Wano Country, Flower Capital.
Two rows of soldiers stood guard at the entrance to the Shogun's Palace, stopping the group and eyeing Sephiroth and the others warily.
In the middle of the group, Kojiro lay on a stretcher. Gritting his teeth against the pain from his wounds, he got up from the makeshift stretcher.
He walked up to the soldiers' captain and explained his identity and purpose. Only then did the other man order the gates of the Shogun's Palace opened.
Supported by his subordinates, Kojiro led Sephiroth and the bound Ashura Doji straight into the front garden of the Shogun's Palace.
They had barely gone far when they encountered a group of oddly dressed ninja. Their leader was a tall, bald man.
His earlobes and skull were both unusually long, and he had a long, pointed black beard. He wore square sunglasses and a purple kimono, making him look like a monk. His name was Fukurokuju, captain of the Orochi Oniwabanshu, and he commanded five thousand ninja.
With his hands behind his back, Fukurokuju walked over to Ashura Doji, whose hands and feet had been tied with rope and who was being carried on a thick wooden pole.
Looking at the fat man's face, which had barely changed from five years ago, he could not help sighing.
"Sure enough, one of the Nine Red Scabbards...
Ashura Doji, it's been a long time!
I never expected you to still be alive...
I hope you'll honestly tell us where the other remnants of the Kozuki Family are...
That way, perhaps you'll suffer a little less."
"Hmph! Fukurokuju... stop dreaming!"
Ashura Doji cast Fukurokuju a cold sidelong glance. Despite his weak tone, his voice was filled with contempt.
In truth, he had separated from the other Nine Red Scabbards back then in