Hidden Traitor!

In a decrepit temple, the group led by the Kozuki reminants, including Toki, was currently recuperating.

Their injuries, coupled with the exhaustion from their escape, had pushed everyone to their limits.

Simultaneously, there was a sense of regret among them—all it took was a tiny bit more, just a hair's breadth, and they would have succeeded!

The intelligence provided by Kanjuro was accurate. Despite Kaido and Orochi's formidable forces, with Kin'emon at the helm and the combined strength of various daimyos and Flower Capital's warriors, they had a fighting chance. The only detail missing from their intelligence was the presence of another formidable ally of Kaido's besides Orochi, Charlotte Linlin.

However, this oversight led to their plans being completely thwarted, with even Oden sacrificing himself.

The faces of the retainers of the Kozuki Clan, led by Kin'emon, were grim. Yet, there was still hope as Oden was still alive. As long as he survived, there was still hope!

"Why can't we return to Kuri?" Kin'emon couldn't help but ask, watching as the young ninja tended to the wounded cats and dogs.

"Because Kaido and Orochi would anticipate your return to Kuri. If you do, I guarantee they will follow, bringing disaster upon Kuri. And..." The young ninja's tone was serious as he explained, after hearing Kin'emon's plans, she promptly vetoed their return to Kuri.

"I suspect there's a traitor among us informing Kaido and Orochi."

The young ninja's gaze swept over each person's face in turn.

Upon hearing this, Kin'emon's anger flared.

"You! Just because you saved Princess Hiyori doesn't give you the right to insult our comrades!"

Kin'emon's eyes blazed with anger. They had all been willing to jump into the boiling pot with Lord Oden. Who among them would betray their cause, even forsaking their own lives?

Hence, Kin'emon would not allow anyone to harm these individuals who had entrusted their lives to the Kozuki Clan!

"Then explain why Lord Oden's surprise attack plan was known to Kaido? If I hadn't arrived in time, even Princess Hiyori would have been captured by Orochi's ninja! Why? Why did Orochi's ninja know the hiding place of Lady Toki and Lord Oden?"

"Why?!" Enraged by the memory of Lord Oden's death, the young ninja grabbed Kin'emon by the collar, demanding answers.

With each question, it felt like a blade piercing Kin'emon's heart. Faced with the tearful young ninja, Kin'emon remained silent.

Despite suspecting a spy among them, he couldn't find any evidence. Moreover, with Lord Oden's death and their shared sacrifices, suspicions among them would only lead to discord. How could they move forward if they couldn't trust each other?

"Enough, calm down," Ashura Doji intervened, placing a large hand on the young ninja's arm. Once the young ninja released Kin'emon, Ashura Doji turned to address the group.

"Kin'emon, I know you don't want to believe it, but what the young ninja says is true. There is definitely someone among us with ulterior motives."

Ashura Doji's gaze was serious as he spoke, but he found no signs of evasion in the eyes of those he looked at. This dilemma troubled him deeply.

If a spy were so easily exposed, it wouldn't have taken over a decade to uncover them.

"If there's someone among us causing trouble, what do we do next?" Kanjuro furrowed his brow, realizing that if they didn't identify the spy, their future actions would undoubtedly be troublesome. With a spy leaking information and the unequal strength between the two sides, failure was inevitable. After all, their every move was seemingly observed by the enemy.

Meanwhile, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Kawamatsu, the three outsiders, remained silent spectators. They were not suitable candidates for espionage in Kin'emon's eyes.

"Regardless of whether there's a spy among us, I believe... our top priority now is to move to a safe location. We're no match for those guys at the moment," Kikunojo interjected, trying to diffuse the internal conflict that was about to erupt.

"Kikunojo is right. Our main focus now should be ensuring the safety of Lady Toki, Lord Momo, and Princess Hiyori," Raizo said, struggling to maintain his composure. However, the tremble in his voice betrayed the fact that losing an arm had reduced his combat effectiveness by ninety percent.

"Then let's follow Shinobu's suggestion and head to Hakumai. I have a friend there. Once the dust settles, we can figure out how to proceed with our plan to send Kikunojo and Kawamatsu out to sea!" Kin'emon decided on their next course of action.

When they arrived at Hakumai, they gazed from a distance at the battlefield where Hakumai had been obliterated by the alliance of the Beast Pirates and Orochi. The scene resembled a hellish battleground, terrifying them.

Yet, they couldn't help but worry if Hakumai was truly a safe choice. It was inevitable for them to be cautious. After all, the people of Hakumai who witnessed this scene might regard them as enemies.

Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and Kawamatsu's noses twitched, detecting the pervasive smell of blood in the air, a scent even the strongest wind couldn't dissipate.

Shock, panic, and the almost tangible intent to kill on the battlefield. Their emotions intertwined, causing even their thick fur to stand on end.

"What happened in Hakumai?" Kin'emon finally managed to speak.

His words echoed the thoughts of everyone present.

It was difficult to imagine it—how the combined forces of the Beast Pirates and Orochi had managed to annihilate Hakumai.

Faced with such a reality, Kin'emon and his group, who had risked so much to come to Hakumai, should have felt excitement and joy. After all, Kaido and Orochi were undisputed enemies to them.

However, the overwhelming stench of blood in the air, the sight of corpses strewn across the ground—it all made them uneasy.

The enemy of their enemy...

Even if they wouldn't become friends or allies, they could at least aid in eliminating the enemy.

That's what Kin'emon and his group had originally thought.

But now, with the enemy of their enemy seemingly too powerful, they began to wonder—once this enemy of their enemy eliminated their common foe, would they too be wiped out without a second thought?