Nighttime, Kurozuki Daimyo Residence.
"Shinjo, have those Marines shown any signs of abnormality?" The trembling Higurashi, leaning on a cane, made her way to Shinjo.
Women in this world age quickly, yet their lifespans are surprisingly long. Not to mention that "young" female doctor who lived to be over 140, but even the previous three queens of the Women's Island are still alive.
And their health is far better than Higurashi's.
Kurozuki Shinjo glanced outside. Beyond the daimyo residence, the night lights were sparse and scattered. Ever since the dawn of the electrical age, the country's curfew had gradually been lifted, but in the deep of night, still very few people walked the streets.
Not because of safety concerns, but because most shops were already closed at night, and the empty streets held little of interest.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. Gongyi has been watching them constantly, as if they were truly here for sightseeing." Shinjo said.
"What if they really did come to Inazuma for sightseeing?"
She was still a bit naive. Or perhaps she had been protected too well by the cunning old monster Higurashi, to the point of overlooking the dangers of the human world.
"Silly Shinjo, how could such a thing happen?" Higurashi shook her head. "Do you think the Shogun would take Yukiko and the others on a trip to Marineford or the Red Line?"
"Penetrating deep into Inazuma's interior, and with such key figures as the Marine Admiral, even a slight conflict could easily lead to hostilities between Inazuma and the Marines. They couldn't possibly fail to understand this."
"Even so, they've abandoned their duties in the Marines to come here, which proves they must have some plan. The more normal they act now, the more suspicious it becomes." Kurozumi Higurashi analyzed.
Hearing this, Kurozuki Shinjo also found it quite reasonable.
"In that case, should we notify the Shogun first?"
"This old woman already notified the Shogun long ago. Shinjo, you still have much to learn." Higurashi sighed.
She could already feel that her lifespan was not much longer, which made her cultivation of Shinjo somewhat urgent. In fact, the fact that she could still move about, and was even relatively healthy, was all because Kozuki Toki had used her Devil Fruit ability to extend her life once.
It could be considered a reward for her past contributions.
But Kurozumi Higurashi felt terrified. She believed that her plan with Orochi and the other two had only delayed Ren's time, which hardly counted as a contribution. Moreover, the successful revenge against the Kozuki Clan was already the best reward.
Therefore, after accepting the several years of life granted by Kozuki Toki, she never brought it up again. Now, her and Semimaru's lifespans were nearing their end.
"Shinjo, you must understand: although you are the daimyo of Hakumai, you are first and foremost the Shogun's servant. Hakumai is first and foremost the Shogun's territory, and only then the area under your jurisdiction."
"When problems arise, wanting to solve them with your own strength is certainly a good thing, but once the situation may exceed your control, you must contact the Flower Capital first. Do you understand?" Higurashi said sternly.
Shinjo nodded. "Shinjo understands."
…
"Are we really going to that Inazuma? I mean, with so many of us." Gion was filled with worry about the plan ahead. Even knowing she was merely acting as bait, it was hard to stay calm.
After all…
"After all, that's Inazuma."
Kuzan murmured. Compared to ten years ago, this man who had become an Admiral had lost the passion on his face, replaced by helplessness and lethargy.
But thinking of the battle they might face next, he couldn't help but grow tense.
"Just thinking about possibly facing that terrifying monster, the Raiden Shogun, gives me goosebumps all over." Kizaru added.
Inazuma's Raiden Shogun was a true, genuine monster!
Completely different from those Supernovas he could kick aside with a single foot. Remember, more than ten years ago, Inazuma's two Harbingers plus two captains of the Oni Force had blocked Kuzan, Kizaru, and Sakazuki.
At that time, they had already become Admiral candidates.
Now Snow Woman, Jasmine, and the other two female warriors had retired, but they all knew that these people were not so old they couldn't lift a sword.
If anything went wrong, all of them would be enemies.
"I wonder if the Raiden Shogun is currently at the Seirai Islands or in Inazuma proper."
"Alright, stop complaining." Vice Admiral Tsuru interrupted their conversation. "Although the danger certainly exists, our lineup is not so weak that we need to fear Inazuma."
"Moreover, according to intelligence, the current Raiden Shogun should still be at the Seirai Islands. Even if she rushed over, it would take some time."
Naturally. This was an Admiral, plus Garp's combat power equal to two Admirals and one Admiral candidate! Vice Admiral Tsuru herself also possessed strength at the mid-level of the Seven Warlords; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to chase Doflamingo around in the original story.
Who could withstand such a lineup?
"Lightning and light are both fast. Moreover, Vice Admiral Tsuru, don't forget our enemy isn't just the Raiden Shogun alone." Kizaru scratched his head. "That guy's subordinates are each as strong as monsters. Truly terrifying."
His concerns were valid. Currently, within Inazuma, there were at least three Harbingers' combat power, plus the internal army, the Oni Force, and countless war machines. They might not necessarily be able to handle such fighting strength.
Moreover, it was unknown whether the combat power of Inazuma's daimyos was strong or weak. If a fight really broke out, their small group wouldn't gain any advantage.
"So why not bring Admiral Sakazuki?" Gion asked.
"That guy's personality is too extreme. Direct conflict with the Raiden Shogun would be a small matter. The fear is that he would also attack ordinary civilians." Kuzan explained.
Not to mention Inazuma, even on Whole Cake Island under Big Mom's rule, there were many ordinary citizens. These people were not pirates at all; they were merely ruled by pirates.
But with Sakazuki's personality, he might suspect that pirates were hiding among these people, and then rather kill the wrong person than let them go.
Vice Admiral Tsuru nodded. "Not bringing Sakazuki was also the result of careful consideration between Sengoku and me."
Meanwhile, Sakazuki, who was at Marineford, angrily snapped the pen in his hand, his whole body smoking with rage.
He still remembered what Sengoku had said to him a few days ago.
Sengoku: "Sakazuki, we're about to go on a business trip to Inazuma. Guess who didn't get an invitation? That's right, it's you!"
Damn it, if this wasn't Marine bullying, what was it?
Could this world get any better!
[
Dear Readers,
I need your help. My financial situation is critical, and I can't continue without support.
Despite this, I'm still posting 5 chapters daily across all my fictions because I love what I do and don't want to stop—but I can't sustain this alone.
Support Tiers:
Adventurer ($3/month): 20 chapters ahead + 150 chapters/month across all fics
Warrior ($7/month): 40 chapters ahead + 150 chapters/month
Immortal ($10/month - Best Value): 60 chapters ahead + character images/visuals + bonus content + 150 chapters/month
Important: Subscribe through your browser (not Apple App) to avoid 30% extra fees and 2-3 month payment delays.
Even $3 helps immensely. If you can't subscribe, please share my work with someone who might enjoy it.
Thank you for reading and considering support.
Patreon: patreon.com/anish_44
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/anish_44
]