Wano Country.
Royal Capital, Main Hall.
The first reconstruction meeting after the battle of Onigashima had dragged on from afternoon until night.
Yet what the people in the hall argued about had never been how the civilians outside the city could survive.
It was about who would inherit the shogun's position.
Who would control the Seastone mines.
Who would take over the weapons factories left behind by the Beasts Pirates.
Who would possess the port tax revenue.
Which families could reclaim their former territories.
And who, exactly, would manage the food, medicine, and construction materials delivered by the Marines.
A descendant of a former daimyo slammed a hand onto the table and rose.
"Wano Country is a closed nation!"
"Now that Kaido has been defeated, the Marines must withdraw immediately!"
"We absolutely cannot allow outsiders to continue controlling our ports and territory!"
The moment he finished, a merchant beside him immediately objected.
"The Marines can leave the Royal Capital, but they must continue protecting the ports."
"The food shipments must continue as well."
"The remnants of the Beasts Pirates should also be exterminated by the Marines."
"Otherwise, if the pirates return, who will take responsibility?"
A chorus of agreement immediately rose through the hall.
They did not want the Marines to possess any authority, yet they expected the Marines to shoulder every responsibility.
When fighting was needed, they wanted the Marines at the very front.
When food was needed, they wanted the Marines to deliver it for free.
Once the situation stabilized, they would demand that the Marines get out of Wano Country at once.
As for Yamato, everyone's attitude was even more contradictory.
A samurai said coldly, "She is Kaido's daughter."
"Someone like her has no right to participate in Wano Country's reconstruction meeting."
Yet another former official immediately