[Two Days Later, Ringo]
On the road that must be taken to reach Kuri, a carriage frame was speeding along.
The driver was just an ordinary samurai, and inside the carriage sat Toki alone.
After learning that the Golden Lion had died in battle, Kozuki Oden had been captured, the Flower Capital had fallen, and the entire Land of Wano was under Rosse's control, Toki fell completely silent.
'No surprises there.'
'No one is a match for that man.'
But even if she had already known this would happen, there was still a bit of disappointment.
Toki gave a self-mocking smile.
'In the end, all my messy thoughts were nothing but futile.'
She had no strength, not even the qualification to participate in this event, let alone change the course of the future.
Whoosh!
A faint breeze brushed past, and suddenly, by her side appeared a mature and alluring figure.
Sensing the change beside her, Toki quickly turned her head to look, her gaze unconsciously tinged with amazement.
It was a very beautiful and tall woman, with curves in all the right places, intellectual and graceful, her whole being radiating a mature charm.
Compared to her, Toki instead looked like a pure little girl, the difference in aura was quite large.
"Who are you?", Toki asked cautiously.
Judging by the woman's clothing, which was not of Wano, she could only guess she was someone from Rosse's side.
Now that Wano was already under Rosse's control, for someone to suddenly appear at her side and not be from Wano, then they could only be Rosse's people.
"Vanessa...", Vanessa's gaze swept up and down, sizing up Toki, as if to measure how remarkable this woman was.
That Rosse would send her personally to welcome and escort her already spoke volumes.
But why would Rosse value this woman, whose height only reached her chest and who was inferior to her in every way?
'Unless... Rosse likes this delicate, dependent, virtuous wife-and-mother type?'
If it was just a matter of appearance, Vanessa felt she could even make a few changes herself.
"Hello, Lady Vanessa," Toki sat up straight, greeting Vanessa with a polite nod.
For now, not knowing the woman's exact identity, she chose to tread carefully.
The entire Land of Wano was now in Rosse's hands, and her own status could hardly be called high.
As for herself, she didn't care much, but Hiyori was still with Zephyr, currently being cared for by Olvia.
If she made the slightest mistake, Hiyori might end up dragged down as well.
"Call me Saintess Vanessa," Vanessa said calmly. She needed to know Rosse's preferences, but that didn't mean she considered herself equal to the woman before her.
Even among the Celestial Dragons, the number she treated as equals did not exceed the fingers on one hand.
"Saintess Vanessa...", Halfway through speaking, Toki suddenly looked at Vanessa in surprise, "You're a Celestial Dragon?"
She had never imagined another Celestial Dragon would appear in Wano, and such an extraordinarily beautiful one at that.
'Isn't it said that once Celestial Dragons leave the Holy Land, they always like to wrap themselves up completely? Yet this woman clearly did not.'
"Celestial Dragon?"
Vanessa let out a cold hum, "You don't need to know too much. I came this time to protect your safety."
"Someone's looking for me?", Toki instantly grew alert.
She could hear Vanessa's arrogance, and a woman like this probably counted as an important figure even among the Celestial Dragons.
Logically speaking, Wano no longer had any rebel forces, and she herself wasn't worth someone like this protecting.
But now that she had appeared, it was far from normal.
"Some little rats want to cause trouble. I'll handle it personally. In fact, he should be here already," Vanessa said, her gaze piercing through the closed carriage walls as though she could see the outside scene.
"Who?"
"An acquaintance of yours."
Vanessa's red lips curved slightly, "His name seems to be Kozuki... Sukiyaki? That should be correct."
"Kozuki... Sukiyaki?"
Toki nearly blurted out "Lord," but hurriedly corrected herself.
Kozuki Sukiyaki, she hadn't met him many times, but he was Kozuki Oden's father. With that identity, no wonder he would seek her out.
Kozuki Oden had been captured, while she, his first wife, had become Rosse's honored guest. For him to make trouble for her was normal... no, actually not so normal.
"Wasn't he dead?", Toki asked in confusion, suddenly remembering.
Back then, Orochi's vassal had used the Clone-Clone Fruit to transform into Sukiyaki's appearance to abdicate. Before that, it was said Sukiyaki had already been killed.
"Who knows? If he's still alive, it only proves the entire Kozuki clan are cowards," After staying in Wano a few days, Vanessa had already grasped the situation here.
A man like Kozuki Oden, no matter how strong, she still looked down on him.
Without a decisive heart, even the strongest strength was nothing but a lamb waiting for slaughter.
"Cowards, huh...", Toki's face showed bitterness. She truly didn't know what to say.
That Wano had rotted into what it was now, though Rosse was the direct culprit, the root cause still lay in the Kozuki clan itself.
Had they known Sukiyaki was alive earlier, they would have driven Kaido out of Wano long ago.
Of course, even if Oden had known Sukiyaki was alive, he would most likely still have chosen to yield.
After all, this was Wano. As long as Kaido gave the slightest threat, Oden dared not do anything.
Perhaps the destruction of Wano was truly the ending that best fit the deeds of the Kozuki clan.
Toki fell silent. She first ordered the carriage to stop, then deliberately stepped down.
One last meeting, she should at least face it.
As she had thought earlier, since Wano had turned into what it was now, let her, one from 800 years ago, be the one to sever it completely.
If one were to say it, Wano should have been destroyed 800 years ago.
Whoosh!
A sharp gust swept by, carrying a figure wearing a tengu mask, who appeared before Toki.
"Kozuki Sukiyaki?", Toki stood still, quietly watching the slightly unfamiliar masked man.
She wasn't very familiar with Sukiyaki. If Vanessa hadn't named him, with his current appearance she wouldn't have recognized him.
"Since you recognize me, then surrender yourself, the sinner who pushed Wano toward destruction," Sukiyaki said deeply, his right hand slowly moving to the hilt of his blade.
His purpose this time was simple.
Kidnap Toki, to exchange for Kozuki Oden.
Whether or not it succeeded, he would do it.
If Rosse refused, then he would kill Toki, letting her atone to Wano's ancestors.
"I'm the sinner?", Toki shook her head with a laugh.
Even now, he still thought it was because of her.
A clan like the Kozuki, no wonder they had ended up in this state.
"From the very beginning, from the day Wano provoked the World Government, our destruction was already fated," Toki said softly.
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