The panicked Kin'emon had already drawn the sword at his waist when the seemingly sturdy cave entrance, made entirely of rock, collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Amid the clatter of falling boulders and the thick clouds of dust they raised, a figure carrying a sword slowly emerged.
"Kanjuro! Take the shogun, his wife, and his son and get out of here!"
Raizo pulled a scroll from somewhere and clenched it between his teeth, his hands already forming seals before his chest.
"Ninja Art: Smoke Escape Technique!"
Before the dust from the falling rocks had fully settled, thick smoke flooded the cave, hiding everyone within it!
Then Kanjuro's voice came from inside the smoke.
"Lord Shogun, please take your wife and son and leave at once. Leave this to us."
But Kozuki Oden said,
"Kanjuro, take my wife and son and go ahead. As shogun, I cannot keep fleeing in the face of the enemy!"
"But Lord Shogun! You bear the responsibility of restoring Wano Country to greatness. You must not put yourself at risk!"
Kanjuro spoke firmly.
But Kozuki Oden stubbornly replied,
"Enough, Kanjuro. Take my wife and son and go. I will not leave!"
"Lord Shogun!"
Kin'emon came over as well, joining Kanjuro in his anxious cry. Just then, Masaki's voice rang out from the dust beyond the smoke.
"Stop arguing. None of you will leave today!"
The moment Masaki finished speaking, a flash of steel scattered all the smoke in the cave, exposing Kozuki Oden and the others in the stone chamber. The slash itself hurtled straight toward Kozuki Oden!
Strangely, although Kozuki Oden drew the sword at his waist to face Masaki's slash, a bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead, and his upper teeth sank into his lower lip. He merely raised his sword in