The capital of Vano was a gray spot under the yoke of Orochi and Kaido. People hunched over the ruined buildings, and the darkness above their heads seemed so thick that it hid even the sun. The gaze of a random passerby, fixed on me, quickly hid, as if in fear of being noticed.
After entering the city, I didn't turn the remaining strong fighters of the Kaido army into puppets. Not now. I'll need them later, when I'm heading to my next destination, Totland.
Nevertheless, changes were needed in Vano itself. While Kaido, my subordinate, gave his first orders, I watched. His deep voice rose above the roar of the crowd.:
— We stop depleting the resources of this land. From now on, no one dares to attack or rob the locals. If you disagree with the new rules, leave now.
The crowd of pirates shifted from one foot to the other. Kaido's words, the former symbol of their unwavering might, now sounded like something alien. Some of his subordinates were gnashing their teeth viciously, while others were exchanging worried glances. They did not yet realize that the era of their atrocities was nearing its end.
At this time, Orochi was feigning his displeasure as usual. His face was contorted with rage, and his voice was trembling with barely suppressed hysteria.
—What are you doing, Kaido?" You're betraying me and our government!
I let him finish. It was only a few seconds before his anger turned into a nervous giggle. One movement was enough to make his body freeze and his soul tremble under my threads. Orochi, with his cunning but useless tricks, was now nothing more than another puppet in my collection. His glazed gaze silently confirmed that he no longer posed any threat.
The slopes of Vano spread out around us, hiding under the caps of a dense forest. The path wound through the trees, which spread their branches like old warriors ready for battle. My entourage consisted of puppets: Ulti, Paige Vano, as well as a small squad that I created back in the capital. But there were two people walking in front of me: Huishu and Sasaki, the ones I had left out of control so far.
"I don't understand what all this fuss is about," Sasaki muttered, glancing over his shoulder at Kaido, who was walking behind me, now under my complete control. "If he's with you now, why not just crush the others?"
— And what will it do? I asked calmly, looking straight ahead.
"You're commanding us, right?" Sasaki stopped, turning to face me. "Then show me your strength." Onigashima is our home. Kaido pirates only understand the language of power. Until you prove yourself, you'll just be a strange alien to everyone.
—Or a fool who underestimates the danger,— added Huishu, who was standing a little to one side. He looked at me lazily, but there was interest in his eyes.
—You want me to give you something to respect,— I replied without slowing my pace. — Or perhaps you're looking for a reason to make sure that I didn't make a mistake by leaving you sane?
—Both," Huishu admitted with a wry smile.
I stopped, turning my head slightly towards them.
— good. Ask away. If I satisfy your curiosity, you will continue with me without creating problems.
— Why did you choose us? Hus Hus asked, narrowing his eyes. "Why didn't you break us like the others?"
— I have chosen those who can be useful. You are strong, but your loyalty did not lie with Kaido in the past. In fact, I'm wondering how the former CP9 agent will act and if the Fishman has any interesting stories.
Huishu nodded, considering my answer, but Sasaki was not so restrained.
"It sounds nice, but it doesn't change anything,— he said. "If you want us to follow you, prove that you have a plan."
I didn't slow down, preferring to walk instead of moving through the flames.
"My plan is simple. But I won't reveal it. If you don't want to help me, then I don't think I need your help.
Sasaki paused, trying to figure out how much I would limit them. Huishu just grinned, as if he found something funny in my words.
—Okay,— Sasaki drawled, turning away.
When I stepped onto the rocky road leading to Onigashima, nature itself began to tell its story. The skeletons of giant creatures protruded from the ground like monuments of bygone times. Their empty eye sockets, facing the sea, seemed to be silent witnesses of centuries-old events. The walls of the caves bore the marks of ancient battles: scribbled drawings, soot stains, the smell embedded in the stone — a mixture of gunpowder and something older, perhaps fear.
When I reached the center of the skull, a monolith appeared in front of me, its smooth surface and clear engravings defied time. The writing was brief, almost annoyingly concise.:
On the border of the Great Sea, where the waves meet the horizons, rests an island that is not sung in the songs of mortals. It lies to the west of the Red Line, 15 thousand 500 nautical miles away, where the currents collide and erect a curtain of storms and foam. This path crosses a vast sea without a hint of shore, where only the stars can point in the right direction. The last stronghold that preserves the covenant of the Ancient World is hidden under the protection of the elements.
I slowly ran my hand over the engraving, as if wanting to feel the weight of her words. It was like an invitation, strict and demanding, hinting at the endless dangers that lurked beyond those coordinates. But what annoyed me the most was the lack of context. Vano, a country with a centuries—old history, whose roots go deeper than the memory of the living, remained mute in the words of this text.
When I returned to the capital, I set aside a corner for myself in one of the surviving buildings, which was turned into an improvised archive. Dusty scrolls, wooden tablets, and tattered records were collected by new subordinates. They brought everything they could find here.
Every morning I started by putting the finds on the table, pulling the threads of events out of the chaos of words and symbols. One of the first finds was a scroll from an abandoned temple, brought by an old man who claimed to have hidden it since childhood. The chronicler's handwriting was clear, as if frozen in time.:
"In those years, when the smoking pillars of other people's wars rose on the horizon, our people chose silence. We fenced ourselves off with walls of mountains, closed the sea with chains of reefs. This land was intended for those who value blades not for their edge, but for their role in protecting the home. That's how the covenant was formed, binding the sword and honor together."
Another entry caught my attention in a modest library on the outskirts of the capital. She talked about the events of the second Shogun dynasty, when the Vano tried for the first time to go beyond its isolation. Then they sent three ships to the Red Line in an attempt to establish trade links with neighboring seas. Only one of them returned five years later, bringing with him a map on which the current lines were strangely shifting, and a box of dark minerals unknown even now.
Later, in one of the family chronicles, I came across notes about the construction of a huge system of reservoirs and dams. This work began on the orders of the shogun of the fourth dynasty, who wanted to protect the country from the devastating floods that happened every decade at that time. The dams were built using unique technologies used in forging blades. This made it possible to create a structure that is resistant to time, earthquakes and even fires. The last such project dated back about 400 years ago.
Special attention was drawn to the stories about how a century ago Vano experienced an internal split. One of the shoguns refused to follow the traditions, allowing merchants and artisans to occupy high positions in society. This period is known as the "Year of the Fiery Mountain." According to legend, the samurai uprising, dissatisfied with the violation of old customs, ended in disaster: during the final battle, flames engulfed the mountain, and its peak collapsed, forever changing the landscape of the region.
In the temple on Onigashima's territory, I found another relic, a fragment of a rock engraving. It depicted the fall of a giant under the blows of warriors from heaven, who, as the inscription said, came to restore order. The skull around which the fortress now stood was supposedly part of this legend, although the text itself did not give a clear answer.