"I remember Kojiro's report mentioned him, and they have had some contact."
"Yes, according to our intelligence, Hyogoro is very resentful of Kurozumi Orochi's actions, and he greatly appreciates Kojiro's recruitment of refugees, considering him a 'chivalrous' businessman."
"But those thugs still made a move on Kojiro."
"After all, not everyone obeys him. However, according to the information we received from the brothel, it seems he's also looking for the mastermind behind the scenes.
Great Beast Lord, the situation in Wano Kuni is completely different from the outside world. Sometimes, we can't understand what they're thinking."
Hyogoro's attitude is currently neutral. People with some status in Wano Kuni are well aware that the people behind Kojiro are the Hundred Beasts Pirate Crew.
And like the majority of the populace, Hyogoro hasn't completely accepted the existence of the Hundred Beasts Pirate Crew, but he assists when Kojiro's trading company settles refugees displaced by Kurozumi Orochi.
So for now, he's categorized by the Hundred Beasts as someone within the contactable range.
"Let Kojiro try to test his attitude after some time. For now, let's reorganize the security issues in the Flower Capital before the execution; the mines also need more manpower."
Just like that, the thugs who had just popped their heads up were once again purged by the Hundred Beasts and sent to the mines to start their reform-through-labor lives, a piece of news that Kurozumi Orochi also received.
"Public execution?"
"Yes, Orochi-sama, the Hundred Beasts have already sent those two over. A few days ago, they attempted to assassinate Kojiro, who had joined the Hundred Beasts, and also planned to commit arson, but they didn't succeed."
"What a pity..." Kurozumi Orochi sighed, regretting their failure. However, these two were truly not his pawns, as he knows better than anyone in Wano Kuni about Kaidou's terror.
He's quite satisfied with the current situation. Though not wholly ideal, he has achieved parts of his goal in a few areas, so he doesn't think of provoking the Hundred Beasts.
"What about us, my lord?"
"The usual, do as they said, just tell the truth." It's not that he wants to embellish the truth, but he has no chance to do so.
Even though this task has been thrown at him, he knows that the Hundred Beasts Pirate Crew will definitely have someone watching him, especially in areas that could affect their reputation. The Hundred Beasts have always kept strict guard.
After that person left, Orochi spoke to the ones behind him: "Fukurokuju, have you confirmed that information?"
Fukurokuju, the head of the Orochi Imperial Court Guards, also his personal guard captain, is quite strong and an excellent ninja, possessing a pair of long earlobes, which serve as his unique weapon.
His skull is also very long, but that's due to an anger-induced bodily mutation. He had a frail sister named Fumi, and because she was still speaking Raizo's name when she died, Fukurokuju regards Raizo as the murderer, which led to the elongation of both his earlobes and skull.
He deeply despises Raizo and is very loyal to Orochi. Kurozumi Higurashi and Kurozumi Semimaru are quite elderly, so many tasks have been handed over to Fukurokuju by Kurozumi Orochi.
"Confirmed, Orochi-sama. Kozuki Oden has already sent his family back to Wano Kuni, and they are now in Oden Castle in Kuri."
"Very well, personally arrange this matter, and contact me if necessary. We still have a piece that can be activated."
...
Ultimately, everyone involved in the assassination attempt on Kojiro was publicly executed under the live broadcast of the Imaging Snail, charged with attempted murder and arson.
To the ordinary people, they were merely a group of criminals, but some trembled with fear because of this incident, secretly dealing with a few of their subordinates.
They were the true masterminds, who, unable to compete with their opponent in business, came up with such a sinister plan. Now, they fear being found out, which led them to act this way.
To the Oden's retainers in Kuri, this act was just another symbol of the Hundred Beasts' brutality.
To the Hundred Beasts, those people were dangerous elements trying to assassinate their own, but in the eye of the opposition, they were resisting the Hundred Beasts, only to fail in their resistance.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi have never explained what exactly happened at the time, and because of their appearance and intellect, they have been of no help, adding nothing but more mouths to feed at Oden Castle.
The most profitable business within Wano Kuni is held by Kurozumi Orochi and the Hundred Beasts Pirate Crew. Since they are unwilling to engage in that kind of business, they are forced to live in poverty.
But they are truly ruthless, managing their resources so that Kozuki Toki and others wouldn't feel the hardships of poverty.
As for how they lived, the Hundred Beasts did not care. Nekomamushi personally sent away the only person who could possibly aid him. Meanwhile, within the Hundred Beasts Pirate Crew, Arceus was devising new navigation routes.
Besides their arrangement within the country, the Himi Region has begun seeing the presence of the Hundred Beasts' herding personnel. However, it's not Tauros or Miltank they're herding, but Jumpluff and Whimsicott.
They can't interfere much with shelter and travel, but they've begun expanding their business into clothing.
The initial plan for Himi was to transform it into farmland. However, the soil there has been barren for quite some time, and although he utilized the power of the Splash Plate to regulate the groundwater veins, it will take a while for it to flourish again.
Adhering to the principle of not wasting anything, a batch of new Pokemon appeared there, with the Meadow Plate creating brand-new Pokemon, and the goal being cotton.
Whether Jumpluff or Whimsicott, their hair is made of premium cotton, whether for weaving fabric or as stuffing material, it is top-grade. This also gave some tasks to the people Kojiro's Trading Company had gathered.
Men can work in the factory or till the fields, but not the women; some physical work they simply cannot do.
You can't send them all to the brothel; besides, it doesn't fit with their current style.
Some were sent to Ghost Island to wash laundry, but many still remained idle, and it wouldn't do to support them for free, so they were given this new job.
Their task is to comb and cut the hair of Whimsicott and Jumpluff, then process the collected 'hair.'
Moreover, due to their characteristics, they drift along with the wind, and Jumpluff spreads spores in the wind, which, upon landing on soil, grow into new plants.
To control their direction of drift, the Thousand-Year Dragons also found their tasks. At this moment, Olga was riding a Thousand-Year Dragon, conducting special herding activities.
"Over there, over there, those few are about to fly away, quickly blow them back!"
A few archeopteryx-shaped Thousand-Year Dragons flapped their wings together, creating an airflow that gathered the scattered Whimsicott and Jumpluff back together.....