As Kaido and his group formally settled in the Kuri region, news about Kozuki Oden setting sail and his abdication of the Daimyo position of Kuri to the pirate Kaido spread among the populace like wildfire. This astonishing news quickly became the hottest topic of conversation for the people of Wano Country during their leisure time. In every street, alley, teahouse, and tavern, people could be heard discussing the matter.
In the busiest marketplace of Kuri, a peddler selling sundries lowered his voice mysteriously to a customer browsing his wares. "Hey, have you heard about that matter?" His rough fingers kept rubbing the pottery on his stall counter, his eyes gleaming with gossip.
"What matter?" the customer asked blankly, his coin purse not yet put away.
"He's probably talking about Lord Oden going to sea, right?" another customer browsing nearby suddenly interjected, his folding fan snapping shut with a clack, showing his keen interest in the topic.
"What? Lord Oden went to sea? How is that possible? Going to sea is explicitly forbidden by Wano Country's laws!" The customer's eyes widened in shock, and the coin purse in his hand thumped onto the counter.
"Pfft, since when has Lord Oden ever cared about such bans!" someone in the crowd immediately chimed in, his tone carrying a mix of teasing and resignation.
"That's right. Though Lord Oden is much more steady now, given how he acted in his youth, nothing he does would be strange," another person agreed, shaking his head as he spoke, as if recalling Oden's various youthful exploits.
These words immediately struck a chord with those around, and everyone nodded in agreement. For a moment, a buzzing chorus of discussion rose in the marketplace.
"Heheh, what I wanted to talk about isn't Lord Oden going to sea," the peddler who spoke first smiled mysteriously, deliberately drawing out the suspense. "It's another major piece of news about Kuri."
"What could be more major in Kuri than Lord Oden going to sea?" someone asked, puzzled, the teacup in his hand pausing mid-air.
The peddler warily glanced around, making sure there were no suspicious individuals nearby, then lowered his voice further. "According to reliable information, before setting sail, Lord Oden left a written decree. He abdicated his position as Daimyo of the Kuri region to a pirate named Kaido."
"What?!"
"No way?!"
"This... this can't be true, can it?"
"That's outrageous!"
A chorus of shocked exclamations instantly erupted around them. People looked at each other, their faces full of disbelief. An old man who had been drinking tea even choked and coughed violently, spilling tea all over himself.
"I've heard about this too," another customer chimed in, gesturing as he spoke. "They say Lord Oden stole the other party's ship, so he gave up his Daimyo position as compensation."
"Nonsense!" the peddler immediately refuted, his face flushing with excitement. "My cousin who works at Oden Castle says Lord Oden had planned to abdicate long ago. He only set sail in a huff after his retainers stopped him."
"It was clearly because he stole the ship that he abdicated!" the other man argued back, unwilling to back down, his voice unconsciously rising an octave.
"Enough!" an older merchant interrupted their dispute, his pipe rapping heavily on the counter. "Now is not the time to argue about the reason. The important thing is this pirate named Kaido!"
"Right. Do we really have to accept a pirate as the Daimyo of Kuri?" a young woman asked anxiously, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.
"Of course not!" a burly man slammed the table and stood up, rattling the dishes and bowls on it. "Kuri is what it is today because of Lord Oden. I only recognize Lord Oden as our Daimyo!"
"But that is, after all, Lord Oden's command. Are we to disobey Lord Oden's decree?" a seemingly frail middle-aged man offered a different opinion, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"I'm only worried if this Kaido can govern Kuri well. He mustn't let this place revert to the lawless land it was before," an old man sighed, his eyes full of worry, seeming to gain a few new wrinkles between his brows.
Discussions rose and fell in the marketplace, everyone expressing their own views. Some angrily waved their fists, some scratched their heads in confusion, and others privately calculated their future plans. A few peddlers even began packing up their stalls, seemingly sensing the impending turmoil.
Meanwhile, in a teahouse on the other side of the marketplace, several merchants were whispering amongst themselves.
"I hear that Kaido has an entire pirate crew," a fat merchant said in a low voice. "They say each one is a fierce and savage devil."
"This is terrible," a tall, thin merchant wiped sweat from his brow. "How are we supposed to do business now?"
"What if... we leave Kuri sooner rather than later?" a third merchant suggested.
"And go where?" the fat merchant smiled bitterly. "The news has already spread. It won't be long before the whole of Wano Country knows about this. Let's wait and see the situation then?"
Back in the center of the marketplace, the debate continued. A farmer in tattered clothes squeezed into the crowd and said loudly, "I don't care about pirates or not! I just want to know if this year's harvest can be protected! With Lord Oden gone, who will protect our fields?"
"Yes," a woman chimed in. "My children are still young. If we return to the chaotic days of before..."
An uneasy mood gradually permeated the crowd. Some began packing up to leave, while others continued arguing heatedly. A few children, not understanding what was happening, watched the adults, frightened by the sudden tense atmosphere and hiding behind their parents.
At that moment, a noble-looking man in fine clothes rode past the marketplace on horseback. People immediately fell silent, looking at him with expectant eyes. But the man merely swept a cold gaze over them and spurred his horse away, leaving the populace even more confused.
"It seems even those at the top don't know what to do," an old man shook his head and sighed. "Kuri is really going to change now."
As the sun set in the west, the marketplace's clamor gradually subsided, but the doubts and unease in people's hearts grew deeper. This news was like a massive rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples throughout the Kuri region. And these ripples were spreading at an astonishing speed toward all of Wano Country. Everyone was pondering the same question: What on earth would Kuri's future become?
In a farmhouse in the Kuri suburbs, several peasants sat around a hearth, discussing the news with grim expressions.
"Old Li, what do you think we should do?" an old farmer, his face full of wrinkles, asked, his rough fingers constantly rubbing tobacco leaves.
"What can we do?" the man called Old Li sighed. "We farmers fear unrest the most. Lord Oden finally brought stability to Kuri, and now..."
"I hear that Kaido is a demon who kills without blinking," a young man interjected, his eyes flashing with fear. "They say he can destroy a whole town by himself."
"Don't spout nonsense!" Old Li barked sharply. "Don't spread baseless rumors like that."
"But..." the young man wanted to say more but was cut off by Old Li's wave.
"The most important thing now is to stay calm," Old Li said solemnly. "No matter who comes to be Daimyo, we common folk still have to live our lives."
Elsewhere in Kuri City, several samurai-looking men were drinking in a tavern. Their expressions were more complex than those of ordinary citizens—a mixture of anger and confusion.
"This is an utter disgrace!" a young samurai slapped the table and stood up. "Letting a pirate become Daimyo? Is there no law left in Wano Country?"
"Lower your voice," an older samurai pulled him back down to sit. "The situation is unclear. Don't act recklessly."
"But, Master, are we just going to sit back and watch?" the young samurai asked unwillingly.
The older samurai was silent for a moment, then said quietly, "Lord Oden must have his reasons for doing this. As samurai, our first duty is to obey orders."
"But..."
"No buts," the older samurai said sternly. "Until we understand the truth of the matter, don't jump to conclusions."
Night deepened, but lights still burned in many houses across the Kuri region. People tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The impact of this news was simply too great, so much so that many found it hard to accept this reality.
***
Dive deeper into the story with 30+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!