Chapter 479: Kurozumi's Scheme: Cannon Fodder
The bad news didn't end there.
The Shogun of Wano Country, Kozuki Sukiyaki, who had ruled Wano Country for many years, was gravely ill.
Coupled with his emotional distress, his body grew weaker under the heavy blow of the disaster.
He could last at most a few more years.
At this time, Wano Country's greatest expectation was for Kozuki Oden's return.
Only then could Wano Country rise again.
The mastermind behind the scenes of all this was the Kurozumi Clan, there was no doubt about that.
During this period, the Wano Country Shogunate had found quite a bit of evidence.
However, they hadn't been able to spare the energy to deal with the Kurozumi Clan.
Until now, the plague had basically disappeared.
As long as people didn't move around carelessly, especially in places with too many corpses or if they didn't drink unclean well water, they generally didn't have to worry about getting sick again.
The remaining residents also didn't dare to move around casually.
Having experienced the disaster, they clearly knew the consequences; everyone would abandon you without hesitation.
Even the samurai were no exception; in these past six months alone, thousands of samurai had died.
At this time, the remaining people of Wano Country could be said to hate the Kurozumi Clan, who had caused all this, to the bone.
The strength of the samurai was gathered in a town with tens of thousands of people.
This was the Ringo Region, which was blockaded immediately due to its coastal location and distance from other villages and towns.
The area was largely preserved, unlike the Flower Capital, which was temporarily abandoned.
The Kurozumi Clan had already attacked them, causing such great pain.
How could they not seek revenge?
They also needed a target to divert their pain with wrath.
This target was undoubtedly the Kurozumi Clan.
The Tyrant Dragon Pirates would not help them, Wano Country knew this.
By blockading Wano Country, they hadn't given them any aid in the past six months.
Attacking the Kurozumi Clan now meant they no longer needed to care about the Tyrant Dragon Pirates.
"Cough, cough! Everyone must be careful in this operation."
Lying in bed, Kozuki Sukiyaki's face was pale, covered by a thick blanket.
He looked at the several Daimyo beside him and said seriously, "The Kurozumi are cunning, they might be waiting for us."
Although they had lost their Daimyo titles, this fact hadn't changed for Wano Country.
"Shogun, we must have revenge, we absolutely cannot let the Kurozumi Clan go."
Shimotsuki Ushimaru gritted his teeth, clenching his fists, the wrath in his eyes seemingly ready to erupt at any moment.
The other several Daimyo were the same.
Only by seeing Wano Country as it was now did they realize how heavy the losses Wano Country had suffered in this disaster.
The method of poisoning the farmland and well water was truly despicable.
It turned the once prosperous Wano Country into this state.
Kozuki Sukiyaki didn't stop them; how could he not want revenge himself?
It was just that due to his body's condition, he couldn't take action.
Moreover, this was the collective will of all the samurai now.
Kozuki Sukiyaki could only hope for their operation to go smoothly.
The current number of samurai in Wano Country combined was less than seven thousand.
Most of the samurai were currently gathered at this important stronghold in Wano Country.
They shared a common purpose: to march towards Black Snake Island, bring about the downfall of the Kurozumi Clan's base camp, and then eliminate all members of the Kurozumi Clan.
Their hearts filled with wrath were constantly connected, the air in the entire small town was unusually heavy, and dark clouds rolled across the sky.
What they didn't know was that this decision was exactly what the Kurozumi Clan wanted.
"Hehehehe! Then we shall expect their arrival. I have prepared enough gifts."
The news reached the Kurozumi Clan immediately.
The entire Black Snake Island was manned by thirty thousand fully armed troops.
With artillery pieces and ample ammunition, Black Snake Island, which had been built into a military fortress through years of accumulation, was finally ready to show its sharpness.
Although this was just a one-time use item, it was enough for the Kurozumi Clan.
Even Kurozumi Semimaru hadn't expected that their operation against Wano Country would yield such astonishing results.
Hunger and mass death were actually within her expectation.
Kurozumi Semimaru, the mastermind, naturally knew the purpose behind using the Withering Agent and poisoning the water sources.
However, the outbreak of the plague was completely unexpected for her.
How could she have imagined that such a massive plague would break out within Wano Country?
Otherwise, the death toll in Wano Country would have peaked at a few hundred thousand.
When the plague erupted, the entire Wano Country had already fallen, and by the time they realized it, it was too late.
Coupled with the lack of effective countermeasures, this resulted in the outcome that brought her joy.
The more tragic Wano Country was, and the heavier its losses, the more excited she became.
It made her feel that her efforts over the years had been worthwhile.
"Arrange for twenty thousand people to attack Wano Country's stronghold after Wano Country begins its operation and sails towards Black Snake Island."
Kurozumi Semimaru, like a witch, was old but her brain remained clear, especially when it came to dealing with Wano Country.
With Wano Country sending most of its strength to target Black Snake Island, the rear area would inevitably be left with depleted combatant strength.
Facing an attack by an army of twenty thousand, they would definitely suffer heavy losses.
Seeing Wano Country's tragic state, Kurozumi Semimaru felt a sense of accomplishment.
She hoped Wano Country would become even more miserable, and that the country would be completely destroyed.
After years of development, the Kurozumi Clan had shifted most of their energy to their secret strongholds on the Great Sea.
Regarding Wano Country, with the presence of the Tyrant Dragon Pirates, the Kurozumi Clan didn't actually have much expectation.
As long as they controlled Wano Country's foreign trade business, they could continuously gain interests.
The fifty thousand military currently remaining in Wano Country, just like those on Black Snake Island, were actually abandoned cannon fodder.
With the shift in the Kurozumi Clan's focus, they could no longer gain huge interests annually by selling slaves as they did in the past.
That business had been ruined by themselves.
Therefore, the military built with a large sum of money in the past had become a burden for the Kurozumi Clan.
Maintaining a large military would be difficult for the Kurozumi Clan in the coming world.
Like sharpening a sword for ten years, this battle would allow these soldiers to make their final contribution.
As long as they killed enough and depleted more of Wano Country's strength, it would be a success for Kurozumi Semimaru.
Of course, since they were cannon fodder, how could they simply give up on Black Snake Island, which was built with a large sum of money, and some precious armaments like artillery, which cost billions of Beli in total?
Before this, most of the things on Black Snake Island that could be taken away had already been moved.
Even the armaments left behind still possessed terrifying firepower, ready to give Wano Country a surprise!
(end of chapter)