Kozuki Oden and the Eight Red Scabbards

"Brother Jin'eimon, why do you think the lord is calling for us? Is something wrong?"

In the General's Mansion of the Capital of Flowers, Mitsurugi Otada and his retainers were gathered here.

During this period of time, they hadn't returned to Kuramae, but instead kept calling people out from there.

For example, Ashura Doji, who was originally guarding Kuramae, was also called over.

But compared to the later arrival of the Kyoshiro Nine, there were now only eight people.

The guests from the Left Crows, Nekomata and Inuarashi, were missing. At this point in time, they hadn't arrived in Wano yet.

However, there was one addition, Izou. Izou was Kikunojo's brother. He was originally supposed to stay on Whitebeard's ship after Mitsurugi and the others set sail, but now there seemed to be no chance for that.

Currently, Izou was still under Mitsurugi's command, and at this moment, he was following Jin'eimon towards Mitsurugi's room.

The one who just asked was Denjiro, and Denjiro had a good relationship with Jin'eimon.

During this time, not only Jin'eimon but all of them felt a change in Mitsurugi Otada. So when they heard Mitsurugi calling for them, Denjiro also felt a sense of resistance.

Jin'eimon said, "We are his retainers. We only need to obey Lord Mitsurugi's orders."

He told us to go...

So we must go!

Because they were already loyal retainers sworn to Mitsurugi Otada!

Denjiro didn't say anything more, just followed slowly behind Jin'eimon.

The eight of them moved forward slowly, eventually arriving outside the door where Mitsurugi Otada was.

"We're here, Lord Mitsurugi."

"Come in."

Mitsurugi Otada's voice came out, and Jin'eimon pushed open the door.

They saw Mitsurugi Otada standing not far from the door at a table, and at the other end of the table, there was another person sitting there.

That person was wearing a gray checkered shirt and a black pair of sunglasses. He had a sturdy and muscular physique, and he looked calm, as if he was talking to Mitsurugi.

"Everyone's here."

Mitsurugi Otada turned his head to look at the eight of them, making them a bit nervous.

"Don't be nervous. Let me introduce you." Mitsurugi Otada smiled and said, "This is Toguro, my ally."

"Ally...?" Jin'eimon was surprised.

In the land of Wano, Mitsurugi Otada still needed allies?

He was already a daimyo of Kuramae and the heir to the shogunate. Who else did he need to ally with?!

"The enemies we're going to deal with next are very strong. We must increase our strength." Mitsurugi seemed to see through Jin'eimon's thoughts and shrugged.

Then, he looked sharply at the eight of them, his tone becoming somewhat chilling.

"Have you all been getting stronger during this time?!"

His stern reprimand made everyone feel ashamed. As Mitsurugi's retainers, their strength was indeed weak.

Of course, this weakness was relative. In fact, each of them was a strong warrior in Wano. But compared to Mitsurugi Otada and that Himura Kenshin...

They were too weak.

If they had encountered Himura Kenshin with Mitsurugi Otada back then, would they have been able to change the outcome of the battle?

They would most likely have died together there!

So they felt ashamed, and seeing their appearance, Mitsurugi Otada showed a hint of a cold smile.

"However, you are all my loyal retainers, and I am not stingy in rewarding my subordinates." Mitsurugi Otada approached them slowly, his footsteps echoing in the quiet room.

"Come, I have obtained a very interesting power now, and I will bestow it upon you."

Mitsurugi Otada walked up to Denjiro and said to him, "Reach out your hand, and I will give you my power, making you as strong as me."

"Really, Lord Mitsurugi?!" Denjiro was excited, about to reach out his hand, but he felt something was wrong.

Because except for him, the others seemed to have no reaction.

Even more so, he could clearly feel that someone was becoming extremely nervous.

He quickly turned his head to look at the others and said, "What are you guys doing? Lord Mitsurugi wants us to reach out our hands! He can make us stronger!"

"Den... Denjiro, look..." It was Kantaro who answered him. Kantaro raised his hand nervously, pointing tremblingly ahead, "Look at Lord Mitsurugi!"

Denjiro turned his head and instantly felt his heart pounding!

Because at this moment, Mitsurugi Otada's face was almost touching his own, his eyes were purely black, a change he had known about for over two months.

But at this moment, there was even more a kind of dark blackness jumping in those black eyes, and a black aura that seemed to be as active as tentacles appeared on his body!

He had an evil smile on his face, a smile that was chilling.

"What's wrong? Are you... going to disobey my orders?"

"Are you kidding me?" Ashura Doji couldn't help but say, "You are not Mitsurugi Otada at all!"

At this moment, Ashura Doji had already grabbed his sword, ready to strike, but Mitsurugi remained unmoved because someone had helped him block the attack.

"Roji! What are you doing?!" Ashura Doji looked at Jin'eimon, who had blocked his attack, and couldn't help but roar.

And Jin'eimon was equally angry. "What about you? What are you doing?! You're aiming your sword at your lord, to whom you've sworn loyalty! Are you planning treason?!"

"He's no longer the Mitsurugi Otada we know! Yes, he must be possessed by some evil spirit now, that's the only explanation for his changes during this time!"

Ashura Doji retorted, while the others looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

And at this moment, Mitsurugi Otada burst into laughter. His laughter made Ashura Doji and Jin'eimon both look at him.

"You guys are really interesting! Jin'eimon..."

He said Jin'eimon's name, causing Jin'eimon to pause for a moment. The next moment, Mitsurugi Otada continued, "You truly deserve to be my most loyal retainer. Your dedication is commendable."

Pfft!

In the shocked eyes of everyone, Mitsurugi Otada's blade instantly struck, piercing Jin'eimon's body.

"M-Mitsurugi... Lord..."

This scene shocked everyone, especially Denjiro, who exclaimed, "Lord Mitsurugi, what are you doing?!"

But Mitsurugi just smiled calmly. "Don't panic, I'm giving him new life."

At this moment, people noticed that Mitsurugi Otada's blade was black, and it seemed to be wriggling, more like tentacles than a sword.

And at this moment, that black power also entered Jin'eimon's body.

Jin'eimon's struggling body suddenly stopped, because he felt that he wasn't dead, but instead, a kind of power was entering his body.

Izou watched quietly from the side.

He watched as this wave of remnants of Kaido changed inside Mitsurugi Otada's body.