Speaking of which, Kozuki Oden and Kozuki Sukiyaki didn't look alike at all. And Sukiyaki was a sickly man—it's unknown how he could have produced someone like Kozuki Oden.
Setting aside their opposing identities and positions, Yuriko also acknowledged Kozuki Oden's strength.
Yuriko's thoughts remained unknown to others, and she wouldn't easily speak up in this setting. In reality, she was here in the Flower Capital merely as a background presence. Besides her identity as the representative of Kuri's daimyō, she had no other purpose.
She slowly returned from her wandering thoughts, and once again "Sukiyaki's" voice rang in her ears.
It seemed this brief conversation was about to end. Sukiyaki, who kept coughing up blood from his lungs, didn't mention another word about Kozuki Oden, as if he had completely lost hope in him.
"...I have no other sons, but this country cannot be without a shogun." At this point, Sukiyaki's gaze turned to Shimotsuki Yasuie. "Yasuie, originally I would have had you succeed my position... cough cough, letting you take over would also be fine..."
"Your abilities are visible to all, and you are generous by nature. You would surely become a good shogun."
"However... I didn't expect that you would actually help Oden set sail, and even work with Kuri's daimyō to reopen the secret port, treating Wano's centuries-old isolation policy as nothing!"
Shimotsuki Yasuie lowered his head in shame.
However, if asked whether he truly regretted it, it would probably only be about letting Oden set sail. Today, Yasuie didn't feel that opening the secret port was wrong. In fact, in the several years since the secret port had been opened, there hadn't been any hidden dangers. Not to mention the increased annual revenue for Hakumai. Just looking at the changes in Kuri showed that this was a very beneficial thing.
Moreover, as Ren had said, if Kozuki Oden became shogun, he would certainly abolish the isolation policy. In that case, conducting a pilot program in advance was a good thing.
The only unexpected matter was that they shouldn't have let Oden and Ren set sail together.
However, now was clearly not the time for him to express his opinions and views. Shimotsuki Yasuie could only lower his head and acknowledge his mistake.
"I won't pursue the rights and wrongs of this matter any further, but I also cannot have you succeed the position of shogun." Sukiyaki spoke haltingly, then his gaze swept across the daimyō present before finally settling on Orochi.
The other daimyō suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Orochi... after I die, Orochi shall become the shogun of Wano Country!"
"Lord Shogun, this is unacceptable!" Kazuki Otsuru and Amatsuki Tenpura reacted most intensely. They weren't coveting the shogun's position for themselves—it was simply too absurd to hand it over to a servant.
"Please reconsider!"
A few years ago, having someone not from the Kozuki, Shimotsuki, Kazuki, or Amatsuki clans—Ren—become the daimyō of Kuri was one thing. After all, that person had single-handedly pacified Kuri, a great achievement. Moreover, Kuri was originally unclaimed land that no one wanted.
But this Orochi was merely a servant. No matter how capable, he couldn't become the shogun of Wano Country!
Even Orochi himself showed a shocked expression.
"This matter is settled, cough cough—" Sukiyaki clutched his chest, interrupting the daimyō who still had objections. "Although Orochi is not from the Kozuki clan, he actually carries noble blood. From a clan that has already disappeared in history... you should have heard of it."
"A clan that has disappeared in history... you mean... the Ten..." Shimotsuki Ushimaru opened his mouth in surprise, but his words were interrupted by violent coughing.
"In any case, that's how it is. You may all withdraw now. I wish to rest. Orochi, stay behind."
The daimyō could only withdraw with their doubts, even Udon followed behind them. The group walked out in silence, closing the shōji door, and walked through the long corridor. Only then did Ushimaru speak again.
"I didn't expect that Orochi to be from the Tenzetsu clan that disappeared from history. Is that true?"
"Since the shogun said so, it probably isn't false," Amatsuki Tenpura said. "But how exactly did the Tenzetsu clan disappear? I heard they left Wano Country very early on."
Yuriko listened silently to their discussion, wondering whether she should have Lord Ren also fabricate a surname related to "Moon." It seemed that having such a name would make people naturally accept one's right to rule.
'Would Minazuki be better? Or Mikazuki? Or Kannazuki?' She remembered that both Amatsuki and Shimotsuki surnames came from months.
Inside Sukiyaki's room.
Pfft—
Sukiyaki, who had been on the verge of death just moments ago, suddenly sat up full of energy. He and Orochi exchanged glances, both covering their mouths as they burst out laughing.
"He was trying to say Tenzetsu, right?"
"What a fool. The clan that disappeared isn't just the Tenzetsu—there's also our Kurozumi!"
"But this is even better. Our plan is proceeding more smoothly. Once I truly become shogun and obtain this country, then I'll tell them the truth!" Kurozumi Orochi revealed a cruel smile.
His heart was already feeling the pleasure of revenge. But his time was limited—even for revenge, he had to accelerate his pace.
"What about that old fool Sukiyaki?" Semimaru crawled out from beneath the bedding and asked.
"He's still locked in the secret room," Kurozumi Orochi said.
They had originally planned to kill Sukiyaki at that time, but after thinking about it, they decided to keep him imprisoned for now. After all, Semimaru still needed him to "play" the role of a corpse.
Kurozumi Orochi brought Sukiyaki out from the secret room. The old man's condition was now even worse than what Semimaru had just performed.
He barely opened his eyes, looking at Kurozumi Orochi with hatred. By now, he also knew Orochi's true identity—Kurozumi!
Having come this far, Kurozumi Orochi naturally wouldn't let Sukiyaki die in ignorance. Not being able to see the Kozuki clan's suffering—what kind of revenge would that be?
Unfortunately, Sukiyaki could no longer speak. Otherwise, his curses might have given Kurozumi Orochi some pleasure.
"How pitiful, old man!" Kurozumi Orochi stepped heavily on his body.
"Soon this country will be mine!"
"When the Kurozumi clan was led to ruin, you didn't expect this day, did you?" The expression on Orochi's face was even more twisted and terrifying than Sukiyaki's. "Actually, I don't really care about what happened to the Kurozumi clan. But what did I do wrong?"
"Those things had nothing to do with me at all. Why should I bear this!"
"Rest assured, you're only the first. Your son Kozuki Oden won't escape either!"
[
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