"I know," Yamato's voice suddenly deepened, as if a dark cloud had eclipsed the sun.
Her fist clenched involuntarily, knuckles whitening with strain.
That painful memory surged back into her mind like a rising tide.
A flicker of anguish flashed in her eyes, but it quickly hardened into an unwavering resolve, as unyielding as steel.
"Precisely because of this, I must inherit Lord Oden's will. I'll carry on his dream and usher in a new dawn for Wano Country."
At that moment, Momonosuke let out a faint groan, his voice as light as a feather, yet easily interrupting the tense standoff.
Kin'emon immediately turned and hurried toward Momonosuke, his eyes brimming with concern and anxiety.
Momonosuke was the most precious treasure in his life.
Izo, meanwhile, studied Yamato thoughtfully, his gaze sweeping over her as if reassessing Kaido's son.
Finally, he nodded.
The atmosphere eased slightly, though a faint tension still lingered in the air, like an invisible veil draping over everyone.
Tama wiped the sweat from her forehead, her movements gentle and slow, as if trying to erase the unease in her heart.
She murmured softly, "Thank goodness... it's finally all explained..."
Her voice was barely audible, like the buzzing of a mosquito, yet carried a hint of relieved emotion.
"Let's go. My place is safe," Yamato said, turning slightly to gesture with an inviting wave. Her eyes radiated confidence and composure.
"Alright, let's move then," Kin'emon replied, cradling Momonosuke protectively as he carefully followed Yamato, his footsteps steady and measured, each stride seeming to resonate in the air.
Throughout their journey, Yamato and Tama maintained a cautious distance from Momonosuke, their eyes filled with worry and vigilance, wary of triggering any further incidents.
Yamato led the way, with Tama close at her side, occasionally glancing back anxiously at Momonosuke in Kin'emon's arms.
Her gaze brimmed with concern and tender sympathy.
The group followed Yamato with varying expressions, swiftly traversing the streets.
The houses lining the streets stood eerily silent, their footsteps echoing in the deserted thoroughfare.
Passersby cast curious glances, their eyes filled with bewilderment and surprise.
Those gazes swept across the group like searchlights, scrutinizing each member.
But the warriors' stern expressions deterred anyone from asking questions.
They merely watched silently as the group hurried past, their minds likely churning with speculation about what had occurred.
Tama clung tightly to Yamato's side, her small hand unconsciously tugging at the hem of her kimono.
A hint of unease flickered in her eyes.
She occasionally glanced back worriedly at Momonosuke, who was being carried by Kin'emon, muttering under her breath.
"Momonosuke, you have to be alright..."
When they finally stepped through the Shogun's Estate's towering vermilion gates, the massive doors swung slowly shut behind them with a dull thud, sealing them off from the dangers of the outside world.
Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the collective exhale like a long-held breath finally finding release from a balloon stretched to its limit.
Inside the estate, the servants startled at the sight of the entourage.
Their eyes widened in alarm, their faces etched with fear.
Some servants nearly dropped their trays, while others stood frozen in panic, unsure what to do.
At Yamato's signal, they immediately withdrew and quickly prepared a clean guest room.
"Quickly, get Young Master onto the bed!" Kin'emon barked, his voice barely concealing his anxiety.
The urgency blazed in his eyes like a raging fire.
"And summon the best doctor immediately!"
As he spoke, he gently laid Momonosuke on the bed, his movements as delicate as if handling a fragile treasure.
Yamato stood at the doorway, arms crossed and brow furrowed.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line, and her eyes betrayed a mixture of concern and confusion.
"Now, who can tell me exactly what happened? Why did Momonosuke...?" She paused, carefully choosing her words.
"...suddenly...explode? And twice at that?"
The room fell into silence.
All eyes turned to the still-unconscious Momonosuke, their gazes a tangle of worry, confusion, and anticipation, as they waited for a miracle to occur.
"Ah, it's like this..." Kin'emon sighed, the breath carrying immeasurable resignation and weariness.
He slowly recounted the events, each word weighed down by heavy significance.
His face grave, Kin'emon carefully chose his words, deliberately avoiding Yamato's probing gaze.
His voice was low and cautious as he stated, "We did indeed reach some kind of... agreement with the Eternal Divine Kingdom."
He paused briefly, glancing at the unconscious Momonosuke from the corner of his eye, inwardly calculating how to reveal part of the truth without arousing too much suspicion.
"This agreement serves as leverage for their intervention," Kin'emon deliberately spoke ambiguously, while covertly observing Yamato's reaction.
A fine layer of sweat had already soaked through his back, causing the inner lining of his kimono to cling uncomfortably to his skin.
He struggled to maintain composure, but his inner anxiety churned like a surging tide.
Izo, sensing Kin'emon's reticence, immediately chimed in with practiced smoothness, "The specific details are best left unsaid, as they involve the Divine Kingdom's most closely guarded secrets."
He deliberately emphasized the words "Divine Kingdom" to change the subject, giving Kin'emon a chance to catch his breath.
If he could resolve the situation without resorting to violence, he preferred to avoid it.
After all, many people he knew were here.
Kin'emon silently calculated his next move.
'This new Shogun claims to admire Lord Oden, but he's still Kaido's blood.'
'Until we secure Young Master Momonosuke's rightful succession to the Shogunate, we can't reveal the truth about our forced allegiance to the Eternal Divine Kingdom—especially their mission to make Wano Country a vassal state of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.'
'If this secret were to leak, it wouldn't only trigger internal chaos but also plunge them into even greater danger.'
Kin'emon secretly clenched his fist, his fingernails digging deep into his palm.
The pain kept him alert.
He recalled Ron's ominous warning before their departure: "If the mission fails, you know what'll happen to the curse within Momonosuke..."
The words hung over him like a sword of Damocles, a constant reminder that he couldn't afford even the slightest lapse in vigilance.
"Kin'emon?" Tama's worried voice pulled him back to reality.