At the same time, in Jiuli, the Guangyue family's secret stronghold.
Kozuki Hiwa was sitting on his knees on the slum, his brows furrowed, and the warriors guarding him all around him had expressions as if they were dead.
In this silent atmosphere, two footsteps came from outside the door.
Hearing the sound, the warriors raised their heads nervously, each holding their own swords.
Only Hiyori gently raised her right hand.
"Everyone, please don't be nervous, I heard Denjiro's footsteps!"
After the words fell, Hiyori let out a long breath, and at the same time, a thick voice came from outside the door.
"It's not just Denjiro, the young master, but also me, the damn bastard!"
At the same time as this voice fell, Hihe's door was pushed open, and then, a tall and generous figure appeared at the door.
The moment she saw this figure, Hiyori let out a long breath. She really wanted to cry now.
For a woman like her, although she is still alive and has inherited the inheritance of the Kozuki family, she has no power at all.
The support and help of strong people is so crucial!
It is true that Denjiro is not weak. Even if he is placed in Kaido's pirate group, he is at least a serious fighter.
But in the final analysis, there is only one Denjiro.
Just like before, when Denjiro had to leave because of important matters.
Although Hiyori was alone and protected by the rebel generals of Kozuki, those mediocre warriors could not bring Hiyori a sufficient sense of security.
And now….
I saw Hiyori standing up. She trembled for a moment, and then like a little girl who saw her parents, she rushed to the front of the tall figure with scattered steps, and grabbed the figure's belt.
Then, she raised her head and said with a weeping look.
"You are finally here, Uncle Asura!
!”
"Hehehehahaha, yes, I'm here, young master!
Over the years, I have been waiting for this day, waiting for the day when I can protect you, my young master, in an upright manner!
Although things were a bit wrong, I finally found my meaning no matter what!
!”
Facing the crying Kozuki Hiyori, Asura Doji smiled honestly, then he directly picked up Kozuki Hiyori and put it on his shoulders.
While gently patting Hiyori's back to express comfort, he glanced sideways at the surrounding warriors. Facing Asura's gaze, the warriors all lowered their heads.
At this point, Asura turned his head disdainfully and looked at Denjiro who had restored his original hairstyle.
Noticing Asura's gaze, Denjiro nodded, then bowed to Komurasaki on Asura's shoulder and said.
"Young Master, with Asura personally protecting you, I can rest assured. Although Asura and you have not seen each other for a long time, you can trust his loyalty, and more importantly, his strength.
Unless Kaido himself comes in person, even if the big sign attacks, Asura can resist it for at least a few days.
Therefore, young master, please allow me to leave your side again. Next, I need to go to the quarry to find and save the river pine trees!"
"I see!"
Hiyori replied to Denjiro immediately, then she put her arm on Asura's head and continued thoughtfully.
"Attention, Denjiro, after you successfully rescue Kawamatsu, you must return to our formation as soon as possible. At this critical moment, I need the strength of each of you!"
"As you command, young master..."
Denjiro quickly agreed, but the moment he bowed again, Asura didn't know what he thought of.
He frowned, shook his head, and then said carelessly.
"Hey, you guy, why are you still called Young Master, Young Master?
I just called the housekeeper Young Master because I haven't seen Hiyori for many years.
Now that I have seen him, why don't I just call Hiyori the head of the family?
Why are you more reserved than me? You should meet the head of the family more often, right?
In the Kozuki family... only Hiyori is still alive in the world right now, and Momo and the others haven't arrived yet.
If you can still wait, forget it, but Kaido and Wano are about to be destroyed, now is not the time to wait any longer!
In any case, it is impossible for the Guangyue family to rely on only one young master to preside over affairs at this moment. You should know this better than me!"
As the words fell, Asura grinned and rubbed his head.
His words made Hiyori's heart warm. Even in the past when the family was not separated, Uncle Asura and Kawamatsu were the ones who treated her Hiyori best.
Unlike other uncles, although they dote on themselves, they prefer Momonosuke...
This is not because Hiyori is talking nonsense, but because even among the Nine Red Scabbard Heroes, Asura will always be the most special one.
First of all, when it comes to strength, there is no doubt that Asura’s strength is at the top of the Nine Red Scabbards.
Back then, he fought with Oden for three days and three nights before he was barely defeated. He followed Oden because he recognized Oden's strength.
His strength is second only to Oden, and he can almost fight with Big Kanban and others!
Perhaps because of this, the relationship between Asura and Oden has always been somewhat special, and he has always called himself an Oden retainer, not a Kozuki retainer.
But it was not the Kozuki retainer who now took the initiative to raise the question that all the Kozuki retainers, including Denjiro, had been avoiding.
No one else, just because when Asura saw Hiyori for the first time, when she saw Hiyori's helpless eyes.
He remembered someone who had a profound memory in him.
Once upon a time, with the help of a little girl, he slowly learned writing and etiquette and became a qualified warrior.
Xiaoju, I wonder how your life is going in this unknown time?
Did you see that Rihe still calls me uncle like before?
The Kozuki family seems to have fallen into a new crisis. Without Oden's presence, the family's samurai are in constant turmoil.
Just like I couldn't dissuade the samurai who challenged Kaido and suffered heavy casualties, my identity is also unable to dissuade the current samurai of the Kozuki family.
The situation in front of me makes even a rough guy like me feel like I'm walking on thin ice. At this time, Wano Country and the Kozuki family can no longer withstand the twists and turns.
I know that everyone, including me, is waiting for you and Tao Zi to return.
But no matter what, the Kozuki family now needs a core and an absolute voice.
Hiyori must have enough strength to have a chance to gather and call on the Kozuki family to move forward.
Otherwise, Hiyori would be like before, unable to feel a moment of peace even if she was protected by groups of retainers!
With such belief, Asura opened his eyes and met Denjiro's shocked eyes without fear.
I saw him opening his mouth wide and continuing speaking unceremoniously.
"Why are you shocked, old friend? Do you think what I did is wrong?"
"What you did was not wrong, Asura Boy, but I must emphasize that Lord Oden can never be wrong!
The real hope of Wano will not be the Blackbird's attack. Only those who have walked through time are our only hope!
The prophecy is unmistakable. Twenty years from that year will be the moment when everything ends and Kaido is defeated. The twists and turns we face are always just the last darkness before dawn!
In short, protect Young Master Rihe well, do what you should do, and don’t do what you shouldn’t do!
I’m going to find Kawasatsu right now, and when he returns, with him taking care of Young Master Hiyori, you and I can let go and do really big things!”
After the words fell, Denjiro didn't dare to look into Hiyori's eyes anymore. He turned around slightly tremblingly and strode away!
And Hiyori.
Sitting on Asura's shoulder, she narrowed her eyes melancholy.
So, hope is just a peach.
If the Black Bird is not hope, then I am also not qualified to be the hope of Wano Country and the Kozuki family...
Yes, this is Uncle Denjiro, his father who always believes in him.
But somehow, she turned out to be the person she trusted infinitely and made her feel safe all the time.
Now something... makes me uneasy...
Thinking of this, Hiyori shook her head slightly, then she sat on Asura's shoulders and waved around.
"Everyone, please follow me back to the hall. Next, I have many important things to say."
"As you command, young master!"
All around, all the warriors nodded in unison, and upon hearing their responses, Asura snorted in displeasure.
"snort!
My words are not as useful as Denjiro's in your eyes. You are clearly asked to call me master, but you still keep calling me master.
Family leader, let’s do this, let my subordinates participate in the family.
Everyone in Wano is willing to protect the name of the Kozuki family, even bandits."
As the words fell, Asura resolutely took Hiyori away. Somehow, at this moment, Hiyori was being led to resist the armed lair under the Kozuki family, but she felt that her vision was broadened.
…
Soon after, inside the head mountain of Jiuli, Asura placed Hiyori on the king's chair where he used to sit.
While signaling Hiyori to rest assured, Asura turned around and said to his group of subordinates.
"Hey, guys, look clearly!
I'm not actually a Shuten Pill, I'm the Asura boy among the Nine Red Scabbard Heroes, a retainer of Lord Kozuki Oden, and one of the Nine Red Scabbard Heroes, haha!
This is the daughter of Lord Kozuki Oden, Hiyori Kozuki. She is my current head of the family!
And, hahahaha, the Black Bird is currently attacking Onigashima and has almost defeated the Kurotan family's rule over Wano Country.
The captain of that big ship recognized the status of the head of the Hiyori family!
So, you little ones, please honor Hiyori-sama just like you honor me!
!”
After the words fell, Asura boy raised the wine bottle, and the more than 170 bandits below who were lucky enough to survive raised their wine glasses excitedly.
The name of the Kozuki family is known to everyone in Wano. How can bandits like them not be excited?
Yesterday I was still a thief who didn't know when he would be caught and beheaded.
Suddenly he became a subordinate of the Kozuki family!
He even has the right to support the new head of the family, obtains the name of Conglong, and may even become a real samurai in the future!
For a while, the bandits were happily drinking and drinking. This atmosphere made Hiyori very satisfied.
Once upon a time, the people who gathered around his father were as happy as they are now. However, after his father's death, even Denjiro no longer felt happy, but became bitter and resentful.
Of course, while being satisfied with the current atmosphere, Hiyori did not give up taking advantage of the atmosphere.
After drinking several glasses of wine, she suddenly cried out very clearly!
Hearing Hiyori's cry, the bandits present stopped drinking in shock, while Asura looked at Xiao Zi in confusion and anger.
He was puzzled because he didn't understand women, and angry because regardless of whether he understood it or not, he wanted to kill anyone who made Hiyori cry, and then use his blood to make wine!
While suppressing his anger, Asura yelled and asked Hiyori.
"Master, what's going on? Why are you crying suddenly? Did that bastard Denjiro not take good care of you in the past?
You cry with joy after just a few glasses of wine. Didn’t you even have a chance to drink a glass of wine in the past?
!
Denjiro is really too much, when he comes back, I will teach him a lesson first!"
"No, no, no, no, Uncle Ashura!"
Hearing Asura's words, Hiyori quickly denied it.
Although Denjiro does need education, because this uncle will never admit his identity as the head of the family, who says that he is not his father's choice?
But no matter what, I still need the power of Uncle Jiro, and this need will last for a long, long time.
While denying it, Hiyori wiped her tears and said to Asura with great reluctance.
"Uncle Asura, I just remembered the past days. We were so happy in the past, weren't we?
But the more I think about this, the more sentimental I feel about my father's death.
Not only my father, but also our safety. I don’t know if you know, uncle, but we are in great danger now!
!”
"oh?"
Hearing this, Asura looked at Hiyori in surprise.
"Are we in danger?
What danger are we in?
The battle between Soukofune and Kaido is so engrossed that it won't end for a while. Even if it ends, they won't be staring at us bandits, right?
The reason why I brought you here is because as bandits, we are even safer than us at Kozuki's house.
The danger you mentioned...ugh!
In any case, since Hiyori you feel in danger, uncle should do something to make you feel safe!
Tell your uncle what you need to do to stop your tears.
Uncle really doesn’t want to see Oden’s children cry!”
After the words fell, Asura put his hands on his waist and looked at Hiyori majestically.
He does have the strength to say this, because in this situation where the Kaido Pirates are completely trapped by the black ship, his personal military power, Asura, is the strongest in Wano!
In this regard, Asura is very confident. Without Oden, he would have been killing people for decades alone, and he might even have the chance to kill everyone in Wano Country!
That's it!
On the side, looking at Asura who was full of confidence and care, Hiyori's heart felt warm.
This uncle Asura, the most uncultured, this bandit warrior uncle who has always been looked down upon by other serious samurai families, is far more reassuring than any so-called heir of the martial arts family!
While thinking about it, Hiyori stretched out her hand and saw her pointing in the direction of the Flower Capital from a distance.
"Uncle Asura, the reason why I said we are in danger is because just the day before, my identity was known to the Black Carbon Orochi!
Now, Kurofune and Kaido are unable to take care of either me or Heitan due to the war.
In this case, I will inevitably become the chief target of the Black Carbon Orochi!
You know, the Black Carbon Orochi hates the Kozuki family and even the entire Wano Country!
Uncle, we must be careful about that guy. We may even take the initiative after Denjiro and others return, trying to kill the Black Carbon Orochi first and avenge the countless deaths and injuries of our father and Wano Country in the past.