Chapter 29: The Objective Is to Submerge the Port
Trade between Kuri and Hakumai flourished, bringing substantial economic benefits to Hakumai. Moreover, Ren's double repayment of the loan, combined with current preferential policies, left the Kozuki Clan with an extremely favorable impression of him.
As a result, merchants from Kuri—especially those doing business directly with the Daimyo's Mansion of Kuri—were not even subject to inspection.
Ren's willingness to maintain good relations with Hakumai was naturally not merely to repay the favor of their financial support. That debt of gratitude had long since been repaid twice over.
What Ren truly wanted was convenience within Hakumai, allowing him to more easily contact Kurozumi Orochi or secretly provide manpower and supplies.
For example, the Devil Fruits Orochi collected were transported to Kuri through such channels.
During this period, Ren accumulated quite a number of Devil Fruits, but they were all common Zoan-types. Rather than consuming these fruits himself, it would be better to directly find suitable creatures to eat them.
The same applied to Ancient Zoans. This world did not lack ancient islands.
Any fruits Ren had no use for would be kept and later handed over to Orochi. These would serve as bargaining chips in future dealings with Kaido.
Kaido intended to build an army of Beasts Pirates, and in his eyes, any Zoan-type Devil Fruit was invaluable.
Ren did not care about Kaido's growing strength. In his plan, both Wano Country and Kaido's forces would eventually fall under his control.
Once Orochi became the Acting Shogun, if events followed their original trajectory, Kaido and Oden would inevitably clash. This time, Ren would not allow Kurozumi Orochi to interfere.
When both sides were gravely injured, he would be able to seize both the country and the Beasts Pirates in one decisive move.
By then, he might become one of the Four Emperors entrenched in the New World, and only then would he be truly established.
That said, there was no need to rush. Becoming such a behemoth was not merely a matter of appearing powerful.
In the future, there would inevitably be constant friction and even wars with various forces.
After the fall of Rocks, the entire world would plunge into chaos.
The remnants of Rocks operated independently, entrenched in the New World, competing for wealth, territory, and influence. Conflicts both large and small had long surpassed the level of simple piracy, evolving into wars between nations.
This was also why, after so many years, the Marines' influence in the New World remained so weak.
The region was simply too chaotic. With the constant influx of new pirates from Paradise, even the Marines found it difficult to gain a firm foothold.
Or rather, even if an enormous price were paid to establish power in the New World, the returns would be minimal.
The overall strength of the Marines undoubtedly surpassed that of any single Four Emperors crew, but that strength was not fully unified.
Pirates fought independently, while the Marines were forced to oversee seas across the entire world.
Compared to the Four Blues, the Grand Line was actually quite small, merely a slightly wider waterway.
Before Orochi became the Acting Shogun, Ren also needed access to the Submerged Port.
Wano Country had many ports, such as Kiko Port, Jinbu Port, and Tokage Port, but these were all inland ports.
Only the Submerged Port of Hakumai could safely lead to the outside world.
However, under Wano Country's isolationist policy, the Submerged Port remained closed year-round.
Kurozumi Orochi frequently traveled overseas, and it was impossible for Ren to assist him every single time.
Moreover, as overseas forces continued to develop, interactions would only grow more frequent.
If Ren had to personally handle every matter, he might as well abandon everything else and spend his days ferrying people.
Therefore, securing the right to use the Submerged Port was absolutely necessary. However, persuading the Kozuki Clan to agree would require time.
Wano Country's centuries-old policy was deeply ingrained, and everyone harbored instinctive fear toward the unknown world beyond the seas.
Fortunately, the Kozuki Clan maintained a relatively close relationship with Oden. Oden must have often spoken to them about going to sea or opening the country.
At least in this regard, persuading the Kozuki Clan would be far easier than convincing others.
Such matters could only be handled gradually, without haste.
After the cargo vessels arrived in Hakumai, they found an opportunity to pass the message onward.
All of these people bore the Serpent's Seal, so secrecy was paramount.
Afterward, Ren's message was delivered to Kurozumi Higurashi.
Unlike Semimaru, who remained in Hakumai to protect Orochi, Higurashi was constantly on the move. She traveled frequently while helping Orochi manage relationships both above and below.
Ren learned that Higurashi was already preparing to head to the Flower Capital and lie low by Kozuki Sukiyaki's side.
"Suigu Town?" Elsewhere, Kurozumi Higurashi, after reading Ren's letter, quietly burned the paper with fire.
This was a place she had never heard of.
There were countless islands in this world, and this so-called Suigu Town sounded like an insignificant settlement on some remote island.
Trying to gather information about it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Even so, Higurashi voiced no complaints.
In her view, Ren's orders were of the highest importance.
Although Ren had said there was no need to rush, she could not afford to think that way.
From her perspective, Ren could have easily taken Wano Country for himself, yet he allowed the Kurozumi Clan to carry out their long-awaited revenge against the Kozuki Clan.
That alone was an act of immense generosity.
How could subordinates like them dare not take their lord's words seriously?
As for why Ren wanted to find such a place, or what he intended to do afterward, she would not ask.
Even if Ren mobilized large numbers of people to locate this place merely to build a toilet, it would still be the lord's command.
Her duty was simply to obey.
However, she could not personally oversee this task. She could only assign it to subordinates she had recruited over the past few years.
This was because Ren's letter also mentioned another matter that required her immediate return to Wano Country.
Kozuki Sukiyaki had expressed his desire to meet the Daimyo of Kuri.
Since Ren took control of Kuri, he had never formally paid his respects to Sukiyaki.
Recently, due to Oden's affairs, Sukiyaki realized that he had never personally met the Daimyo of Kuri and thus wrote a letter inviting him to the Flower Capital.
Being received by the Shogun was, in itself, an honor for a Daimyo.
In the past, Oden had also gone to the Flower Capital to meet Sukiyaki 3 years after becoming the Daimyo of Kuri.
That was because it took him over 3 years to stabilize Kuri's finances, whereas Ren accomplished the same in just a few months.
This made Sukiyaki eager to witness the miraculous figure known as Ren.
However, Ren had no intention of interacting with him.
After all, a Daimyo's status was still a step below that of the Shogun, and Ren had no desire to humble himself before the Kozuki Clan.
Therefore, it would be better for Higurashi to return and transform into his likeness, meeting that incompetent Shogun in his stead.
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