"What?!" everyone exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with disbelief. The morning sun shone on the stone-paved road, yet it could not dispel the gloom now shrouding their hearts.
At that moment, the sound of heavy footsteps approached from a distance. Kaido walked towards them slowly, accompanied by his Beasts Pirates members. The corners of this burly man's mouth held a faint, almost imperceptible smile, as if none of this was unexpected. Behind him followed a host of officers like Queen, King, Urouge, and Sebastian, each wearing an inscrutable expression.
"Quick! To the port!" Ashura Doji was the first to react, dashing off. The others snapped out of their daze and hurriedly followed, sprinting toward the direction of the port. Their figures cast long shadows on the stone pavement, and the urgent sound of their footsteps echoed through the morning streets, startling a few birds roosting under the eaves.
When everyone arrived at the port, the sight before them made their hearts sink. The port was empty, with only a few pirates sprawled unconscious on the ground. The pirate ship that had been anchored there was nowhere to be seen. The sea breeze blew across the deserted dock, as if mocking their delayed realization.
"Damn it, wake up!" Kin'emon grabbed a still-slumbering pirate and shook him violently. His fingers dug deep into the man's collar, his knuckles white from the force.
"Who's there?" the pirate grumbled, rudely awakened. When he opened his bleary eyes and saw the large, grim crowd surrounding him, he jolted in fright. Especially when he caught a glimpse of Kaido's dark expression, he immediately broke free from Kin'emon's grip and scrambled over to Kaido's side, looking like a startled rat.
"C-captain," the pirate stammered, his voice trembling so much it was almost inaudible, "Last night, Kozuki Oden knocked us out and then... hijacked the pirate ship and set sail."
"WHAT?!" Kaido's roar was so powerful it caused ripples on the port's water. The veins on his forehead bulged, clearly enraged to the extreme. The air around them seemed to grow heavy with his fury.
"I knew it!" Kin'emon gnashed his teeth, glaring at Kaido and his crew, his fists clenched so tight they creaked. "With these pirates around, Lord Oden would definitely find a way to go to sea!"
Ashura Doji turned to Kin'emon and the others, his voice holding suppressed anger. "Kin'emon, Kanjuro, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, Kawamatsu, what on earth is going on? Why are there pirates here? Where has Lord Oden gone?" His gaze swept over their faces, searching for answers.
Kurozumi Kanjuro stepped forward to explain. "Ashura Doji, Denjiro, this is how it happened. Yesterday, this group of pirates landed in Wano Country. Mr. Kaido and Lord Oden fought, and in fighting, they became friends. At last night's banquet, Lord Oden even wanted to pass the title of Daimyo of Kuri to Mr. Kaido, but Mr. Kaido politely refused."
"What?!" Denjiro shouted in shock, the scabbard in his hand hitting the ground with a thud. "Lord Oden is far too reckless!"
Ashura Doji also nodded heavily, his brow furrowed. "Indeed."
"After Lord Oden was refused, he didn't say anything more at the time," Kurozumi Kanjuro continued, his voice unnaturally calm. "Who would have thought he would take advantage of our rest to secretly set sail."
"This is all these pirates' fault!" Kin'emon redirected his fury toward Kaido and the others, pointing a finger directly at Kaido's nose. "If it weren't for them, Lord Oden would never have gone to sea!"
Ashura Doji, Denjiro, and the others also fixed angry stares on Kaido's group. The atmosphere on the scene instantly grew tense enough to spark a conflict. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, as if a single spark could blow the entire port sky-high.
"Wororororo!" Kaido suddenly burst into laughter, but his laughter was filled with rage. "The one who should be angry is me! That bastard Oden stole my pirate ship!" His laughter cut off abruptly, his eyes turning dangerous.
"Are you all looking to die?" King sneered, drawing his newly acquired weapon—the famous blade, Enma. The blade gleamed coldly in the sunlight, reflecting his cold expression.
The members of the Beasts Pirates also readied their weapons, the battle hanging by a thread. Queen cracked his knuckles; Urouge shifted into a fighting stance, muscles tensed; Sebastian firmly gripped his morning star.
"Wait!" Denjiro suddenly noticed the sword in King's hand, his pupils contracting sharply. "Why is Enma in your hands?" His voice trembled slightly with shock.
"Damn it! Give Enma back!" The others also noticed this and shouted angrily. The Oden Family samurai drew their swords in unison, the tips pointed straight at the Beasts Pirates.
"This was a gift from Lord Oden to Mr. King last night," Kurozumi Kanjuro hastily explained, simultaneously positioning himself between the two sides, trying to defuse the tension.
"Muhahaha!" Queen laughed loudly, pulling out a large sword whose blade reflected a blinding light. "Looks like we're going to fight, huh?!" His laughter was full of provocation.
At this critical moment, Kurozumi Kanjuro suddenly snatched a letter from Kin'emon's hand, held it high above his head, and shouted loudly, "Everyone, stop!" His voice echoed over the port, temporarily suppressing the impending clash.
"Kanjuro, what are you doing?"
"Why are you stopping us?"
Everyone questioned him, but they did not lower their weapons.
"Do you all want to be sentenced to beheading?" Kurozumi Kanjuro barked sternly, raising the letter in his hand even higher. "This is Lord Oden's handwritten command!" His voice carried unquestionable authority.
"First, I ask Mr. Kaido to forgive Lord Oden's rudeness in taking your pirate ship," Kurozumi Kanjuro began, bowing respectfully and sincerely to Kaido. "For this, we are deeply sorry. We hope you will stay in Kuri for a while. During this time, we will build you a new pirate ship as quickly as possible."
"Wororororo! If that's the case, then we'll do it this way for now!" Kaido said, putting away his weapon, though the anger in his eyes had not completely subsided. Seeing Kaido's move, the others also sheathed their weapons, but the hostility between the two sides remained palpable.
Afterwards, Kurozumi Kanjuro had a few subordinates lead Kaido's group back to Oden Castle to rest. As the Beasts Pirates members left, they didn't forget to cast challenging glances back over their shoulders.
Once Kaido and the others had departed, Ashura Doji spoke to Kurozumi Kanjuro. "Kanjuro, explain. Why did you do that?" His voice was low, carrying a probing tone.
"Yes, why?" The others also gathered around, waiting for an explanation.
"First, this matter was Lord Oden's fault, taking Mr. Kaido's pirate ship," Kurozumi Kanjuro said, his gaze sweeping over each person present.
"Damn it, if they hadn't come to Wano Country, Lord Oden wouldn't have gone to sea," Kin'emon said indignantly, his fist slamming heavily against a wooden crate nearby with a dull thud.
"Kin'emon, don't show any more hostility toward Mr. Kaido. You know the command Lord Oden left behind," Kurozumi Kanjuro said to Kin'emon, a note of reproach in his tone.
"Kanjuro, do you really intend to let Kaido become the Daimyo of Kuri?" Denjiro stepped forward, looking directly into Kurozumi Kanjuro's eyes as he asked.
"No. The Daimyo of Kuri can only be Lord Oden," Kurozumi Kanjuro stated definitively, his voice firm and strong.
Hearing Kurozumi Kanjuro's words, the others all let out a sigh of relief, their tense shoulders relaxing slightly.
"Furthermore, Mr. Kaido is someone who could fight Lord Oden to a standstill. Even regarding his strength, we must treat him with courtesy," Kurozumi Kanjuro continued, his voice cautious.
Hearing this, everyone nodded, though reluctantly, they had to admit this fact.
"Although we cannot let Mr. Kaido become the Daimyo of Kuri, Lord Oden's command is here, so we cannot completely disregard Mr. Kaido either. We cannot let outsiders think the Oden Family retainers do not obey Lord Oden's commands," Kurozumi Kanjuro went on, his tone gradually growing serious.
Hearing this, even the most defiant Kin'emon nodded subconsciously, though his face still bore an unwilling expression.
"So, during the time Lord Oden has not returned, we must treat Mr. Kaido with courtesy, and simultaneously build a ship to set sail and search for Lord Oden," Kurozumi Kanjuro concluded, his gaze sweeping over each person present to ensure everyone understood this decision.
"Mm." Everyone agreed, though some still wore furrowed brows; no one voiced any opposition. The port returned to calm, leaving only the sound of waves lapping against the shore, as if recounting an unfinished story.
***
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