A hoarse voice broke the brief silence, trembling as if afraid this beautiful illusion might vanish.
"Exactly the same as twenty years ago."
Another villager followed, his eyes wide as if trying to burn this sight into his memory, fearing it was just a dream.
"Heavens. How is this possible?"
Gasps and shouts rose one after another.
More residents rushed from their houses, their steps hurried and anxious, afraid to miss the most important moment of their lives.
Someone accidentally knocked over a rack of drying fish while running.
The fish scattered across the dirt, shimmering with a silvery glow in the setting sun, but no one paid them any mind.
Some didn't even have time to put on their wooden sandals, running barefoot onto the streets.
Their rough soles kicked up small clouds of dust, but they didn't care, their hearts fixed solely on that one figure.
In the blink of an eye, the street was packed with a dense crowd.
People surged from all directions, tightly encircling Momonosuke and Kin'emon.
"Everyone..." Kin'emon's hands trembled as he wiped the tears streaking his face. His eyes showed a weathered resolve and deep relief.
He carefully shielded Momonosuke in his arms, protecting him like a precious treasure. "We've returned. The dawn of the Land of Wano is at hand."
His words acted like a lit fuse, setting the street ablaze with excitement.
"Long live Lord Momonosuke."
Cheers shattered the sky's quiet, soaring through the clouds and carrying hope across Wano.
"The Kozuki Clan has returned."
The crowd responded in unison, their voices merging into a formidable force determined to dispel two decades of darkness.
"Down with Kaido."
Angry shouts brimmed with the people's resistance against long-standing tyranny.
Wave after wave of cheers rose, powerful like surging ocean tides.
Elderly people knelt weeping, tears streaming down their wrinkles—a release of past suffering and a tribute to newfound hope.
Young people raised their fists high, shouting with all their might, their faces flushed with excitement.
Children were swept up in the fervent atmosphere, hopping and skipping with glee.
Their innocent laughter echoed through the crowd, adding vibrancy to the solemn moment.
A young flower girl beamed with joy and tossed her basket of cherry blossoms into the air.
Pink petals drifted down like gentle rain, settling lightly around Momonosuke.
Izo stood quietly to the side, watching Momonosuke surrounded by the people.
A faint smile touched his lips, tinged with relief and a glimmer of hope.
This once-timid child now straightened his back, striving to carry himself as the Shogun's heir.
He wiped away his tears with his sleeve, his youthful yet resolute gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Everyone." Momonosuke's voice rang with clarity and conviction, reaching every ear.
"I, Kozuki Momonosuke, swear by my name that I'll lead the Land of Wano to pledge allegiance..."
Before he could finish, the exhilarated crowd lifted him high into the air. Cheers thundered, drowning out all other sounds.
The flames of hope burned brightly in everyone's eyes.
Twenty years of darkness had finally seen a glimmer of dawn!
...
Something's wrong.
This is really wrong.
They had to keep a constant watch on the women, never allowing them to approach within two meters of the young master.
Not even half a step closer.
Kin'emon's brows tightened as if seized by an invisible hand. His samurai instincts flared, a vague unease spreading through his chest.
Just as Momonosuke was being tossed joyfully into the air by the enthusiastic crowd, a pink figure darted through the bustling throng at an astonishing speed.
The pink blur was like an arrow cutting through the air.
"Who goes there?" Izo's robe billowed as if caught in a sudden gust of wind.
His right hand moved like lightning to grip his pistol, but it was already too late.
Smack.
A crisp sound broke the brief silence.
A pair of plump, tender hands caught Momonosuke steadily in midair. Though they appeared delicate, those hands displayed remarkable strength.
Tama's round cheeks flushed with a faint pink glow from her strenuous running.
Her bangs were soaked with sweat, clinging to her forehead with a few stray strands sticking out messily, adding to her endearing appearance.
Holding the boy tightly in her arms, her wide eyes shone with a mix of surprise, confusion, and excitement.
"It's... it's really..." Tama's voice trembled.
Her fingers shook slightly as she gently traced Momonosuke's face, her gaze filled with nostalgia.
"Eyebrows just like Oden's... the same nose... everything looks so similar."
Tama murmured to herself as if lost in a dream.
Momonosuke was stunned.
Lying quietly in Tama's embrace, he caught the familiar scent of sweet rice dumplings—a fragrance that stirred ripples in his heart.
He felt her warmth through his clothes, making him somewhat dazed.
But what shocked him even more was that this girl, who appeared to be around his age, had so boldly called his father by his name.
In his understanding, this was a grave act of disrespect, yet strangely, he wasn't angered by it.
"How dare you." Kin'emon snapped out of his shock, feeling a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He drew his katana, the blade sliding halfway out of its scabbard with a metallic shing.
The cold gleam of steel reflected his face, taut with tension.
"Qui... quickly put down Lord Momonosuke."
Kinemon voice brimmed with urgency and fury.
Tama snapped out of her daze.
A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but it was soon replaced by stubborn defiance.
'You think I'll let go just because you say so?' She didn't release her hold.
Instead, she hugged Momonosuke even tighter, as if afraid he would vanish the moment she loosened her grip.
"No," she stubbornly pouted.
She turned and shouted toward the crowd, "Kin'emon, I'm Tama. Can't I even take a look at Lord Oden's son?"
Her clear, bright voice cut sharply through the noise.
Her shout was like adding fuel to the fire, agitating the seething crowd.
"Hey, stop pushing."
Seeing the surge of people, Tama hastily turned like a mother hen protecting her chicks, using her back to block the tide.
She looked down at Momonosuke with a radiant smile.
"Don't be afraid, Big Sister Tama will protect you." Her voice was gentle yet firm, conveying a sense of security.
Momonosuke's face flushed crimson, his expression turning lovesick.
A peculiar feeling quietly sprouted in his chest.
But what made his heart race even more were the two small dimples that appeared on Tama's cheeks when she smiled.
They reminded him of his mother, Kozuki Toki.
"Let go. Let go— Ahhhhhhh." Kin'emon's scream pierced the sky, filled with despair and terror.
His face turned deathly pale, drained of all color.
The katana clattered to the ground with a sharp metallic ring.
He frantically clawed at his samurai topknot with both hands, his previously neat hairstyle now a mess.
"That contract... that damned contract is about to activate." His voice carried a broken sob.
Hearing this, Izo's pupils constricted, his body tensing.
His mind ignited like a powder keg as he recalled the curse.
Without another thought, he lunged forward, his footsteps pounding heavily against the ground and kicking up small clouds of dust.
"Miss Tama, let go. There's no time." Izo's voice exploded through the streets, charged with urgency and panic.
But it was already too late.
Bzzzt.
A strange pink light burst forth from Momonosuke's body without any warning. The light felt almost tangible, carrying a chilling aura.
Tama felt Momonosuke grow unbearably hot in her arms, as if he were a piece of iron freshly drawn from a furnace.
She released her grip, her expression overtaken by terror.
In that fleeting moment, a horrifying transformation began to unfold.
"Ahhhhhh." Momonosuke let out a scream that sounded inhuman.
His body curled up in agony mid-air, his face contorting into pure agony.