Chapter 136: Happy Place with the Devil

A/N: Chapters in advance in Patreòn

Pa treon.com/HolyJoker

(Finished in Patreòn)

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Chapter 136: Happy Place with the Devil

***

Hyogoro seemed alarmed by their declaration. "No!" he yelled out loudly. "Kaido is dead and no longer rules Wano. He and Orochi were killed by the new Shogun, Max."

"Max?" Kinemon frowned, unfamiliar with the name. But he wasn't willing to give up Oden's will so easily. "Then it doesn't matter. We must make Momonosuke the Shogun, no matter what."

The old man sighed but shook his head. "No, the only thing you would achieve by doing that will be your death. While we might have had a chance against kaido, Max is a whole other level of monster that continues to get stronger each time I catch sight of him. My senses have never lied to me before. I am confident there is no other out there like him."

"No way!" Kinemon banged his fist on the table angrily. "We can't let the Kozuki family end with Oden!"

"The Kozuki family isn't dead," Hyogoro frowned, pointing at Momonosuke. "But, they will no longer be the rulers of Wano. Even if by some miracle you were able to defeat Max, the people love him. Plus where is your army? The Samurai who were once loyal to Oden, most of them died and the ones alive will be loyal to Max too for saving their lives and families."

Kinemon didn't want to believe this, after only twenty years, the world had moved on and it seemed like Oden had just become a small part of history. Someone who would only be mentioned when Max's story was told. He couldn't accept such a despairing ending for the Kozuki family.

'If only we had been stronger, then Oden wouldn't have had to die.' - Kinemon couldn't hold back his tears as they dripped on the table. His memory of Oden saving them from jumping on the boiling oil was still very fresh and he couldn't stop his body from shaking in anger. He wasn't angry at the dead Kaido, or even Max… no, he was angry at himself.

"Sorry," Hyogoro saw just how distraught the Red Scabbards seemed and even the young Momonosuke only stared at his bowl of ramen absentmindedly. "But the war is over. Dragging the people through another one won't have you be seen as saviors, but just another Tyrant trying to overthrow the benevolent ruler. Do you want Oden's honor to be stained like this?"

Raizo, the ninja, stared at Hyogoro. Years flew like rivers through the ninja's eyes too. But he understood that their battle was already over and there was no chance for them anymore. 

"Uhhh… do you want seconds?" Mero stared at them awkwardly. Having heard the whole conversation. The first thing she will do after they leave was tell Negan about this. - 'Maybe then he will be so impressed by my intelligence-gathering skills and reward me with marriage. Our first child's name will be Meromero if it is a girl. I am sure Negan can think of a boy's name.'

"Hehehe~" Mero looked at the air absentmindedly and laughed foolishly with a blush on her face. Which weirded out everyone in the stall and they quietly left.

Once they were a good distance away, Hyogoro asked them. "So, what will you do now?"

Kinemon shrugged. "I don't know."

The old man smiled gently. "How about looking around Wano? Maybe then you will get a clearer look at just how beneficial Max is to it. If strong people like you decided to join him, Max might even re-establish the Kozuki as a noble family."

They nodded, deciding to do that. Since this would at least let their decisions be made easier. 

***

A couple of days passed by, Momonosuke, Kinemon, Kiku, Raizo, and Kanjuro went all over Wano. Exploring every nook and cranny of it. While there were some bad places, like every normal human society had them. But it seemed like the rate of crime was exponentially low and there were even no men who committed crime twice.

Currently, they were exploring Kuri, a region that used to be full of criminals before Oden had come and defeated them all. Once again, they were shocked to see places just as beautiful as the Flower Capital used to be. 

"Kinemon, Kiku, Raizo, Kanjuro," Momonosuke suddenly mentioned the names of all the retainers that were with him. "I have decided that we won't be taking Wano. This place has become peaceful, and what kind of Shogun I would be if the road was paved with blood."

"That's a wise decision, Momonosuke -sama," said Kanjuro, agreeing with his young master's decision. Though he seemed to reluctantly accept it.

"No!" Raizo said at first. But soon he only looked at the ground. "This…"

"Raizo, don't you dare go against the young master's wishes or you will become my enemy," Kinemon said ruthlessly. 'We-"

"Guys, there is no reason to fight," Momonosuke interrupted them with a serene smile on his face. He no longer had to worry about his family's killers. "Let's just explore Wano, see the country the way my father would have liked it to be. Without Kaido."

As they walked into the town, they saw many people happily walking around. The samurai had their swords on them, meaning that they could openly carry weapons. But they caught sight of something that surprised them. 

A very large man with light pink puffy hair that is gathered into a topknot was sitting laying down on an Ox and patrolling the town. He wore an open kimono with flowers on it that left his chest exposed. He had floral tattoos on his arms and upper chest. The man was Ashura Doji, the strongest of the Red Scabbards.

"Ashura?!" Kinemon exclaimed in shock. The overweight man pulled up his head and saw who it was. 

"Oh, it's you guys. So you finally arrived." Ashura Doji greeted them nonchalantly. Kinemon could see that the man's eyes didn't have that flame they once had in them.

The man got down from his Ox and pulled out his katana. "If you are here to fight against Max, then as an enforcer with the duty to end crime and disturbances. I will stop you here."

'What?" Kinemon was shocked at what his old friend had become. "Ashura Doji! Have you lost your honor as Oden's retainer?! You go and find a new master so casually and dare point your sword at Oden's son!"

***

-Ashura Doji POV-

These fools, they haven't seen what I had. At first, even I had the will to fight against Max and try to secure a place for Oden's son at least. But then… I met him… Bear D Max.

His presence alone made many people who wanted to fight against him go mad. Subordinates that had followed me through my life had their mind broken by the King's Will that Max excluded.

Couldn't these fools see? I was trying to save them. Someone like Max was like an otherworldly God of insanity. Just looking at him made you crazy. Suddenly my hands started shaking in fear as sweat rolled down my face.

T -This feeling… Every time I pick up my sword, I am reminded of his words.

'Ashura, I think it would be in your best interest to never point that sword at me again.'

Such simple and arrogant words wouldn't have made me feel terror at just wielding a sword. I, a samurai, am afraid of wielding a sword… 

Guys run away!! Never come back to Wano again!!

I wanted to yell that out loud so bad. But Max… it, it felt like he was behind me. I could smell him, feel his presence there. Though I knew it was my imagination, and broken mind making this up. But the fear and terror I felt were real.

GUYS LEAVE WANO!!

I wanted to help my friends, but my teeth chattered against each other. No, no, no, I don't want my comrades and friends to stay here. This place was Hell disguised as Paradise! 

The Devil lives here!!