Flower Capital, the former Shogun's Castle of Orochi.
Steam curled above the spacious open-air hot spring bath.
Kane submerged himself completely in the warm water, letting the scalding flow wash away the fatigue accumulated from days of acting.
"Whoosh—"
The faint sound of a wooden sliding door being pushed open interrupted his thoughts.
Kozuki Toki, wearing a semi-transparent plain white robe, stepped barefoot onto the slightly cool wooden floor.
She carried the sleeping Hiyori in her arms, her steps extremely light, careful not to wake the little girl.
After properly settling Hiyori on the soft couch behind the screen and pulling up the thin blanket, she turned to face the man in the bath.
The steam made her face appear even more delicate.
After these days of "deep redemption" and subtle brainwashing, the former Kozuki matriarch had long lost the prim and proper rigidity in her eyes, replaced entirely by the gentleness of one completely conquered.
"Kane."
She knelt at the edge of the bath, hands folded on her knees, bowing deeply.
Kane leaned against the smooth rock, not even lifting an eyelid.
"Everything outside handled properly?"
"Yes."
Kozuki Toki reported in a low voice, clear and organized.
"Our people have been inserted into all the core weapon workshops in Udon. The Beast Pirates' overseers only monitor total output; they know nothing about defective losses or accounts."
"Ninety percent of the firearms and Sea Stone produced each month will be shipped to G-5 in batches via three secret routes."
Kane mentally gave her a thumbs-up.
This woman truly lived up to being a survivor from eight hundred years ago.
Before, she had simply been forcibly dumbed down by that idiot Kozuki Oden's halo.
Now that her mind was clear, she handled black accounts and smuggling operations as if born to it.
"Well done."
Kane opened his eyes, his gaze unapologetically falling on her thin robe.
Kozuki Toki trembled slightly, then raised her head to meet Kane's intensely invasive stare.
"There's one more thing."
She bit her full lower lip, her tone resolute.
"This humble one will no longer be called Kozuki Toki."
Kane raised an eyebrow.
"The Kozuki Clan died out completely in the great fire of Kuri."
Mentioning the name "Kozuki," her eyes filled with undisguised disgust.
"From now on, there is only Tianyue Shi in this world. This life, this body, are entirely at your command."
Reverting to her original surname.
This was a complete severance from that absurd marriage of the past.
[Ding—Detected key plot character [Kozuki Toki] has completely severed ties with the original worldline, declaring loyalty to the host!]
[Her actions have caused the causality of the [Wano Country Arc] to completely collapse! Worldline deviation rapidly expanding!]
[Violation behavior determined: Extreme Hypocrisy! Mental Enslavement! Wife Theft! Historical Subversion!]
[Violation Value obtained: 400,000 points!]
The cold system prompt in his mind was as pleasing as heavenly music.
Kane felt elated inside, but his expression remained unperturbed.
The water splashed loudly.
He suddenly reached out, grabbing Tianyue Shi's slender ankle and pulling her into the pool with undeniable force.
"Ah!"
Tianyue Shi gasped as the warm spring water instantly soaked through her thin clothing.
Before she could steady herself, a strong hand wrapped around her waist, pressing her firmly against his chest.
"Hi… Hiyori is still over there…"
Tianyue Shi's cheeks flushed red as she weakly pressed her hands against Kane's solid chest, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"She's asleep."
Kane lowered his head, his nose brushing against her earlobe, his hot breath warming the nape of her neck.
"Rather than that, I'm more concerned about how Madam Tianyue intends to fulfill the phrase 'at your complete disposal.'"
This was the joy of the villain.
Completely abandoning moral constraints while still earning the gratitude of the victim's family.
The water churned violently, the hot spring's water level rising steadily until it overflowed the pool's edge, draining away through the outlet.
Kane's fingers gripped her smooth chin, forcing her to look up.
"Keep a close eye on Kaido's men."
He spoke seriously into her ear while continuing his movements.
"If you sense anything wrong or notice any discrepancies in the accounts, notify me immediately using the Den Den Mushi."
"Don't fight recklessly. Your life is now more valuable than all the gold in Wano Country."
This half-truth, half-lie of affection carried immense impact.
Tianyue Shi's eyes reddened as she tightly wrapped her arms around Kane's neck.
"As… as you command, sir…"
Her fragmented voice was completely swallowed by the swirling steam.
The water splashed fiercely.
From the bottom of the bath, the rocks emitted a chilling, grating sound.
Kane's movements were far from gentle, each thrust sending violent ripples through the water.
Tianyue Shi tilted her head back, biting down on Kane's collarbone, forcing back the moan threatening to escape her throat.
She was afraid of waking her daughter sleeping outside on the tatami.
The thrill of this secret affair, mixed with an intense fervor for the man who had saved her life, left her trembling uncontrollably beneath the water.
…
An hour later.
The storm subsided.
Tianyue Shi lay limp in Kane's arms like soft mud, her breathing gradually steadying.
The hot spring's temperature perfectly soothed the aches after such intense exertion.
Her fingers traced circles on the man's firm chest muscles, her eyes filled with unconcealed admiration.
"You…"
She hesitated, her ears turning bright red.
"What?"
"Have you always… been this skilled…?"
After holding back for so long, this lady who had traversed eight centuries finally voiced this bold question.
Oden, that blockhead whose mind was filled only with muscles and dancing, had not only been a disaster in governing the country but was also crude and devoid of any finesse in that aspect.
This man before her, whether in strategy or physical prowess, had completely outclassed her former husband in every way.
Kane understood the hidden meaning behind her praise.
Marine Six Styles: Life Return.
This technique wasn't just for combat. The skill to control muscles, blood flow, and internal organ rhythms became a divine ability in certain specific situations.
"The Navy's internal physical training is quite rigorous."
Kane lied without batting an eye, casually pinching her soft cheek.
"As for you, your stamina recovered faster than I expected, madam."
Tianyue Shi buried her face in the water, too embarrassed to look up.
Kane lifted her out, shifting to a more comfortable position against the pool's edge.
His fingers idly twirled Tianyue Shi's hair, but his mind was occupied with something else.
"Shi."
"Hmm?"
"Take me to see that thing."
Tianyue Shi stiffened. She naturally understood what Kane was referring to.
It was the ultimate trump card guarded by the Kozuki Clan for generations, powerful enough to overturn the world.
"It's in a secret cave beneath Mount Fuji."
Tianyue Shi did not hesitate in the slightest.
"That is the forbidden ground of the Kozuki Clan... but now, it belongs to you."
"Whenever you wish to see it, I can lead the way at any time."
"Good."
Kane smiled with satisfaction.
All the scheming, the psychological warfare, the manipulation—wasn't this exactly what he had aimed for?
He stood up from the water, droplets rolling down the explosive lines of his muscles, and casually pulled on a robe.
"We'll make rubbings of the Poneglyphs tonight."
"As for Pluton... let it soak underwater for a few more years."
He wasn't yet strong enough to flip the table with Imu.
His Violation Value wasn't high enough; he needed to play his cards one by one.
"Get dressed."
Kane walked to the soft couch, glanced at Hiyori sleeping soundly, then tossed a clean kimono to Tianyue Shi.
The woman obediently dressed, regaining her dignified composure, though the admiration in her eyes could no longer be concealed.
Kane walked to the door, slid open the wooden panel, and a cold night wind rushed in.
Without looking back, he said,
"Let's go, Shi."
"Lead the way. Let's complete the final handover ceremony on this land."
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