The Great Voyage Begins with the Celestial Dragons

Kozuki Oden took a deep breath, his gaze fixed intently on Kurozumi Orochi, and spoke in a deep voice:

"Big Serpent, I'll take full responsibility for this. Can you please let Boss Bing go?"

"Haha, well..."

Orochi couldn't help but laugh out loud, and just as he was about to agree, he received subtle hints from both Kaido and Kurozumi Higurashi.

He immediately swallowed the words he was about to say, and although he was not happy, he kept his mouth shut.

Today's target is only Hyogoro; neither Kaido nor Kurozumi Higurashi want to involve Kozuki Oden.

It's difficult to condemn Kozuki Oden outright for something that has nothing to do with him. Therefore, it's better to slowly deplete Kozuki Oden's forces.

As Kurozumi Musashi breathed a sigh of relief, he let out a chilling laugh:

“There’s no reason for someone to take the blame for another. Oden, this matter is still related to you. We’re not going to pursue your responsibility further, which is already out of consideration for you and the Kozuki clan.”

"How about this..."

Kurozumi Muguruma paused for a moment:

"The laws of Wano Country were set by your Kozuki clan. For those who rebel, the entire clan is reduced to slavery. At best, they are forced into labor; at worst, their entire clan is exterminated. Isn't that right?"

"That's right..."

These were laws established by their own ancestors, so Kozuki Oden naturally wouldn't refute them.

"Hehehe, Oden, we won't make things difficult for you. According to the laws of Wano Country, Hyogoro's entire family has already been executed. As for him and your involved retainer, we can hand them over to you for disposal."

"According to normal custom, they should commit seppuku. But if you ask, he and that retainer can be spared the death penalty and instead be sent to work at the quarry in Udon."

Kurozumi Higurashi offered very lenient terms, mainly to ensure that Kozuki Oden wouldn't resort to desperate measures.

Whether they committed seppuku or were forced into corvée labor, it was all under their control.

Once they arrived at the rabbit-shaped quarry, they had plenty of ways to ruin the two men.

If this happens a few more times, Kozuki Oden will be left without anyone by his side, and that will be the time for them to completely eliminate the other party.

"Alright, Oden, tell me your thoughts!"

Chapter 77 Tragic Death and Conflict

"I..."

Kozuki Oden lowered his head, his arms hanging limply at his sides, and for a moment he was speechless.

He had no reason to refute the idea proposed by Kurozumi Musashi.

The law was established by his ancestors, and Hyogoro and Ashura Doji did indeed break the rules.

Logically speaking, he is not a person who sticks to the rules.

But now... he has to abide by these explicit rules.

If he himself doesn't abide by it, then he doubts that Orochi and Kaido will abide by their five-year agreement either.

Trust is mutual, for the future of Wano Country...

"Boss, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you..."

After Kozuki Oden said those words, he seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon, and his eyes seemed to lose all their luster.

"Hahaha... Oden! You idiot!!!"

Upon hearing these words, Hyogoro gave a bitter laugh.

He ignored Kozuki Oden and instead gazed affectionately at the head that Jin had casually tossed to the ground:

"Old woman, it's all my fault for dragging you into this..."

Hyogoro knelt before his wife's head, took a slow, deep breath, and raised his katana.

"Boss, no!"

Seeing this, Kozuki Oden panicked and quickly shouted to stop him.

Unfortunately, Hyogoro did not hesitate at all, and his katana plunged straight into his own body.

Large spurts of blood gushed from his mouth. With a sorrowful expression, he cradled his wife's head in his arms, then collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"Boss!!!"

Kozuki Oden rushed to Hyogoro's side, staring in disbelief at the man's corpse.

He knelt weakly on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes.

Apart from him, Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido mostly remained expressionless, with Kurozumi Orochi himself even showing a hint of joy.

The farce at the General's Mansion ultimately ended with Heigoro's life or death.

As for Ashura Doji, who was also implicated, Kaido and the others did not want to cause trouble for Kozuki Oden at this time. They planned to lock him up and send him to Udon in a few days.

Kozuki Oden didn't know how he left the shogun's mansion. He walked down the street with Hyogoro's sword in his hand and his eyes vacant, like a walking corpse.

He didn't know why things had turned out this way.

If Heigoro was not at fault, and the General's Mansion seemed to be without fault either, then he was even less likely to be wrong...

But in the end, it still led to such a tragic ending.

"Lord Oden, is Hyogoro dead?"

In the end, it was Kozuki Oden's retainers who found him and brought him back to his residence in the Flower Capital.

“He’s dead… He committed seppuku right in front of me, using this very knife.”

Kozuki Oden collapsed to the ground, slightly raising the sword in his right hand, his expression one of indescribable melancholy.

"Oden, it's not too late for us to fight Kurozumi Orochi to the death."

Ashura Child sat cross-legged to one side, his fat body sprawled on the ground like a miniature mountain.

It's clear from his words that he still holds onto his views.

"Damn you, Shutenmaru! If it weren't for you, Hyogoro wouldn't have died!"

One of the retainers, Raizo, couldn't contain his anger. He grabbed Ashura Doji by the collar and unleashed a torrent of abuse on him.

Raizo was the only ninja among Kozuki Oden's retainers and also the user of the Scroll-Scroll Fruit.

Aside from his Devil Fruit ability, his physical strength is rather average; he is more adept at intelligence gathering.

Moreover, despite being a ninja, he was only slightly thinner than Ashura Doji, and was also short and stout, standing at just over 3 meters tall, much shorter than Ashura Doji.

Ashura Child listened indifferently, glancing at the other retainers out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that the others also looked on with agreement, he couldn't help but find it amusing.

When Raizo had finished speaking, Ashura Doji coldly said:

"Are you done talking?"

He was once a renowned bandit leader, and even Kozuki Oden didn't say a word. What are these retainers anyway?

"Hmph, this whole thing is your fault. But you'll be punished by being sent to the Rabbit Dun Quarry, which is your just deserts." Raizo sneered.

"Alright, Raizo!"

Kozuki Oden stopped Raizo from saying anything more and carefully placed Hyogoro's katana on the sword holder.

Upon seeing this, Ashura Doji, for reasons unknown, let out a sneer:

"They didn't work hard together when they were alive, but now they're pretending to be nice after they're dead."

"Ashura Child! Don't go too far!"

Another retainer, Kikunojo, whose attire and even appearance resembled a woman, couldn't help but rebuke him.

Did I say something wrong?

Ashura Child looked at Kiku with a mocking expression:

"If Oden had raised his voice back then, we could have easily overthrown Kurozumi Orochi. Kaido of the Beasts would have been no match for us."

"Oden!"

Ashura Doji stood up angrily and glared at Kozuki Oden:

"I don't know what kind of bullshit you've been through out there, but ever since you came back to Wano Country, you've completely changed! You've become cowardly and pathetic, like a dog kept by Orochi. Someone like you doesn't deserve to be the Daimyo of Kuri at all!"

He was a retainer who did not go to sea with Kozuki Oden.

The accounts of Kozuki Oden's overseas exploits are mostly based on hearsay.

However, he was also someone who personally witnessed the rule of Kurozumi Orochi.

He knew better than anyone what kind of person Kurozumi Orochi was.

Kozuki Oden actually succumbed to such trash; he was no longer the Kozuki Oden he knew.

"Ah... I am indeed no longer the carefree Kozuki Oden. Ashura Doji, you have no idea what I'm carrying!"

Kozuki Oden clenched his fists tightly; he could read the emotions in Ashura Doji's eyes.

But there are some things he simply cannot tell Ashura Doji.

Only when the five-year agreement is fulfilled will there be hope for the future of Wano Country.

Otherwise, the entire Wano Country would be devastated because of their struggle with Kaido, which is not something he wants to see.

Seeing that Ashura Doji was about to say something, Kozuki Oden rebuked him in a deep voice:

"Alright, let's leave it at that! Shutenmaru, I'll have to trouble you for a few days. Stay at Udon for two months, and I'll bring you out after that."

In his mind, the five-year agreement would end in two months.

By then, Kaido and his pirate crew should have left Wano Country.

Once Kaido leaves, releasing Ashura Doji will be a simple matter.

"Very well, Kozuki Oden!"

At this moment, Ashura Doji's eyes were filled with deep disappointment as he looked at Kozuki Oden.

He slowly stood up and said in a calm voice:

"I won't put up any resistance. Once I'm at the rabbit bowl restaurant, there will be no more connection between us!"