The Choice

In his youth, Kozuki Oden had traveled far and wide. He had first stayed with the Whitebeard Pirates before being poached by Roger, and he had experienced no shortage of strange and bizarre things. Thus, he showed little surprise toward the onmyoji before him who called herself Tamamo-no-Mae.

Wano Country had long been known as the land of yokai, with countless folk tales of strange creatures passed down since ancient times. Tamamo-no-Mae was one of the great yokai from those tales, but the stunning woman before him, her hair in a bun, dressed in a kimono with her fragrant shoulders exposed, was no true yokai.

The onmyoji of the Izumo Society possessed exceptional abilities and extraordinary methods. To distinguish themselves, they gave themselves titles of demons and monsters. Among them, there were four at the very pinnacle, and Tamamo-no-Mae was one of the four leaders of the Four Divisions of Demons and Monsters. Of course, she herself possessed the exceedingly rare Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.

During the banquet, Tamamo-no-Mae smilingly explained her purpose. She had come for the peaceful coexistence of the eastern and southern regions of Peace-War Pass, hoping that both sides would remain united forever and avert the outbreak of war.

Hearing Tamamo-no-Mae say this, Kozuki Oden felt that something was deeply strange, though he could not put his finger on it.

Amid the clinking of cups and flowing wine, the banquet soon drew to a close.

Politely declining Kozuki Oden's hospitality arrangements, Tamamo-no-Mae calmly withdrew from the feast and returned to Izumo.

Tamamo-no-Mae's sudden arrival and swift departure left Kozuki Oden unable to discern her true purpose.

Not long after Tamamo-no-Mae left, Kin'emon hurried in, his face filled with panic.

"Lord Kozuki, Lord Momonosuke is missing!"

Kozuki Oden was startled at first, but he quickly steadied himself