Compared to the outside world, the days in the Wano Country remained as unchanging as ever. Except for Kuri, the time in the other regions of Wano seemed to have stopped, showing no development at all.
The more Kozuki Oden stayed in Kuri, the more he could feel the region growing more vibrant amidst these changes. Even remote places like Shusui no Mori were now showing many signs of change; this was a region in constant development.
The constant new construction projects and innovative labor tools had brought about enormous changes to this once lawless land. He increasingly believed that Ren must have some connection to the outside world of Wano.
Although this advanced technology didn't seem overly complex, it couldn't have been mass-produced in such a short time. This made him even more convinced that his original idea of setting sail was correct; for a nation to prosper, it must not be closed off.
Originally, he hadn't thought that deeply about it; he just wanted to escape this world like a cage. But now, he saw all the possibilities.
However, in Ren's eyes, Kuri's development was actually still very slow, and it had yet to enter an industrial civilization. In agriculture, because a single swordsman's labor could match that of dozens or even hundreds of people, plus the tamed beasts from the jungle were also incredibly powerful labor forces, the productivity in farming was actually already sufficient.
But in other handicrafts, Kuri's development was no more advanced than in other regions. For example, in the textile industry, the swordsmen were not skilled at such work.
The most advanced place for textiles in Wano was Flower Capital, not because it had the most cotton or silkworm farmers, but because it had the most wealthy people. The clothing of the noble class was naturally very exquisite; even everyday garments had to be made of fine silks and satins.
By the same logic, for any other industry that the wealthy favored, the best craftsmen and artisans could often be found in the Flower Capital. Over time, the Flower Capital became increasingly extravagant.
In theory, Kuri's prosperity could be completely replicated. There was no technological gap between Kuri and the other regions, but in reality, the other regions had no way of imitating Kuri's methods.
The daimyo wanted to, but they simply couldn't. Although there were many swordsmen, they were also an aristocratic class in Wano.
These people had their own unique pride; they would rather take money from wealthy families and be treated like dogs than farm the land like peasants. Let alone use their life's mastery of swordsmanship to carve small trinkets.
To them, this was an insult, a trampling of the name of "swordsman." As a result, in the eyes of ordinary commoners, Kuri was now a prosperous paradise, a sacred land.
But in the eyes of swordsmen from other regions, it was a place they refused to set foot in. They believed the swordsmen of Kuri were all spineless and did not deserve the title of swordsman.
The martial arts and strength that true swordsmen trained so hard for were not meant for farming. Swords existed to kill; they could kill, they could protect, they could handle dirty, secret work for their masters like machines, but they could never mix with the common folk.
In the eyes of these other swordsmen, those in Kuri were a disgrace. Many even vowed that if they ever met a swordsman from Kuri, they would kill them personally to prevent them from tarnishing the name of swordsman.
And this resentment grew deeper with the constant probing from their own daimyo. This phenomenon was particularly severe in Ringo.
The daimyo of Ringo was named Frost Moon Gyuuma, and he looked very similar to Zoro. The current Frost Moon Gyuuma had only recently become daimyo, and he was only in his teens, so his thinking wasn't as inflexible as some old men.
He was a swordsman himself and at first couldn't understand why the swordsmen of Kuri would so willingly degrade themselves. But when he discovered that it was precisely because these swordsmen were willing to put in the effort that large tracts of land could be reclaimed for farming, he became very tempted.
The food problem in Ringo had plagued generations of daimyo, but it had never been properly solved. In this land where it was winter every moment of the day, countless people who couldn't get enough food would turn into stiff corpses from hunger and cold.
Now, Frost Moon Gyuuma's thoughts had shifted from "Why would those swordsmen willingly degrade themselves?" to "How did the daimyo of Kuri get those swordsmen to obediently engage in productive labor?" The swordsmen of Ringo were unmoved by his occasional hints and non-mandatory commands.
If his attitude became firmer, the swordsmen both outside and his own retainers would become furious, and even his advisors were astonished by his ideas. How could a true swordsman engage in such lowly work?
Frost Moon Gyuuma quickly realized that starting with the swordsmen was a dead end, so he turned his attention to the tamed beasts. If he could tame some large beasts, it could also help with agriculture.
But he soon discovered this was also impossible. Those beasts weren't performers in a circus; how could they plow fields?
"Sigh, really, how on earth does the daimyo of Kuri manage this?" Frost Moon Gyuuma couldn't figure it out.
Whether it was people or beasts, they were completely untamable. Even if he could force the swordsmen to work the fields with force, they wouldn't put in any effort and would only harbor resentment.
Frost Moon Gyuuma did not have the power to suppress all the swordsmen of Ringo. If they were to revolt, it would be very difficult for him to quell.
"What a remarkable person. I can't help but want to see him for myself," Frost Moon Gyuuma thought, leaning back in his chair and sighing.
He draped a warming haori over his shoulders and held a cup of warming sake in his hands. Actually, when he first heard that Ren had defeated Kuri's strongest fighter, Ashura Jushi, he had already become very curious about him.
Later, when Shogun Sengoku summoned them, he had even spoken a few words in Ren's defense. However, after the meeting ended, he immediately returned to Ringo, and he wasn't present when Sengoku later met with "Ren." So far, besides Shogun Sengoku himself, no daimyo had ever laid eyes on Ren.
"Should I go for a visit?" Frost Moon Gyuuma wondered.
In truth, a visit from him wouldn't be too abrupt. Kuri was now Ringo's main source of grain imports, and there was significant trade between them.
Since they were partners, a visit would be perfectly reasonable.
"I hear that Oden guy is still working in Kuri. The daimyo of Kuri is truly audacious!" Frost Moon Gyuuma laughed, his words full of teasing.
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