders as Daimyo!"
"Ringo belongs to the Shimotsuki clan!"
"Toki! Traitor!"
"..."
Endless noisy shouts came from all directions.
Crowds dressed in all kinds of clothes, holding every sort of weapon, filled the roads and fields, blocking the carriage.
If not for the reputation of Rosse and his companions, they wouldn't just be shouting, by now they'd already be charging with blades.
"So lively."
The carriage had no roof, so Rosse and the others could clearly see their faces.
"Tch! Plenty of samurai, farmers and hunters too. That's Wano merchant attire, right? Oh, and even some courtesans. All good people who love Wano and love tradition."
Rosse gazed at the tens of thousands before him, his expression unchanged, even with leisure to tease Toki and comment, "But really, their weapons are a bit lacking. You'd think Orochi and Oden, wanting to stop me, would at least hand out some decent blades. At the very least, give everyone a half-decent hatchet. Pitchforks and kitchen knives I could tolerate, but rolling pins and tree branches? Not even a meat cleaver at home?"
Looking at this mob who came with nothing but hot blood, Rosse's lips carried a smile.
"This..."
Toki kept silent. She didn't know what to say either.
Honestly, Wano really was backward now.
Sealed off for so long, with Wano's resources, many things couldn't be self-sustained. Most people couldn't even eat their fill, with tens of thousands starving to death each year.
In such a situation, yet there were still hundreds of thousands supporting their Daimyo. This distorted thinking left Toki with nothing to say.
"Well then, since everyone is here, I won't waste time."
Rosse stood with a light laugh, his gaze landing straight ahead on a lone samurai with dark blue hair. Those behind him all stood some distance away.
But no matter how they were dressed, all eyes on him carried respect.
"Shimotsuki Inumaru(Dog), was that the name?", Rosse asked casually.
"I am Shimotsuki Ushimaru, current Daimyo of Ringo!"
Ushimaru's eyes were full of anger. To even call his name wrong. It was obvious this man didn't put him in his eyes at all.
"Alright, tell these people to disperse, stop embarrassing yourselves. Once I become Daimyo of Ringo, you'll all work for me. The hours aren't long. 9 in the morning to 9 at night, rest one day every seven. I guarantee no one will starve to death," Rosse said with a smile, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, as if issuing an order.
Of course, he could just kill them outright, but that was too lacking in artistry. Finding an excuse was more fun.
Who knows, maybe he could even see some drama of human nature.
"Dream on! The people of Ringo will never be your slaves!", Ushimaru rejected without hesitation, his gaze toward Rosse full of undisguised rage.
The people of Ringo were free. How could they ever do slave work for Rosse?
Work twelve hours a day, what kind of joke is that? Any person would refuse. It's no different from slavery.
"Tch! Tch! Tch! You don't know what good and bad. What about the rest of you? You all also refuse?", Rosse smiled at the others, not even acknowledging Ushimaru.
"Dream on!"
"Get out of Wano!"
"Better to die than be slaves!"
"Really able to eat our fill?"
"Ringo doesn't need you!"
"Support Daimyo Shimotsuki!"
"..."
Amidst the flood of angry shouts, there seemed to be some discordant voices.
Rosse raised his brows slightly, looking with interest at where those voices came from.
He could tell. They were ragged paupers, barely clothed, the 'weapons' in their hands nothing more than branches picked up from the roadside.
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