"Crack! Bang!"
With the loud snap of firecrackers, the Tenshō Onsen Spa Resort officially opened. Outside, the streets were already packed with nobles and elites jostling for space.
The main doors opened, and a celebratory red carpet unfurled all the way to the end of the street.
Then came the procession of forty welcoming ladies—each with delicate makeup and dressed in tight-fitting red qipao. They stood evenly on both sides of the carpet, maintaining perfect smiles, their elegant figures accentuated by the form-fitting outfits, firmly capturing every man's attention.
"Gulp…"
Men swallowed hard.
They weren't showing that much skin, and yet somehow… it was downright bewitching.
Wait—was it just their imagination, or did the lady at the front look just like Ayachō, one of Boss Kyoshiro's most famous courtesans?
—
"Thank you, friends, for coming from near and far—"
Rogan, holding a speaker Den Den Mushi like a host, read from a cue card and delivered a three-minute string of elegant platitudes.
"I now declare the Tenshō Onsen Spa Resort officially open! May I invite Yamato-dono and honored guest Oiran Komurasaki for the ribbon-cutting ceremony!"
With the appearance of Yamato and Komurasaki, the crowd gasped in awe once again.
"Dear gods, even Komurasaki the Oiran is here!"
"She's dazzling! Absolutely breathtaking!"
"Never thought we'd see the top courtesan herself!"
"And that's Kaidou's daughter? She's a total knockout!"
Hearts popped in everyone's eyes.
Komurasaki's fame as an oiran was unmatched throughout the nation—even the richest nobles struggled to see her in person.
And then… there was Kaidou's daughter.
Rumors claimed she was eight meters tall, had four arms, and devoured ten cows a day—a monstrous woman through and through.
Instead…
She was radiant.
Today, Yamato wore light makeup and a qipao too, styled with two cute buns on her head—very much like a model shop girl.
As for why she didn't wear a kimono like the others?
Differentiation.
Uniqueness sells.
In business, you had to excel in either quality, service, or atmosphere—at least one—otherwise, who would come?
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
As the ribbon-cutting ceremony finished, fireworks exploded in the sky.
Now came the most important part—
Collecting money.
Rogan shot a glance to the side.
Seated at the entrance, Aozame and the other three immediately understood. They stood and shouted:
"From the Beasts Pirates' True Smasher Ulti: 100 gold! Congratulations to Yamato-dono on your grand opening! May your business flourish!"
100 gold!
Enough to buy a mansion!
The guests gasped.
They had, of course, come prepared with some money or gifts—but no one expected the very first tribute to be a whopping 100 gold.
Some looked awkwardly at what they'd brought—it suddenly felt a bit… cheap.
These were all people of status and pride—no one wanted to be embarrassed. But the next few announcements shattered their self-esteem completely.
"The Daimyō of Kuri sends a pair of white jade lion statues worth 100 gold. Congratulations."
"Boss Kyoshiro sends 500 gold. Congratulations to Yamato-dono!"
"Beasts Pirates' All-Star King: 1,000 gold. Congratulations."
Daimyō from every region, all three Calamities of the Beasts Pirates, Boss Kyoshiro himself—
Even if they didn't appear in person, each one sent extravagant gifts or money—each more impressive than the last.
Very quickly, the tribute pile became a mountain.
"Fukurokuju-sama has arrived!"
The Oniwabanshu appeared, pushing the gifting ceremony to its climax.
"Fukurokuju-sama, on behalf of Shogun Orochi, presents 10,000 gold! Congratulations to his niece, Yamato-dono, on her grand opening!"
10,000 GOLD.
The crowd exploded.
"Only the shogun could pull that off!"
The guests were green with envy.
This was just a hot spring resort grand opening—and yet, tens of thousands in gold were being thrown at it, with the shogun himself offering tribute.
Such treatment… was unprecedented.
Rogan stood beside the gift mountain, his eyes literally sparkling like $$.
What blinded his vision?
Oh…
That sweet, sweet MONEY!
"All of this… is MINE!"
Though it looked like the money was for Yamato, everyone knew it was just a show of goodwill toward Kaidou. But ultimately, all of it would end up in Rogan's pocket.
In essence, he was using Yamato to rake in cash under Kaidou's name.
Kyahahaha…
Rogan grinned like a sunflower in full bloom, flaming with enthusiasm:
"Honored guests, please—come inside!"
"Hmph."
The nobles stepped through the entrance.
They were curious what kind of tricks Kaidou's daughter had up her sleeve—especially after paying so much, they expected to be pampered.
"Welcome!"
At this point, the rest of the courtesans went into action. Each one was assigned a guest and began guiding them through the services.
"Would you like to try our specialty foot therapy?"
"We also offer essential oil massages, fire cupping, nail care, ear cleaning—and much more!"
"Opening day special—50% off everything!"
"We have package deals as well!"
"Also, for just 998 silver, you can try every service we offer!"
"Oh—and we also provide dining, lodging, a game room, gym, and performance hall!"
The guests were left speechless.
Huh?
What… even is all this!?
Weren't they just here to take a bath?
Rogan watched their reactions with a satisfied smirk.
Bathing, massage, food, entertainment, and emotional value—all in one place.
This was a dimensional suppression.
Heh. These backward, feudal-era folks…
Let Master Rogan show you what real luxury is.
As long as you have money, you could live here forever!
Damn… he really was a genius!
—
Across the street, in a dim alley.
Shirashima, Kibi, Suzugo, and Amigasa—the bosses of four underworld factions—stood together, all chewing on pipes, silently puffing clouds of smoke.
They hadn't brought any tribute—they didn't want to be humiliated.
On the surface, they still looked like powerful figures. But the truth was… times were tough.
Because they refused to submit to Orochi, they were constantly being squeezed by his faction.
Even the most profitable casinos were nearing collapse. All the wealthy clientele had shifted to Orochi's faction. Their own visitors were just broke gamblers who couldn't repay debts.
And samurai outlaws constantly showed up asking for help, draining resources even more.
Some of them didn't even have enough for a bottle of sake.
Kangorō looked down at his patched-up clothes, his heart aching—this was his best outfit.
Damn it!
How had it come to this?
Suppressing his frustration, Kangorō looked around at the others.
"So, what do you all think about this?"
"What else can we think? We fight Kaidou!"
Ōmasa of Amigasa cursed under his breath. The sheer opulence of that hot spring across the street made him want to burn it down.
If only they could steal all that gold—
"Calm down, Ōmasa!"
Adachi, boss of Suzugo, snapped.
It wasn't time yet. Acting on impulse would only bring disaster.
The real danger wasn't them—but those crazed Kozuki loyalists gathering outside the city. If someone didn't stop them, there'd be blood tonight.
Killing Kaidou's daughter? That was easier said than done.
(End of Chapter)
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