"You..." Kin'emon's newly raised head froze instantly, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I, too, carry the blood of Kozuki Oden!"
The newcomer possessed delicate features and a flowing mane of green hair. Glimpsed from a distance, she was undeniably a beauty of unparalleled elegance. Yet the legendary sword resting at her waist exuded a fierce, heroic spirit that demanded respect at all times.
"Lady Hiyori!"
The person who had stepped into the chamber was none other than the daughter of Kozuki Oden and younger sister to Kozuki Momonosuke—Kozuki Hiyori!
Two days ago, she had arrived at the Shogun's castle and witnessed with her own eyes the tragic, mutilated corpse of her child-aged brother. But she had not wept.
Instead, she had faced the horror with absolute silence. During her journey to the castle, she had come to fully comprehend the gravity of their current predicament. As whispers of her brother Momonosuke's demise spread, the entire Land of Wano entered an era of unprecedented upheaval. While the surface appeared calm, countless ambitious factions were already plotting in the shadows to seize the reins of power.
She wanted to cry... but she couldn't!
Furthermore, she had no tears left to shed. Having felt the suffering of Wano's common folk deep in her soul for decades, she knew the country could not fall into chaos! The people could no longer afford the devastating price of another civil war. Though Orochi and Kaido had left behind substantial farms and food reserves, the sheer number of starving citizens across Wano meant those supplies would not last long.
They had to immediately reclaim the land for agriculture. Only when the people could feed themselves would the nation truly survive this crisis.
Right now, Wano desperately needed a Shogun who could step forward and command the world. And that Shogun could only be her!
It had to be her!
"But... Lady Hiyori... there is absolutely no precedent in the history of Wano for a woman to become Shogun... This..." Kin'emon faltered, his words trailing off.
The other Akazaya samurai also wore deeply worried expressions. A female Shogun was a concept entirely unheard of in the long history of their nation.
SHING!
At that moment, Hiyori drew her long blade from its sheath. Parting her crimson lips, her icy voice echoed through the chamber: "Anyone who defies this decree will be executed without mercy!"
The great hall fell into a deathly silence.
A moment later, Hiyori slowly sheathed her sword, her gaze sweeping over the Akazaya who remained on their knees.
"You are all my father's samurai. I have no right to command you. Therefore... I beg of you, please lend me your strength! Wano needs a Shogun!"
"Lady Hiyori..." The Akazaya opened their mouths to speak, but in the end, every single one of them closed their eyes.
"We shall faithfully obey your command, Lady Hiyori!" Kin'emon slammed his forehead against the floor in a profound kowtow, declaring in a resounding voice.
"We shall faithfully obey your command, Lady Hiyori!" the others bellowed in unison, bowing deeply before her.
A quarter of an hour later, the Akazaya Nine walked out of the Shogun's castle.
"Kin'emon, allowing Lady Hiyori to inherit the Shogunate... this matter..." Raizo muttered, casting a highly doubtful glance at Kin'emon.
"Things have reached this point; we have no other choice!" Kin'emon stated with absolute resolve.
As he spoke, Kin'emon swept his eyes over his fellow Akazaya samurai, his voice heavy with a crushing weight. "Lord Momonosuke was brutally murdered by the enemy right before our eyes. We have failed so deeply that even ten thousand deaths cannot redeem our guilt..."
"The situation in Wano today has reached a crisis where we are forced to act. Lady Hiyori is Lord Oden's daughter. So what if she is not a man?"
"She wishes to become Shogun! We must support her with everything we have!"
"None of you must forget Lord Oden's ultimate dream!"
Hearing those words, the group fell into a solemn silence.
They were deeply ashamed to face Lord Oden. Their master's dying wish had yet to be fulfilled; the borders of Wano had not yet been opened. Even if they desperately wished to follow Lord Momonosuke into the afterlife, they could not abandon their duty.
Wano had to open its borders.
"We understand!"
At that moment, the eyes of every samurai burned with absolute, unyielding determination.
"In truth, I believe Lady Hiyori is far more suited to be the Shogun of Wano than Lord Momonosuke ever was! Therefore, I naturally support this decision a hundred percent," a voice suddenly cut in.
Everyone turned their eyes toward Denjiro, who had just spoken.
Seeing the collective gaze fix on him, Denjiro stated directly, "I don't mean to disparage Lord Momonosuke by saying this. But for Lady Hiyori, these past twenty years have forged her through an earth-shattering transformation."
"Surely you all noticed her demeanor just now."
At this, the group fell silent. They had all been thoroughly intimidated by Lady Hiyori's sheer presence moments earlier. That was an aura the young Momonosuke completely lacked; the boy would have required years of growth.
Lady Hiyori, on the other hand, had undeniably matured into an iron-willed individual. She was far more fit to hold the title of Shogun than Momonosuke.
"Good!" Kin'emon declared decisively. "Since Lady Hiyori is to become the Shogun of Wano, then it's high time this so-called precedent was shattered."
Shortly after, a grand decree echoed across the entire Land of Wano.
The daughter of Kozuki Oden, Lady Kozuki Hiyori, would formally inherit the position of Shogun.
The moment the news hit the streets, it triggered a massive upheaval across the country, giving rise to countless civilian rumors and theories.
Some claimed that Lord Momonosuke was definitely dead; otherwise, how could a mere woman be allowed to inherit the Shogunate? Others whispered that Lord Momonosuke had chosen to sail out to sea with the pirates who had aided them, just as Lord Oden had done in his youth. There were even those who murmured that Lady Hiyori had coveted the Shogunate for herself.
In short, the vast majority of the rumors were heavily laced with mockery and deep resistance toward Hiyori. After all, a female Shogun was entirely unprecedented in the annals of Wano's history.
Naturally, this hostile sentiment was also being deliberately manufactured by malicious individuals behind the scenes.
There were those who openly rebelled.
However, the Akazaya systematically crushed any resistance the exact microsecond it materialized. No matter what the critics argued, the Akazaya maintained a singular, uncompromising stance: absolute force!
With the conclusion of the Fire Festival night, Hiyori gradually tightened her grip on the governance of Wano. At this stage, the country lacked any formidable powerhouses capable of opposing her. Those who fancied themselves strong were entirely insignificant when stacked against the martial might of the Akazaya. Armed with the unconditional backing of Oden's loyal retainers, Hiyori secured control over the nation with effortless ease.
Another three days passed, and a profound calm finally settled over the length of Wano.
Lady Hiyori was to be officially inaugurated as Shogun on this very day.
The entire population watched with bated breath.
Clad in traditional samurai attire, Hiyori marched forward with measured, commanding strides. The Ame no Habakiri resting against her hip brought her an immense sense of solace, making her feel as though Kozuki Oden himself was standing right by her side. At this historic moment, Kozuki Hiyori harbored no fear; her steps were driven by an unswerving, forward-looking resolve.
This singular moment felt as though it was permanently frozen in time. Thus, the very first female Shogun in the history of Wano ascended the throne.
Her name was Kozuki Hiyori!
Under the collective gaze of her entire nation, she formally claimed her birthright. Not a single soul dared voice an objection!
Standing atop the grand pavilion, Hiyori elegantly swept her sleeves back, her posture striking a perfect balance between majestic regality and refined grace. The populace listened intently as her calm, icy voice resonated clearly through the square.
"Every single law and decree enacted during the reign of the tyrant Orochi is hereby permanently abolished! We shall fully reinstate the governing systems established by the Kozuki clan of old. Any secondary adjustments will be implemented systematically over time."
"I hereby command that all local weapons factories be immediately dismantled. We shall restore our traditional agriculture and heal our blighted environment."
"We must ensure, in the shortest time humanly possible, that every citizen of this nation has a home to return to and food to eat."
"Does anyone... object?"
As her final words echoed, Hiyori's sharp gaze slowly swept over the vast sea of faces assembled below.