One Piece: Start by Rebuilding Kuri

Although Dan didn't like Kozuki Oden, he had to admit that the man was incredibly strong.

At the very least, Shutenmaru wouldn't be a match for him, and Dan himself, without fully utilizing his Mythical Zoan abilities, wouldn't stand a chance against Kozuki Oden either. Therefore, in Dan's eyes, opposing Oden at this time was both pointless and unwise.

Since Kurozumi Orochi wanted to deal with Oden himself, Dan was more than willing to let him take his time.

However, if Oden were to come and provoke him directly, that would be a different story.

Dan sat at his desk as Yukiko continuously listed out the crimes Oden and his group had committed since entering Kuri.

Most of these were minor offenses—destroying property or stealing goods. These petty thefts were mostly carried out by Kin'emon and Denjiro. The two had been small-time troublemakers in the Flower Capital since their youth, and their knack for mischief was almost instinctual.

If it were Oden himself, he would openly and brazenly take what he wanted.

For example, when he was hungry, he would simply sit in a farmer's field, start a fire, and cook a meal, completely oblivious to the fact that the food he was eating was the result of someone else's hard work. He didn't even consider his actions as theft.

These were relatively minor issues, and so far, since entering Kuri, Oden and his group hadn't harmed anyone except for the soldiers from the Military Commission who had tried to capture them.

However, in Kuri, Dan had established strict laws. What might be considered minor offenses in other regions were serious enough here to land them in jail.

If Oden didn't come to provoke him, things might remain peaceful. But if he dared to show up, Dan wouldn't hesitate to send him off for labor reform.

On top of that, he would slap Oden with the charge of assaulting a daimyo, ensuring that he would spend the next seven or eight years working in the fields.

Of course, at this stage, Dan didn't want to escalate tensions between himself and the Flower Capital too much, as it might complicate Orochi's plans.

A few days later, the stack of documents detailing Oden's crimes on Dan's desk had grown considerably.

And finally, the troublemaker himself arrived at the gates of the daimyo's residence.

Dan's daimyo residence was built on the site of Shutenmaru's former mountain stronghold. From a distance, it looked like a towering castle or stone tower, standing apart from the residential buildings at the foot of the mountain.

"What a magnificent structure!" Oden's eyes lit up as he marveled at the sight.

The daimyo's residence in Kuri, along with the town at the foot of the mountain, was incredibly prosperous. It was the most populous town in all of Kuri, with buildings mostly two or three stories tall, and merchants coming and going in a constant stream.

Just standing in the town, one could feel its vibrancy, and when looking up at the towering castle to the north, it felt as if a giant were gazing down upon the land.

Oden imagined that standing atop such a castle and looking out into the distance would give one a sense of vastness and openness.

For a moment, he felt a sense of respect for the daimyo of Kuri, whom he had never met.

Regardless of what kind of person he was or how strong he might be, at the very least, as the daimyo of Kuri, he was doing a commendable job. Throughout his journey, Oden had hardly seen anyone in Kuri who was starving or homeless. Such a situation was unheard of, even in the Flower Capital.

"That daimyo residence used to be called Mount Atama," Raizo explained. "But I heard the daimyo of Kuri thought the name was too plain, so he changed it to Mount Yougou. Even the town at the foot of the mountain is now called Yougou Town."

Oden wasn't particularly interested in names.

"Let's go and see this legendary daimyo of Kuri," Oden said, striding forward with his characteristic swagger.

The others quickly followed.

As they passed through the town, they drew many curious glances.

Oden's appearance was already striking, and as the son of the shogun, many people in Wano knew who he was. The original inhabitants of Kuri might not have recognized him, but now that Kuri was bustling with merchants from the Flower Capital, there were plenty who were familiar with the troublemaker.

Having been exiled from the Flower Capital for nearly two years, it seemed Oden hadn't changed a bit. Many had already heard about the trouble he had caused since entering Kuri, and their impression of him wasn't favorable.

Kuri had become a favorite destination for merchants from other regions of Wano.

Doing business here could net them 40-50% more profit than in other areas, and they didn't have to worry about extortion from gangs or officials. Some even tried to offer bribes for peace of mind, but were refused.

They were all amazed at how the daimyo of Kuri managed to keep his people so disciplined.

In short, Kuri had become a paradise—a place where people lived in peace and prosperity, where anyone willing to work could earn a living. Even those who couldn't work received some form of assistance, though the criteria for eligibility and the extent of the aid were strictly defined.

Dan had the confidence to implement such a social security system in Kuri, even if the level of support was minimal compared to what other regions dared to offer.

This was largely due to Kuri's climate and its previously sparse population.

After large-scale land reclamation, Dan had amassed a significant amount of grain. Some of the land was distributed to the people of Kuri, but most of the newly reclaimed fields belonged to him.

The first harvest, which he had accelerated through his powers, was mostly distributed to the people to improve their lives and fill their stomachs. Subsequent bountiful harvests were stored in Kuri's granaries, becoming Dan's property.

He then used the surplus grain to trade with other regions, acquiring talented individuals and accelerating Kuri's development. Even the servants in Dan's residence were purchased from other regions.

"I don't see any pleasure districts around here," Kin'emon muttered, looking around. He and Denjiro had stolen some money along the way, intending to visit a pleasure house and relieve some stress, but they hadn't seen any such establishments in Kuri.

Pleasure districts or red-light districts, were areas where brothels were concentrated, and the women who worked there were known as oiran.

In Wano, pleasure districts were a thriving industry in every region, but since entering Kuri, they hadn't seen any signs of such places.

"Could it be that Kuri doesn't have any pleasure districts?" Denjiro speculated.

"That's impossible!" Kin'emon retorted, his yellow hair standing on end. "Pleasure districts and courtesans are part of Wano's cultural heritage! How could they be abolished?" He was furious at the thought. To him, no matter how beautiful Kuri was, it would always feel lacking without the joy that pleasure districts brought.