Orochi fled, cleanly and decisively, without hesitation.
Kain had no choice but to pursue him; after all, the main objective today was to eliminate Orochi.
If he didn't die, it would be futile for Kain and Yamato to defeat any number of samurai.
Kain followed the direction Orochi had vanished in, chasing him through several corridors within the labyrinthine Orochi Castle, but ultimately had to stop at a crossroads.
"A miscalculation. I should have learned Haki before coming."
Kain looked at the spiderweb-like, interconnected passages before him, scratching his head helplessly, realizing he seemed to be lost.
Dong Lang!
Suddenly, a crisp sound of a bottle falling echoed from a corner.
"Hm?" Kain turned and walked towards the source of the sound.
After pulling open an exquisite latticed door, he found a young woman huddled in a corner, clutching a vase and trembling.
The young woman was beautiful, dressed as an oiran, with a head of beautiful emerald-colored long hair.
Evidently, the sound just now was caused by her accidentally kicking over the vase in her panic.
Upon seeing Kain in his dragon-human form, the young woman trembled even more in fright, hastily lowering her head, not daring to look again.
Kain thought for a moment, trying to make his voice sound gentle: "I'm not a bad person. I'm here to end the suffering in Wano Country and bring new life to its people. I'm currently pursuing Orochi. Do you know where he went?"
Pursuing Orochi?
Upon hearing this, the young woman's eyes instantly lit up, but then quickly dimmed again.
There were still ten years until her mother's prophecy, and the warrior before her was destined to return empty-handed.
But she couldn't bear to see Kain throw his life away for nothing, so she whispered, "You should flee quickly. You can't defeat the Shogun. The Shogun is also protected by Kaido, the King of the Nation."
Kain was direct: "I was sent by Kaido."
So, it's a dog-eat-dog situation?
The goodwill that had just risen in the young woman's heart towards Kain instantly vanished.
"Look at you. Orochi must have exploited you quite a bit, I presume. Alas, there are so many people like you in Wano Country."
Kain put on a compassionate expression: "I specifically persuaded Kaido to eliminate Orochi precisely to protect people like you from his persecution."
As he spoke, Kain even squeezed out a few crocodile tears.
Is that how it is?
A hint of emotion flashed in the young woman's eyes as she looked at Kain.
But then, the young woman lowered her head in disappointment: "The Beasts Pirates' persecution of Wano Country will not stop. Changing the Shogun is just a superficial change."
She even felt that the new Shogun might be worse than Orochi.
At least Orochi had been feeding off the people of Wano Country for so many years, and had more or less sated some of them.
If they changed the Shogun, they would have to start all over again.
"You're wrong! I won't allow such a thing to happen!"
Kain extended his hand to the young woman and spoke solemnly: "Trust me, under the leadership of the new Shogun, you will definitely live a good life."
Just then, several rays of sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Kain as if bestowing upon him a sacred aura.
The young woman stared blankly at Kain, and a sudden surge of courage welled up in her heart. She reached out and grasped the hand Kain offered.
Even if the day of prophecy had not yet arrived, even if the Beasts Pirates still controlled this country, the young woman was willing to believe that the man before her could help the people of Wano Country escape a life of hunger and cold ahead of time.
Kain, of course, was also full of confidence in this.
Although there were historical reasons, Orochi's method of ruling, which was like draining the pond to catch all the fish, was too backward, and the cost of maintaining his rule was too high.
Now, sustainable draining the pond to catch all the fish was the way to go.
"My Lord, please follow me. The Shogun, no, Orochi, usually likes to stay in the main hall. He once said unconsciously when he was drunk that it was the safest place in the entire Orochi Castle."
The young woman led the way, with Kain following closely behind.
"My name is Kain, and yours?"
"My humble name is Komurasaki, Lord Kain."
It really is you, the Kozuki princess, Kozuki Hiyori.
Kain nodded to himself.
He had noticed something strange earlier; Komurasaki was too calm when she spoke to him, as if she had seen the world.
An ordinary oiran wouldn't be able to do that upon seeing his beast-human form; it would be good if they weren't scared out of their wits.
Their figures disappeared into the depths of the corridor.
In the corner, a bloodied figure slowly emerged.
Kyoshiro's eyes were filled with worry, but his hands were clamped tightly to the wall, not allowing himself to make a sound.
His worst fear had come true.
He had used the opportunity of being blasted away to escape the battlefield, precisely to come back and find Komurasaki, to take her away from this troubled place.
He hadn't expected to still be a step too late.
"Lord Oden, Denjiro is incompetent. I failed to protect the princess."
Kyoshiro blamed himself for a moment, then gritted his teeth and followed after them.
On the other side, Kain knew he had come to the right place.
Before even getting close to the main hall, Orochi's shouting could already be heard.
"Fukurokuju, quick! Gather all the samurai in the country! I want to subjugate Kaido, no, subjugate the Beasts Pirates!"
Hoo hoo, not thinking of escaping, but actively gathering forces to attack Onigashima?
You fool, Orochi!
You really are stupid!
Kain pulled Komurasaki behind him, "This is far enough. Find a safe place and protect yourself."
"Lord Kain..."
Seeing Kain actively protecting her, Komurasaki couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. At this point, she completely believed that Kain was different from the other Beasts Pirates.
Knowing she was a burden, Komurasaki could only pray silently in her heart: "May your martial fortune be prosperous!"
In front of the main hall's entrance.
"Let's say hello first."
Kain opened his mouth, and the energy within his body transformed into violent flames, intensely condensing and compressing deep in his throat.
"Flamethrower!"
A pillar of orange-red fire, like a torrent of magma, roared out from Kain's mouth.
Boom!!!
The flames swept through like a broken bamboo, instantly blasting through the main hall's entrance.
A terrifying wave of heat surged across the entire area like a tsunami.
"So hot, so hot!" Orochi's pig-like screams came: "Put out the fire, you useless fools!"
"Yes, Shogun!"
The surviving samurai and servants in the hall were in a chaotic mess, frantically trying to extinguish the spreading flames.
"Shogun, be careful."
Fukurokuju shielded Orochi behind him, gazing warily at the doorway.
Kaido's daughter clearly had ice abilities, so this fire was probably from the giant dragon in the sky.
Patta!
Kain casually brushed aside the obstructing door remnants, stepping through the flames like a malevolent dragon descending upon the world, slowly entering the main hall.
This temperature was merely a bit warm to him.
Kain walked directly to the center of the hall, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather: "Orochi, would you please die? You're in my way."
"Bastard! Who do you think I am! I am the Shogun of Wano Country!"
Orochi's bravado faltered as he spoke, losing his nerve: "If you stop now, I can give you countless treasures and beautiful women!"
"Foolish." Kain scoffed: "If I kill you, all of that will still be mine."
He couldn't be bothered to waste any more words.
"Extreme Speed!"
The tall dragon-human instantly vanished from his spot, leaving only a distorted ripple in the air.
Bang!
A sickeningly heavy thud.
Orochi's short, stout body was sent flying like a broken sack by a tremendous force, accompanied by the crisp sound of bones cracking, and slammed with astonishing speed into the sturdy wall at the back of the main hall.
The force was so great that it directly created a large crater in the wall.
Orochi lay limply in the crater like a puddle of mud, his limbs twisted, blood overflowing from his mouth and nose, completely lifeless.