Chapter 31

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Chapter 31: The Five People Who Came Through

Kuli, once the bustling estate of Kozuki Oden, was now in ruins. The once-magnificent mansion had been engulfed in flames twenty years ago, leaving nothing behind but a vast field scattered with the remnants of decayed houses and charred wood. Over the years, it had become desolate, a forsaken land where no one dared to reside.

Just days prior, Kaido executed the Kozuki loyalists. He then displayed their severed heads on spears in this barren field, a ghastly spectacle for the world to witness. Anyone who happened to pass by couldn't miss the horrific sight. The heads had now spent days under the scorching sun, rapidly decomposing. Their flesh was pecked away by crows and vultures, and flies and mosquitoes swarmed them. The visages were putrid, with dangling eyeballs and matted, filthy hair. Those who saw it felt their stomachs revolt in disgust, and were forced to the road's edge to retch upon the meager grass.

Not too far from this grisly display, a brilliant white light flared suddenly. In its wake, several figures materialized, seemingly brought to life from thin air. One was attired in a kimono patterned with black and white stripes and splashes of orange, two long swords hanging at his waist. 

Another had a large round head, hair resembling crab legs, an unpleasant face, and ninja garb. There stood a man with long red hair, a sizable brush tucked behind him, his skin a lifeless gray. Another, with a fair face and straight black hair, possessed an air of beauty despite being male. Lastly, a small, bald child, adorned with a hairpin and clad in a pink kimono, chewed on his lower lip with a hint of fear evident on his face.

These five— Kinemon, Raizo, Kanjuro, Kikunojo, and Momonosuke—had traveled from twenty years in the past, carried through time by the power of a mysterious fruit. Tear-streaked and overwhelmed, Kinemon stared at his surroundings in disbelief. No longer were soldiers in pursuit; there were no flames devouring the mansion; Kaido was nowhere in sight. Even the sky had shifted from gloom to clarity.

"We... Really crossed?!" Kinemon exclaimed in amazement.

"It appears so. Mrs. Toki must have spoken the truth. Look behind you at the ruins," Ju Zhicheng gestured towards the remnants of the once-familiar home, recognizable even in its shattered state.

Turning, Kinemon's heart welled with emotion. "This must be the aftermath of that night." They had lived there for over a decade; it had been the domain of their lord, Kozuki Oden. It was the night Kaido's troops surrounded them, and an unending inferno consumed all.

"Dad... Mom..." Momonosuke, too, faced the ruins. Where flames raged just a moment ago in his memory, now only the desolation of his childhood home lingered. Tears welled in his eyes once more.

"What can I do, even in twenty years? I'm just an eight-year-old kid; I can't do anything. Kaido beat even his father and Kinemon to pieces. With such weak force..." Momonosuke mused, questioning whether his mother's belief in him was mistaken and if he truly lacked the ability to save Wanokuni. The thought of surrendering crossed his mind.

"Momonosuke-sama! Please cheer up! We came at the behest of Madame Toki, and she must have seen the success of our revenge!" Lei whispered from the side, offering comfort.

"Oh, I don't want to cry... but the tears... they just keep falling," Momonosuke whimpered, head bowed, wiping his tears with his hands and cuffs in vain.

"Big... Everyone!" Kanjuro, typically unobtrusive, suddenly exclaimed. "What is that?"

His eyes were fixed on the opposite side of the mansion's ruins. Several adults turned to follow his gaze: a couple of spears... and human heads with a strangely familiar aura. The details were unclear from a distance, yet a strange feeling rose in Kinemon's heart. He crouched down, shielded Momonosuke, and said, "Momonosuke-sama! Let me go investigate. Please find a place to hide!" Then to the others: "Protect Momonosuke-sama!"

Kanjuro's gentle eyebrows knit with concern.

"Don't worry about me; be careful and find a place to hide!" Kinemon returned a determined glance.

With the group watching anxiously, Kinemon crept forward. Despite the short distance, he sought cover, cautiously peering around before advancing again. When he finally confirmed the absence of any threats, he stood before the spear, straightened his back, and looked up, only for a cold sweat to break out down his spine, freezing him in place.

The group, growing concerned by his stillness, softly inquired, "What is that? Whose head is it?" But Kinemon's petrified back offered no answer. Seeing him standing, with no apparent enemies, they concluded the passage was safe and hurried to catch up with him.

Approaching, they found his mouth agape in shock, his eyeballs bloodshot, hands trembling on the hilts of his swords. Following his gaze, they were met with the dreadful sight—rotting heads: Shutenmaru, Kappa, Little Shinobu, Denjiro, Yasuie-sama, and Boss Hyogoro. Disbelief set in as they saw their former best friends' heads impaled.

"No... Who could have done this? Who?!" The realization hit them as they recognized their fallen comrades.