The Flower Capital, the Shogun's Mansion.
Yamakaji and Momonga hurried in to meet Caelan and report on their work over the past two days.
"Commander, with the 1,000 men who came to support us from Dressrosa, we have completely brought the situation in Wano under control."
"Except for Kuri where the situation is unclear, the other regions have clearly submitted."
"Currently, people in various places are relatively calm, there is not much resistance, and most of them have a good attitude toward us."
Yamakaji reported respectfully.
With the support of 1,000 troops and three elite vice admirals, they had effectively taken over Wano.
Most people held a favorable view of them.
After all, the previous Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido were outright villains.
Weapons factories were built all over the country, farmland was polluted, and food was poisoned.
In comparison, the Neo Navy was unquestionably a strong and legitimate authority.
Only the Flower Capital, Orochi's base camp, a city that had not been ruined by Kaido and Orochi, retained some loyalty to them.
"That's the good news. What about the bad?"
Caelan asked calmly.
He had already eliminated the Beasts Pirates and the Kurozumi family, so this outcome was completely understandable.
If it were only this good news, there would have been no need for Yamakaji and Momonga to come together.
"We discovered that forces from all over Wano are converging on the Flower Capital. There are about four to five thousand samurai, and they seem to be preparing something big."
"There are also people publicizing the deeds of the Kozuki family, claiming that the victory over the Beasts Pirates was entirely due to the Kozuki family, inciting the public to oppose you and the Neo Navy."
Momonga himself was confused as he spoke.
How could anyone see this as the Kozuki family's achievement? Eighteen years ago, the Kozuki family was nearly wiped out by Kaido.
It was clearly thanks to Caelan that Wano was liberated from Kaido and Orochi.
Many people still believed it, simply because the Kozuki family had long been Wano's hereditary shoguns.
They did not want outsiders to rule Wano. They only wanted the shogunate to sit above them.
"This is normal. Have you found out who is behind it?"
Caelan nodded slightly.
Ever since Hiyori was sent up as an RPG, he knew the Kozuki loyalists could no longer sit still.
Speaking of Yamato, there had been no trace of him yet, and no one knew where he had gone.
"These instigators are very tight-lipped. We arrested more than twenty people, but only two confessed."
Yamakaji frowned and said, "They said they were ordered by the Nine Red Scabbards to restore the position of shogun to the young master, Kozuki Momonosuke."
He really could not understand why these remnants of the previous dynasty were still dreaming.
"Hmm? Kozuki Momonosuke, has anyone actually seen him?"
Caelan was a little surprised.
This name should not have appeared at this point in time.
Momonosuke and Kin'emon should have been sent by Kozuki Toki to the year 1522 of the Sea Circle Calendar, which was two years later.
Their early appearance meant either someone was pretending to be Momonosuke, or some unexpected event had occurred.
"The samurai saw Momonosuke with their own eyes." Yamakaji did not understand why Caelan was surprised by the name and continued, "According to them, he is Oden's son. It has been eighteen years, yet he still looks like a runny-nosed, lecherous kid."
In fact, according to the samurai, it was precisely because they saw that their lord was such a disappointment that they confessed so easily.
The moment he saw Momonosuke, the samurai's faith, which he had held onto for eighteen years, collapsed. He was completely stunned.
He felt like an idiot for waiting eighteen years for this.
"Good. I see."
A smile appeared on Caelan's lips.
The snotty-nosed, lecherous kid was undoubtedly Momonosuke.
Although he did not know how Momonosuke had arrived two years early, this was a good thing. It saved him from having to wait two years before acting.
Moreover, he was very curious why Momonosuke had appeared early.
Was there something wrong with Kozuki Toki, or was there another reason?
"According to our intelligence, all these people will arrive at the Flower Capital the day after tomorrow, including 2,000 misled civilians and 4,000 samurai loyal to the Kozuki family."
"Should we act against them in advance to prevent too much impact?"
Momonga and Yamakaji sought instructions.
These six thousand people alone could significantly impact the Flower Capital.
If the Kozuki family misled more people, all of Wano would be shaken.
"Do not act prematurely. Let them enter the Flower Capital. The more the better."
"Those hiding in the shadows should be caught in one fell swoop. I think Kaido and Orochi were too lenient back then and did not wipe them out."
Caelan's voice turned cold.
There were bandits hiding in Kuri, samurai blending in with the common folk, and all kinds of admirers.
Rather than letting them hide and cause trouble, it would be better to let them gather and resolve it all at once.
"…"
It seemed those people were in serious trouble this time.
(To be continued.)