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Chapter 578: The King's Mercy is Also Oppression
Chapter 578: The King's Mercy is Also Oppression
The banquet had concluded, and it was time to unleash their killing intent.
There were still many unresolved matters in Wano Country, and Kurozumi Orochi and the rebellious samurai were not the only ones standing in the way of Wano's future. The true power brokers were the nobility, the kuge, who held sway over the country.
Kaido's invasion and Orochi's rule had merely driven the Five Families of Wano—the Kozuki, Amatsuki, Shimotsuki, Fugetsu, and Amagiri—into hiding. But the people still existed, and the kuge under these families were living even better lives.
These individuals were Lily's primary targets for elimination.
Kaido had intended to use war to bring down the nobility, but before that, Orochi had been in control. Kaido didn't care about how power was divided in Wano; he only wanted to establish his weapon factories.
The absence of the Five Families didn't mean that certain things would disappear. If they wanted them gone, they had to be thoroughly eradicated!
Hakuro Village.
"Tsuru! We've found you!"
A group of pirates rushed into the village, surrounding a tea stall and the woman in blue kimono.
The sudden commotion startled the customers inside the tea stall, who quickly moved away but didn't flee.
This village, located near the Flower Capital, had also suffered greatly at the hands of the pirates.
Kaido had never truly controlled Wano Country, and the same was true for Orochi. Although they had eliminated the disloyal daimyo across the country, they had only managed to achieve this much and had not fully consolidated their power.
Kaido stayed on Onigashima, while Orochi ruled from the Flower Capital, leaving the rest of the country largely unattended. At most, they allowed the pirates to roam freely, and some villages had been raided by them.
It was similar to how they would raid the surrounding islands that didn't pay protection fees. Those islands were only protected after paying the fees, and if they didn't pay, they were not only at the mercy of other pirates but also the larger pirate crews that dominated the region.
That was the nature of pirates.
Normally, upon seeing pirates, the villagers would immediately flee.
However, this group of pirates was different. After a few days of distributing food and providing aid, the villagers began to see the 'Calamity Pirates' as good people. Besides distributing food, they didn't oppress the villagers, and they were even better than the samurai lords of the past.
They treated the villagers as equals, and some of the pirates, when drunk, would even lend a hand in repairing houses and fixing things.
This allowed the villagers to learn about these pirates. Although they were still pirates, before becoming pirates, they had been ordinary craftsmen and merchants.
They were once ordinary people.
This knowledge put the villagers at ease, and although they didn't socialize with the pirates, they no longer fled at the sight of them.
It seemed that after the Calamity Pirates arrived, the previously ruthless Beast Pirates had become more restrained.
Occasionally, when passing by and eavesdropping, the villagers heard the pirates talk about how they had to follow the new captain's rules. Those who didn't obey were skinned alive at the port, and their bones were said to have been rearranged to resemble wings, like blood-soaked eagles. The pirates themselves were afraid, so the villagers were no longer fearful.
Now, as the pirates surrounded the village, the villagers didn't immediately leave but watched with tension.
"I wonder what business you have with a rural village woman like me?" Tsuru asked, gently brushing aside a strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead, her expression calm. "If you want rice balls, I can give you some, but there's nothing else here worth taking."
"You're quite the talker," a crisp voice said from behind the pirates.
The pirates automatically parted, revealing the golden-haired beauty who had once appeared on the national broadcast.
"What are you trying to incite?" Lily asked, her gaze cold as she stared at Tsuru. "Since Sage arrived, we've never taken anything from you because you're too poor. You're weak."
"Don't attribute unspoken words to others. That's malicious slander and an attempt to undermine Sage's rule. Furthermore, you're not just a rural village woman; you're not an ordinary person. You're the leader of the 'Akazaya Nine Evils' and the most prominent retainer of the Kozuki family, the one who hinders their rule—'Foxfire' Kin'emon's wife."
Tsuru's pupils constricted, and cold sweat trickled down her forehead.
As expected, they knew.
Learning this information wasn't difficult.
The intelligence network of the Bao Huang connected the entire Flower Capital, and during this time, she had spread her reach across the country, with animals wearing paper eyes reporting their observations.
The noble kuge, remnants of the daimyo families, and even the families of the samurai had all been located.
After sending out Forze Fr and the newly recruited Oniwabanshu to gather intelligence, Lily was determined to take action.
Once found, it was time to strike!
Identification was not a challenge, as Lily had no intention of identifying anyone.
Regardless of their relationship, anyone who mentioned the names on her list, as long as they were overheard, would be on her hit list!
She planned to kill all ten, and although there might be some innocent victims, by killing one out of every ten, there would surely be some who slipped through the net!
Sage had paid for their food out of his own pocket, saving them from starvation, and until he fulfilled his promise of work, supplies would continue to flow.
At this point, a normal person would be grateful, but those who cursed Sage instead of being thankful for their previous rebellion were definitely not normal.
So they must be eliminated!
"As members of the samurai class, you could have been spared. You have no real power or ruling authority, but you declared that you could rebel under the pretext of restoring your master's rule. Unless you pledge your loyalty, just as those samurai did to Sage, then..."
Lily spoke in a cold voice, "Kill all those with close relationships!"
This was never a game of house!
It was a life-and-death struggle!
By eliminating them, this place would be free from oppression!
Sage would not oppress them, and no one else had the right to do so either!
"What loyalty? Do you want to be named the shameful 'Da Wa Samurai'?"
The crane woman dropped her act and shouted, "Wano Country belongs to the Kozuki family! It has been passed down through generations, not by the Kurozumi or some mere pirate from the outside world! One day, someone will surely rise up and overthrow the tyrant!"
As she spoke, she drew a hidden short sword from her waist and charged at Lily.
A sharp hiss filled the air, and her movement was momentarily halted by the glint of the blade. A thin line of blood appeared on her neck, and as she fell, blood gushed out like a fountain.
Lily didn't even glance at her, turning away and saying, "Next."
Before arriving in Kuri, she had already swept through the surrounding areas, from far to near.
The first place she targeted was the Zeni Town in the Shiro District.
Then, the Kikyo Port in the Ringo District.
Followed by the Tsunezumi Port in the Usagi District.
And now, the largest area, the Kuri District.
She intended to completely eradicate the remaining samurai and court nobles.
Kasa Village.
A village in the Kuri District known for producing straw hats in Wano Country.
Here, there was also a swordsmith, Tengu Mountain Hyou, wearing a tengu mask and standing on stilts.
At this moment, he was still surrounded by pirates.
The doors of his house were wide open, and Tengu Mountain Hyou knelt on the ground, as if waiting for something, without uttering a sound behind his mask.
"Kozuki Sukiyaki."
Lily entered and looked down at the kneeling Tengu Mountain Hyou, "You've been found out."
"We've been discovered," he said, removing his red tengu mask to reveal an aged face.
It was the previous generation's Kuri Daimyo and Shogun of Wano Country, Kozuki Sukiyaki.
"Pirates, you're all despicable. You're worse than Kaido. You've killed innocent people."
Kozuki Sukiyaki glared at Lily with hatred, but also with a hint of confusion, "Why? If it's just about ruling, the pirates' policy of providing food should have been enough."
"That's where we differ. I've studied your deeds among the common folk."
Lily said, "You were a good shogun, valuing order and law. Under your rule, people didn't commit crimes."
Not a single mistake, not a single word, not a single action, not a single expression, not a single thing in the book!
"If that's the case, why are you still so relentless? I'm just a swordsmith now."
Kozuki Sukiyaki said, "During my time as shogun, I also took good care of the commoners."
"The care you speak of, is it that when you saw someone unable to pay their taxes, you paid them on their behalf, saving them from starvation?"
Lily asked, "How can such care compare to what we offer? Your innate status makes you part of the oppressors. You're the last one. After you're gone, we'll announce to Wano Country that their rulers and those with blood ties and claims to power have been completely eradicated."
The king's act of mercy towards the commoners was at most like this, and it could only be so.
They couldn't change the rules that stemmed from their rule, as it would undermine their very foundation.
And those rulers who couldn't delve deeper into the truth would also make a show of kindness, befitting their status, in the eyes of the public.
But that was theirs!
It had always been theirs!
Hiss! Lily gripped the hilt of her sword, and a radiant light flashed as she slashed across the neck of Kin'emon Sukiyaki, then turned and left.
"Take this head and broadcast it throughout the Land of Harmony. Then, roam the entire country and proclaim that the old rule has ended, and a new reign has arrived!"
...
The Five Great Families and the nobles from all regions were all personally eliminated by Lily, disappearing from the Land of Harmony.
Regardless of their status, their actions, their circumstances, or their age, all were gone.
Only one remained, a member of the Kurozumi family.
The Kurozumi family was once a noble family in the Land of Harmony, but Lily's investigation revealed that their reputation had long been tarnished.
Before Kurozumi Orochi became the Shogun, this family had attempted to rebel against the Kozuki family and was stripped of their noble status. They were despised by everyone in the Land of Harmony, and even members of the family hid their surname just to survive.
For example, "Kurozumi Tama and Kurozumi Kanjuro."
In the banquet hall of the Black Ship, Sage sat on his throne, observing a purple-haired girl with a tense expression, her head bowed as she fidgeted with her small hands.
Beside her, a strange beast bared its teeth and tried to protect Tama, but under Sage's gaze, it lowered its body and trembled slightly.
A short distance away, a tall man with a straight-cut red hairstyle and Kabuki-style makeup knelt on the ground.
After glancing at them, Sage turned to the beast and said with a smile, "So this is the Komainu? It's like the stone lions at the entrance. The Land of Harmony truly is a wonderful place with many rare and exotic creatures."
Lily, standing by his side, nodded and said, "Hawkins found a deer with flame-like mane in the Land of Harmony, and he seems to like it very much."
The Land of Harmony was indeed home to many unique and exotic animals, such as the majestic black bull with glossy fur, a giant rooster with fiery red crests, and even dinosaurs, which were likely not native to the country and had been brought in by Kaido's men from ancient islands.
"Well then, let's have Hawkins allocate a special area to ensure a good environment for these animals. They are quite rare, and you can't find them anywhere else. It would be a waste to let them go."
While the architecture of the Land of Harmony could be found in similar forms on the high seas, the animals native to the country were unique, unlike anything else in the world.
Collecting them would be a valuable addition to any collection.
"Now, let's talk about you two from the Kurozumi family. Normally, Lily would have executed you, but I spared your lives."
"Yes, we are extremely grateful, Governor!"
Kanjuro touched his head to the ground and said respectfully, "I am willing to serve you, Governor! The Kurozumi family, generation after generation, will be loyal to you!"
It was Kanjuro who had informed Sage about the survival of Kin'emon Sukiyaki.
When Kurozumi Orochi usurped the throne and imprisoned him, Kin'emon disappeared, and his body was never found.
Without a body, it was difficult to confirm his death, so an investigation was necessary.
To their surprise, they discovered the truth, and they had achieved what Kanjuro had always wanted.
With the Five Great Families gone, the Kurozumi family would no longer be subjected to the disdain they had endured in the Land of Harmony. The environment that had made them outcasts would soon disappear, and the noble families were all dead. No one would discriminate against them anymore, and they could reclaim their names and live honorably in this country.
What?
They could only be commoners?
In the past, they didn't even have the right to be commoners.
They were treated like pests, and upon revealing their identities, they would be met with hostility and violence.
This was the case for Kurozumi Orochi's parents and Kanjuro's parents as well.
"Is... my master dead?"
Tama's eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to hold back her sobs. "But my master didn't do anything wrong. My parents were also killed by pirates. You want me to surrender, but I..."
"Your parents were killed by pirates in the weapon factory," Sage explained.
Lily added, "But the root cause was that your parents lived in fear of their surname being discovered. They took on the lowest jobs in the eyes of the people of the Land of Harmony, hiding their identities and enduring contempt. Even in the weapon factory, they were treated like slaves by the craftsmen. Ultimately, it was the Land of Harmony that caused all this."
"No one knows why Kin'emon Sukiyaki took you in. You can cry for him, but you must understand that the reason you ended up like this is because of this place."
Lily continued, "Live on. Sage has granted you a new life."
Not everyone had to be killed, especially not an innocent young girl like Tama.
She deserved a chance to live and choose her own path.
(End of Chapter)
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