Chapter 156: The Albatross Arrives! The Shura Field Begins?
Kin'emon, leading the Red Scabbard Nine, rushed over with the others.
Panting heavily, he looked at Kozuki Oden with a face full of struggle and shouted in a deep voice.
"Lord Oden! Do you really have to set sail?!"
"What about the position of daimyo of Kuri that's left behind?!"
"If you leave, what will everyone think? Have you considered that?!"
For Kin'emon.
He simply couldn't understand why Kozuki Oden wanted to set sail.
After all, leaving Wano was a major taboo. Once Kozuki Oden left, even with his daimyo status, the common people would definitely view him differently.
The foothold they had finally established in Kuri.
Was it all going to be for nothing just because he wanted to go to sea?!
Kozuki Oden fell silent for a moment.
He turned around, looked at Kin'emon gripping the hilt at his waist tightly.
"Hahahaha! Even if I'm gone, don't you all still exist!"
"Don't worry, I'll come back!"
"Setting sail has always been my dream, Kin'emon—you should understand that by now. No matter how much you try to stop me, I absolutely won't give up."
"Wano Country is just too small."
For Kozuki Oden.
Wano was nothing more than a tiny speck in his eyes.
Especially after hearing about the outside world from the Whitebeard Pirates' crew.
He became even more aware of how vast and exciting the world beyond was.
From that moment on.
Kozuki Oden knew he could never stay in Wano any longer.
He wanted to witness a far greater world!
Hearing Kozuki Oden's words, Kin'emon gritted his teeth.
He naturally understood that no matter what, he couldn't stop his lord.
At this moment, Izou reached out, patted Kin'emon's shoulder, stepped beside him, looked at Kozuki Oden ahead, and said with a light smile.
"Lord Oden, rest assured. We will definitely protect Kuri."
"Kin'emon, now is not the time to say those things."
As his words fell.
Kin'emon closed his mouth, looking at Izou with some confusion.
Didn't he understand what would happen to Kuri's situation if their lord left?
Izou just shook his head slightly.
"Since Lord Oden has already made his decision and we've come this far, all we can do is see him off."
"You should understand that too, right?"
Kin'emon naturally understood the reasoning, but he still felt unwilling deep down.
Lotte watched the scene and spoke calmly.
"Don't worry. Your lord will definitely be safe with me."
"You've all seen my strength with your own eyes."
"Speaking of which, if I remember correctly, the two Minks that Kozuki Sukiyaki mentioned are those two behind you."
"I'm heading to Zou Island next. Point me in the right direction."
Right after he finished speaking.
The still-young Nekomamushi and Inuarashi suddenly showed surprise.
The two of them had originally planned to sneak aboard with Kozuki Oden to set sail together, but they never expected the other party to invite them directly.
And their next destination was their homeland, Zou.
Nekomamushi swallowed hard and asked Lotte hesitantly.
"What are you going to Zou Island for?"
Although the two of them hadn't personally witnessed Lotte fight.
The waves Lotte had caused recently had already spread throughout Wano. Almost everyone knew there was a dual-blade Great Swordsman among the outsiders.
Even their lord Kozuki Oden
Had been crushed in one move.
A figure with such terrifying strength wanting to go to Zou.
Even if they were accompanying Kozuki Oden, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi didn't dare bring him lightly.
Lotte smiled calmly and said.
"Don't worry, I'm not going after your country."
"There's a place on Zou Island that interests me greatly. There's supposed to be a Poneglyph there, which will be quite helpful to me."
Though he was indeed a bit curious about the Mink Tribe's power.
He had no intention of doing anything excessive.
Only then did Nekomamushi and Inuarashi breathe a sigh of relief.
Though they didn't understand the use of the Poneglyph, since the other party was just looking for something, bringing him along wasn't impossible.
"That's good then. Don't worry."
"We can take you there, but you have to be careful."
Seeing Nekomamushi and Inuarashi agree.
A smile appeared on Lotte's face beneath the mask.
Actually, that Poneglyph was just a side trip for Lotte.
Its value wasn't particularly high.
The real value was the conversation with Zunesha and the check-in on Zou Island.
That was what truly mattered to Lotte.
Izou frowned upon hearing this. He raised his head, looked at Lotte's mask, and asked seriously.
"Hokage sir, since Nekomamushi and Inuarashi are also boarding the ship."
"I want to accompany Lord Oden as well."
"That way, if anything happens, we can notify Wano Country. Lord Oden gets busy and forgets about these things, and I'm also a bit worried about Nekomamushi and Inuarashi."
Lotte yawned.
"Consider it thanks for Nekomamushi and Inuarashi's cooperation."
"I remember your name is Izou. Pack your things and prepare to board."
As his words fell.
The expressions of the remaining Red Scabbard Nine shifted slightly.
Before they could speak, Izou turned around and stared at Kin'emon.
"Kin'emon, the rest is up to you."
"No matter what, protect Kuri. Lord Oden won't stay at sea forever—he'll come back someday."
"Until then, guard Kuri well."
Izou's tone was extremely heavy.
Kin'emon gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
"Don't worry. Protecting Kuri is entrusted to us!"
Lotte calmly watched the scene. The commotion he had caused was no small thing.
Kaido definitely knew what had happened in Wano.
It had been a while since he'd seen that guy. He wondered how he was doing now.
Recalling the first time he met him.
Lotte couldn't help but grin.
Now that guy had eaten the Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon form—probably much tougher to beat, right?
He wondered how many hits from True Thousand Hands he could take.
Suddenly.
A high-pitched albatross cry came from the distance.
Lotte couldn't help but look up and saw the albatross soaring toward them.
With his Sharingan's superior vision, he instantly saw through its true form.
Nearby, Toki also noticed the albatross. Excitedly, she hugged Lotte's shoulder and pointed at the approaching figure with a surprised laugh.
"Captain, look! It's an albatross!"