"Bingorou, how could you also be hunted down?"
The battle had already ended.
The three survivors on the battlefield continued northward towards the stronghold of Shimogetsu Gyuumaru.
On the way, Kenshin couldn't help but ask Bingorou with confusion, "What happened? Why are you being pursued?"
Bingorou sighed heavily. "It all starts from your battle with Mitsuda Kouda. By the way, Kenshin, what was the situation back then? Did you kill him?"
Kenshin fell silent for a moment, then looked at Bingorou and Gyuumaru with hopeful eyes. "Mitsuda Kouda was following me, challenging me. So, I accepted his challenge."
"But... at that moment, I felt like my strike should have killed him. I may have misjudged his vitality. I didn't expect him to come back alive."
Kenshin's face twisted with conflict, and Bingorou knew what troubled him.
As a top swordsman, Kenshin wouldn't make the mistake of thinking someone was dead when they weren't. He should know if someone had died or not.
So, Bingorou spoke up to dispel Kenshin's doubts. "Actually, you did kill him."
"What?!"
Kenshin was stunned. "But..."
"But he's still alive, right?" This time it was Gyuumaru who spoke. He raised his head slightly, looking at the dim sky and said softly, "His body was possessed by evil spirits, resurrected. Now, filled with anger and resentment towards you, he returned to the mortal realm. He, as a member of the Kouda clan, initiated a campaign to destroy the entire Wano Country. And what he wants to destroy the most is you."
Kenshin's expression tightened.
"So, we need to defeat Mitsuda," Bingorou said firmly.
Gyuumaru looked surprised at Bingorou's statement, as Bingorou hadn't expressed such thoughts before.
Bingorou hurriedly smiled bitterly. "I've come to terms with it. Mitsuda is no longer the same Mitsuda from before, and the Kouda clan..."
"It's finished."
Yes, the Kouda family was basically finished now.
Because Mitsuda Kouda was currently the only heir of the Kouda clan. If he had problems, it meant the entire Kouda family had problems.
If they could defeat Mitsuda Kouda, it meant the end of the Kouda clan's centuries-long rule over Wano Country.
"So, I think what you said makes sense. Let me join your resistance army. You are a member of the Shimogetsu clan and the only one who can become the next general of Wano Country."
"Talking about being a general is too early," Gyuumaru shook his head. "The future of this country, who can say for sure?"
"Perhaps... it may lead to destruction?"
If they couldn't defeat Mitsuda Kouda, then this country would be destroyed by his hands.
"Sorry, if only I had gotten rid of Mitsuda Kouda back then," Kenshin said, feeling somewhat lost.
"No one could have foreseen things would develop to this extent," Bingorou patted Kenshin's shoulder.
The three of them walked through the dim world, discussing recent events as time slowly passed.
When they were close to the stronghold of Shimogetsu Gyuumaru, Bingorou suddenly said, "Kenshin, have you thought about staying?"
Earlier on the road, Kenshin had said he wouldn't return to his master for the time being, so Bingorou asked him this way.
Gyuumaru also perked up his ears, prepared to hear Kenshin's answer. He also hoped Kenshin would join them.
If he could have such a powerful warrior as Kenshin, their hope of defeating Mitsuda Kouda would be greatly increased.
"I... really don't know where to go," Kenshin hesitated. "I can join you, but I also want to see this country."
"That's no problem."
Before Bingorou could speak, Gyuumaru said, "As long as you can help deal with some important figures, we won't restrict you too much."
He then took out a seashell from his body.
"This thing can allow us to communicate over long distances. If you need anything, you can contact us at any time."
The implication was, if they needed anything, they could also use this seashell to inform Kenshin.
Kenshin took the seashell and nodded. "Mr. Gyuumaru, Bingorou, I'll leave now. If you need anything, you can contact me through this seashell."
"Well... Kenshin, be careful. There are people everywhere looking for you now, especially Mitsuda. After his resurrection, he should be stronger than before. Don't underestimate him."
"I won't." Kenshin glanced into the distance and then stopped.
After watching the two enter the village where Shimogetsu Gyuumaru's troops were stationed, he headed in another direction.
Meanwhile, in the village, Gyuumaru said to Bingorou, "With you and Kenshin joining, my confidence has doubled."
The people in the village were excited to see them enter, but their mood dampened when they saw the blood on them and realized that those who had gone out with Gyuumaru hadn't returned.
"I'm not worth mentioning. I don't deserve your praise," Bingorou shook his head.
But Gyuumaru knew that Bingorou was strong both personally and in influence in Wano. Otherwise, he wouldn't have traveled all the way to find him.
This time he came for Bingorou, after all. He couldn't predict the future and didn't know he would encounter Kenshin on the way.
"Now Wano is in chaos and needs someone to unite all the resistance forces," Gyuumaru said. "Whether it's me, the Kurosumi clan, or others, we're all fighting against local lords in our respective regions. But you can unite the underworld of Wano Country."
"If we can unite, our strength will greatly increase."
Bingorou nodded solemnly. "Okay, I'll give it a try."
But before this, many of his subordinates and friends had been arrested by the Kouda family. He hoped... nothing would happen to them.
...
While Bingorou and Gyuumaru were planning for the future, Kenshin had already found a good place.
Wano was a large country in the One Piece world, with abundant resources, even Sea-Prism Stone was born here.
Later, Kaido occupied Wano to turn it into his own large factory, indicating the country's wealth of minerals.
And now, Minamoto was about to establish his own empire.