#196 - Chapter 196: Dancing Oden
Flower Capital.
The most bustling area in Wano Country, and also where the rulers reside.
On the prosperous streets, crowds surged, and the hawkers' shouts rose and fell.
Inside the palace, Kurozumi Orochi was enjoying his leisurely time.
In the luxurious room, silk curtains hung low, and fragrance permeated the air.
Several dancers were gracefully dancing to the music, their charming figures intoxicating.
Kurozumi Orochi reclined on a chaise lounge covered with gorgeous brocade, holding a glass of fine wine in his hand, his eyes blurred as he watched the dancers.
He occasionally took a sip of wine, a satisfied smile on his lips, obviously very pleased with the scene before him.
The aroma of wine and the dance intertwined, allowing him to temporarily forget all his troubles.
Just then, a figure quietly approached Kurozumi Orochi.
It was one of his most capable subordinates, who tiptoed to Orochi's ear and whispered:
"Lord Orochi, a group of people has smuggled themselves into Wano Country."
Kurozumi Orochi's brow furrowed slightly, and a flash of displeasure crossed his eyes.
He impatiently waved his hand and said lazily:
"Don't bother me with such trivial matters; just handle it yourselves."
Upon hearing this, a sly glint flashed in the subordinate's eyes.
He understood Orochi's meaning and knew that it meant they could deal with these smugglers on their own, and all the benefits they obtained would belong to them.
He respectfully lowered his head and replied:
"Understood."
The man quickly retreated and disappeared into the shadows of the palace, preparing to deal with the group of smugglers.
Kurozumi Orochi continued to indulge in the enjoyment of dance and wine, as if the brief interlude had never happened.
"There will be an interesting show later, and I have no time to deal with those trivial matters."
The music was still melodious, the dancers' movements became more charming, and the entire palace was filled with an atmosphere of extravagance and debauchery.
Kurozumi Orochi's gaze once again focused on the dancers, and a satisfied smile appeared on the corner of his mouth as he continued to enjoy the beauty of the moment.
However, outside Orochi's palace, undercurrents surged in Wano Country.
Kuri.
A peaceful paradise in Wano Country.
However, the peace on this land seemed to have been broken after Kuzan and his group arrived.
Their group was indeed eye-catching, wearing suits that were completely different from the people around them, making them seem particularly out of place.
Kuzan scanned his surroundings and said in a low voice:
"If the intelligence capabilities of this island's ruler are decent, our whereabouts have already been exposed."
Toki nodded, with a hint of helplessness:
"We were originally planning to come here to change clothes, but I didn't expect..."
Enel didn't care and shrugged:
"This saves us some trouble. When someone comes, we can ask them what has happened in this country recently."
Just then, the village suddenly became noisy, and the crowd began to stir, all flocking in one direction.
Kuzan and his group looked in the direction of the crowd and saw people with disappointed expressions on their faces, discussing among themselves.
"Kozuki Oden is preparing to dance below Orochi's mansion..."
"How could Lord Oden, who restored peace to Kuri, fall to this point?"
"It's really disappointing."
"Thanks to Lady Chiori's governance, Kuri has been able to develop steadily during the years he was away."
"The first thing he did upon returning was not to rebel against Orochi, but to choose to do this..."
"I'm speechless; this country is hopeless."
The village was filled with complaints about Kozuki Oden.
Kuzan frowned slightly and said to his companions in a low voice:
"I knew before that Oden left Wano Country, but I didn't expect his reputation to be so bad now."
Toki took a deep breath, a complex emotion revealed in her eyes:
"Kozuki Oden... this name is a symbol in Wano Country, and his actions are indeed puzzling."
"With such a famous name, the people here are truly pathetic."
She and Jin'an had met Oden once and originally had an impression of the righteous man, but now they simply loathed him.
Enel sneered:
"No matter what he's doing, our goal is Kaido. Let's first find out about Orochi and Oden's dancing from these people."
Kuzan nodded:
"That's right. While there are many people now, we can mingle in the crowd and see if we can find out more useful information."
So, they moved in the direction of the crowd, blending into the group of villagers heading to watch Kozuki Oden's performance.
Amidst the angry and disappointed discussions of the villagers, Kuzan and his group passed through Kuri and headed towards the bustling Flower Capital.
Kurozumi Orochi's residence.
Originally the most solemn area, it was now filled with an atmosphere of ridicule and sarcasm.
Kurozumi Orochi clutched his stomach, laughing so hard that he leaned back and forth, his laughter echoing in the square:
"Oden, your dance is quite interesting; I like it very much."
Oden was naked, grinning as he danced a strange dance.
He seemed oblivious to the gazes of the people around him, wholeheartedly dancing.
Kin'emon and the others stood aside, wailing and crying, clenching their teeth to avoid making a sound, their eyes filled with grief and indignation.
The residents of the Flower Capital had long regarded Oden as a laughingstock, watching the comical scene with smirks, pointing and making no secret of their ridicule and contempt.
Kuzan and his group arrived just in time to witness this scene.
Kuzan frowned slightly and said to his companions in a low voice:
"The ruler of this country is indeed very problematic."
Just as they were preparing to learn more about the situation, a voice rang out beside Kuzan's ear:
"Guests from outside the island, please come with us."
Kuzan and his group exchanged glances, slowly turned around, and walked towards the source of the voice.
A man wearing a pink ninja outfit stood there, looking at them coldly:
"Leave all your valuables behind, and then, leave this country."
Shiryu bit his cigar and sneered:
"Looks like we've met someone even more greedy than me."
The ninja man's eyes turned cold, and the ninja sword in his hand gleamed with a cold light:
"Stop talking nonsense; just do as you're told."
Enel curled his lips and said disdainfully:
"Looks like there's no need to talk."
Shiryu smiled slightly, the corners of his lips moving slightly as he bit his cigar. As soon as he finished speaking, his body flashed, and the sword in his hand was already resting on the ninja's neck, the sharp blade shining in the sunlight.
"Say what you just said, one more time?"
Shiryu took the cigar from his mouth, flicked the ashes, and a hint of disdain appeared on his face.
The ninja man only felt a chill on his neck, and sweat instantly covered his forehead, his voice trembling:
"You... you..."
Kuzan watched this scene calmly, arms crossed, and said unhurriedly:
"We just want to ask some questions. If you can cooperate, it will be good for everyone."
The ninja man looked at the sword in Shiryu's hand, then at Kuzan and his group, and finally swallowed hard, barely squeezing out a smile:
"I... I understand. I will cooperate."
Toki stepped forward, her tone gentle:
"We want to know what important things have happened in Wano Country recently, especially about Kaido and the outsiders."
The ninja man took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and said slowly:
"Lord Kaido has been conducting some important experiments recently. I don't know the specifics, but I heard it's related to someone named Jin'an."
"Also, after Lord Oden returned, he has been dancing below Orochi's mansion every day in exchange for peace."
Kuzan frowned slightly:
"Peace? What does that mean?"
The ninja man smiled bitterly:
"Oden used his dignity to ensure that Orochi would no longer attack Kuri. Although we subordinates don't know the specifics, it is certain that the future of this country is no longer in the hands of the Kozuki family."
Kuzan nodded; he was not interested in the coup d'état in Wano Country:
"Okay, we understand. Next, we need you to lead the way to find Kaido and Jin'an."
The ninja man was slightly startled, then nodded:
"I understand, please follow me."
Shiryu's eyes flashed with bloodthirsty light, and the hand holding the knife exerted a little force, and blood flowed down the ninja's neck.
"I don't mind if you want to play tricks either."
"But, you have to think about the consequences."
