The smile vanished from the man's face the instant Barn left, replaced by an icy expression on his otherwise unremarkable features.
"Has he left, Masaki?"
The man spoke, and Masaki, who stood behind him, closed his eyes and checked with Observation Haki. Only after confirming that Barn had left did he nod and reply.
"Lord Oden, he has gone."
He had not spoken in so long that his throat felt clogged, making his voice much hoarser than usual.
At Masaki's answer, the man nodded as well and spoke in a low voice.
"Masaki, what are your chances of defeating him?"
Masaki fell silent for a moment before answering from behind him.
"...Fifty percent."
The man standing before Masaki, whom he had addressed as Oden, raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Only fifty percent? What if we add the Oniwabanshu's ninja and the Rōshigumi's samurai?"
Masaki was no fool; he could never have reached his current position otherwise. He knew what to say and when to say it. His silence came from knowing that the more he spoke, the more likely he was to say something wrong. He wanted to say that against someone like Barn, who possessed Conqueror's Haki, adding those ninja and samurai would hardly help. But as the strongest swordsman of this generation in the country, he simply could not bring himself to say it.
So Masaki said nothing more. The moment he heard the words of the man called Oden, he dropped to one knee before him. His fist, hardened by years of wielding a sword, slammed into the tatami as he shouted.
"I will eliminate Barn and that impostor shogun!"
The man smiled at Masaki's declaration, rested a hand on his shoulder, and said.
"He must have discovered who I am. We cannot let him leave the