From Pirate to Revolutionary Mentor

Chapter 96 Liberation of Wano Country

The five-year agreement is about to expire. During these five years, he has been dancing this disgusting dance all over the place, in order to observe whether Orochi and Kaido have kept their promise.

Holding onto a sliver of hope, a sliver of belief that the other party would keep their promise and leave Wano Country.

It was this hope that led him to choose to believe that vague, verbal promise.

Kanjuro was killed by beheading. His own retainer and family, with whom he had lived for twenty-one years, were killed in such a cruel way.

Undercover?

How is that possible?

For the past twenty-one years, Kanjuro, known as a monster for stealing hair to make calligraphy brushes and selling them, has been a jovial and playful Kanjuro who laughs and jokes around with everyone while making oden...

How could he be an undercover agent for Kurozumi Orochi?

But now, his retainer has been brutally beheaded and murdered, and as the monarch, he is unable to avenge him!

Opening his eyes, he saw the head that had rolled to the ground, its unseeing eyes staring back at Oden.

In an instant, he gripped the hilts of Enma and Ame no Habakiri tightly with both hands.

"Bang!"

"Bang bang..."

Kin'emon, Denjiro, and others knelt on the ground.

"Lord Oden... please... please consider the importance of Wano Country!"

"Wano Country... is of utmost importance!"

"We...we are not afraid to die, but my lord, my lord must prioritize the country of Hezhi!"

……

Looking at the kneeling retainers before him, scenes flashed through his mind.

The image of Wano Country being reduced to Kaido's weapons factory, along with the tragic scenes he witnessed during his travels across the high seas, caused Kozuki Oden to finally loosen his grip on the hilt of his sword.

It's not just Wano Country; the future of this country concerns the entire world.

Kanjuro...

At this moment, Kevin, who was standing with Kuma and Dragon, also looked at Kozuki Oden.

"That's why I've always felt you're not cut out to be a king. You're so hesitant and indecisive. You need your retainers and outsiders to remind you of what's important and what's not. To have traveled the seas and yet trust a pirate... that's foolish..."

Before he could finish speaking, Dorag pulled him back from behind.

Kevin turned to look at him: "Why are you pulling me?"

Dragon's forehead was still covered in a fine layer of sweat: "You've always been lecturing before, but never with every word dripping with venom like this. Look at those guys, they might actually start fighting."

Kevin glanced at Denjiro and the others: "We don't only have them as options. Although we can't choose Kaido because of our core ideology of prioritizing the lower classes, it's not impossible to clean up both sides and then reshape Wano Country."

Big Bear patted Kevin on the shoulder. "These guys' eyes are practically bulging with rage. You'd better keep quiet. Otherwise, Rayleigh and the others will be in a difficult position, won't they?"

Kevin thought for a moment and then didn't say anything more.

But the next moment, Kevin vanished from the spot.

A specially made kunai was thrown out of the forest, a black flash streaking across the scene, instantly killing five henchmen of the Beasts Pirates.

Upon reappearing, Kevin frowned: "If we don't want to attract attention, we'd better leave quickly, otherwise Kaido will still be aware of the wanted posters."

Rayleigh and Roger exchanged a glance, then Rayleigh, Kin'emon, and the others pulled Oden away from there.

……

Jiuli, the reception room of Daming Prefecture.

The atmosphere was now completely different from before, and Shimotsuki Yasuie, who had just arrived and heard the previous events, was also present.

In the reception room, Oden and Shimotsuki Yasuie were sitting, while Kin'emon and other retainers, as well as Shimotsuki Hikoichiro and others, were standing.

On the other side were Kevin and four others.

"...He was born into a stage drama troupe, and the deaths of his parents were related to the Kozuki clan. It would be perfect to send such a person to be an undercover agent for twenty-one years."

Kevin had already stated his position, took a sip of tea, and could still see the resentful gaze from the person opposite him.

So, did these samurai have their brains in their butts?

However, there was one exception: Shimotsuki Yasuie, who arrived after Oden, was the daimyo of Hakumai.

"From your words, I can tell that you seem to know a lot about Wano Country, the past of Kurozumi and the Kozuki clan, and even about the past rebellion in Wano Country."

After finishing his sentence, Shimotsuki Yasuie turned to Oden and asked, "Did Lord Oden mention the Kurozumi family's rebellion when you were in the pirate crew?"

Oden was taken aback by these words, then looked directly at Kevin: "How did you know?"

Kevin, wearing a mask, chuckled: "Your wife is also a Devil Fruit user. Although she can only go to the future and not go back to the past, she can see some scenes of the future, and so can I."

"I know more than just that. After you returned to Wano Country from Roger's ship, you made a deal with Orochi, being blackmailed because of the lives of those hundred-odd people, agreeing to dance for five years in exchange for their departure, right?"

"I've said this several times, but you still don't understand its meaning. In Wano Country, have you said it to anyone?"

At this moment, among the retainers of the Kozuki family, a pink-clad woman standing behind Raizo had a somewhat doubtful look in her eyes.

Kevin's sarcasm remained unabated: "That's why I said you're completely unsuitable for the position of king, not just you, but also your father, Shimotsuki Sukiyaki."

Upon hearing this, even the still bewildered and uncertain Oden slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

Fortunately, Shimotsuki Yasuie, who was beside him, stopped him, but also looked at Kevin with hostility: "It is a bit too much for you to insult a dead person."

Kevin scoffed: "That old guy isn't dead at all. He just hid because he entrusted the wrong person and was afraid of losing face and not being able to take responsibility at this crucial moment."

"What?!"

In an instant, everyone on the other side was stunned, including the few retainers who were standing there.

Oden immediately stood up. His father was still alive?

Kevin glanced at him and said directly, "You found his body? The only thing that made Orochi a shogun was the Imitation Fruit user, who could transform into anyone he touched. What about your father's body?"

Shimotsuki Yasuie was also emotional at this point, and he pulled Oden back, asking, "Where is he?"

Faced with everyone's eager gazes, Kevin simply shrugged and said, "How should I know?"

🇧🇷

Even the Shimotsuki Yasuie couldn't hold back anymore.

But Kevin soon brought hope again: "Wearing a tengu mask, the kind with a long nose, he'll probably call himself Tenguyama Hitetsu. I saw his situation twenty years from now; right now, I really don't know where he's hiding in some ditch, too ashamed to look up."

sewer……

This was a metaphor for rats, but Oden and the others couldn't refute it at this moment.

A lord who is alive but dares not stand up because of his wrong choices, thus plunging the entire Wano Country into crisis.

They had no way to refute it.

"Knock knock knock".

Kevin tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention.

"Shimotsuki Sukiyaki's combat strength is of no use in this war. A lord who has been dead for several years has negligible influence when the other side has a copy-copy fruit user."

"There's no need to discuss him now!"

Kevin stood up, his gaze beneath the mask growing increasingly cold.

"I've already told you about Kurozumi Kanjuro's problem; whether you believe it or not is up to you. Kurozumi Orochi is a spineless coward; you'll understand once you cut off a few of his fingers."

"Now, what I need to tell you is, from the perspective of the Revolutionary Army, our purpose in coming to provide support: to liberate Wano Country."

liberation?

This was the first time such a term had appeared, and Oden even took it as the opening of the country.

But Kevin directly denied it, saying, "The opening of Wano Country is inevitable, but not now, nor twenty years from now. And the liberation I'm talking about is the complete severing of the so-called hereditary succession of the daimyo and shogun positions."

As soon as he finished speaking, the people opposite him were stunned once again.

Kin'emon, enraged, nearly charged out even as Denjiro held him back: "I challenge you to a duel!"

However, the next moment, as their eyes met, fear welled up from the bottom of their hearts.

Only after Oden realized the situation did he allow them to get out of trouble.

At this moment, Kevin looked at Oden and said, "For someone like you to become king is the greatest irresponsibility towards a country. Kozuki Sukiyaki made Kurozumi Orochi temporarily assume the position of shogun, and you also bear responsibility for that by acting unilaterally."

"I've heard you have a timid and cowardly son who hesitates to take on important tasks, yet loves to boast about his status. Where do you think your son will lead Wano Country in the future?"

"The Daimyo of Wano Country can be a ruler, but not a successor. This is the Revolutionary Army's bottom line! It's also the bottom line for the future of this world!"

Kozuki Oden lowered his head.

He will investigate Kanjuro's past, and may even interrogate Orochi afterward.

But at this moment, he was thinking about the monarchical issue that Kevin had brought up.

Momonosuke...would he be a qualified lord?

She gets bullied by Hiyori, hides behind Toki when she sees strangers, and shouts that she is her father and that she is a member of the Kozuki family.

"Oden."

Shimotsuki Yasuie's voice rang out: "They will not keep their promises, and the bottom line set by these people who have come to support us now represents more than just the hereditary succession of the lord."

"And another reason is that they did not attempt to control the country in the name of a general or daimyo."

This statement clarifies Oden's intentions.

but……

Oden glanced at Roger and Rayleigh, who were wearing masks. Rayleigh's expression clearly showed that he didn't know the Revolutionary Army's bottom line either, but Roger's eyes under the mask showed that he knew very well.

What Laugh Tale saw flashed through Oden's mind, and he seemed to have figured something out.

"So, what kind of leader does the Revolutionary Army consider more suitable and qualified?"

Kevin replied, "Each term is four years, with rotations, and the capable rise and the incompetent fall. If your son has the talent to govern this country, then he will still be a daimyo, a general."

"If he didn't have such talent, he would only be a member of this country, not a useless lord who could enjoy the provisions of the lower classes just because he had the name Kozuki on his head."

At this moment, Roger spoke up: "Of course, the specifics of the election will be decided in the future. For now, it's up to you, Oden, to manage Wano Country. The process of transitioning from a hereditary monarchy to an election cannot be rushed. The people of this country haven't awakened yet."

"However, after this war, Wano Country needs to implement the revolutionary army's ideological education to enlighten the people's minds. I don't think you, Oden, will have any problem with that, based on what I know about you."

The two locked eyes, and even Rayleigh, standing to the side, seemed to notice something amiss, as if he had remembered something.

The three of them understood each other without saying a word and lowered their heads at the same time.

Everything I saw on Laugh Tale, the secrets of this world, and the significance of the sound of the Drums of Liberation.

liberation……

This is the first time I've heard this word from anywhere else since Raphdru.

And the last sentence there.

……

Oden raised his head slightly and met Kevin's gaze: "If what you said is true, then on behalf of the Kozuki clan, I agree."

As soon as he finished speaking, Oden stood up, went to the center, and turned to face his retainers.

Bowing.

"Gentlemen, I do not doubt Kanjuro's loyalty to the Kozuki clan. From now on, I will investigate thoroughly, whether it is Orochi or by digging three feet into the ground."

"When Wano Country is freed from Kaido and Orochi's control, if Kanjuro dies an innocent and tragic death, I will risk my life to seek justice for him."

"I swear in the name of the Kozuki family!"

These words almost made Kin'emon and the others burst into tears.

They knelt on the ground one by one, expressing their understanding of their lord's predicament, and persuaded Oden to retract his oath.

Kevin was quite embarrassed by the scene.

Perhaps it was the influence of his memories, but he felt very unhappy from the moment he arrived in this country.

In his memory, he felt that everything, whether it was Hiyori, Shimotsuki Yasuie, or the girl who was pinching his cheeks but hadn't been born yet, was wonderful.

But the fact that the country is connected with each other always makes him prone to sarcastic remarks and displeasure.

However, the name "Liberation of Wano Country" sounds much better if we change it.

Feeling great!

……

Soon, the negotiations moved into the second half.

Regarding the placement of the 4,000 reinforcements arriving tomorrow, and when Kaido's Beasts Pirates will gather on Onigashima.

Choosing this close point in time was precisely the time when Oden, realizing he had been deceived, led nine retainers to Onigashima only to be ambushed.

The Beasts Pirates' gathering on Onigashima should be starting soon.

Furthermore, before Oden died, Orochi, that cautious fellow, must have been holding many people hostage, and we needed to find an opportunity to kill him.

Onigashima is a good place. After we defeat Kaido, it can serve as a new base for the Revolutionary Army, and Vegapunk's research institute can also be relocated.

Since the World Government is focused on the Revolutionary Army, it's best if the research institute isn't located near the Revolutionary Army's headquarters.

Liberate Wano Country... Hahaha!

Kevin's thoughts raced, and he found himself feeling a surge of joy.

Once the people's minds are liberated, the titles of "Daimyo" and "General" can be changed.

Whether it's Kogetsu or Shimotsu, they will eventually be swept into the dust of history. Under liberation, there will be no monarchs or nobles!

……

I'm begging you all to subscribe!

(End of this chapter)