The next day, one day before Kozuki Oden's execution.
Research Institute, second-floor guest room.
When Lady Toki woke up, the first thing she did was look beside her.
The two children were still asleep, but their brows occasionally furrowed, showing great unease in their dreams.
"Momonosuke... Hiyori..."
Lady Toki murmured softly, wanting to caress her children but worried about disturbing them.
She raised her left hand, on which she wore a Sea Stone handcuff.
Unlike typical Sea Stone handcuffs, this one was much smaller.
It only locked one hand, and aside from feeling weak and powerless, it didn't affect her movement normally.
If she could find the key, she could at least send the two children to the future... For that, she needed to gain the doctor's trust!
For her children, Lady Toki was willing to do anything.
Whether it was being an experiment subject or anything else!
Gathering her spirits, Lady Toki quietly got up, not disturbing the children.
She put on her mended coat and went downstairs.
It was a bit unbelievable to say, but as a Daimyo's wife, her usual clothes needed mending and were not replaced for years.
What's that noise?
Arriving downstairs, Lady Toki heard sounds coming from the living room.
"Doctor Edie?"
Entering the living room, Lady Toki was startled.
The person inside was not Edie, but a woman, a woman who had climbed in through the window.
She was wearing a pink hooded jumpsuit; she was a ninja.
"Are you a ninja of the Oniwabanshu?" Lady Toki was stunned.
"Toki-sama!"
The female ninja named Shinobu crept in and was startled by the sound.
She turned around and saw Lady Toki, bursting into tears on the spot.
"Toki-sama, I'm here to save you!"
"Save me?"
"Yes!" Shinobu nodded quickly and explained, "My name is Shinobu. The day before yesterday, I participated in the battle to subjugate Kaido with Oden-sama."
Lady Toki was slightly surprised.
The Oniwabanshu had always been ninjas serving the Kozuki Family, but not anymore. After Orochi became the General, this ninja troop had betrayed them.
At this moment,
Lady Toki thought of two things.
The first thing: Yesterday, when she met Kozuki Oden, her husband told her.
He had made a last-minute decision to attack Kaido and Orochi, but their group was ambushed by the Beasts Pirates midway.
It was as if the other party knew in advance.
The second thing: The night before last, Edie brought people to Kuri to capture her and immediately exposed her ability.
A spy!
Inside Kuri Castle, there was a spy beside her husband!
Even among the few loyal retainers…
Lady Toki remained calm and asked:
"Shinobu, you said you participated in the big battle the day before yesterday? Were you not captured?"
"Because after the defeat, Oden-sama pretended not to know me, and those pirates let me go."
Shinobu seemed to realize that Lady Toki didn't believe her and immediately became anxious: "Please believe me, Toki-sama, I really am here to save you."
…
Lady Toki instinctively took half a step back in fear.
The Oniwabanshu were already obeying Orochi. Could this female ninja be Orochi's subordinate?
Orochi's covetousness towards her, which he displayed yesterday, did not rule out the possibility that he sent a female ninja today to deceive and capture her.
"I'm sorry, I'm fine staying here. Please leave!"
Lady Toki dared not gamble; she couldn't trust anyone now.
Except for Edie.
After all, the doctor's purpose was clear, and at least she was safe by his side.
"Toki-sama…" Shinobu became even more anxious.
"Don't come any closer! If you get any closer, I'll scream. Mr. Edie is in the Research Institute!"
Lady Toki quickly brought up Edie.
As if responding to her words, footsteps sounded from downstairs.
Shinobu's expression changed drastically, and she gritted her teeth:
"Toki-sama, I'll leave first, but I will definitely rescue you!"
The loyal female ninja quickly escaped by flipping out the window.
Lady Toki breathed a sigh of relief.
"She's not a spy. You missed a good opportunity," Edie's teasing voice came, tinged with a faint smile.
"Mr. Edie." Lady Toki turned around.
"Do you suspect I'm deceiving you?"
"No…"
"Among Kozuki Oden's retainers, there is indeed a deeply hidden spy. Do you want me to tell you?"
Edie had a bit of a mischievous streak, his tone playful.
Teasing a married woman first thing in the morning was a form of entertainment for him.
…
Lady Toki didn't know what to say.
"I'm just teasing you. Come with me, let's draw some blood first."
Edie shook his head and motioned for her to follow him into the laboratory.
As for the female ninja named Shinobu.
When she approached the Research Institute with ill intentions, Kuzo's Observation Haki had already detected her.
…
On the other side.
Medical clinic.
"Incredible, such severe injuries…"
The doctor examined "Kurozumi Higurashi's" injuries and found that she had gone from being on the verge of death, with only a breath left, to being able to move around.
"Cough, cough… I'm already fine."
Monkey coughed weakly twice and stubbornly left the medical clinic.
The doctor stood stunned in the medical clinic, somewhat doubting his life.
Could it be that his medical skills were actually very superb…
He could even save someone from that state?!
…
Monkey walked on the streets of Flower Capital, heading towards the General's Castle.
In the square in front of the General's Castle, an execution platform was being set up.
The Boiling Punishment!
People would be thrown into a pot of boiling oil and cooked alive.
Although the execution was scheduled for tomorrow, the fire under the oil pot had already started burning this morning.
Many people gathered nearby to watch the spectacle; no one noticed an old woman who was close to death.
"My prototype?"
As an android, Monkey did not have superfluous emotions.
Just thinking about seeing Kozuki Oden himself go into the oil pot tomorrow, her mood couldn't help but feel a bit strange.
It was like watching another version of herself about to die.
Shaking her head, Monkey ignored these thoughts and walked straight towards the General's Castle.
The path was unobstructed.
Monkey met Orochi.
Behind Orochi, there was also an old man sitting in a corner, playing the shamisen.
The old man, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly opened them:
"You… you're not dead?"
"Heh heh heh heh… Can't die, cough cough cough."
After just one sentence, Monkey coughed incessantly, immediately took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth, and blood stained the silk scarf red.
"You're dying," the old man said with a sad tone.
His name was Kurozumi Semimaru, a Barrier-Barrier Fruit ability user and Orochi's personal bodyguard.
Orochi frowned: "Old woman, why Shinobu't you recuperating in the medical clinic? What are you doing here?"
"Heh heh heh heh… What good would recuperating do? If I interfered in Kaido and Kozuki Oden's battle, Kaido would definitely kill me."
Monkey sat down in front of Orochi, her withered finger pointing at Orochi: "Before I die, I'll teach you one last thing. Let them leave."
Upon hearing this, Orochi immediately waved his hand.
The geishas, who were playing instruments, singing, and dancing to entertain, all bowed their heads and left.
In a blink of an eye, only three people remained in the Japanese-style room.
"Gu heh heh heh heh… Old woman, what do you want to say?" Orochi laughed.
At this point, Kozuki Oden would soon die, and his position as General was as stable as Mount Tai.
This old woman was useless to him now.
"Kaido wants to kill me because I interfered in the battle."
"One day, if he's in a bad mood, gets drunk and acts out, he could kill both of you too."
As she spoke, Monkey coughed up more blood.
In her weakened state, she slowly moved her finger closer to Orochi, until it almost touched his face.
"Heh heh heh heh… Listen well, Orochi. Kozuki Oden is dead. For your future safety, you, go and kill Kaido. Kaido… is useless now!"
Orochi:???
He was stunned. Me, go kill Kaido?.
Chapter Seven: Day of Execution
"Are you crazy?"
"A monster like Kaido simply cannot be killed by anyone!"
Orochi shrieked, shaking his head repeatedly in fright.
Who could kill Kaido?
Him?
It wasn't that he looked down on himself; even a hundred of him together would just be a single Dragon's Breath from Kaido.