Unaware that he would later be strung up on a streetlamp by his own grandfather again, Momonosuke was currently strolling through the streets with his younger sister, Kozuki Hiyori.
They happened to see Jack and Yamato walking out of the shogunate.
"Ah…! Uuuu!"
Kozuki Hiyori had just wanted to happily run up to greet them when Momonosuke suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her behind a corner.
"Shhh! Promise me you won't make a sound and I'll let go!"
He whispered. Only after seeing his sister nod did Momonosuke release her.
"Ugh… could you wash your hands after sword practice!?"
"That's not important right now!" Momonosuke waved it off. "Why are those two leaving the shogunate alone? What are they planning?"
"They're just Michael… uh, no—Grandfather's subordinates! They're not his slaves! Going to enjoy the Flower Capital is perfectly normal! Aren't we also just wandering around the streets?"
"But we're the children of the Shogun of Wano! We're… uh… inspecting the public sentiment! Yes, public sentiment!"
"Wow. The way you make up a fancy excuse and try to act serious… it's honestly kinda gross."
"Is that how you talk to your big brother!?" Momonosuke was a bit embarrassed and angry. "I'm just being cautious! That Yamato—no matter what you say… she is Kaido's daughter!"
Kozuki Hiyori scratched her cheek.
She knew Kaido had once invaded and enslaved Wano, but back then she had been far too young to form real memories.
By the time she grew old enough to understand the world, Kaido had already been gone for years.
So… in a way, Kozuki Hiyori represented the mindset of the new generation of Wano's citizens—
They knew Kaido was awful, and terrifying.
But had no idea why he was terrifying.
Everything existed only in books or in stories passed down by word of mouth.
Although she sometimes thought her brother was cowardly… he was still her brother.
Seeing his overly serious expression now, Kozuki Hiyori could only nod.
"Fine. What do you want to do?"
"What else? We're going to follow them and keep watch!" Momonosuke sighed. "Not only can we not beat them… if you think about it seriously, we're supposed to call Yamato 'san'!"
"That's amazing—uh, I mean… tragic. Very tragic."
Kozuki Hiyori almost cheered out loud.
But since Momonosuke finally wanted to act serious…
She'd cheer later.
Thus, the young master and princess of Wano started creeping behind Yamato and Jack.
But the two of them really seemed to be out just to mess around.
They ran around the Flower Capital aimlessly.
In the end, even Momonosuke felt like an idiot.
These two looked even more like street loafers than he and his sister!
But by evening, Yamato and Jack finally showed signs of movement.
The two walked lazily down a road, then suddenly made a sharp turn into…
The Overseas Trade Promotion Association.
Momonosuke instantly became alert!
Wasn't this the trade bureau founded by his mother!?
What were they doing here? Were they trying to interfere with Wano's trade!?
He exchanged a glance with Kozuki Hiyori and quickly followed.
But the moment they stepped inside, two large hands yanked them behind the building.
Jack—crouching into a ball—and Yamato beside him stared at them in surprise.
"Hm? It's you two? I thought it was an enemy." Jack blinked, then let go.
Just as he was about to speak, hurried footsteps sounded from the front of the building.
Yamato immediately gestured at Momonosuke and Kozuki Hiyori to stay quiet.
The group peeked toward the front door.
The fat man who served as chairman of the Overseas Promotion Association hurried back inside.
"Huh? Chairman Nichimura is back?"
"Shh… quiet." Yamato tapped Momonosuke. "I'm here on Father's orders to keep watch on this place!"
"…Grandfather sent you?"
"Hmph! Of course!" Yamato said smugly. "Father thinks this man is suspicious."
"Chairman Nichimura is suspicious? How did he tell?"
"Oh, he didn't figure it out."
"…Then what's Grandfather's reasoning?"
"Instinct."
"…."
Momonosuke said expressionlessly.
"The more I hear, the more I'm convinced he really is my grandfather… that laziness toward even making excuses is exactly like Mother."
...
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Kurozumi Higurashi stormed around her office, pacing back and forth, cursing nonstop.
She never imagined that the Michael who made the entire sea tremble…
Had appeared in Wano!
What mattered even more…
The way Michael looked at her felt wrong!
Had she been exposed?
That shouldn't be possible.
Unless she lost consciousness or fell into the sea, no one should be able to see through her fruit transformation ability.
Did Michael just dislike him for no reason?
Either way, the pressure on her multiplied.
But being the mastermind who once overturned all of Wano, Higurashi instead grew calm under great pressure.
She took out the Den Den Mushi that Kaido had given her.
Wano didn't naturally have Den Den Mushi—only special snails functioning similarly.
So theoretically, there was no such thing as black Den Den Mushi that could eavesdrop here.
"Buruburuburu… buruburuburu… click…"
"Kurozumi Higurashi. I hope the news you bring me… is good."
"Kaido! Michael! Michael is in Wano!"
Just that one sentence plunged the other side of the line into silence.
After a long moment, Kaido finally spoke—
A voice trembling with excitement at a long-awaited wish being fulfilled.
"Michael… in Wano?"
"That's… excellent."
Then he hung up immediately.
Higurashi stared at the Den Den Mushi, then suddenly threw it to the ground.
"Damn it! Does Kaido even understand what Michael's presence means!?"
"If he can't take Wano, then the Kurozumi family's chance to rise again and rule these commoners will be gone forever!"
"Ah! Why do Michael and the Revolutionary Army even exist in this world!?"
"These filthy commoners should just crawl obediently beneath the feet of us nobles!"
After venting, Higurashi suddenly heard the window behind her shatter.
She turned around.
A tall girl with long white-to-red gradient hair and a pair of crimson oni horns leapt in through the broken window.
A kanabo swung toward him with a roar.
"Beast!"
"Take this blow from your worker-grandpa!"
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg