Willpower! The Three Daimyo

Willpower?

Ian found it hard to believe Teacher Kai was being serious with him.

He really wanted to remind Teacher Kai, Don't you think you're the protagonist of a hot-blooded manga? You can achieve power-ups just by shouting about nakama and bonds.

Wake up, you're the main villain who got punched into lava by the protagonist during a power-up.

However, before he could say anything, Teacher Kai just told him to scram.

It seemed he wasn't joking at all.

Willpower?

Ian recalled it for a moment. It seemed this thing really existed in this world, a power that could actually be used.

The Six Powers Secret Technique, Return to Life, wasn't it just about injecting willpower into the body to achieve precise control over every part of it? Even hair, which had no nerve endings, could be controlled.

Hiss.

Suddenly, he understood how Luffy's "HP lock" cheat worked.

It's useful, everyone! Stubborn willpower is really useful!

Even if the body itself was riddled with holes, a strong will could still drive it to act.

Thinking about it this way, it wasn't impossible to give flames a physical form using willpower.

But how could willpower be trained?

Teacher Kai said he could do it as long as he wanted to. What did that mean?

"Ian!"

As Ian was lost in thought, his eyes lit up. The cute white-haired girl had already jumped in front of him, her eyes sparkling, "Are you done with your business?"

Next, he still had to go ask Uncle King about the enemy's situation, and then have Fukurokuju prepare the troops.

But, Ian looked at her expectant eyes.

"Let's go, hide-and-seek."

"Yay!"

Ian's guess was completely correct. Just a minute later, he found Jack, who was trying his best to squeeze himself into a cramped space behind a staircase.

I already said, what are two guys nearly four meters tall doing playing hide-and-seek?

After playing with his three little friends for a while, Ian went to find Uncle King to understand the situation of the three rebellious Daimyo, and then went to find Fukurokuju.

"What?"

Fukurokuju was greatly alarmed, "Those Daimyo dare to rebel?"

Ian glanced at the guy. Fukurokuju's news was really slow.

"Shimi Daimyo Fugestu Mutsuki, Rano Daimyo Ugetsu Tempura, Reigou Daimyo Shimotsuki Ushimaru,"

Ian said, "The three of them raised their armies simultaneously, with a total force exceeding eight thousand men. They should have already rendezvoused at Rano and are preparing to attack Flower Capital."

"Those traitors!"

Fukurokuju was filled with righteous indignation, "How dare they do something so treasonous!"

"Your Majesty Ian, I will immediately summon the troops. The troops that Flower Capital can muster also exceed five thousand men, and I have over five hundred ninja troops under my command. I will send them out immediately to scout the enemy's situation."

"Go."

Ian nodded gently.

After all, it was a coalition of three Daimyo. In terms of troop numbers, Flower Capital alone couldn't match their combined forces.

However, it was still more than enough.

In the end, ordinary armies could only act as atmosphere builders in battles between powerful individuals.

Let alone ordinary soldiers, even powerful figures like King, Queen, Zoro, Sanji, Yamato, and Marco during the future Onigashima battle, what of them?

The real deciders of victory in war could only be Teacher Kai and Luffy.

"Yes."

Fukurokuju hurried away.

The sun set, Rano.

This area is located in the south of Wano Country, a region dominated by mountains.

Although agriculture and animal husbandry are difficult to develop in this area, Rano has rich mineral resources. Wano Country's largest mining facility is located here, and the mineral being mined is Seastone!

Wano Country is the world's largest producer of Seastone, and ninety percent of Wano Country's Seastone comes from the Rano mines.

The value of Seastone mined here every day is astronomical.

At this moment, in a certain wilderness in this area, smoke rose from the sprawling camps.

The armies from the three provinces of Rano, Shimi, and Reigou had already rendezvoused here. They would have their final rest tonight before marching tomorrow and attacking Flower Capital in one go.

It was already very close to Flower Capital. They only needed to cross the inland river between Rano and Flower Capital to reach the capital of Wano Country directly.

In the center of this sprawling camp, inside a tent.

Three Daimyo from three villages were entertaining a sudden guest.

"It's wonderful that you're still alive, Lady Toki,"

said the Reigou Daimyo, Shimotsuki Ushimaru. "As long as you are alive, the Kozuki family has not completely disappeared."

This man was also a renowned samurai of Wano Country, and a descendant of the legendary dragon-slaying swordsman Shimotsuki Ryoma. He had hair that was almost blue and looked very spirited.

Sitting opposite him was a woman, Kozuki Oden's wife, Kozuki Toki, whom Ian had thought had traveled far into the future.

"What happened in these past five years?"

The Shimi Daimyo, Fugestu Mutsuki, a man with a painted face and a long, narrow shimenawa tied around his forehead, asked in a deep voice. "We all thought Oden had truly gone mad!"

Kozuki Toki was silent for a moment, then said, "Orochi kidnapped many hostages, threatening Oden. He and Kaido deceived Oden, telling him that if he pretended to be foolish for five years, Kaido and the Beasts Pirates would leave Wano Country."

"..."

The three Daimyo's breathing suddenly grew heavy.

They truly wanted to curse Kozuki Oden for being such an idiot!

Was this the time for womanly kindness when the fate of the entire country was at stake?

To put it bluntly, what was wrong with sacrificing a few people?

Now, not only were those hostages going to hell, but the entire country was doomed.

If the truth had been revealed earlier, how could things have reached this point?

However, with the person already dead, they couldn't bring themselves to curse him in front of his widow.

Shimotsuki Ushimaru took a deep breath, calming his emotions, and asked Kozuki Toki earnestly, "Then, Lady Toki, at this point, what is your counsel?"

"I learned of your actions from Lord Kanjuro's retainers and came immediately."

Kozuki Toki bowed gracefully to the three Daimyo. "Please, stop."

"You say,"

the Rano Daimyo, Ugetsu Tempura, a man with prayer beads around his neck and a long, thin face, asked, "Stop?"

"We can't win."

Kozuki Toki said, "If our opponent is the Beasts Pirates—"

"Enough!"

Shimotsuki Ushimaru roared in a low voice. "I thought you, Lady Toki, had some profound insight. If we must wait until we have a guaranteed victory before acting, then we might as well go play house!"

Kozuki Toki's expression turned agitated. "Lord Ushimaru—"

"That's enough, Lady Toki,"

Fugestu Mutsuki shook his head. "If one sits idly by while their country is in peril, what kind of samurai are they? What kind of man are they?"

Kozuki Toki was speechless.

"This might be the best opportunity in who knows how many years,"

Ugetsu Tempura said earnestly. "Oden is dead, but Orochi was also killed by Kaido. He even handed the position of General to a child. Flower Capital must be in chaos right now."

"There won't be a better chance. The Beasts Pirates will only get stronger! Unless, of course, Oden can be resurrected."

"..."

Kozuki Toki couldn't speak.

She could hear the resentment in the words of the several Daimyo.

Yes, if Oden were still alive, if Oden had been willing to wait a little longer, if Oden hadn't been deceived, would everything have been different?

She fell into sadness.

She couldn't stop them; she couldn't stop the warriors from rushing to their deaths.

Oden, it's all our fault.