Chapter 1182: My Dear Brother, Death Is Mercy_2

“Denjiro, calm down. Acting like this will only make Lady Hiyori angrier. Do you remember what the situation here is?”

Kawamatsu, due to his guilt over getting caught back then, was inclined toward Kozuki Hiyori, and Kikunojo was in a similar state.

They didn’t care about Momonosuke as much as Denjiro, so they saw things more clearly.

Though it seemed like only a few of them were here, in reality, it was the heart of the Hundred Beasts, and Queen might be watching them from somewhere.

Even if they all ignored Kozuki Hiyori’s orders, there were members of the Hundred Beasts willing to listen to her commands. After all, it was Hiyori that the Hundred Beasts had chosen.

Especially in these years, after Kozuki Hiyori’s attitude changed, the Hundred Beasts became even more satisfied with this general. It was the Hundred Beasts that truly decided Momonosuke’s fate, not Hiyori.

If the Hundred Beasts wanted him alive, no one could kill him, and if they wanted him dead, no one could protect him.

If the two of them were to act like Denjiro, Hiyori’s heart might undergo an even more terrifying change, and who knows what consequences that would bring.

Denjiro was so worried that he lost his mind, and only then did he realize that his persuasion was only exacerbating the conflict. Reflecting carefully, if that knife had been stabbed, it would have pierced through the abdomen, but not been immediately fatal.

But regardless, it was not a good sign. The siblings, or rather, the sister and brother, had long been devoid of familial affection for each other.

“It’s all those bastards’ fault…”

Denjiro thought again of those lunatics who had plotted assassinations, but looking at the current Hiyori, he suddenly realized that some of their words were irrefutable.

“Lord Denjiro, take a look at the current Wano Kuni. Aside from us old folks, the children have no idea who the general is! They don’t understand the significance of the general!

They’re attending schools run by Kaidou, chanting the name of Lord Ming Wang, and at this rate, will anyone be willing to resist?!”

“You all are protecting her, but you’re not protecting the Kozuki family! You’re destroying the hope of Kozuki. When Lord Momonosuke returns, will anyone be willing to help him?

We’re already old, and the next generation doesn’t want to continue on this path, so while we still have strength, we must do something!”

Given the current situation, their words seemed to be true, as even Momonosuke’s own sister didn’t want to help him anymore.

“Don’t you want to do something?”

“What can we do…?”

The Kozuki family affairs left them without any justification, the disparity in strength made rebellion impossible, and both theory and reality were unbearably painful.

…

Denjiro was pulled away, leaving no one to protect Momonosuke. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were powerless and could only watch from the sidelines, while Hiyori knelt down before him.

The black gun barrel pointed straight at him.

“Hi… Hiyori, I… I’m Momonosuke, your brother…”

Twenty years passed for him in the blink of an eye, and the shadow of the war in Wano Kuni hadn’t completely lifted when he found himself at the barrel of his sister’s gun.

It wasn’t until Denjiro was dragged away that he realized what the situation before him was.

His impression of Kozuki Hiyori was still of that little girl.

Back then, Hiyori was mischievous and lively, often greeting Momonosuke with a flying kick, so much so that Momonosuke often thought of her as a wild child, yet their sibling bond was still good.

“You used to love playing the Moon Princess tune. Why would you want to kill me… Our enemy is the Hundred Beasts Pirates! Have you forgotten our mother and father’s dying wishes?”

“A dying wish? Are you referring to how you could enjoy the fruits of labor twenty years later, while I had to endure hardships and hand everything over to you at the end?”

“I… I didn’t mean it that way, and mother didn’t think so either! She just hoped that the bloodline of the Kozuki family would have a greater chance to continue…”

Faced with the threat of impending death, Momonosuke’s words seemed reasonable. A few years ago, he wouldn’t have had to explain; Hiyori would have understood. But now, it was all too late.

“Then please tell me, why was it me left behind and not you? We were both right beside her, yet mother chose you!”

At this point, the muzzle was even inserted directly into Momonosuke’s mouth, the metallic bitterness stimulating his senses, and he could even smell the gunpowder.

“Of course, I can’t blame mother, after all, she gave birth to me and raised me. But if you weren’t there, mother wouldn’t have been biased. So it’s all your fault!”

The gun rotated, the front sight cutting into his oral cavity, spreading the taste of blood in his mouth, adding another layer of terror to the tense atmosphere.

Kozuki Hiyori’s tone was slightly deranged, and instinctively, Momonosuke grasped the barrel with both hands, trying to pull it out, but his strength was far inferior compared to an adult.

Seeing this, Hiyori didn’t pull the trigger immediately. Instead, she kicked Momonosuke in the stomach.

Everything was so similar to twenty years ago; however, twenty years ago, it was just child play, but this kick carried the accumulation of resentment over the years.

Momonosuke curled up like a shrimp in the corner of the wall, two teeth fell beside him, and even that handgun slid along with them. Somehow, when she kicked out, Kozuki Hiyori’s hand released its grip on the gun handle.