Pirate: It’s not a phantom beast, it’s a phantom god!

Chapter 344 The Tumultuous Summer

The country of peace.

This is a country that seems quite special even in the New World.

Due to the unique ocean currents in its open sea and the country's long-standing policy of isolationism, almost no one knows of the country's existence, let alone has any idea of ​​its internal affairs.

In reality, Wano Country ranks among the top in terms of population, environment, and national strength among all the countries, large and small, in the New World.

This place has all kinds of rare ores, top-notch craftsmen, powerful warriors, and... a beautiful and fertile land.

The Flower Capital – the capital of Wano Country.

This is not only the most prosperous and bustling area in the entire Wano Country, but also the residence of the ruler of Wano Country—the Shogun.

However, the so-called "City of Flowers" does not refer only to the capital city built around the General's Mansion, but to the entire surrounding area.

The geographical distribution of Wano Country is quite strange. The entire country is not a single piece of land, but is divided into six different regions by several huge rivers, each ruled by a ruler known as a "Daimyo".

【Huadu】is the central area.

The other five areas, known as Kuri, Nozomi, Udon, Suzugo, and Hakumai, each have their own ports and unique climates. These areas are independent of each other and are only connected by bridges...

Ebisu Town is a town located at the foot of the Shogun's Mansion in Wano Country, and it wouldn't be wrong to call it the capital of Wano Country in a narrow sense.

This is the true heart of Wano Country, where merchants, celebrities, and high-ranking officials from all over the country gather, radiating outwards from the Shogun's residence according to their social class.

This is a naturally formed ecological pattern in which power and status are displayed simply and directly in a way that is visible to the naked eye.

This pattern has remained unchanged for hundreds of years, and the nobles, samurai, and ordinary people throughout Wano Country have no objection to it.

After all, a general's son is a general, a samurai's son is a samurai, and a commoner's son is a commoner... This has always been the case for hundreds of years, so there's nothing to object to, and everyone is content with the status quo.

However, this unspoken rule has recently seen an exception.

Unlike the rare exceptions of a few low-level thugs suddenly transforming into samurai of the daimyo rank a few years ago, this time...

"To be honest, I still can't understand why Lord Sukiyaki would appoint that giant snake as the acting general."

Inside a rather unique house in the Nakagami Ward of Ebisu Town.

Two richly dressed men were kneeling facing each other, with two plates of exquisite sashimi and a small pot of sake on a low table in front of them.

The man sitting on the right frowned, picked up the cup of sake, and drank it all in one gulp.

He had hair that looked like it was burning with flames, and a face that matched it perfectly.

The man was shirtless, wearing only a simple haori (traditional Japanese garment)... but the tattoos on his shoulders were enough to tell that he was none other than the famous swordsman, Hana no Hyogoro, who was renowned throughout the city and even the entire Wano Country.

“Even if Oden is not in the country right now, it would be more appropriate for you or one of the other daimyo to temporarily assume the position of shogun.”

"Just what is the origin of that giant snake?"

"..."

The man who was asked also picked up his sake cup, but instead of drinking it directly, he looked at the clear sake in the cup and slowly said:
“That giant snake used to be one of my servants. Years ago, he knelt in front of my mansion and begged me to take him in. I took pity on him and gave him a meal.”

"Just a servant?!"

"Ah."

"I'm surprised too."

"Because when Lord Sukiyaki proposed Orochi as acting shogun at his bedside, he said that he and Oden were like brothers... But as far as I know, he and Oden were not actually close, they had only met a few times."

"And he's from the [Black Charcoal] family."

"What?! The [Black Charcoal] family? That family wasn't..."

"Yes, I only found out when Orochi took over the position of shogun. Perhaps he was just a survivor from some remote branch."

The surname "Kurotan" is taboo in Wano Country.

As one of the five great families serving the Kozuki clan, the Kurozumi family, along with other families such as Shimotsuki, Amatsuki, Amaterasuki, and Fuugetsu, had held the position of daimyo for generations, making them one of the top noble families in Wano Country.

But this great noble family was wiped out in a political upheaval decades ago—their title was stripped, their territory, city, and status were taken away, and the head of the family, "Black Charcoal," was forced to commit seppuku...

Having lost everything, the Kurozumi clan was reduced to wandering the streets, condemned and persecuted as criminals. A once-powerful, century-old noble family crumbled in an instant, leaving only a handful of survivors. "The Kurozumi family's fate was their own fault, but those who weren't involved are innocent. The persecution they've suffered in Wano Country over the years has indeed been excessive..."

"There's nothing excessive about it. Just because those guys poisoned other daimyo and plotted to seize the shogun's position back then, the entire Kurotan family should be executed."

"Just having the patriarch commit seppuku and exiling the rest of the clansmen... General, you were too lenient back then."

Hyōgor put down his wine cup, somewhat dissatisfied.

If the general back then had been more ruthless, there wouldn't be this giant serpent today.

It's important to know that there are many people across the country who are dissatisfied with Orochi's appointment as acting shogun.

The common people were alright; they only talked about it in private... but the samurai class already had a large group of them preparing to gather and cause trouble.

In Wano Country, due to the severe rigidity of social classes, the stagnant environment often leads its citizens to tend towards extremes.

They are either extremely complacent with the status quo, like small vendors or farmers at the bottom of society, who will never take any action of resistance unless they are oppressed to the point of being unable to survive.

In contrast, the lower and middle-class nobles, such as samurai, would seize almost any opportunity to cause trouble in order to advance further in this rigid class environment.

This is what is known as "subordinate overthrowing superior".

Hyogoro learned through his intelligence that a group of restless samurai had secretly gathered together, preparing to carry out a big operation.

Some of these people were dissatisfied with their lord's failure to become a general, some had persecuted the [Black Charcoal] clan, and some were simply after someone who wanted to advance further...

"Lord Kang, you must also be careful. A group of your warriors seem to be planning something soon."

Hyogoro reminded the tall, imposing man with a mature and resolute face in front of him.

"Yes, I know that. I've already sent someone to tell those guys not to get involved."

[White Dance] Daimyo Shimotsuki Yasuie downed the sake in his cup in one gulp, then sighed:
"What a bunch of troublemakers."

"Alright. I have to go now, Hyogoro. I also need to inform the other daimyo."

Just as Shimotsuki Yasuie was about to get up, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the house.

"Ok?"

"What happened, Tsunagoro?"

Kang asked a thin man with a hairstyle resembling a straw hat outside the door. The man was the leader of the knights-errant from the Hakumai region, known as "Broken-Hat Tsuna Goro," who had accompanied him to Hanato to meet Hei Goro.

"Reporting to Lord Kang, Elder Bingwu, it seems a group of outsiders have appeared on the street?"

"foreigner?"

Kang Jia looked at Bing Wulang.

He hadn't been back to the Flower Capital since attending the funeral of former General Kozuki Sukiyaki, so he wasn't very familiar with the current situation there.

"It must be those pirates, right?"

"Pirates... Pirates again?"

Kang frowned slightly. Oden had managed to set sail safely by joining a group of pirates back then, and there had been no news of him since.
"It seems that Orochi sought out these pirates on his own initiative. He must have sensed something and wanted to bring this foreign force under his control to fight against those who did not submit to him."

"Well, in the end they're just a bunch of thieves, they probably won't amount to much."

As the most prestigious swordsman in Wano Country... or rather, the yakuza boss, Hyogoro doesn't think much of thieves.

So-called pirates are nothing more than a group of sea thieves, far inferior to samurai who have been trained from childhood with swords.

The Kang family, who were listening to the commotion outside the courtyard wall, shook their heads.

Spring is coming to an end, and the cherry blossoms in the courtyard have begun to fall. Countless petals fall from the branches and are then blown by the wind over the wall.

"Hmm~ I hope so~"

"These are truly turbulent times."

(End of this chapter)