Teacher Moria, I'll Remember You!

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll go check right away!"

Kanjuro readily agreed, but in his heart he was already plotting how to extricate himself from the situation.

He had taken the opportunity to retrieve the dummy he had previously hidden outside the city.

The real troublemaker is Kin'emon!

He already knew his intelligence was wrong. If he couldn't find any survivors of the Akutami family, people would inevitably suspect how he had found out that there were survivors in the Akutami family in the first place!

Although I could easily cover it up by saying I found out the wrong thing.

But I'm an undercover agent after all, and it would be troublesome if I attracted people's attention!

Exposing myself would be a minor matter, but if I were to delay Lord Orochi's grand plan, I would truly deserve to die!

The three of them walked along the mountain road towards the City of Flowers.

Akuta's injuries were not minor. Although he had treated them himself, every step he took still aggravated his wounds, causing him to gasp for breath from time to time.

Seeing that he was having difficulty walking, Kin'emon slowed down again.

"Akuta, you are so badly injured, let me carry you."

"No need, no need." Akuta waved his hand casually. "Compared to Lao Wu's Demon Orb modified flower knife, my mere severed hand is nothing to worry about."

"Who is the fifth brother?"

"Fifth brother, he's a friend of mine. He was once slashed dozens of times by demonic energy during a battle."

"Hiss!" Kin'emon gasped. "Dozens of cuts? That'd turn him into mincemeat!"

"Who can argue with that?"

Kin'emon wanted to ask more questions, but Akuta changed the subject.

"You're saying Oden sent many people looking for me?"

Kin'emon nodded and said seriously.

"Yes! Lord Oden ordered the entire Kozuki family to be mobilized to find you before Kaido's men and protect you."

"Protect me?" Akuta paused for a moment, then laughed. "I'm the arsonist who burned down several of their factories. Oden wants to protect me? Isn't he afraid Kaido will come after him for me?"

Oden fell silent, unsure of how to begin.

Everyone could see what Oden had done, and Kin'emon really didn't know what to say for a moment.

Akuta smiled and shook his head, not continuing the conversation.

He was clearly aware of it.

His fight with Jhin was clearly an old man toying with a child.

He has absolutely no chance of winning.

Since direct confrontation is not going to work, it wouldn't be a bad thing for him to find a backer to hide with for a few days.

And within the entire Wano Country, Kozuki Oden is naturally the best choice.

What Akutami was pondering was, would Oden really turn against Kaido completely for the sake of an outsider?

Just as Akuta was having some doubts, Kanjuro, who was walking behind him, suddenly spoke up.

"Akuta, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead and ask."

"How did you come to have your name?"

Akuta turned his head and glanced at him, then said, bewildered.

"How did it come about? It's my own name, why would I need to know how it came about? My parents gave it to me."

"Oh... I see." Kanjuro nodded with a dry laugh, feeling even more uneasy.

Following Kin'emon, the Akuta traversed one desolate mountain after another, finally arriving at the Flower Capital at dawn.

At the city gate, a retainer of the Kozuki family was there to meet them. Upon seeing Kin'emon leading his men back, he immediately ran off to report.

Before long, they arrived at Kozuki Oden's residence.

Akuta was led into the main hall, where he immediately saw the man he had only heard of in rumors sitting in the main seat.

"My lord! We've found it!"

Kin'emon stepped forward first, knelt on one knee, and spoke with great emotion.

"We've found the Akuta! He's the one who attacked Kaido's camp!"

Oden excitedly hummed in agreement, his gaze already passing over Kin'emon and landing on Akuta.

He stood up, strode quickly to the Akuta, and said excitedly:

"Are you the last survivor of the Akutami family? I'm so sorry, I..."

Oden was only halfway through his sentence when Kin'emon quickly whispered a reminder.

"Lord Oden, he is not from Wano Country."

Oden's smile froze for a moment.

He looked down at Akuta's face, then turned to look at Kin'emon.

After Kin'emon explained, Oden realized that they had made a misunderstanding.

Akuta is not from Wano Country; he is an outsider.

But Oden was Oden after all.

He quickly recovered from his brief moment of surprise, and instead of loosening his grip on Akuta's shoulder, he tightened it even more.

"Who cares where they're from! Anyone who fights Kaido is a benefactor of Wano Country!"

As Oden spoke, he pulled Akuta towards the tatami mat and personally poured him a glass of water, bustling around like a waiter.

Akuta looked at the excessively generous man in front of him and felt a little emotional.

A former member of the Roger Pirates, a man who served on the legendary ships of Whitebeard and Roger, is surprisingly generous.

Although Akuta didn't like some of Oden's actions, he couldn't find fault with such a person for the time being.

Halfway through the meal, Oden suddenly put down his wine cup and looked at the Akuta with some curiosity.

"Akuta, I have something I'm curious about. Why did you attack Kaido alone?"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became heavy.

This is also the question they wanted to ask.

Why would an outsider stand up for Wano Country?

Why would they repeatedly attack Kaido's forces, risking death to do so?

Akuta put down the food in his hand and glanced at Oden slowly.

"Oden, do you know Moria?"

Oden's brow twitched slightly.

"Moria... that pirate who was defeated by Kaido a while ago?"

"Yes." Akuta nodded, his eyes filled with reminiscence. "Seriously speaking, Moria is actually my benefactor."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The Akuta slowly opened its mouth, gradually revealing that unknown past.

From how Moria accidentally entered Wano Country as a child, was given the name Kozuki by the people of Ringo, to later setting sail and changing his name to become a pirate, and returning to Ringo to challenge Kaido when he heard that Kaido had invaded Ringo.

Akuta spoke slowly and in a rather uninteresting way; if an outsider were to listen, probably no one would be interested.

But when such a story reached Oden's ears, it was completely different!

When Akuta mentioned that Moria never bowed to Kaido until his death, Oden lowered his head in remorse.

Even a fake "Kozuki" was able to stand up and fight Kaido, an invader.

But the real "Kozuki" cowered away, not daring to clash with Kaido at all.

When Akuta recounted Moria's suicide in gamble on the Shadow-Shadow Fruit's rebirth, Oden's breathing became even heavier.

The entire hall fell silent, and Oden's carefree and hearty smile was gone.

He stared at the Akuta for a very long time, so long that Kin'emon next to him began to get nervous.

Then, Oden slowly stood up.

He did something that no one expected.

The strongest samurai in Wano Country, a former member of the Roger Pirates, and the head of the Kozuki family, actually bowed and sat down before this outsider!

"My lord!"

The Nine Red Scabbards cried out anxiously.

But Oden ignored them.

His forehead almost touched the floor, and no one could tell that this was Kozuki Oden, the original shogun of Wano Country.

"Thank you for everything you've done for Wano Country. Wano Country will never forget you!"