Kin'emon and the others stood quietly by Momonosuke's side, watching as his pale complexion gradually regained color.
Finally, Momonosuke's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Lord Momonosuke! You're finally awake!" Kin'emon exclaimed excitedly, dropping to one knee, his voice trembling slightly.
Momonosuke struggled to prop up his weak body, his gaze slowly sweeping over the concerned faces around him before finally settling on Yamato.
His pale lips quivered slightly, his voice almost inaudible: "Thank you... thank you for saving me..."
Before he could finish speaking, his right hand unconsciously moved to his abdomen.
The next moment, Momonosuke's pupils constricted sharply—there was nothing there.
The castle that had once symbolized his status had completely vanished.
"This... this can't be..."
Momonosuke's face instantly turned deathly pale, his entire body trembling as if struck by lightning.
He stared fixedly at his flat abdomen, his fingers spasmodically clutching his clothes as if trying to reclaim the vanished castle.
"Lord Momonosuke!" Kin'emon rushed forward but was frozen in place by the youth's hollow gaze.
Tama was already weeping bitterly, falling to her knees with a thud.
"It's all my fault! If I hadn't approached within two meters of the young master... if I hadn't..."
Sobs made it almost impossible for her to continue speaking, her small shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Yamato tightened her grip on her kanabo, her knuckles turning white from the force.
She took a deep breath and knelt on one knee before Momonosuke.
"The responsibility lies with me. If not for my negligence, the castle wouldn't have exploded a second time..." Her voice was filled with self-blame, her golden eyes shimmering with deep regret.
A suffocating silence filled the air.
Suddenly, Yamato lifted her head, her gaze blazing. "Momonosuke, you must inherit the position of shogun."
Her voice rang out firm and clear, echoing in the quiet space. "You are the bloodline of Kozuki Oden, the rightful heir to the Land of Wano. This responsibility belongs to no one but you."
Momonosuke slowly raised his head, tears welling in his eyes.
He gazed toward the direction of the Flower Capital, where his father's unfinished dream lay, where the hopeful eyes of thousands of subjects awaited.
His trembling hands slowly clenched, nails digging deep into his palms.
The air fell silent for a moment.
Kin'emon and the others held their breath, nervously watching Momonosuke—based on his usual temperament, he might shrink back, hesitate, or even refuse.
After all, he was still a child, and this responsibility was far too heavy.
Yet, contrary to everyone's expectations—Momonosuke didn't shake his head or evade the matter. Instead, he slowly nodded.
"...I understand." His voice was soft, yet it carried an unprecedented firmness. "Father once said that the Land of Wano must open its borders... and I must fulfill his dying wish."
Momonosuke thought that if the Eternal Divine Kingdom could truly eliminate enemies like Kaido, aligning with them seemed like a reasonable choice.
Standing nearby, Tama widened her eyes, staring at Momonosuke in disbelief.
In her memory, this young master was always timid and prone to tears, often hiding behind her in the face of danger.
But now, there was not a trace of hesitation in his eyes—only resolve.
"Lord Momonosuke..." Tama's eyes grew slightly warm, and a relieved smile unconsciously curved her lips.
—He had grown up!
A flicker of emotion also passed through Kin'emon's eyes.
He bowed his head deeply, his voice choked with emotion.
"Momonosuke... you really..."
Yamato looked at Momonosuke and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. This is more like Oden's son."
She patted Momonosuke's shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'll stand by your side until the Land of Wano truly welcomes its dawn."
Momonosuke took a deep breath and fixed his determined gaze into the distance—toward the Flower Capital, the future he was about to shoulder.
"I'll definitely... restore light to the Land of Wano!"
He clenched his fist fiercely, his fingers digging so deeply into his palm that they seemed to pierce the flesh.
His knuckles turned stark white from the strain, as if covered in frost.
He lowered his head, the disheveled strands of hair casting shadows across his face, just enough to conceal the flickering unease and fear in his eyes.
—He had to obtain the position of shogun!
He had already signed the contract, a shackle he couldn't break free from, tightly binding him.
If he failed to secure the shogunate, he wouldn't be able to assist the Land of Wano in merging with the Eternal Divine Kingdom effectively.
And if that goal remained unfulfilled, he'd be like a trapped beast, swallowed by endless darkness, utterly doomed.
Thus, he had no choice but to take on the role of shogun—it was his only way out.
If he failed... Momonosuke's Adam's apple bobbed as if he could already feel the rising tide of fear.
Cold sweat seeped from his back, trickling down his spine, soaking his clothes and clinging to his skin with a chilling dampness.
"I... am willing to bear this responsibility." He heard his own voice tremble, tinged with helplessness and resolve.
Yet, he forced himself to straighten his back, trying to appear stronger.
...
Kin'emon stood nearby, his sharp gaze catching the fleeting panic in the young master's eyes.
The loyal retainer's brow furrowed slightly, the two wrinkles carved into his forehead like deep ravines.
His gaze shifted back and forth between Yamato and Momonosuke, as if weighing something carefully.
When he saw the frank and resolute look in Yamato's eyes, he immediately understood - she genuinely intended to assist Momonosuke.
The air was thick with suffocating silence, time itself seeming to freeze at this moment.
That silence hung like a heavy curtain over everyone present, creating an oppressive and uneasy atmosphere.
Finally, Kin'emon took a deep breath, as if bearing the weight of a thousand pounds.
He stepped forward, his footsteps steady yet heavy, each step seeming to tread upon everyone's hearts.
"Yamato..." His voice was low and heavy, "There's something we must confess to you."
Yamato turned her head in confusion, the kanabō on her shoulder shifting slightly with a faint sound, her eyes filled with puzzlement.
"We..." Kin'emon closed his eyes briefly, and when he reopened them, they were filled with determination - a resolve tinged with helplessness and bitterness, "have decided to lead the Land of Wano... to join the Eternal Divine Kingdom."
These words struck like a sudden clap of thunder, causing everyone present to change expression.
Tama covered her mouth abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Those originally bright eyes widened instantly, as if witnessing the most incredible thing in the world.