Soon, Kaido set off for the Shogun's Castle with King, Queen, and a dozen samurai whose presence felt almost negligible. Though few in number, these samurai were all subordinates recruited within Wano over the past six months, their prowess more elite than the average pirate.
The procession moved quickly, arriving in no time before the majestic gates of the Shogun's Castle. On the broad plaza in front of the estate, a familiar figure stood atop the steps—Shimotsuki Ushimaru. Upon seeing Kaido's group, the famous Wano swordsman leader immediately furrowed his brow.
"Kaido, what are you doing here?" Shimotsuki Ushimaru's voice held clear hostility, his right hand instinctively moving to his sword hilt.
Hearing this, Kaido let out a disdainful sneer. "Heh, Shimotsuki Ushimaru. Did King smash your brains in last time? Have you forgotten I'm the Daimyo of Kuri?" He deliberately emphasized the word "Daimyo," a flicker of mockery in his eyes. With that, Kaido completely ignored Shimotsuki Ushimaru blocking the way and swaggered straight into the Shogun's Castle.
King followed closely behind. As he passed Shimotsuki Ushimaru, his eyes hidden behind the mask gave the man a meaningful look. That glance made Shimotsuki Ushimaru stiffen all over, as if thrust back into the scene of his crushing defeat last time. Queen, meanwhile, chewed gum and blew bubbles, looking completely detached from the affair.
Shimotsuki Ushimaru remained standing where he was, watching Kaido's group's backs disappear into the depths of the castle, his expression terrifyingly dark. His clenched fist trembled slightly, nails digging deep into his palm. As a Wano samurai, he understood better than anyone the danger of Kaido's visit here, yet he was powerless to stop it.
Meanwhile, Kaido had already arrived alone at Sukiyaki's room. The spacious washitsu was dimly lit, the air thick with the heavy scent of medicinal herbs. The current Shogun, "Sukiyaki," lay weakly propped up on the bed, his face as pale as paper. Kurozumi Orochi knelt beside him, carefully serving medicine.
When Kaido's tall figure appeared at the doorway, he slightly raised his head and gave a slight nod in Kaido's direction.
Seeing this, the corner of Kaido's mouth lifted in an amused smile. He gave a light nod in return, but his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. This small exchange was like a tacitly understood performance. Kurozumi Orochi kept his head lowered, a faint, indistinct smile also playing on his lips. The atmosphere in the entire room became exceptionally微妙 in that moment.
Soon, all of Wano's current daimyo had assembled.
When Shimotsuki Ushimaru entered and saw Kaido was alone, he frowned slightly, wondering where those who had followed Kaido earlier had gone. But now wasn't the time to worry about that.
"Ahem, cough, cough..." A fit of heart-wrenching coughing shattered the silence. "Sukiyaki" hunched over his body as if to cough out his very organs. His face was deathly pale, fine sweat beaded on his forehead, and he teetered unsteadily.
"Lord Sukiyaki, please, pull yourself together!" Kurozumi Orochi hurried forward to support him, his voice laced with an affected concern. A hint of calculation flashed in his narrow eyes, but his hands respectfully steadied "Sukiyaki's" trembling shoulders.
Shimotsuki Yasuke's brow was tightly furrowed. He stepped forward. "Lord Sukiyaki." The brief address held genuine worry. He noticed an abnormal rasp in "Sukiyaki's" cough, raising a sliver of doubt in his heart.
"If anything should happen to me, I leave it to you, Orochi," 'Sukiyaki' said, suppressing another cough, his voice as weak as a candle guttering in the wind. His gaze shifted restlessly, never daring to meet anyone's eyes.
"Eh?!" Kurozumi Orochi's tears instantly welled up and overflowed. He dramatically prostrated himself on the floor. "This humble one obeys." His forehead pressed to the ground, but a sinister curve lifted the corner of his mouth.
The assembled daimyo exchanged uneasy glances. 'Sukiyaki' looked around at everyone and said with difficulty, "You all heard. If anything befalls me, before Oden returns, Wano shall be led by Orochi."
Ugetsu Tempura couldn't help but step forward. "Lord Sukiyaki, don't speak such ill omens. You will surely recover." His voice was filled with sincere concern, his right hand unconsciously tightening on the sword at his waist.
"You... you won't even listen to my final command? Cough, cough, cough..." 'Sukiyaki' suddenly grew agitated, launching into another violent coughing fit. His acting was too deliberate, causing Kazuki Mitsuyoshi's eyes to flash with suspicion.
Kazuki Mitsuyoshi pondered for a moment, then finally bowed. "Lord Sukiyaki, please don't say such things. We obey." But his right hand never left his sword hilt, betraying his inner turmoil.
"Wororororo! That's enough of this farce." Kaido's voice suddenly rang out, causing everyone else present to react with a start.
"Kaido, what the hell are you doing?!" Shimotsuki Ushimaru glared, eyes wide with fury, his hand already on his hilt. His voice rumbled like thunder through the great hall.
Kaido curled his lip disdainfully. "I just don't want to watch this charade anymore." Before his words fully faded, he suddenly drew his Hassaikai. Before anyone could react, the spiked club descended with a whistling rush of air toward the dying "Sukiyaki."
"You!" Shimotsuki Yasuke only had time to let out a shocked cry. The club fell within "Sukiyaki's" terrified gaze. In the final instant, that aged face contorted into a grotesque expression.
Blood splattered everywhere, covering Kurozumi Orochi from head to toe. He stood there dumbstruck, the expression on his face rapidly shifting from shock to terror. "Y-you... you..." His voice trembled uncontrollably. His legs gave way, and he collapsed directly onto the floor.
"Bastard, Kaido! What have you done?!" Shimotsuki Yasuke was the first to recover, the cold gleam of his drawn tachi slicing through the air. The other daimyos also drew their swords, blades pointing straight at Kaido.
Kaido merely swung the Hassaikai casually, forcing everyone back. He sneered. "A bunch of idiots. You don't even know who I just killed."
"Kaido, you bastard! How dare you raise a hand against Lord Sukiyaki? Prepare to die!" Shimotsuki Ushimaru was bristling with rage, about to charge forward again.
"Wait, Ushimaru." Shimotsuki Yasuke suddenly grabbed his arm, his voice unusually calm. "Look at who's lying dead?!"
Everyone focused their gaze. The person lying on the floor wasn't Sukiyaki at all, but a wrinkled old hag. Black blood still stained the corner of her mouth, her death grimace hideous and terrifying.
"Wororororo," Kaido's laughter was full of mockery. "A bunch of fools. To think you're Wano's elite, played for fools over and over again." His gaze swept meaningfully over Kurozumi Orochi, paralyzed on the floor.
Shimotsuki Ushimaru's pupils contracted violently, the hand gripping his sword trembling slightly. "This... what is the meaning of this?" His voice was filled with disbelief.
At this moment, Kurozumi Orochi finally snapped out of his shock over Kurozumi Higurashi's sudden death.
The reason Kurozumi Orochi took so long to recover wasn't that he felt some deep sense of loyalty or gratitude toward Kurozumi Higurashi.
Even though Kurozumi Higurashi had helped Kurozumi Orochi during his most destitute times, for a person like Kurozumi Orochi, any amount of favor was taken for granted.
Just as in the original story, after Kurozumi Higurashi was dealt with by Kaido, Kurozumi Orochi continued working with Kaido without batting an eye.
The reason for his current state was that the plan had reached its most critical moment. He was about to become the Shogun of Wano, about to fulfill his long-held wish of becoming Wano's ruler.
But right at the threshold, at the final step, the most crucial piece—Kurozumi Higurashi—had been eliminated by Kaido.
This meant he, Kurozumi Orochi, could never become Wano's Shogun. Worse, for conspiring to seize the Shogunate, he might face an even more miserable situation than before.
"Kaido, what the hell are you doing?!" Kurozumi Orochi roared at Kaido.
"Wororororo. What am I doing? Of course, disposing of you, a conspiring traitor of the Kurozumi clan, for the Shogun," Kaido laughed uproariously, then swung the Hassaikai again, aiming a blow at Kurozumi Orochi.
"What?! The Kurozumi clan?"
"A conspirator?!"
Hearing Kaido's words, the daimyo all turned their gazes toward Kurozumi Orochi.
Especially Shimotsuki Yasuke. He had long harbored suspicions about Kurozumi Orochi, but he never imagined the other was actually a remnant of the Kurozumi clan.
"You... you..." Seeing Kaido about to strike him, Kurozumi Orochi scrambled backward.
But the room was only so big; where could he retreat to?
Just as Kurozumi Orochi stared in terror at the spiked club that had just smashed Kurozumi Higurashi now descending toward him, his fear reached its peak, tears instantly blurring his vision.
CLANG!
At the critical moment, a transparent barrier appeared before Kurozumi Orochi, blocking the fatal blow for him.
***
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