Chapter 289: Momo's Nuts are gone!
One night of heavy rain passed, and the weather finally cleared up.
The sunshine was bright, and the sky was a deep blue with not a cloud in sight.
However, the mood wasn't as cheerful as it seemed upon learning of the fall of Hakumai.
For Orochi, the presence of Nicholas was like a sword hanging over his head, ready to fall and end his life at any moment.
He knew that his strength was not as formidable as Kaido's, and despite his appearance as a prominent Shogun in Wano, he was well aware that to strong individuals like Kaido and Nicholas, he was nothing more than an ant they could crush at any time.
Losing Hakumai, an important source of Sea Prism Stone and weapons production, would undoubtedly enrage Kaido even further.
With the recent setbacks of the Beasts Pirates, including Hakumai's defeat and the losses suffered in battles with Nicholas and Charlotte Linlin, as well as the escape of the remnants of the Kozuki family, losing their most vital source of weapons and economy further weakened their position.
Orochi harbored no illusions about the possibility of Kaido losing his temper and eliminating him.
In order to protect himself, Orochi hastily gathered all available forces under his command upon returning to another secret base.
Including the Oniwabanshu, he amassed a total of 4,000 troops.
But Orochi felt that this wasn't enough. Knowing how powerful Kaido was, he offered substantial rewards to recruit numerous mercenaries from various regions of Wano.
With the addition of these forces, Orochi's army swelled to around 10,000 troops.
Despite amassing such a large force, Orochi remained uneasy.
The Battle of Flower capital had become one of the indelible shadows in his mind.
In the face of such monstrous beings, even if he gathered tens of thousands of troops, it would be difficult to ensure his safety.
Equally anxious were the hidden members of the Akazaya Nine.
Ever since the suggestion to send Momonosuke to the future by Toki, the hearts of the Kinnemon group had grown restless.
Subsequently, with the disappearance of Denjiro and the capture of Kanjuro at the Port of Habu, their anxiety only intensified.
Most importantly, Momonosuke seemed to have been severely injured by Orochi's Oniwabanshu at some point, which left him feeling like he had been through hell in just a few days. Both physically and mentally exhausted.
What terrified him the most was that one morning, while urinating, he found blood in his urine. Upon learning of this, Kinemon almost collapsed.
After all, Momonosuke was the only remaining bloodline left by Lord Kozuki. If he lost the ability to father children, it would mean the end of the Kozuki bloodline in their hands.
They were so preoccupied with this matter that they even risked exposing their whereabouts to abduct physicians.
After a day's worth of effort, Momonosuke received various treatments, but none seemed to work.
"Madam Toki, there's hope for the young master!"
"Clang!"
Hearing those familiar words, Momonosuke, who was lying on the bed enjoying Madam Toki's lap pillow, was so startled that he almost fell off the bed.
"What's wrong, Kinemon?"
Madam Toki grabbed Momonosuke to prevent him from falling off the bed.
"Madam Toki, we've found a highly renowned physician this time. He will definitely be able to cure Young Master Momonosuke!"
Kinemon spoke with a trembling voice, clearly filled with excitement.
"Can he really cure Momonosuke?"
Madam Toki's eyes lit up with hope. After all, many doctors previously consulted had failed to identify the problem.
"Yes, Madam Toki, rest assured. This time, this person is absolutely reliable. We've made inquiries with many people."
Kinemon reassured her earnestly.
"Then, Momonosuke..."
Madam Toki looked towards Momonosuke.
And Kinemon, too, looked at Momonosuke with a joyful expression.
Faced with sudden attention, Momonosuke forced a smile that was even more pitiful than tears.
"Mother, is it possible not to treat me?"
Soon, a man who looked like a physician entered under Raizo's guidance.
After a brief conversation, the man, using his right hand, suddenly pressed hard on Momonosuke's abdomen, causing him to scream in pain.
Seeing this, Kinemon and the others looked like they were about to kill someone with their eyes, but the doctor remained calm.
"The patient's condition is very serious. If I'm not mistaken, his kidneys have suffered severe trauma."
Upon hearing the doctor's words, Madam Toki and the others showed expressions of surprise. After all, many previous doctors had failed to identify the problem.
"That's correct. Can you treat him, sir? If you can cure him, we will be extremely grateful."
Madam Toki quickly spoke up.
"If it were treated at the time of injury, there might have been a chance. But now, with the blood clot blocking, I'm afraid even a god wouldn't be able to save him."
"What do you mean?"
"It means there's no hope. If the lordship of the Kozuki family were still in power, we could have found a way to send him to the Shogun's mansion to serve as an attendant. But now, alas..."
The doctor shook his head with a sigh.
Hearing this, the composure of Lord Toki trembled, and she almost collapsed. It was only Kikunojo's quick action that prevented her from falling.
On the other hand, in the restless unease of Orochi, Kaido also came looking for him.
Without hesitation, Orochi hastily ascended the stairs to the attic.
As soon as Orochi reached the top of the attic, members of the Oniwabanshu immediately gathered around him, providing heavy protection.
The Oniwabanshu were a direct ninja force under the command of the Shogun, and after seizing the position of the Shogun from the Kozuki family, Orochi also established his own Oniwabanshu.
Arriving at the attic, Orochi immediately saw the enormous dragon descending from the distant sky.
"Damn it..."
The memories of the brutal Battle of Flower capital flashed through his mind, and Orochi's legs trembled nervously.
Even the tens of thousands of troops dispersed around the attic couldn't give him much confidence.
"Hanzo."
Orochi looked up at Hanzo, the tallest member of the Oniwabanshu.
"At your service."
Hanzo responded.
"If things go wrong, carry me on your back and flee without hesitation!"
"Yes!"
Hanzo obeyed the order.
Standing nearly six meters tall, he was one of the few members of the Oniwabanshu who could carry Orochi on his back.
A few seconds passed.
Under the gaze of the tens of thousands, the flying dragon approached from above, and soon Kaido's massive figure descended from the sky.
Originally, the mercenaries thought they were in for easy money, but upon seeing Kaido's arrival, they were so frightened that some of them could barely hold onto their weapons.
Watching the countless mercenaries around him, Kaido released a breathtaking aura.
In an instant.
Orochi, the Oniwabanshu, and the fully armed warriors, as if struck by an invisible hammer, collapsed to the ground, save for a few. Nearly all of them lay prostrate on the ground, their eyes rolling back.
Several pairs of eyes focused on Kaido, who remained calm.
Enduring his inner fear, Orochi, trembling in his voice, addressed Kaido, "Kaido, let me thank you, because..."
Before Orochi could finish, Kaido directly struck his head with a club, exploding it like a melon.
In an instant, Orochi's head burst open like a smashed watermelon, splattering the nearby Oniwabanshu with blood.
But no one dared to reach out to wipe it off, as they knew that Kaido, in his current state, was very dangerous.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone