Chapter 137 Players suggest everyone be honest...
"So, when do you plan to tell him your true identity?"
Dressed in an orange kimono with rolled-up sleeves, Kikunojo, who was serving tea with elegant movements, asked softly.
"Hmm..." Vera used a small silver fork to pick up a delicate flower-shaped pastry and put it in her mouth. "Don't you think Kyoshiro's performance is quite interesting?"
After observing for a period of time, Vera has determined that Mad Death is trustworthy, and she has not yet revealed her true identity to him, partly due to Vera's wicked sense of humor.
She took a sip of tea to wash away the sweetness in her mouth, and was about to confide in Kikunojo about her low taste when she saw him nod in agreement after thinking for a while.
"Indeed, it's very interesting."
Kikunojo had no idea that Kyoshiro had such an interesting side to him. He never expected that the guy would enjoy reading those love stories between humans and spirits.
However, considering the information he had gathered over the past few days—the reason why Kyoshiro's geisha house in the Flower Capital was famous was largely due to the unique dances and arias performed there. Although, like other geisha houses, the content was usually performances that celebrated love between men and women, the stories were novel and the tunes were unconventional, which is why they received unanimous praise.
Rumor has it that these dances and choreographed songs were personally choreographed by Boss Kuang Si Lang.
“He’s been under a lot of pressure these past few years,” Kikunojo sighed dramatically. “Perhaps he needs some way to relax.”
Vera: ...
I don't understand the relationship between you guys who are such bad friends.
“Well… but I think he’s close to finding out.” Vera shrugged. “By the way, have you found Kozuki Oden’s child?”
Kikunojo took a sip of tea with graceful movements and nodded slightly.
After confirming each other's identities with Kyoshiro, he met Hiyori, who was using the alias Komurasaki. This was probably the biggest surprise he had received during this period.
Although Hiyori is still quite young, she has already shown maturity and insight beyond her years. With proper training and guidance, she could one day take over as the Shogun of Wano Country.
Yamato's physical condition makes it difficult for her to possess the same martial prowess as Oden. To sustain Wano Country on this turbulent sea, she will need a suitable Devil Fruit and some reliable retainers.
In fact, Kikunojo had already started showing Hiyori suitable fruits.
Oh dear, if Kaido hadn't already eaten the Azure Dragon Fruit, it would be perfect for Hiyori-sama.
"ha……"
Eating and drinking tea in a warm room makes it easy to feel drowsy, Violet yawned quietly, but Kikunojo's words the next second scared Violet away from her drowsiness.
Kikunojo: "What did you say to Sakura?"
"...Huh? What? I don't understand what you're saying, Kikunojo."
"Oh."
Kikunojo chuckled lightly without exposing the truth, and continued drinking his tea, but his gaze fell on Violet with a strong and undeniable intensity.
"Sakura, did Sakura say anything?"
Kikunojo looked at Violet's guilty expression with a bit of amusement: "Sakura didn't say anything."
Vera breathed a sigh of relief.
"However, the results are still quite obvious."
Violet: "..." Is panting so much fun?
Seeing Violet's speechless expression, Kikunojo covered his mouth and chuckled: "After all, it's quite eye-catching that in such a short time, two people around me have become obsessed with the legends of various mountain spirits and monsters."
One trick is all you need, and pretending to be a monster is so effective in Wano Country.
"But Violet, are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Kikunojo's delicate and handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly: "Sakura has been practicing the skills required to become a geisha at the Yue family since she was five years old, and it has been seventeen years now."
"Not to mention leaving Wano Country or going to sea, she has hardly even left the Flower Capital."
“You come from the outer sea, so you should understand better than Sakura that the outside world is not as wonderful as she imagines.” There is not only a wider world and more exciting adventure stories, but also dangerous, bloody, and utterly inelegant battles.
Violet: "If Sakura still chooses to go to sea after understanding these risks, what will you do?"
Kikunojo understood Vera's unfinished words. If he knew that "going to sea" was destined to be a dangerous choice that might even cost Sakura her life, and that Sakura was still determined to embrace such a life after knowing all this, would he have chosen to stop her?
Just like back then, knowing that making Lord Oden the Shogun of Wano Country would be a disaster for both Lord Oden and the people of Wano Country, did you still insist on forcing him to take on this responsibility?
Perhaps going a step further, he was so excited to start training Hiyori after finding her, but what if... what if Hiyori, like her father, didn't like the position of Grand General?
Kikunojo looked dejected: "You also think... that our decision back then was wrong?"
Brother Zang, is that what you think too?
He had already foreseen that this so-called loyalty and obsession, clashing with Lord Oden's self-awareness, would ultimately lead to a tragic outcome.
Violet sighed.
Was Kozuki Oden a competent leader? Obviously not.
But should everything Wano Country is currently experiencing be blamed on Kozuki Oden alone? Obviously not.
The fact that "Kozuki Oden is not suitable to be the shogun of Wano Country" is something that Kozuki Sukiyaki, the Nine Red Scabbards, and Kozuki Oden himself all know very well.
The problem is that this position of general was not something Kozuki Oden obtained by overestimating his abilities. He had already made a great effort to show that he didn't want to do it anymore, and even ran away halfway through. His determination was undeniably strong.
According to Violet, Kozuki Sukiyaki should have abandoned his inexplicable insistence and focused on finding the next Shogun as soon as possible, training him, and announcing it to the people of Wano Country back then. That way, Orochi wouldn't have been able to use his Devil Fruit powers to take advantage of the situation and steal the position.
Violet looked at the dejected Kikunojo without answering, but her eyes were enough to express her thoughts.
"Perhaps you could talk to Sakura."
Violet really couldn't understand how this group of people developed such a twisted mentality: "Talk to Sakura and see what she thinks."
“Talk to the child of Oden that you found, and listen to her thoughts.”
"Be open and honest, and communicate frankly."
Violet rested her chin on her hand and looked at Kikunojo, suggesting, "If you're really not good at this kind of thing, I have another secret weapon."
Kikunojo paused for two seconds, then indirectly admitted that he probably wasn't very good at talking about this kind of topic without any emotion: "...What secret weapon."
——
"By the way, Island Master, do you still have any of the alcohol you mentioned last time that you couldn't handle? Yamato has been getting injured quite frequently lately, and Chopper's supply of disinfectant alcohol is running low."
"Maybe it won't be enough." Violet recalled Kikunojo leaving with the strong liquor, a specialty of Onigashima, which she had kindly provided. "How about I go have another drink with Kaido?"
Bru bru...
The sound of the Den Den Mushi interrupted their conversation. Robin saw his island master answer the Den Den Mushi, which had turned completely black, and hang up after a few simple "uh-huhs".
Robin, keenly sensing the island lord's good mood, had a sudden thought: "It succeeded?"
"Yes, King has agreed to my proposal and is already preparing to persuade Kaido."
Based on his observations during these drinking contests, Kaido trusts King far more than anyone else in the Beasts Pirates. With King involved, persuading Kaido is a piece of cake.
"It's time for Yamato to get ready; it's time for her to be 'discovered'."
As Violet said, although she didn't know what reason King used in the end, Kaido was indeed persuaded by him.
Violet then conveniently discovered Yamato's whereabouts by "accident" and informed Kaido during a drinking contest.
Upon hearing this, Jin, who was also accompanying her, glanced at Violet but did not comment on this somewhat suspicious "accident".
"snort!"
Three empty barrels, taller than Violet, had rolled down behind Kaido, but the amount of alcohol was only enough to make him slightly tipsy.
He stood up, gripping his black, hard spiked club: "That brat, I'll personally bring her back!"
After saying that, Kaido transformed into his Azure Dragon form, gripping his spiked club in one claw, and flew in the direction Violet had indicated.
Violet stared at the huge hole in the wall: "..."
Let's have a moment of silence for Yamato; she's probably not going to escape this beating.
But Yamato must be quite happy too.
Violet turned around and looked at Jin, who was sitting opposite her, not removing his mask even in the midst of the lively drinking contest, sitting there like a cold and illusory shadow.
Jin looked up at Violet.
The timing of her "finding" Master Yamato was too coincidental, so coincidental that Jin was certain that Master Yamato had been in contact with him for quite some time after escaping from Onigashima.
What is she trying to do by getting close to Master Yamato, and why would Master Yamato trust a member of the Beasts Pirates?
On the surface, Jin remained expressionless, but inwardly he was churning with thoughts, subtly increasing his wariness of Violet.
No matter what her intentions are, no matter what tricks she plays in private, if she causes harm to Kaido or becomes a stumbling block on his path to becoming king, he will crush her with his own hands, making her regret coming to Wano Country and regret setting her sights on the Beasts Pirates.
Jin gently rubbed the wine glass in his hand with the pad of his index finger, a bloodthirsty killing intent flashing in his eyes.
Vera, sensing that the atmosphere in the room was inexplicably strange: "..."
Hmm, it must be because she felt too awkward and bored sitting with Jin Gan.
Vera skillfully took out the feather comb and looked up at Jin: "Lord Jin, would you like to have your feathers combed?"
As King pondered what cruel punishment he should inflict on Violet, who had truly betrayed Kaido, and how to make her die in prolonged agony: "..."
"……want."
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Author's Note: I'm not trying to whitewash Oden, but I find it very strange that he was forced to become the shogun of Wano Country. It couldn't be clearer that Oden didn't want the job. [doge]
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