C43 : Their Return

• [Wano Country] {Year : 20.6} •

*WOOOSH*

A immense pressure suddenly descended upon the whole graveyard of Kozuki Family. The graveyard keepers panicked and immediately called out for a retainer to assist.

A retainer of Kozuki Family swiftly came because he was near by and was astonished when he noticed something slowly spiraling in middle of the air between the graveyard and sky. "This is...!"

"Quickly call for Young Miss!" Another retainer whom arrived belatedly, didn't hesitate to order. He had an feeling that their heir was coming along with the rest of missing Red Scabbards. "They're coming..."

Few more retainers of Kozuki Family arrived and they appeared excited by the rumor already spreading throughout them. The people who were sent to the future by the wife of Kozuki Oden was finally arriving here. Although they didn't need any saving now, they were excited to have their fellow comrades and the heir of Kozuki Family to finally return after few long years, although brief for them.

"NO! DON'T LEAVE THEM ALONE!" A rough and male voice harshly shouted out to whoever was behind. The retainers felt their body tensing as they remembered where exactly they were coming from — in middle of a burning house where the daughter and wife of Kozuki Oden were in with several of other retainers. They remembered that said retainers had tried to follow them to assist them but a Red Scabbard ordered them to stay with Kozuki Toki and Hiyori to keep them from harm as possible. "YOUNG MADAM, I SWEAR THAT WE WILL SAVE WANO COUNTRY FROM HIS TREACHEROUS ACTIONS! I S-SWEAR!"

Sobs were heard right after, showing how unwilling the people being forced to be sent towards the future were. After all, the young madam and young miss of Kozuki Family were left behind with several other retainers.

By now, the graveyard of Kozuki Family was nearly completely resided by their retainers. A retainer told the man who ordered that Kozuki Hiyori would be immediately arriving here soon. "Good... Young miss will be glad to see young master."

That was the moment when the near-invisible spiral suddenly opened with a hole in middle of it enlarging. Within it, they could see the scene of flames as they watched the four 'would-be saviors' finally come out of it.

*PLOP*

Abruptly, the hole spiraled into itself and disappeared as if nothing happened... if not for the four people who came out it.

"..." The retainers of Kozuki Family remained agape as they watched the four people sobbing in middle of the graveyard. They witnessed Kozuki Toki, Oden's wife, use her devil fruit, Time Time Fruit, to send few people ahead to the future and it was successful. Moreover, they were completely the same as the moment they were sent — young and all that... This included their young master being the same age.

"Mother!" A young boy, looking to be the age of 8, cried out as tears fell from his face. He kept repeating for his mother, wishing that the moment that everything went hell never came. He wore slightly scorched kimono with a pair of footwear of geto.

"Where are we?!" The man with same rough voice appeared to panic as he took in the amount of retainers around him. He didn't know who they were due to their aging, so he immediately brought out his weapon and harshly demanded. "Who are you all?! Men of that scum Orochi?!"

"...Kin'emon." A aged retainer wielding an familiar sword sighed as he approached the now-named man. "We are retainers of Kozuki Family. Do you not remember us?"

As he spoke, six other aged retainers approached and stood before him. They appeared to have some familiar relationship with Kin'emon. Kin'emon wasn't sure when he saw the familiar sword and their slightly familiar appearance, only that they're older than...

"Ah!" Kin'emon finally understood and remembered that they were sent to the future, so it was completely understandable that the retainers back then would have looked older. "B-but you're all fine...?"

"Yes." The aged retainer with a familiar sword nodded and smiled. "Master Shogun saved us from Kurozumi Family and the Beast Pirates. Oh, not Kurozumi Orochi, our Shogun is Ryu."

"...Ryu...?" Kin'emon appeared confused, not having heard of this name in Wano Country at least.

The aged retainers suddenly looked awkward as one of them told him. "Ryu is an pirate well-known in the New World, for his strength and actions. He is also known as Solitary Pirate... and Uncrowned Emperor."

"What?! A pirate?!" Kin'emon looked outraged, finding out that the current Shogun was a pirate! A f*cking pirate like Kaido! "What's going on with Wano Country?! Has it stooped to this point for a mere pirate to take over as the Shogun?!"

"..." The atmosphere suddenly turned frigid and chilly as most younger retainers of Kozuki Family unhesitatingly brought their cold eyes on the man. Although this man was supposedly their higher-up, they did not like it when anyone badmouthed their savior.

"It would do you well if you do not view him in a bad way. Shogun Ryu is not like that animal." The aged retainer with a familiar sword shook his head. He took a short glance and was pleased at how young retainers grew in power, aspiring to be at least strong as the Shogun. "Shogun Ryu saved us from Kurozumi Family and Beast Pirates. Although he took up the position of Shogun, he has drastically changed our government for the community's sake. Right now, Wano Country can not go forward without the community, us and the commoners."

"What...?" Kin'emon was extremely confused right now, as well as the other two of Red Scabbards who went with him and Momonosuke.

One of them, a very tall woman wearing scorched kimono, warily looked around and realized that they were on the grounds of Kozuki Family's graveyard. "Those gravestones..."

Behind them lied several gravestones, in which some of them had their names carved in. Momonosuke, Kin'emon, Raizo, and Kikunojo. However, there were other names that showed some of retainers did not survive through the burning house back then. It also involved Kozuki Toki's name.

"Y-young madam died?" Kin'emon stuttered out when he realized it. Momonosuke heard this and was in disbelief as more tears came out of his face.

"No, it can't be! What about my sister, Hiyori?!" Momonosuke demanded, standing before the retainers of Kozuki Family. At this moment, his eyes shone with near-invisible determination. If his sister did not survive as well... he would not hesitate to go after the man who caused this! "Tell me right now!"

"Young miss is fine! She is currently the Head of Kozuki Family." An female aged retainer stated with a sad smile directed at Momonosuke. To see him still young while Kozuki Hiyori grew through it was saddening for her. "She is also coming here. Young miss has awaited for your arrival, young master."

"Teacher?" The tall woman with scorched kimono looked surprised when she saw the woman who spoke. She then ran to her without hesitation. "You're still alive, teacher!"

"Hmm?!" The female aged retainer looked shocked when the tall woman ran towards her, her arms wide open to hug. "W-wait!"

Unfortunately, the tall woman never stopped and hugged her teacher... in which her teacher was completely embarrassed when the young female retainers gazed at her with a satisfied smirk.

As much as she wanted to yell at this tall female student of hers, she understood that the tall female probably thought she failed to escape as well. In the end, she simply sighed. "Alright, Kikunojo, I'm still alive..."

Kikunojo simply continued to sniff her sobs in. The last time she saw her was when she charged into the front lines of Beast Pirates with several others and Kozuki Oden. They never knew what happened only that Kozuki Oden was captured and used as a bargaining chip.

Momonosuke was relieved that his little sister was still safe but saddened that his mother passed away. Even so, he would uphold his promise to his father, Kozuki Oden, and bring Kozuki Family to its new glory. He looked around for awhile, seeing that there were more retainers... when he realized something that made him become mortified.

Kin'emon though was still slightly stunned while looking at the abundant retainers of Kozuki Family. There were young retainers whom he did not remember being apart of Kozuki Family and familiar retainers that actually managed to survive the onslaught of Beast Pirates and Kurozumi Family combined. After a moment of thoughts, he promptly fainted into a blissful slumber.

Raizo, an large-headed man, simply sat down with his legs crossed and grieved for his comrades' death in front of their gravestones.

"Momonosuke?!" A familiar yet older female voice called out for Momonosuke, causing him to slightly crumble onto the floor.

His 'little' sister wasn't so little as he looked at Kozuki Hiyori rapidly approaching him with bigger and taller figure...

"Nnooooooooooo!"

…

With Ryu and group...

"Hmm?" Ryu tilted his head and felt like something hilarious happened when he wasn't there to witness it. He just shrugged and smiled. "Are you enjoying yourself, Rin?"

Rin glared in response. "You think?"

Several Mink children were either poking at her flawless skin, appearing confused. They couldn't comprehend why humans viewed this common when furred skins were better.

"Alright, kids, you're making her uncomfortable." Ryu laughed as he told the Mink children off, who giggled along and left them alone.

Rin pouted at being laughed at. Then she shifted and asked. "So why did you choose Mokomo Dukedom as our first destination?"

"To see something." Ryu answered and looked at a spot on the tree that resembled a large white whale. In that spot were where Road Poneglyph was located in. It was also where his target was hidden in too.

Duke Inuarashi, who had been around just in case, noticed where he was looking at and was surprised. "You want to see the Road Poneglyph? Last time you came here, you didn't have any interest in it."

"No, it's not Road Poneglyph I wanted to see, it's what inside it that I am interested in." Ryu said. His words brought confusion to Duke Inuarashi, because as far as he knew, it was only one material and carvings upon it.

However, he did not pry into it any further. "Very well, I am sure that yellow p*ss-colored p*ssy doesn't mind you visiting it. He should be coming soon."

"..." The Solitary Pirate felt his hand twitching to choke Duke Inuarashi out of annoyance. He glanced at Rin and rolled his eyes, she was already used to Duke Inuarashi mentioning Master Nekomamushi while cursing at the same time.

"Oh, right, have you met Carrot ever since then...?" Duke Inuarashi expectantly looked at him, hoping that he did. Otherwise Carrot would indeed give a whole different meaning of being a punching bag. That and she'd actually use Electric on them for the first time...

"Nope." Ryu didn't hesitate to ruthlessly crush his hope. He smirked when Duke Inuarashi looked at him with disbelief. "Why? Should I have found her after she'd left?"

"You knew of her leaving and yet you didn't bother to worry about her safety in New World?"

"Look at me, who am I?" The Solitary Pirate and Uncrowned Emperor rolled his eyes. "Did you think that those times I trained her were for Paradise of Grand Line? She has learned of Haki and how to effectively use them as well as other martial arts. Not only that, she is completely capable of using Electric."

"Erm..." Duke Inuarashi initially wanted to retort but in the end surrendered. He only hoped that Carrot would somehow find Ryu before returning to Mokomo Dukedom. "...Well, that's true."

"Who's Carrot?" Rin asked, curious. Seemed that this Carrot girl was someone important considering Duke Inuarashi's reactions. "Is she a disciple of yours, Ryu?"

Kumiko glanced at Ryu's facial looks, admiring it at the same time, before saying. "She perhaps is, from what Ryu has said. It also seems that she is highly capable in terms of combat as well."

"Yes." Ryu nodded. He felt that he would be seeing her soon, so he did not bother to hide it at all. "I met her when I was younger while I was here. She was quite annoying but cute nevertheless, so I tolerated and taught her."

He spoke as if he truly meant it yet obviously didn't. Duke Inuarashi, the large furred canine Mink, felt his mouth twitching from holding his barking laughter. "Is that why you decided to train her? Just because she was cute?"

Ryu shrugged and said. "Sure."

Duke Inuarashi decided it was time to stop when he noticed a certain yellow p*ss-colored p*ssy approaching them.

"Hey, you just thought something rude about me, right?!" Master Nekomamushi's yellow tail twitched. He seemed to have some talent to discern thoughts of Duke Inuarashi's. "Guess what?! I wouldn't have come here if not for Shogun Ryu, you ugly wild dog!"

Knowing this would prompt another verbal banter, Ryu told Rin and Kumiko to follow him. "If you're going to continue be like this... forget about Carrot, you'll deal with me. Again."

"..." Duke Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi immediately clammed up and hung their arms beside each other's shoulders. "H-haha! We're just being best friends, it's simply a mere playful fight!"

"Sure." Ryu just scoffed. Both of them just reminded him of two duo from a whole other world where Magic existed. "We're going, whether you're coming or not."

They then resumed walking while Rin started a small talk with Ryu. "So what's supposedly inside Road Poneglyph? Isn't it completely made out of a single material?"

"Well, the origins of Road Poneglyph was Wano Country, right?"

Rin nodded. Kozuki Family's ancient stonemasons were the ones who created Poneglyphs, but there were very few who created Road Poneglyphs due to its needed materials. This was simply because the stonemasons did not want to be associated with the pirates and wanted a different material to be used, telling the differences from Historical Poneglyphs from Road Poneglyphs.

"It seems that those stonemasons hid something of ancient value for Wano Country within those Road Poneglyphs. Even more importantly for those World Nobles..." Ryu smirked when he mentioned this. Those World Nobles would definitely not hesitate to leave their lands just for this 'object'.

It was an extremely dangerous 'object' in the political world, in which it could further cement the World Nobles' position or completely destroy all of them as well as World Government.

Rin, not knowing of his thoughts, pouted. "So we only came for your interests. Where are we going next? I'd like to explore through the Mokomo Dukedom before then."

"You can go now if you want to." Ryu chuckled when Rin nodded and told Kumiko to follow her as they went off, though the latter was reluctant. "Enjoy yourselves and be careful, make sure you don't offend their pride too."

"Got it~!" Rin shouted back, both of them already far away. It was as if Ryu sent away two children of his own from the others' eyes.

Duke Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi sent signals through eyes to their respective few people to guard them, in case of intruders. Then the brown-furred and large canine Mink spoke. "So, Shogun Ryu, can you tell me the state of Kozuki Family?"

"Hmm... Although they have lost their prestige when Kurozumi Family and Beasts Pirates blemished it, they've regained some and are slowly changing the people's opinions of them." The Shogun of Wano Country thoughtfully said. "It'd be good if the Head of Kozuki Family finds someone to be married to soon, though. I don't think noble families are going to leave her alone when they've seen Kozuki Family's uprising."

"Oh? Even after the tyranny of Kurozumi Family, such kind of noble families still exists? I thought they would be more united and respectful for their community..." Duke Inuarashi snorted. Few months, that was all it took for noble families with interests in their own to appear.

Ryu chuckled and continued to pave through the forest towards the large white whale-like tree. "No, they're simply watching out for their people in their lands. They do not want Kozuki Family to incite another 'similar event' of Beasts Pirates and Kurozumi Family to happen again. That's how low the nobilities of Wano Country think of Kozuki Family even though it had a powerful and strong history of birthing decent Shoguns."

"...Those b*stards!" Duke Inuarashi couldn't take such insult to their savior's family of past. He swung his sword towards the side and accidentally infused Electric within it, causing a large gap by their side.

Master Nekomamushi, having been on said-side, sweated and cursed Duke Inuarashi. "Hey, are you trying to kill me instead of those r*tards?!"

"Erm..." Duke Inuarashi chuckled in embarrassment when he realized that he unconsciously went for him.

"Damn it! I could've lost a arm if not for my prediction, I knew you would have exploded in anger like that." The yellow-furred and large cat Mink angrily poked the brown-furred and large canine Mink in the chest. "But seriously, has their views upon Kozuki Family truly downgraded that far...?"

"Yes." Shogun Ryu casually tilted his head towards them as he walked. "Why? Planning to threaten them into making Kozuki Family rise farther than them?"

In his voice was an edge that literally told both of them and the surrounding Musketeers and Guardians that although he was joking, he would not hesitate to scare them to their death if they were going to. Duke Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi both did not want that, so they hastily spoke.

"Of course not! I'm not that brash, like this f*cking homeless dog!"

"Never! I would not dare to do such thing to uphold Kozuki Family's reptuation, unlike this p*ss-colored cat who does not give a rat's ass!"

"...Hahaha!" Ryu in the end, just simply laughed. The three of them continued to walk while the surrounding sweated. Such talk was happening now as if it was common...