Whispers and rumors had become the new currency in Wano. In the three days since Orochi's death, stories spread like wildfire, fueled by a calculated campaign. The information was chaotic, but it all served two purposes.
The first was to shatter the image of the Kozuki clan. The exact words of the confrontation between Kaido and the remaining Kozuki retainers out on the open sea were repeated in every tavern and marketplace. The most effective storytellers were the surrendered samurai themselves. To justify their own choices, they painted their former masters as fools who had abandoned Wano, insisting it was the Kozuki who had failed the country, not the other way around. Coming from Oden's own men, the stories carried a damning weight. With most of Oden's truly loyal followers having perished in Kaido's attack, there was no one left to defend their honor. In just three short days, the name Kozuki became synonymous with failure, a joke even bigger than the old stories of the "Fool Lord." A consensus was forming: the Kozuki were not fit to rule.
The second purpose was to shift all blame for Wano's suffering onto the dead Shogun, Orochi. This was a harder sell, but Kaido didn't particularly care if the people loved the Beasts Pirates. In his mind, their affection was worthless. All that mattered was strength. He didn't need their support, only their fear. As long as he maintained absolute power, an iron fist capable of crushing anyone with foolish ideas of rebellion, the country would be his. All he needed was a puppet ruler, a symbol the people could accept.
And tonight, he would give them one.
The Flower Capital was bathed in the light of a full moon. Its citizens, the local samurai, and the newly arrived Beasts Pirates went about their business in a strange, orderly calm, as if the dramatic events of the past few days had never happened.
Suddenly, a colossal shadow fell over the city, blotting out the moon. A strange, deep rumble echoed from the heavens. The people of the capital, who had rarely seen Kaido when Orochi was in charge, looked up in confusion. But the Beasts Pirates knew that sound well. It was the sound of their captain in his dragon form.
Sure enough, a titanic azure dragon now coiled in the sky above them, held aloft by clouds of flame. Its massive, lantern-like eyes surveyed the world below, and a palpable wave of terror washed over the city.
"A m-monster!" cried one citizen who had never seen this form before.
"Shut up, you idiot! Do you want to get us all killed?" someone hissed back, grabbing him. "That's the captain of the Beasts Pirates! That's Kaido of the Beasts!"
"Kaido is a monster?"
"Is he going to eat us?"
"Look, look, he's looking this way! We're going to die!"
The panic began to swell, but then the people realized the great dragon was simply floating there, watching. As they wondered what he was planning, a sky-shattering roar boomed across the capital, so loud it felt like the world was shaking.
"Worororo… People of Wano Country, look at me!"
Every person—filled with fear, shock, curiosity, or dread—looked to the sky. Even King and the other All-Stars, who had already relocated to the capital, rushed out of their buildings to see what their captain was doing.
"What is Kaido-san planning?" King wondered aloud, a question on everyone's mind.
Kaido gave them their answer. He turned his massive pupils upward slightly and spoke, his voice a low rumble. "Hey, kid. Stand up."
"Kid?"
Everyone stared, confused, before they saw it. A tiny figure was slowly standing up on the massive, flat top of the dragon's head. Illuminated by the fiery clouds, they could all see a little girl with purple hair, wearing a simple green kimono with a yellow sash.
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Who is that little girl?"
"She's standing on Lord Kaido's head!"
The sight stunned not only the people of Wano but the Beasts Pirates as well.
Up on the dragon's head, Tama was so nervous she thought she might faint. It wasn't just the thousands of eyes staring up at her; it was the dizzying height. She could feel her legs trembling violently.
Just then, Kaido's voice rumbled again, seemingly right inside her head. "Hey, kid. Tell them your name."
"My name?" she squeaked, her voice lost in the wind. Seeing the sea of faces below, her throat felt tight, and she couldn't speak.
"What, is a small crowd like this enough to scare you?" Kaido goaded her. "How are you supposed to save this country if you're scared now?"
His words struck a chord. Tama's body trembled, but she gripped one of Kaido's massive horns for balance, clenched her fists, and asked through gritted teeth, "Are… are you serious? Are you really going to give me the power to protect everyone?"
Kaido's huge eye swiveled to look at her. "Try it and find out," he laughed.
"…I understand."
A flicker of determination crossed her small face. She mustered every last bit of her courage, stood up straight, put her hands to her mouth to amplify her voice, and shouted down at the silent city. "My name is Kurozumi Tama! And I am six years old!"
"Kurozumi!"
The name sent a shockwave of murmurs and glares through the crowd. "She's from the Kurozumi family?"
"Damn it, another one of them?"
"Is she one of Orochi's relatives?"
"What is Kaido planning?"
Ignoring the unrest below, Kaido let out a pleased rumble. "Good. You've got spirit." He then turned his attention back to the masses and made his declaration. "All of you, listen up! From this day forward, Kurozumi Tama is my daughter! She is the princess of the Beasts Pirates, and she is the future Shogun of Wano Country!"
"WHAT?!" The announcement was met with universal shock from Wano citizen and pirate alike. The samurai had the strongest reaction.
"No, please, not again! We just got rid of Orochi, and now another Kurozumi?"
"Even if the Kozuki are gone, we still have other Daimyo!"
"This is a joke! A six-year-old brat is going to be our Shogun?"
"Wano is finished! There's no hope left!"
Hearing the whispers of distrust and despair from below, Tama's newly found confidence began to crumble.
Kaido paid them no mind. "And to celebrate Tama becoming Shogun, I will grant her three wishes! Now, Kurozumi Tama, speak your wishes!"
"Eh?!" Tama was startled. This wasn't part of their deal, but at the same time, her eyes lit up. This was her chance. "Can it be any wish?" she asked weakly.
A cunning glint appeared in Kaido's eye. "Try it and find out."
Tama's mind raced. A thousand wishes swirled in her head, all fighting to get out. But in the end, she followed her heart and shouted the things that mattered most, her small voice erupting with surprising power.
"I want everyone to have enough to eat! I want everyone in the Prisoner Mines and the factories to go home! I… I want Wano Country to be a beautiful, green place again!"
Her childish, heartfelt plea, full of a hope Wano hadn't heard in years, echoed across the night sky.
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