Chapter 24 : New Shogun!!

Three days later, outside the Flower Capital's castle, a massive cauldron filled with oil was set up. Beneath the cauldron, wood was burning fiercely, and the intense heat caused the oil to gradually reach a boiling point, radiating heat in all directions.

Beyond the wooden barriers surrounding the area, a crowd of onlookers gathered, watching in awe as the oil began to bubble. They murmured in hushed tones:

"Is Shogun Orochi planning to cook Oden in the oil?"

"He's going to be fried to death in an instant, isn't he?"

"But isn't this all Oden's own fault? He could have just played the fool, but he dared to rebel!"

The crowd showed no concern for Oden's execution.

For five years, Oden's antics as a clown had completely destroyed the reputation that the Kozuki family had built over 800 years in the hearts of the people of Wano.

At the entrance of the castle, on a makeshift high platform, Kaido sat leisurely in a large chair, drinking from his enormous gourd.

Ian and Yamato stood on either side of him.

"Hehehehehe!"

At the edge of the platform, Orochi proudly declared, "The great criminal Kozuki Oden has committed a heinous rebellion! Today is the day he receives his just punishment!"

Kozuki Oden sat cross-legged beneath the high platform, wearing a collar from which four chains extended, each held by a burly man.

In addition to the collar, Oden was bound by seastone chains. Seastone not only suppresses Devil Fruit powers but is also an extraordinarily durable material, effective in restraining even the strongest of opponents.

Despite this, Oden showed no struggle. He sat despondently on the ground, his head bowed.

"Hehehehehe!"

Orochi looked down smugly at Oden's dejected figure.

The Kurozumi family had once been a prominent clan in Wano, but long ago, they had been punished by the Kozuki family for their rebellious schemes.

Since then, the Kurozumi clan members had become outcasts, and anyone with the Kurozumi surname faced public scorn.

Orochi himself had endured much suffering from a young age.

And now, the Kozuki family, which had caused the Kurozumi family's downfall, was finally about to meet its end at his hands!

"Kozuki Oden!"

Orochi, from his elevated position, looked down with a victorious expression, "Do you have any last words?"

Oden did not lift his head, remaining silent.

"Proceed with the execution!"

At Orochi's command, the four burly men immediately pulled on the chains, dragging Oden towards the stairs leading to the cauldron.

"He looks just like a dog!"

Yamato suddenly spoke up.

Ian nearly burst out laughing.

Kozuki Oden was being dragged across the ground, leaving a trail behind him. It certainly resembled a disobedient dog being pulled along by its master.

"Just a defeated dog."

Kaido set down his liquor gourd with a cold snort. "It's truly annoying."

It seemed he wasn't in the best of moods.

"Mr. Kaido,"

At this moment, King quickly approached from the stairs behind the platform and said softly, "Breaking news: the three Daimyos of Ringo, Kibi, and Udon—held an urgent meeting. They've decided to join forces and attack us."

"Trivial foes."

Kaido didn't even lift his eyelids. He merely glanced at Kozuki Oden, who had been dragged up the stairs. "The hope for this country has long been completely extinguished."

Strength!

Only true strength has the power to change everything.

"Understood."

King nodded lightly.

He didn't believe these people could make any significant waves. Either he or Queen alone would be enough.

Even sending a child like Ian would yield similar results.

At that moment, at the edge of the boiling oil, Kozuki Oden was being hoisted high by four burly men.

The intense heat emanating from the oil caused even these four strong men to show signs of discomfort. They didn't dare linger and swiftly threw Kozuki Oden into the pot.

The scalding oil splashed violently, catching one of the strong men off guard. He was doused completely, and with a sizzling sound, he screamed and fell into the pot. In the blink of an eye, his body began to shrink and dry out, turning into jerky.

The other three robust men, terrified, tumbled down the stairs, landing heavily on the ground. Fortunately, they survived.

Meanwhile, Kozuki Oden in the oil couldn't help but let out a scream of agony.

"Arghhhh!"

The specially prepared oil had been heated to its limit, reaching temperatures close to a thousand degrees. Though it couldn't compare to Kaido's Heat Breath, it was far beyond what a human body could withstand.

"Tsk."

Ian frowned slightly.

He smelled the aroma of cooking meat.

It was somewhat nauseating.

"Guahahahahaha!!"

Kaido laughed triumphantly.

The onlookers couldn't bear to watch. Regardless of Oden's status, seeing a living person being fried to death was unsettling for anyone.

"Ahhhhhh!!"

Oden's agonized screams echoed through the sky.

Yet, he was still alive.

Minutes turned into ten, twenty, half an hour.

Approaching an hour, the crowd, growing weary of standing, saw that Oden was still alive.

"What's going on with this guy?!"

Orochi, both frightened and enraged, screamed as he grabbed a nearby warrior. "Did you slack off on the preparation? Why is he still alive?!"

The spectators were completely dumbfounded.

What kind of monster is Oden?

In the crowd, a mysterious figure in a black cloak with a hood covering their face was trembling. Large tears fell from beneath the hood, dripping down from their pointed chin.

At that moment, Oden seemed to sense something. His screams halted for a moment.

"Is someone here to see me off?"

A hint of a smile appeared on his lips.

"Arghhhhh!"

The screams, now more vigorous than before, echoed once more.

"Kaido!!"

In the hot oil, Oden strained to turn his head, looking at Kaido, who was also watching him. "I... I will not die!"

"..."

Kaido, who had been disinterested until now, finally straightened up. 

"Oh?"

"There will come a day! There will definitely come a day!"

Kozuki Oden roared at the sky, "Someone will surely bear all the past burdens! Bring hope to this country! Make this country a new nation!"

"Ugh, ha ha ha ha!"

Kaido burst into laughter, "As long as I'm still around, that day will never come!"

"Ha ha ha! Before that happens, keep striving to become stronger, Kaido!"

Kozuki Oden even laughed heartily.

"What are you laughing at!!"

Kurozumi Orochi, enraged by Oden's laughter, roared with a voice full of fury, "What's this stray dog laughing about!"

"Open fire! Shoot him dead!"

The surrounding samurai instantly raised their firearms, aiming at Kozuki Oden.

"Don't worry, Kozuki Oden!"

Kurozumi Orochi sneered wickedly, "I've captured many others who will accompany you in death."

"Now he seems more like a dog to me," said Ian.

A bully of a stray dog.

It's not easy to be more detestable than Kozuki Oden.

"Mm."

Yamato nodded solemnly, "This guy is incredibly annoying!"

She tugged at Kaido's sleeve, "Daddy, can we take this guy down?"

Kaido stood up and took out a pistol.

In the next moment, a gunshot rang out.

Kozuki Oden's forehead burst with blood, and his whole body fell back, fully immersed in the oil pot.

He was dead.

Among the crowd, the cloaked figure watched the scene, covering her mouth, tears streaming uncontrollably.

On the stage, Ian raised an eyebrow.

It's well-known that in the pirate world, powerful attacks and mountain-slicing strikes rarely kill, but a plain old firearm can easily take a life.

Even after an hour of being fried in oil, Kozuki Oden didn't die, but a simple shot to the head ended him.

"Kaido?"

Kurozumi Orochi turned around in confusion.

"This guy does have the qualifications to die at my hands."

Kaido, holding his gun, said calmly, "And then…"

Bang.

A second gunshot rang out.

Huh?

Ian stared in disbelief, his eyes widening.

Did he see that correctly?

The person who got shot was—

Kurozumi Orochi?

The annoying guy now had a bullet hole right in the middle of his large forehead. With a look of utter bewilderment, his massive body toppled backward and fell off the high platform.

Ian suddenly turned his head to look at Yamato.

Could it be that Kaido has become an unimaginable daughter-con over these years? Did Yamato just throw a tantrum, and now he decides to get rid of Kurozumi Orochi?

My Kaido's character is completely shattered.

"Since Kozuki Oden is dead, you're no longer of any use."

Kaido tossed aside his firearm and looked at Ian.

"Kid, starting today, you'll be the new Shogun of Wano!"

Huh?

Me?

Isn't that a bit too predetermined?

Is this what you meant by surprise?

**********

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