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Flower Capital, East Suburbs.
Hundreds of samurai had gathered, with Shogun Orochi and many noble families standing behind them, along with a large crowd of onlookers.
Daichi and Yamato rode two elk, positioned at the very front of the procession.
Only a week had passed since Orochi announced the bandit suppression campaign, and the army and military funds were all ready.
Five hundred samurai, plus four Oniwabanshu ninjas, and a huge sum of nearly 300,000 gold pieces - the grand display showed the determination for this bandit suppression to the residents of various villages.
Without further delay, Daichi raised his arm.
The noise stopped suddenly.
"Depart!"
"Ooh ooh ooh!!!"
The samurai excitedly raised their swords.
Suppressing bandits meant earning merit, as well as gaining wealth and honor.
Target: Kuri.
Half a day later, the bandit stronghold deep within Mt. Atama.
A scout who had gone out to gather information burst into the stronghold's main hall.
"Boss Shutenmaru, this is bad!"
"Don't panic!"
Shutenmaru sat on a rattan chair, his gaze dark as he scolded.
Of course he knew it was bad.
Lately, the bandit suppression matter had been widely discussed, and as the main target of the suppression, he couldn't be unaware.
This time, it was likely for real.
"Where are the enemies?"
"They've already reached the southern part of Mt. Atama and are setting up camp!"
The scout replied in a shaky voice.
"So fast!"
Shutenmaru's heart jumped, and his slightly fat body sat up straight.
At the enemy's current pace, they would probably send people to search the mountain tomorrow. Although Mt. Atama covered an extremely wide area with complicated terrain, the stronghold wasn't that hard to find.
As long as they put in the effort, the stronghold would be discovered sooner or later.
He didn't want his home to be destroyed.
"How dare they mess with me!"
Shutenmaru sneered.
Orochi had tried to get rid of him more than once but had always failed. To fight him in the territory of Mt. Atama was a foolish dream.
This was his territory!
"Boys, get ready to move out!"
Shutenmaru grinned wickedly. "Don't think we'll just sit here and wait to die. Let those guys see the terror of the Mt. Atama Bandit Group!"
"Yes!"
Half an hour later, dozens of bandits followed Shutenmaru, who was riding an ox. They went around the bandit suppression army's camp and headed towards Boro Town.
Southern Mt. Atama, temporary camp.
Inside the largest tent.
Daichi looked at the map of Mt. Atama.
Mt. Atama was not a single mountain, but referred to an entire region with dozens of peaks. Finding the Mt. Atama Bandit Group's base within it was quite troublesome.
Yamato was also in the tent, looking worried. "Daichi, is that Shutenmaru really a retainer of Kozuki Oden?"
"That's right."
Daichi looked up at Yamato and asked calmly, "You've seen all the information on Shutenmaru. What do you think of this person?"
"He's a terrible bad person!"
Yamato nodded firmly.
The information Daichi gave her was very detailed, including Shutenmaru's experience ruling Kuri more than ten years ago, as well as Kozuki Oden single-handedly defeating Shutenmaru and making him his retainer.
From a well-known bandit, he became a retainer of Kozuki Oden, and then became a bandit robbing villages again.
Although he had a history of changing his ways, his past crimes would not disappear, and his hands were already stained with innocent blood.
To check if this was true, she even specifically asked Tonoyasu and Hyogoro, and the answers she received were the same as the information.
"Whether it's pirates, samurai, or common folk, there are good people and bad people in every group."
Daichi looked into Yamato's eyes.
"The same goes for Oden's retainers."
"Shutenmaru became a mountain king, not only burning, killing, and robbing, but also hiding criminals from various villages. His hands are stained with innocent blood."
"Kin'emon used to be a small-time thug, doing everything from stealing to cheating."
"Kanjuro was a weirdo who cut people's hair to make and sell brushes..."
Daichi told the stories of Oden's retainers without emotion, not to speak badly of them, but to help Yamato understand the truth instead of her idealized thoughts.
"In fact, even Kozuki Oden himself had a troubled past. From a young age, he went to gambling places, got into fights, even kidnapped women, set up a harem in a temple, and so on. All of this is recorded in the history of Wano Country. Can you accept these evil deeds?"
"Daichi, I..."
Yamato felt an unbearable sadness in her heart.
Of course she couldn't accept it.
In her mind, Kozuki Oden was a free and bold samurai. It was hard to imagine him doing so many bad things.
Daichi smiled and shook his head.
"Yamato, you are your own person with your own thoughts. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be Oden, but you have to understand Oden first."
"One meeting, one diary, and a few stories you heard. Relying only on these cannot fully explain a person."
"Think carefully, think about your original reason for wanting to be Oden, and think about whether Oden is truly the person you imagine him to be!"
Yamato fell silent.
After a long while.
Yamato's eyes were slightly teary as she asked sadly, "Daichi, you're smarter than me. What does Oden look like in your eyes?"
"In my eyes? Hmm, let me think."
Daichi rubbed his chin and chuckled bitterly.
"Just like your father."
"Huh?"
Yamato was shocked.
How were Oden and her father alike?!
"Why?"
"Because both Kozuki Oden and your father, relying on their powerful strength, ignored rules, acted wildly, and never considered other people's feelings. Simply put, they were both jerks!"
Daichi spoke his thoughts.
"Eh?"
Yamato blinked, her brain smoking.
It seemed he did have a point!
Then if she wanted to be Oden, wouldn't that mean she wanted to be her father?
Wahhh, her head was so confused!
"Hahaha, don't think too hard about it. Let's do something else."
Daichi chuckled as he ruffled Yamato's hair, then pulled her to the map, pointing at the terrain of Mt. Atama and asking, "Yamato, if you were Shutenmaru, what would you do now?"
"I'm Shutenmaru?"
Yamato tilted her head in thought, her attention drawn by Daichi's question.
"Hmm, hide?"
"That's certainly a possibility."
Daichi nodded, then shook his head.
"But Shutenmaru wouldn't do that."
"Ah."
Yamato was a little confused.
If it were her, she would definitely find a deserted place to hide, so she wouldn't have to fight or be caught.
"Why not?"
"Because he has a very bad temper."
Daichi answered jokingly.
Having been a bandit boss his whole life, used to killing and robbing, he wouldn't be a calm and collected person.
And once a person's temper becomes violent, they won't be willing to take losses. Facing a bandit suppression army, the first thing they think of is definitely not to sit and wait for death or run away, but to strike back.
Fighting back against them was also very simple.
Daichi pointed to the town closest to Mt. Atama on the map.
"I guess Shutenmaru will go here!"
"Bakura Town?"
Yamato's spirits lifted.
"Then we'll go to Bakura Town to catch him?"
"No need, I've already arranged for ninjas to ambush him in Bakura Town."
Daichi shook his head, a hint of killing intent appearing in his eyes.
He wanted to get rid of more than just Shutenmaru!