One Piece: Starting with Sharingan, First Mate Uchiha

After dawn, makeshift wooden carts drove from the desolate Ghost Island toward the Flower Capital.

The vehicle contained seriously injured samurai and some wounded members of the Beasts Pirates who had lost the ability to resist.

The escorting warriors walked silently on either side, their armor and scabbards still stained with blood.

The streets of the Flower Capital were already packed with people.

They already knew that Kaido had been defeated, and that Onigashima had almost fallen last night.

But it wasn't until blood-stained stretchers passed by that I truly understood what this dawn had come at the cost of.

No one organized a triumphant cheer.

The locals voluntarily made way for the temporary medical center, delivering bedding, hot water, and food to it.

Some people waited for their loved ones covered in wounds, while others only received a broken knife and a wooden plaque with their names written on it.

As dawn broke over the City of Flowers, joy and sorrow simultaneously enveloped the entire city.

A temple near General's City was quickly converted into a temporary medical clinic.

Luffy and Zoro remained unconscious, and Sanji was forcibly held down on the hospital bed by Chopper. The temple was filled with the smells of medicine, blood, and suppressed sobs.

Viktor's condition stabilized slightly, but he was still unable to stand up for long periods of time.

Nami sat on the edge of the bed, placing Shusui within easy reach, clearly to prevent the vice-captain from sneaking away with his sword again.

As soon as Viktor propped himself up, Nami's gaze swept over him.

Where are you going?

"I just wanted to see what was going on outside."

"Lie down."

"I am now—"

"Lie down."

Viktor remained silent for a moment, then leaned back against the pillows.

Robin was helping Chopper organize medicines and wounded records when she returned and happened to see this scene, and couldn't help but smile:

"It seems I won't need to remind you this time."

"You're on her side too?"

Robin placed a glass of warm water beside the bed. "Of course."

Meanwhile, Momonosuke, accompanied by Kin'emon, entered the Flower Capital.

When the Kozuki family crest reappeared on the streets, the people along the way knelt down, calling him the heir of the Kozuki family, and some even excitedly asked him to immediately succeed as shogun.

Momonosuke, however, did not feel proud.

He saw that beneath the glitz and glamour of the Flower City, many people remained emaciated and pale.

People who had fled from other towns stood barefoot on the street, the cries of the children in their arms barely audible.

In the past, Momonosuke only knew that Kaido and Orochi had taken Wano Country.

Now he truly understands that what was taken away was far more than just the position of general.

Land, rivers, food, and countless families were destroyed. The people lost not only their homes, but also their dignity to live.

"Lord Momonosuke, please succeed me as Shogun!"

An elderly man knelt by the roadside, his forehead pressed against the ground.

More voices followed.

Momonosuke gazed at those expectant faces, but remained silent for a long time.

For the first time, he felt that the title "General" was even heavier than the ghost island he had almost fallen into the previous night.

At the same time, Hiyori entered the general's granary.

When the warehouse door opened, a mountain of fine rice, wine, and dried meat appeared before everyone.

Orochi and Kaido stored enough food in the Flower Capital to feed many people for months, but they always forbade these things to be transported to poor towns.

Hiyori immediately ordered his men to inventory the remaining grain, sending a portion to temporary medical clinics and prioritizing the distribution to the areas most in need of food.

The former official in charge of the granary's expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward to stop him.

"Lord Hiyori, these supplies belong to the General's residence."

"No formal succession ceremony has been held yet, and no one may act without the general's order."

Hiyori glanced at him, her tone calm.

"Isn't the food for the Shogun's mansion collected from the people of Wano Country?"

The former official opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time.

"The people have been starving for twenty years, and the wounded are waiting for life-saving treatment."

"If rules can only protect granaries but not people, then there is no need for such rules to continue to exist."

"Similarly, you don't have that either."

Hiyori did not immediately deal with the former officials, but only allowed Denjiro to take over the account books and warehouse keys.

She knew very well that although Kaido and Orochi had fallen, the system of interests that had been attached to them for twenty years still existed, and changing the country could not be achieved by simply saying "Kozuki returns".

At the same time, the first batch of Beasts Pirates prisoners were taken to the Flower Capital.

When the people saw those familiar faces, they instantly lost control of their emotions.

Some recognized the pirates who had massacred the village, while others spotted the quarry guards and immediately picked up stones to throw at the group.

"Kill them!"

"Pay for the dead!"

Denjiro also believed that pirates who participated in the massacre of villages and the suppression of resistance did not deserve to be forgiven.

But when the angry crowd tried to rush into the makeshift medical facility and drag the wounded out of the beds, Chopper stood in front of the door.

"People who are receiving treatment cannot be taken away!"

"They are the Beasts Pirates!"

"In their hospital beds, they are just wounded!"

Chopper spread his arms wide, not backing down even when facing hundreds of angry civilians.

Law also reminded everyone that some members of the Beasts Pirates were forced to join, while others defected after the Ice Demon incident.

Executing them all without investigating their identities and crimes is no different from Kaido deciding life and death based on fear.

The debate lasted for a long time, and finally, Hiyori made a temporary decision.

All prisoners were taken into custody and their names, units, and crimes committed were recorded one by one.

People who actively rescue the wounded, assist in extinguishing fires, or provide information about weapons factories can be considered for leniency.

As for those who actually committed the massacre, they must be put on public trial.

This is not forgiveness.

Rather, it is the first real challenge the Kozuki family faces after regaining power.

.......

Before nightfall, Momonosuke went alone to the shogun's mansion that used to belong to Orochi.

The family crest of the Black Charcoal family still hung in the empty hall, and the golden screen and luxurious decorations had not yet been removed.

Momonosuke stood at the highest point, gazing at the seat that symbolized the general's power, but hesitated to sit down.

Kin'emon.

"exist."

"Can I really become a general?"

Momonosuke looked down at his hands.

"I don't know how the food should be distributed, nor do I know whether the prisoners should be killed or released."

Kin'emon wanted to encourage him by using Oden's name, but he stopped himself from saying it.

"Lord Oden wasn't born knowing how to govern a country."

Momonosuke raised his head.

"You don't have to become Lord Oden right now, nor do you have to pretend that you know everything."

"A true general is not someone who never makes mistakes, but someone who is willing to admit what they don't know and to learn."

Momonosuke remained silent for a long time.

This time, he didn't ask his father what his choice would be, but instead asked:

"Where is Hiyori now?"

He eventually found his sister in the council chamber next to the granary.

Rihe had been busy for most of the day, his desk piled high with grain, wounded soldiers, missing persons, and factory records sent from various villages.

Momonosuke originally wanted to say that he would not succeed as shogun for the time being, but after seeing this scene, he suddenly realized that running away would only push all the pressure onto Hiyori.

"I don't understand anything."

Momonosuke sat down opposite her and confessed his fears for the first time.

"I'm afraid of letting the people down, and I'm also afraid of making the wrong decisions."

Hiyori did not deny his shortcomings.

"My brother left Wano Country twenty years ago, and although I have stayed here, I have never truly governed a country."

Therefore, we all need to learn.

She proposed establishing a temporary council in the name of the Kozuki family before officially assuming the throne.

The post-war affairs were handled jointly by the brother and sister, the Nine Red Scabbards, representatives from various villages, and people who were truly familiar with people's lives.

Once the wounded, food supplies, and public order have stabilized, then we can openly discuss the position of shogun and the future of the country.

Momonosuke finally nodded.

This was not an attempt to evade the throne, but rather the first time he had cautiously faced his responsibilities.

That night, the siblings jointly signed three temporary orders.

First, continue to keep the giant snake granary open, prioritizing aid to the wounded, orphans, and towns lacking food.

Second, all forced labor was stopped, and weapons factory production was suspended, but artisans and equipment were temporarily retained, and new jobs were arranged for those who lost their livelihoods.

Third, all prisoners of the Beasts Pirates will be held in custody, and no one may execute them under private torture. They will await identity verification and a public trial.

Three orders cannot solve all the problems immediately.

But at least from today onwards, no one will be executed for stealing a bowl of rice, nor will anyone be forcibly dragged into a factory.

Momonosuke and Hiyori together stamped the Kozuki family seal on the order.

Hiyori looked at her older brother.

"We still have a lot to do."

Momonosuke clenched his fist and answered seriously:

"Then let's start learning today."

……

As night deepened, the Flower Capital gradually quieted down.

In a remote area of ​​General's City, an ordinary official responsible for transporting supplies slipped past patrolling warriors and quietly entered a basement that had been unused for many years.

He closed the wooden door tightly, and after confirming that there was no sign of life around him, he took out a small Den Den Mushi that had been specially disguised from a gap in the wall.

After the call was connected, a deep voice came from the other end of the line.

"This is the Naval Headquarters."

The official lowered his voice to report to his superior:

"The Beasts Pirates have been defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates. Kaido has been confirmed to be defeated, and his current fate is unknown."

"Straw Hat Luffy, Crimson Victor, and most of the Straw Hat Pirates are seriously injured."

"The Kozuki family has begun to take over the Flower Capital, but a formal succession ceremony has not yet been held."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by instructions to remain undercover and not to act without authorization.

As the official was about to end the call, he suddenly remembered the strange phenomenon he had witnessed the previous night.

"There's one more thing."

"Straw Hat Luffy once lost his life force, and then reappeared in an unusual white form."

"His hair and clothes had changed, and his heartbeat... sounded like some kind of drumbeat."

The other end of the Den Den Mushi suddenly went silent.

A few breaths later, a more serious voice than before took over the call.

"Detailed explanation"

"Don't miss anything you saw last night."