Wano Country — Onigashima.
Kaito sat confidently on his throne, his posture relaxed as he looked over the commanders gathered below. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"So, how's the cleanup of Red-Hair's territory going?"
King rose and answered with a respectful nod. "Most of the territory has been taken by our crew. But BIG MOM seems to have noticed something. She's moved in and taken about one-third of the area."
Kaito waved a hand casually. "Don't worry about her. Whatever she eats, I'll make her spit out twice as much later."
He leaned forward slightly. "What about Wano? And the Nine Red Scabbards?"
Queen stepped forward. "The people of Wano have basically accepted our leadership. They're not as afraid as before. In fact, many are grateful.
But the Scabbards… are still the same. Except for when you used that trick to make Kin'emon the village head for a while, they still gather around Kozuki Hiyori. They have no intention of submitting."
Queen shrugged. "Still, their attitude is better than before."
"There's no rush," Kaito replied calmly. "As long as they don't cause trouble."
He shifted his gaze. "What about the other things I assigned?"
"We've fully taken over Doflamingo's intelligence network," Ulti reported. "Since Doflamingo died, the leaders of those organizations were getting crushed by competitors. The moment we appeared, they immediately sided with us."
"Now we're one of the top intelligence forces in the underworld. Operations have already started turning profit."
Kaito smiled thoughtfully. "Good. And the factory?"
"They're all fully staffed. People say the wages are triple, so the work's going well," Page One said quickly.
Kaito tapped the arm of his throne. "And how long until the red-haired territories are fully reorganized?"
King answered after thinking. "If we force it, one month. But if we use Wano's systematic structure… about three months."
"Three months, huh? That works."
Kaito smirked, amused. "Three months from now is around the time BIG MOM's tea party begins. Perfect timing to send her to the afterlife right after her own celebration."
He looked toward Queen. "Any clue where Red-Hair ran off to? He's a danger. Leaving him alive is asking for trouble."
Queen sighed. "No idea. Ever since our battle, they've vanished without a trace. It's like their entire crew disappeared."
Kaito's expression darkened. "Find him. Whatever it takes. Leaving him alive is too dangerous. He's like a wounded lion hiding in the shadows waiting for us to slip."
Deep inside, he already suspected Red-Hair was one of those rare "children of luck," much like Luffy.
Still, Kaito had no regrets. Gaining Red-Hair's territory was worth the complications.
"For the next three months," Kaito said, "focus on two things. One, continue searching for Red-Hair. Two, stabilize his former territory. After that, we go to war with the BIG MOM Pirates."
"Yes, Boss!" Issho and the others responded loudly.
"Boss!" Yamato stepped forward. "There's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Yesterday, two mink warriors came to Wano with us. They went to look for Kozuki Hiyori."
"Minks?" Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Must be Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, two of the Red Scabbards."
Yamato blinked. "So that's why they looked familiar!"
Kaito stood up lazily. "Alright, let's go, Yamato. We're visiting Kozuki Hiyori."
"Visit her? What for?" Yamato asked suspiciously, eyes wide.
"To see Wano's number one beauty," Kaito replied with a small grin.
"Ugh." Yamato rolled her eyes hard.
Kozuki Hiyori — who took the alias Komurasaki — was known as the most beautiful woman in Wano and the top oiran. Because of her unique status, Kaito had purchased the entire oiran mansion for her, both as a gesture and to monitor her movements.
The Red Scabbards were still dangerous. Until they submitted, they remained a hidden threat.
An hour later, Kaito and Yamato arrived at the Flower Capital.
"Boss Kaito! Boss Yamato!" A guard hurried over, nervous but excited. "I'm Baron, chief guard here. How can I help?"
"Take us to Komurasaki," Kaito said casually.
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, they arrived before a grand mansion adorned with two giant red lanterns.
"My lord… this is it," Baron whispered.
"Knock."
"Yes!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
An irritated voice sounded from inside. "Who is it?"
The heavy red doors opened, revealing a figure with green skin, long orange hair, and a frog-like appearance—yet still strangely cute.
But anyone fooled by that cuteness wouldn't live long.
This was Kawamatsu, one of the Nine Red Scabbards, a warrior strong enough to rival the Disasters.
His eyes narrowed sharply when he saw Kaito. "You…"
His hand drifted toward the hilt of his sword.
"No need to be nervous," Kaito said softly. "If I wanted to kill you, do you really think you could stop me?"
Kawamatsu froze. He knew that was true.
"I'm here to speak with Komurasaki," Kaito continued.
"…Fine. Follow me," Kawamatsu said at last.
He led them through the massive courtyard. Once a place where oiran were trained, it now held rock gardens, small ponds, cherry trees, and peaceful pavilions.
Under the largest cherry blossom tree, Kozuki Hiyori sat with Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, speaking quietly.
"Lady Hiyori," Nekomamushi rumbled, smoke curling from his pipe, "the moment we heard you were alive, Inuarashi and I rushed back."
"Thank you, both of you," Hiyori replied softly. "I've been living safely under Denjiro's protection."
Inuarashi nodded firmly. "Don't worry, my lady. Once we find Momonosuke, we'll plan a rebellion. Wano will be reclaimed."
"No," Hiyori said gently, shaking her head.
Both minks froze.
"When you came, you saw it yourselves. Under our new ruler, Wano is recovering. The people are finally living better. Everything is improving."
She looked up at them with clear eyes.
"A rebellion would only bring suffering. Even if you succeed, countless innocent people would die."
____
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