Chapter 24 — Dreams and Reality
Oshima had a dream.
In it, he was happily playing with his youngest daughter when, all of a sudden, a group of thugs burst out from all directions…
Just as he was holding his little daughter close, his face filled with despair, a fair-skinned, handsome young man and a ferocious-looking bald brute descended from the heavens like divine soldiers. Not only did they swiftly slaughter all the thugs, they also—amid Gato's wailing pleas as he knelt on the ground—cut off that bastard's head with a single strike!
"Didn't expect this, did you? That you'd end up like this one day!"
Oshima picked up Gato's head with both hands, his face full of hatred!
But at that very moment, Gato's head suddenly revealed a sinister grin—and it spoke?!
"The world is suffering, the Evil God endures forever! Come and serve the great Evil God with me! Hahahahaha!"
As he spoke, the mouth opened wide and swallowed him whole in one bite…
"Ah!"
Oshima jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, his bedding already soaked through.
He hadn't slept well in a long time. Today, he had finally managed to fall asleep—only to be startled awake again by yet another nightmare, one different from the previous ones.
"So it was just a dream…"
He couldn't help but murmur this, though he wasn't sure whether he felt regret or relief.
But when he sat up, his expression suddenly froze!
Because he realized that in his hands, he was holding a… severed head!
And it was none other than Gato's—the man he hated to the core!
The head seemed to have died with its eyes open, fear and confusion from the moment of death still lingering in its gaze.
The scene bore an uncanny resemblance to the dream. The memory of Gato opening his mouth to swallow him flashed through his mind again, making his whole body shudder. He let out an instinctive cry and flung the head away.
"I'm dreaming… this has to be a dream…"
After subconsciously muttering this twice, he finally noticed the fresh blood staining his hands, as well as his surroundings.
"This… isn't a dream. That villain Gato really is dead! Those two people from the Evil God Cult actually did it!"
Oshima muttered to himself in disbelief, while also recalling what the two had said before leaving earlier that day:
"…Just find a place to sleep. When you open your eyes again, everything will be over."
It was over.
This time, it was truly over!
The nightmares that had plagued him and robbed him of sleep—were over as well!
But suddenly, he realized something even more terrifying.
If the people from the Evil God Cult could kill Gato and silently place this head in his arms, then they could just as easily eliminate him in the same way.
So this head was not merely a "gift"—it was also a warning.
Thinking back to his earlier dissatisfaction over the Evil God Cult sending only two people, Oshima couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
Even now, he couldn't tell whether being entangled so deeply with the Evil God Cult was a blessing or a curse. All he could do was take things one step at a time.
"Guards!"
At his shout, the bodyguards stationed outside immediately pushed the door open—only to see their master sitting on the bed with bloodstained hands, and a severed head that had rolled to the doorway.
"Go prepare a banquet. It must be the most lavish one! Also, take out all the treasured vintage wines from Warehouse No. 1. Invite all the most beautiful geisha in the city—money is no object!"
"What are you standing there for? Move it!"
"Wait. Take that head as well. Hang it on the highest flagpole in the courtyard. Make sure it's well protected—don't let any crows peck at it. In a few days, I'll use it to pay respects to my daughter."
The guard quickly picked it up and replied respectfully, "Yes, Master!"
With Gato dead, it meant that half the skies of the Land of Waves had changed—and were about to change back again.
Next, no one knew how many more people would die, especially those who had underestimated the Oshima family and chosen the wrong side.
...
Just as Oshima was having preparations made for the banquet, news of Gato's death spread rapidly.
Some of it came from people who had discovered the truth, while some was deliberately leaked by Oshima himself.
But what truly caused an uproar was the head hanging high atop the flagpole!
The war between the uncrowned kings of the Land of Waves had ended with Oshima's victory—a result that genuinely surprised many.
As for secretly assassinating a rival, most insiders didn't see any issue with it.
After all, it was Gato who had broken the rules first, hiring rogue ninja and armed forces to assassinate members of the Oshima family.
If Oshima hadn't been lucky—if his youngest daughter hadn't accidentally taken the blade for him—he would have died long ago, and his entire family would have been dismantled and devoured by Gato in a very short time, leaving nothing behind!
So in the eyes of many, Oshima's actions were nothing more than retaliation—revenge.
After all, if someone has already started slaughtering your entire family, are you really supposed to reason with the murderer?
Another reason was Gato's extreme brutality. He would casually destroy families and ruin lives.
In comparison, people naturally preferred to see the Oshima family—whose reputation was considerably better—come out on top.
And so, once the wall fell, everyone pushed.
Before Oshima even needed to make a move, Gato's subordinates began turning on each other.
Some prepared to take the money and run.
Some raised their arms, shouting about avenging Gato and seizing power for themselves.
Others suggested simply defecting to the Oshima family altogether…
But before they could tear each other apart and reach any conclusion, the long-oppressed villagers—stirred up by certain individuals—had already banded together and begun storming Gato Corporation's various offices.
Among them were opportunists kicking a man while he was down, people seeking revenge, and plenty of those hoping to fish in troubled waters.
And like the final straw that breaks a camel's back, the once-massive Gato Corporation collapsed in an instant!
When Oshima received the news, even he was momentarily stunned.
Originally, he had been worried that the centipede might die but not stiffen, and had been calculating how to absorb Gato Corporation with minimal losses.
Now, the trouble had resolved itself. Once the villagers finished venting their anger, he could take over the remaining assets effortlessly.
From his vantage point, the money stolen by Gato's men and the goods looted by villagers were insignificant.
Once he consolidated all resources, he could earn it all back hundreds or even thousands of times over—this was the difference in perspective.
What mattered more now was properly hosting the two heroes who had killed Gato, and preparing sufficient supplies to maintain a good relationship with the Evil God Cult.
He needed the Evil God Cult to step in at critical moments and eliminate all hidden dangers for him.
And the Evil God Cult, likewise, needed vast amounts of money to expand.
So theirs was a mutually beneficial relationship—each taking what they needed.
At least for now, they were still in their honeymoon phase.