Ian sat on the ground and rested for quite a while.
His stamina and mental strength were almost completely drained. Ian was seeing double now, and he could barely maintain his ability.
But fortunately, he had won.
It had truly been an incredibly grueling battle.
Ian sighed.
"Ian!"
A cheerful laugh came from behind him, followed immediately by a cannonball crashing into Ian's back, knocking him straight to the ground and even sending him rolling twice.
"Ha ha ha! Are you done over here too?"
The girl with beautiful hair fading from white to green lay sprawled across Ian's back and spoke with a grin.
Ian rolled his eyes. Shimotsuki Ushimaru had not hurt him nearly as badly as she had.
Although his palm had been stabbed, he had been in The Winged Dragon of Ra form at the time. Converted to his human form, it was no more than a tiny thorn prick.
"Did you have fun?"
Ian slowly sat up. After resting for a while, he felt much better.
"Yeah!"
Yamato sat behind Ian with her legs tucked to one side and nodded repeatedly. "I took out so many people! It was super fun!"
Do not say something like that in the tone of someone who had just had a great time at an amusement park.
Ian could clearly smell the blood on Yamato behind him.
This world was insane.
Even children this young enjoyed killing people.
What? He was the same?
Then there was no problem.
Somewhere along the way, he had become someone who could burn thousands of people to death at once without even reacting.
"Your Majesty Ian!"
Fukurokuju's voice came from afar.
Ian turned around. The bald ninja was approaching with samurai and ninjas.
"The enemy forces have been completely wiped out!"
Fukurokuju reported loudly, his tone excited. "Together with the three rebel leaders you personally killed, this is a complete victory for us!"
Ian nodded lightly. If more than five thousand men could not deal with fewer than two hundred samurai, they might as well all go die with Kurozumi Orochi.
"Let's head back."
Ian stretched lazily.
The battle had not lasted long, but it had certainly been exhausting.
A little later.
Flower Capital, castle keep.
"Not bad, kid."
Teacher Kai was drunk again. Another day of daytime drinking. "I heard you took care of three samurai Daimyo by yourself?"
Ian sat cross-legged on the floor below him, his eyelids drooping as he looked listless. His stamina had mostly recovered, but his mental strength had not. He raised his right hand and lightly rubbed his thumb and forefinger together.
"Just barely. I was just barely short of getting killed. Teacher Kai, if there are opponents like that in the future, do not send me to deal with them, okay? Can you really bear to watch your disciple die at the enemy's hands?"
If he had not been immune to Seastone's suppression, Shimotsuki Ushimaru really would have turned the tables and killed him.
"Wororororo!"
Teacher Kai laughed as though he had not heard Ian's complaint at all. "As the victor, you do have the right to talk big, kid."
Where exactly had he talked big?
Ian's mouth twitched. It really had been just barely. His palm had even bled from the stab wound, and his head was still spinning.
Both father and daughter were the same. Neither ever listened to what people said.
Ian gave up on the fantasy of Teacher Kai not sending him into battle in the future and instead said, "Teacher Kai, I've already sent out all the troops under my command, but we still don't have enough manpower to truly control all of Wano Country."
Wano Country's main fighting forces had already been swept away.
In Kuri, the Kozuki Family had been uprooted completely. There was no need to mention Ringo, Udon, and Kibi; he had just wiped out the allied army there. As for the last region, Hakumai, its Daimyo, Shimotsuki Yasuie, had already been captured. Though some forces remained, they could not make any waves.
There should not be any more major wars.
But even so, it would not be easy for the few thousand men under his command to completely control Wano Country.
Even Kurozumi Orochi's actual area of control had been limited to the Flower Capital.
So Ian said bluntly, "I need the pirate crew's help."
"Wororororo."
Teacher Kai suddenly laughed. He straightened up and looked down at Ian, the smile on his lips carrying a hint of mockery. "Haven't you been doing pretty well, kid?"
Ian immediately put on a serious expression. "It's all for the Beasts Pirates."
"Hmph."
Kaido snorted. "If you need help, go find King. He'll send people."
"Good."
Ian nodded lightly.
With the Beasts Pirates' All-Stars leading the way, even if unrest broke out while taking over the various regions, it could easily be suppressed.
Teacher Kai suddenly spoke again. "Before we return to Onigashima, there's one more thing to do."
More?
Ian's eyelid twitched.
Had dealing with those Daimyo not been the last thing to do before returning?
Ian asked cautiously, "What is it?"
It was not another job where he had to take someone down, was it?
There should not have been any enemies left in Wano Country.
Teacher Kai took a swig of liquor and said rather casually, "People from the World Government are coming to discuss business. You'll handle it."
"The World Government?"
Ian raised an eyebrow. "Me?"
He was not surprised that the Beasts Pirates had business dealings with the World Government.
He had known about that from reading the manga in his previous life, and Fuga and the other two Bravens had also been bought from the government.
All he could say was that the ones tasked with fighting pirates were the Marines, not the World Government.
But Teacher Kai, none of the many lessons you gave me included foreign trade.
"This used to be handled by Orochi."
Teacher Kai said, "Since you were the one who killed him, you'll take over this job."
Ian's eyes widened at once.
No, Teacher Kai, are we even being reasonable here?
Weren't you the one who told me to kill Orochi?
So this was what you had been waiting for?
"Then... what should I do?" Ian scratched his head.
"You only need to remember one thing: you're my disciple! So go ahead and do whatever you want!"
What did he mean by do whatever he wanted?
Even after leaving Teacher Kai, Ian was still pondering that question.
Did it mean he should just ask for an outrageous price?
The moment he stepped outside, Yamato, who had been squatting at the corner counting ants, turned around in delight. "Ian! Are you done talking with Dad?"
Although she had become close to Teacher Kai, she was not particularly interested in discussing serious matters.
"Yeah."
Ian nodded. "Have you decided where you want to go play?"
He had promised to go have fun with her after finishing their business.
"Maria said there's a fireworks festival in the Flower Capital tonight! Let's go watch it together!" Yamato's expectant eyes sparkled with stars. "I've never watched fireworks before!"
A fireworks festival?
Ian did know about that. Fukurokuju had reported it to him.
After all, the fireworks festival was being held to celebrate the new King's ascension and victory in the war.
"Sure."
Ian agreed without hesitation.
Come to think of it, he had not watched fireworks in a long time either.
He wondered what would be different about fireworks in another world.
Night came quickly.
Southern Wano Country, Port of Stealth.
Although this country had closed itself off from the outside world, it was not entirely without channels of contact. Otherwise, the Beasts Pirates could not have conducted trade with the World Government.
Port of Stealth was that channel for outside contact.
This port connected to a massive cavern beneath Wano Country, and the cavern's waterways led directly beyond the high walls surrounding the country.
A massive elevator allowed travel between Wano Country's interior and the open sea, though having to switch ships was rather troublesome.
The Beasts Pirates had occupied this port many years ago. Now, taking advantage of the Beasts Pirates pulling back their forces for the decisive battle against the Kozuki Family before manpower could be replenished, a group of samurai had seized it.
The samurai waited in the night and received a woman.
"Lady Toki! You've finally arrived. Princess Hiyori has already fallen asleep on the ship. She kept crying and calling for you to come back."
"Thank you for your trouble."
Under the moonlight, Toki solemnly bowed to the samurai. "For granting such an unreasonable request of mine."
The samurai shook their heads. "These are Lord Kanjuro's orders. We are samurai loyal to him."
One samurai asked, "Lady Toki, how are Lord Ushimaru and the others?"
Toki fell silent for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know, but the result should reach us soon."
The samurai nodded. "Then we wish you a safe journey."
Toki's expression was somewhat bitter. She could hear a trace of contempt in the samurai's voices.
She understood. After all, she was about to leave this country.
"What do you intend to do?"
Toki asked solemnly.
The samurai answered calmly, "Lord Kanjuro is still imprisoned in the Flower Capital. As his samurai, of course we cannot ignore that."
"We disbanded the army, but gathered all the samurai of Hakumai. Once we learn Lord Kanjuro's exact location, we will act."
Toki fell silent.
What could she say?
Tell the samurai that going to the Flower Capital would only mean seeking death?
How could she say such words to brave men already prepared to die?
In the end, she said nothing.
Toki merely entered Port of Stealth, descended to the harbor below through the massive elevator, and boarded the ship the samurai had prepared for her.
She was about to leave Wano Country.
To save this country, the people of Wano Country could no longer rely on themselves alone.
Though she felt incomparably ashamed and guilty, for now, she could only borrow another's strength.
The Kozuki Family had harmed this country, so no matter what, they had to save it!
Toki set off for the sea beneath the bright moon.
Under that same moon.
Flower Capital.
Bang!
A muffled boom rang out as a spark shot into the sky, then burst into countless stars.
Those countless stars continued blossoming, and in an instant, the sky was filled with shimmering starlight.
And these stars were not limited to one area. Over the entire Flower Capital, countless sparks rose one after another, blooming into brilliantly dazzling fireworks.
Countless stars dimmed, only for countless more to bloom moments later. Trees of flame and silver flowers filled the air, dazzling beyond compare.
"So pretty! So pretty!!"
Atop the castle keep, on a horizontal tree branch, Yamato jumped around excitedly.
This was the highest point in the entire Flower Capital. There was no better viewing platform, and the fireworks display across the whole city lay fully before their eyes.
It truly was beautiful. The entire city was splendid, as though a dream had descended.
Only.
Ian thought, the Flower Capital was full of wooden buildings. If this started a fire, who was going to put it out?
Of course, Yamato did not have her heart full of such dampening thoughts as Ian did. The little girl merely tilted up her face, and stars glittered in the reflection of her golden eyes.
Only when the fireworks had ended did she finally let out a satisfied breath.
"I'll never forget this day!"
Yamato clenched her little fists and declared loudly.
"If you like it that much, we can do it again a few more times."
Ian said casually.
What a joke. Brother Ian was now the second most important person in Wano Country. Wouldn't holding a fireworks festival be as simple as saying the word?
"No."
But Yamato stuck out her tongue at Ian. "If I saw them all the time, then there'd be no point in remembering them!"
Oh? You even understand delayed gratification?
I underestimated you.
"I really want to grow up soon!"
Yamato clasped her hands behind her head and sighed unusually. "Then I could do so many things I want to do! Go everywhere I want to go!"
"Grow up?"
Ian merely kept his hands in his pockets and said calmly, "That's not necessarily a good thing."
"How could it not be!"
Yamato looked at Ian in surprise. "Once you grow up, you can do whatever you want! Ian, isn't there anything you want to do?"
Something he wanted to do?
It was the end of the month.
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