Summary:
Within two years of being banished, Oden, Kin’emon, and Denjiro parted ways with Yasuie and began traveling the Wano Country, with Oden wanting to explore the lawless Kuri. They were joined on their tour by siblings Izou and Kikunojo, Kanjuro and Raizo. One day, Oden left and confronted the criminals in Kuri, culminating in him defeating the most dangerous criminal, Ashur Doji. He then decided he wanted to take control of the region and worked with his followers to catch criminals and restore order. Once this was achieved, Sukiyaki reinstated Oden as his son and made him daimyo of Kuri. Oden, who as a daimyo needed a supporter, decided to grant the position to his followers.
Six years later, when members of the disbanded Rocks Pirates began to form their own crews in the outside world, Kawamatsu discovered Inuarashi and Nekomamushi washed up on Kuri Beach.
After spending some time in the Hakumai area with Shimotsuki Yasuie, Kozuki Oden decided to leave. Yasuie looks forward to dealing with less confusion, but laments that it will be a lot more boring without Oden. Oden has heard of a “monster” living in Kuri called Ashura Doji, though Yasuie warns him that the region is considered a “cancer” of Wan. Kuri is said to be a lawless place that even the shogun cannot control, and any criminal who escapes there without proper force will only face death. This only fuels Oden’s excitement, who decides to take a trip across the country. Upon his departure, Oden’s room is found to be a mess, though Yasuie refuses to demand any compensation for the repairs. When Yasuie’s money is also revealed to have been stolen, Orochi steps forward and claims to have witnessed Oden taking it. While the Daimyo’s staff are quick to believe the young servant, Yasuie himself is suspicious, knowing that Oden would rather make a spectacle out of the whole affair.
Kin’emon and Denjiro leave Hakumaie with Oden, prompting him to ask the two how far they will follow him. He shows visible discomfort as they vow to follow him as far as he will go, but still allows the young men to continue traveling with him. One night during a storm, the two stand guard in front of Oden as they now feel themselves to be his servants. He beckons them in and berates them for suffering in such conditions on his behalf. They question Oden about what he’s doing, who reveals that he was inspired to start the journal by what he heard about travelers at sea. Oden then goes on to chronicle several of his adventures across the country.
In Ringo, they meet two brothers, Izo and Kikunojo, who are poor and dance to earn money. They are the sons of a dance instructor, but their family has recently been torn apart due to the father being imprisoned for a crime. The brothers sobbed as they ate Oden’s food.
In Kibi they discovered a man who was persecuted for cutting the hair of dead and living people. Known as the “Goblin of Kibi”, it was revealed that Kanjuro used the hair to make brushes which he sold to support himself. He tried to do the same to Oden and after he was beaten, he started following the swordsman.
Rumors spread in the forests of Udon about a notorious bandit who kidnapped women and beat men half to death. However, it turns out that it was the ninja Raizo who left the Kozuki clan’s Oniwabanshu after being rejected by a female ninja. Raizo followed Oden’s group as they moved through the region and revealed that he was following Oden because he felt that he was in limbo and living in the shadows.
Elsewhere in the lawless land of Kuri, Ashura Doji heard of Oden’s arrival and ordered him captured. Ashura reveals that he despises the high and mighty and wants to kill Oden because he has the shogun’s bloodline. Oden and his group (which now includes Kin’emon, Denjiro, Kanjuro, Izou, Kiku, and Raizo) sit by the fire and eat together. Kin’emon wonders where Oden went, and Raizo says he went south to relieve himself. When someone notices that it was the day it happened, Raizo brushes it off as another one of Oden’s whims. However, when Denjiro interjects that Kuri is south of their current location, the group quickly realizes Oden’s true motive. They frantically rush to Kuri and find that the gate has been breached upon their arrival.
Having already entered the depths of Kuri, Oden finds himself face to face with a crowd of warriors. The outlaws all recognize Oden, who demands that they tell their boss that a samurai has arrived. Deeply troubled by Kuri’s culture that does not allow those who enter to leave, Oden battles the outlaws as his followers desperately try to catch up with him. They eventually see a cloud of dust by the mountain and spot a samurai who is surprised that they managed to chase him this far. Oden sits atop the defeated Ashura Doji, apologizing that he’s already done after a day of fighting. As they stare in astonishment at his feat, he asks his followers if they still love him, as he will need their wisdom and strength to rule the Kuri hooligans.
Word of Oden turning the lawless Kuri region into a hospitable place quickly spread across Wan. This act was such that Kozuki Sukiyaki revoked his rejection of Oden and named him Daimyo of Kuri. Citizens across the country and Oden’s followers rejoiced alike. Ashura Doji has never experienced the joys of peace, he thanks Oden, but it scares him. Oden realizes that as Daimyo he will be assigned vassals, but does not want to be assigned old, elevated nobles. Oden asks his followers to become his samurai, who make their offer in tears.
Six years later and thirty-three years before the present, it is revealed that the remnants of the Pirates of the Rocks have begun recruiting members for their crews.
At Kuri Beach, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi are stranded on the shore. They are discovered by young Kawamatsu, who is unsure what the creature is.