Chapter 731: The Capital City
As they continued on their journey, the attitude of the escorting samurai toward Ian did a complete one-eighty!
Worshiping the strong was the nature of the people of Wano Country. After witnessing Ian's swordsmanship, which far surpassed their own, the group of samurai immediately became extremely respectful toward him.
They were even more attentive than they were toward Princess Nea...
They crowded around Ian. When he was thirsty, they immediately offered water; when he was hungry, they immediately brought food. When they stopped to rest, a group of samurai in their thirties scrambled to massage his shoulders and legs, not caring at all that Ian was younger than them. They almost came to blows over who got to serve him!
In truth, these samurai weren't weak. After all, they were retainers of a daimyo, sent to protect Princess Nea. Their strength was at least at the level of a swordsman master, and many of them already knew how to use Haki. In the Marines, they would have started at least at the rank of Major!
Swordsman Master, Grand Swordsman. It was said that above the Grand Swordsman, there was a level called Sword Saint, but such a figure appeared only once in a century and was rarely mentioned. This was the vague classification of swordsmanship achievement in this world.
The average person could only hope to reach the first two levels. And between a Swordsman Master and a Grand Swordsman, though only one word separated them, their strength was worlds apart. All of Wano Country had tens of thousands of Swordsman Masters, but only a few dozen Grand Swordsmen.
The swordsmanship Ian had displayed earlier was solidly at the top of the Grand Swordsman level. People with such strength were so rare in Wano Country that they could probably be counted on one hand. How could these samurai not feel awe?
At this moment, they felt very fortunate, glad that Ian and his group meant no harm. Otherwise, even if everyone present joined forces, they wouldn't be enough for Ian to cut down alone.
While flattering Ian, they also sincerely sought his guidance in the way of the sword.
As a disciple of Koushirou, Ian felt it was necessary to spread the skills of the Isshin Style. Although Koushirou had never instructed him to do so, Ian could only think of this way to repay his teacher's kindness. So he didn't hold back and explained the swordsmanship of the Isshin Style to some of these samurai.
The Isshin Style focused on fundamentals, without too many flashy techniques. But don't think that made it unremarkable. Only Ian, Zoro, and Kuina understood that the true essence of the Isshin Style was hidden precisely in these most basic movements.
Take the simplest slashing motion: how could one deliver the greatest force with the least effort? At the same time, how much strength should be reserved for defense, achieving both offense and defense?
When he was training, Master Koushirou didn't say much to Ian. He just repeatedly corrected his movements whenever they deviated. It was under these conditions that Ian's swordsmanship gradually became perfect and refined. Years of uninterrupted practice of these movements were the reason his swordsmanship improved so quickly.
So, during the rest of the journey, Ian, just as Koushirou had taught him back then, continuously corrected the samurai's swinging and striking motions, leaving a trace of the Isshin Style's swordsmanship in Wano Country.
His serious attitude was naturally felt by the samurai. Then, no one knew who started it, but by the end, the group of samurai respectfully called Ian "Teacher"!
Hmm, it was "teacher," not "master." There was still a difference between these two titles, but it showed the samurai's respect for Ian's instruction.
However, what was amusing was that Marco was also quite strong, but the samurai were only polite to him. This was only because he was Ian's companion. He never reached Ian's level of status. This left Marco feeling quite frustrated...
Little Princess Nea secretly observed all of this with her big, beautiful eyes. She was naturally surprised. She never thought that these samurai, who only respected her and her father, would one day show respect to a foreign pirate.
"Is that big brother Ian really that amazing?" Nea quietly asked Bonney.
The title "big brother" was, of course, taught to her by Bonney...
Since Nea and Bonney were the only two girls in the group, Nea had invited Bonney to sit in her carriage. The samurai had originally been strongly opposed to this, but after Bonney used her Devil Fruit ability to transform into a child form, they had no more concerns.
However, even in her child form, once Bonney was in Nea's carriage, she couldn't change her gluttonous nature. The snacks the samurai had prepared for Princess Nea all ended up in her mouth.
And Nea, being at an age where she was curious about everything, found Bonney's Devil Fruit ability fascinating. The two of them chatted happily.
When Nea asked her question, Bonney, while stuffing pastries into her mouth, mumbled, "Didn't you see? That guy is a Four Emperors now!"
"What's a Four Emperors?" Nea asked curiously.
"It's... it's what people on the outside sea call the most powerful pirates!" Bonney explained. "Let's put it this way: he's on the same level as Kaido!"
Hearing this, little Princess Nea was stunned!
She didn't know what the Four Emperors were, but she definitely knew how terrifying Kaido was. She had heard all about it from her father. His deep worry about Kaido had been passed on to her, creating an image in the heart of this little princess, who had never traveled far, of Kaido as the most evil person in the world.
But now, Bonney was telling her that this big brother Ian, who had become her friend, was on the same level as Kaido!?
This was simply unbelievable...
"That's why I say, your Wano Country really should go out and see the world more!" Bonney said, a little speechless at Nea's expression. "The outside world has developed so much, and you don't know anything about it."
"Is... is that so?" Nea murmured thoughtfully, then sat quietly again, saying nothing more...
The group spent a day traveling through the forest. After emerging, they walked a bit further and gradually saw farmland. In the fields, many poorly dressed commoners could be seen farming.
Wano Country was still an agricultural society. Due to its isolationist policy, there was no trade with the outside world. From the samurai, Ian and the others learned that the country's food supply was quite tight. Coupled with the special class system, the commoners who farmed to feed the nation were at the very bottom, receiving little attention. In the current era of great pirates, Wano Country was frequently attacked by pirates. In a vicious cycle, more and more people wanted to become samurai or ninja to protect their homes, resulting in fewer and fewer people farming.
This was actually the biggest hidden danger in Wano Country. Their agricultural technology was still stuck in the primitive farming era. Without external exchange, advanced technology from the outside couldn't develop. It was very likely that a large-scale famine would occur soon.
Famine would lead to internal unrest, and internal unrest would lead to war. The daimyo of Wano Country naturally understood this. But with the national atmosphere being what it was, they had no good solutions.
This was also why the Kozuki Family's proposal to open the country had gained support from many people. There were still many wise people in Wano Country. Strengthening ties with the outside world offered a possible solution to the country's problems.
But unfortunately, the Shogun of Wano Country had defeated the Kozuki Family, the leaders of this movement...
Watching the samurai in the group strut arrogantly through the fields, while the farming peasants could only fearfully stop their work and prostrate themselves to see them off, Ian and Marco didn't know what to say...
After traveling for another half a day, Ian noticed that human activity was becoming more frequent. Looking up ahead, he could already see a tall castle in the distance.
"We're here!" Little Princess Nea poked her head out of the carriage and pointed at the castle, saying to Ian, "That's the capital of our Nishijono, 'Yang'! Father is in the Tenshukaku!"
Before Ian could get a clear look at the Tenshukaku, he saw a large army rushing toward them on the road ahead.
This army numbered at least a thousand. They were all infantry, wearing armor, carrying spears, and with swords at their waists. There were also a few on horseback, but Ian first noticed the man at the front.
The leader looked different. He was a middle-aged man, not wearing armor, but instead dressed in a hunting robe. Most importantly, he was only wearing socks, no shoes!
Even from a distance, this middle-aged man was already shouting urgently toward Ian's group: "Nea! Nea!? My dear daughter, why have you returned!?"
Hearing the shout, Nea emerged from the carriage, but her little face was full of embarrassment. She replied, "Father, I... I'm here!"
The middle-aged man hurriedly rode his horse to the front of the group. Ignoring the samurai's bows, he rushed over, hugged Nea tightly, rubbed his face against hers, and said tearfully, "My dear daughter, why didn't you listen this time? I hadn't even sent anyone to pick you up, and you came back on your own?"
Held in his arms, Nea's little face was scrunched up from the rubbing. Her expression was full of helplessness. She wanted to break free but didn't dare.
As for Ian and the others, they looked at this man with two small mustaches at the corners of his mouth, who seemed a bit sleazy, and were utterly shocked!
He was Nea's father? The daimyo of Nishijono?
He didn't look like it at all! This was clearly another daughter-con!
Hmm? Why did I say "another"?...